古羅馬 骨 死亡 (沒有保留價)

An Ancient Roman cuboid six-sided bone die, known as ‘tessera’ in Latin. Ring-and-dot engravings on each face delineate the numbers, ascending from one to six. The sides are uneven. There are some irregularities to the edges, including chipping and wear consistent with age and use of the item. Some of the faces have more defined engravings, while others are more worn. Significant pitting to the bone on two sides.

Roman gaming included games where dice were used solely or together with a board and pieces that required moving with the luck of the roll. Whilst gambling and gaming were only legal pastimes during the festival of Saturnalia in December, plenty of Romans partook in the activity during the year. From travelling soldiers at local taverns, to the wealthy elite and ruling class, the Romans were avid fans of playing dice games.

Measurements: L 1 cm X W 1.1 cm

Provenance: Ex French collection 1920s. Ex English collection 1940s, thence by descent.

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