Roman musical instruments such as the Buccina which were based on horns developed directly into the trumpet and trombone during the Medieval period and lost no characteristic of importance except for the bent form, which was abandoned when the art of bending hollow tubes was lost after the fall of the Roman Empire. There were four horns known by the collective name of cornu among the Romans which were still used during the Middle Ages:

• The short animal horn used by shepherds
• The longer, semicircular horn, used for signals
• The longer horns which were bent and carried like the buccina, which had the wide bore of the modern tuba
• The small Medieval hunting horns

Family of Instruments: The Horns belongs to the family of Woodwind instruments.

The Medieval hunting horns were crescent-shaped and worn slung by a leather strap over one shoulder and resting on the opposite hip. When played these horns were held with the wide end curving upwards in front of the huntsman's head. Only one note was played, the various calls and signals being based chiefly on rhythm, and the notes being left to the taste and skill of the huntsman.