'Mysterious' Roman artefact to go on show in Nottingham
The Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group began excavating at a Roman site in the village close to a Roman villa and the Fosse Way Roman road in 2019.The museum said the excavation was coming to an end when the team discovered the "rare and very fine example" of a Gallo-Roman dodecahedron.It said while most other examples have been found damaged, or as fragments, the Norton Disney dodecahedron was complete and in "remarkable condition".Richard Parker, secretary of the archaeology group, said: "We thought we were very much on a fairly routine Roman site, finding lots of Roman masonry, huge amount of Roman pottery and then on the second to last day, we made this really spectacular and unusual discovery of a Gallo-Roman dodecahedron."It was found unusually in a Roman quarry pit with lots of other materials, such as pottery and bone and nails."That tells us a little bit about the dating of it and gives us a clue about why that dodecahedron was found there."Mr Parker said it is the only one to be discovered in the Midlands of the 33 identified in Britain.
In January 2024, the find featured in an episode of Digging for Britain, with presenter Prof Alice Roberts saying: "It has to be one of the greatest, most mysterious, archaeological objects I've ever had the opportunity to look at up close."Mr Parker said after this the discovery got worldwide attention."The curiosity is that people have been finding them for 300 years and nobody has any idea what they are," he said."It's so unusual, so odd in appearance, and just makes absolutely no sense."There's still a great mystery within archaeology," he added.A total of 130 dodecahedra that have been found have come from the area known to the Romans as Gaul. This included modern France and Belgium, as well as parts of the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. The museum said the discovery prompts further questions about Norton Disney's importance in Roman times.The artefact is part of a free Norton Disney dodecahedron exhibition, which looks back at the last two years of excavations at the Roman site, and delves into the current understanding of the mysterious dodecahedron. Mr Parker added the exhibition will also "illustrate the circumstances" of how the dodecahedron was found and the history of the site.On Saturday, the museum will be celebrating the opening of the exhibition by being part of the free Roman-themed, Festival of Archaeology event.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Norton Disney dodecahedron: Artefact now in Lincolnshire museum
While this might look like a rattle a baby might play with or chew on, this is in fact an ancient Roman dodecahedron (a three-dimensional twelve-sided shape) was first discovered by archaeologists in is one of 33 similar dodecahedrons found in the UK – and this one was found in Norton Disney, near Lincoln in now going to be put on display in Lincolnshire for the very first fans can go see it at the University of Nottingham Museum until January 2026. The dodecahedron is around 8 centimetres tall and weighs 245 grams – that's about the same weight as a hamster!The Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group, who first discovered the dodecahedron, say it's made of copper 130 similar dodecahedrons have been discovered across northern Europe, but this is one of the largest found so earliest of its kind is thought to date back as far as the 1st century (around 100 AD).But a question remains over all of this - what actually is it? Archaelogist Richard Parker, who was is part of the group who discovered the dodecahedron, said the purpose of the object was a "great mystery"."The curiosity is that people have been finding them for 300 years and nobody has any idea what they are," he want to know, what do you think this dodecahedron was used for?Was it a toy? A decoration? A game die?Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
'Mysterious' Roman artefact to go on show in Nottingham
A rare "mysterious" Gallo-Roman dodecahedron discovered by an amateur archaeological team has gone on display in 12-sided hollow object will be on show at the University of Nottingham Museum at Lakeside Arts from Friday until 18 January museum said the item was one of archaeology's enigmas as its purpose remains unknown and there are no references in Roman texts or depictions of artefact - which stands about 8cm tall and weighs 245g - was found in the Potter Hill area of Norton Disney, Lincolnshire, in June 2023. The Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group began excavating at a Roman site in the village close to a Roman villa and the Fosse Way Roman road in museum said the excavation was coming to an end when the team discovered the "rare and very fine example" of a Gallo-Roman said while most other examples have been found damaged, or as fragments, the Norton Disney dodecahedron was complete and in "remarkable condition".Richard Parker, secretary of the archaeology group, said: "We thought we were very much on a fairly routine Roman site, finding lots of Roman masonry, huge amount of Roman pottery and then on the second to last day, we made this really spectacular and unusual discovery of a Gallo-Roman dodecahedron."It was found unusually in a Roman quarry pit with lots of other materials, such as pottery and bone and nails."That tells us a little bit about the dating of it and gives us a clue about why that dodecahedron was found there."Mr Parker said it is the only one to be discovered in the Midlands of the 33 identified in Britain. In January 2024, the find featured in an episode of Digging for Britain, with presenter Prof Alice Roberts saying: "It has to be one of the greatest, most mysterious, archaeological objects I've ever had the opportunity to look at up close."Mr Parker said after this the discovery got worldwide attention."The curiosity is that people have been finding them for 300 years and nobody has any idea what they are," he said."It's so unusual, so odd in appearance, and just makes absolutely no sense."There's still a great mystery within archaeology," he added.A total of 130 dodecahedra that have been found have come from the area known to the Romans as Gaul. This included modern France and Belgium, as well as parts of the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. The museum said the discovery prompts further questions about Norton Disney's importance in Roman artefact is part of a free Norton Disney dodecahedron exhibition, which looks back at the last two years of excavations at the Roman site, and delves into the current understanding of the mysterious dodecahedron. Mr Parker added the exhibition will also "illustrate the circumstances" of how the dodecahedron was found and the history of the Saturday, the museum will be celebrating the opening of the exhibition by being part of the free Roman-themed, Festival of Archaeology event.
Glasgow Times
14-07-2025
- Glasgow Times
Dogs Trust call on puppy owners for major UK study
The Dogs Trust project, Generation Pup, aims to recruit 10,000 puppies to take part in its study and is currently seeking its final few hundred sign-ups. Generation Pup is funded and operated by Dogs Trust, which has rehoming centres in Glasgow and West Calder. Open to owners of puppies aged 16 weeks or younger, the research is the first of its kind in the UK to follow dogs of all breeds throughout their lives. Read more: James Bond-themed dog party coming to Glasgow this summer Jane Murray, welfare project and grants deputy head of research at Dogs Trust, said: "This important research study aims to deepen our understanding of how early life experiences influence the health and behaviour of dogs throughout their lives. "Your participation will make a valuable contribution to improving the welfare of dogs now and in the future." The study has already helped to identify key factors affecting dog health and behaviour. Through the latest peer-reviewed paper published as part of the Generation Pup research, Owner-Perceived Undesirable Behaviours in Young Dogs and Changes with Age, researchers found that 12-month-old dogs are most likely to display behaviours such as excessive barking, poor recall, jumping up, and lead pulling — suggesting a difficult 'teenage' phase in dog development. It examined owner-reported data at six, nine, 12, 15, and 18 months of age. The study found that 12-month-old dogs showed the most undesirable behaviours, including barking, recall problems, pulling on the lead, and jumping up. This supports the idea that dogs go through a challenging "teenage" phase. Read more: Can you fling a piece oot a 20-storey flat? This Glasgow business wants to find out Generation Pup gathers data on each puppy's home environment, health, routines, and social experiences. Researchers can then analyse how elements such as diet, exercise, and daily routine can affect the development of common behavioural and health conditions. By gathering data on puppies' environments, families, health, behaviour, and experiences, Dogs Trust hopes to build a clearer picture of influences on canine welfare across the UK and Ireland. Puppies can be enrolled in the study from anywhere in the UK. To find out more or to sign up, visit the Generation Pup website.
