Roman Dodecahedron | New Proposed Theories, History, Description & Other Similar Objects Discovered

The Roman Dodecahedron remains an enigma to this day due to the lack of any texts or pictures to infer it's use. This video goes over a brief history, describes similarities between the dodecahedrons found, and shows the latest ideas for it's use from the least to most practical, could one of these hypotheses be true? What do you think it was used for?

Research Links:

Amy Gaines Hypothesis:

Matt Geevan Hypothesis:

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0:00 - Intro
0:12 - Historical Overview
1:36 - Design & Similarities
3:33 - What Was Their Purpose?
4:03 - Practical Uses
4:19 - Candle Holders
4:37 - Seasonal Indicator For Planting Crops
5:00 - Range Finder or Surveying Tool
5:32 - String Making Aid
6:09 - Knitting Gloves
6:53 - Jewellery Chains
8:16 - Encoding & Deciphering Encrypted Messages
14:48 - More Questions
15:00 - Icosahedron
15:10 - Similar Dodecahedrons In Asia
15:30 - More Searching To Do!
15:48 - Outro

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#dodecahedron #romans #romanempire #ancienthistory #archaeology

[richardallday]

Researched opinion - The Roman-Gallo dodecahedron was created for Roman troop arms merchants (Negotiatores) for trade with Auxiliary troop arms officers (in the Northwest, weapon procurement was local until late 3rd century). A new dod was created for each new auxiliary garrison (or when troops were moved around); used to 'spec out', measure, procure & maintain the Roman Auxiliary troop polearm weapon shafts. The dod ensure standardized specs for the ‘varying’ Auxiliary troops. These troops were allowed to use their own weapons (initially) which varied by troop origin. The dod was 'spec key' for the weapon shafts - measurements would include the shaft diameter - mid shaft (in some instances), the taper of the shaft just outside/away from the joint at the weapon head socket (in some instances) & the taper of the wood shaft, just inside the head socket (mostly). Many of the dods had 2 large opposing openings (which were close in size) that were used to remove the weapons heads. The knobs were used as hold-downs for head removal, volume measuring & to protect the faces, etc. Seach Quora under my name (Richard Allday) if you would like more info.

[matthewevans]

I’ve subscribed just because I hear a fellow Welshman interested in the same mysteries as me! Croeso o Abertawe!

[petergroen]

I like the possibility of the encoding. What I don't understand is why any of the holes would be the same size if the holes had to be unique to create/fit on the wax stump...

[TheGoldenFluzzleBuff]

I like the last idea the best. The jewelry idea is good. And honestly, I think it may be how they first were invented.

But think about it. Rome had a massive bureaucracy. If 5-10 of something have been found in the wild, tens of thousands were probably created. It was in the vested interest of the bureaucracy to keep messages encrypted since one intercepted letter could spell doom for entire legions. Them being found in the boarder regions makes sense because those are where they could’ve been lost in military defeats.

[sophroniel]

I believe it's some kind of gauge. It's not for knitting, I'm a master knitter and the whole idea of it being for knitting always seemed very clunky to me, not least of all because it's a very inefficient shape. Any knitter knows that using a french knitting spool instead of some dpns is fiddly and a hobby for kids, not an actual knitter with any kind of ease.
I suspect it might be for gauging rope or processing twine/flax as shown as it answers/aids multiple steps which makes sense to me... Also suggests it could be used like a lucet for braid-weaving or in lieu of tablets in tablet weaving... Heck, it could also be for collecting wax from a candle and processing that, for setting the wick straight in candel-making, or for some kind of mark making device, rolling it or being able to use it like a compass for drawing circles.... otherwise it was likely some kind of a kid's game that was so mediocre it wasn't depicted anywhere... And since most were found in britain and northern france (I believe?) maybe it was local or only for wealthy children... but either way these are areas that no roman wall paintings have survived so how could we know? ormaybe it was a cult object? or had something made of wax inside that explained the game? Was it ised in surveying? crafting? heck maybe for tensioning/tightening rope? who could know really.

[flowstate]

The last explanation is the best, as it would explain why there are no records of it, being a military secret.

[matthewsnively]

It was stuffed with a wooven material soaked in an aromatic oil like liquid thus creating an air diffuser for keeping things fresh.

[Avataren]

It could be something as simple as a an apprentices final test to show that he is skilled enough to have mastered the craft.

[fiktivhistoriker]

My first thought was, that holes of different sizes might have been used for measuring the diameter of something like sticks or ropes. That would be helpful in the military, where standardized weapons are used. But that doesn't explain the knobs.

The encrypting theory is convincing. That makes it reasonable that they are not mentioned in official texts, because they were top secret. It still puzzles me, that none of them should have survived in the heart of the roman empire, where encrypting and decrypting might have been neccessary very often.

Some other comment mentioned, that this might have been a game. Possibly a dice? But that would not explain holes of equal sizes on a dodecahedron. Maybe if they were filled with wax, then one could write a sign on the visible surface. But that would make it also possible to put a counterweight in it.

One more thing might be some sort of a bell chime. You put a metal ball in it and tie ropes around, so that it doesn't fall out. If you want it to be quiet, you just cut the ropes and take the ball out.

[executivesteps]

As far as a decoding tool you really don’t need the dodecahedron. If you’re trained on the device and have a full set of wheels you could simply line up the five holes on any decoder wheel. If the first word is nonsense set it aside and try another and so on until you have the right one.

[Belzediel]

...someone's done a sensible video about the dodecadealies? I don't think it's my birthday...
Yes, absolutely, been saying precisely this for years. I'm an engineer, I looked at these and this is the thing - the actual use for these MUST include the common features as a requirement, otherwise we'd find versions without those features. The range finder, for example, does not require twelve faces, so, it isn't that. Twelve pentagonal faces with holes and twenty nubbets on the corners, these are universal and therefore essential.

The only objects I am aware of that have these characteristics - absolute requirements plus variables, are all games. Analogous to a chessboard - there must be sixty four squares, they must alternate in a visible check pattern, but, the board can be any size you like. What the games were, who knows? I can think of many of them, but, none that meet the absolute requirements. That's as far as I think anyone can take it, there is a very high probability that this is part or all of a game.

Every single proposal for their use fails to meet the design requirements, and in doing so, can be ruled out. Very much easier to work out what it isn't than what it is. You could, for example, use these to manufacture condoms, which might account for why they're not readily discussed I suppose, but, a condom making loom wouldn't require twelve faces, and so, it isn't that either.

[geoffreykeane]

The most important feature is the nobs on each corner. Most of the uses listed don’t need those at all yet it is the most standardised aspect.
The nobs keep the dodecahedron both level and lifted off the surface it is placed on.
Casting these objects required a lot of skill, and the wax mould was lost each time - ie each was unique and could not be mass produced.

[onbedoeldekut]

I think the chain use is the most plausible.
Their uniformity is far too random to be used as coding devices, I doubt that any two are identical, every one was handmade, and their only similarity is the basic overall design.

[Frank_Nemo]

13:43 Whole idea falls apart as soon as you grasp the simple fact that these dodecahedrons were different sizes.

[JohnBoy]

amy's method would also benefit some wax inside to make it easier to pull through

[mrphotomanseattle]

I like the jewelry and coding ideas. Both are very plausible. The coding idea would explain why so few have been found.

[JFJ]

I find the geographical aspect combined with the knobs and the time-line intriguing. If I understand well, the golden dodecahedrons with holes and knobs are the oldest and were found in South East Asia. And the Gallo-Roman dodecahedrons date from the Roman Empire. But what do Asterix and Panoramix have to do with the Buddha? The Celts do wear these Scottish pattern weavings though, with each pattern typical of a specific clan. And I believe red haired mommies with Scottish like fabric have been found North of the Himalayas. I myself have some of the Celtic knot pentagram things. The weird knobs must have played a vital role. The dodecahedrons found seem to have shown no wear. Maybe the knobs served to keep the holes from getting deformed, like you use a cover on your smartphone to protect the lens of the camera from scratching? At first glance they look like some kinds of toys made for tumbling or the different sized holes remind you of those flat tools with al sizes of hexagonal holes in them you can use for different bolts to fix things on your bike? And what were these things doing near Hadrian's wall in Britain and the Limes in Alemannia and the Danube river?

[Murad]

The dodecahedron being part of a coding system was the most convincing use, even if the fact that it is not found in the entire Roman Empire doesn't play in its favor, as you state. It is a very clever theory anyway.
Thanks for the interesting vid.

[richardh]

Beautifully bewildering mystery object

[andrewcrossley]

Spinning or winding yarn/rope sounds plausible to me. In the Neolithic, bone/antler with 3-5 holes was used.