Swastika Stone facts for kids

This picture shows the original stone, a copy of its carving, and the view from Woodhouse Crag.

The design on Ilkley Moor looks a lot like the Camunian rose from Sellero, Italy.

The Swastika Stone is a special rock found on Ilkley Moor in West Yorkshire, England. It has an old carving that looks like a swastika symbol. This stone is located on a place called Woodhouse Crag, on the northern edge of the moor.

The design on the stone has a double outline. It also has four curved arms. Each arm has an S-shape attached to it. Inside each part of the design, there is a small 'cup' mark. You can find similar cup marks on other stones nearby.

What Makes the Swastika Stone Special?

The design on the Swastika Stone is very rare in the British Isles. It looks very much like ancient designs called Camunian roses, which are found in Italy. This similarity has made some people wonder if the two designs are connected.

A Link to Ancient Rome?

During the time of the Roman Empire, Roman soldiers were stationed in Ilkley. Some of these soldiers were from a Celtic tribe called the Lingones. This tribe originally came from a region called Gaul (which is now mostly France).

Around 400 BC, some Lingones moved across the Alps mountains to the coast of Italy. Some historians believe that the Lingones soldiers in Ilkley came from this group in Italy, not directly from Gaul.

It's possible that these Italian Lingones traveled through the Valcamonica region in Italy. This area is famous for its ancient rock carvings, including the Camunian rose designs. If they saw these designs, they might have adopted them as part of their tribal symbols. Later, when they were stationed in Ilkley, they might have carved this symbol on the moor. This would explain why such a unique design is found so far from Italy.