Bagpipes

I recently saw Trump in Saudi Arabia getting the big welcome. What caught my ears were the sound of bag pipes. They are so distinct. I wondered who had them first in the world?
Apparently no one knows as their material breaks down to fast to really be preserved. One main part is the bag. They are typically made of the skins of local animal, being goat, sheep, cows or dogs. Most recently the are made from GORE-Tex. Which because it doesn't need as much cleaning, has more danger of growing fungus.
The air is pushed into the bag via a blowpipe. The chanter, at the other end of the bag, is where the melody comes in along with the reed at the tip. It's played with two hands using holes to create the melody. Sometimes there are two cantors, which are more common in the Balkans, southwest Asia and North Africa. The sound is also emitted though the drone which is made to slide to change the pitch. That is why you hear two sounds when it's played.
The first known bagpipe usage is in the 5,000bc in then Sumeria or China but not verified. The oldest reference is in Egypt in 100bc. It's mentioned in both Roman and Greek writings in 100ad. There many types and advances in the pipes. It is a traditional cultural music symbol that is shared by those who have kept the tradition of playing for fun or function.

Some samples via: YouTube.com

Germany:

France

Italy

Dubai

Turkey

Scotland

Photo from the star.com