Thunderstone (folklore)

A thunderstone is a prehistoric hand axe, stone tool, or fossil which was used as an amulet to protect a person or a building.[1] The name derives from the ancient belief that the object was found at a place where lightning had struck.[2] They were also called ceraunia (a Latin word, derived from the Greek word κεραυνος, both of which mean "thunderbolt").[3]

  1. ^ Brumm, Adam (2018-01-02). "Lightning teeth and Ponari sweat: Folk theories and magical uses of prehistoric stone axes (and adzes) in Island Southeast Asia and the origin of thunderstone beliefs". Australian Archaeology. 84 (1): 37–55. doi:10.1080/03122417.2018.1468059. ISSN 0312-2417. S2CID 149605516.
  2. ^ Jacqueline Simpson; Steve Roud (2003). "Thunderstone". A Dictionary of English Folklore. Oxford University Press.
  3. ^ "The meaning of ceraunia : archaeology, natural history and the interpretation of prehistoric stone artefacts in the eighteenth century" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-12-24. Retrieved 2014-12-24.