Join the debate - what do you think this is?

[hobo]

It's used in a game like a dice, i reckon.

 

[Seevio]

It's used in a game like a dice, i reckon.

Minor point: it's like dice, or, like a die. Other than that, spot on. It's used to calculate damage from an indirect onager hit in Centurion and Centaurs.

 

[Toshiba Boy]

Absolutely no idea, and anyway, what have the Romans ever done for us?

 

[johnnyb47]

And I never knew Ann Summers was trading back in the Roman Times

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Well it’s designed such that it can rest on all 12 sides. Why would that be?

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Well it’s designed such that it can rest on all 12 sides. Why would that be?

12 ways to be idle, Shirley

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

It's a Willy Wonka obvs

 

[craigwend]

A Roman one of these...

 

[Cycleops]

And I never knew Ann Summers was trading back in the Roman Times

Could well be a 'Sexus toy ' as they say in Latin. Oh the benefits of a classical education

 

[MidnightRider]

Well it’s designed such that it can rest on all 12 sides. Why would that be?

Its not actually all that big, so not hugely stable if much weight or pull applied to it, though perhaps heavy for its size given its metal.
Its also decorative. Not sure how 'decorative for decorative sake' the makers were, ie is it a practical tool someone made pretty for fun (used in a workshop), or is it a tool intended to be pretty when used in a house?

Its a shame we can't see if the 'bottom' is a solid plate or also holed. A ruler near it would have helped too.

Looks to contain circular items of various diameters either upright or at an angle.

I wonder if the opposing holes are the same or different diameters?


If the base it is resting on in photo is holed, the feet may imply its gripping something that passes through a 2nd similar hole on the opposite side, then whatever it contains rests on the table (or whatever) surface when it passes through an opposing identical diameter hole. That might imply it is designed to hold things only upright, or they would slide too far through if put in at an angle.

If the base is not holed, then things could be inserted at any angle and just rest against a solid plate at the bottom. In which case all the little 'feet' might be just decorative rather than practical, as it would always be placed solid plate downwards.

Another thought is the little balls could be for
- winding things around (such as thread)
- securing things to
- use as anchor points if hanging this object
- for centreing things over the holes (back to lamps again?) securely, so whatever is placed above the holes does not slip off.
- things could actually balance on the little balls, rather than on or in the main body of the object.



I would guess a lamp or candle holder, or possibly for holding yarn maybe that had been wound onto a stick, or possibly a tool holder for a craftsperson, cook or someone who did makeup and suchlike.

A wildcard guess, depending on it being say bronze rather than iron (rust), is a flower holder for keeping bunches cut flowers upright in a pot of some kind. using the balls to create water flow gaps. Or for sizing something sold during trade or at markets.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Its also decorative

It’s not the only one found, they’ve been found before. I’ve seen another photo and each vertice has 5 evenly spaced marks in it, almost as though for counting or some sort of sundial or time measurement. 12 x 5 = 60 , number of seconds, minutes etc. sexagesimal .

Roman’s originally had a 10 month year and winter wasn’t measured as such. I wonder if the size of the holes is something to do with appearance of moon or sun at different times of year. Then the notches marked off the passage of time? Shame we don’t have a 3D model with all the measurements.

 

[Cavalol]

It's a measurement thing, so when something falls off your Lambretta you know what bolt to use to put it back on again.

 

[Drago]

Kevin Spacey brand sex toy?

 

[captain nemo1701]

Spike Milligan reportedly once said that he wanted to be buried in a washing machine instead of a coffin "just to confuse the archaeologists".

Billy Connolly on HBO America (1989?..with Whoopi Goldberg) talking about flying & planes crashing:

' we would be grateful if you'd wear a lifejacket on the way down. It'll do you no good at all, but when archaeologists find you in 200 years, they'll think there was a river here...'

 

[captain nemo1701]

First Men in the Moon (1964) movie. Saw it as a kid in the cinema. Solved.
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Darn it!...beat me