Scientists May Have Uncovered The World's Oldest Dice

Researchers applied a four-feature test to existing artifacts and identified 565 diagnostic dice across North America.

Some diagnostic pieces date to the Folsom culture about 12,200–12,800 years ago, and one probable piece may date to Clovis-era ~13,000 years ago.

The artifacts are two-sided wood or bone objects with distinct faces and sizes suitable for hand-throwing, suggesting use as randomizing game pieces.

If classified as dice, these North American artifacts predate comparable Old World examples by thousands of years.