Beautifully crafted Roman dodecahedron discovered in Lincoln – but what were they for?

By Samantha Tipper, Senior lecturer in Forensic Anthropology, Anglia Ruskin University

Roman dodecahedra are something of an enigma: there is no known mention of these 12-sided, hollow objects in ancient Roman texts or images. First discovered in the 18th century, around 130 dodecahedra have been found across the Roman Empire, although it is interesting that the majority have been found in northern Europe and Britain, and none have been found in Italy.

Dodecahedra are quite intricate, featuring a number of round holes, with knobs framing the holes. It would have taken…

Read complete article

~	Rugby league in Perth and Papua New Guinea? Here’s what could be next for the NRL

~	Threatened species have declined 2% a year since 2000. Nature positive? Far from it.

~	Tunisia: Deepening Civil Society Crackdown

~	Bridgerton is a progressive fantasy about the past. Do romance readers care about its historical accuracy?

~	Want to be buried on your own land, at sea or in a forest? A guide to unconventional send-offs

~	Homo Pentecostus: on queer intimacies, religion, ancestry and the human need for connection

~	After 180 years, new clues are revealing just how general anaesthesia works in the brain

~	Nuclear subs are coming to Australia. Now the Coalition wants reactors, too. We’re not ready for it

~	Menopause can bring increased cholesterol levels and other heart risks. Here’s why and what to do about it

~	Cameras reveal wombat burrows can be safe havens after fire and waterholes after rain