It is considered one of the great mysteries in archaeology. Amateur archaeologists discover a mysterious Roman artifact that has 12 faces
Amateur archaeologists in England have discovered one of the largest Roman dodecahedrons ever found, but their purpose is shrouded in mystery.
The 12-sided object is one of 33 objects found in Roman Britain, and one of about 130 such pieces in the world.
The figure is considered “one of the great mysteries of archaeology,” according to the Norton Disney History and Archeology Group, which is based in Lincolnshire, the same place where the piece was found in June.
The object is about 8 centimeters wide, hollow and covered with 12 holes of different sizes.
The 1,700-year-old piece will be on display at the Lincoln Museum from May 4 until early September.
In a press release to Lincolnshire County Council, the museum's director of exhibitions and interpretations, Andrea Martin, confirmed: “I am delighted that Norton Disney's 12-faced figure has joined us... close to where it was found.”
She also added, "It's great that the show's opening coincides with the Lincoln History Festival."
He described the anthropomorphic statement as “one of the largest examples” ever discovered, however, experts are still unsure exactly how the Romans used it.
Secretary of the Norton Disney Collection of History and Antiquities, Richard Parker, said that it is “completely unique,” and is not damaged, unlike other figures.
“It was clearly of great value to whoever made it and used it,” Parker explained. “So there must be a very important reason for putting it in the ground that way.”
Parker told CNN that there are no descriptions of this figure in Roman literature, and it was not depicted in mosaic works.
There are also many features that make it difficult to determine its intended purpose.
These figures were of different sizes, which means they were not used for measuring, and they were likely not used as a tool because there were no signs of wear, according to Parker.
However, Parker's group has a theory about it.
“They were probably a form of religious or ritual object,” Parker said. “The Romans were very superstitious, and they generally needed signs to allow them to make decisions in their daily lives,” Parker said.
Evidence that supports this idea is that the piece was found near a small statue of a Roman god with “strong religious ties,” Parker said.
The artifact was discovered in 1989 by metal detectors, and this statue is often found on temple sites.
The organization plans to return to the excavation site later this year to conduct further excavations, which Parker hopes will help establish specific context about how the area was used.
Parker stressed that he is optimistic about solving the mystery because this figure was found in an archaeological excavation area, while “many of those (figures) that were found 200 or 300 years ago do not have a context that indicates where they were found.”
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