RECREATION OR DECORATION: WHAT WERE THE GLASS COUNTERS FROM POMPEII USED FOR?

What is it about?

The paper looks at a large group of small glass discs (over 500) found during excavations at Pompeii. Normally these are just casually assumed to be counters for playing board games. By analysing the colours, sizes and dates of the items, and comparing these data with known sets of gaming counters found in graves where they are accompanied by dice, it was possible to show that the majority were very unlikely to have been used in this way. Instead they are much more likely to have been used as decorative elements in furniture, stucco ceilings and the like.

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Why is it important?

It shows the dangers of assuming that just because an ancient object looks like a modern one, people used them in the same way as we might do. It also shows we've probably been ignoring an important element of interior design at Pompeii.