Ancients carved 'sun stones' to combat climate crisis: Research

By Asiye Latife Yilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) – Researchers have discovered 614 stone plaques in Denmark that may have been buried in ancient rituals to summon the sun and mitigate climate challenges, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Antiquity.

The engraved stones, commonly referred to as "sun stones" due to their rayed motifs, were uncovered at ritual gathering sites on Bornholm, a Danish island in the Baltic Sea.

Climate scientists from the Niels Bohr Institute analyzed Greenland ice cores, confirming a volcanic eruption around 2,900 BC that likely had severe impacts on Neolithic agricultural communities in Northern Europe.

"We have known for a long time that the sun was the focal point for the early agricultural cultures in Northern Europe. They farmed the land and depended on the sun to bring home the harvest. If the sun almost disappeared due to mist in the stratosphere for extended periods, it would have been extremely frightening for them," said Rune Iversen, an archaeologist from the University of Copenhagen who participated in the excavations, in a statement.

Iversen and his team suggest a strong link between the volcanic eruption, subsequent climate shifts, and the ritual use of sun stones.

"It is reasonable to believe that the Neolithic people on Bornholm wanted to protect themselves from further climate deterioration by sacrificing sun stones, or perhaps they wanted to express gratitude for the sun's return," Iversen added.