Stone atoms of antiquity

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

The collection of the Ashmolean Museum in Scotland contains five unusual carved stone balls. Archaeologists find it difficult to explain the purpose of these items. They are made of various materials - sandstone and granite.

The stones date back approximately between 3000 and 2000 BC. In total, about 400 such artifacts were found in Scotland, but five of them stored in the museum are the most unusual. As you can see in the photo, strange symmetrical patterns are applied on the surface of the stones.

Most of the stones have the same diameter of 70 mm, with the exception of a few larger stones, whose dimensions reach 114 mm in diameter. The number of protuberances on the stones ranges from 4 to 33; on the surface of some protuberances there are spiral and disc-shaped patterns.

This stone was found at Skara Brae in the Orkney Islands. His age was determined to be between 3400 and 2000. BC.

Another equally interesting stone was found in Aberdeenshire, with a diameter of about 3 inches. It has three relief round "caps" carved on it, on which spiral patterns similar to symbols are applied. Its age is from 2500 to 1900. BC.

The five stones of the Ashmolean Museum were formerly in the collection of Sir John Evans, who believed they could have been used as projectiles for ancient throwing weapons. However, this explanation does not seem to be correct, since all stones do not contain any damage, which would invariably occur if they were used during military clashes. And the very shape of the stones, the complexity of their manufacture suggest that it is pointless to use so much effort to make throwing devices.

Other versions suggest the use of these artifacts as weights for fishing nets. Or as ritual objects that give their owner the right to vote during various rituals. But all these versions do not explain why it was necessary to make stones of such a complex shape.

There is another possible explanation. Perhaps these stones are a schematic representation of the nuclei of atoms? This image of atoms is widely used in the modern world. Is it possible that the person who made these artifacts had a deep knowledge of chemistry and could depict various atomic structures?

At least the way these artifacts are made leaves no doubt that the master was well versed in geometry, having a good understanding of complex polyhedra. However, we understand that during the Neolithic period people did not possess such knowledge. Or is it not so?