This unique dodecahedron made of real, solid bronze is manufactured in our own workshop using the traditional lost wax technique - in keeping with ancient craftsmanship. Each piece is unique and impresses with its high-quality workmanship and mysterious aura.
Dieses einzigartige Dodekaeder aus echter, massiver Bronze wird in unserer eigenen Werkstatt im traditionellen Wachsausschmelzverfahren (Lost-Wax-Technik) gefertigt – ganz nach antiker Handwerkskunst. Jedes Stück ist ein Unikat und besticht durch seine hochwertige Verarbeitung und geheimnisvolle Ausstrahlung.
Die geheimnisvollen Lochmuster und die perfekte geometrische Form machen es zu einem faszinierenden Sammlerstück, Dekorationsobjekt oder Geschenk für Geschichts- und Archäologiebegeisterte.
The dodecahedron - function and meaning
The facts: Roman dodecahedrons are mysterious, hollow bronze objects with twelve pentagonal faces in which there are round holes of different sizes. Small spheres are attached to the corners. Only one find from Geneva is made of lead with a silver sheet coating. The size varies considerably between 4 and about 11 cm, the weight between 35 and 1000 grams. Their function is still unclear today. They date from the 2nd to 4th century AD and were found in the north-western provinces of the Roman Empire (e.g. Gaul, Britain). Not a single piece comes from Italy, Spain, Africa or the eastern provinces. An origin in Gallo-Roman traditions can therefore be assumed, even if mathematical, geometric and philosophical considerations of the dodecahedron are known from the Hellenistic world much earlier.
Although well over 100 examples are known, there are no ancient texts or illustrations to explain their use. Many theories have been proposed, but none have been conclusively proven.
All we know is that the sites where these objects were found include five military camps, two public baths, a theatre, a tomb, a hoard and a filled well. One dodecahedron was found in the Gallo-Roman temple near Schwarzenacker/Homburg (Germany), three objects were discovered in riverbeds near Nijmegen, Trier and Zurich, which probably indicates a religious (votive) function. To date, we are only aware of two dodecahedrons that have been found during controlled scientific excavations. One of them is dated to the fourth century AD and was found in a richly decorated woman's grave in Krefeld-Gellep (Germany). Here, a rod-shaped bone object was discovered in the direct context, which, with a length of around 15 cm, could well have been a handle. Unfortunately, the state of preservation was very poor, so that this could not be proven with certainty. The fact that two opposite holes are usually irregularly shaped also speaks in favour of the fact that they were mounted on a rod. This indicates that these openings were used as core holders for the casting and that subsequent machining was not considered necessary, possibly because a rod was attached here as a handle.
In rare cases, there are also dodecahedrons with partially oval or triangular holes, whereby the diameters of the holes in the surviving examples generally do not follow any recognisable correlation or differ greatly from one another in terms of diameter.
Theories on the presumed use
Various theories attempt to explain their use. One practical interpretation sees them as candlesticks, as the differently sized holes could hold candles - although the lack of traces of use and fire and the thin walls speak against this. They have also been interpreted as measuring instruments or workshop gauges, but there is a lack of dimensional standards and markings. A symbolic use as a cult object, for example as an attachment to a sceptre, is more likely, supported by find contexts and the cosmic significance of the number twelve. The dodecahedron is also discussed as a plaything or divination cube - but these ideas suffer from a lack of functionality and evidence. A practical theory from the textile sector assumes that the dodecahedron was used as a knitting aid for gloves, with the holes serving as a finger gauge - but here too there is a lack of traces and evidence. Finally, it is assumed that it was a master or journeyman's piece intended to demonstrate the high art of bronze casting. This hypothesis explains the form and complexity, but is difficult to reconcile with the large number of finds. There are now around 50 different suggestions as to the function of the dodecahedron. Due to the considerable differences between the pieces, a standardised practical use of the dodecahedron as a tool or utensil cannot be assumed.
A different approach: archaeology, mathematics and philosophy
In order to understand the dodecahedron and its symbolism, a joint approach of archaeology, mathematics and philosophy is necessary. Objects in the form of complex geometric shapes (so-called Platonic solids) and unknown functions can be found long before the Gallo-Roman period:
Scotland (Neolithic): Hundreds of stone balls about the size of a fist were found there with carved patterns that correspond in shape to the Platonic solids (e.g. the dodecahedron). These"carved stone balls" indicate an early developed sense of symmetry and symbolism. The origin, meaning and function of these stones are disputed, as is that of the dodecahedron.
Stone balls in the Ashmolean Museum
Latène period (pre-Roman Iron Age in Central Europe): Dodecahedron- and icosahedron-shaped objects made of bronze, stone or ceramics were found here - partly in northern Italy, Switzerland and southern Germany. Their shape is strongly reminiscent of the later Gallo-Roman pieces. The dokeahedron is an unusual basic geometric shape that can also be found in natural form as a pyrite crystal, for example. Pyrite is an iron mineral that was used in the smelting of iron ore and may have inspired its reproduction in a variety of forms. This crystalline form of pyrite is mainly found in northern Italy.
Natural pyrite dodecahedron
Hellenistic world (from the 6th century BC): With the development of science, people attempted to explain the world and the cosmos in the divine order of mathematics and geometry. The followers of Pythagoras in southern Italy formed a community of scholars who believed they could recognise the order of the cosmos in 5 geometric figures ("Platonic solids"). The philosopher Plato assigned one of the regular solids to each of the four known elements (fire, air, water and earth). He assigned the fifth body, the dodecahedron, to the sky or "ether" - the invisible substance that is said to fill the cosmos. The Pythagoreans treated most of this knowledge as secret. The dodecahedron in particular was considered so important that its structure was only taught to initiates. According to a legend, a member of the community who revealed this knowledge was punished by the gods.
The 5 Platonic solids according to Keppler
According to Peter Werth, the pentagon and the shape of the pentagram (five-pointed star) constructed from it were unknown in the cultures of the Ancient Near East - i.e. in Babylon and Egypt - and in the Mycenaean cultural area before the time of the Pythagoreans. This leads to the conclusion that this geometric knowledge must have come to the Pythagoreans by other means.
This is indicated by the historian Zeller, among others, who cites a tradition according to which Pythagoras was taught by "Gallic druids". Alexander Polyhistor also reported at the beginning of the 1st century BC that Pythagoras had learnt from both the Gauls and the Brahmins in India. The supposition of the late antique philosopher Iamblichos, who located the origins of Pythagorean knowledge among the Celts and Iberians, goes in a similar direction. It was therefore apparently assumed that the knowledge of regular geometric solids - including the dodecahedron - could have travelled from northern Europe to southern Italy.
Conclusion:
Even in prehistoric times, objects were produced in geometric shapes whose use went beyond profane use and whose appearance was interpreted as perfect form. With the Platonic solids and the teachings of Pythagoras, these ancient views were summarised in a kind of scientific form, the philosophical teachings of which we can only comprehend with difficulty today.
As late as the 17th century, the astronomer Johannes Keppler used the Platonic solids to explain the geometric framework of the cosmos. For him, they combined astronomy, mathematics, theology and aesthetics to create a universal explanation of the world. The idea of the ether, i.e. the space surrounding the earth, in the form of a 12-sided cube can be found, for example, on the dodecahedron from Geneva, on which the 12 signs of the zodiac were arranged on each face.
Ancient dodecahedron with signs of the zodiac, Geneva
It is therefore obvious that the dodecahedron itself was greatly venerated and that it was used in cultic or religious contexts. This also explains the different sizes, weights and decorations, as the basic shape alone is relevant. The differently sized openings cannot be explained by this alone, but it is possible that the meaning here is to be found in the interplay of light incidence and shadow casting, in order to also give the sun, moon, day and night a place in the world view of the dodecahedron. Perhaps objects such as coins or votive objects were also inserted into the cube during ritual ceremonies. Cords could be stretched over the knots to cover the openings.
In conclusion, however, it must unfortunately be said that the riddle of the dodecahedron is still one of the great mysteries of antiquity and only new archaeological discoveries will expand our knowledge in this respect.
Lit.:
Faust, Sabine: Zwei neue Pentagondodekaeder aus Trier Grüll,Tibor: The Enigma of the Dodecahedron Guggenberger, Michael: Etwas Gewisses hievon zu bestimmen waere ein Gewagtes - 260 Jahre Dodekaeder-Forschung Werth, Peter: De Divina Proportione oder Über die fünf Platonischen Körper
