A unique and mysterious collection of engraved stone plaques appears to have been sacrificed by prehistoric people on the small island of Bornholm, off the coast of Sweden, after a devastating volcanic eruption around 4,900 years ago. Published in the journal Antiquity, the research examining these enigmatic artifacts (called sunstones) believes that they demonstrate a desperate act aimed at countering the drastic climate changes brought about by this catastrophe.
Mysterious stones that strongly questioned historians
The first discovery of these sun stones took place in 1995 when a few fragments were unearthed during excavations at the Neolithic site of Rispebjerg on the Danish island of Bornholm. However, it was only between 2013 and 2018, during more recent excavations at the archaeological site of Vasagård, a few kilometers from Rispebjerg, that they were found in large numbers.
And total of 614 plaques and stone fragments were indeed finally discovered. The vast majority were made from black shale (a dark, flaky sedimentary rock found on the island) while others were made from quartz and flint. Most were also engraved with incised motifs, notably representations of the Sun and plants and discovered in ditches approximately 4,900 years old, later covered by a stone paving which contained fragments of pottery and other objects typical of the culture present in the region until approximately 2,900 to 2,800 BC .-C.
What could these stones be used for?
« A completely unique type of discovery in Bornholm is that of solar stones (…). They symbolized fertility and were probably sacrificed to ensure the Sun and growth », Explains Rune Iversen, from the University of Copenhagen, co-author of the study and who participated in the excavations.
Essential to guarantee good harvests, the Sun was indeed central for the first agricultural crops of northern Europe. However, one aspect of the discovery caught the researchers’ attention. “ Why did they deposit all these artifacts at once? », asked the researcher. “ The last thing they did at this site was deposit these sunstones before covering them with animal bone fragments and other artifacts. And we observe this phenomenon repeated from ditch to ditch. It is therefore a ritual act or event. »
Possibly a desperate reaction to a volcanic winter
Evidence at the site suggests that these stones were deposited massively over a short period, perhaps in a single event, around 2900 BC. By examining ice cores taken in Greenland and Antarctica, the team detected high concentrations of sulfates over the same period. However, these are compounds that we commonly found after a major volcanic eruption.
-The relative quantity of sulfates in these polar regions also indicates that the eruption in question probably occurred produced near the equator and had widespread impacts. The ash clouds could have obscured the Sun and caused temperatures to drop for several years. A severe cold around 2900 BC is also corroborated by other sources, notably the rings of preserved trees in the Main Valley, Germany, and those of bristlecone pines in the western United States.
We know that throughout history, volcanic eruptions have often had dramatic consequences on human societies (cold, lack of sun and poor harvests). In 43 BC for example, an eruption in Alaska projected large quantities of sulfur into the stratosphere and caused disastrous harvests in Mediterranean countries, causing famine and diseases well documented in the literature. Greeks and Romans. And although we do not have written sources dating from the Neolithic to attest to this, these discoveries show that the Neolithic peoples of Northern Europe experienced similar ordeals.
A catastrophe that sheds light on the meaning of these stones
Since many engraved stones feature solar and rural motifs, researchers put forward a possible interpretation. “ If the Sun partially disappeared due to prolonged stratospheric fog, it would have been extremely scary for them “, explains Iversen. “ Without a harvest, without seeds for the following year, they must have felt deeply punished, as if caught in an endless catastrophe. ».
In view of these elements, the study thus estimates that the burial of these engravings could have been a desperate act to bring back the Sun or else a celebration after the sky finally cleared. In any case, these astonishing discoveries offer fascinating perspectives on the ritual practices of Neolithic Europeans, particularly in the face of a major prehistoric environmental crisis.
You can consult the study in detail at this link.
