Getty Museum

Astragalos

Date

2nd–1st century B.C.

Medium

Bronze

Culture

Greek

Department

Implements

Institution

Getty Museum

One of the most popular toys among Greek children in antiquity was the astragalos, or knucklebone. Typically, the anklebone from the hind leg of a goat or sheep's was used. But this piece is made of bronze, molded to look like a real knucklebone from an animal. Children rolled astragaloi like dice. Each side was given a unique numerical value. Like modern dice, the values on opposite sides of the toy added up to seven. In other games, players attempted to knock an opponent's knucklebones out of the center of a circle, or throw their own knucklebones in the air, catching them on the back of their hand, like jacks.

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