An oboe is a woodwind with a cylindrical wooden body and a mouthpiece made from a double reed. First used at the court of Louis XIV,the oboe has remained identified as a French invention. In French, its name is "hautbois" (or principle wood), very appropriate since the contemporary woodwind section of the western orchestra was developed around this instrument.
The ancestor of the Western oboe was another reed instrument called the "shalmey" or "shawm" which had finger-holes but no keys. In Europe from 14th through 17th centuries, shawms were played during festive and ceremonial events, especially during outside processions which were appropriate for the shawm's loud, buzzing sound. In part, the oboe was developed during the late 17th century to provide a quieter alternative to the shawm which would be more suitable for indoor concert music.
Similar double reed instruments are found in Asian and Arabic countries. For example, a Japanese oboe called the hichiriki, operates on the same principle of a vibrating double reed. It is has a somewhat different shape, and is only about 18 cm. long, with finger-holes rather than keys. Historically, it was primarily associated with court music.