Abstract: The subject of this research is the representations on origin, typology and role of the instruments within the intellectual tradition of Medieval West since the first centuries of Christianity until the XIII century. The author describes the main sources of instrumental lexicon and the nature of records about musical instruments in the Biblical text, as well as examines the tradition of definition of these instruments in the works of Church Fathers, early medieval “Etymologies” ofIsidore of Seville and “Letter to Dardanus” of Pseudo-Hieronymus, Latino-Latin Dictionaries of the High Medieval period. The author analyzes the commentaries to the Holy Scripture, compositions of encyclopedic lexicographic character. The scientific novelty lies in analytical generalization of the key trends in development of representations on the musical instruments within the indicated timeframe. A conclusion is made that the evolution of thought on the musical instruments and instrumental music-making in European culture of the Early and High Medieval Period has passed several stages. Having commenced with antagonism of the Church Fathers towards the practical aspects of instrumental music and strictly allegorical interpretations, the Latin authors synthesized the records of organological nature and descriptions of the symbolic imagery, in order to subsequently come to the need for genus-species systematization of the origin and structure of the actual instruments.