Roman Dice Cup / Fritillo

Details

Game playing was a huge part of Roman life, not only as a pastime but also as a means of learning strategies that would help on the battlefield. It is, therefore, little surprise that where you find Roman military camps and settlements, you find evidence of gaming.  

One of the items commonly found on Roman sites in various forms is dice cups, including ceramic cups such as this replica. Gamers would have used this small, wide-rimmed vessel to shake the dice before throwing them, presumably intended to eliminate any possible cheating.  

One of the archaeological finds we have referenced is an example from the National Archaeological Museum of Egnazia, where it is referred to as a Fritillo.

Materials

Terracotta clay

Dimensions

Approx. 135 mm tall, 80 mm diameter

Production

As with all my Museum Quality Replicas, we have made this pot, as the original would have been, entirely by hand from natural clay and using replicas of the types of tool that the ancient makers would have used. As each pot varies, you may not receive the same cup in the image, but you can be sure that your pot will be one of a kind due to the variations caused by the firing process. 

Postage

All items are sent using a second class postal service; if you wish to have an item sent first class, please contact me for a quote. Many Thanks