Secrets in the Stones: Stones with Inclusions in the Passage Tomb Tradition

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The passage tombs of Atlantic Europe are a lasting memorial to a society with a knowledge system encompassing aspects of engineering, astronomy, and stone-working. The stones used to build these monuments have been explored from a range of perspectives. It seems likely that stones were chosen based on criteria such as color, source, and texture, and some may have had symbolic meaning. This paper investigates the presence of stones with geological inclusions at these sites and asks whether such stones were socially significant. Stones with geological inclusions (SWI) can be defined as structural stones with fossils, mineral veins, or rock clasts embedded within them. Anthropological research demonstrates that unusual stones, such as these, are sometimes attached to origin myths and broader belief systems. This research considered whether the presence of SWI in Neolithic monuments indicates comparable beliefs in Neolithic communities. This paper draws primarily upon fieldwork in Ireland, with smaller case studies in Britain, and Brittany. It demonstrates that SWI use is patterned, and sometimes used to reference geological features. Finally, this paper questions what SWI can tell us about Neolithic people, and their worldviews.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39937.0