11,000-Year-Old ‘Precision’ Stone Balls Discovered
When we imagine the Pre-Pottery Neolithic people that lived between 9 and 12,000 years ago, for some reason, we can often think of them as a somewhat serious people, building large and sometimes extravagant communal buildings, methodically hunting, gathering and processing their food, working hard for their strict settlement leaders by day and taking part in intense, spiritual shamanic rituals by night.
2024-11-08 21:00:00 - Ancient Architects
It’s easy to forget that these people were human. What’s to say they were not just like you and I? We know they were brewing and drinking beer, and feasting on some tasty meats, bread and crops. Yes, all indications showed they worked hard, but they must have also had forms of entertainment.
What did these people do to entertain themselves? Whilst pondering the question, I remembered some of the finds from the amazing site of Tell ‘Abr 3 in Syria.
It was occupied at the same time at Gobekli Tepe and Karahan Tepe, and it contains some incredible examples of architecture and artefacts from this time, including , six hard, stone balls, all different colours, but the same size, polished and scattered on the floor.
How they were used is a mystery. Did they have a domestic use? Were they heating stones used in cooking? Were they ritual objects? Were they decorative? Or could they be pieces from an ancient game?
Watch this video to learn more.
00:00 | Introduction
00:26 | The People of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic
02:05 | Tell 'Abr 3 Revisited
03:36 | Special Building M1
05:42 | Six Stone Balls Discovered
07:09 | How Were the Stone Balls Used?
10:04 | More Stone Balls in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic
12:09 | Stone Balls Interpretations
13:38 | Were the Stone Balls Used For Entertainment?
15:56 | Concluding Remarks