Amateur archaeologists have discovered a mysterious ancient Roman artifact in England

Grapefruit-sized dodecahedron found

A group of amateur archaeologists in England were on the penultimate day of excavations when they discovered — a mysterious ancient artifact called a dodecahedron on the remains of a Roman settlement.

Photo: Norton Disney History and Archeology Group< /span>

Currently, more than 100 dodecahedrons have been found in northwestern Europe, but archaeologists still do not know what they were used for. Another one was found by archaeologists in the summer of 2023, but they recently told British publications about their discovery.

A dodecahedron is a round object made of a copper alloy ranging in size from a golf ball to a grapefruit, distinguished by its 12-sided shape, with different holes and protrusions.

But its function remains unclear. Although more than 100 such objects have been found throughout Europe, North Disney describes the dodecahedron as one of archaeology's «greatest mysteries.» This is largely due to the fact that there are no known visual or written descriptions of dodecahedrons in Roman literature.

According to Lorena Hitchens, who studies all Roman dodecahedrons, there are many unproven theories about the use of the artifact — for example, as a candlestick, cube for gambling or glove knitting machine. She claims that none of these theories are supported by evidence.

“The creation of the dodecahedron took a huge amount of time, energy and skill, so it was not used for everyday purposes,” says the archaeologist. According to experts, the item was most likely used for ritual and religious purposes: “Roman society was full of superstitions that were encountered on a daily basis. Potential connection to local religious practice is the current working theory. However, further research is required.”

What makes this find unique is not only that the object was found completely intact and in excellent condition, but also that it is the only example found in the central region of England. Additionally, it was found «where it was deliberately placed 1,700 years ago for some reason.»

Many of the known specimens are divorced from the context of their discovery, having been valued by collectors at least since 18th century, and in the Victorian era these items were often traded, and records were kept poorly.

A team of archaeologists will return to the excavation site in 2024.