Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. Two charming, six-sided gaming dice made from bone, probably of a cow or other type of livestock. Each face is inscribed with concentric circles to form numbers. Rolling dice - casting lots - were used to settle disputes, apportion goods impartially, gamble, and pass the time with games. One game they played was called Tali, where the count of the dice was scored like a poker hand. A "Venus" was the highest hand, consisting of one, three, four, and six; "Vultures" meant a roll of identical numbers; "Dogs" was the lowest score, all ones. Size: 0.5" L x 0.5" W x 0.5" H (1.3 cm x 1.3 cm x 1.3 cm)

Provenance: acquired from Herakles Numismatics, Huntersville, North Carolina, USA

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#126197

Tiny chips from sides.