The Bullroarer Atlas

181 archaeological records · candidates included

Archaeology

Excavated objects, assemblages, and rock-art depictions, alongside a small number of historical claims. Each record shows a date or the closest known period; a few are undated.

Argentina 5

  1. Four cord-whirlers at Alero de los Jinetesc. 1573–1625 ADPlay / practical · Candidate only
  2. Northern Patagonia engraved-plaque churinga analoguec. 2200 BC–presentSacred / spirit
  3. Copacabana incised stone bullroarerc. 200 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  4. Pair of incised stone bullroarersc. 200 BCFunction not recorded
  5. Llullaillaco Spondylus buzzing plaquesc. 1462–1507 ADSacred / spirit · Candidate only

Australia 8

  1. Burgess Point / Port Hedland Complex bullroarer motifWithin the last c. 7,000 yearsFunction not recorded
  2. Clews Ridge small burnt bullroarerAfter c. AD 1800Function not recorded
  3. Cromer Valley bent-line motifc. 3000 BC–AD 1800Function not recorded · Candidate only
  4. Ellis Trig oval engravingc. 3000 BC–AD 1800Function not recorded · Candidate only
  5. Flat Rocks Ridge oval-and-line engravingc. 3000 BC–AD 1800Function not recorded · Candidate only
  6. Hidden Valley bullroarer paintingsUndatedFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  7. Kings Tableland bullroarer stencilsWithin the last c. 4,000 yearsSacred / spirit
  8. Etarratarra twin-boys bullroarersUndatedSacred / spirit

Austria 3

  1. Schletz cattle-scapula platec. 5000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  2. Pottenbrunn twisted bone bladec. 330–180 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  3. Tischofer perforated bone needlec. 38,000–32,000 BC or 2200–1600 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

Belgium 1

  1. Gent rib snorrebotc. 800–1100 ADFunction not recorded

Bolivia 1

  1. Tiwanaku stone bullroarerc. AD 180–1100Function not recorded · Candidate only

Bosnia and Herzegovina 3

  1. Saw-toothed perforated bullroarerc. 6000–5350 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  2. Donja Dolina perforated stone bladec. 1200–1 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  3. Mahrevići perforated whetstoneAfter c. 250 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

Brazil 1

  1. Lagoa das Onças ceramic zumbidorc. 1000–1600 ADFunction not recorded

Canada 4

  1. Classic Lillooet (St'át'imc) — Keatley Creek (EeRl 7)c. 350 BC–AD 850Function not recorded
  2. Departure Bay whalebone bullroarerUndatedFunction not recorded
  3. Malerualik miniature antler bullroarerc. AD 1000–1400Play / practical
  4. Northern Labrador Inuit bullroarers WhitridgeBefore c. 1500 ADPlay / practical

Chile 1

  1. Concón copper-and-slate plate pendantsc. AD 500–1000Function not recorded

China 10

  1. Beifudi jade blade, sacrificial precinctc. 6050–5050 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  2. Chahai's thirteen jade bladesc. 6250–5650 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  3. Jade insect-head pendant pairc. 4500–3000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  4. Incised-eye jade insect-head pendantc. 4500–3000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  5. Niudaokou jade blade at the southern limitc. 6050–5050 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  6. Niuheliang white-jade boardc. 3500–3000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  7. Two Xiaonanshan jade blades, one piercedc. 7250–6650 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  8. Xibenbaoleng jade blades at the waistc. 6250–5450 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  9. Xinglonggou House 22 jade bi-shaped blades (匕形器)c. 6250–5450 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  10. Xinglongwa type-site jade bi-shaped blades (匕形器)c. 6250–5450 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

Croatia 1

  1. Smilčići bone platec. 6000–5500 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

Czech Republic 2

  1. Pavlovian rhombe horizonc. 24,000 years agoFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  2. Předmostí concentric-arc ivory pendantc. 29,500–27,500 BCFunction not recorded

Denmark 1

  1. Kongemose bone bullroarerc. 6500 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

France 16

  1. Fontalès engraved bone bladec. 12,000–9000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  2. Abri de Laugerie Basse Magdalenian bullroarerc. 15,000–9000 BCFunction not recorded
  3. Badegoule Palaeolithic bullroarerc. 23,000–17,000 BCFunction not recorded
  4. Bourrouilla (Arancou) cavec. 15,000–9000 BCSacred / spirit
  5. Grotte des Eyzies animal-scene bramaderac. 12,000–9000 BCFunction not recorded
  6. Lespugue Solutrean hearth bladec. 22,000–17,000 BCFunction not recorded
  7. Brassempouy serpentiform ivory bladec. 29,500–26,500 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  8. Le Placard antler ovaloidc. 24,000–9000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  9. Isturitz cave Magdalenian bramaderasc. 15,000–12,000 BCFunction not recorded
  10. La Madeleine chevron fragmentc. 15,000–9000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  11. La Roche de Birol Magdalenian bullroarerc. 13,000–11,000 BCFunction not recorded
  12. La Vache cavec. 13,000 BCSacred / spirit
  13. Le Morin cavec. 12,000–9000 BCSacred / spirit
  14. Lortet cavec. 13,000–9000 BCSacred / spirit
  15. Raymonden bramadera fragmentc. 13,000–9000 BCFunction not recorded
  16. Saint Marcel Magdalenian bullroarer pendantc. 17,000–14,500 BCFunction not recorded

Germany 11

  1. Bagow whirring bladec. 9600–4000 BCFunction not recorded
  2. Burgwall whirring bladec. 9600–4000 BCFunction not recorded
  3. Döberitz whirring bladec. 9600–4000 BCFunction not recorded
  4. Fernewerder decorated whirring bladec. 9600–4000 BCFunction not recorded
  5. Gadebusch Schwirrplättchen (decorated bone plate)c. 600–300 BCFunction not recorded
  6. Hohen Viecheln whirring devicec. 9000–7000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  7. Pritzerber See Late Paleolithic bone bull-roarerc. 14,000–10,000 BCFunction not recorded
  8. Satzkorn whirring bladec. 9600–4000 BCFunction not recorded
  9. Stellmoor Ahrensburg reindeer-bone bullroarerc. 10,900–9700 BCFunction not recorded
  10. Vogelherd perforated ivory batonc. 38,000–32,000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  11. Wustermark plain whirring bladec. 9600–4000 BCFunction not recorded

Greenland 2

  1. Clavering Island Site C bladec. 1600–1800 ADFunction not recorded
  2. Clavering Island Site D bladec. 1600–1800 ADFunction not recorded

India 1

  1. Taru Thang held-implement figurec. 8500–3000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

Ireland 1

  1. Loughcrew Cairn H perforated bone slips165–55 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

Israel 1

  1. Nahal Hemar Cave elongated bone plaquesc. 8000–7000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

Italy 3

  1. Castelluccio bossed bone plaquec. 2150–1650 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  2. Baravitalla three-boss bone plaquec. 2150–1650 BCSacred / spirit · Candidate only
  3. Riparo Gaban bone fish plaquec. 4080–4040 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

Japan 17

  1. Five perforated axes, two with rubbed holesc. 5550–5050 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  2. Endō Hiroya site large hera-shaped pendantc. 4050–3650 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  3. Heiwa site stone-axe-shaped pendantc. 7050–5950 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  4. Ishihara site large hera-shaped pendantc. 4050–3050 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  5. Kurawa sitec. 3750 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  6. Kuwano spatula-shaped pendants (箆状垂飾) — Early Jōmon Japanc. 5050–4550 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  7. Miharadajō site no.432 large hera-shaped pendantc. 4050–3050 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  8. Mikamine site no.268 slate pendantc. 3950–3550 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  9. Mitsugosawa-naka site large hera-shaped pendantc. 4050–3050 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  10. Nokubi trapezoid pendant of imported sandstoneUndatedFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  11. Kawajiri broken axes reground and piercedc. 6100–4000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  12. Rokutanda Minami jade-workshop pendantc. 3520–2470 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  13. Sannai-Maruyama tapering greenstone pendantc. 3950–3520 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  14. Sannai-Maruyama poem-card pendantsc. 3950–2250 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  15. Usukubo stone pendant groupc. 5000–400 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  16. Yamaguchidai site large hera-shaped pendantc. 4050–3050 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  17. Yoshimine hera-shaped pendantc. 5050–3520 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

Latvia 2

  1. Cēsis Castle rib rūcamkauliņi12th–19th centuries ADPlay / practical
  2. Riga Alksnāja Street rib bullroarer13th–17th centuries ADPlay / practical

Lithuania 1

  1. Schwarzort serrated amber bladesc. 3000–2000 BCFunction not recorded

Mexico 3

  1. Bahía de los Ángeles cave findc. 1500–1800 ADFunction not recorded
  2. Sierra de la Giganta bullroarerUndatedFunction not recorded
  3. San Julio Basin ironwood bullroarerUndatedFunction not recorded

Namibia 1

  1. Brandberg rock-painting bullroarer depictionc. 4,000–2,000 years agoSacred / spirit

Netherlands 10

  1. Amsterdam Damrak rib snorrebottenc. 1200–1700 ADFunction not recorded
  2. Voorstraat snorrebot stripc. 1650–1750 ADFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  3. Groot Olmen antler snorrebotc. 475–600 ADFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  4. Huis Dever snorrebotc. 1600–1750 ADPlay / practical
  5. Middenbeemster Keyserkerk bone snorrebotc. 1615–1867 ADPlay / practical
  6. Schagen two-hole snorrebotc. 1600–1625 ADFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  7. Portegies snorrebotc. 1600–1700 ADPlay / practical
  8. Schellinkhout half-drilled snorrebotc. 1600–1700 ADPlay / practical · Candidate only
  9. Tilburg-Kraaiven Late Mesolithic zoemsteenc. 5500 BCFunction not recorded
  10. Utrecht Wittevrouwenstraat rib snorrebot pairBefore c. 1550 AD; c. 1640–1914 ADPlay / practical

New Zealand 1

  1. Pig Bay notched bone bladec. 1400–1500 ADPlay / practical

New Zealand (Chatham Islands) 1

  1. Moriori carved whalebone bladec. AD 1400–1901Function not recorded · Candidate only

Norway 3

  1. Normannsvika slate bladec. 4500–4240 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  2. Stunner brummerc. 8500 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  3. Tuv Saltstraumen shale bullroarerc. 3040–2620 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

Peru 2

  1. Ancon perforated bone lathsc. 200 BC–AD 1550Function not recorded · Candidate only
  2. Three Vicús stone buzzing plaquesc. 500 BC–AD 400Function not recorded · Candidate only

Romania 1

  1. Cuina Turcului decorated antler plaquec. 12,700–11,000 cal BCFunction not recorded

Russia 6

  1. Devil's Gate nephrite blades, two cord-wornc. 5750–4750 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  2. Eliseevichi engraved ivory plaquesc. 19,000–13,000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  3. Kondon nephrite blesny / Lower Amur slat-lurec. 3350–3050 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  4. Mal'ta engraved ivory plaque (churinga analogy)c. 22,000–17,000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  5. Novgorod tanged whirring laths13th–14th centuries ADFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  6. Novopokrovka nephrite slat-luresc. 5000–3000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

Serbia 1

  1. Vlasac wooden bullroarerc. 6300–5200 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

Slovenia 5

  1. Divje Babe perforated jaw fragmentc. 88,000–68,000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  2. Mala Triglavca bone fish brnivkac. 10,000–5500 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  3. Potočka perforated bone pointc. 33,000 BCFunction not recorded
  4. Potočka perforated rib fragmentc. 35,000–31,000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  5. Potočka perforated mandiblec. 33,000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

South Africa 3

  1. Doring River rock-art bullroarer playersAt least 2,000 years oldSacred / spirit
  2. Matjes River pear-shaped bone bullroarerc. 7630–3450 BCFunction not recorded
  3. Orange Springs painted trance-dance bullroarerc. 1000 BC–AD 1906Sacred / spirit · Candidate only

Spain 11

  1. Aitzbitarte IV cavec. 13,000–9000 BCSacred / spirit
  2. Aizkoltxo engraved rib plaquec. 12,840–12,160 BCFunction not recorded
  3. Altamira cave bramaderac. 22,000–17,000 BCFunction not recorded
  4. Bolinkoba cavec. 15,000–9000 BCSacred / spirit
  5. El Valle cave zumbaderac. 13,000–9500 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  6. Tito Bustillo rib spatulac. 15,800–15,400 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  7. El Cierro perforated plaquec. 18,000–16,500 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  8. El Juyo fusiform bone fragmentc. 15,450–13,920 BCFunction not recorded
  9. El Pendo Magdalenian bramaderac. 15,000–9000 BCFunction not recorded
  10. La Paloma cave Magdalenian bramaderac. 15,000–12,000 BCFunction not recorded
  11. Llonín bone plaquec. 15,000–12,000 BCFunction not recorded

Sweden 1

  1. Lund Helgonabacken bone vinareUndatedPlay / practical

Turkey 6

  1. Boncuklu Tarla figured bone plaque (Kemik Plak 3)c. 8550–8300 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  2. Çatalhöyük Building 52 antler bullroarerc. 6700–6500 BCFunction not recorded
  3. Çatalhöyük Building 59 antler pendantc. 6610–6250 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  4. Göbekli Tepe decorated bone spatulaec. 9500–8000 BCFunction not recorded
  5. Hasankeyf Höyük elongated bone plaquec. 9600–8800 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  6. Körtik Tepe decorated perforated bone plaquesc. 10,400–9300 BCFunction not recorded

Ukraine 1

  1. Ukraine's phantom oldest bullroarerc. 17,000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only

United Kingdom 3

  1. Glenviggan thunder-spadec. 200 BC–AD 65Function not recorded · Candidate only
  2. Pin Hole Cave's mistaken bull-roarerc. 32,000–20,000 BCFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  3. Torksey bone roarerc. AD 800–1000Function not recorded · Candidate only

United States 25

  1. Sikyatki grave pahoBefore 1540 ADFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  2. Mesa Verde Ruin 14 bone bullroarerc. 1150–1300 ADFunction not recorded
  3. Pueblo del Arroyo elk-bone bullroarerc. 1065–1150 ADWeather / fertility magic
  4. Salmon Pueblo turquoise-and-hematite mosaic bullroarerc. 1090–1280 ADFunction not recorded
  5. Birnirk site baleen bull-roarers (Ford 1959)c. 500–900 ADPlay / practical
  6. Carter Ranch bone bow guardc. 950–1200 ADFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  7. Bowers Cave cache of twelve roarersc. AD 1150–1800Sacred / spirit
  8. Coso Animal Master figureBefore c. AD 1300Sacred / spirit · Candidate only
  9. Elk Hills cemetery bullroarer fragment (CA-KER-116)c. 1780–1818 ADFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  10. Groom Range nailed-board roarerc. AD 1865–1930Function not recorded
  11. Hogup Cave bull-roarer, Stratum 3c. 7840–4540 BCFunction not recorded
  12. Rustler Hills infant-burial bull-roarerBefore c. 1100 ADFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  13. Hurricane Deck cave bullroarers (Santa Barbara County)Before c. AD 1770Function not recorded
  14. Kachina Cave serrated scapulac. 3050 BC–c. AD 600Function not recorded
  15. Navajo Reservoir rockshelter bullroarerc. 1500–1690 ADFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  16. Lovelock Cave horn and wood pendantsc. 1000 BC–AD 300Function not recorded · Candidate only
  17. Mattocks bowl bullroarer scenec. 1000–1150 ADFunction not recorded
  18. Mesa Prieta horned figureUndatedFunction not recorded · Candidate only
  19. Blue River painted whizzerc. AD 1000–1130Sacred / spirit
  20. Muwu cache of three bullroarersc. 1500–1800 ADSacred / spirit
  21. Pecos Pueblo Kidder bull-roarerc. 1100–1540 ADFunction not recorded
  22. Santa Cruz Island ochre-filled bone bladesc. 1400 BC–AD 300Function not recorded · Candidate only
  23. Bone roarer among bear caninesc. 1000–300 BCFunction not recorded
  24. Granite Hill funerary bullroarerUndatedSacred / spirit
  25. Verde Valley cliff-dweller rhombusBefore c. 1500 ADSacred / spirit

Zimbabwe 1

  1. Lendy 1 Zimbabwe rock-art bullroarerProbably more than 2,000 years agoFunction not recorded · Candidate only