Rob TarrDec 20, 2024
Adam Katz

Dice go way back. Some of these appear to meet today's standards for precision and fairness (all dice should have opposite sides add up to 1+sides. The d6's sides add to 7). The Greek stone d20 may be 2200 years old.

Learn more #DnD

A Brief History of Dice | Libris Arcana

Not to admit my ignorance here, or maybe to do just that, but until recently I thought the D20 had probably been invented by Gygax and company at TSR. I mean maybe it had been around before then and used by the wargamer community, but it was definitely an invention of the mid-20th century, right? Oh how wrong I was!

Libris Arcana
Nov 5, 2024 at 8:53pmWeb
Show threadAdam KatzNov 25, 2024

Encore via @archaeohistories: https://ohai.social/@archaeohistories/113536514414879539

Terracotta dice from the Indus Valley Civilization, dating from 2600-1900 BC, were discovered in Harappa, Pakistan

Archaeo-Histories (@[email protected])

Attached: 1 image Terracotta dice from the Indus Valley Civilization, dating from 2600-1900 BC, were discovered in Harappa, Pakistan. While their markings resemble modern dice, their true purpose, whether for games, rituals, or something else entirely, remains unknown. National Museum, Karachi 🇵🇰 (Other similar displayed in Lahore Museum) - Pakistan #archaeohistories

ohai.social
Show thread🚲Nov 5, 2024
@adamhotep dice towers, too https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vettweiss-Froitzheim_Dice_Tower
Vettweiss-Froitzheim Dice Tower - Wikipedia

Show threadAdam KatzNov 5, 2024
@dx that's a neat yet odd concept since a cup works just as well 😉
Show thread🚲Nov 5, 2024
@adamhotep I generally don't use either, but I prefer dice towers to cups. They're more fun. Cups are great for games like Liar's Dice where you need to keep your roll secret, though.
Show threadAbe MassryNov 5, 2024
@adamhotep so you’re saying Dungeons and Dragons goes back to a time when there were actual Dungeons and actual Dragons
Show threadAdam KatzNov 5, 2024
@abemassry there were dungeons and there was a fear of dragons, but they didn't really exist until recently:
Show threadMartin SchlegelNov 5, 2024
@adamhotep is there any shop selling replicas of these?
Show threadAdam KatzNov 5, 2024
@martinschlegel of course! Just search for something like replica ancient polyhedral dice and you'll find things like these:
https://www.artisandice.com/order/ptolemaic-d20/
https://www.etsy.com/market/roman_dice_replica
(Though note that most hits will be for ancient-themed dice, non-replicas, or even less applicable hits)
Ptolemaic d20

Inspired by the world's oldest twenty-sided die, originally crafted sometime during the 2nd or 3rd century B.C. and currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, our modern interpretation brings ancient history to your gaming table. Created from a beautiful deep green Santa Rita Soapstone and engraved with Coptic and Greek symbols, this die pays tribute to the Ptolemaic Period and the artisanship of antiquity. Perfect for collectors and gamers alike, this piece combines historical authenticity with contemporary design.

Artisan Dice
Show threadEvan LightNov 5, 2024

@adamhotep @futurebird Wait... you mean they were playing D&D back before the settings existed for D&D?

... 🤔 I wonder if they used Babylon or Phoenicia in their settings.

Dragons... 🤔 Well, they had their violent gods. Though evidently everyone's favorite, Tiamat, is unlikely to have resembled a dragon so... 🤷‍♂️

#dnd #shitpost #humor

Show threadMichael MartineNov 8, 2024
@adamhotep thank you for sharing this! discussed on today's recording of @gamesatwork_biz to be published Monday.