A recent study published by scholars Olena Veremeychyk and Olga Antowska-Gorączniak analyzes the possible function of pyrophyllite discs found in southern Ukraine. These medieval artifacts may have served as tools, ritual objects, or even advanced navigation instruments. The significance of this study lies not only in the physical findings but also in the cultural and technological implications they pose for the communities of the time.
Pyrophyllite, a stone with shades ranging from light pink to purple, has been widely documented in the Ovruch region of Ukraine. Its malleability made it ideal for the creation of various objects such as sharpening stones, molds, icons, and the discs in question, decorated with concentric rings and radial lines, which raise questions about their original function.
Through precise measurements and surface analysis, the researchers identified eight discs from key settlements such as Kyiv, Listven, and Liubech. They date from the 12th and 13th centuries, a period marked by intense cultural exchanges between the inhabitants of Rus and Scandinavian traders, who frequented the “Varangian to the Greeks” river route.

Initial interpretations of these discs ranged from utilitarian tools to ritual objects. Some experts considered them calendars, based on the radial divisions that might represent the months of the year. Others suggested that they could have been needle sharpeners, polishing stones, or even parts of manual drills used in jewelry-making.
However, a more recent approach proposes that at least some of these discs might have been solar compasses, instruments used by Viking navigators to orient themselves during their travels. This hypothesis is based on the similarity between the pyrophyllite discs and other objects identified as compasses in regions such as Greenland and the Baltic Sea.
The concept of Viking solar compasses is not new, but it remains a subject of debate. These instruments, which combined a gnomon (a stick that casts shadows) and a dial with specific marks, allowed navigators to determine direction and latitude based on the sun’s position. Although no gnomons have been found alongside the pyrophyllite discs, the carved patterns on the discs suggest they may have served a similar function.

Historical examples include wooden discs discovered in Greenland and Poland, as well as bone artifacts found in Scandinavian settlements. These objects share similarities in size and design with the pyrophyllite discs, reinforcing the possibility that these could also have been used as navigation instruments.
Despite the similarities, the pyrophyllite discs lack certain features typical of solar compasses, such as permanent gnomonic lines indicating the equinoxes and solstices. This absence has led researchers to consider the possibility that such marks were applied temporarily with materials like charcoal or chalk.
Additionally, the discs exhibit differences in size and design that could reflect regional variations or evolutions in their use. For example, the discs from Wolin (Poland) and Greenland have similar diameters to those from Rus, but their central holes are smaller, which might indicate differences in manufacturing methods or practical applications.
The discovery of these discs at key points along the trade route between the Varangians and the Greeks suggests that local communities may have adopted and adapted Scandinavian technologies. The authors of the study advocate for further experiments and laboratory analyses to confirm the functions of these artifacts and shed light on their role in the history of navigation and craftsmanship.
SOURCES
Veremeychyk, O., & Antowska-Gorączniak, O. (2024). New medieval sun compasses? The problem of the function of stone disks from southern Rus’. Sprawozdania Archeologiczne, 76(2), 383–398. doi.org/10.23858/SA/76.2024.2.3290
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