Ancient Roman Bone Very Large Legionary Gaming Dice - 21.6 mm (No reserve price)
13
days
14
hours
40
minutes
54
seconds
Current bid
€ 42
No reserve price
Expert
Selected by Peter Reynaers
Has nearly 30 years’ experience and moderated multiple online art research groups.
Estimate € 330 - € 400
 | €42 | |
|---|---|---|
 | €39 | |
 | €36 | |
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This lot comprises two ancient Roman six-sided bone gaming dice from the 1st–3rd century AD, one measuring approximately 20.9 × 20.3 × 21.6 mm and the other approximately 10.1 × 10.2 × 10.9 mm, each with incised dots on its faces.
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.
Size 1: ± 20.9 x 20.3 x 21.6 mm
Size 2: ± 10.1 x 10.2 x 10.9 mm
Two ancient Roman six-sided bone gaming dice, including one exceptional large sized specimen. Dice are known as tesserae in Latin. Each face features a circle with an incised dot, ranging from one to six.
-> Dice such as this were widely used throughout the Roman Empire not only for games of chance and strategy, but also for divination, reflecting the deep cultural fascination with fortune and fate.
Condition: good solid condition. Minor surface irregularities and signs of wear consistent with age and use.
Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) is available upon request for all lots with a hammer price of €100 or higher.
-> The Romans were very fond of playing with dice and various dice games were frequently played in taverns, military camps, streets and palaces. Several Roman emperors like Caligula and Commodus are known to have been inveterate players. A now-lost book 'De arte alae' (on the art of dice) was written by the Roman Emperor Claudius.
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.
Size 1: ± 20.9 x 20.3 x 21.6 mm
Size 2: ± 10.1 x 10.2 x 10.9 mm
Two ancient Roman six-sided bone gaming dice, including one exceptional large sized specimen. Dice are known as tesserae in Latin. Each face features a circle with an incised dot, ranging from one to six.
-> Dice such as this were widely used throughout the Roman Empire not only for games of chance and strategy, but also for divination, reflecting the deep cultural fascination with fortune and fate.
Condition: good solid condition. Minor surface irregularities and signs of wear consistent with age and use.
Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) is available upon request for all lots with a hammer price of €100 or higher.
-> The Romans were very fond of playing with dice and various dice games were frequently played in taverns, military camps, streets and palaces. Several Roman emperors like Caligula and Commodus are known to have been inveterate players. A now-lost book 'De arte alae' (on the art of dice) was written by the Roman Emperor Claudius.
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
Ancient Roman
Century/timeframe
1st - 3rd century AD
Name of object
Very Large Legionary Gaming Dice - 21.6 mm
Acquired from
Dealer at a fair
Year acquired
2025
Material
Bone
Country acquired from
Netherlands
Condition
Good
Previous owner acquired from
Dealer at a fair
Previous owner - year acquired
2025
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
Disclaimer
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
