{"id":4545,"date":"2026-04-05T22:25:47","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T22:25:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/use-the-evidence-morphological-criteria-show-ice-age-native-americans-used-two-sided-dice-12800-years-ago\/"},"modified":"2026-04-05T22:25:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T22:25:47","slug":"use-the-evidence-morphological-criteria-show-ice-age-native-americans-used-two-sided-dice-12800-years-ago","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/use-the-evidence-morphological-criteria-show-ice-age-native-americans-used-two-sided-dice-12800-years-ago\/","title":{"rendered":"Use the evidence: Morphological criteria show Ice Age Native Americans used two\u2011sided dice 12,800 years ago"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!--NACM_LINK_HIGHLIGHT_HOVER_CSS--><\/p>\n<style>\n\/* ===============================\n   NACM HIGHLIGHT ITEM HOVER\n   =============================== *\/\n.nacm-highlight-item{\n  transition: box-shadow .25s ease, transform .25s ease;\n}\n.nacm-highlight-item:hover{\n  box-shadow:0 14px 34px rgba(0,0,0,0.22) !important;\n  transform: translateY(-1px);\n}\n<\/style>\n<p><!--NACM_LINK_DEFAULT_HOVER_CSS--><\/p>\n<style>\n\/* ===============================\n   NACM DEFAULT LINK BOX HOVER\n   =============================== *\/<\/p>\n<p>\/* \u2705 \uae30\ubcf8\ud615 \ubc15\uc2a4 hover: \uadf8\ub9bc\uc790 \uac15\ud654 (inline box-shadow\ub3c4 \ub36e\uc5b4\uc500) *\/\n.nacm-link-wrapper .nacm-link-box{\n  transition: box-shadow .25s ease, transform .25s ease;\n}\n.nacm-link-wrapper .nacm-link-box:hover{\n  box-shadow:0 14px 32px rgba(0,0,0,0.18) !important;\n}<\/p>\n<p>\/* \u2705 \uae30\ubcf8\ud615 \ub9c1\ud06c hover: \uc0c9\uc0c1 \ubcc0\uacbd (WP \uc804\uc5ed a:hover \ub36e\uc5b4\uc500) *\/\n.nacm-link-wrapper a.nacm-link{\n  transition: color .2s ease;\n}\n.nacm-link-wrapper a.nacm-link:hover{\n  color:#1e88ff !important;\n  text-decoration:none !important;\n}\n<\/style>\n<p><!--NACM_STRONG_CSS--><\/p>\n<style>\n.nacm-strong{\n  font-weight: normal;\n  text-decoration: underline;\n  text-decoration-color: #e53935;\n  text-decoration-thickness: 2.5px;\n  text-underline-offset: 3px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<p>New morphological analysis of artifacts from Folsom\u2011period sites shows that <strong class=\"nacm-strong\">Native<\/strong> American groups on the western Great Plains made and used two\u2011sided \u201cbinary lots\u201d in structured games roughly 12,800\u201312,200 years ago. This finding changes how scholars and curators should evaluate claims about the origins of <strong class=\"nacm-strong\">dice<\/strong> and early probabilistic practice.<\/p>\n<h2>What the artifacts are and where they came from<\/h2>\n<p>The objects identified are two\u2011sided gaming pieces \u2014 called binary lots \u2014 usually carved from bone or wood and marked so each face reads differently when thrown. Archaeologists applying the new criteria have confirmed just over 600 such pieces from 57 sites across 12 U.S. states, with key finds coming from Folsom\u2011period sites in Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. The dated range (about 12,800\u201312,200 years before present) places them roughly 6,000 years earlier than the earliest known dice from Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley.<\/p>\n<p>These pieces were not cube dice but small, handheld tokens thrown together; players counted how many pieces landed on a particular face. That binary outcome system resembles a multi\u2011coin toss rather than the multi\u2011faced dice familiar from later Old World contexts.<\/p>\n<h2>How a morphological checklist altered artifact classification<\/h2>\n<p>Doctoral researcher Robert Madden at Colorado State University developed a systematic morphological test by returning to ethnographic records: he used a 1907 documentation of 293 historic Native American dice sets as the baseline checklist. Applying that checklist to museum collections and existing excavated objects allowed previously ambiguous artifacts to be reassessed against visible, repeatable criteria\u2014distinct face treatments, consistent size ranges, grouped recovery patterns, and characteristic wear consistent with repeated throwing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"nacm-desktop-only\">\n<div class=\"nacm-link-wrapper\" style=\"width:90%;margin:28px auto;\">\n<div class=\"nacm-link-box-title\" style=\"font-size:0.9em;font-weight:800;margin:0 0 12px 4px;letter-spacing:0.3px;\">You May Also Like<\/div>\n<style>\n\/* \u2705 \uce74\ub4dc \uac1c\ubcc4 hover *\/\n.nacm-card-item{\n  transition: box-shadow .25s ease;\n}\n.nacm-card-item:hover{\n  box-shadow:0 14px 30px rgba(0,0,0,.18);\n}<\/p>\n<p>\/* \uc774\ubbf8\uc9c0 \ud655\ub300 *\/\n.nacm-card-item .nacm-card-img{\n  overflow:hidden;\n}\n.nacm-card-item .nacm-card-img img{\n  transition:transform .35s ease;\n}\n.nacm-card-item:hover .nacm-card-img img{\n  transform:scale(1.06);\n}<\/p>\n<p>\/* \ud0c0\uc774\ud2c0 \uc0c9\uc0c1 *\/\n.nacm-card-item .nacm-card-title a{\n  transition:color .25s ease;\n}\n.nacm-card-item:hover .nacm-card-title a{\n  color:#1e88ff !important;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"nacm-link-box nacm-link-box--card\" style=\"border:1px solid #e5e7eb;border-radius:16px;padding:18px;background:#fff;\">\n<div class=\"nacm-card-item\" style=\"display:flex;gap:18px;align-items:stretch;border-radius:14px;overflow:hidden;border:1px solid #eef0f3;\">\n<div class=\"nacm-card-img\" style=\"flex:0 0 40%;max-width:40%;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/man-in-black-long-sleeve-shirt-holding-smartphone.webp\" alt=\"AI Is Creating Clear Winners in Gaming \u2014 Caesars, Brightstar and Studios Reveal the Divide\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;display:block;\" \/><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:14px 16px;flex:1;min-width:0;\">\n<div class=\"nacm-card-title\" style=\"font-size:1.08em;font-weight:800;line-height:1.25;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/ai-is-creating-clear-winners-in-gaming-caesars-brightstar-and-studios-reveal-the-divide\/\" target=\"_self\" style=\"text-decoration:none;\">AI Is Creating Clear Winners in Gaming \u2014 Caesars, Brightstar and Studios Reveal the Divide<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-top:6px;font-size:0.9em;line-height:1.45;color:#6b7280;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-line-clamp:2;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;overflow:hidden;\">AI adoption is already creating distinct winners in gaming: operators that combine large customer datasets, regulated transparency, and disciplined oversight (Caesars, Brightstar, major studios) are seeing measurable gains, while other firms face labor friction and looming regulatory tests around wagering, bonuses and withdrawals. Where AI has delivered measurable business outcomes Caesars Entertainment has used AI [&hellip;]<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n@media (max-width:768px){\n  .nacm-desktop-only{display:none!important;}\n  .nacm-mobile-only{display:block!important;}\n}\n@media (min-width:769px){\n  .nacm-mobile-only{display:none!important;}\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"nacm-mobile-only\" style=\"width:92%;margin:16px auto;\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/ai-is-creating-clear-winners-in-gaming-caesars-brightstar-and-studios-reveal-the-divide\/\" target=\"_self\" style=\"text-decoration:none;\"><\/p>\n<div style=\"\n    display:flex;\n    gap:10px;\n    align-items:center;\n    padding:10px;\n    border:1px solid #e0e0e0;\n    border-radius:6px;\n    margin-bottom:10px;\n    background:#fff;\n  \"><br \/>\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/man-in-black-long-sleeve-shirt-holding-smartphone.webp\" alt=\"AI Is Creating Clear Winners in Gaming \u2014 Caesars, Brightstar and Studios Reveal the Divide\" style=\"\n      width:64px;\n      height:64px;\n      object-fit:cover;\n      border-radius:4px;\n      flex-shrink:0;\n    \"><\/p>\n<div style=\"\n      font-size:14px;\n      font-weight:600;\n      line-height:1.4;\n      color:#111;\n      display:-webkit-box;\n      -webkit-line-clamp:2;\n      -webkit-box-orient:vertical;\n      overflow:hidden;\n    \">AI Is Creating Clear Winners in Gaming \u2014 Caesars, Brightstar and Studios Reveal the Divide<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p>That method matters because many of the objects had sat in collections without confident classification. Madden\u2019s approach turned qualitative ethnographic descriptions into explicit diagnostic conditions; the result was confirmation of more than 600 binary lots across dozens of sites, which strengthens continent\u2011wide interpretation rather than relying on a single site or anecdote.<\/p>\n<h2>Games, social function, and contrast with Old World gambling<\/h2>\n<p>Contextual evidence indicates these pieces were used in one\u2011on\u2011one contests without any institutional \u201chouse\u201d advantage. Excavation contexts and associated artifacts suggest the games functioned as neutral, rule\u2011governed mechanisms for social exchange, alliance\u2011building, and communication between groups with limited regular contact. Unlike later commercial gambling systems, the archaeological signature points to gifting and reciprocal social processes rather than marketized wagering.<\/p>\n<p>Comparatively, Old World dice traditions that appear millennia later are embedded in different material forms and socio\u2011economic settings; Mesopotamian and Indus examples are often six\u2011faced or multi\u2011faced and enter historical records in courtly, administrative, or ritual contexts. The Ice Age evidence therefore represents an independent emergence of repeatable randomization devices and social practices around chance, not a simple diffusion from the Old World.<\/p>\n<h2>How to read a putative &#8220;dice&#8221; \u2014 a quick decision checklist for researchers and curators<\/h2>\n<p>When deciding whether an object should be cataloged as a gaming piece, use multiple, coordinated signals rather than a single attribute. Below is a concise comparison of diagnostic signals, their implications for interpretation, and practical thresholds for museum or publication action.<\/p>\n<div class=\"nacm-image-wrapper\" style=\"width:90%;margin:28px auto;border-radius:18px;overflow:hidden;box-shadow:0 16px 36px rgba(0,0,0,0.22);\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/a-group-of-native-american-men-standing-next-to-each-other.webp\" alt=\"a group of native american men standing next to each other\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" \/><\/div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #888;\">\n<tr>\n<th style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Signal<\/th>\n<th style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">What it implies<\/th>\n<th style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Action \/ Confidence threshold<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Distinct face treatments (paint, incision, burn)<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Deliberate two\u2011state design for binary outcomes<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">If present, flag as candidate; proceed to context check<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Grouped recovery (multiple pieces in one locus)<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Used together in games rather than single utilitarian tools<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Strong support; elevate to probable gaming set<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Wear patterns consistent with throwing<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Repeated handling and impact, not tool use<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Increases confidence; combine with face treatment<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Associated radiocarbon dates \/ stratigraphy<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Places artifacts in cultural sequence and enables comparisons<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Required for chronological claims; without it, classify cautiously<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Ethnographic analogues or historic sets<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Provides behavioral model and morphological reference<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #888; padding:6px;\">Essential for converting candidate to confirmed using Madden\u2019s checklist<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Short Q&amp;A for immediate questions<\/h3>\n<p><strong>How certain are the dates?<\/strong> The date range (~12,800\u201312,200 BP) comes from stratigraphic associations at Folsom contexts and calibrated radiocarbon results tied to the sites where the pieces were found; individual pieces without direct dating should be treated as provisional.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Are these the same as modern six\u2011sided dice?<\/strong> No. These are binary lots intended to produce two outcomes per piece; players scaled probability by throwing groups of pieces rather than relying on multi\u2011faced geometry.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Does this mean formal probability theory existed here?<\/strong> Not formalized mathematical theory, but the archaeological pattern shows intentional, repeatable engagement with randomness and scalable outcomes\u2014practical probabilistic reasoning that predates Old World examples by millennia.<\/p>\n<p>Next research checkpoints: investigate how variations in shape, material, and marking across sites affected game rules and social roles, and work directly with tribal communities to situate continuity and meaning. For anyone writing about origins, the practical test is simple: apply morphological and contextual criteria before attributing invention or primacy to any single region.<\/p>\n<div class=\"nacm-link-wrapper\" style=\"width:90%;margin:28px auto;\">\n<div class=\"nacm-link-box-title\" style=\"font-size:0.9em;font-weight:800;margin:0 0 12px 4px;letter-spacing:0.3px;\">Additional Resources<\/div>\n<div class=\"nacm-highlight-item\" style=\"display:flex;background:#ffffff;border-radius:12px;overflow:hidden;margin:10px 0;box-shadow:0 6px 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.15);transition:box-shadow .25s ease, transform .25s ease;\">\n<div style=\"flex:0 0 6px;background:#00d9ff;border-top-left-radius:12px;border-bottom-left-radius:12px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:14px 16px;display:flex;align-items:center;line-height:1.45;min-height:56px;background:#ffffff;\"><a class=\"nacm-link\" href=\"https:\/\/arstechnica.com\/science\/2026\/04\/ice-age-dice-show-early-native-americans-may-have-understood-probability\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"font-size:0.82em;font-weight:600;color:#1a1a1a;line-height:1.45;text-decoration:none;\">Ice Age dice show early Native Americans may have understood probability &#8211; Ars Technica<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"nacm-highlight-item\" style=\"display:flex;background:#ffffff;border-radius:12px;overflow:hidden;margin:10px 0;box-shadow:0 6px 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.15);transition:box-shadow .25s ease, transform .25s ease;\">\n<div style=\"flex:0 0 6px;background:#00d9ff;border-top-left-radius:12px;border-bottom-left-radius:12px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:14px 16px;display:flex;align-items:center;line-height:1.45;min-height:56px;background:#ffffff;\"><a class=\"nacm-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.earth.com\/news\/dice-games-of-chance-were-invented-by-native-north-americans-12000-years-ago\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"font-size:0.82em;font-weight:600;color:#1a1a1a;line-height:1.45;text-decoration:none;\">Dice and games of chance are traced way back to the Last Ice Age &#8211; Earth.com<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"nacm-highlight-item\" style=\"display:flex;background:#ffffff;border-radius:12px;overflow:hidden;margin:10px 0;box-shadow:0 6px 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.15);transition:box-shadow .25s ease, transform .25s ease;\">\n<div style=\"flex:0 0 6px;background:#00d9ff;border-top-left-radius:12px;border-bottom-left-radius:12px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:14px 16px;display:flex;align-items:center;line-height:1.45;min-height:56px;background:#ffffff;\"><a class=\"nacm-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/native-americans-were-gambling-12000-years-ago-study-finds-ice-age-dice-identified\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"font-size:0.82em;font-weight:600;color:#1a1a1a;line-height:1.45;text-decoration:none;\">Native Americans Were Gambling 12,000 Years Ago, Study Finds \u2013 Ice Age \u2018Dice\u2019 Identified<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New morphological analysis of artifacts from Folsom\u2011period sites shows that Native American groups on the western Great Plains made and used two\u2011sided \u201cbinary lots\u201d in structured games roughly 12,800\u201312,200 years ago. This finding changes how scholars and curators should evaluate claims about the origins of dice and early probabilistic practice. What the artifacts are and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4543,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1822,1825,1821,1828,1823,1819,1827,1820,1826,1824],"class_list":["post-4545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-ancient-gaming-pieces","tag-archaeological-games","tag-binary-lots","tag-colorado-state-university","tag-early-dice-origins","tag-folsom-period","tag-morphological-analysis","tag-native-american-artifacts","tag-prehistoric-gambling","tag-probabilistic-practice"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4545"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4545\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4543"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blockchaincasinohub.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}