At least 12,000 years ago, humans engaged in gambling activities–far earlier than previously assumed. New research has identified evidence from Ice Age artifacts suggesting early Native American groups played games of chance long before similar practices became widespread in Old World societies.
These “dice” were found among objects utilized by hunter-gatherer cultures from the western Great Plains region and challenge the notion that dice and probabilities first originated exclusively among ancient Old World civilisations.
Reinterpreting Ancient Artifacts
Previous studies had identified ancient dice from Mesopotamia and Indus Valley dating back approximately 5,500 years as tools used for gambling or games of chance, yet this new research examined artifacts much older that hadn’t previously been recognized as gambling tools or used in games of chance.
Study’s lead researcher focused on existing museum collections rather than unearthing new finds. By reviewing records of Native American dice collected during the early 1900s, a checklist was devised highlighting characteristics such as shape and markings as well as whether an object was designed to produce random results.
This checklist was applied to hundreds of artifacts across western United States. Through careful review of archaeological reports and museum archives, more than 600 items met all criteria of dice.
Distinctive Forms of Early Dice
These ancient objects differed greatly from what most of us are familiar with today–from animal bones split by animals themselves to uneven pieces marked with flattening on one side; all serving to produce random outcomes when thrown, thus producing randomness.
The Social Role of Games of Chance
Indigenous North American cultures that followed often linked games relying on chance with social gatherings, storytelling traditions and beliefs concerning luck or fate.
Gaming was much more than mere entertainment: these ancient communities used games of chance as important social mechanisms. Such games created rules-based environments for interactions among various groups to occur: they served as neutral spaces where goods and information exchanged were allowed freely; alliances formed; uncertainty managed. Therefore, gambling served an invaluable purpose within ancient communities.
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