You can usually find windchimes hanging from the rooftops or tinkling in the garden in just about every town and city. They give a melodious effect to the atmosphere. There are some windchimes made to produce music like melodies and other types just give a pleasant waterfall of sound as the wind blows. Windchimes can be made out of anything that will make a sound when it hits another one or a hard surface so it should not be very hard to find one that is pleasant to your own ear.
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.
In Asia they were developed extensively because the Buddhist culture used them as religious paraphernalia. Windchimes were attached to the eaves of pagodas and temples and set off a cacophony of sound when the wind blew. Asian and Mediterranean cultures believed that the windchimes would allow benevolent spirits to be around them in order to protect them while it kept evil spirits away. Many families in China and Japan began putting them on their own homes to attract these spirits. Today it is thought that windchimes will bring good luck.
he people of the ancient Celtic nations did not use windchimes to calm the soul. They placed them in the woods and around villages to deceive their adversaries. The Celts were a very superstitious people and the enemy would hear the sounds the chimes made, think the area was haunted and high tailed it far away.
It is believed that the tones of windchimes can calm the mind. It is also believed that the sound a chime produces can even heal the body and distraught mind because of the resonance and frequency at which it rings. They are supposed to bring self awareness and help to connect with soul or spirit of a person. The sound is said to relax individuals and cause anger to melt away bringing an inner balance. Feng Shui utilizes windchimes in order to bring balance to ones life and home.
Windchimes have a more practical use as farmers of old used them to indicate the weather patterns that would either help or harm their crops. If the chimes were ringing in a certain manner it meant the wind was coming from a specific direction and it would rain that day. They would put several sets of chimes around the farm so they could detect the wind direction. This also gave them the ability to know how strong the wind was blowing. They were also used for another goal. The ringing would frighten away any bird that threatened the crop.
Windchimes are still a good seller even today. They are made from hanging the chimes from string. Some of the chimes are made of metal rods or tubes and some are made of glass or even seashells. Bamboo windchimes are very popular and give a clinking sound rather than a chime. Some of the metal chimes have a central string hanging down with a metal or wooden ball or disk at the bottom. The chimes hit that ball or disk when the wind blows and causes them to sound. There are other windchimes where the chimes are positioned in a row and they bump into each other and make sounds.
Many people adorn their homes and gardens with windchimes today. They are not there to frighten away pests or nasty spirits and they are not there to forecast the weather. They do make a pretty sound and make the environment more pleasant and tranquil. They were trendy in the past and they are now and can be found in any home or business. Today they are made of a multitude of materials and sold with carved wood, metals, stained glass, shells and other objects that make sound when hung by string and jostled together. They may not attract luck or protective spirits but everyone puts a smile on their face when they hear them.
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