My personal hypothesis is that they are connected to a forgotten Gallo-Roman mystery religion, Teutates worship something like that, in a time were the mystery religions flamed up.
High ranking or rich members of the religion had them hidden in their homes and only showed them off during rituals and only used them with reverence. Maybe lower-ranking or poorer members had them made of wood or wax and they didn't survive.
This would explain why they are in good condition or hidden with other valuables, they are only found in former Gallic territory, they don't get mentioned because the religion never achieved the same prominence like Mithras-worship and flew under the radar or they simply vanished from the records. With Christianization they vanish because the religion died out.
I think this is the most likely answer, The object seems too small to serve any purpose in the physical world so it is likely religious. Could have been from any number of mystery cults that didn't record their rituals.
Noone knows but anyone who tells you it's for knitting gloves is talking absolute horse shit and is demonstrating they mindlessly vomit up whatever some random YouTube video told them.
For it to be a knitting tool, the knobs/posts would have to vary in position/size/number, not the hole. If you pull a sock through the hole in a pasta ladle, does it get smaller? No, of course not you fricking cretin.
I don't know anything about knitting, several people claimed it works in theory so I accept that.
My problem are others with the explanation: Why are there so many of them, seems a rather obscure tool for one special use? Does one knit gloves normally? Do we have knitted Roman gloves? Do they have to be bronze, seems rather expensive? Why are they never found in proximity to other tools as far as I read? Wouldn't it be easier to only produce single holed plates with knobs of different sizes to achieve the same result without having to reach into the dodecahedron all the time?
The different sized holes could fit many kinds of candles. That way it could hold candles from various local artizans, useful when the army was on the move.
The balls were to make sure that the holder is stable on every side to prevent the candle from falling over and starting a fire.
It was primarily found in military bases in Gaul and the Danube region, places where tallow candles were more often used because olive oil was less available.
I'm somewhat leaning towards this theory but my main issue with it is molding candles into shape is a very quick and simple process, so having a holder to fit multiple molds sounds extremely excessive. A candle can easilly be remolded to fit a different sized holder. It can be done in literally minutes
Only bee's wax is easy to remold, but it wasn't very widespread yet. Tallow was more cheap and common and it's not so easy to melt and can burn easily.
if the candle is too thick you can just slice the bottom bit to fit into the holder. if the candle is too thin, you add something to the bottom.
I am not saying you are wrong, but I am not convinced yet. In what kind of sizes did they come?
1 month ago
Anonymous
I don't buy that; a simpler tray would have sufficed
Tallow is quite rigid, you cannot cut parts off of it as easily as from vax. I think these holders were used in combination with a tray. The holder kept most sizes of candle relatively stable and standing upright, and the melted sallow could flow out of the other holes.
My wild guess: you put some rope around it, using the knobs for direction changes and to keep it tight, then keep adding rope until you have a ball.
More resistance and weight than a pure rope ball, lighter than putting rope around something solid. Sturdier than a sheepskin or whatever.
Did the Romans play ballgames in that era and area?
It was some tool to deal with Roman numerals. Adding Is, Xs and Cs aroumd one face would give you Vs and Ls and Ds, probably allowing some basic math to be done with them.
None of the theories about any practical purpose like candle holders or knitting tools hold up considering they've found versions with different numbers of sides (icosahedron) and with incredibly small holes. Plus, they're often found among valuables which wouldnt be the case if it was a simple tool. It almost certainly is some religious cult item or symbol of membership to some secret group.
The sides aren't numbered and this specific tool doesn't benefit from these shape or number of sides. And the tool isn't valuable enough to keep among coin stashes, no.
well they were degenerates so probably something having to do with sex.
Wrong
This. 10 to 1 odds it was built to go up some guys ass.
ancient fidget toy
Idk but it's cool looking
israelite magic probably
My personal hypothesis is that they are connected to a forgotten Gallo-Roman mystery religion, Teutates worship something like that, in a time were the mystery religions flamed up.
High ranking or rich members of the religion had them hidden in their homes and only showed them off during rituals and only used them with reverence. Maybe lower-ranking or poorer members had them made of wood or wax and they didn't survive.
This would explain why they are in good condition or hidden with other valuables, they are only found in former Gallic territory, they don't get mentioned because the religion never achieved the same prominence like Mithras-worship and flew under the radar or they simply vanished from the records. With Christianization they vanish because the religion died out.
The dodecahedron shape is important in Platonism (Timaeus) so it is theorized it was mady by a Platonist cult.
I think this is the most likely answer, The object seems too small to serve any purpose in the physical world so it is likely religious. Could have been from any number of mystery cults that didn't record their rituals.
20 children of God grouped by 5 in 12 ways making 30 connections in order to construct the bridge of the one.
be wary ye who would rebuild the tower of babble
Noone knows but anyone who tells you it's for knitting gloves is talking absolute horse shit and is demonstrating they mindlessly vomit up whatever some random YouTube video told them.
For it to be a knitting tool, the knobs/posts would have to vary in position/size/number, not the hole. If you pull a sock through the hole in a pasta ladle, does it get smaller? No, of course not you fricking cretin.
I don't know anything about knitting, several people claimed it works in theory so I accept that.
My problem are others with the explanation: Why are there so many of them, seems a rather obscure tool for one special use? Does one knit gloves normally? Do we have knitted Roman gloves? Do they have to be bronze, seems rather expensive? Why are they never found in proximity to other tools as far as I read? Wouldn't it be easier to only produce single holed plates with knobs of different sizes to achieve the same result without having to reach into the dodecahedron all the time?
Coronavirus
based
>"Attack the Spike Protein" - Galen
It was for knitting or something.
Candle holders used in military bases.
The different sized holes could fit many kinds of candles. That way it could hold candles from various local artizans, useful when the army was on the move.
The balls were to make sure that the holder is stable on every side to prevent the candle from falling over and starting a fire.
It was primarily found in military bases in Gaul and the Danube region, places where tallow candles were more often used because olive oil was less available.
I'm somewhat leaning towards this theory but my main issue with it is molding candles into shape is a very quick and simple process, so having a holder to fit multiple molds sounds extremely excessive. A candle can easilly be remolded to fit a different sized holder. It can be done in literally minutes
Only bee's wax is easy to remold, but it wasn't very widespread yet. Tallow was more cheap and common and it's not so easy to melt and can burn easily.
NTA but I a now convinced.
if the candle is too thick you can just slice the bottom bit to fit into the holder. if the candle is too thin, you add something to the bottom.
I am not saying you are wrong, but I am not convinced yet. In what kind of sizes did they come?
Tallow is quite rigid, you cannot cut parts off of it as easily as from vax. I think these holders were used in combination with a tray. The holder kept most sizes of candle relatively stable and standing upright, and the melted sallow could flow out of the other holes.
I like that idea.
I don't buy that; a simpler tray would have sufficed
wiener width measurer
you understand ancient rome better than most
Children's toy for teaching spatial reasoning.
You have to fit various size balls in the holes.
anal toy
Possible calendar tool?
12 months, most months 30 days.
Explain how you would use it and then forget about that idea forever.
Then never post again.
My wild guess: you put some rope around it, using the knobs for direction changes and to keep it tight, then keep adding rope until you have a ball.
More resistance and weight than a pure rope ball, lighter than putting rope around something solid. Sturdier than a sheepskin or whatever.
Did the Romans play ballgames in that era and area?
An ancient lego.
It was some tool to deal with Roman numerals. Adding Is, Xs and Cs aroumd one face would give you Vs and Ls and Ds, probably allowing some basic math to be done with them.
ancient fingerbox
>ITT: archaeologists being clowns
None of the theories about any practical purpose like candle holders or knitting tools hold up considering they've found versions with different numbers of sides (icosahedron) and with incredibly small holes. Plus, they're often found among valuables which wouldnt be the case if it was a simple tool. It almost certainly is some religious cult item or symbol of membership to some secret group.
>a knitting tool doesn't benefit from numbered sides
>tools aren't valuable
continue being a clown
>knitting tool
>somehow only existed in Gaul and Britain
>gauls and britons can't knit because they just can't
Correct, barbarians can't use tools
The sides aren't numbered and this specific tool doesn't benefit from these shape or number of sides. And the tool isn't valuable enough to keep among coin stashes, no.
A primitive beyblade?