The caval is a Romanian duct flute, also known as a “kaval” in Bulgaria, which translates to “pipe” in Turkish. Cavals are traditionally played by shepherds, but in modern times they have found their way into folk music. Typically has three main parts: the head joint, the body joint, and the foot joint. The head joint is the mouthpiece, the body joint is the connector, and the foot joint is for acoustics, sometimes having additional “devil’s holes” for added effect. Traditional Moldovan (Romanian or Hungarian) flutes have five holes, but having eight holes, this flute is from Dobrogea, located in the far southeast of what is now Romania and used to be called Moldavia. The origins of duct flutes can be traced back centuries, starting with the Egyptians, Syrians, and Greeks, but Romanian versions sprouted up as a result of the Ottoman Turks. Since the duct flute likely came to Dobrogea when the Turks gained increased control 1418, it was therefore likely created afterwards.

The Ottomans expanded their empire beginning in the mid-1300s, and Prince Mircea of Walachia (southern historical region of Romania) sent troops to fight them in 1389. The Walachians were defeated and the Turks began crossing the Walachian border, and when Mircea died in 1418 Walachia and neighboring region Moldavia were seriously weakened. The Ottomans next defeated Bulgarian forces in 1944, cementing their presence in the region throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, allowing for their culture to expand outwards, which included duct flute music and production. Moldavia and Walachia united against the Ottoman Turks as one nation, Romania, in 1877, but the duct flutes had already taken hold and become part of the new nation’s culture.