Neolithic Stone Balls
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Neolithic Stone Balls: The Northern Rosetta Stone? presents a structural, metrological, and experimental reinterpretation of Scotland’s carved stone balls, arguing that they formed part of a unified prehistoric instrument system when used in conjunction with cup‑and‑ring petroglyphs. The central innovation of this research is the demonstration that petrospheres and cup‑and‑ring marks were not independent symbolic traditions but interlocking components of a single optical–gnomonic device for measuring solar position, time, and latitude. Through detailed geometric analysis and field experiments conducted during the 2022 autumn equinox, the study shows that the near‑standardised dimensions of petrospheres allow them to function as spherical gnomons, while cup‑marks provide purpose‑built sockets enabling controlled rotation and stable placement. Concentric rings act as reflective and shadow‑tracking fields, transforming carved rock surfaces into calibrated observational platforms. This combined system parallels later spherical inclinometers and medieval solar instruments, revealing a deep continuity in European time‑science. A case study of the Towie Ball illustrates how its unresolved symbolic geometry may encode operational parameters when interpreted within this integrated framework. By uniting artefact and petroglyph into a coherent scientific instrument, the paper reframes carved stone balls as part of a sophisticated Neolithic–Bronze Age tradition of astronomical measurement and navigation.
Language: English
Subfield: Archeology (arts and humanities)
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204520303