Medieval recorder from Tartu, Estonia/Keskaegne plokkfloot tartust.

Tvauri, Andres ; Utt, Taavi-Mats

Introduction

In the centre of Tartu in the courtyard of 15 Ulikooli Street archaeological excavations were carried out in summer 2005 and spring 2007 by the University of Tartu directed by Andres Tvauri. The aim of those excavations was to investigate the whole courtyard area (115 sq. m in total) archaeologically in order to enable the construction of underground rooms. Six wooden cesspits from 14th-16th centuries were found from the area (Tvauri & Bernotas 2005; 2006; Tvauri 2007).

Among other fords a completely preserved wooden recorder was found in 2005 from one of the latrines (Fig. 1). Because a medieval recorder, as well as medieval musical instruments in general, is an extremely rare find, it deserves a publication of its own.

Context of the find

The recorder was found from the centre of medieval Tartu (Fig. 2) in medieval and also current back yard area, from latrine no. 1b. The latrine was made from pine logs (Fig. 3) and its measurements were 1.8 x 1.8 m, the height being 1.9 m (15 layers of logs). On the upper side of the cesspit, at the height of the 1st-2nd log layers from the top, there was a thin layer of decayed wood, seemingly originating from boards covering the cesspit. Underneath, the pit was filled with thick and sticky layer of excrements, containing abundant branches, wood chips, fire-sticks, textile remains, animal and fish bones, cherry and plum stones, shells of Persian walnuts, fragments of wooden vessels, potsherds, fragments of window glass and other finds.

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Archaeological objects of this kind are common in Tartu--at least 35 wooden cesspits dated to the 13th-16th centuries have been found and investigated in town. As the medieval cultural layer of Tartu is in most cases situated in wet and oxygen-free environment of the low and flat river valley, the organic material found there (wood, textile, leather, bone, etc.) is often very well preserved. Conditions for the preservation of organic material are particularly favourable in the latrines filled with excrements.

The contents of the cesspit at 15 Ulikooli Street can be interpreted as one stratigraphic unit. It means that the entire filling of the pit has deposited in quite similar conditions in a relatively short time. Only on the very bottom of the pit there was a 50-cm thick layer different in content and with no finds. The recorder was situated near the centre of the latrine, 1 m below the survived upper log.

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Dating of the Tartu recorder

Other finds from the same layer can be used for dating the recorder. For example, there was a stoneware jug 14 cm in height (TM A 141: 70), which originates from southern Lower Saxony where vessels with similar characteristics were produced in the second half of the 14th century (Stephan 1981, pl. 43: 1-3; Russow 2006, 74-75). In addition fragments of several jugs from Siegburg, Rhineland were found. A completely preserved jug (Fig. 4) can be dated to the period 1290-1400 (Russow 2006, fig. 12: 1; personal comment by Erki Russow). An upper part of a bulhy jug is almost completely preserved (TM A 141: 505); it obviously belongs to the turn of the 14th-15th centuries (personal comment by Erki Russow). Pieces of Jacoba jug (TM A 141: 72) originating from western part of Saxony, Waldenburg, were also found. Those jugs are considered to date to the period 1375/1400-1525/1550 (Scheidemantel 2005, 110-111). Besides stoneware, fragments of two earthenware vessels (TM A 141: 550, 552) came to light from the latrine. We are dealing with pottery of NW-Russian-style, which can be dated to the 14th-15th centuries based on the rim shapes of the vessels and ornaments of sparse or wavy lines made with stick (Tvauri 2000, 105-107, fig. 9; [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] 2002, 12, fig. 4: 1-5).

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Beaker or beakers of thin clear glass with blue glass-string decorations (TM A 141: 44-55) were also found from the cesspit. Fragments of such beakers have been found only in towns of the Baltic Sea region from deposits of the 14th-early 15th century. In Finland this kind of glass findings from the layers of the town of Turku have been dated to the period 1360-1410 (Haggrbn 2003, fig. 4; 2005, fig. 3: 2). An upper part of a small glass bottle, the so-called Ribbenflasche (TM A 141: 543) is a unique find in Estonia it is the first and so far the only one found here. Such glass bottles have been uncovered elsewhere in Europe in the 13th-14th-century context (Baumgartner & Krueger 1988, 270-280). A push key spring lock made of iron (TM A 141: 154) can be dated to the 14th century or to the first half of the 15th century ([TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] 1982, fig. 3, type [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]).

Summing up the dates of the finds from the cesspit in question one can see that in most cases they belong to the 14th-15th centuries. In the case of those objects dated to the 15th century it is also possible that they come from the turn of the 14th-15th centuries. Based on the finds, the content of the cesspit most likely comes from the second half of 14th century. The rest of the archaeological finds from the latrine also fit into the proposed period.

Fortunately it was possible to date the logs of the latrine using dendrochronological method. The logs were cut down in 1335 (Bernotas 2008, in print).

Summing up the information presented above we can date the contents of the latrine to the period between 1335 and the end of the 14th century. However, this does not show the time when the instrument was made but the time when it was deposited in the ground.

To date the recorder itself, a radiocarbon dating (AMS) was conducted in the Dating Laboratory of the University of Helsinki in winter 2007. For that purpose a sample of wood was taken from the recorder, which was dated to 690[+ or -]30 BP (Hela-1338). When calibrated with computer program OxCal v.3.10, two possible time intervals were achieved with 95.4% certainty (Fig. 5), first fitting to 12601315, and second 1355-1390.

It must be considered that the radiocarbon dating represents the age of the material that the instrument is made of. More precisely even, the time when the tree-rings of the wood sample were formed. If the recorder was made of the inner part of a tree, the result of radiocarbon dating can be tens of years older than the actual time of cutting down the tree. Additionally, it can be presumed that the instrument was made of carefully dried wood and it could have been in use for many years. Considering the above-mentioned aspects, it is quite plausible that the recorder was produced at the beginning of the 14th century. Thus the active use of the instrument falls into the first half of the 14th century.

In the 14th century, Tartu was an important and wealthy Hanseatic city, the main income of which came from transit-commerce between western and northern European Hanseatic towns and Novgorod and Pskov in Russia. At that time the Old Livonian towns belonged explicitly to Northern German, i.e. Hanseatic cultural sphere. The latrine where the Tartu recorder was found was probably situated on the land of a wealthy German merchant. Both the central position of the plot of land in town (near the market square and next to the largest church in town) as well as fragments of imported glass-beakers and exotic archaeobotanic finds (grape seeds, shells of Persian walnuts, plum stones, peppercorns), which in this case can be described as luxury items, give evidence of the lavatory owner's wealth.

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Tartu recorder

The recorder is made of maple (Acer platanoides). (1) There are ornamental rings at the mouthpiece end (Fig. 6). External outline of the recorder is nearly cylindrical, resembling a bone in shape. Directly after uncovering (being soaked in water) the total length of the recorder was 250 mm and the largest diameter was 30.7 mm on the mouthpiece end. Its bore has a diameter of 12 mm at the end of foot section.

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The bore seems to be near cylindrical, conic by the block and mildly descending at the other end of the instrument. Still there is no doubt that the violation of cylindrical form is deliberate and not the outcome of deformation. The bore is slightly bent, while the existence of dirt inside the instrument and the oval form of the bore make it hard to measure the exact dimensions.

There was a crack at the end of the instrument already when found. Fortunately this does not go right through and will not affect the bore. The instrument was slightly bended, which is rather surprising in case of maple-wood. This was probably caused by extreme humidity and the pressure of the soil. On the surface of the recorder there are some notches inflicted in the course of excavations. Luckily they are in such places where they do not affect the musical qualities of the instrument. The recorder was conservated in the Department of Archaeology of the University of Tartu. In the process of boiling the instrument in paraffin its dimensions diminished to some extent.

The windway and block of the instrument are well preserved and very precisely made especially when compared to not so accurately prepared labium. The latter has a bowed edge which withdraws in the centre. It seems, however, that the labium is not worn out in any way and we see the original shape.

The block is made from a birch branch (Betula) and is 23 mm in height (Fig. 7). Amazing is the even concavity and high quality (of refinement) of the block's windway which is characteristic also to instruments from later periods. The block has a conical shape with a diameter of 11.7-12.3 mm. The more surprising is a small hole drilled horizontally through the instrument and block (Fig. 8). An X-ray photo shows spots on the edges of that hole where the Roentgen rays have reflected back (oxide?). It can be assumed that the block was fixed with a metal pin, although there was no need for that because of the conicity of the block. As the block is made of birch which reacts to changing humidity and temperature more than cedar, which was used as block-material in later periods, the block could have been made with extra room for expanding. In that case it would have needed a metal rod for additional fixing. We must not exclude the possibility that the rod was meant for hanging the instrument, especially while taking in account its small parameters. The blowing end of the recorder is not beaked (as usual by modern recorders in order to ascertain the best position for blowing) but flat.

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Unlike all other surviving medieval recorders, the Tartu recorder has finger holes in one row and the lower, seventh hole is not doubled. This is not very surprising considering the small size of the instrument. Remarkable is the regular placing of the finger holes and similarity of diameters of the holes. All the holes are drilled in the direction of the labium. The finger holes are cylindrical and almost entirely not undercut.

Compared with the modern classification of recorder sizes and pitches it is closest to a low sopranino at [a'sup.1] = 440 Hz. Indeed, this is only contemporary classification which does not claim to be potential medieval standard. The lowest tone of the instrument is ca 30 cents lower than second octave F, and the seventh finger hole produces a half tone, unlike the later standards.

The instrument has survived so well that it makes sound when blown. The range of the Tartu recorder is two octaves and a second. Unfortunately we cannot decide upon the original range of the instrument with certainty. It is possible that the shrinkage of wood in the process of conservation and the presence of some dirt (urinary calculus?) inside the bore have narrowed it, and paradoxically, the range could have even widened. Despite the fact that such theoretical possibility exists it is quite likely that we are dealing with the original range of the recorder. Considering that the range of most renaissance recorders was an octave and major sixth, such a wide range in such an old instrument is definitely surprising. Already external observation revealed a relatively large window compared to the small parameters of the instrument which also did not predict such a wide range.

Hundreds of years in wet environment, deformation under the weight of the soil and later conservation have undoubtedly changed the dimensions of the instrument, among others placing labium and windway towards each other. Thus the current musical qualities of the Tartu recorder, sound, articulation and temperament do not correspond to the initial ones and describing them as they are now would only discredit the instrument. Additional information to the experts is the fact that there is no flat edge on the end of windway and it is very delicate, almost invisible on the block.

All the materials used to produce the instrument were common in Estonia but considering the wide geographic scope of the cesspit-fords it is very likely that the recorder is not of local origin.

Tartu recorder in the context of medieval recorders

The number of recorders from the 14th century and earlier period is not known exactly because in most cases only fragments of instruments have been found. In addition to labium, block and windway the classificatory features of recorder are holes for seven fingers and a thumbhole which serves as an octaving vent. Thus it is hard to distinguish recorder and whistler in case of incomplete exemplars. The latter was in extensive use as a folk instrument in different countries.

The oldest almost completely preserved recorder is the "Dordrecht Recorder". This was discovered in 1940 from the moat surrounding the ruins of the Huis to Merwede castle, about 3 km east of the town of Dordrecht, Holland. "Dordrecht Recorder" is dated to the 14th century (Weber 1976; Rowland-Jones 1996, 17) or even to the 13th century (Hakelberg 1995, 11). A second well-know medieval recorder dating from the 14th century is a more or less complete instrument found in a latrine in Gottingen, Germany, in 1987 (Hakelberg 1994; 1995; Reiners 1997). A fragment of a third 14th-century recorder has recently been found near Stuttgart, southern Germany. It was excavated from the sediment of the mill channel of the Carmelite' Monastery in Esslingen. Although all the forger-holes have not been preserved it can be regarded as a recorder due to the very same characteristic turning proule as has the Gottingen recorder (Lander 2006). A recorder found during the excavations in Poland, Elbl4g, is also worth mentioning (Poplawska 2004) although any further investigations about the instrument have not yet been published. According to preliminary data the recorder probably dates from the 15th century.

Unfortunately the list of reliably medieval recorders hereby ends. As none of the forementioned instruments makes sound, nor are they completely preserved it is impossible to overestimate the importance of the Tartu recorder.

How to act in case of finding medieval woodwind musical instrument?

Musical instruments constitute a very small part of archaeological fords but the more valuable is the information gained through them. Taking into account the experience received with finding, conservation and documentation of the Tartu recorder, we would like to give some suggestions of how to act in case an instrument is found.

In case of woodwind instruments the level of accuracy necessary in measuring the instruments is far greater than usually presumed. For instance, in case of recorder, the minimal level of precision would be 0.1 mm. Concerning acoustics, bore and labium, block and windway are remarkably interesting in addition to the placing of finger-holes. As it is usually beyond the capacities and competence of archaeologists (and unskilled measuring can cause damages), a specialist should be contacted immediately.

Measuring of the instrument should be done already before the conservation of the find. Till then it is appropriate to place the instrument hermetically into a plastic bag with some soil that surrounded it. If the measuring cannot be done immediately the artefact should be deep frozen to avoid deformation.

While documenting, scanning the object is preferred to traditional photographing. Advantages are lack of aberrations and noticeably better quality of the image. In case only camera can be used in addition to ruler placed next to the instrument while photographing, distance between the object and camera should be clarified. This would simplify to find photographic aberrations later. Such a precision may seem exaggerated but measuring the wet instrument (and doing necessary recalculations) would give a result quite close to the original. This again would enable to make an exact copy of the recorder and thus reconstruct the medieval musical scale.

Conclusions

The Tartu recorder, which was found in 2005 from a latrine, and can be dated to the 14th century, is an extremely rare finding and as yet it is the best-preserved medieval recorder ever found. The instrument widens the geography of recorder use in Europe significantly and shifts forward in time the implementation of several instrument-making methods. But namely due the rareness of the find we must be very careful in making generalizations regarding recorders of that period. There is no doubt that the instrument raises many questions for both theoreticians and practicians and at least some of them will get answers with the help of feasibly precise reconstructions and their use in practice.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank archaeologists Arvi Haak and Erki Russow, dendrologists Alar Uidnelaid and Regino Kask, and Kart Metsoja, who all contributed to the preparation of the article.

References

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Bernotas, R 2008. Dendrochronological dating of medieval latrines from Tartu.--EJA. In print.

Bronk Ramsey, C. 2005. OxCal (computer program). Version 3.10. www.rlaha.ox.ac.ukloxcal/oxcal.htm

Haggren, G. 2003. Sirpaleita Hansan kultuuripiirista. Keskiaikaiset lasiastialoydot.--Kaupunkia pintaa syvemmalta. Arkeologisia nakokulmia Turun historiaan. Ed. L. Seppanen. (Archaeologia Medii Aevi Finlandiae, IX.) Turku, 231-240.

Haggren, G. 2005. Lasiastiat keskiajan ja renessanssin Suomessa.--SKAS, 4, 41-53.

Hakelberg, D. 1994. Eine mittelalterliche Blockflote aus Gottingen. Mit eine einleitenden Beitrag von Betty Arndt. (Gottinger Jahrbuch, hrsg. vom Geschichtsverein fur Gottingen and Umgebung e.V., Bd. 42, 95-102.)

Hakelberg, D. 1995. Some recent archaeo-organological finds in Germany.--Galpin Society Journal, 48,3-12.

Lander, N. S. 2006. A memento: the medieval recorder. http://www.recorderhomepage.net/medieval.html (22.03.2006).

Poplawska, D. 2004. Flet prosty i fujarka: nowe odkrycia arheomuzykologii Elblaga.--Archeologia et Historia Urbana. Eds R. Czaja, G. Nawrolska, M. Rebkowski & J. Tandecki. Elbl4g, 483-488.

Reimer, P. J., Baillie, M. G. L., Bard, E., Bayliss, A. & Beck, J. W. 2004. IntCa104 terrestrial radiocarbon age calibration, 0-26 cal kyr BP.--Radiocarbon, 46: 3, 1029-1058.

Reiners, H. 1997. Reflections on a reconstruction of the 14th century Gottingen recorder.--The Galpin Society Journal, 50, 31-42.

Rowland-Jones, A. 1996. La flauta de pico en el arte catalan. la Parte. Alrededor de 1400: la invencion de la flauta de pico.--Revista de Flauta de Pico, 6, 15-20.

Russow, E. 2006. Importkeraamika Laane-Eesti linnades 13.-17. sajandil. Tallinn.

Scheidemantel, D. 2005. Waldenburger Steinzeug des Spatmittelalters and der fiuhen Neuzeit. Forschungen zur Typologie, Chronologie and Technologie.--Waldenburger Steinzeug. Archeologie and Naturwissenschaften. Eds D. Scheidemantel & T. Schifer. (Veroffentlichungen des Landesamtes fur Archeologie mit Landesmuseum fur Vorgeschichte, 44.) Dresden, 8-286.

Stephan, H. G. 1981. Coppengrave. Studien zur Topferei des 13.-19. Jahrhunderts in Nordwestdeutschland. (Materialhefte zur Ur- and Friihgeschichte Niedersachsens, 17.) Hildesheim.

Tvauri, A. 2000. Loode-Vene paritolu slaavi keraamika Eestis 11.-16. sajandil.--EAA, 4: 2,91-119.

Tvauri, A. 2007. Aruanne arheoloogilistest paastekaevamistest Tartus Ulikooli 15 hoovis 2007. aastal. Manuscript in National Heritage Board.

Tvauri, A. & Bernotas, R 2005. Amanne arheoloogilistest proovikaevamistest Tartus Ulikooli 15 hoovis 2005. aastal. Manuscript in National Heritage Board.

Tvauri, A. & Bernotas, R 2006. Archaeological investigations carried out by the University of Tartu in 2005. -AVE, 2005, 101-110.

Weber, R 1976. Recorder finds from the Middle Ages, and results of their reconstruction.--Galpin Society Journal, 24, 35-41.

[TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] ******* Tartus leiti 2005. aastal Ulikooli 15 hoovist arheoloogiliste kaevamiste kaigus keskaegsest lampkastist mude leidude hulgas ka terviklikult sailinud puidust plokkfloot (joon 1). Pilh leiukohaks oh 1,8-meetrise kuljepikkusega ja keskmiselt 10 cm paksustest koorimata mannipalkidest ristpalktehnikas valmistatud kast (joon 3), mis oli sailinud 1,9 m (15 palgikihi) korgusena. Kasti taitis valjaheidetest ja keskaegsest rampsust moodustunud tihke orgaaniline mass.

Floodi dateerimiseks annavad pidepunkti sellega samast kihist saadud muud leiud (naiteks joon 4), mis parinevad 14.-15. sajandist, ent 15. sajandi dateeringuga esemete puhul on voimalik ka nende paritolu 14. sajandi lopust. Seega parineb uuritud lampkasti sisu koige toenaolisemalt 14. sajandi teisest poolest. Kasti palkide dendrokronoloogilisel dateerimisel saadi tulemuseks, et need on langetatud 1335. aastal. Plokkfloodist voetud puiduproovi radioaktiivse susiniku meetodil dateerimine andis pilli materjali vanuseks 690[+ or -]30 radiosusinikuaastat (Hela-1338). Tulemust kalibreerides saadi kaks voimalikku dateeringut kalendriaastates--1260-1315 ja 1355-1390 (joon 5).

Pill on treitud uhes tukis harilikust vahtrast. Huulikupoolses osas asub treitud ringornament (joon 6). Tegemist on peaaegu silindrilise plokkfloodiga, mis oma valiskujult meenutab pisut konti. Pill on ligikaudu 250 mm pikk ja suurim labimoot on huulikupoolses otsas 30,7 mm. Tuulekanali labimoot alumisest otsast moodetuna on 12 mm. Pilli oos on peaaegu silindriline, ploki juures kooniline ja pilli teises otsas kergelt kahanev. Instrumendi tuulekanal on vaga hasti sailinud ja ka tehtud, eriti vorreldes pisut hooletumalt valmistatud laabiumiga, mida iseloomustab kaarjas keskelt kaugenev serv. Tundub siiski, et ka laabiumi kulumine on minimaalne ja tegu on originaalkujuga. Plokk on valmistatud kaseoksast ja on 23 mm pikk (joon 7). Selle puhul hammastab hilisematest pillidest tuttav ploki tuulekanali uhtlane nogusus ja Urge viimistlustase. Plokk on kullalt kooniline: selle labimoot on 11,7-12,3 mm. Seda ullatavam on poigiti huulikut ja plokki labiv ava (joon 8). Pillist tehtud rontgenifotol on ava servades naha laigud, kust rontgenikiired on tagasi peegeldunud (metallioksiid?). See voimaldab oletada, et pilli ja plokki hibis algselt metallist tihvt. Silindrilise ploki puhul oleks sellel olnud plokki ukseeriv ulesanne, mille jarele tundub antud juhul otsene vajadus puuduvat. Siiski on voimalik, et kuna plokk on kasest ja selle puidu reageerimine muutuvale niiskusele ning temperatuurile on suurem kui hiljem levinud plokimaterjalil seedripuul, vois plokk olla tehtud teadlikult paisumisvaruga, noudes siiski taiendavat kinnitamist tihvtiga. Pilli mootmeid arvestades ei saa valistada, et tibvtil oli kinnituskoht plokkfloodi kaela voi voole riputamiseks. Plokkflootidel on enamasti mugavama puhumisasendi saamiseks huulikupoolses otsas iseloomulik loige, mis algab tavaliselt tagakuljelt ja jouab valja peaaegu tuulekanali alguseni, Tartu pillil see puudub. Erinevalt koikidest teistest sailinud keskaegsetest plokkfloodidest asetsevad sormeavad uhel joonel ja viimane, seitsmes ava, ei ole dubleeritud. Tahelepanuvaarne on sormeavade paigutuse regulaarsus ja nende diameetrite samasus. Koik sormeavad on puuritud nurga all suunaga laabiumi poole. Samas on koik avad peaaegu silindrilised ja neid ei ole alt laiendatud.

Oma suuruselt voib Tartu plokkfloodi vorrelda kaasaegse haalestuse [a'sup.1] = 440 Hz subtes madala F-sopraninoga. Puhudes teeb pill haalt. Pilli alumine noot on 2. oktavi f-noodist ligikaudu 30 senti madalam ja seitsmes sormeava annab erinevalt hilisematest standarditest pooltooni. Tartu plokkfloodi ulatuseks on kaks oktavit ja sekund. Kahjuks ei saa taie veendumusega otsustada pilli algse ulatuse ule. Voimalik, et plokkfloodi konserveerimisest tulenev puidu mootmete muutumine ja moningane mustus on teinud mensuuri kitsamaks ning seega vois ulatus isegi suureneda. Hoolimata sellisest teoreetilisest voimalusest on siiski toenaoline, et tegemist on plokkfloodi originaalulatusega. Arvestades seda, et ka enamiku renessanssplokkfloodide ulatuseks oli oktav ja suur sekst, on nii varase perioodi pilli nii suur ulatus fillatav. Juba instrumendi valisel vaatlusel naeme selle pilli mootude kohta kfillalt suurt akent, mis samuti ei lubaks nonda suurt ulatust prognoosida.

Aastasadadepikkune seismine marjas keskkonnas, deformeerumine pinnase raskuse mojul ja hilisem konserveerimine on kahtlemata muutnud pilli mootmeid, sealhulgas ka laabiumi ning tuulekanali omavahelist asetust. Seeparast ei vasta Tartu plokkfloodi tanased muusikalised kvaliteedid, nagu tamber, artikulatsioon ja temperatsioon, algsetele omadustele. Erialaspetsialistidele annab lisaks eelkirjeldatud detailidele lisainfot ka fakt, et tuulekanali lopus ei ole faasi ja plokil on see vaga delikaatne, et mitte oelda vaevumargatav.

Koik pilli tegemiseks kasutatud materjalid olid tavalised ka Eestis, kuid lampkasti leidude laia geograafilist haaret arvestades on siiski toenaoline, et pill ei ole kohaliku paritoluga.

14. sajandist voi varasemakt ajast sailinud plokkfloodide arv ei ole tapselt teada, kuna pohiliselt on leitud vaid pillide fragmente. Plokkfloodi tunnuseks on lisaks laabiumile, plokile ja tuulekanalile ka seitse sormeava ning pilli vastaskuljel paiknev poidlaava. Seeparast on mittetaielike leidude puhul raskusi plokkfloodi ja vilepilli eristamisega. Viimased olid rahvapillidena eri maades laialdaselt kasutusel.

Vanimaks peaaegu tervikuna sailinud plokkfloodiks on Hollandist leitud nn Dordrechti floot, mis on dateeritud 14. voi isegi 13. sajandiga. Teiseks tuntumaks keskaegseks plokkfloodiks on Saksamaalt Gottingenist leitud pill, mis parineb 14. sajandist. Katke 14. sajandi plokkfloodist on leitud ka Saksamaalt Esslingeni karmeliitide kloostri veskikraavi pohjast. Mainida voib ka Poolast Elblagist leitud oletatavasti 15. sajandist parinevat plokkfloodi.

Kuna ukski eelpool loetletud pillidest haalt ei tee ega ole ka tervikuna sailinud, siis on Tartu pilli kohta keskaegsete plokkfloodide seas raske ule hinnata. Tartu plokkfloodi naol on tegemist filiharuldase leiuga, mis on seni teadaolevalt koige paremini sailinud keskaegne plokkfloot. See pill laiendab oluliselt plokkfloodi kasutusgeograafiat keskaegses Euroopas ja nihutab varasemaks mitmete pilliehituslike votete kasutuselevottu.