Avlos had a major role in music life of Ancient Greece. A kind of wind instrument, sole or combined with kithara or song, avlos accompanied almost all of the social events (religious ceremonies, dionysian pomps, dramas, symposiums e.t.c.).

A lot of things have been written about avlos' origin. One of the ancient information sources, the parian ware, says that first "Phrygas Yagnis (Φρύγας Ύαγνις)" invented the avlos and played the Phrygian harmonics.

 

One other myth says that avlos was Minerva's invention, and that when she saw her misshapen reflection at the water while she was playing, she threw away the avlos. At least Marsyas from Phrygia found the instrument. This myth's main reason was to point that avlos had greek origin, since that a lot of people had taken it as something foreign and barbaric.