Trumpet

Trumpet

The Belarusian trumpet (Bel.: surma) is a wind mouthpiece musical instrument, first pictures of which can be found in Belarusian documents of the 13th c. Alongside with straight trumpets they were curved ones too, sometimes they were covered with birch bark. The trumpet was mostly used during warfare as a signal instrument. Everyday life of the medieval knights in the times of a war can't be imagined without this instrument. As a cult instrument, the trumpet has been mentioned in religious literature since the 11th c.
 
Laŭryšaŭskaje Gospels, 13 c.
 
Kronika Swiata (Universal Chronicle), Marcin Bielski, 1551
 
Engraving in honor of the Tyshkevich family, 17 с.
 
Early Instruments of Belarus documentary by Zmicier Sasnouski is for more information and interesting details about the Belarusian trumpet (51:29).