Neolithic Sun Stones Linked to Massive Volcanic Eruption

Around 2900 BCE, a massive volcanic eruption likely caused a 'volcanic winter' in Northern Europe, leading to significant climate disruptions. This event is believed to have prompted Neolithic communities on the Danish island of Bornholm to sacrifice over 600 engraved shale stones, known as 'sun stones,' in a ritual to restore sunlight and fertility to their crops. The stones, discovered at the Vasagård site, depicted sun and field motifs, signifying their cultural importance related to agricultural fertility. Archaeologists from the University of Copenhagen, collaborating with climate scientists, used ice core samples from Greenland and Antarctica to confirm the eruption's timing and its potential global impact. While the exact location of the volcano remains unknown, the eruption ranks as the 15th most powerful in the Holocene, highlighting its widespread climatic effects. These findings, published in the journal Antiquity, shed light on the ritual practices and environmental challenges faced by early agricultural societies in response to natural disasters.