Celtic Lead Gaming dice with Celtic horses - rare
17
days
21
hours
12
minutes
56
seconds
Starting bid
€ 1
Reserve price not met
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Selected by Peter Reynaers
Has nearly 30 years’ experience and moderated multiple online art research groups.
Estimate € 400 - € 500
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Celtic lead gaming dice, a rare cuboid piece with relief decoration depicting Celtic horses and an X-mark, dating to the Late Iron Age (ca. 100 BC–100 AD), in fair but intact condition with a grey-brown patina; dimensions about 18.7 x 19.3 x 19 mm and weight ~57.85 g.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Attention: due to customs regulations we can only ship inside the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU shipping address before placing a bid.
Late Iron Age, rare Romano-Celtic lead gaming piece of cuboid form, each side originally decorated in relief. One face bears a large incised X-mark. Another side shows a stylised depiction of Celtic horses, accompanied by circle-and-dot motifs typical of Late Iron Age decorative vocabulary. The remaining faces are heavily worn, with traces of relief decoration now largely indistinct.
The piece is irregularly shaped with softened edges and rounded corners, consistent with prolonged handling and use. The lead surface displays a grey-brown patina with areas of darker oxidation and encrustation.
-> Gaming pieces of this type are associated with indigenous Celtic traditions and continued into the Romano-Celtic period. The horse was a central symbol in Celtic art, often linked to status, mobility and possibly divine associations. The prominent X-mark may have served as a value indicator or identifying symbol within a gaming set.
Size: ± 18,7 x 19,3 x 19 mm
Weight: ± 57,85 g
Condition: fair but intact condition. Heavy surface wear and corrosion consistent with age and use. Decorative details partially visible; some faces largely smoothed from circulation.
Certificate of Authenticity (PDF-format): available upon request.
Seller's Story
Please read our information carefully.
*SHIPPING INFO Due to insurance procedures, combined shipping is only possible with a single payment. (1 payment reference = 1 insured parcel.) If you accept an offer after the auction and pay separately, shipments cannot be manually combined afterward. Please ensure your shipping address is complete and correct before paying. Changes made after payment are not automatically forwarded to us.
* CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY (COA) For insurance purposes we can provide a digital Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) for every item with a hammer price of Euro 100 or more. The COA is available upon request within 20 days of the auction date. Instructions will be provided when your order is shipped. Certificates are not included in the package.
* INSURANCE & CLAIMS All our parcels are shipped with external insurance. This insurance requires the following:
-> Monitor the online tracking and notify delays to the seller within 14 days after the shipping date.
-> In case of damage: write a reservation on the delivery note and report the damage to the seller via the Catawiki online chat within 24 hours. Keep all packaging and send us photos of the damage.
* MARGIN SCHEME: All our sales are subject to the margin scheme; therefore, no VAT is charged or shown on our invoices.
* IMPORTANT BUYERS OUTSIDE THE EU: We cannot ship to countries outside the European Union. Please ensure you have an EU shipping address before bidding. No exceptions can be made. Switzerland, Norway and the United Kingdom are not part of the EU.
* DOCUMENTATION NOTICE: Previous invoices and import/export documents will not be shared with customers.
----------------------
Thank you for your interest, and best of luck with your bids!
Attention: due to customs regulations we can only ship inside the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU shipping address before placing a bid.
Late Iron Age, rare Romano-Celtic lead gaming piece of cuboid form, each side originally decorated in relief. One face bears a large incised X-mark. Another side shows a stylised depiction of Celtic horses, accompanied by circle-and-dot motifs typical of Late Iron Age decorative vocabulary. The remaining faces are heavily worn, with traces of relief decoration now largely indistinct.
The piece is irregularly shaped with softened edges and rounded corners, consistent with prolonged handling and use. The lead surface displays a grey-brown patina with areas of darker oxidation and encrustation.
-> Gaming pieces of this type are associated with indigenous Celtic traditions and continued into the Romano-Celtic period. The horse was a central symbol in Celtic art, often linked to status, mobility and possibly divine associations. The prominent X-mark may have served as a value indicator or identifying symbol within a gaming set.
Size: ± 18,7 x 19,3 x 19 mm
Weight: ± 57,85 g
Condition: fair but intact condition. Heavy surface wear and corrosion consistent with age and use. Decorative details partially visible; some faces largely smoothed from circulation.
Certificate of Authenticity (PDF-format): available upon request.
Seller's Story
Please read our information carefully.
*SHIPPING INFO Due to insurance procedures, combined shipping is only possible with a single payment. (1 payment reference = 1 insured parcel.) If you accept an offer after the auction and pay separately, shipments cannot be manually combined afterward. Please ensure your shipping address is complete and correct before paying. Changes made after payment are not automatically forwarded to us.
* CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY (COA) For insurance purposes we can provide a digital Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) for every item with a hammer price of Euro 100 or more. The COA is available upon request within 20 days of the auction date. Instructions will be provided when your order is shipped. Certificates are not included in the package.
* INSURANCE & CLAIMS All our parcels are shipped with external insurance. This insurance requires the following:
-> Monitor the online tracking and notify delays to the seller within 14 days after the shipping date.
-> In case of damage: write a reservation on the delivery note and report the damage to the seller via the Catawiki online chat within 24 hours. Keep all packaging and send us photos of the damage.
* MARGIN SCHEME: All our sales are subject to the margin scheme; therefore, no VAT is charged or shown on our invoices.
* IMPORTANT BUYERS OUTSIDE THE EU: We cannot ship to countries outside the European Union. Please ensure you have an EU shipping address before bidding. No exceptions can be made. Switzerland, Norway and the United Kingdom are not part of the EU.
* DOCUMENTATION NOTICE: Previous invoices and import/export documents will not be shared with customers.
----------------------
Thank you for your interest, and best of luck with your bids!
Details
Culture
Celtic
Century/timeframe
100 BC-100 AD
Name of object
Gaming dice with Celtic horses - rare
Acquired from
Dealer at a fair
Year acquired
2026
Material
Lead
Country acquired from
Netherlands
Condition
Fair
Previous owner acquired from
Dealer at a fair
Previous owner - year acquired
2026
Previous owner - country acquired from
Netherlands
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
