Many musical styles have roots with Europe's transnational population of Gypsies, most famously Flamenco. The Gypsies' ancestors originated in India and traveled westward along two separate routes: the northern passing through Eastern and Central Europe and on to France and England; and the southern continuing from the Near East across Northern Africa and up into Spain. Often forced into isolated settlements and generally preferring a mobile caravan lifestyle, the Gypsies absorbed musical influences everywhere they went, and influenced other cultures in turn. The Gypsy style is something of an umbrella category, which oversimplifies the enormous diversity of music that can be found in the Gypsy tradition. Gypsy music is typically dance music played with violins, other stringed instruments, and percussion, but often slipping in horns and other instruments. The music of Hungarian Gypsies is probably best-known outside of the Gypsy community.
