Roman Dodecahedra as Craft Skill Tokens: A Functional Hypothesis

Marshall, 2026. SSRN.

Argues the objects were apprentice or masterpieces and portable tokens proving a metalworker's skill.

Gallo-Roman dodecahedraPreprintdoi: 10.2139/ssrn.6270878Checked against the original0

What it's used for here

A current statement of the craft-skill answer.

Cited by on this site 3 records

Local smiths in many places made them, so compositions follow local bronze supply.

Answer

ANS

They were showpieces or tokens proving a bronze-caster's skill.

Answer

ANS

The Gallo-Roman dodecahedra

The mystery article

MYS

Cite it

Marshall (2026). Roman Dodecahedra as Craft Skill Tokens: A Functional Hypothesis. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6270878

@article{marshall2026roman,
  author = {Marshall},
  title = {Roman Dodecahedra as Craft Skill Tokens: A Functional Hypothesis},
  journal = {SSRN},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.2139/ssrn.6270878},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6270878}
}

TY  - GEN
TI  - Roman Dodecahedra as Craft Skill Tokens: A Functional Hypothesis
AU  - Marshall
PY  - 2026
JO  - SSRN
DO  - 10.2139/ssrn.6270878
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6270878
ER  -

. “Roman Dodecahedra as Craft Skill Tokens: A Functional Hypothesis.” SSRN (2026). https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6270878.