Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

Fig 100 Tile counters (1:2)
Diameter 51.5mm, thickness 15.0mm. The edge is only
partly ground, neither surface is abraded.
2485 Fig 100 SF LWC 2884, J696 F180. Road ditch. Period 4.
Diameter 58.0mm, thickness 16.0mm. A rough-out.
2487 Fig 100 SF LWC 2873, L260. Occupation. Period 4(3).
Diameter 47.0mm, thickness 14.0mm. The edge is smooth
and both surfaces are abraded.
2490 Fig 100 SF BKC 344, A31 L2. Topsoil. Post-Roman.
Diameter 60.0mm, thickness 16.0mm. The edge is smooth
and both surfaces are abraded. One surface shows the comb
decoration of a box tile. Along part of the edge of the other
surface are ten small notches. This could either be an
attempt at decoration, or could indicate a value given to the
counter.
STONE COUNTERS (Fig 101; 2496-2499)
Three stone counters similar in size to large pottery
counters were found. They were apparently made in a
way similar to that used for pottery roundels by
cutting down pieces of broken, or possibly spare, wall
veneer. These objects, then, are also probably
counters for board games, as is the small worn
pebble, 2499.
96
2496 Fig 101 SF BKC 197, A35 L3. Topsoil and town ditch (F16)
fill. Post-Roman. Brecciated pink and white marble. A
counter rough-out made from a piece of strip veneer
40.0mm wide. Thickness 9.5mm.
2497 Fig 101 SF BKC 2277, G1. Site cleaning. Unstratified.
?Purbeck stone. A counter with an edge ground smooth but
still irregularly-shaped. Diameter 48.5mm, thickness
16.0mm.
2498 Fig 101 SF BKC 2503, G376 F108. Pit. Period 5c.
?Sandstone. A counter with one smooth surface and one
rough. The edge is ground smooth but has been damaged.
Diameter 54.5 mm, thickness 7.5 mm.
Fig 101 Stone counters (1:2)
BONE DICE (Fig 102; 2500-2506)
2500. Fig 102 SF LWC 1092(C), B520. Make-up, dump, or floor.
Period 5. The numerals are marked by double ring-and-dot
motifs, and opposite faces add up to seven. Approximately
16.0 by 15.0 by 12.0mm.
2501 Fig 102 SF LWC 3141(C), J876. Gravel make-up. Period 4a.
A fragment-of a die made from a long bone. No attempt has
been made to avoid the marrow cavity. The numerals are
marked with double ring-and-dot motifs. The faces seem to
conform to the rule of opposite sides totalling seven. It is
difficult to guess where the central character of the face
showing 3 would have been placed, as it would normally fall
directly over the space of the marrow cavity. Perhaps a
character was placed in three of the four corners. The
surviving complete face measures 17.0 by 19.0 mm.
2502 Fig 102 SF BKC 221(C), A59. Post-Roman? A small worn die
with the characters marked by single ring-and-dot motifs.
Opposite faces total seven. 10.5 by I0.5 by 9.5 mm.
2503 Fig 102 SF BKC 5421, V729 L22. Dump. Late Period 5. The
numerals are marked by double ring-and-dot motifs.
Opposite faces total seven. 11.0 by 11.0 by 11.5 mm.
2504 Fig 102 SF BUC 1314, E623 F94. Pit/postpit. 4th or 5th
century. A large die, now in four fragments split along the
grain of the bone. The numerals are marked by double ringand-dot
motifs. Opposite sides total seven. 15.0 by 15.5 by
16.5 mm.
2505 Fig 102 SF BUC 1365, E652 L46. Destruction debris.
Probably first half of the 5th century. A large die, with the
characters marked by single ring-and-dot motifs. Opposite
sides total seven. It may be no coincidence that this piece
derives from the same layer as the bone convex counter Fig
94, 2281. 16.5 by 16.5 by 16.5 mm. This die is the only very
regular example recovered.
2506 Fig 102 A die, found by a machine operator, Mr Bill Yager, in
soil dumped near the Colchester Institute from the town
ditch at Balkerne Lane. Mr Yager kindly loaned the die so
that it could be drawn. The faceted cuboid shape of the die
probably implies that the object dates to the late 3rd or 4th
century. This shape would probably also allow the die to roll
very freely before coming to rest. The numerals are shown
by double ring-and-dot motifs. This piece is also interesting
in that it does not conform to the opposite sides total seven'
rule. The face usually representing 4 shows 5 and vice
versa. It seems that on the face that should represent 4, after