TPO 33Carved stone balls are a curious type of artifact found at a number of locations in Scotland. They date from the late Neolithic period, around 4,000 years ago. They are round in shape; they were carved from several types of stone; most are about 70

Both the reading and the lecture discuss the purpose of the carved stone balls found at a number of locations in Scotland. The reading provides three possible theories about their purpose. Whoever, in the lecture the professor says that non of the reading's theories are convincing and rejects each of them.

First, the passage claims that the carved stone balls were used in hunting or fighting as a weapon. The professor contradicts this point by saying that stone balls are very well preserved. If they were use as a weapon they should show signs of damage such as been cracked. Therefore, this theory could not be accepted.

Second, the author states that the balls were a part of a primitive system of weights and measures. The professor refutes this by explaining that although those balls are uniform in size, they have different weight. She says that they are made from different types of stones, thus they vary in density. This means that balls with they same size but different density do not have the same weight. As a result, they could not have been used for measuring purpose.

Finally, the reading asserts that carved stone balls might served a social purpose, since many of them have elaborate designs on them. In the lecture the professor opposes this theory by saying that this theory is inconsistent with some facts. First, some of those stones have a really simple design on them, too simple to make the balls look like status symbols . Moreover, in the past in British, when someone died they buried his/her valuable possessions with her/him. Non of the stones were found in graves or tunes. Thus, this theory is off too.