An ultra-rare Roman artefact found at Norton Disney is to go on display next month.
Discovered last summer by members of the North Disney History and Archaeology Group, it’s this hollow dodecahedron, made of copper alloy and brought to light after being buried for 1,700 years.
At 8cms tall it’s one of the largest of only 33 such artefacts found in the UK, made even rarer because it’s undamaged.
But what was its purpose? No-one knows. There are no references to them in Roman texts, but it is believed they were not practical items, but associated with Roman rituals and religious practice.
Richard Parker, Secretary of the North Disney History and Archaeology Group, said: “Despite all the research that has gone into our dodecahedron, and others like it, we are no closer to finding out exactly what it is and what it might have been used for. The mystery that surrounds it has provoked quite a reaction. Our find received worldwide press attention earlier this year and many people have left us messages with varied and somewhat contradictory suggestions about its purpose.
“The dodecahedron is an extremely tactile object and, having been privileged to have handled it after its 1,700 year burial, the imagination races when thinking about what the Romans may have used it for. Magic, rituals, or religion? Perhaps we may never know.
“What we do know is the Norton Disney dodecahedron was found on the top of a hill in a former large pit of some kind. It seems it was deliberately placed there. Why would someone bury an object like this? Did it have religious or ritualistic significance? What else might we find nearby?
The Norton Disney dodecahedron will exhibited in its home county for the first time when it goes on display at Lincoln Museum from Saturday 4 May until early September 2024.
