Carved stone balls - Photos - Eds? | Forum

Aberdeenshire 30

Image by Running Elk

Carved stone balls — Photos - Eds?

greywether May 18, 2004 21:12:16

I know we don't normally show images of artefacts but I have 20 images from the carved stone balls exhibition in Aberdeen this March which I was thinking of posting under Aberdeenshire - Misc.

11 of individual balls and 9 of the cases with collections. Altogether about 70 were on display.

There was some discussion on these objects in the forum (and there is a whole page on them in the TMA book - p94) so I think there could be some interest from people who have not seen them and their variety of forms.

Before I go ahead, is that ok?

I could take all or some off after a while if necessary.

rocknicker May 20, 2004 22:50:15

Replying to greywether

I for one would love to see your pics - I visited the exhibition but sadly didn't get photos. Very cute and fascinating objects.

FourWinds May 21, 2004 08:37:21

Replying to greywether

I, too, would love to see 'em.

Post 'em. What's the worst that could happen?

rocknicker May 22, 2004 00:13:00

Replying to greywether

greyweather, I would like to compliment you on your very fine balls.

Pete G May 22, 2004 00:39:19

Replying to greywether

A friend of mine has exact replicas of these and I have had the chance to handled them.
"How can I use this as a tool?" I asked meself.
'I could use them to weave and measure lengths of thread' I thought.
Or else they could be a game "He threw a triple nipple!"
I'll get me frock...
PeteG

Rhiannon May 26, 2004 14:06:30

Replying to greywether

Just a load of questions :) If they're made of granite aren't they awfully hard? Has anyone tried to make one in recent times? I'm imagining it would be a right pain in the behind. They are marvelously symmetrical, another thing that wouldn't be easy - so they are surely the work of someone who really knew what they were doing? Could they not just be 'Art' (that is, without a practical use) or someone showing off their superior stone-working techniques? and so such a fine and unusual object would have a high value (not necessarily a monetary value).

Sorry to be so ignorant, but what kind of locations have they been found in?

greywether May 26, 2004 20:37:01

Replying to greywether

I'll repeat some of the stuff I put on the Misc post under Aberdeenshire as here would probably have been a better place to post it given the points now being raised.

411 known examples at the last count.
Vast majority 7cm diameter. 12 at 9-11 cm and some oval ones.
Stone used varies considerably - sandstone, quartzite, gneiss, ...
Distribution - largely Aberdeenshire, Grampians. Also other parts of Scotland. Five found outside Scotland.
Context/Date - Skara Brae finds are late Neolithic. Reports of some finds in Bronze Age contexts but none from recent well-documented excavations.

Littlestone Feb 15, 2008 17:04:12

Replying to greywether

Thought it might be a good idea to bump this thread up separately to dee's (on the Druid burial) as the subject really is fascinating.

The photo of the Towie Ball, in the latest edition of the British Archaeology magazine, is also illustrated here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carved_Stone_Balls The Towie Ball is only 76mm across but the amount of detail on it is amazing.

At first glance I couldn't help being reminded of some of the squat mother goddess carvings from the Neolithic, though the idea that the stone balls might also have been used in divination ceremonies is also interesting.

rocknicker Feb 15, 2008 22:12:42

Replying to greywether

*all ye buried knobbly balls are be mine *