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History Mystery: Ancient Dodecahedron's Purpose Remains Secret:(Can you tell what it is?)

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posted on Jun, 14 2011 @ 04:30 PM
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Part of some sort of a puzzle game? Roman equivalent to XBOX



posted on Jun, 14 2011 @ 04:36 PM
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reply to post by darrman
 

darrman... baby
you are magnificent...fulcrums...they probably didn't have nice steel for breaker bars or a "burke" bar like on a construction site

edit on 14-6-2011 by GBP/JPY because: Yahushua is our new King



posted on Jun, 14 2011 @ 05:46 PM
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The Wife has a interesting theory:

Over the centuries, women have tried to enhance their "aroma" by carrying or wearing small containers of various great smelling items (such as lavendar flowers). They appear rather ornamental, small, could be carried, or worn on a chain/earrings, seem to be cultural due to the geography, and even specifically found at a woman's burial site.

Within the last few years (I haven't put any research into this - just memory) they were digging & paving a road in Italy, and uncovered a Roman-era compact of women's face cream. An analysis found that it was much like the face cream of women today - crushed oyster shell for white color, etc. Since that astounded the researchers, I may conclude that women's items weren't historically documented. Interesting!

Following are similar items used for the same purpose. Enjoy!

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/5dcfa3d0103d.jpg[/atsimg]
1st-2nd century AD. A delicate pendant formed as an openwork container; the convex discoid lid with filigree border and central suspension loop; the openwork sides covered with filigree coils; the base with two wire feet.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d64f488b05a7.jpg[/atsimg]



posted on Jun, 15 2011 @ 01:32 AM
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reply to post by anon72
 


A few instant impressions when I opened this thread, some of which were covered by posts. Dice / game etc... But I wondered if something was inside them ( found or at some time ) and I really wondered what they sound like with wind blowing through them or as a missile.

lol... sorry but I saw Stuka dive bombers with sirens screeching or Nazguls in flight with unearthly Howls.........

If anyone is up on the physics of these things, maybe they can tell of any sonic properties, as well as sonic possibilities with something "in them".
edit on 2011/6/15 by Serafine because: redirect



posted on Jun, 15 2011 @ 11:47 AM
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The Romans were brilliant innovators and I also know they were a very clean people. To me, this looks very close to a washing agitator, i.e. put clothes into a large drum with water. Throw mental agitator in and spin the drum and wash the clothes.

Sorry if this has been guessed or discussed. I didn't read the entire thread but wanted to post my impression of the item.



posted on Jun, 15 2011 @ 12:28 PM
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reply to post by sligtlyskeptical
 


I try to glaze over the "ancient calender" hypotheses. Not because they're invalid, but because it's so easy t make a calender out of just about anything. It's almost as if the people studying hte place or object go "Okay it must be a calender!" and then look for some celestial event it lines up with - and given how busy the skies are, there's bound to be a few.

So to me, saying something is a calender is more or less the same as saying it's a paperweight. Yeah, it could be, but so could just about any old rock.



posted on Jun, 15 2011 @ 01:52 PM
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reply to post by anon72
 


This was what i was getting at. A piece of jewelry that had a scent of some sort.

My hang up was the utter lack of ornate markings.

I would hazard a guess that if these things are only seen in association with Romans, it may be possible that they are associated with a uniquely Roman phenomenon. Perhaps, as an example off the top of my head, it is a device used by gladiators for .



posted on Jun, 20 2011 @ 01:10 PM
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This little animation I made for fun and to suggest it might be a first generation adjustable looking glass. Or "microscope" The different size holes, are different magnifications. A lens in the middle, turn the thing for different magnifications.

edit on 20-6-2011 by EartOccupant because: (no reason given)



posted on Jun, 20 2011 @ 01:19 PM
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My 2 cents
-
Lights magnets implanted SPIN -AC-
It wouild be interesting to see how they are made.



posted on Jun, 20 2011 @ 07:16 PM
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Looks like the member that suggested that the holes were for sticks might have been on to something...




www.amazon.co.uk...



posted on Jun, 23 2011 @ 09:17 AM
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From what I understood, the Romans tended to be pragmatic and practical people for the most part.

If it was a decoration, they would be even more ornamental, and you'd still find them in places that were influenced by Rome. Look at all the other architecture and stuff they left their mark on. It also seems too fancy in construction to be used as something like a caltrop, it would be more logical that Romans would favor something simpler made by welding two spikes together.

Since their delving into northern Europe tended to be a prolonged military campaign in some regards, they needed things like: ballistas, catapults, raft bridges, lookout towers, boats, spans, etc. I think they may have been a little secretive of the device, since it gave them a consistency which was to their technical and military advantage.

What did all these things have in common? If you consider their construction or usage, they used a lot of rope.

Relating to that idea, I believe this is a tool of sorts. A kind of rope making wrench or guide.

I wish I could make out the inscriptions on the one that appears to have wording on it, but my guess is that what markings it has would help reveal its use. I believe the holes are intentionally sized differently, each representing a standard gauge in use at the time. (Romans did a lot of engineering, so it would seem likely for them to have standard measures. Having 12 sizes of rope would be pretty easy to remember on short notice, perhaps gauges were associated with the gods or zodiac signs as a mnemonic device.) The knobs would be for holding lines in position when braiding or plaiting larger ropes from smaller line, the holes for gauging could also be used for passing a line through the center for a kermantle style rope. Think of the logistics involved, and imagine standards which meant consistency for deployed Roman Legions.

If this is the case, you're also likely to find something used as a rope binder left in residue form on this tool. That could be some kind of animal grease, pitch, tar, wax/tallow, etc. Stuff that would keep the rope fibers together, and make it more likely to resist wear and weathering.

Of course this is speculative as anything else here, but think of the people that had these things and what they were doing at the time.
edit on 23-6-2011 by pauljs75 because: minor edit



posted on Jun, 23 2011 @ 11:28 AM
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ooooo fascinating! To me it certainly looks more functional than decorative.

The size isn't standard but the general design is so it probably isn't used for converting something Roman into something Gaulish or visa versa.

Its fairly regional and its usefulness seems to of tailed of after the collapse of the Roman Empire so I'm ruling out a calendar for seed planting (plus I hate it that every object from the size of stone henge to the size of a golf ball gets called a calendar).

As far as I can tell (there isn't that much information out there about the finds) one has been found in a private home. Any one know where they have been found? Are they coming out of graves or just dotted around dig sites? It would be nice to know where the pieces are being found because that could give a clue as to its use!

Personally I don't think its nasty enough to be a caltrop (or other weapon) and there would be no reason to have different size holes or for it to be hollow.

I think it has a domestic use. Clearly whatever it was it wasn't used in Rome its self. I think its something that only had a purpose in the area it was found.

My top ideas so far are based on it being fairly standard except in size and regional....

1. It had a culinary use.
2. It was used to make something decorative that went out of fashion. Something akin to French Knitting or lace making.
3. The ever popular gaming piece (if that was the case though I'd expect to see it in Rome too).




edit on 23/6/11 by Versa because: (no reason given)

edit on 23/6/11 by Versa because: (no reason given)



posted on Jun, 24 2011 @ 06:54 PM
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To me, it looks like a convenient place to put your spear/sword/staff after coming home from work... Sort of like an umbrella stand in today's society? But perhaps it is too small/unbalanced for that, easy enough to test though.



posted on Jun, 24 2011 @ 07:53 PM
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Originally posted by darrman
reply to post by anon72
 


quite simple--- really.

you would place this as a set of "positioning" devices to move Heavy objects into the right place by placing a STAFF through the holes and use leverage to move the object ontop of this , in to a better position--

with 12 sides you would be able to move objects into Many directions.. pick your hole, and lift in the direction of alignment..


Looks like that to me too.

Think maybe mobile tents or something - it would be a useful object for putting poles into at various angles, as you say, particularly if it is something you put together or take apart frequently. It certainly looked like that to me too - something one would put posts into when joining corners and so forth.

This would also explain the relative mundanity as another poster pointed out that if it had been a weapon or something not obvious to the person using it regularly, something about it would have been written down.



posted on Jun, 27 2011 @ 08:11 AM
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reply to post by Jessica6
 


I like what you wrote. That makes sense.

Man, I wish I knew.

I was checking the forum at their sites. Some pretty interesting theories there as well.

But not as good as ATS's..!!!!!!



posted on Jun, 30 2011 @ 04:24 PM
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Originally posted by fooks
ok, this is rediculous,


stonehenge, this thing, puma punku, and every other thing that was built to friggin tell some dumb poophead when to plant a potato.

on every continent btw.

really? was ancient man into big gov nanny states?


lolololol!!



Rome established the first big gov nanny state with welfare, government housing etc.

Might want to look up the Gracchi, first politicians in history with the idea of redistrbution of wealth, fought and died for it in fact.
.



posted on Jun, 30 2011 @ 04:56 PM
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reply to post by anon72
 


Dude it's this :



Except these children were D_U_M_B!!!!
The only shape it involved was a circle, this must be for a cave man's child.



posted on Jul, 25 2011 @ 03:00 AM
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All, despite Fox news (some intern there reporting), the Mystery of the Roman Dodecahedron was considered solved (at least in the engineering and scientific community) on March 16th 2011 by engineer John Ladd. It is irritating that ignorant historians and media haven't caught on to that fact. His arguments and proof is overwhelming (www.romansystemsengineering.com)



posted on Jul, 25 2011 @ 04:12 AM
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Originally posted by historybuff10
All, despite Fox news (some intern there reporting), the Mystery of the Roman Dodecahedron was considered solved (at least in the engineering and scientific community) on March 16th 2011 by engineer John Ladd. It is irritating that ignorant historians and media haven't caught on to that fact. His arguments and proof is overwhelming (www.romansystemsengineering.com)


Do I really have to watch that annoying 'film' to find out what it is?



posted on Jul, 25 2011 @ 10:20 AM
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reply to post by Versa
 


Are you talking about the 2nd video. Standard engineering presention IMO. Requires attention span but yes, it takes some time to grasp the argument.



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