Archaeological records of the Alphorn in Switzerland date back nearly two thousand years.  Early instruments in the mountainous regions of the alps were used for signaling and to announce daily activities.  Since ancient times the Alphorn has sounded as a part of the daily activities of the shepherds and cowherds of these mountain people. The Alphorn was used to calm the dairy cows at milking time. It was the twilight signal for the flocks of sheep to settle in for the night as the shepherds exchanged rustic melodies across the valleys. Such melodies became ritual signals for "All is Well in the Valley" and were passed down through countless generations, from shepherd father to shepherd son. The sound of the Alphorn called the people to gather for council and the men to gather for war.