- A Roman dodecahedron, a mysterious 12-sided metal object, was discovered in the village of Norton Disney in England.
- The artifact is in excellent condition and is larger than many other dodecahedrons that have been found.
- The purpose of these objects remains unclear, but theories suggest they may have been used for ritualistic or religious purposes.
I still think they’re a test/show of skill for blacksmiths
they’ve been found in coin hordes and the like… they were definitely more valuable than that
An item that only the absolute best blacksmiths or metalworkers could make.
Sounds valuable.
As an apprentice blacksmith, yeah. I would have difficulty attempting to make that thing out of bronze, and would definitely learn more about smithing than I do now, just making the thing.
You could try making one as your next project?
Wouldn’t they melt them down to make something more useful once it was complete and their skills proven?
If the craftsmanship theory is correct they would probably put them on display to advertise their business.
Machinists will often have a tuner’s cube on their desk. It does have a bit of the same feel.
We’re also in the 21st century, with an abundance of wealth and material possessions the past could only imagine. We can afford lots of useless shit laying around.
I’ve always leant towards the gloves theory myself.
If it’s a display of skill then it’s an advertisement, which is useful. Then again, I’m not an archaeologist or historian, and even if I was apparently I’d still have no clue.
True but who are you going to advertise to? A village would be lucky to have a smith at all, and travel was dangerous so you’re not going to go shopping for someone else. Especially not in the backwater edges of the Roman Empire/Britain.
But why were they only in northern areas?
I am guessing they are a tool of some sort. You can do a lot with angles and rope with two of these.