#carvedstoneballs

[thearchaeologiststeacup]

Phase one of preparation is complete! Sorting out my physical office space. . At first glance it may still look like a complete mess, but trust me it was far more chaotic before! I've now managed to completely clear my crafting desk so that it's actually useable, and remove all of the unnecessary clutter from my computer desk so that I have easier access to those tools that I actually need on a regular basis. I also reorganized my bookshelves so that I now have access to those books which will be more useful for my future exploits, and added an extra shelf for my replicas. This means that I no longer have to worry about knocking off those more fragile pieces from an overcrowded shelf, and I can finally display my lovely carved stone ball collection from @skotbiscuit in all its proper glory! . Phase two will be sorting out some technical things, like taking pictures through the microscope (thank you by the way for those who have sent through suggestions about that - I will have fun tomorrow doing some trials), and also starting to plan out my new series of #TeaDay reels. . How often do you reorganize you're working space? Is it a constant chaos or do you keep it as clear as possible? . #ArchaeoTeacup #ArchaeologyLovers #archaeologist #CuppaTea #LewisChessmen #CarvedStoneBalls #petrosphere #prehistoric #AncientObjects #OfficeSpace #HomeOffice #WorkingFromHome https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp198NDqiP5/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[reallibertymedia]

Dropping a Coil Podcast w LarryWoods Flash Robwerks – 2020-08-12 - Something Old, Something New

[thearchaeologiststeacup]

This #MugshotMonday I wanted to share one of latest purchases from the incredible @nth_pottery that I gave to my dad for his birthday - taking the opportunity while up visiting him in Scotland to show some of the extended family cups! . Those of you who know about my enthusiasm for the Scottish carved stone balls will probably recognise the pattern of this cup as coming from the famous Towie ball. This is one of the most commonly depicted and well-known off the carved stone balls, discovered in the 1800s on Glaschul Hill in Towie when a drain was being cut several feet. It was then acquired in 1860 by the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland, and has been on display ever since. It dates back to around 3000BC, but as with all of these objects, it's exact function (if it had one) remains a mystery. . I do love a good mystery, and I think that these carved stone balls represent the true essence of archaeological research: At the end of the day, even though we can create hypotheses base on tangible evidence, we can never really "prove" anything, or know absolutely for certain how and why objects were used in the past. For some, this might be frustrating. I, however, find it extremely exciting and also very liberating. . Have you ever seen examples of the carved stone balls of Scotland? . If you're interested in more carved stone ball inspired tableware, check out the amazing work of @nth_pottery . #TowieBall #CuppaTea #cuppa #TeaDay #Aberdeenshire #towie #CarvedStoneBalls #prehistory #prehistoric #archaeology #archaeologist #Scotland #Scottish https://www.instagram.com/p/CisM6FUK35Y/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[thearchaeologiststeacup]

It's #MugshotMonday and today's mug was one of my most exciting finds through Instagram stories - this incredible carved stone balls inspired cup from @nth_pottery . Those of you who have been following me for a while know that I'm a sucker for small business, especially those who show the stories behind both the creators and the creations. You probably also know that my favourite artefact type are the Scottish carved stone balls. So imagine my delight when, while flicking through Instagram stories one day, someone had shared a behind the scenes reel from a potter making cups with a pattern created from carved stone balls! I couldn't resist... . For those who don't know what I'm talking about, I'll make sure to share a handy reel that I made on the topic. But to give a very quick overview: they are around 400 carved stone balls that are all about the same size but have varying different designs and styles. They are the ultimate mystery object, and so the theories of what they might have been used for are also widely varied in terms of actual possibility. Were they indeed used as a pattern creator when making pottery? Weapons? Boules? Ball bearings? Artistic portfolios (my personal favourite)? Purely pieces of art? Sensory objects? Each of these theories has their plus points but also all have strong arguments against them. . My favourite thing about these objects is that we'll never really know. The same can be said of nearly all archaeological objects, but too often people assume that there is only one theory that's actually correct and refuse to consider that there might be alternatives. Of course, any theory should always be based on supportable evidence, so can't just be wild surmise. But theories should always be questioned to make sure that they stay relevant and valid in light of new discoveries. . #carvedstoneballs #petrospheres #Scotland #Scottish #teaday #cuppatea #handmade #handmademug #archaeology #archaeologist #archaeologylife #prehistoric https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf3dhOnrl_0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[thearchaeologiststeacup]

As an archaeologist you're often asked what your favourite find is. This is mine: the Scottish carved stone balls, especially the famous "Towie ball" (second picture). Nearly all of these prehistoric carved balls were found in Scotland, the majority of them around Aberdeenshire, where I am also from! Although there are many theories, nobody knows exactly what they were used for, so they remain one of the greatest archaeological mysteries... Here are a selection from my last visit to the @nationalmuseumsscotland in Edinburgh back in July #archaeology #archaeologist #prehistoric #prehistory #scotland #nationalmuseumscotland #carvedstoneballs #enigma #mystery https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp4BCAOFxid/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1pafmf2cqzde5

[thearchaeologiststeacup]

It’s the first official tea day! . I’ve decided to start posting my new little video reels on Tuesdays and Thursdays (after all they are “T-days”…). To celebrate the first of these, I’ve made this short reel which will possibly introduce my longer videos in the future. . Featured as props are a replica bell beaker that I got from a stall at an @exarc.1 conference (although sadly i can’t remember who made it), a custom trowel from @anvilandyew , a replica the Towie Ball from @skotbiscuit and a replica Lewis Chess-piece from a set that I found in a charity shop. I will be doing info reels on all of these pieces in the next few weeks, so watch this space! . For now, I need some inspiration for future content. What burning question have you always had about archaeology, PhDs, crafting, or anything else? What objects, time periods, or technologies have always intrigued you? Let me know in the comments below or in my story, and I’ll be sure to come up with some fun and fact filled posts to answer all your queries! . #tea #cuppa #cuppatea #opening #scicomm #archaeology #bellbeaker #carvedstoneballs #viking #lewischessmen #archaeologist #phd #phdlife #theleveragedphd #academicsofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/reel/CV2rXEyKSth/?utm_medium=tumblr

[thearchaeologiststeacup]

S is for Stone balls . Scottish carved stone balls, to be specific. I've featured these before because they are my all time favourite artefact type. My dream is to work on them some day - I even sent in a PhD application with them as my case study, but that was one of the many rejections. There are several points of interest about these amazing prehistoric objects: . 1. There are only about 400 of them that have been identified, dating mainly to the Neolithic . 2. Although a few have been found in England and Ireland, the majority were only found in Scotland . 3. There is a huge variety of carving styles, so very few of the balls are completely identical . 4. There is no pattern in terms of the archaeological context (ie. Some were found in graves, some were found in fields, some were found in houses etc etc) . 5. (And my favourite part) Nobody has any idea what they were used for. . Everyone loves a good mystery object, but these are just fascinating because of all the other points. Were they weapons? Were they game pieces? Were they used in engineering works? Were they the final stage of a carver's apprenticeship? Were they just beautiful piecea of art? Who knows! . Here you can see the Towie ball, which is the most famous of all the balls because of its intricate carvings. The first picture shows an amazing cast of a replica piece carved by @skotbiscuit (who as well as being an amazing carver is also involved in the Petrosphere project, which is currently investigating the craftsmanship of these balls), and you can see the original in the second picture. . P.S. I checked with my guinea pigs, but they also have no idea what it could be 🐹 . #petrosphere #carvedstoneballs #stone #carved #carving #stonecarving #prehistoric #prehistory #archaeology #archaeologist #enigma #mystery https://www.instagram.com/p/B6Z-LQrHKFT/?igshid=xq79mwlrbym0

[thearchaeologiststeacup]

Flashback to our recent visit to the @britishmuseum and their awesome prehistoric Britain exhibition, including this super sparkly ✨ carved stone ball (my favourite artefact type), and this cool display of flint axe heads in varying degrees of completion #prehistory #prehistoric #carvedstoneballs #britishmuseum #flint #axe #archaeology (at British Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwSloc4laDc/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=12uu6h2uuim8l

[thearchaeologiststeacup]

Let's look at another decoration on my desk for this week's #WorkspaceWednesday post . Those of you who have been following me for a while will no doubt recognise this because I've featured these before several times. I can't help it! They're the ultimate mystery and my all time favourite artefact type. My dream is to work on them some day 🤞 here's a few reasons why they are so amazing: . 1. There are not actually that many of them (well not known about anyway) - only about 400 have been identified, dating mainly to the Neolithic . 2. Although a few have been found in England and Ireland, the majority were only found in Scotland . 3. There is a huge variety of carving styles, so very few of the balls are completely identical . 4. There is no pattern in terms of the archaeological context (ie. Some were found in graves, some were found in fields, some were found in houses etc etc) . 5. (And my favourite part) Nobody has any idea what they were used for! . Intriguing right? . This is a cast of a replica of the most famous of the carved stone ball known as the Towie ball, which has achieved fame thanks to its intricate carvings. The replica piece was carved by @skotbiscuit (who as well as being an amazing carver - follow him if you like skulls in particular- is also involved in the Petrosphere project, which is currently investigating the craftsmanship of these balls). . The original Towie Ball is on display at the @nationalmuseumsscotland alongside some of its fellows. . If I ever have some more free time on my hands (unlikely considering my life at the moment...) then I also want to try carving some of these beautiful objects. Maybe not starting with the Towie Ball though - I'll stick with a simpler design first! . #carved #carvedstoneball #petrosphere #ball #stoneball #prehistoric #prehistory #Archaeology #Archaeologist #phd #phdlife #workspace #workingfromhome #homeoffice #stone #stonecarving https://www.instagram.com/p/CBPhYQ7n8KT/?igshid=1h9fawget8kqs