 According to Dumbrill, the lute family included instruments in Mesopotamia prior to 3000 BC.He points to a cylinder seal as evidence; dating from 3100 BC or earlier (now in the possession of the British Museum); the seal depicts on one side what is thought to be a woman playing a stick "lute".Like Sachs, Dumbrill saw length as distinguishing lutes, dividing the Mesopotamian lutes into a long-necked variety and a short.