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Date: | Mon, 23 Oct 2000 10:53:02 -0500 |
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Not as large as you have described - but on farm sites we find smaller
pieces of ceramics (with legible marks and parts of pictures) which end up
as gizzard stones in chickens and other birds.
Stephen P. Austin
-----Original Message-----
From: Dr Robert V. J. P. Varman [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, October 23, 2000 10:39 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Ceramic gaming pieces
Dear Histarchers,
Does anyone know what sort of games were played with 'gaming pieces' made
from broken ceramics? The pieces I have excavated are usually around 25mm
in diameter and the jagged sides roughly rounded by rubbing against a
harder object. Generally they are made of any piece of transferware but in
one case a scene of an Oriental man was deliberately selected. I have found
larger specimens formed from the bases of cups (with scenes on the base of
the bowl), again, the edges rounded off. Several show signs of wear, as if
they had been smoothed down to slide easily on a board or table - or the
wear may be due to the activity of having been slid across a surface for
some time. Were they used for gambling or playing some sort of board game?
I have also found lead pieces of about 20mm - 25mm in diameter and thicker
than a coin, possibly for the same purpose, some imprinted with patterns in
low relief.
Regards, Robert
FAMILIE: http://www.geocities.com/Paris/LeftBank/6559/scc17.html O O
31 Wombat Street Berkeleyvale CentralCoast NSW Australia 2261 | \__/
Fax:+61 2 43898450 Email: [log in to unmask] ____/-(..)
1800s ceramics etc illust! Norfolk Island _/_____________/
Archaeology: http://www.geocities.com/Paris/LeftBank/6559/scc18.html
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