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Roman dodecahedron uncovered by amateur archaeologists in the UK
Live Science ^ | January 19, 2024 | Tom Metcalfe

Posted on 01/31/2024 7:45:19 PM PST by SunkenCiv

More than 100 dodecahedrons have now been found in northwestern Europe, but archaeologists still don't know what they were used for.

Amateur archaeologists in England have unearthed a stunning Roman dodecahedron — a mysterious class of objects that has baffled experts for centuries.

The dodecahedron — a 12-sided metal shell about the size of a grapefruit — was found this past summer during a dig in a farmer's field near the Lincolnshire village of Norton Disney, located about 35 miles (56 kilometers) southeast of Sheffield.

A previous geophysical survey, which had detected underground areas where the Earth's magnetic field had been disturbed, had revealed what looked like a buried pit at the site, and metal detectorists had already found Roman coins and broaches in the same field, said Richard Parker, the secretary of the Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group, an organization of local volunteers...

So far, archaeologists have found Iron Age artifacts near the village that predate Roman rule and hundreds of pieces of Roman pottery from the second and third centuries A.D.; and the remains of a Roman villa have also been found near the village, he said...

Roman rule continued until about A.D. 410, by which time most of the legions had left to defend continental Europe from barbarian invasions and the British were left to fend for themselves.

(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: 12sider; dnd; dodecahedron; epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs; mystery; rollingdamage; rollinghitpoints; romanempire; rome
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The mysterious object, called a "Roman dodecahedron," was unearthed in the summer of 2023 during an archaeological dig in a farmer's field near the Lincolnshire Footage of Norton Disney.
Image credit: Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group
Image credit: Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group

1 posted on 01/31/2024 7:45:19 PM PST by SunkenCiv
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The Roman Gadget Archaeologists Can’t Figure Out
YouTube | March 29, 2022 | Sideprojects
Posted on 4/3/2022, 9:52:09 AM by SunkenCiv
https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/4051982/posts


2 posted on 01/31/2024 7:46:07 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: SunkenCiv

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_dodecahedron


3 posted on 01/31/2024 7:50:55 PM PST by vladimir998 ( Apparently I'm still living in your head rent free. At least now it isn't empty.)
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To: vladimir998

Thanks!


4 posted on 01/31/2024 7:52:00 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: SunkenCiv

The working theory of dodecahedrons is that they were used to knit clothing. That seems about right to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76AvV601yJ0


5 posted on 01/31/2024 8:01:33 PM PST by Jonty30 (In a nuclear holocaust, there is always a point in time where the meat is cooked to perfection. )
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To: SunkenCiv

The working theory of dodecahedrons is that they were used to knit clothing. That seems about right to me. If this is correct, each Roman household would have had a few.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76AvV601yJ0


6 posted on 01/31/2024 8:02:06 PM PST by Jonty30 (In a nuclear holocaust, there is always a point in time where the meat is cooked to perfection. )
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To: Jonty30

That rings a bell. The video linked in the earlier topic may cover that hypothesis.


7 posted on 01/31/2024 8:03:11 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: SunkenCiv

That’s really odd. I’ve never heard of these before.


8 posted on 01/31/2024 8:03:34 PM PST by telescope115 (I NEED MY SPACE!!! 🔭)
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To: SunkenCiv
Roman dodecahedron. Photo Credit
Roman dodecahedron

Looks to me like a projectile used in conjunction with some sot of launcher, such as a catapult or perhaps a slingshot like type of weapon.

9 posted on 01/31/2024 8:05:42 PM PST by Robert DeLong
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To: SunkenCiv
but archaeologists still don't know what they were used for.

I saw a documentary which explained they were used for knitting gloves and socks - necessary in N. Europe. I recall someone, who had figured out how to use it, showing how the knitting was done.

10 posted on 01/31/2024 8:08:19 PM PST by PGR88
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To: PGR88

Starting to knit a garment is probably the most difficult part of knitting. A tool that can hold the yarn while you are developing a pattern would be very useful.


11 posted on 01/31/2024 8:10:45 PM PST by Jonty30 (In a nuclear holocaust, there is always a point in time where the meat is cooked to perfection. )
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To: PGR88; Robert DeLong

Or maybe a candleholder. :^)

https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/4214229/posts?page=7#7


12 posted on 01/31/2024 8:11:34 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: SunkenCiv; Jonty30
If they they were for knitting, how about the one without holes? IMG-7650
13 posted on 01/31/2024 8:13:37 PM PST by Beowulf9
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To: SunkenCiv

I think it’s a die to play dungeons and dragons


14 posted on 01/31/2024 8:15:16 PM PST by MNDude
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To: Beowulf9

I see holes.
Small ones.

Maybe the one with small holes were for fine threads?


15 posted on 01/31/2024 8:16:08 PM PST by Jonty30 (In a nuclear holocaust, there is always a point in time where the meat is cooked to perfection. )
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To: SunkenCiv

I hadn’t thought of that. 🤣


16 posted on 01/31/2024 8:19:51 PM PST by Robert DeLong
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To: Jonty30

https://www.cracked.com/article_32125_no-these-mysterious-roman-artifacts-probably-arent-knitting-aides.html

I think the mystery is still open.


17 posted on 01/31/2024 8:25:07 PM PST by Beowulf9
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To: SunkenCiv

If they find a tetrahedron, a cube, a octahedron, a pentagonal trapezohedron, a icosahedron, and a copy of “The Dungeon Masters Guide”, I think I can help solve the mystery.


18 posted on 01/31/2024 8:36:48 PM PST by Retrofitted
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To: Beowulf9

I would have guessed they are gauges of some sort (for metal rods or wooden dowls) that also determined how straight they were by dropping it at the top and seeing if it hit the ground. If it didn’t catch in a kink or bend, it was straight enough. The knobs keep the faces from wearing.

But that doesnt explain the 20-sider with the tiny holes.

Part of me wonders if colored or marked discs weren’t inserted behind the smaller holes via the largest one and the thing thrown in some sort of outdoor gambling game. That doesn’t make much sense for the 20-sider, either.

I need to see the videos showing how it was used for knitting.


19 posted on 01/31/2024 8:44:33 PM PST by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: SunkenCiv

Some sort of sex toy?


20 posted on 01/31/2024 8:46:48 PM PST by Reynoldo (BurnLootMurder)
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