Swastika Stone
53°55′08″N 1°51′43″W / 53.91889°N 1.86194°W
The Swastika Stone is a stone adorned with a design that resembles a swastika, located on the Woodhouse Crag on the northern edge of Ilkley Moor in West Yorkshire, England. The design has a double outline with four curved arms and an attached S-shape, each enclosing a so-called "cup" mark. Similar cup and ring marks can be found on other stones nearby.[1]
The stone has not been verifiably dated. The academic consensus suggests it to have been carved sometime around the Neolithic or early Bronze Age,[1][2] although Frank Elgee suggests that the design indicates a late Iron Age origin.[3]
See also
- Camunian rose – Prehistoric symbol from the petroglyphs of Valcamonica
- Fylfot – Anglo-Saxon and heraldic symbol
- Germanic pre-Christian use of the swastika
- Lauburu – Basque swastika
- Western use of the swastika in the early 20th century – Use of ancient Eurasian religious symbol
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Swastika Stone.
- ^ a b Weldrake, Dave. "Swastika Stone: Ilkley Moor" (PDF). West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ Historic England. "Carved rock known as the Swastika Stone (1012014)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ "Swastika Stone". Heritage Gateway. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
Elgee described the design as 'essentially characteristic of Late Iron Age craftsmanship'.