The origins of the Swiss alphorn is unknown, although many sources speculate its origins are rooted in the ancient Roman instrument lituus. This has not been proven.

At this writing, and according to Wikipedia.org, the oldest mention of the instrument is from 1527 in a book of accounts in a Cistercian Abby. In this book, payment was recorded made to an alphorn player.

The alphorn is manufactured from soft wood, usually with a cup or bell-shaped mouthpiece. Hand-made alphorns are carved. The length and shape of the alphorn vary given the locality of the instrument, but some modern instruments are as long as 13 feet. These modern instruments are generally in detachable sections for easier traveling.

The sound from an alphorn has good carrying range and for this reason, it has traditionally been used as a way to call cattle. It has also been used to sound warnings and in place of church bells.

Many modern Alphorn music groups continue to perform, and it may be that the Alphorn is coming  back into some popularity.