Researchers used mineral mapping and high-resolution isotopic fingerprinting of zircon and apatite grains to trace the three "Devil's Arrows" at Boroughbridge to Brimham Rocks, about 18 km (11 miles) away. The nearly 7 m pillars, erected between 5,000 and 3,500 years ago, each weigh around 25 tonnes. The study overturns earlier claims linking the stones to Plumpton Rocks and confirms a local legend that a missing fourth stone was recut into Aldborough's Battle Cross.
Devil's Arrows Traced to Brimham Rocks — Isotope Tests Reveal 18 km Neolithic Move
Mystery of where ancient stones came from solved
New scientific analyses show that the three towering monoliths known as the "Devil's Arrows" at Boroughbridge were quarried at Brimham Rocks and transported roughly 18 km (11 miles) by Neolithic communities, researchers report.
How the Origin Was Confirmed
Teams from the University of York and Curtin University used mineral mapping and high-resolution isotopic fingerprinting of microscopic zircon and apatite grains to match the stones' geochemical signatures to Brimham Rocks, a National Trust site. The result overturns earlier claims—recorded on local signage—that the stones came from Plumpton Rocks, about 13 km (9 miles) away.
What This Tells Us About Neolithic People
Dr Jim Leary of the University of York said the evidence shows Neolithic communities moved several massive blocks of stone, each weighing in the region of 25 tonnes, to create a deliberately configured sacred landscape.
"We have now proved Neolithic communities moved several 25-tonne stones, transforming a familiar site into an epic quest to create a sacred landscape," Dr Leary said.
The three surviving Devil's Arrow pillars are nearly seven metres (23 ft) tall and were erected between about 5,000 and 3,500 years ago. Historic accounts record more stones at the site—at least five at times—but only three remain today.
Local Legend and Archaeological Context
The study also corroborates a long-standing local story that a missing fourth Arrow was not lost but recut into the Battle Cross monument in nearby Aldborough.
Dr Anthony Clarke, a geochemist at Curtin University, said: "Using isotopic testing of tiny mineral grains, we were able to pinpoint the stones' geological birthplace. It confirms what we suspected: ancient people were capable of transporting huge rocks over long distances."
The pillars stand on gently sloping ground aligned toward what may once have been a prehistoric ford on the nearby River Ure. Archaeological remains to the west suggest the stones formed a southern gateway into a large sacred zone between the rivers Swale and Ure, an area that includes seven late-Neolithic henges.
Why It Matters
Brimham Rocks' dramatic formations were shaped by river action around 100 million years ago. That the builders bypassed nearer outcrops when sourcing stone indicates purposeful selection—whether for visual, symbolic or practical reasons—during monument construction. As Justin Scully, general manager at Fountains Abbey and Brimham Rocks, noted, folklore about the Devil hurled arrows remains charming, but the real human story of moving these stones is equally extraordinary.
Key methods: mineral mapping, isotopic fingerprinting of zircon and apatite, comparative geology. Implication: Neolithic societies had the organization and intent to transport and erect massive stones across significant distances to shape ritual landscapes.
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