133 records · Europe
Bullroarer records — Europe
Source-backed bullroarer record pages from Europe, grouped by present-day country. Each page keeps the record text, source line, image credit, and a link back to the same point on the interactive map.
United Kingdom 26
- Balham, London S.W. (boy maker unnamed)Balham, Surrey (now London) - Play / practical
- Ballycastle / County Antrim and County DownNorth-east Ireland - Play / practical
- East Derbyshire, EnglandEast Derbyshire / England - Play / practical
- English country boysEngland - Play / practical
- English folk (Suffolk)Suffolk, England - Play / practical
- English folk / Ashdown Forest specimenEast Sussex / Ashdown Forest - Function not recorded
- English folk / BedfordBedfordshire / Bedford - Function not recorded
- English folk / BristolBristol - Function not recorded
- English folk / ChichesterWest Sussex / Chichester - Function not recorded
- English folk / ClanfieldOxfordshire / Clanfield - Function not recorded
- English folk / DuxfordCambridgeshire / Duxford - Function not recorded
- English folk / HemsbyNorfolk / Hemsby - Function not recorded
- English folk / IckletonCambridgeshire / Ickleton - Function not recorded
- English folk / NeedingworthCambridgeshire / Needingworth - Function not recorded
- English folk / NorwichNorfolk / Norwich / St Paul's Parish - Function not recorded
- English folk / NottinghamNottinghamshire / Nottingham - Function not recorded
- English folk / OtterbourneHampshire / Otterbourne near Winchester - Function not recorded
- English folk / St IvesCambridgeshire / St Ives - Function not recorded
- English folk / TewkesburyGloucestershire / Tewkesbury - Function not recorded
- English folk / WoodbastwickNorfolk / Woodbastwick - Function not recorded
- Gamlingay / Over, CambridgeshireCambridgeshire / Gamlingay or Over - Play / practical
- Montgomeryshire, WalesMontgomeryshire / Wales - Play / practical
- Oxfordshire, Englandc. 500–1500 CE - England / Oxfordshire - Function not recorded
- Pin Hole Cavec. 34,000–22,000 years ago - Creswell Crags / Derbyshire - Function not recorded
- Scotland / Aberdeenshire and KincardineshireScotland - Weather / fertility magic
- ScottishScotland - Weather / fertility magic
France 18
- Abri de Laugerie Bassec. 17,000–11,000 years ago - Dordogne / Les Eyzies - Function not recorded
- Badegoulec. 23,000–17,000 BCE - Dordogne - Function not recorded
- Bearn shepherdsBearn / Pyrenees - Play / practical
- Bourrouilla (Arancou) cavec. 17,000–11,000 years ago - Magdalenian middle to final, Pyrenees-Atlantiques - Sacred / spirit
- Château-ChervixLimousin / Haute-Vienne / Château-Chervix - Function not recorded
- European mystics of the Middle Ages (Albigensian / Cathar tradition)Languedoc (medieval Albigensian Europe) - Sacred / spirit
- Grotte des Eyzies / Grotte Richardc. 14,000–11,000 years ago - Dordogne / Les Eyzies; Magdalenian final attribution - Function not recorded
- Isturitz cavec. 17,000–14,000 years ago - Pyrenees-Atlantiques / Isturitz level II; Middle Magdalenian - Function not recorded
- La Roche de Birolc. 17,000–11,000 years ago - Dordogne - Function not recorded
- La Vache cavec. 15,000 years ago - Magdalenian final, Ariege - Sacred / spirit
- Le Morin cavec. 14,000–11,000 years ago - Magdalenian final, Gironde - Sacred / spirit
- Leonce Mano / Guidanson, CommensacqLandes / Gascogne - Weather / fertility magic
- Lespuguec. 22,000–17,000 BCE - Haute-Garonne / Pyrenees - Function not recorded
- Lortet cavec. 15,000–11,000 years ago - Magdalenian IV-VI (Hautes-Pyrenees) - Sacred / spirit
- Raymonden / Chanceladec. 15,000–11,000 years ago - Dordogne / Chancelade; Magdalenian superior - Function not recorded
- Saint Marcel pendantc. 21,000–14,000 years ago - Saint-Marcel, Indre - Function not recorded
- Saint-Hippolyte / Louis MartinSaint-Hippolyte, Charente-Maritime - Play / practical
- Villefranche-de-LauragaisHaute-Garonne / Lauragais - Function not recorded
Italy 17
- Ales, SardiniaAles (Zeppara), Oristano, Sardinia - Play / practical
- Amaseno (FR), LazioLazio / Monti Lepini - Play / practical
- Boys of Giugliano in Campania, NaplesCampania - Play / practical
- Boys of Marzi, CosenzaCalabria / Cosenza - Play / practical
- Boys of Petriolo, MacerataMarche / Macerata - Play / practical
- Boys of the Friulian plain (Aquileia, Ronchi, Cervignano)Friuli / Aquileia, Ronchi, Cervignano - Play / practical
- Boys of Trieste (Rozzol-Settefontane and other districts)Trieste / Rozzol-Settefontane - Play / practical
- Boys of Venice (Fondamente Nuove / Calle delle Tre Croci)Venice / Cannaregio - Play / practical
- Contrada Vallebona, MacerataMarche / Macerata - Play / practical
- Gavoi, Nuoro, SardiniaSardinia / Barbagia - Play / practical
- MistrettaSicily / Messina Province - Sacred / spirit
- Mountain folk of the upper Illasi valley, VeronaVeneto / Lessinia - Play / practical
- Piedmontese folk (rombo)Piedmont (Riva presso Chieri; Cambiano) - Play / practical
- Poffabro (Frisanco), Colvera valley, PordenoneFriuli / Val Colvera - Play / practical
- Riparo Gaban, Martignano (Trento)c. 6030–5990 BP - Trentino / Adige valley - Function not recorded
- Sant'Andrea Apostolo dello Ionio, CatanzaroCalabria / Catanzaro Ionian coast - Sacred / spirit
- Villages around Sora, FrosinoneLazio / Ciociaria - Play / practical
Spain 9
- Aitzbitarte IV cavec. 15,000–11,000 years ago - Magdalenian Cantabrian (Errenteria, Gipuzkoa) - Sacred / spirit
- Altamira cavec. 22,000–17,000 BCE - Cantabria / Altamira; advanced Solutrean or Magdalenian attribution debated - Function not recorded
- Bolinkoba cavec. 17,000–11,000 years ago - Magdalenian Cantabrian (Abadiño, Bizkaia) - Sacred / spirit
- Carballedo schoolchildrenGalicia / Lugo / Carballedo - Play / practical
- El Pendo cavec. 17,000–11,000 years ago - Cueva de El Pendo, Cantabria; Magdalenian attribution debated within the corpus - Function not recorded
- La Paloma cavec. 17,000–14,000 years ago - Asturias / Soto de Las Regueras; Middle Magdalenian - Function not recorded
- León, Castilla y LeónLeon / Castilla y Leon - Play / practical
- Navarre, Basque Country, and AragonNavarre / Basque Country / Aragon - Play / practical
- Roncal Valley shepherdsEastern Navarre pastoral - Play / practical
Croatia 8
- Boys of Dignano (Vodnjan); Croatian villages of the RoveziaDignano / Vodnjan, Istria - Play / practical
- Boys of the Buie (Buje) countryside, Istrian CarsoBuie / Buje, Istrian Carso - Play / practical
- Children of Cittanova / NovigradCittanova / modern Novigrad / Istria - Play / practical
- Children of Parenzo (Porec); also Villanova di ParenzoParenzo / Porec, Istria - Play / practical
- Children of Rovigno (Rovinj)Rovigno / Rovinj, Istria - Play / practical
- Portole (Oprtalj), inland IstriaInland Istria - Play / practical
- Shepherds and herders around Lake Arsa; people unrecordedLake Arsa / modern Cepicko polje below Ucka / Istria - Play / practical
- Vrbnik, Krk IslandKrk Island (Bodulija), Primorje-Gorski Kotar - Function not recorded
Germany 6
- Black Forest folk survival (unnamed group)Black Forest / Schwarzwald, Baden-Württemberg - Play / practical
- Boys below school age at GutzlaffshagenGut Gutzlafshagen / modern Gutzlaffshagen near Garz / Rugen - Play / practical
- Boys of StolzenauStolzenau / Kingdom of Hanover / modern Lower Saxony - Play / practical
- Gadebusch, Mecklenburg (metal-ages findspot)Mecklenburg / Gadebusch - Function not recorded
- Pritzerber See / Havellandc. 14,000–10,000 BCE - Pritzerber See, Havelland; Late Paleolithic (14000-10000 v. Chr.) - Function not recorded
- Stellmoorc. 12,900–11,700 BP - Northern Germany / Ahrensburg culture - Function not recorded
Netherlands 5
- Alkmaar, North HollandNorth Holland / Alkmaar - Play / practical
- Groningen folk (snorrebot)Groningen province (NE-Netherlands dialect belt) - Play / practical
- Middenbeemster, Keyserkerk cemetery (charnel pit, feature 114)c. 1615–1867 CE - North Holland / Beemster polder - Play / practical
- Tilburg-Kraaiven Late Mesolithic settlement siteNorth Brabant / Tilburg-Kraaiven - Function not recorded
- Utrecht, Wittevrouwenstraat 8-10 (cesspit 2O and drainage system 3U)Two objects: before c. 1500; 1640–1914 CE - Utrecht / city centre - Play / practical
Slovenia 5
- Boys of Capodistria (Koper)Capodistria / Koper, Istria - Play / practical
- Boys of Postumia (Postojna) and the nearby countrysidePostumia / Postojna, Carniola - Play / practical
- Children of Pirano (Piran)Pirano / Piran, Istria - Play / practical
- Mala Triglavca rock shelter (Divača)c. 10,000–5500 BCE - Kras (Karst) plateau / Divača - Function not recorded
- Slovenia (maker and locality not recorded)Slovenia - Play / practical
Greece 3
- Ancient Greece / Dionysiac mysteriesRestricted
- Athenian Sabazios mysteries (Glaukothea / Aeschines)Classical Athens, mid-4th c. BCE - Restricted
- Modern Greek folk traditionGreece; country-wide folk-instrument attestation, locality unrecorded - Function not recorded
Norway 3
- Madla, Stavanger, Rogaland — maker Tormod Ropeid of HafrsfjordRogaland / Stavanger - Play / practical
- Norwegian fishermenNorwegian fjords - Weather / fertility magic
- Tuv at Saltstraumen, Bodø Municipalityc. 3040–2620 BCE - Nordland / Saltstraumen - Function not recorded
Romania 3
- Hungarian-speaking children in AradArad / Maros (Mures) embankment - Play / practical
- Romanian Army veterans, Bucesti village, behind the Siret lineSiret front, Galati county - Play / practical
- Székely Hungarian children (Esztelnek)Covasna / Esztelnek (Estelnic) - Play / practical
Sweden 3
- Bieve Niila at the Basseuk'sa/Ganiiuk'sa bird-stone and cave sacred placeBASSEUK'SA / GANIIUK'SA, Small Lule River / Tarrekaise sacred-site narrative - Sacred / spirit
- Lund, Helgonabacken (urban find)Undated - Lund / Skåne - Play / practical
- Scania young menScania / Skåne - Sacred / spirit
Ukraine 3
- Polish children of Bzowica (Bzovytsia), Zboriv districtTernopil oblast / former Tarnopol voivodeship - Play / practical
- Ukraine Paleolithic claimUkraine, site not specified by Gregor - Function not recorded
- Ukrainians (Volyn)Volyn / Kovel - Play / practical
Hungary 2
- Hajdúszoboszló, Hajdú countyHajdú district, Kingdom of Hungary - Play / practical
- Kissziget, Zala county (Goecsej Hungarian folk)Zala county (Goecsej region) - Play / practical
Latvia 2
- Cēsis Castle (moat, western slope, north tower)12th–19th centuries CE - Vidzeme / Livonia - Play / practical
- Riga, Alksnāja Street 11/13 excavations13th–17th centuries CE - Riga old town - Function not recorded
Poland 2
- Children or users of Ratzebuhr otherwise unrecordedRatzebuhr / Kreis Neustettin / Hinterpommern / modern Okonek - Function not recorded
- Marienwerder / Kwidzyn regionWest Prussia - Play / practical
Switzerland 2
- Basel fair-goers (folk survival, unnamed group)Basel, Switzerland - Play / practical
- Swiss folk tradition; Ticino nameTicino / Switzerland-wide folk tradition - Play / practical
Belgium 1
- Belgium, locality unrecorded — MIM Brussels inv. 2295Belgium (locality unrecorded) - Play / practical
Bulgaria 1
- Bulgarian folk traditionBulgaria - Play / practical
Czech Republic 1
- Dolní Věstonice–Pavlov–Předmostí (Pavlovian)c. 24,000 years ago - Moravia; Pavlovian (eastern Gravettian) - Function not recorded
Denmark 1
- Kongemose / Kongemosenc. 6500 BCE - Aamose / western Zealand - Function not recorded
Estonia 1
- Estonians / Karja parishKarja parish, Saaremaa - Play / practical
Finland 1
- Finnish (Savonian-settled Ostrobothnia), Sarjankylä village, NivalaPohjois-Pohjanmaa (North Ostrobothnia) / Nivala - Play / practical
France / Spain 1
- Basque children and rural usersBasque Country / Alava, Lekeitio, Sara - Play / practical
Ireland 1
- Maynooth, Co. Kildare (Ireland)Irish Folklife Collection / Maynooth donor metadata - Play / practical
Lithuania 1
- Lithuanian herdersLithuania (country-level) - Play / practical
Poland / Ukraine 1
- Poles and Ruthenians on the San River, GaliciaGalicia / San River - Play / practical
Portugal 1
- PortugalPortugal - Play / practical
Russia 1
- Medieval Novgorod (Rus')13th–14th centuries CE - Novgorod the Great (Sophia and Trade sides) - Function not recorded
Serbia 1
- Torzsa (today Savino Selo), Danube Swabian German villagersBácska (Bács-Bodrog county), Kingdom of Hungary - Play / practical
Slovakia 1
- Slovak villages around MalaczkaWest slope of the Little Carpathians around Malaczka (now Malacky) - Play / practical
Sweden / Norway (Finnskogen belt) 1
- Forest Finns (metsäsuomalaiset)Värmland–Hedmark Finnskogen (Forest Finn settlement belt) - Play / practical
United Kingdom (Scotland) 1
- Scottish Highlands folk (Argyllshire)Argyllshire (W Highlands); also seen in use in Edinburgh - Play / practical