Another Roman dodecahedron has been unearthed in England
Mystery surrounds recently unearthed Roman bronze dodecahedrons—hollow, knobbed 12‑sided objects with differently sized holes—because no contemporary texts or images explain what they were for. Commenters weigh competing theories ranging from glove-knitting jigs, measuring tools, surveying or candle devices, and gambling or status objects, to purely decorative or ritual uses, noting constraints like their geographic distribution in colder northern provinces, lack of tool wear, and the cost and difficulty of making them. The exchange also highlights how archaeologists handle unknown artifacts, the tendency to default to “religious” explanations, and how easily everyday objects can become opaque once their cultural context is lost.
Humor and Pop-Culture Jokes
- Many comments are tongue‑in‑cheek: noodle portioner, sex toy, cat/dog toy, fidget spinner, D&D artifact, caltrop for “8‑dimensional horses,” etc.
- Several people explicitly note that any unexplained ancient object attracts wild, often unserious internet theories.
Skepticism of “Ritual/Religious Object” Default
- Multiple commenters criticize archaeology’s tendency to label unknown artifacts as “ritualistic/religious,” likening it to paleontologists’ “attracting mates/regulating temperature” or evolutionary “just-so stories.”
- Others push back: Romans were intensely superstitious, had many local cults, and these objects are valuable, show no tool‑wear, and sometimes appear in hoards and graves—consistent with cult or symbolic use that might be secret and thus undocumented.
Knitting / Textile Tool Hypothesis
- A popular modern demo shows using replicas as jigs for knitting or crocheting glove fingers or braids. This fits: different hole sizes, pegs for looping yarn, and distribution in cold provinces.
- Counterpoints:
- Direct evidence for knitting appears many centuries later; nalbinding and weaving existed but need simpler tools.
- Some dodecahedra and related icosahedra lack large holes, making such use impractical.
- Casting these in bronze is overkill versus simple wooden jigs; surviving pieces lack wear marks expected from regular textile work.
Measurement, Military, and Surveying Theories
- Several argue they could be measuring jigs even without standard external dimensions—e.g., using hole pairs or ratios (rangefinding/dioptron paper is cited).
- A detailed but contested Quora theory claims they’re multi‑tools for sizing and maintaining auxiliary polearm shafts.
- Others suggest surveying or construction aids, but the varying hole sizes and shapes, and distribution, make specific functions unclear.
Masterpiece / Status Object / Decoration
- One widely liked theory: they are master metalworkers’ “exam pieces” or trade credentials, akin to a Turner’s cube—difficult to cast, easy to inspect.
- Objections: valuable metal should have been recycled; why so many survive; why found with coin hoards and in women’s graves; why no explicit marks or textual references.
- Some think they might simply be high‑status desk toys, puzzles, or “tech flex” art, but critics note the lack of depictions or descriptions of this object type.
Lighting, Calendar, and Timing Ideas
- A candle‑holder or night‑light/calendar idea appears: different hole diameters for candles of varying burn times across months.
- Critics argue Romans mainly used oil lamps, candles weren’t standardized, and the geometry doesn’t obviously suit this; again, no soot/wear is reported.
Meta: Distribution, Records, and Everyday Objects
- Noted patterns: ~100+ finds in Gallia, Britain, and other northern provinces; none from core Mediterranean cities. This favors climate‑linked or regional‑cultural explanations but doesn’t clearly decide among them.
- Some argue we have many Roman texts yet no mention of these, which is odd if they were common tools or gaming devices; others reply that most mundane practices were never written down, and literacy was limited.