UC Berkeley Egyptology lecture: Casino Royale in ancient skyscrapers?

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.

Speaker: Franziska Naether, University of Leipzig