The Folkton Drums
- Audio guide stop: 433
- Gallery: Room 51
- Audio guide: one commentary for a group of objects shown together
- Museum: The British Museum
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About these objects
This is "The Folkton Drums," a rare and mysterious set of Neolithic objects carved from soft chalk. They were discovered in North Yorkshire over a century ago, buried alongside a young person in a barrow. Their precise purpose isn’t known, but their intricate designs suggest they held special meaning, perhaps symbolic or ceremonial.
Each drum is covered in delicate incisions—geometric shapes, stars, and even what appears to be stylized faces. Look for the drum with the four-rayed star and triangular patterns, which features a unique carved motif resembling eyes and a nose. Another standout is the one with double triangles and hooked lines, carved with surprising sophistication for its age.
Made around 2500–2000 BC, these drums are rare survivals from a time when chalk objects were likely used in rituals or burials. Though their meaning remains a mystery, they offer a rare glimpse into the artistic and spiritual world of late Neolithic people.
See it in person
The Folkton Drums is on display in Room 51 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and type its audio guide stop number, 433, from the gallery label, or take a photo of it, to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
New, in beta. British Museum support has just launched and is still improving: over 1,000 objects so far, with more added all the time.
