The Ocarina is an ancient wind instrument with an absorbing quality through the specific pattern of resonance. It is one of the oldest musical instruments on Earth, believed to date back some 12,000 years, and was found in many parts of the world. Ocarina-type instruments have been of particular importance in Chinese and Mesoamerican cultures, where they are often shaped as animals, mainly birds. Although many other materials may also be utilized, for these vessel flutes including plastic, wood, glass, and metal, the ocarina is generally of ceramic.