Knucklebone Dice

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Knuckle bones are commonly known as Shagai to the Mongolians, Astrogaloi to ancient Greeks, and Tali to Romans. These ancient game pieces were crafted from knuckle bones of hooved animals and used for games involving chance, skill, and divination. The oldest known type of dice was widely played across the ancient world, in medieval Europe, and is still popular in central Asia today. Playing the Game: Players use the basic concept to create different rules, with each culture adapting the game to its unique needs. Each bone can land on one of four distinct sides, with varying probabilities of occurrence. Print four copies for Roman-style gameplay or as needed for other games. More Information: For detailed Roman game rules, refer to the article on Roman Board Games. For a comprehensive overview of knucklebone games and divination, see the Wikipedia entry. The paper by Jenna Mortensen offers valuable insights into the use of these bones for ancient prediction techniques. Image: Strong, flexible laser-sintered bone replicas mimic the texture and bounce of real bone. Available from my online store on Shapeways. Design Details: Source Material The bone model is based on a 3D scan of authentic sheep Tali obtained through a specialized store selling animal products and parts. To preserve and clean the Tali, thorough preparation steps were required, including bleaching.