In Belarus, archaeologists have uncovered a bone gaming die dating back approximately 450 years, as reported by SB.by. The artifact was found during excavations of the remains of a noble estate in the Vitebsk region, specifically within the layer of a burned building from the second half of the 16th century.
According to researchers, such finds are quite rare in Belarusian archaeology. The term 'nobility' referred to the privileged noble class of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which included lands of modern-day Belarus during that era.
In the 16th century, dice games were popular across Europe, including in Belarusian territories. Participants would roll one or more dice, and the outcome depended on the points rolled. Players could wager money and other valuables.
Preliminary findings suggest that the estate was burned by the troops of Ivan the Terrible during the Livonian War, between 1563 and 1579. In addition to the die, archaeologists also unearthed fragments of foreign pottery, indicating trade connections between the estate's owners and cities like Polotsk and Riga.
Experts plan to continue their research to learn more about the lives of the estate's inhabitants and clarify the circumstances surrounding its destruction.