Archeonaut - APT Basilicata

TheArchaeologicalNational Museum inMarateaVia Sotto il Campanile Maggiore - Palazzo De Lietotel (+39) 0973 877676The Archaeological Museum in MarateaTHE FORERUNNERS OF DICEThe luckiest was the Venus throw: fourdifferent sides of the four knucklebonesthrown on the table. The Greeks andRomans loved games, especially ifbetting was involved, and knucklebones(played with small bones from thelower limbs of goats or rams) wasplayed by all, children, adults, and evenby women.It seems to even have been a must tocarry knucklebones with you in a leatherbag hung from your belt. And Venus, thegoddess of beauty, born from the waters,was the protectress of sailors. This mustcertainly be the reason why a faithfulreproduction of the Venus throw wasfound stamped in relief on the shank ofan anchor fished up from the water inMaratea, and VENUS can clearly be readon another.73