Miscellaneous

Bagpipes: The Inside Story on Scotland's Signature Instrument

Most everyone has heard the unmistakable sound of the bagpipes at one point or another, and the image that is conjured up is one of a kilt-wearing, argyle-socked Scotsman merrily piping away on what looks to be, naturally, a skin bag festooned with a number of pipes. It may surprise many to know that the bagpipes or instruments much like it - there are many variations on the basic concept - are neither exclusive to Scotland, nor did they originate there! In actual fact, historians can trace the origin of the bagpipes to somewhere in the Middle East.