More than 500 of these 5,000-year-old carved stone balls have been discovered, mostly in Scotland, but their purpose remains a mystery.
More than 500 of these 5,000-year-old carved stone balls have been discovered, mostly in Scotland, but their purpose remains a mystery.
Courtesy National Museums Scotland
Featuring knobs and intricate markings of spirals and lines, these stone balls date back to around 3,200 BC to 2,500 BC.
Featuring knobs and intricate markings of spirals and lines, these stone balls date back to around 3,200 BC to 2,500 BC.
Courtesy National Museums Scotland
The Towie ball, seen here as a 3D image, is perhaps the most beautiful example. It is on display at the National Museums Scotland, in Edinburgh.
The Towie ball, seen here as a 3D image, is perhaps the most beautiful example. It is on display at the National Museums Scotland, in Edinburgh.
Courtesy National Museums Scotland
Some of the balls were found in the remarkably preserved Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae, in the Orkney Islands, off the northern coast of Scotland.
Some of the balls were found in the remarkably preserved Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae, in the Orkney Islands, off the northern coast of Scotland.
Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert/Getty Images
The carved stone balls were created during an era when people transitioned from hunter gatherers to farmers, in settlements such as Skara Brae.
The carved stone balls were created during an era when people transitioned from hunter gatherers to farmers, in settlements such as Skara Brae.
Ullstein Bild/Getty Images
To gain a better understanding of the carved stone balls, and to bring the collection closer to the public, Hugo Anderson-Whymark, curator of National Museums Scotland, created 3D images of 60 balls from the museum's collection.
To gain a better understanding of the carved stone balls, and to bring the collection closer to the public, Hugo Anderson-Whymark, curator of National Museums Scotland, created 3D images of 60 balls from the museum's collection.
Courtesy National Museums Scotland
Using a technique called photogrammetry, Anderson-Whymark took hundreds of 2D images from every angle to create very detailed 3D renderings of the stone balls. The resulting 3D images revealed previously unseen details in the design.
Using a technique called photogrammetry, Anderson-Whymark took hundreds of 2D images from every angle to create very detailed 3D renderings of the stone balls. The resulting 3D images revealed previously unseen details in the design.
Courtesy National Museums Scotland
For instance, this 3D image of a carved stone ball from Buchromb, Banffshire, showed evidence that the large knob was reworked into smaller ones over time, suggesting a process of modification that was not known before the 3D images were made.
For instance, this 3D image of a carved stone ball from Buchromb, Banffshire, showed evidence that the large knob was reworked into smaller ones over time, suggesting a process of modification that was not known before the 3D images were made.
Courtesy National Museums Scotland
It's unclear what modifying these carved balls over time could mean, but Anderson-Whymark said that at the very least it opens the door to other possibilities about the balls' purpose and significance to people of that era.
It's unclear what modifying these carved balls over time could mean, but Anderson-Whymark said that at the very least it opens the door to other possibilities about the balls' purpose and significance to people of that era.
Courtesy National Museums Scotland