Mysterious dodecahedron

[Carus Andiae]

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The bronze dodecahedron was found during the 19th century excavations of South Shields Roman fort (Arbeia) and bequeathed to the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne by Robert Blair, a local solicitor who was involved in the work at Arbeia over many years.


The twelve-sided object is hollow with flat faces and knobs at each corner. Large circular holes of different sizes are pierced through each face, all but one are surrounded by three incised concentric circles.

Bronze dodecahedra have been found on many sites in the northern provinces of the Roman Empire in contexts which range from the 1st - 4th century AD.

Two others are known from the north of England - from Corbridge and Newcastle upon Tyne. Their purpose has been widely discussed without any firm conclusion being reached. Suggestions have ranged from surveying instruments to candlesticks to polygonal dice . A recent suggestion is that they are sceptre heads but the argument is not conclusive and further evidence is required for these enigmatic items to be fully understood.


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Accession Number 1923.13.

Width of each face:52mm, Length of each face:48mm