This pair of silver mouth pipes were discovered in a grave at the ancient city of Ur in Mesopotamia, in 1927. They date to 2,500 B.C. Both pipes are cylindrical tubes 23.7 centimeters in length and 4 millimeters in diameter. One pipe has four finger holes and the other has three. The original set were deliberately made unplayable by being bent in half.

In May 1998 Simon O'Dwyer attended the 9th International Symposium of the Study Group on Music Archaeology - which featured Music Archaeology of the Metal Ages that year and was organised by Professor Dr. Ellen Hickmann and held in Germany.

Simon was part of a team representing the Bronze Age horns of Ireland. The symposium was attended by Professor Bo Lawergren.

He presented a paper containing his conclusions following his study and reconstruction of the Silver Pipes of Ur.
Following the lecture he requested Simon O'Dwyer to attempt to play the pipes. Armed with some experience of the Irish uilleann pipes, Simon was able to make a creditable attempt at a simple tune. This was the first time that these sounds were heard for 4,500 years.

Professor Bo Lawergren constructed another set of pipes for Simon and both are presently exploring their music potential. They produce a gentle mellow sound with surprising volume from such narrow tubes.

The pipe with four finger holes will play five notes and the other with three holes will play four notes. The overall sound is quite similar to much of the music that is played in the Middle Eastern region.

It is possible to circular breath while playing to maintain a continuous sound.
This technique is used today by exponents of the triple mouth pipes of Sardinia.
Adept players are able to produce intricate traditional tunes while also holding a smooth drone. Though the research into playing the Silver Pipes of Ur is in it's infancy, in the first months they have proven to be a delicate tuneful instrument.

On a recent visit to Edinburgh Simon asked the eminent piper Ian McDonald to try the silver pipes.
Almost immediately he discovered that by inserting the reed into the other end of one of the pipes he was able to play at least eight notes.

This was an excellent example of how important discoveries can be made with prehistoric instruments by giving access of perfect reproductions to professional players of modern equivalents.