3 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Rare Ancient Bone Game found in Israel “Astragali”

Archaeologists have found a rare assemblage of animal knucklebones known as astragali used in ancient Greek games and divination in Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park in Israel’s Judean Shefelah region.

Ancient societies made extensive use of astragali, or knuckle bones, particularly those of caprine or cattle. In addition to other uses, they served as toys and tokens for rituals and divination.

Known as astragali, the practice of astragalomancy is of ancient indeterminate origin and has probably been independently invented several times. It is found throughout various cultures worldwide. It was a game of chance or divination played by the Greeks and Romans in ancient times, drawing some inspiration from the Etruscans and nearby Eastern civilizations.

Astragalomancy was practiced in Ancient Greece by rolling astragaloi and then consulting “dice oracles.” To obtain an oracle, either five astragaloi were rolled at the same time, or one astragalos (also known as astragali) was rolled five times in a row.

Astragalos from the Hellenistic era, which dates back 2,300 years, were discovered by University of Haifa researchers working under the direction of Dr. Ian Stern during excavations in the Maresha-Bet Guvrin National Park.

Inscriptions of Greek gods and goddesses on gaming and divination bones are known as astragali. (Photo: ROI SHAFFIR/HAIFA UNIVERSITY)

The study, conducted by archaeologists from various institutes around Israel, was published in the peer-reviewed Levant journal.

Many of the bones were engraved with the names of Greek gods that are associated with wishes and desire, such as Aphrodite, goddess of sexual love and beauty; Eros, god of love; Hermes, god of travelers, thieves, and merchants; Hera, goddess of marriage, women, and family, and the protector of women in childbirth, Nike, goddess of victory. Some of the pieces also have inscriptions such as “Robber”, “Stop, and “You are burnt” engraved.

Astragali were also used as charms and tokens. They were frequently buried beneath the foundations of a house to bring prosperity and peace, and there are records of young women using them as marriage tokens to mark their transition from maidens to married women.

It was discovered that the astragali that were the subject of the study had their shapes altered and were filled with lead.

According to Dr. Lee Perry-Gal, Israel Antiquities Authority,  in the University of Haifa: “The extensive collection of astragaloi from Maresha is exceptional in terms of both quantity and quality as well as the numerous inscriptions. The collection shows that, just like today, those in need turned to spells, divination, and other extraterrestrial means of assistance.  Men and women struggled in an environment where death, childbirth, and health were unpredictable, and they tried to use magic to protect themselves.”

Cover Photo: Ancient Greek bones known as astragali were used for games and divination. (YULI SCHWARTZ/IAA)

Related Articles

The 8,000-year-old Aslantepe in Turkey has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List

26 July 2021

26 July 2021

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Monday that a rich, 30-meter-high archaeological mound going back 8,000 years in southern Turkey has...

Failed Mongol fleet may actually land in Japan after 800 years

18 July 2023

18 July 2023

A  recent shipwreck was found off the coast of Japan this year and identified as part of a Mongol fleet...

A Roman bridge from the Republican era was discovered on Via Tiburtina

27 February 2022

27 February 2022

The remains of a rare Republican-era bridge have been discovered on the 12th kilometer of the Via Tiburtina, the ancient...

The Error That Caused II.Ramses to Lose the Battle of Kadesh

5 February 2021

5 February 2021

The Battle of Kadesh between the Hittites and Egyptians in Anatolia, the two superpowers of the Bronze Age period, has...

Uncovering the ritual past of ancient mustatils: Cult, herding, and ‘pilgrimage’ in the Late Neolithic of north-west Arabia

16 March 2023

16 March 2023

Mustatils—stone monuments from the Late Neolithic period thought to have been used for ritual purposes—have been the subject of new...

Fingerprints Found on Orkney Pottery Belong to Young Men

14 June 2021

14 June 2021

Details of the two young guys whose fingerprints were discovered on a fragment of a clay pot dating back over...

New rune discovery in Oslo

16 February 2022

16 February 2022

For the third time in a month and a half, archaeologists have found a new rune in Oslo. The artifact...

Samen Underground City Getting Prepared for Public Visits

6 June 2021

6 June 2021

Samen Underground City is a unique structure in Iran and the extent of such a structure has not been observed...

New study: Humans engaged in large-scale warfare in Europe 5,000 years ago ‘1,000 years earlier than previously thought’

3 November 2023

3 November 2023

Hundreds of human remains unearthed from a burial site point to a  warfare between Stone Age people long before the...

In Germany, volunteers unearthed the largest hoard of Slavic coins to date and bronze-age seven swords

29 November 2023

29 November 2023

Volunteer archaeologists found bronze age seven swords and from the 11th century 6000 silver coins in the northeastern German state...

2000-year-old glass treasure in Roman shipwreck discovered by an underwater robot in Mediterranean

24 July 2023

24 July 2023

The Italian-French mission recovered a selection of glassware and raw glass blocks from the Roman shipwreck located at a depth...

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...

Archaeologists unearth first archaeological evidence about Anatolia’s mysterious Kaska community, sworn enemies of the Hittites

16 January 2025

16 January 2025

In the course of the excavations conducted by Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University‘s Department of Archaeology, artifacts from the Late Bronze...

A 4,000-year-old treasure map of France’s

17 October 2023

17 October 2023 1

Overlooked for millennia, a rock fragment adorned with enigmatic inscriptions has emerged as a valuable “treasure map” for archaeologists. After...

Maya Archaeological site for sale on Facebook has stirred controversy in Yucatán and across Mexico

31 March 2023

31 March 2023

Over 249 hectares of land for sale on Facebook Marketplace has sparked controversy in Yucatan and across Mexico. The property,...