Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public domain

In ancient Rome, the gladiators who fought at the Colosseum were superstars. The top athletes of their day, these men trained relentlessly to participate in the gruesome battles that entertained up to 80,000 spectators. Many of their lives were short because of these battles, which also involved animals, but they were admired for their courage. A glass cup in The Metropolitan Museum of Art demonstrates just how revered some gladiators were.

Known as the Montagnole Cup, it dates back to around 50 to 80 CE. The translucent green-yellow cup has two friezes running around the sides, with the lower frieze showing four pairs of gladiators in different stances. On one side, a gladiator is lying on the ground, while two others advance with shields. Above them, the names Gamus, Merops, and Calamus are inscribed. Overall, eight gladiators are shown on the cup, some standing victorious and others down in defeat.

According to scholars, these glass cups used a new technique called mold blowing to place the images and text into the glass. Since some of the names inscribed match the names of popular gladiators, it's believed that this cup was used as a souvenir for games held in Rome during the Julio-Claudian period.

Dr. Kimberley Cassibry, associate professor of art at Wellesley College, writes that these cups were quite popular, and there are hundreds of examples throughout the Roman Empire. Charioteers were also featured on these cups, once again demonstrating the population's love for entertainment and spectacle. They became a way for people across the empire to remember and participate in these games over and over again.

“In the end, the novel experiences offered by the cups made the vessels themselves desirable,” writes Dr. Cassibry. “They became a spectacle in their own right, something worth seeing, both in Rome and in the provinces.”

In ancient Rome, some gladiators became famous for their feats during gruesome battles in the Colosseum.

“Pollice Verso (Thumbs Down)” by Jean-Léon Gérôme. 1872. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Mold-blown glass cups featuring gladiators and their names became souvenirs, showing the popularity of these spectacles.

Photo: Dr. Kimberly Cassibry via Destinations in Mind (CC BY-NC)

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Deities on boats, Orion, Sothis/Sirius, and Anukis, create a New Years' scene, while above them the sky goddess Nut swallows the evening sun. (Photo: Ahmed Amin/Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA)))

Archeology is often envisioned as a quest, whether it be digging for treasure or scouring caves. However, a significant amount of conservation goes into discovering and preserving the past. For a team of archeologists in Egypt, the last five years have been a cleaning mission. The group have been scrubbing dirt, soot, and bird droppings off the Temple of Esna's ceiling to reveal incredible ink inscriptions which were previously murky. Among these are a stunning New Year's scene of Egyptian gods—Orion, Sirius, and Anukis—onboard boats under the sky god.

The Temple of Esna is south of Luxor in Egypt. The part which remains standing is the vestibule or pronaos, which was built during the Roman period under Emperor Claudius (41–54 CE). Made of sandstone, it is 37 meters (88.6 feet) long, 20 meters wide (65.6 feet), and 15 meters (49.2 feet) high. It is unknown exactly what deity the temple was dedicated to but further cleaning of the walls may suggest an answer. Answers may be slow however, as it took the 30-person team five years to uncover the ceiling. According to a statement from the University of Tübingen, which partners with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on the project, the soot has receded across “hundreds of figures and astronomical representations, revealing them once more in their original colors.”

The ceiling has seven thematic sections. Among the panels is a New Year's scene, where Sothis, aka Sirius, is depicted by Orion. “Sirius is invisible in the night sky for 70 days a year until it rises again in the east,” Professor Christian Leitz of University of Tübingen explained. “That point was New Year's Day in ancient Egypt and also heralded the annual flooding of the Nile.” The goddess Anukis, also depicted, caused the Nile floodwaters to retreat about 100 days after this event. Also rendered on the ceiling were other figures, including a god with four rams' heads and a “representation of the south wind as a lion with four wings and a ram's head.”

However, there is still more work to be done in his historic site. “The completion of the ceiling restoration marks the project’s first and perhaps most important milestone,” Professor Leitz said. “In the next few years, we want to focus on removing soot from the interior walls of the Pronaos and the remaining columns.”

Archeologists are scrubbing away thousands of years of grime from the Temple of Esna, near Luxor, Egypt.

Photo: Ahmed Amin/Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA))

It took a team of 30 archaeologists five years to uncover the ceiling.

Photo: Ahmed Amin/Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA))

The ceiling includes an ancient Egyptian New Year's scene of Egyptian gods—Orion, Sirius, and Anukis—onboard boats under the sky god.

Photo: Ahmed Amin/Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA))

“Sirius is invisible in the night sky for 70 days a year until it rises again in the east,” Professor Christian Leitz of University of Tübingen explained.

Photo: Ahmed Amin/Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA))

“That point was New Year's Day in ancient Egypt and also heralded the annual flooding of the Nile.”

Photo: Ahmed Amin/Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA))

Photo: Ahmed Amin/Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA))

Photo: Ahmed Amin/Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA))

h/t: [Live Science]

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Painting of a bull (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO International)

In 1940, a teenager accidentally stumbled upon a series of prehistoric paintings in southwestern France. Though eventually called the Lascaux cave, the site is actually a web of multiple caves, with art on the walls dating back to the Upper Paleolithic era (between 12,000 to 50,000 years ago). The excitement surrounding the discovery led to the cave's opening in the mid-1950s. Thousands of people visited Lascaux every day, but no preservation methods were used and the paintings began deteriorating at an alarming rate. As a result, the caves have been closed to the public since 1963. Luckily, people are still able to experience the wonder of this discovery in other ways.

Twenty years after the cave was shuttered, Lascaux II opened in 1983, boasting a replica of the Great Hall of Bulls close to the real site. This was soon followed by Lascaux III, and Lascaux IV, the latter of which is considered a near-exact duplicate of the Lascaux cave. Not everyone is able to travel to the village of Montignac and visit the museum in person though. So, the National Archaeology Museum has made it possible to tour the incredible paintings from the comfort of your own home with a virtual online tour.

The digital experience allows for a more in-depth learning experience about the fascinating artworks, which people can enjoy at their leisure. Viewers can follow the 3D replica and get a better understanding of the map of the cave and where the different paintings are located, finding information about each work. You can also find further insight into how these pieces were made (including materials and methods).

Begin the Lascaux cave virtual tour via the National Archaeology Museum's website.

The National Archaeology Museum has made it possible to visit the Lascaux cave paintings from the comfort of your home with an online virtual tour.

Interior of Lascaux Cave (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO)

h/t: [Open Culture]

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The ongoing excavation of the lamassu. (Photo: Mustafa Faraj/Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage)

Historical artifacts offer a glimpse into the past. However, their existence is constantly at risk—especially those not housed in museums. Ancient artifacts have had a particularly volatile past few decades in the Middle East due to political and religious conflict, as well as widespread looting. The recent excavation of an ancient Assyrian lamassu statue is a reminder of these tenuous circumstances, as the story of its reburying is told.

The 2,700-year-old sculpture is symbolic of a time when the Assyrian empire dominated the region, including where the statue lies in modern day Iraq. It depicts a lamassu, which is a mythical guardian figure that possesses a human head on a bull or lion body. Some lamassu even feature a strange five-footed design, which gives the impression of standing from the front and striding from the side. In the past, pairs of these figures would guard monumental gates and doors leading into Assyrian palaces. The ancient Mesopotamian kings showed their power, both temporal and divine, by their massive building endeavors. However, many well-known examples of these statues are now in the hands of Western museums.

The lamassu recently uncovered in Iraq was found in the ancient city known as Dur-Sharrukin (near present-day Khorsabad) in northern Iraq. It once guarded the palace of King Sargon II, whose rule began in 722 BCE. His 200-room palace was an expression of kingly dominance, however the site fell out of use when he died prematurely and his heir moved the capitol of the empire to Nineveh. In the 19th century, the lamassu were known to French archeologists on expeditions, but they were last excavated in 1992 by Iraqi scholars. After that, the lamassu were reburied for their own protection.

American troops swept across the region in the Gulf War. Then came the “War on Terror” in the early 2000s. Then came the rise of ISIS and its rampant crusade against artifacts from local history which did not conform with their theology. This lamassu, while thankfully largely preserved, did not escape all damage. It's head was hacked off by looters in 1995, although thankfully recovered by authorities and placed in the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad. The museum was then looted in 2003 during wartime, but the head was not carried off. The Iraqi antiquities authorities plan to reunite the head with the newly uncovered body in the near future.

Wartime is a frequent time of looting, both by invading or colonizing forces, as well as other opportunists. For example, after Napoleon's forces rediscovered the Rosetta Stone, it ended up in British hands when they conquered the French forces. While it is now in the British Museum, Egypt wants their treasure back. Looting and destruction usually follow world events, but at least for this one lamassu, it remains safe and uncovered once more.

A statue of a lamassu—an ancient Assyrian mythological guardian sculpted in stone—has been uncovered in Iraq, where it once adorned the kingly palace of King Sargon II.

The massive stone sculpture would have once guarded a door or gate. (Photo: Mustafa Faraj/Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage)

h/t: [Hyperallergic]

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The Diamond Sūtra, printed on May 11, 868, resides at The British Library. (Photo: The British Library, Public Domain)

Like its namesake stone, the Diamond Sūtra was found underground. In 1900, a Buddhist monk in the Gansu province of China stumbled upon a sealed entrance leading to a series of 492 connected caves. The site had been closed off to the world since the start of the 11th century. Once a major Buddhist center, the area is known as Mogao (“Peerless”) Caves or the Caves of a Thousand Buddhas. Among the treasures recovered from the caves is the Diamond Sūtra—the earliest dated, printed book in existence.

The Diamond Sūtra is a scroll stretching about 16 feet long. It was made through ancient Chinese woodblock printing, a craft that long predated the European printing press. A single woodblock would be used to print, and then the individual pieces of the scroll were connected into one. The start of the scroll, or frontispiece, is an elaborate print of the historical Buddha with his disciple Subhūti and other figures gathered under trees. The text is a sacred one, and while this copy is the earliest extant, many others were printed over the intervening centuries.

The book is also dated. A colophon at the end reads: “On the 15th day of the 4th month of the 9th year of the Xiantong reign period, Wang Jie had this made for universal distribution on behalf of his two parents.” On the Western calendar that is May 11, 868. Wang Jie seemingly financed the scroll's creation by artisans in honor of his parents. At some point, it made its way to the caves, where it may have been studied before it was sealed away for hundreds of years. After the caves' unsealing in 1900, the book was removed. It was brought to England by Sir Aurel Stein, an Englishman traveling abroad, in 1907. The scroll is now conserved and preserved in The British Library and can be explored in its entirety online.

The Diamond Sūtra is an ancient scroll known to be the oldest complete, printed, and dated book in existence.

The text comes from a series of Buddhist Caves which were sealed for hundreds of years. (Photo: The British Library, Public Domain)

It was found among other precious Buddhist manuscripts in ancient caves sealed for hundreds of years.

The scroll is the earliest printed example of a dated, printed book. (Photo: The British Library, Public Domain)

h/t: [Open Culture]

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The “Burnt City” goblet discovered in Shahr-e Sookhteh, Iran. (Photo: Emesik via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Flipbooks are a common craft among children. By repeatedly sketching a stick figure on the edges of a pad of paper or Post-it notes and flipping it back, you can see the drawing move. These crafts are more than mild amusement, they are also the essence of how sequential art was born and an intriguing way to tell stories. While animation emerged as a well-known art form through the movies of the 20th century, archeologists discovered the earliest example of animation on a 5,000-year-old Iranian goblet painted with a horned creature and a tall plant. Discovered in “Burnt City,” Shahr-e Sukhteh, in modern Iran, the vessel has captured imaginations.

The scenes painted around the vessel depict a wild goat, likely a Persian desert Ibex or Persian wild goat, also known as a Capra aegagrus. It approaches to nibble on a tall plant while standing on four legs, then it runs and leaps to reach the higher foliage. This pattern would in theory repeat if the vessel was spun repeatedly, amusing the viewer. Although discovered in the 1970s during the major excavations of Shahr-e Sukhteh, the “moving picture” was not discovered for some time.

The area where the vessel was found in Iran was a critical early site of complex civilization. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site due to the incredible remains of a mud brick city that sprung up at the crossroads of important trade routes. The development is described as an “outstanding example of early urban planning.” Other Bronze Age vessels decorated in geometric paintings were also found at the site. Excavations are ongoing and have also uncovered gravesites. The vessel and its iconic animation are now in the collection of the Iran National Museum.

This ancient goblet from five thousand years ago was discovered at an ancient site in Iran, and it features the earliest known animation.

The vessel's decorations “unwrapped.” (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)

As you spin the vessel, the horned creature runs and leaps.

An animation that one would see spinning the vessel. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

h/t: [Open Culture]

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A woman from the Ho-Chunk Nation touches the canoe. (Photo: Wisconsin Historical Society)

Scuba diver and maritime archeologist Tamara Thomsen is on an amazing streak. In November 2021, while swimming on her off day in Wisconsin's Lake Mendota, she spotted an interesting logout buried in the sand. Upon further investigation, the log turned out to be a 1,200-year-old dugout canoe stretching a whopping 15 feet in length. Now, less than a year after her impressive find, Thomsen has discovered another ancient canoe. This one is a shocking 3,000 years old—evidence of the impressive maritime tradition of the region's Indigenous peoples.

Thomsen was giving a scuba lesson when she spotted more unique wood submerged in the lake. “This is not a joke. I found another dugout canoe,” she texted her boss. The canoe has since been raised and tested with radiocarbon dating. The 14.5-foot-long canoe was carved around 1000 BCE. This makes it the oldest canoe discovered in the Great Lakes region by 1,000 years. It is crafted from a single piece of white oak which has withstood the waters for centuries. As both boats recently discovered were within 100 feet of each other, experts think the shoreline of the lake may have moved over the millennium to cover previously inhabited areas.

Members of the Ho-Chunk Nation and Bad River Tribe have been involved in the recovery of the canoes, which will be preserved and studied at the Wisconsin Historical Society. “The recovery of this canoe built by our ancestors gives further physical proof that Native people have occupied Teejop (Four Lakes) for millennia, that our ancestral lands are here and we had a developed society of transportation, trade, and commerce,” Marlon WhiteEagle, the president of Ho-Chunk tribe, said. Then Historical Society plans to collaborate with the Ho-Chunk Nation to systemically search Lake Mendota for more canoes this coming year.

An ancient dugout canoe dating to about 1000 B.C.E. was discovered at the bottom of Lake Mendota in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Historical Society staff and volunteers move the canoe into the State Archive Preservation Facility in Madison. (Photo: Wisconsin Historical Society)

h/t: [NPR]

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Ancient mosaics turn up in surprising places. From urban London to a New York City coffee table to Italian vineyards and English fields, mosaics are unearthed across the world. The Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire (its descendant) were especially prolific mosaic creators. Now, a stunning new example of Byzantine craftsmanship has been discovered—this time by a Palestinian farmer in Gaza who was digging in his olive grove.

Six months ago, Salman al-Nabahin was concerned about his olive trees; the plants were not successfully taking root. Al-Nabahin and his son set to digging to investigate the source of the problem. When the son's ax hit something hard like stone, the pair discovered an expansive stone mosaic depicting beautiful birds and animals. “I searched on the internet…We learnt it was mosaic belonging to the Byzantine era,” the father of seven said. “I see it as a treasure, dearer than a treasure. It isn't personal, it belongs to every Palestinian.”

The men alerted the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. In recent months, the mosaic has been fully excavated by Palestinian researchers and international experts from the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem. It is remarkably well-preserved and intact, dating to the 5th and 7th centuries CE. This tracks with the period of Byzantine rule in Palestine from 390 CE to around 634 CE.

“These are the most beautiful mosaic floors discovered in Gaza,” archeologist on the team, René Elter, reported, “both in terms of the quality of the graphic representation and the complexity of the geometry.” Surrounding the floor is also remnants of walls and glass artifacts. The discovery is not only gorgeous, but it also promises to teach archeologists and historians more about life in ancient Palestine.

A Palestinian farmer in Gaza was digging under his olive grove to discover why the tree were not taking root.

Under the grove, he discovered a gorgeous and largely intact Byzantine mosaic decorated with animals.

h/t: [ArtNet, Reuters]

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Luxor Obelisk in the Place de la Concorde, Paris, France. (Photo: Stock Photos from Vladimir Volodin/Shutterstock)

Before there was the skyscraper, ancient builders created the original tall, imposing structure: the obelisk. With origins in ancient Egypt, these four-sided structures were typically erected in commemoration of the rulers and spread in popularity across the ancient world— including ancient Rome and Assyria.

Even after the end of these civilizations, the obelisk continued to be a popular monument for its striking yet simple design. In fact, some of the most iconic landmarks in the world are a version of the ancient invention, such as the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.

Here, we will learn the origins of obelisks and what some famous obelisks are around the world.

What is an obelisk?

Obelisk of Tuthmosis III, Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo: Stock Photos from ibrahim kavus/Shutterstock)

An obelisk is a celebratory monument originating from ancient Egypt. It is a tall, four-sided structure with a pyramid-shaped top. Originally called tekhenu in ancient Egyptian, the name obelisk comes from the Greek writer Herodotus, who used the ancient Greek word obeliskos (meaning “split, ail, pointed pillar”) to describe them.

History

Hieroglyphic carving of the Ancient Egyptian god Ra. (Photo: Stock Photos from Vixit/Shutterstock)

Ancient obelisks were monolithic structures—meaning they were made from one piece of stone—that were created in pairs for the entrance of temples. The shape of the obelisk is associated with the ancient Egyptian god of the sun, Ra. Most ancient obelisks feature hieroglyphic carvings on all four sides that are dedicated to Ra and the ruler who erected the monument.

After Cleopatra‘s death in 30 BCE and Rome assumed control over Egypt, the majority of Egyptian obelisks were removed from their original locations and scattered across the Roman Empire. It is for this reason that Rome is home to the most ancient obelisks in the world.

King Ezana's Stele, Axum, Northern Ethiopia. (Photo: Stock Photos from knovakov/Shutterstock)

Although the oldest examples of obelisks originate from the ancient Egyptian empire, similar monuments have appeared in other civilizations, such as Assyria and the Axumite Kingdom (modern-day Ethiopia). King Exana's Stele from the Axumite Kingdom, for example, has a rounded top instead of a pyramid and features false doors and windows on its sides.

Famous Obelisks

“Unfinished Obelisk,” Aswan, Egypt

“Unfinished Obelisk” in Aswan, Egypt (Photo: Vermeulen-Perdaen-Guido/Depositphotos)

The largest known ancient obelisk in the world was never erected, perhaps due to its immense size, and can still be seen half-immersed in the ground in Aswan, Egypt. Known only as the “unfinished obelisk,” this structure was ordered by Hatshepsut, one of the few confirmed female pharaohs to rule Ancient Egypt. The incomplete monument measures 137 feet and weighs 1,200 short tons.

Obelisk at Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City, Rome, Italy

Obelisk in Saint Peter's Square in Vatican, Rome, Italy. (Photo: Stock Photos from Mistervlad/Shutterstock)

The obelisk at Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican is a monolithic stone monument that is estimated to be about 4,000 years old. It was brought to Rome from Egypt during the reign of Emperor Augustus and relocated to its current location in 1586 by Pope Sixtus V. Unlike most ancient Egyptian obelisks, it features no hieroglyphics on any of its sides.

Lateran Obelisk, Piazza San Giovanni, Rome, Italy

Lateran Obelisk, Piazza San Giovanni, Laterano, Rome. (Photo: Stock Photos from Kiev.Victor/Shutterstock)

Originally from the Temple of Amun in Karnak, Egypt, the Lateran Obelisk is the tallest obelisk in Rome and the largest standing ancient Egyptian obelisk in the world—weighing 455 tons and standing at about 149 feet tall. It was transported to Rome in 357 CE as part of the decoration for the Circus Maximus.

Heliopolis Obelisk, Cairo, Egypt

Heliopolis Obelisk, Cairo, Egypt. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

The Heliopolis Obelisk is the one remaining monument from a pair of red granite obelisks erected by Pharaoh Senusret I, who reigned during the Middle Kingdom period of Ancient Egypt. It is 67 feet tall and the oldest standing obelisk located in Egypt.

Luxor Obelisks (Luxor, Egypt & Paris, France)

Left: Luxor Obelisk at the Luxor Temple, Egypt. (Photo: Stock Photos from agsaz Shutterstock) | Right: Luxor Obelisk at the Place de la Concorde, Paris, France. (Photo: Stock Photos from ArTono/Shutterstock)

The Luxor Obelisks are a pair of 75-foot-high granite monuments originally created for the Luxor Temple in Egypt. They were fashioned approximately 3,000 years ago during the reign of Ramesses II. In the 19th century, the right-hand obelisk was shipped to Paris as a gift from Muhammad Ali Pasha, ruler of Ottoman Egypt to France. In exchange, Egypt received a clock that can still be seen at the Cairo Citadel.

Today, the right-hand obelisk is situated in the center of the Place de la Concorde in Paris, and the left-hand still stands in front of the Luxor Temple.

Washington Monument, Washington DC, United States 

Washington Monument, Washington DC. (Photo: Stock Photos from Orhan Cam/Shutterstock)

Within the National Mall is the world's tallest obelisk and the world's tallest stone structure, the Washington Monument. It is a hollow Egyptian-style obelisk that stands about 555 feet tall and is made from a combination of marble, granite, and bluestone. The monument was designed to commemorate George Washington, the first president of the United States; it began construction in 1848 and was completed in 1884.

Obelisco de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina 

The Obelisk of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo: Stock Photos from sharptoyou/Shutterstock)

Like the Washington Monument, the Obelisco de Buenos Aires is an icon of its country. The 221-foot monument was made in only 31 days between the months of March and May in 1936. Located in the Plaza de la República in a busy intersection, the white stone obelisk is visible from most parts of the city. It commemorates the first foundation of Buenos Aires.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of an obelisk?

In ancient times, obelisks were traditionally built as celebratory monuments or landmarks.

What is the obelisk a symbol of?

The shape of an obelisk symbolizes the Egyptian sun god Ra.

Is the Washington Monument an obelisk?

The Washington Monument is the world's tallest obelisk at 555 feet and the world's tallest stone structure.

This article has been edited and updated.

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Faience polyhedron inscribed with letters of the Greek alphabet, Roman, 2nd–3rd century C.E. (Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public domain)
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Dice—and their attendant games of chance—have an ancient history. Dice probably originated with marked knucklebones which were used to cast lots and interpret the divine. These relics are clearly recognizable to the modern eye as dice, but other multi-faceted versions might seem a bit befuddling. Polyhedrons (multi-sided solids) inscribed with Greek or Roman characters were common and likely used in conjunction with oracles.

Polyhedral dice include the standard six-face die. As the number of sides increases, the die begins to appear closer to a sphere. Among Greek and Roman dice with many facets, the icosahedron (20-sided) die is the most familiar in the archeological record. Bone and ivory were common materials, and more luxurious dice could be made of bronze, rock crystal, glass, onyx, faience, jet, alabaster, marble, or amber. Each triangular facet bore an inscription. Greek letters were common, even in the Roman period. Roman numerals also appear, and an Egyptian die was reported with the names of deities.

The exact use of icosahedron dice is still rather obscure. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, “They may have been used in conjunction with an oracle inscribed on a pillar set up in a public place.” Casting the die determined what part of an oracle to consult. Oracles were usually priestesses who were believed to interpret or speak for the gods. Their sayings were often written down and could be consulted by those seeking wisdom or prophecy.

To try your hand, check out this oracle generator. Roll each of the three dice to receive ancient wisdom. If you want to try out these cool dice and experience their ancient history for yourself, there are lots of modern versions on Etsy. Use them for your own divination or for the popular game Dungeons and Dragons.

Icosahedron dice in stone, bone, or rock crystal were used in Ancient Hellenistic and Roman times.

Twenty-sided die (icosahedron) with faces inscribed with Greek letters, Ptolemaic Period – Roman Period,
2nd century B.C. – 4th century A.D. (Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public domain)

These 20-sided dice were engraved with Greek letters or Roman numerals on each facet.

Stone dice with facets inscribed alpha to upsilon from the Roman Imperial period. (Photo: © The Trustees of the British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

The dice were possibly used in conjunction with an oracle to divine prophecy and wisdom.

Faceted dice made of green stone, inscribed with Roman numerals, 2st or 2nd century C.E. (Photo: © The Trustees of the British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Dice are ancient, but you can get modern 20-sided dice today on Etsy.

A rock crystal fourteen-sided bead (with hole) in the form of a pentagondodekahedra dice, from the Roman Imperial period in Egypt. (Photo: © The Trustees of the British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Rock crystal dice, marked one to six, Roman Imperial period.
(Photo: © The Trustees of the British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Intrigant, n'est-ce pas ? Il s'agit d'un dé à jouer de 1cm de haut en cristal de roche de l'empire romain #ZoomMW pic.twitter.com/LAG5T577ze

— Musée du Louvre (@MuseeLouvre) April 2, 2016

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