this post was submitted on 23 Jan 2024
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  • A Roman dodecahedron, a mysterious 12-sided metal object, was discovered in the village of Norton Disney in England.
  • The artifact is in excellent condition and is larger than many other dodecahedrons that have been found.
  • The purpose of these objects remains unclear, but theories suggest they may have been used for ritualistic or religious purposes.
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[–] Samsy@lemmy.ml 49 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Ancient Romans be like: "haha, they don't know how to use the three dodecahedrons."

[–] snooggums@kbin.social 20 points 9 months ago (3 children)

For those that don't know

Step 1: roll up a half orc barbarian
Step 2: wield a great axe
Step 3: roll a natural 20 on an attack

Now you use the three dodecahedrons!

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[–] ArtieShaw@kbin.social 4 points 9 months ago

If it came down to figuring out the three dodecahedrons or using the communal sponge on a stick, I'd take the risk with the dodecahedrons.

[–] ThatWeirdGuy1001@lemmy.world 34 points 9 months ago (3 children)

may have been used for ritualistic or religious purposes

Aka they have no fuckin clue what it's for as that's what they always say when they have no fuckin clue what something's for.

Kinda annoying that that's the first go to when not having a fuckin clue what something's for.

[–] TexasDrunk@lemmy.world 10 points 9 months ago

You need to read Motel of the Mysteries. Here's the premise:

It is the year 4022; all of the ancient country of Usa has been buried under many feet of detritus from a catastrophe that occurred back in 1985. Imagine, then, the excitement that Howard Carson, an amateur archeologist at best, experienced when in crossing the perimeter of an abandoned excavation site he felt the ground give way beneath him and found himself at the bottom of a shaft, which, judging from the DO NOT DISTURB sign hanging from an archaic doorknob, was clearly the entrance to a still-sealed burial chamber. Carson's incredible discoveries, including the remains of two bodies, one of then on a ceremonial bed facing an altar that appeared to be a means of communicating with the Gods and the other lying in a porcelain sarcophagus in the Inner Chamber, permitted him to piece together the whole fabric of that extraordinary civilization.

[–] dan1101@lemm.ee 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Well it's probably not for making cakes.

[–] Lmaydev@programming.dev 2 points 9 months ago

Pure speculation

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

It’s for unlocking the Stargate.

[–] isthingoneventhis@lemmy.world 21 points 9 months ago

A new hand touches the beacon!

[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 16 points 9 months ago (4 children)

I still think they're a test/show of skill for blacksmiths

[–] xor@infosec.pub 11 points 9 months ago (1 children)

they've been found in coin hordes and the like... they were definitely more valuable than that

[–] chaogomu@kbin.social 10 points 9 months ago

An item that only the absolute best blacksmiths or metalworkers could make.

Sounds valuable.

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 10 points 9 months ago (1 children)

As an apprentice blacksmith, yeah. I would have difficulty attempting to make that thing out of bronze, and would definitely learn more about smithing than I do now, just making the thing.

[–] athos77@kbin.social 5 points 9 months ago

You could try making one as your next project?

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

But why were they only in northern areas?

[–] Deceptichum@kbin.social 2 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Wouldn’t they melt them down to make something more useful once it was complete and their skills proven?

[–] holycrap@lemm.ee 10 points 9 months ago

If the craftsmanship theory is correct they would probably put them on display to advertise their business.

[–] hex_m_hell@slrpnk.net 2 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Machinists will often have a tuner's cube on their desk. It does have a bit of the same feel.

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[–] clark@midwest.social 11 points 9 months ago

So this is what that one meme was about.

[–] theodewere@kbin.social 9 points 9 months ago

because it has 12 sides, the dodecahedron was associated with the zodiac.. some mystics thought it represented the physical realm.. it's a perfect 3 dimensional shape if you care about the Golden Mean..

[–] Hawk@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 9 months ago

I feel like this is just some kind of fidget spinner of ancient times. They must've had fads like that too.

[–] Black_Gulaman@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I thought these were for knitting? Has that been disproven or was I trolled?

[–] Sunfoil@lemmy.world 10 points 9 months ago (2 children)

It just hasn't been proven. Its a fun hypothesis but it could be fucking anything.

[–] Black_Gulaman@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 9 months ago

Ah, thanks for that. I was beginning to think that I imagined it.

[–] tacosplease@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

They used to stuff those things full of peanut butter and dog treats then put it in the freezer for a few hours. It kept their golden retrievers busy for a while.

[–] garretble@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago

✋ Aliens ✋

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It’s clearly a cockring.

[–] steal_your_face@lemmy.ml 7 points 9 months ago

For a biblically accurate cock

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago (2 children)

the village of Norton Disney

Is that where they're building the new theme park?

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[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 6 points 9 months ago

We have random doodads and thingamabobs that someone made specifically for people to buy and just keep on a shelf for decoration; why can't that be true of ancient things like these? They certainly look like some random knick knack that would sit on a desk and serve no other purpose.

[–] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

Ritual purposes

Oh so no idea what they were for, got it. I can't believe news orgs still seem not to have caught on about "ritual" artifacts...

Maybe the romans just played a lot of barbarian characters?

[–] chaogomu@kbin.social 5 points 9 months ago (3 children)

I hate to break it to you, but ritual and religion have been a thing forever.

Walk into most homes today, and you'll find a bunch of ritual objects. Crosses, Rosary Beads, Menorahs, and dozens of other every day objects that you'd never think twice about.

The ancient world had even more such objects.

A fun example that I can think of off the top of my head is the demon trapping bowl. It was common in parts of the Middle East, and how it worked is you'd write a bunch of incantations on the inside of the bowl in a spiral down to the center, and then bury it upside down under the main entrance to your home.

That's clearly a ritual object. It serves no other purpose.

These dodecahedra might be the same. After all, there are 12 zodiac and playing with the meaning of the zodiac was quite popular in the Roman world at various times.

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[–] Hegar@kbin.social 3 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

By the late empire, if you were playing a legion campaign it was pretty standard to run 30-40% barbarians.

[–] tunetardis@lemmy.ca 5 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Some theories are that they functioned as measuring devices, calendars, ornamental scepter toppers, weapons or tools.

Early D&D dice?

[–] chaogomu@kbin.social 9 points 9 months ago

The Romans had dice that would roll better.

They seem to have favored d20 and d6, but other dice have also been found.

But I would bring my own to a Roman game of D&D, because the Romans also tended to use lopsided dice (They believed in fate rather than luck, so hand waved away loaded dice)

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[–] comador@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Ancient Roman personal massager with built in fleshlight.

[–] Phegan@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

They accidentally the whole thing.

[–] Altofaltception@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

Not a penis-haver, but wouldn't that be too small?

[–] moonsnotreal@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Weren’t they for making gloves?

[–] chaogomu@kbin.social 6 points 9 months ago

The knitting technique required to make gloves with that weren't invented until the 15th or 16th century. And no examples of knit gloves older than that have ever been found.

Also, many of these dodecahedrons don't have hollow centers, which is absolutely required for knitting with them.

[–] FaceDeer@kbin.social 2 points 9 months ago

One of many theories.

[–] RagingSnarkasm@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

Someone was playing as a berserker.

[–] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

Ah my favorite shape!

[–] Num10ck@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

if some of them are solid then i'd guess the function is in the knobs. maybe a massage ball? or a hot plate stand? or maybe the knobs are hooks for attaching dangles from?

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

With a solid 15 minute youtube video under my belt I'm in camp glove.

[–] badelf@lemmy.ml 2 points 9 months ago

That Roman dungeon master must be pissed about losing his dice..

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