Ancient, engraved stones may have been buried to summon the sun

Ice cores hint at a volcanic eruption around the time of the burial in Stone Age Denmark

Two stone disks engraved with circles and lines against a black background.

More than 100 engraved stones unearthed in Denmark depict images of the sun. The stones, including the two shown here, may have been buried as part of a ritual to bring back the sun after a volcanic eruption, researchers say.

John Lee/National Museum of Denmark, R. Iversen et al/Antiquity 2025

As a volcanic eruption darkened the sun roughly 4,900 years ago, a Stone Age culture sacrificed hundreds of decorated stone plaques to try to coax it back.