I’ve been in the process for some time now, of writing a book of dice games. Although time has been my enemy on more than one occasion, I feel that there is definitely light to be seen at the end of this very long, very dark tunnel. Here is a portion of the foreword of my forthcoming book:
Being a Brief History of Dice
Dice are likely the oldest gaming instruments known to man. The actual origin of dice is unknown, but the long & rich history of dice is quite colourful. The Greek philosopher-poet, Sophocles (496—406 BC) claimed that dice were invented by Palamedes during the Greek siege of Troy. While Herodotus (484 - ? B.C.), an historian and acquaintance of Sophocles made the assertion that dice were invented by the Lydians of Asia Minor. Physical evidence exists, however, that places dice in the hands of Egyptians circa 6000 BC making them considerably older than either Sophocles or Herodotus thought. Further evidence seems to point to the independent development of dice by ancient cultures throughout the world. In days long past, the throw of a die was not just considered to be luck; the outcome was believed to have been controlled or contrived by the gods. Therefore the casting of a die or dice became a method of means for politicians, lawyers, soothsayers and many other diverse peoples from all layers of life. The throw of the dice, in the Roman world, was looked over by Fortuna, the daughter of Zeus, who determined the final outcome of the throw. Gamblers, still today, beseech Lady Luck to guide their throws. Long before dice became standardized, ancient peoples would use fruit seeds (tamarind, pomegranate &c.), sets of sticks, sea shells, nut shells, or whatever natural items they had to hand. The next evolutionary step for dice was the use of animal knucklebones. The Greeks & Romans used sheep anklebones which were four-sided in shape. Even today we still refer to the cast of the dice as “rolling the bones.” These Tali or Astaragali (the Roman names for knucklebones) were used alongside the more recognizable Tesserae (six-sided dice decorated with counting dots)…
There is more, but you’ll have to wait for the book. 
Thank you for reading.
KyleC
Ludo Ergo Sum
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