While I am on my history of the bones kick, I thought that some of you might appreciate this. We probably have all heard the reference to bones in Shakespear's Midsummer's Night Dream. Here is the passage from the Quarto edition of Midsummer’s Night Dream, published 1600. Note that in this edition, Bottom is referred to as Clowne. Stage directions are in parentheses.

(Enter Queene of Fairies, and Clowne, and Fairies, and the
King behinde them)

Tita. What, wilt thou heare some musicke, my sweet
loue.
Clow. I haue a reasonable good eare in musicke. Let
vs haue the tongs and the bones.
(Musicke Tongs, Rurall Musicke)

Note that he stage directions call for Rurall Musicke, indicating that the bones were a country instrument. It would appear that the bones were not considered not an instrument fitting the queen of the fairies. The humor and inappropriateness of this was not lost on Shakespeare's audiences.

By the way, does anyone know what the "tongs" were and how they were played?