Windchimes; A Melody Of Tinkling Tones

Windchimes are often found in gardens or hanging from the eaves of houses. They impart a lovely sound to the atmosphere that can be calming. Some windchimes are tuned to play music while others have random tinkling tones. They are made of many materials and you can find one that will please your senses without any trouble at all.

Windchimes have been in use since prehistoric times but no one is sure if they were used to warn of intrusion, to tell how the wind was blowing or if they were just there because they sounded nice. An archaeological dig in South East Asia produced some ancient windchimes that dated back to about 3000 BC. These early windchimes were frequently made out of bone, wood or stones and then later bamboo and shells. The first people to use metal to make a wind chime were the Egyptians and they made them out of bronze.

The Buddhists in Asia were the ones who developed windchimes to the fullest mostly because they used them in ceremonies. They hung windchimes to the rooftops of pagodas and temples that would ring deliriously whenever the wind came through. In Asia and the Mediterranean people believed that the windchimes would call to good spirits and they would come to protect the people who put them up. It was also believed that windchimes would keep evil spirits at bay. You can find windchimes on many residences in China and Japan the owners hoping the good spirits will protect them. In other cultures it is believed that windchimes will make you have good luck.

The Celtic people of ancient Britain made and used windchimes to keep away intruders. They placed windchimes in the woods near their villages so that when the intruders came near they would hear them and think the woods were haunted. They would be tricked and run quickly away from the village.

There is a belief that the sound of windchimes can have a calming affect on the mind. It is said that certain chimes have a specific resonance that can heal the body and mind of a person. It is said they can bring about awareness and connection with the spirit. They help one relax and reduce anger and bring balance to the whole person. Windchimes are used in Feng Shui because of the ability to bring that so sought after balance.

Farmers used to use windchimes not to gain balance but to tell what the weather was going to be like. When a wind blows from a certain direction in a certain area it can bring about good or bad weather conditions. Farmers could tell if there was going to be rain by hearing the windchimes ring in a particular manner because the wind was coming from that direction. They could tell how hard the wind was blowing as well. They also used windchimes in the corn field in order to frighten away the birds that would eat all the corn.

Today windchimes are still popular and are made from suspending tubes or other materials from string. Some are made of rods or tubes and are often made of metal or wood although there are still some being made with glass prisms and shells. Some metal windchimes have a ball like clapper or a horizontal disk that is suspended from the center with the chimes all around it. When the wind blows the chimes bump against the clapper or disk causing them to ring or make another sound. Other windchimes may suspend the materials in a row and when they hit each other they make a pleasant tinkling sound.

Windchimes can be found everywhere these days and the reason usually does not include intruders or scaring away crows. It usually is not to forecast the weather either or to beacon to good spirits. Windchimes do give off sounds that can be calming and relaxing and come in a variety of materials including glass, wood or bamboo, seashells, and all types of metals. They may or may not bring luck but everyone who hears them enjoys the tinkling melodies.


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