However, in the late 1990s, scholars uncovered a flutelike artifact that had been created from the bone of a cave bear. The Divje Babe flute was found in Slovenia and it appears to date to about 50,000 years ago. With several holes in the flute, the player could vary the tone of the sound when blowing air through the instrument. Whether used as a musical instrument or a whistle, the flute does create sound and flutes like this represent one of the first musical instruments.