A rare collection of astragals - bones for playing and divination from the Hellenistic period (2,300 years ago) was discovered by the site's excavator, Dr. Ian Stern, in the Marsha-Beit Govrin National Park in the Judean Lowlands. The findings were first published in the British magazine "LEVANT".
The rare collection has been studied in recent years by Dr. Lee Perry Gal from the Antiquities Authority, Prof. Adi Ehrlich from the Zinman Institute of Archeology at the University of Haifa, Dr. Avner Aker from the Department of AI Studies and Archeology at Bar Ilan University, and Dr. Ian Stern from the Biblical Institute and Antiquities by Nelson Glick at Hebrew Union College.
The origin of the collection, which was discovered in the early 2000s, in the underground spaces found under the ancient city of Marsha.
Some of the Astragalus were found near an altar, photo: Dr. Ian Stern
Like a modern day board game
These are 530 items - ankle bones of goats and sheep, similar in shape to a cube, intended to be used as game and worship cubes by women and children.
Some of the cubes were polished, perforated, and poured to contain lead, this for the purpose of casting them in an optimal way.
Dozens of the bones bore inscriptions in Greek: some of them were engraved with the names of gods and goddesses related to the wishes of the heart of everyday life in antiquity.
Among other things, the names of the gods Aphrodite, the goddess of fertility, love and beauty, the god Eros - the god of love, the god Hermes, the goddess Hera and the goddess Nika - the goddess of victory, were engraved.
On another part of the bones in the collection were written game instructions, or roles in the game, such as: "Robber", "Stop", "Burn".
Dr. Lee Perry-Gal, an archaeozoologist at the Israel Antiquities Authority and a research fellow at the University of Haifa, stated that "the collection of Astragalus from Marsha is rare and special in terms of the quantity and quality of the engravings on the bones.
The collection indicates that just like today, in times of distress, people looked for answers in external factors, in witchcraft and in the occult worlds.
In ancient times, people - and women in particular, faced an environment of uncertainty, death in childbirth and health problems, so they tried to protect themselves with the help of magic."
Dr. Lee Perry-Gal and the Astragali, photo: Yuli Schwartz, Antiquities Authority
Dr. Perry-Gal further added and said that "in addition, it is known that these dice were also used for playing;
It is interesting to note that examples of children's burials with game blocks of this type are known worldwide.
The cubes, which were a significant game object, were intended to pass with the children to the next world and be used by them there.
Since the Astragali symbolized luck, they also used to bury them at the doorstep of the house, in the hope that they would bring a blessing."
"Engage in leisure and pleasure"
It is interesting to note that a large part of these bones were found next to ostracones (inscriptions engraved or written in ink on clay) in Aramaic, which carried a "spell formula/condition" - "If you do this, something like this will happen to you".
The findings strengthen the conclusion that the astragals were used in many cases in the magical divination ceremony, and not only for the game.
Dr. Perry-Gal: "Marsha was one of the melting pots of the southern Levant.
Different cultures lived in it, neighboring and subject to the Hellenistic rule.
Reds, Phoenicians, Nabateans and Jews lived there, and the cultures influenced each other."
"Shedding light on the ways of life in the ancient world".
Escozido, director of the Antiquities Authority (archives), photo: Yaniv Berman, Antiquities Authority
Director of the Antiquities Authority, Eli Escozido: "The fascinating research sheds light on the ways of life in the ancient world, and reminds us all that people are people; they dream, they hope, and despite all the daily difficulties, they also engage in leisure and pleasure."
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