The Subtle Knife: Using Domestic Objects to Access the Middle Anglo-Saxon Worldview

Knox, Alexandra

doi:10.1080/00665983.2016.1175858

Archaeological Journal

2016

DOI: 10.1080/00665983.2016.1175858

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The Subtle Knife: Using Domestic Objects to Access the Middle Anglo-Saxon Worldview

Alexandra Knox

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Cited by 3 publications

References 33 publications

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Why are Roman-period dice asymmetrical? An experimental and quantitative approach

Eerkens

Voogt

2022

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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Roman-period six-sided dice are common in archaeological sites across Europe. While some dice approach true cubes, many are visibly non-cubic (i.e., asymmetric/lopsided) and favor certain rolls, especially the numbers 1 and 6. It is unclear if such dice were intentional and distinctive “types” used in specific games or activities, represent “cheaters” dice, or are simply part of a continuum of variation in die shape and configuration. To explore this issue, we examine shape distribution of 28 well-dated Roman-period dice from modern-day Netherlands. Results show that Roman die asymmetry varies in a continuous fashion from true cube to highly parallelepiped, where the long side is over 50% longer than the short side. We then conduct replication experiments to examine how naïve producers configure pips across a range of shapes. Our results show a production bias, where makers place the 6 on the largest die face, not to favor certain rolls, but due to space limitations and/or the order in which they place the pips. Overall, we interpret asymmetrical Roman dice as part of a single but highly variable artifact category, not distinct types. We argue that such extreme variation was acceptable because makers and users understood roll outcomes as the product of fate, rather than chance or probability. Conformity to a true symmetrical cube was not perceived as essential to die function, and asymmetrical forms were tolerated as simply part of the acceptable range in shape variation.

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Why are Roman-period dice asymmetrical? An experimental and quantitative approach

Eerkens

Voogt

2022

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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Middle Anglo-Saxon Downham Road, Ely: extending the West Fen Road site

Cessford

2019

Archaeological Journal

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List of publications on the economic and social history of Great Britain and Ireland published in 2016

Hale¹,

Raymond²,

Wright³

2017

The Economic History Review

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The Subtle Knife: Using Domestic Objects to Access the Middle Anglo-Saxon Worldview

Cited by 3 publications

References 33 publications

Why are Roman-period dice asymmetrical? An experimental and quantitative approach

Why are Roman-period dice asymmetrical? An experimental and quantitative approach

Middle Anglo-Saxon Downham Road, Ely: extending the West Fen Road site

List of publications on the economic and social history of Great Britain and Ireland published in 2016

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