A groundbreaking discovery indicates that Native American hunter-gatherers were creating and employing dice more than 12 millennia ago, predating the emergence of comparable implements in other parts of the world by thousands of years. Referred to as “binary lots,” these bone artifacts functioned similarly to early coins, generating unpredictable results for various games of chance. Recent research highlights that these weren’t merely incidental items but rather meticulously crafted instruments, widely employed across diverse Native American regions and cultures.
Ancient Bone Dice Reveal 12,000-Year History of Gambling in America
By Rupert Blackwood
Investigative journalist based in Sheffield, focusing on technology's impact on society. Rupert specializes in cybercrime's effect on communities, from online fraud targeting elderly residents to cryptocurrency scams. His reporting examines social media manipulation, digital surveillance, and how criminal networks operate in cyberspace. With expertise in computer systems, he connects technical complexity with real-world consequences for ordinary people