Berkeley Lecture: "Casino Royale in ancient skyscrapers? On recent finds from Roman tower houses in Tuna el-Gebel"

Department of Near Eastern Studies
254 Barrows Hall

Monday, January 25, 2016, 4-6 PM

Franziska Naether
University of Leipzig
Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, NYU)

Casino Royale in ancient skyscrapers?
On recent finds from Roman tower houses in Tuna el-Gebel

In recent campaigns in Tuna el-Gebel (Ashmunein/Hermoupolis Magna), several
six-sided dice have been unearthed. These have been found in settlements of
tower houses close to the temple, and the archaeological evidence suggests
that these houses must have been priestly properties. The dice are small and
of simple material, and may have been manipulated. In my talk, I wish to
compare them with other dice found in Egypt and elsewhere in the Roman Empire,
link them with Greek and Egyptian documents of cult practices and discuss the
options for their possible utilization: were they intended for games,
gambling, or religious practice?

Sponsored by the Center for the Tebtunis Papyri and the Department of Near
Eastern Studies

Contact: rita.lucarelli@berkeley.edu