Cowbells date back to around 3600 BCE, when the Chinese began forging bronze. The earliest bells were hammered into shape, not poured like today’s foundry-made ringers. That’s why cowbells are more rectangular than round. The two basic types of bells originally developed were the chung bell, struck from the outside with a hammer, and the ling bell, struck by an internal clapper. Chung bells were used during ceremonial occasions, while ling bells were suspended around the necks of animals in order to ward off evil spirits.

Mongolian shepherds used the bells for a more practical purpose – to keep track of their herds as they wandered about the countryside. In fact, they actually belled their goats, not their cows, as goats tend to be more active while grazing than lumbering cattle are.