Towie Balls

From the National Museums of Scotland

“This beautiful Neolithic carved stone ball dates back over 5000 years. Made of a black, fine-grained stone, it has an average diameter of 73mm and weighs just over 500g. It has four discs or knobs, of which three are intricately carved and the fourth is blank.

More than 430 examples of similar objects are known, with the overwhelming majority being found in Aberdeenshire, where the Towie ball was found. The Towie ball is, however, the finest example…

The ball was discovered when a drain was cut several feet underground on the slopes of Glaschul Hill, Towie, in or before 1860, and was acquired in 1860 by the then-named National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland.”

Theories on the Towie Balls:

A weapon

Standardized weights

Weights for fishing nets

Transfer of giant stones used in megalithic monuments

Stone carvers  experimenting with solid geometry

A symbol of  the stone carver skill level

Used in competitive throwing games

A symbol of power

Objects of religious devotion

Symbols of social status

Used as oracles

Used as ceremonial speaking stones

Early bitcoin

Speculation welcome. Add a comment or theory.