Saw a Roman dodecahedron exhibit last week. Still can't figure out what they used them for.

Went to a small museum in Belgium. They had like 30 of them on display. No writings about them anywhere. Some say knitting tools. Others say calendar devices. Both sides have good arguments. But nobody really knows. Which camp are you in? The practical use people or the mystical ritual folks?

2 comments

2 Comments

diana_king27d ago

Belgium museum with 30 of them? That's like finding a discount bin full of ancient IKEA instructions (minus the pictures, obviously). I'm with paule53 on the practical side, mostly because the idea of a Roman priest waving a dodecahedron around to cast a spell sounds way too much like someone trying to sell essential oils at a farmer's market. The hole size theory makes sense too, especially if you think about how Roman socks probably had as much fashion sense as modern dad sandals. But honestly, I'm convinced they were just ancient fidget spinners for senators who got bored during long speeches.

paule531mo ago

Those things drive me crazy in a good way. I lean hard toward the practical use camp, specifically the knitting or glove making theory. The different hole sizes on each side make sense for gauging thread or yarn. Plus the Romans were masters of making tools that looked fancy but did real work. Mystical rituals sound cool but usually there's a simpler explanation for old gadgets.