TPO 33(integrated)

In this set of materials, both the reading passage and the lecture discussed carved stone balls, a type of artifact found in Scotland. The reading firmly stated several testimonies about those balls purpose. However, the lecture repudiated what stated in the reading resting upon fallacious premises and provides three counterclaims proofing that none of the presented evidences are convincing.

Firstly, the reading claimed that carved stone balls were used as weapons for hunting and fighting. The professor contradicted this point by acknowledging that unlike other common weapons of that time, stone balls did not have wear signs. Moreover, as there were well preserved and there were no cracks or damage on their surface, it is not probable to be used as weapons.

Secondly, the article argued that carved stone balls were used as primitive equipments for measuring weights as they have identical sizes. This seemed to be incorrect as explained in the lecture. The speaker articulated that although those balls were uniform in size, they did not have same weights. She pointed out that the density of different stones, which the balls were made from, were not the same; therefore, despite they have similar geometry and size they could not be a good material for weight measurements.

Lastly, the reading contended that there are some different perspectives which guess those elaborated design balls were sign of social status for their owners. Notwithstanding, the professor highlighted that some of them did not have intricate patterns and they were too simple for such purposes. What is more, as the possessions of high ranked people buried with them in that time and none of the balls had been found in graves ever, this notion is unlikely to be considered as truth.