Now more than 500 mysterious objects have been found, most of which are in the northeast of Scotland, but also in the Orkney Islands, England, Ireland and Norway.
Archaeologists still don't know the original purpose or significance of the Neolithic stone ball, which is considered to be the best example of Neolithic art found anywhere in the world. But now, they have created a virtual 3D model of the gorgeous ball, which is mainly used for sharing with the public. In addition, the model also revealed some new details, including the once hidden patterns carved on the ball. [More pictures of beautifully carved stone balls]
Hugo Anderson Wymark, curator of the Scottish National Museum, created these online models. He explained that over the years, people have put forward many functions of stone balls.
These suggestions include using them as crushing weapons for the heads of stone balls, or as standard weights for Neolithic merchants, or as rollers for transporting stones from Stonehenge Monument.
There is a saying that many knobs on stone carving balls are wrapped with hemp rope or tendons, which makes them throw like slings or South American pills. Other theories describe the ball as an object of religious belief or a symbol of social status.
Anderson Weimar told Life Science, "There are many ideas that you must take with you a handful of salt, and some of them may be reasonable." Interestingly, people's imagination has been captured by them, and they still have many secrets, Aberdeen Sketch Factory and Scottish National Museum.
The Mystery of the Neolithic Age The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh has the largest collection of stone ball sculptures in the world, including about 140 originals from Neolithic sites in Scotland and Orkney Islands, and 60 models of similar objects from other places.
Although only a few were exhibited in Edinburgh, 60 three-dimensional models of Neolithic stone balls collected by the museum have been published on the Internet, so anyone interested in ancient wonders around the world can study them in detail from any angle.
The online collection includes the most famous of these items, the Tovey ball found near Tovey village in northeast Scotland, about 1860. Three of the four lobes of the ball are engraved with spiral interwoven patterns, which is considered to be one of the best Neolithic art examples discovered so far. [In the picture: the oldest cave art in the world]
Three-dimensional models of some Neolithic stone balls found in Scotland are centered on the famous Tovey ball. Anderson Whymark said that it was hard for some early archaeologists to believe that these complicated objects might be carved with stone tools, so they mistakenly attributed them to Picts, who lived between the late Iron Age and the early Middle Ages in Scotland 1800 to 1 100.
But later archaeologists were able to trace the carved stone balls back to the earlier prehistoric Neolithic Age, about 5,000 years ago, when only stone tools were used.
Many decorative patterns are used on carved stone balls, including detailed circles and spirals carved on pottery balls. These tombs are also found in the carvings of the Neolithic passage tombs, which are characterized by underground tombs at the end of long stone passages, such as the Irish New Granci Tomb.
Sim Anderson Wymarck said that the authenticity of these designs can show that people in different parts of Europe had the same idea in the Neolithic Age, which shows that there was some form of interaction between their communities.
Carved stone balls at Sketchfab, Skara Brae, orkney, National Museum of Scotland.
Drawing 3D online 3D models of ancient objects on the Internet is created by photogrammetry, which includes combining detailed photos of surface texture and color of objects with accurate data about their size and shape.
The photogrammetry process revealed some new information about the ball. He said:
He revealed some basic patterns of carving and chiseling marks, which are invisible in other cases. He believes that the key to understanding these carved stone balls lies in their "regular" size, which is very suitable for holding in the hand when they are knocked or pecked by harder stone tools.
He said that it must be a long process to make a stone carving ball. Some stone carving balls show signs of their design developing with their work, which may take years or even generations.
Anderson Wymarc said that the discussion and speculation about the use of these stone balls and their significance to people in the Neolithic Age will continue, and these stone balls are likely to retain many of their enduring mysteries.
"By analyzing these things in more detail, we may be able to tell more stories in the future," he said, "but they are always a little mysterious."
Original articles on life sciences.