What Was the Purpose of the Mysterious Ancient Stone Spheres? Researchers Finally Have an Answer

The stones vary from 4,500 to 3,600 years of ages. The stone spheres are thought to be from an Ancient Greek parlor game. According to archaeologists from the University of Bristol, strange stone spheres found in numerous ancient settlements in the Aegean and Mediterranean might be video game pieces from the earliest parlor game ever developed. These spheres were apparently found at websites in Santorini, Crete, Cyprus, and other Greek Islands. There have actually been numerous theories about their prospective usages, consisting of sling stones, tossing balls, counting/record-keeping systems, or as counters/pawns. Groups of spheres from Akrotiri. Credit: Konstantinos Trimmis The exact same group from the University of Bristol formerly performed research study that showed there was size variation amongst specific clusters and collections of spheres. The scientists then meant to examine any possible patterns within these sphere concentrations to assist clarify their prospective usage. Dr. Christianne Fernée and Dr. Konstantinos Trimmis of the University of Bristol’s Department of Anthropology and Archaeology just recently released a research study that took a look at typical attributes on 700 stones that were found at the Bronze Age town of Akrotiri on the island of Santorini. The stones’ ages varied from approximately 4,500 to 3,600 years of ages. The kernos (piece with cup marks) at the square of your house of the Benches and an analysis of how the spheres might be associated. Credit: Konstantinos Trimmis The stones, which are smaller sized than golf balls, remain in numerous colours and made from various products. The analysis put the stones into 2 groups of bigger stones and smaller sized. In addition, in Akrotiri and in other settlements throughout the Aegean there are stone pieces with shallow cup marks where the spheres might have sat or been positioned. Dr Ferneé stated: “The most essential finding of the research study is that the speres fit 2 significant clusters (among smaller sized and among bigger stones). This supports the hypothesis that they were utilized as counters for a parlor game with the spheres most potentially have actually been gathered to fit these clusters instead of a counting system for which you would anticipate more groupings.” Stone pieces with cup marks (kernos) and their Reflectance Transformation Imaging analysis. Credit: Konstantinos Trimmis If these spheres are in-fact part of a boardgame, they will be among the earliest examples, together with comparable examples from the Levant and Egypt, such as the Egyptian Mehen and Senet. Dr Trimmis included: “The social value of the spheres, as shown by the method they were transferred in particular cavities, even more supports the concept of the spheres becoming part of a video game that was bet social interaction. This provides a brand-new insight into the social interaction in the Bronze Age Aegean.” The next phase of the research study is to use a comparable approach to the pieces to see if there is clustering in the cup marks and attempting to associate the spheres and pieces together. The group likewise wish to utilize expert system strategies to figure out how the video game was really played. Referral: “The wanderers of Bronze Age Aegean: Applying device finding out to check out making use of lithic spheres from Akrotiri, Thera” by Christianne L. Fernée, and Konstantinos P. Trimmis, 9 September 2022, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.
DOI: 10.1016/ j.jasrep.2022103615
Read More