Petrit Latifi

The Runik Ocarina has been dated to around 8,000 years ago, making it one of the oldest musical instruments discovered in Europe.
It is a small ceramic instrument, with a round shape and several holes for musical breathing — a feature that connects it to the ocarinas known today in many cultures.

It was discovered during excavations at the Neolithic settlement of Runik, one of the earliest centers of civilization in the Balkans.
This artifact indicates the presence of musical culture since the earliest Neolithic eras, testifying to the spiritual and cultural development of the inhabitants of that time.

The Runik Ocarina is more than an instrument — it is a testament to the ancient spirit of Dardania, which today serves as a symbol of Albanian cultural and historical identity.

While the lute as a concrete instrument has centuries of history, as a symbol and idea it represents a much deeper continuity — a connection to the first voice of epic, myth and identity on this earth. Historical documentation of the lute as an instrument begins mostly in the early Middle Ages, especially in relation to Albanian rhapsody and the epic tradition.

Reference

Taken from Lulzim Osmanaj.