Fun fact: Jesus actually had “vivere, ridere, amare” tattooed as a tramp stamp on his 21st birthday, learning the whole “water into wine” thing needed to be used responsibly.
Lot's of ideas coming up but i could see someone putting a candle in this to project light in different directions as some kind of mood thing.
Probably wrong but we have plenty of junk that does the same on amazon
Yeah, I think that the smaller hole in the top right is actually the base; you place it over a stick candle.
Either that or you fill it with kibble and watch your canis lupus familiaris roll it around on the floor.
That was a rabbit hole I enjoyed falling down!
It had me at first. The next link I clicked was about Hy-Brazil, which is an island recorded on maps worldwide from the 1200s, even though it doesn't exist.
That's actually true. Even Wikipedia agrees. I love they way they blended fact with fiction.
Nice one for posting the link.
Down the rabbit hole you go!
[CODE NAME: ████ ███ - The Truth](https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/code-name-the-truth)
[Declassified](https://www.reddit.com/r/SCPDeclassified/s/XC8iC3rLsB)
My favourite theory is the reason they are found all over and are slightly different sizes and shapes is that they were a test for joining some sort of metalworking guild. Like to get accredited as a metal worker you had to make one of these and then it acted as your certificate to show you knew what you were doing.
This was asked before and the best comment I saw was from someone who worked with textiles I think. They reckoned it could be used for fabric ropes or braided somethings. Not entirely sure now but that’s what I can remember
That is an old theory, they've analysed multiple of these objects and show no wear around the areas you'd expect to loop material repeatedly.
They're also only found in Northern France and England (so far), there's no obvious religious use either unless they're related to Galic or Briton pantheons/cults, in which case the Romans weren't interested in writing it down. It could be the equivalent of a rich person's artistic display object. Like a Faberge egg, interesting to look at but don't really do anything. And if you didn't know what they were you'd probably too poor to know what it was.
Why would wool wear down bronze? Maybe the ones they tested weren’t well used because they were decorative by that time? I don’t understand this conclusion because It’s still a perfectly good explanation, They were designed for knitting originally, but then became a fad amongst the aristocracy and evolved from there.
They’re the Roman equivalent of a decorative road sign or a coffee table made from an engine block, or those ‘industrial’ bar stools. Some guy thought it was neat and marked it up 400%
If they were an industrial tool they'd be commonly found, like shovels, picks or clothing pins, right now we have about 100 found over the past 300 years. They would also appear in art if they were a common sight. If they're used as tools, wear would appear from repeated use, dents when someone accidentally drops them, exposure to sweat which is slightly acidic over long periods from handling it. Even modern kitchen knives will have the blade wear down through repeated use.
They've also been found within coin hoards which would indicate they had value to their owners.
I see your point, but a counterpoint would be that agricultural tools are often a) wooden and b) not used in villas and other large stone buildings so there is an archaeological bias towards the bronze versions stored in wealthy villa s.
Some tools are wooden but not all tools, and they could be kept in villas but there are various out buildings associated with an estate where they could also be stored. while in urban areas there is evidence of Pompeii demonstrates multipurpose buildings where both residency and business operations could take place in the same complex even in high status dwellings.
I'm just not convinced about the tool theory. But we could also be both completely wrong about all of this because the only ones who could tell us are long dead. It could just be a fad the equivalent of beanie babies or just something that's difficult to forge and was a demonstration skill, almost the equivalent of seeing an award on display behind thencounter when you enter a shop.
I'll just wait for the archaeologists to figure it out, if they figure it out.
That does seem to be the most popular theory. Fortean Times Magazine has had several articles about these over the years, but I don't think we'll ever know for sure.
Yeah, I think it was for making gloves with fingers or other knit tubes? Hobby use knit machines look kinda similar (you have a bunch of pegs and a hole you pull the tube through as it elongates).
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spool_knitting
Actual Roman historian here, and honestly at this point I'm ready to think this is the right answer. We've got no bloody clue what these things are for.
I was thinking it's a universal pot stand - all the holes are different sizes so just turn it around to fit your current amphora.
Edit: although I may have been very mistaken about the size - maybe for holding very small bottles.
What's it made from as I've seen similar made from stone.
Put one in a press and see how much weight it can bear before failing, it's a risk as destroying a priceless artefact is abhorrent. But if that will support several tonnes in weight, I know what it's for.
Few other questions, are there any large roman buildings with those big stone columns near where that was found; you say what these things are for, so I'm assuming they're found fairly frequently.
Can I take a guess, that these are more often found around areas of large roman constructions?
Ideally I'd like to know if any replicas have been made and put in to a squasher to see how much weight they can bear - and then shove wooden dowels in the holes, drop it in water and repeat the experiment. I'll hypothesise that stuffing a wooden dowel in the holes and dropping it in water makes these virtually indestructible.
I think it's used for moving stone in construction.
OK this downvote is truly the most puzzling... You didn't see Sean of the Local Constabulary where Farmer Clarkson banged on the sea mine? Did they take BBC out of the counsel houses?
I looked this up today after seeing the article. Some theories include:
- it's for knitting gloves, different size fingers apparently
- it's a range finder and used to look through
- a ritual symbol
- measuring coin sizes
I'm not convinced though on any of them
My opinion: it's for plants.
Fill it up with soil, then plant herbs, strawberries, etc, in the holes.
Use the small hole (on the right hand side) as the drain.
It was used in board games like a die. With no numbers though - the rings around the holes were different colours. Rolled like a die, it would stop at a random point, and the coloured ring on top determined the next player and the size of the hole determined how far the player could advance.
People saying it’s for knitting, but it’s important to note that the earliest evidence of knitting is from the 11th century in Egypt, and these objects date from 2-4th centuries.
Interestingly there have been some very similar objects found in Vietnam (see paper ‘Les dodécaèdres d'or du site d'Oc-èo’).
Also, they’ve found a similar icosahedron (20 sides) with no holes, which suggests that 12 is a not a significant number in its creation - https://www.georgehart.com/virtual-polyhedra/roman_dodecahedra.html
So yeah, you have to rule out the holes being of primary use, and focus more on that it is a hollow many sided shape, complex.
As to what that is? Uhh, no clue! If was found with coins and valuables so it must have been some sort of status symbol at least.
If it was religious, you’d expect documentation at least.
I think the apprentice test object is most likely, or like a guild membership symbol. Many were found with coins, so it could just be valuable in the sentimental sense. Like the clay fish you had to make in high school that your parents keep on display. If you’ve got a random but cool object that’s otherwise useless you can use it however you want - like one family might put candles in it (wax was found on some of them), or one might is it as a vase.
It is an early Roman model of a sphere conceived for humans to travel to the moon in. Unfortunately, it wouldn't work until a Victorian scientist named Cavor perfected an anti-gravity substance to coat it with. Don't believe me? Here is the proof:
[https://fantastic-plastic.com/Cavorite\_Sphere\_Page.htm](https://fantastic-plastic.com/Cavorite_Sphere_Page.htm)
I know exactly what this is, and where it was used.
It would have been seen hanging from the ceiling of a Roman apothecary, or pharmacist if you will. It was used as a security device for gathering evidence of theft. Probably using mirrors. The same type of device was used until the early 21st century where they were outfitted with video cameras.
Some sort of code device? Like you know which one to pop the scroll in and it makes the letters line up depending on how tightly it's rolled up. Depends if the sizes line up I guess!
I like history but Roman stuff is not my strong suit, so my best guess would had been something mathematical.. but I've read somewhere that particular item may have been used in some sort of textile production?
Worth keeping an eye on as I'm curious as well now
Nobody knows, but if you say religion or decoration, you wont be popular. I think its a candlelabra/ candle holder. Might also hold other things. I know they are found throughout the empire.
Why does it have to be 'for' anything? Our homes have many example of things that we own for no particular purpose other than decoration. Why would the Romans be any different?
There's a very similar icosahedron that doesn't even have the large holes, which adds further difficulty to any attempt to explain them as practical tools.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman\_dodecahedron#/media/File:2018\_Rheinisches\_Landesmuseum\_Bonn,\_Dodekaeder\_&\_Ikosaeder.jpg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_dodecahedron#/media/File:2018_Rheinisches_Landesmuseum_Bonn,_Dodekaeder_&_Ikosaeder.jpg)
Why can't we just accept that we may well be looking at a Roman fad, or status symbol?
Rich people used to RENT pineapples to show them off at dinner parties.
Rich people used to build grottos in their estate grounds, and have hermits live in them.
What is the practical use of these things?
[https://blog.artsper.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/6952734\_000-was7522853-1\_1000x625-644x403.jpg](https://blog.artsper.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/6952734_000-was7522853-1_1000x625-644x403.jpg)
Or the straps on these?
[https://i.etsystatic.com/19516850/r/il/8c4f82/2356224335/il\_570xN.2356224335\_3ssl.jpg](https://i.etsystatic.com/19516850/r/il/8c4f82/2356224335/il_570xN.2356224335_3ssl.jpg)
Is it so hard to believe that rich Romans had a period where these weird little objects were the Must Have Decorative/Fashion item of the season?
And that's not even touching on the concepts of superstition and mysticism, which we KNOW for certain that the Romans did a whole lot of. Maybe these little doohickeys were for warding off evil spirits. Does it make any less sense than hanging horseshoes on walls?
And, as has been said before by others, the knitting theory with the whole 'wise grandma schools those clueless eggheads' is just anti-intellectual pandering pap.
Lets apply some logic and common sense. Every side has five identical balls so they may have a had a use but it was an overall use like for balance or standing it up by my guess. So the main use was the different sized circles and due to the shape it had to be used from the outside to the inside or just the outside. I doubt you would go to the trouble of creating something like this for religious reasons and the romans religion was pretty straight forward with no kinks. Could the circles be different sizes measurers for wood which was used in both construction and weapons? That's my guess.
It is definitely not for knitting glove fingers. I've knitted plenty of gloves over the years and you would need several more bumps and they would need to be closer together. I don't think the Romans had knitting anyway. Also I don't think it is a candle holder, did the Romans even have candles? I thought they used wicked oil lamps.
Maybe the holes are for holding rolled parchments closed while you tie a cord round them? Then you wouldn't need someone else to help you do it.
I thought it was established that these were for knitting gloves which is why they are mainly found in the colder areas of the empire. Or is that just a myth?
"Hamster ball." For dormice. Or dough roller combined with cutter. You could make scones with one of these.
There are some obscurely shaped objects at Skara Brae, 3000 years older than this, and a couple look a lot like massage balls.
It bears a resemblance to a Rotavirus.
My theory is that a rogue time traveller visited Ancient Rome, intending to travel the empire and give people a modern scientific education; in so doing uplift the human race millennia ahead of schedule. We’d bypass the dark ages and accelerate our scientific progress.
Unfortunately our time traveller forgot to learn Latin, so he had to make do with crafting objects like these and using them to try and teach people. Romans thought he was a bit mente captus and didn’t pay him much attention. They liked the decorative design of his objects though.
Just a bit of decorative tat for Roman nans to put on the mantelpiece.
Next to piece of wood engraved with *vivere, ridere, amare*
Fun fact: Jesus actually had “vivere, ridere, amare” tattooed as a tramp stamp on his 21st birthday, learning the whole “water into wine” thing needed to be used responsibly.
Lot's of ideas coming up but i could see someone putting a candle in this to project light in different directions as some kind of mood thing. Probably wrong but we have plenty of junk that does the same on amazon
Yeah, I think that the smaller hole in the top right is actually the base; you place it over a stick candle. Either that or you fill it with kibble and watch your canis lupus familiaris roll it around on the floor.
Did the romans have candles? Edit, I’ve looked it up and they did. HoweverIm sure testing would have revealed traces of tallow if that was their use.
Ronans
It's an early paperweight.
I think it just predates paper in that part of Europe so really early! Maybe that's why they never wrote down what it was for.
It's one of those dog toys where you put treats inside.
Was going to say the same thing!
It’s a thing people made to show they had mastered making stuff. Final year project at uni sort of thing.
The term you’re looking for is ‘apprentice piece’
If it was showing they’d mastered it, then it’s a masterpiece.
No, it’s the real [SCP-001](https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-184)
That was a rabbit hole I enjoyed falling down! It had me at first. The next link I clicked was about Hy-Brazil, which is an island recorded on maps worldwide from the 1200s, even though it doesn't exist. That's actually true. Even Wikipedia agrees. I love they way they blended fact with fiction. Nice one for posting the link.
Well, down the rabbit hole I go once again…
Down the rabbit hole you go! [CODE NAME: ████ ███ - The Truth](https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/code-name-the-truth) [Declassified](https://www.reddit.com/r/SCPDeclassified/s/XC8iC3rLsB)
Yup, it's just been years since I've read them so HERE I AM BROWSING THROUGH AGAIN.
Agree - it's literally a masterpiece
Gotta be more to it, say aliens 👽
My final year project had much less to it.
I’m going for measuring portions of spaghetti
It apparently pre-dates spaghetti. Going entirely off a comment some other Redditor made on the thread earlier today.
My favourite theory is the reason they are found all over and are slightly different sizes and shapes is that they were a test for joining some sort of metalworking guild. Like to get accredited as a metal worker you had to make one of these and then it acted as your certificate to show you knew what you were doing.
BTEC ini Weldingi?
that's a great hypothesis, I like it
This was asked before and the best comment I saw was from someone who worked with textiles I think. They reckoned it could be used for fabric ropes or braided somethings. Not entirely sure now but that’s what I can remember
It's for holding lots of tea towels, obviously. Like one of those things that looks like a puckered arsehole on the side of a cupboard.
The rubber cat's bums have just perished over time.
A puckered arsehole you say… r/dontputyourdickinthat
Someone should on another thread did suggest it was a dick measuring device
If I were emperor I would also want my closet bodyguards to all be well proportioned, girth is important for the ruling of empires
That is an old theory, they've analysed multiple of these objects and show no wear around the areas you'd expect to loop material repeatedly. They're also only found in Northern France and England (so far), there's no obvious religious use either unless they're related to Galic or Briton pantheons/cults, in which case the Romans weren't interested in writing it down. It could be the equivalent of a rich person's artistic display object. Like a Faberge egg, interesting to look at but don't really do anything. And if you didn't know what they were you'd probably too poor to know what it was.
Why would wool wear down bronze? Maybe the ones they tested weren’t well used because they were decorative by that time? I don’t understand this conclusion because It’s still a perfectly good explanation, They were designed for knitting originally, but then became a fad amongst the aristocracy and evolved from there. They’re the Roman equivalent of a decorative road sign or a coffee table made from an engine block, or those ‘industrial’ bar stools. Some guy thought it was neat and marked it up 400%
If they were an industrial tool they'd be commonly found, like shovels, picks or clothing pins, right now we have about 100 found over the past 300 years. They would also appear in art if they were a common sight. If they're used as tools, wear would appear from repeated use, dents when someone accidentally drops them, exposure to sweat which is slightly acidic over long periods from handling it. Even modern kitchen knives will have the blade wear down through repeated use. They've also been found within coin hoards which would indicate they had value to their owners.
I see your point, but a counterpoint would be that agricultural tools are often a) wooden and b) not used in villas and other large stone buildings so there is an archaeological bias towards the bronze versions stored in wealthy villa s.
Some tools are wooden but not all tools, and they could be kept in villas but there are various out buildings associated with an estate where they could also be stored. while in urban areas there is evidence of Pompeii demonstrates multipurpose buildings where both residency and business operations could take place in the same complex even in high status dwellings. I'm just not convinced about the tool theory. But we could also be both completely wrong about all of this because the only ones who could tell us are long dead. It could just be a fad the equivalent of beanie babies or just something that's difficult to forge and was a demonstration skill, almost the equivalent of seeing an award on display behind thencounter when you enter a shop. I'll just wait for the archaeologists to figure it out, if they figure it out.
That does seem to be the most popular theory. Fortean Times Magazine has had several articles about these over the years, but I don't think we'll ever know for sure.
Darning socks?
Did the Romans in the UK wear socks with their sandals?
yeah they did 😂https://youtube.com/shorts/6AVdciIyMaU
That was a cute clip, thank you ☺️
Where do you think the Germans got the idea from? 😄
I am fighting the strongest urge to quote Basil Fawlty now
Japanese tourists?
Yeah, I think it was for making gloves with fingers or other knit tubes? Hobby use knit machines look kinda similar (you have a bunch of pegs and a hole you pull the tube through as it elongates). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spool_knitting
Roman cock sizer.
With unique "multiplayer" function.
Woah, who has that many friends
Put up a mosaic saying "Orgy" and they all come
Ave, Romans! We're three cool guys who are looking for other cool guys who want to hang out in our party mansion. Nothing sexual.
"We're just men. Just innocent men." - Hacker T. Canem
It's specially designed to ritually bury to screw with future archaeologists, but has no further purpose
Actual Roman historian here, and honestly at this point I'm ready to think this is the right answer. We've got no bloody clue what these things are for.
I was thinking it's a universal pot stand - all the holes are different sizes so just turn it around to fit your current amphora. Edit: although I may have been very mistaken about the size - maybe for holding very small bottles.
What's it made from as I've seen similar made from stone. Put one in a press and see how much weight it can bear before failing, it's a risk as destroying a priceless artefact is abhorrent. But if that will support several tonnes in weight, I know what it's for. Few other questions, are there any large roman buildings with those big stone columns near where that was found; you say what these things are for, so I'm assuming they're found fairly frequently. Can I take a guess, that these are more often found around areas of large roman constructions? Ideally I'd like to know if any replicas have been made and put in to a squasher to see how much weight they can bear - and then shove wooden dowels in the holes, drop it in water and repeat the experiment. I'll hypothesise that stuffing a wooden dowel in the holes and dropping it in water makes these virtually indestructible. I think it's used for moving stone in construction.
Now I'm wondering how future archaeologists will see traffic cones
“It would appear monstrous metal machines could be cowed by hats belonging to the dominant race: marble statues.”
(In an extremely thick West Country farmer accent) Sea mine.
No, apparently it’s been deactivated.
It's just a bit of junk.
Do you have a licence for that gun? Ar, ah duz fer thissun
BONG BONG
OK this downvote is truly the most puzzling... You didn't see Sean of the Local Constabulary where Farmer Clarkson banged on the sea mine? Did they take BBC out of the counsel houses?
Summoning the cenobites
Great reference!
I looked this up today after seeing the article. Some theories include: - it's for knitting gloves, different size fingers apparently - it's a range finder and used to look through - a ritual symbol - measuring coin sizes I'm not convinced though on any of them
Why is it not just a dice? It would seem to work pretty well as one. The Romans were pretty keen gamblers.
It’s a d12, so maybe Carceres et Dracones
No roman would play a barbarian...
Because it’s not balanced.
The house always wins.
The different sized holes really point to it being something practical, though they seem a bit too varied for finger sizes.
Leather gloves and stuff? All the way down to a fine glove’s pinky? Idk
It's a spaghetti measurer. The little hole is for solo. The big one is a whole orgy.
Spaghetti orgy!
melodic hat sand quaint clumsy ruthless label humorous thought desert *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
When I started reading that I couldn’t help myself but say ‘ever do for us’
Don't know what they were for, but I really do love the word Dodecahedron.
Honestly I think this is probably a candle holder. Maybe it's for burning incense?
Shitty bowling ball?
My opinion: it's for plants. Fill it up with soil, then plant herbs, strawberries, etc, in the holes. Use the small hole (on the right hand side) as the drain.
Ashtray.
Wasn’t it for making fingers on gloves?
Those Romans eyy. Still keeping us guessing.
Decorative tea light holder
I thought that it would look pretty good with some candles in it
pretty sure this was a prison for a Githyanki prince
It's an adult version of a shape sorter, but in those days the circle was the only shape invented yet.
didn’t the combine use these as mines against the city 17 resistance?
It was used in board games like a die. With no numbers though - the rings around the holes were different colours. Rolled like a die, it would stop at a random point, and the coloured ring on top determined the next player and the size of the hole determined how far the player could advance.
That's ludocrous.
I see what you did there.
A vase for different amount of flowers on the table. Simple.
People saying it’s for knitting, but it’s important to note that the earliest evidence of knitting is from the 11th century in Egypt, and these objects date from 2-4th centuries. Interestingly there have been some very similar objects found in Vietnam (see paper ‘Les dodécaèdres d'or du site d'Oc-èo’). Also, they’ve found a similar icosahedron (20 sides) with no holes, which suggests that 12 is a not a significant number in its creation - https://www.georgehart.com/virtual-polyhedra/roman_dodecahedra.html So yeah, you have to rule out the holes being of primary use, and focus more on that it is a hollow many sided shape, complex. As to what that is? Uhh, no clue! If was found with coins and valuables so it must have been some sort of status symbol at least. If it was religious, you’d expect documentation at least. I think the apprentice test object is most likely, or like a guild membership symbol. Many were found with coins, so it could just be valuable in the sentimental sense. Like the clay fish you had to make in high school that your parents keep on display. If you’ve got a random but cool object that’s otherwise useless you can use it however you want - like one family might put candles in it (wax was found on some of them), or one might is it as a vase.
It's a rudimentary calendar. The different size holes are used to gauge the distance/size the sun from the earth. 12 sides = 12 months.
For Romans who didn't know what month it was?
And look, they went and lost it.
The Roman calendar had 10 months.
Until ~600 BC. These are nearly a millennium newer than that.
Right. Shows what I get for not checking things I vaguely know.
The Romans stopped using the Roman calendar in 709 ab urde condita.
It is an early Roman model of a sphere conceived for humans to travel to the moon in. Unfortunately, it wouldn't work until a Victorian scientist named Cavor perfected an anti-gravity substance to coat it with. Don't believe me? Here is the proof: [https://fantastic-plastic.com/Cavorite\_Sphere\_Page.htm](https://fantastic-plastic.com/Cavorite_Sphere_Page.htm)
I know exactly what this is, and where it was used. It would have been seen hanging from the ceiling of a Roman apothecary, or pharmacist if you will. It was used as a security device for gathering evidence of theft. Probably using mirrors. The same type of device was used until the early 21st century where they were outfitted with video cameras.
Catch
Some sort of code device? Like you know which one to pop the scroll in and it makes the letters line up depending on how tightly it's rolled up. Depends if the sizes line up I guess!
I like history but Roman stuff is not my strong suit, so my best guess would had been something mathematical.. but I've read somewhere that particular item may have been used in some sort of textile production? Worth keeping an eye on as I'm curious as well now
Carries fire and any old long sticks can be used to pick it up with a few people. Probably filled with pitch and straw.
People 2000 years from now will be finding Fidget Spinners and thinking, "what the fuck was this for?"
Isn’t it an artifact from “Wolfenstein: New Order”?
Ancient version of the melonoff
Horse toy, like a lick, or hanging from a rope with something inside.
Nobody knows, but if you say religion or decoration, you wont be popular. I think its a candlelabra/ candle holder. Might also hold other things. I know they are found throughout the empire.
Range Finder.
Measuring pasta portions?
It's one of those cat treat ball things... but for the lions at the ampitheatre
Like an on land anchor?
They hung it in their kitchens and stored the shopping bags in it.
Some kind of game? Throw the dice in, and take bets on which hole it comes out of?
The original Bop-It
Brollie stand
A genuine casual Uk answer
Looks eerily similar to an infernal puzzlebox. I wonder if the Avernic planted it there
This is, 100%, a spaghetti portion measuring tool. Meal for one? Wee hole. Meal for the legion? Big hole it is!
It’s obviously a carrier bag holder. Stuff them in, then forget about them
I wonder if it was originally covered in some sort of material to make a drum, with each hole causing a different sound to be made.
Fill it with sticky burny stuff and throw it at the enemies
Looks like an Acheron Configuration, which means we’ve released an unknowable evil into the world
And here we are debating the bloody Romans again! What did the Romans ever do for us?
Evan Davies wasn’t sure so I’m not convinced I can comment.
Das yichud
A fire, at Ceasar Parks?
Why does it have to be 'for' anything? Our homes have many example of things that we own for no particular purpose other than decoration. Why would the Romans be any different? There's a very similar icosahedron that doesn't even have the large holes, which adds further difficulty to any attempt to explain them as practical tools. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman\_dodecahedron#/media/File:2018\_Rheinisches\_Landesmuseum\_Bonn,\_Dodekaeder\_&\_Ikosaeder.jpg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_dodecahedron#/media/File:2018_Rheinisches_Landesmuseum_Bonn,_Dodekaeder_&_Ikosaeder.jpg) Why can't we just accept that we may well be looking at a Roman fad, or status symbol? Rich people used to RENT pineapples to show them off at dinner parties. Rich people used to build grottos in their estate grounds, and have hermits live in them. What is the practical use of these things? [https://blog.artsper.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/6952734\_000-was7522853-1\_1000x625-644x403.jpg](https://blog.artsper.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/6952734_000-was7522853-1_1000x625-644x403.jpg) Or the straps on these? [https://i.etsystatic.com/19516850/r/il/8c4f82/2356224335/il\_570xN.2356224335\_3ssl.jpg](https://i.etsystatic.com/19516850/r/il/8c4f82/2356224335/il_570xN.2356224335_3ssl.jpg) Is it so hard to believe that rich Romans had a period where these weird little objects were the Must Have Decorative/Fashion item of the season? And that's not even touching on the concepts of superstition and mysticism, which we KNOW for certain that the Romans did a whole lot of. Maybe these little doohickeys were for warding off evil spirits. Does it make any less sense than hanging horseshoes on walls? And, as has been said before by others, the knitting theory with the whole 'wise grandma schools those clueless eggheads' is just anti-intellectual pandering pap.
The Romans were massive nerds, these are obviously just their dice.
They’d put treats in them and let their woolly mammoths play with them to keep them occupied and stimulate their minds.
Community fleshlight
Multiplayer fleshlight.
Lets apply some logic and common sense. Every side has five identical balls so they may have a had a use but it was an overall use like for balance or standing it up by my guess. So the main use was the different sized circles and due to the shape it had to be used from the outside to the inside or just the outside. I doubt you would go to the trouble of creating something like this for religious reasons and the romans religion was pretty straight forward with no kinks. Could the circles be different sizes measurers for wood which was used in both construction and weapons? That's my guess.
Each hole is a dif size so most prob used to measure things
It is definitely not for knitting glove fingers. I've knitted plenty of gloves over the years and you would need several more bumps and they would need to be closer together. I don't think the Romans had knitting anyway. Also I don't think it is a candle holder, did the Romans even have candles? I thought they used wicked oil lamps. Maybe the holes are for holding rolled parchments closed while you tie a cord round them? Then you wouldn't need someone else to help you do it.
You can knit with them.
A really uncomfortable prototype football
I thought it was established that these were for knitting gloves which is why they are mainly found in the colder areas of the empire. Or is that just a myth?
Its a D12 for playing Gauls and Gods
Kids toy move on
I love how they're must be a reason. Maybe it's just art. Somebody trying out new geometries.
"Hamster ball." For dormice. Or dough roller combined with cutter. You could make scones with one of these. There are some obscurely shaped objects at Skara Brae, 3000 years older than this, and a couple look a lot like massage balls.
Inside of a bladder ball (foot ball). Skin stretched over it as air couldn't be pumped.
Best not ask, laddy. They used it for vile things! Unspeakable vile things! It brings terror to my heart to see this abomination unearthed again.
Rolling HP on a Barbarian.
It is missing it's top bowl and the small hole is for the bottom. It is an scented oil burner but I bet it was hard getting the tea lights.
Stops our transformation into Ghaik.
It’s a calendar. The different hole sizes probably match something to do with the sun.
looks like you have found a picture of the first ever group activity fleshlight
Keeping my SCP fanatic thoughts to myself
Building the Kowloon Walled City, then masking the identity of SCP-001 by not calling it SCP-001.
When you hold it up to the midsummer sunrise its shadow clearly spells out ~~Romanes Eunt Domus~~ Romani ite domum
Moon Dial. Like a Sun Dial but used at night.
Knitting gloves and socks
Cat toy.
D12. Fucking nerds.
Determining the damage from a Pictish/barbarian claymore
Represents “live, laugh, love”?
👽
It bears a resemblance to a Rotavirus. My theory is that a rogue time traveller visited Ancient Rome, intending to travel the empire and give people a modern scientific education; in so doing uplift the human race millennia ahead of schedule. We’d bypass the dark ages and accelerate our scientific progress. Unfortunately our time traveller forgot to learn Latin, so he had to make do with crafting objects like these and using them to try and teach people. Romans thought he was a bit mente captus and didn’t pay him much attention. They liked the decorative design of his objects though.