Swastika Stone
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (February 2020) |
53°55′08″N 1°51′43″W / 53.91889°N 1.86194°W
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The Swastika Stone is a stone adorned with a design that resembles a swastika, located on the Woodhouse Crag on the northern edge of Ilkley Moor in West Yorkshire, England. The design has a double outline with four curved arms and an attached S-shape, each enclosing a so-called 'cup' mark, the like of which can be found on other stones nearby.
The stone is not verifiably dated; however the academic consensus suggests it to have been carved sometime around the Neolithic or early Bronze Age.[1][2]
Alternative views have claimed the design is rare in the British Isles,[dubious – discuss] so its close similarity to Camunian rose designs in Lombardy/Italy have led some to theorise that the two are connected. In fact, the troops stationed in Ilkley during Roman occupation were recruited from the Celtic Lingones.[citation needed] This tribe was native to Gaul, but in around 400 BC, some migrated across the Alps to the Adriatic coast. Some[who?] believe the Ilkley Lingones were recruited from here rather than from Gaul. It is possible that the Italian Lingones passed through the Valcamonica region at some point, took on the swastika designs they found as part of their tribal symbolism, and carved it on the nearby moor when stationed in Ilkley.[3]
See also
[edit]- Camunian rose
- Fylfot
- Germanic pre-Christian use of the swastika
- Lauburu
- Western use of the swastika in the early 20th century
References
[edit]- ^ Weldrake, Dave. "Swastika Stone: Ilkley Moor" (PDF). West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ Historic England. "Carved rock known as the Swastika Stone (1012014)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ Hickes, Martin. "Shedding New Light On Ilkley's Swastika Stone". Retrieved 14 June 2016.
External links
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