Dice

The oldest dice found by archaeologists date back 8,000 years. These dice consisted of fruit pits, seashells, or rocks. Later on, bone was used. The ankle bones from hoofed animals were flat on four sides and rounded on two sides, allowing the dice to land on a flat side. These early dice were not used by people playing games, but instead were used by religious shamans who used the dice to tell the future.

Dice first appeared in a board game in Ur, Mesopotamia about 3000 B.C. The modern six-sided dice with dots for numbers appeared in Mesopotamia about 1300 B.C. Dice games became commonplace and have been played continuously from these ancient times up until present day.

Dice come in all shapes and sizes with any number of sides. They may display numbers, letters, symbols, or pictures. Collectors search for several different types of specialty dice, including multi-sided dice used in role playing games, Braille dice for the visually impaired, and fortune-telling dice. Casino dice are a popular collecting category, as are dice with celebrity likenesses or advertising dice. Holiday dice and sports dice depicting different sports teams are also popular.

Quick Facts

• In the 18th century, a dice game played in England was called "crabs," which stood for a pair of ones. The game was taught to the French, who called the game "craps"
• The world's largest dice collection is owned by Kevin Cook of the United States. Kevin made it into the Guinness Book of World Records in 2004, and as of August 2011, had enlarged his collection to 35,000 dice
• The smallest dice for sale measure 0.3 mm per side. Made of brass and sold by the Iriso Seimitsu company of Japan, the dice sell for $880 each