Blurb:

Taking objects of ambiguous purpose and meaning as its focus (especially carved balls from the Neolithic period and 'magical' stones from Gaelic traditions) this chapter investigates the conceptual and discursive interrelations between religious studies and archaeology, with a focus on contemporary scholarship. The analysis evidences a lack of critical engagement with shared terminology and unacknowledged interdisciplinary influence while also highlighting the productive value for both disciplines in considering 'troublesome' objects (which elide concrete identity of purpose and use).