The enigmatic Folkton Drums, found in the tomb of a Neolithic child, were discovered in 1889 near the town of Folkton in North Yorkshire: no similar artifacts have been found in any European site, and for now, their exact function remains unknown.

These are three solid limestone cylinders shaped like drums, ranging from 12 to 15 centimeters in diameter and 8 to 12 in height, with geometric and anthropomorphic engravings. The top of the cylinders features decoration with concentric circles, and two of them include a pair of stylized eyes that seem to represent a human face. They are estimated to date from the same period as Stonehenge, between 2600 and 2000 B.C.

They were found in a child’s tomb, leading researchers to deduce that they might have some connection to childhood, the transition to adulthood, or the social status of the child in question. However, until now, there is no conclusive theory about their purpose. That is to say, we are still unaware of what they were used for.

Detail of one of the Folkton Drums / photo Johnbod on Wikimedia Commons

Now, a new study based on a mathematical analysis of the artifacts suggests that they may have been used as standardized units of measurement in the construction of Stonehenge and other ancient monuments.

Published by researchers from the universities of London and Manchester in the British Journal for the History of Mathematics, the study proposes that the cylindrical drums could have allowed builders during the Neolithic period in Britain (4000–2500 B.C.) to precisely measure the stone circles and other structures similar to Stonehenge discovered in the British Isles.

We propose that there is a direct relationship between the design of the Stonehenge monument and the limestone artifacts known as the Folkton and Lavant Drums, in which the Drums represent the measurement standards that were essential for the accurate and reproducible construction of the monuments.

Folkton drums on display at the British Museum / photo Jononmac46 on Wikimedia Commons

To achieve this, they would wrap a measuring rope around the exterior of the drum to obtain the appropriate length. As for the exterior decorations of the artifacts, the study suggests that they may be encoded instructions related to rotations.

The larger drums have circumferences close to 3 meters, decreasing in the smaller ones, allowing them to form a harmonic mathematical sequence. Therefore, they believe that this deliberate size difference among the drums enables their use as standards for linear measurement.

In any case, the fact that they were found in a child’s tomb does not rule out previous theories regarding the implications these artifacts may have had on human growth or the life cycle.

Sources

Anne Teather, Andrew Chamberlain & Mike Parker Pearson (2019) The chalk drums from Folkton and Lavant: Measuring devices from the time of Stonehenge, British Journal for the History of Mathematics, 34:1, 1-11, DOI: 10.1080/17498430.2018.1555927

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