© Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya - Girona
Omeka ID 3220
Mas Castellar

knuckle bones

MAC GIR-041171

Object type
knuckle bones
Production date
-300 / -201
Fabric
-
Museum
Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya - Girona
Culture
-
Discovery location
Mas Castellar
Materials
bone
Township
Pontós (Europa, Espanya, Catalunya, Girona, Alt Empordà)
Technique
-
Where is it?
MASPG
Dimensions
-
Description
Knuckle bones from the Iberian settlement of Mas Castellar (Pontós, Alt Empordà) dating from the third century BC. Knuckle bones are the astragali of sheep and goats, bones of the animal's foot or hoof, and have four faces. They were used to play like a dice in games of skill or chance. Knuckle bones are very common in ancient societies, as they are frequently found in the archaeological record and are fully associated with the world of games of chance. Some researchers believe that this type of bone also had some type of meaning of protection or related to luck and divination.