12 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

1,600-year-old fragment Of Enigmatic Roman Artifact Discovered In Belgium

A metal detectorist in Belgium discovered a piece of a mysterious bronze artifact known as a Roman dodecahedron, which is thought to be over 1,600 years old.

Patrick Schuermans, a hobby archaeologist, was scanning the ground in Kortessem with a metal detector when he stumbled upon an unusual fragment, according to a news release from the Flanders Heritage Agency.

Dodecahedrons are hollow 12-sided geometric shapes with small knobs at their corners and holes of varying diameters on each pentagonal face. They have perplexed researchers for centuries, owing to the fact that the polygonal object does not appear in Roman writings or drawings.

Around 120 Roman dodecahedrons have been found since the 18th century, mostly in Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The first Roman dodecahedron to be discovered in modern times was discovered in England.

The known complete specimens differ in detail in appearance, and they also vary in size and weight. Most are between 4.5 and 8.5 centimeters in size.

An example of a complete Roman dodecahedron. Photo from Flanders Heritage Agency
An example of a complete Roman dodecahedron. Photo from Flanders Heritage Agency

These items are sometimes referred to as Gallo-Roman dodecahedrons since most of the dodecahedrons were found in these areas in parts that coincided with the Celtic civilization.

However, archaeologists aren’t completely sure. But what is this quirky object for? Is it a weapon? A tool? Or something else entirely? Measuring instruments?

However, there is growing evidence that dodecahedrons were not practical objects such as measuring instruments. The known specimens are too dissimilar in size and detail for that.

According to Onroerend Erfgoed’s archaeologists, their significance should be sought in the magical-religious sphere. This may help to explain why grave finds frequently include dodecahedrons.

Schuermans donated the object to the Gallo-Roman Museum of Tongeren after reporting his discovery to the Flanders Heritage Agency.

The Flemish agency believes the whole dodecahedron could have been over two inches wide and was possibly broken during a ritual. But archaeologists are most enthusiastic about what the find means for research into Ancient Roman history. “Thanks to the correct working method of the metal detectorist, archaeologists know for the first time the exact location of a Roman dodecahedron in Flanders,” the agency wrote in a statement, adding that it plans to monitor the area where Schuermans uncovered the fragment in case of future discoveries.

Cover Photo: The fragment found in a field near the town of Kortessem in Flanders is clearly part of a Roman dodecahedron. Photo: Kris Vandevorst/Flanders Heritage Agency

Related Articles

Remarkable Roman Villa Full of Strange Artifacts Discovered from a Bronze Age Site in England

3 April 2024

3 April 2024

Archaeologists have uncovered a “richly decorated” remarkable Roman villa complex during excavations at Brookside Meadows in Grove, a village in...

Was the mystery of Noceto Vasca Votiva the water ritual?

13 June 2021

13 June 2021

The Noceto Vasca Votiva is a one-of-a-kind wood building discovered in 2005 on a tiny hill in northern Italy. The...

Torrential Rain Reveal 2500-Year-old Small Bull Statue

19 March 2021

19 March 2021

After heavy rains near the ancient Olympia site, a bronze bull statue of a bull believed to be at least...

1-meter tall bronze statue found in China’s Sanxingdui Ruins-Video

17 June 2022

17 June 2022

Chinese archaeologists have discovered a 1-meter tall bronze statue at the site of ancient Sanxingdui ruins site in southwest China’s...

Khufu Boat moved to its New Museum by Smart Vehicle

8 August 2021

8 August 2021

A 4,600-year-old intact wooden boat bearing the name of an Egyptian pharaoh, Khufu, was transported to a new museum about...

Japan Researchers Uncover Lost Villa Believed to Belong to First Roman Emperor

19 April 2024

19 April 2024

Researchers from the University of Tokyo have discovered a nearly 2,000-year-old building at a site with ancient Roman ruins buried...

A Remarkable Discovery from a Gaza Shipwreck: Olive Pits from 1100 Years Ago

10 March 2025

10 March 2025

The recent underwater excavations off the coast of Türkiye have unveiled an extraordinary find that has captivated scientists: olive pits...

Dark secrets of Korea’s famous Wolseong palace complex are unearthed

8 September 2021

8 September 2021

The remains of an adult woman were discovered at the base of the Wolseong palace in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang province,...

Rare waka unearthed from New Zealand River, after being hidden for 153 years

16 June 2023

16 June 2023

A waka -the traditional canoe of the Maori people- believed to be over 150 years old has been salvaged from...

The earliest known depiction of biblical heroines Jael and Deborah was discovered at a Jewish synagogue in Israel

8 August 2022

8 August 2022

The earliest known depiction of biblical heroines Jael and Deborah was discovered at a Jewish synagogue at Huqoq in Israel,...

Celtiberian Inscription Found at La Peña del Castro: One of the Earliest Examples of Alphabetic Writing in Northern Iberia

26 February 2025

26 February 2025

La Ercina, León, Spain – Archaeological research at the La Peña del Castro site has unveiled an important discovery that...

Grave Goods Show Gendered Roles for Neolithic Age

16 April 2021

16 April 2021

Grave goods, such as stone tools, have revealed that Neolithic farmers had different work-related activities for men and women. Researchers...

The Mysterious Figure of Anatolia: Alexander of Abonoteichus, the False Prophet of Rome

12 February 2025

12 February 2025

In the annals of history, few figures are as intriguing as Alexander of Abonoteichus, the self-proclaimed prophet who captivated the...

“Human evolution” Migration out of Africa was affected by climate constraints.

25 August 2021

25 August 2021

The story of modern man’s migration from Africa still remains unclear in many aspects. Why did people migrate? Is it...

Archeologists discovered a treasure trove at the bottom of an ancient Roman bathhouse drain near Hadrian’s Wall

1 February 2023

1 February 2023

Archeologists in Carlisle, England, discovered a treasure trove at the bottom of the drain system of an ancient Roman bathhouse...