Astragalomania

Historically interpreted primarily as gaming pieces, astragali are among the most recognisable yet frequently misunderstood objects in ancient material culture. This volume challenges established interpretations through an interdisciplinary study of written sources, iconography, and archaeological evidence. Eleven contributions by international scholars explore the diverse contexts and meanings of astragali across the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian worlds. The editor’s comprehensive introduction and critical afterword provide the overarching interpretative framework for studies of ritual and sacrifice, funerary practices, medicine and healing, protection, divination, visual culture, and the reproduction of astragali’s distinctive form in alternative materials. Rather than assigning astragali a single, stable function, the volume examines how their meanings and uses were shaped by specific historical and cultural contexts. By questioning conventional classifications, it advances a broader understanding of the relationship between bone, body, and material culture in antiquity.