Mysterious dodecahedron - Printable Version +- RomanArmyTalk (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat) +-- Forum: Research Arena (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/forumdisplay.php?fid=4) +--- Forum: Ancient Civ Talk (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/forumdisplay.php?fid=12) +--- Thread: Mysterious dodecahedron (/showthread.php?tid=7529) Pages:
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Mysterious dodecahedron - Carus Andiae - 11-24-2006 Any thoughts on what this might be? Museum of Antiquities object How convincing are their suggestions? Any alternative theories? Re: Mysterious dodecahedron - Ioannis - 11-24-2006 Can't see anything David. :? Re: Mysterious dodecahedron - Carus Andiae - 11-24-2006 Whoops! Let's try another way: Quote:The bronze dodecahedron was found during the 19th century excavations of South Shields Roman fort (Arbeia) and bequeathed to the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne by Robert Blair, a local solicitor who was involved in the work at Arbeia over many years. Re: Mysterious dodecahedron - Jona Lendering - 11-24-2006 I've seen them in several museums (Mainz, Tongeren) and as far as I know, nobody knows what they are. sooth saying - richsc - 11-26-2006 For some reason they remind me of that Etruscan bronze liver that was I think used for divining. Re: sooth saying - Carus Andiae - 11-26-2006 Quote:For some reason they remind me of that Etruscan bronze liver that was I think used for divining. Oh! That's an interesting one. Re: Mysterious dodecahedron - Virilis - 11-26-2006 Could they be containers of some "myrrha-like" substances, to give odour and keep the perhaps sticky substance inside without it tarnishing the fabrics etc? Perhaps for religious purposes? Re: Mysterious dodecahedron - hoplite14gr - 11-26-2006 I feel they were part of the "mystery calts" that were popular with the Roman Army. I might suspect Mithras Mysteries but the initiation ranks in the calt were 7 not 12 if I recall correct. So I am under the impression that might be connected to the less well known calt of "Dolechenos Dias" (Dolichin Zeus - Jove Dolechinus?). Ancient Greeks related number 12 with Zeus so it is a possibility that it survived in the newer religion. Hope it helps. Kind regards Re: Mysterious dodecahedron - john m roberts - 11-26-2006 Maybe you hung them from your chariot - a 1st-4th cent. version of fuzzy pink dice. Re: Mysterious dodecahedron - griffin - 11-26-2006 Perhaps it's some sort of Ancient Bling. The ancient equivalent of Mr. T's gold chains? It was probably used in some sort of ritual.... Re: Mysterious dodecahedron - Carus Andiae - 11-29-2006 Ah - ritual. The prehistorian's term for "We don't know what it is" :lol: So, something religious seems the most popular theory. I can't think of anything which immediately springs to mind that links Mithraism with the number 12. Though I do like the Roman furry dice idea :wink: Re: Mysterious dodecahedron - LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS - 11-29-2006 I don't have but probably will be of great help a tipology of such objects: B. A. GREINER, "Römische Dodekaheder. Untersuchungen zur Typologie, Herstellung, Verbreitung und Funktion", Carnuntum Jahrbuch 1995, págs. 9-44 In that work are a corpus of 93 of such objects. Re: Mysterious dodecahedron - LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS - 11-29-2006 And some examples from Louvre, picture from romancoins.info Re: Mysterious dodecahedron - Martin Moser - 11-30-2006 Looking at the picture posted by Cesar, it just struck me that those could have been dice-like gaming implements! Of course I can't see all the sides there, but those you can see are all different combinations of holes with differing diameters and varying amounts of concentric engraved circles. With a little training you could easily read the result(s) from e.g. the top side of a "dice throw" with one of more of those. Would make for a 12-sided die. The drawing first posted by David also seems to follow such a pattern. Hm, I'll have to keep my eyes open for more pictures of those (actually I know I already saw a few, but never paid them closer attention till now ... :-P P ) Might of course also have been used for some sort of divination in that way ... Re: Mysterious dodecahedron - Jeroen Pelgrom - 11-30-2006 some kind of lamp? |