Description:

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. Made from colorful stones, one dark purple, one creamy white, these are two charming six-sided gaming dice. Each face is inscribed with concentric circles to represent numbers. Rolling dice - casting lots - were used to settle disputes, apportion goods impartially, gamble, and pass the time with games. One game they played was called Tali, where the count of the dice was scored like a poker hand. A "Venus" was the highest hand, consisting of one, three, four, and six; "Vultures" meant a roll of identical numbers; "Dogs" was the lowest score, all ones. Size of largest: 0.55" W (1.4 cm)

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#143946

  • Condition: One is repaired. Light surface wear on both commensurate with age, with nice deposits.

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August 22, 2019 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000