Long description:

The book focuses on the interpretation of astragals, frequently unearthed in archaeological contexts and generally considered as plays, according to an established methodological approach, almost exclusively connected to children. The volume contains a collection of original papers offering different perspectives in exploring this class of evidence and illuminating a range of other important themes related to these finds. An introduction, written by the editor, will outline the status of research, the current debate on astragals and challenge the traditional established tradition. A few articles will cast light on the actual and symbolic purposes of these objects in the ancient Greek world, in a wide chronological and geographical range; a further section, in a chronologically-ordered sequence, will highlight case studies from archaeological contexts in the ancient Mediterranean (from the Late Bronze Age to the Roman times). The aim is to demonstrate the potential from a contextual analysis of these finds. In this perspective, the publication represents a fundamental step in investigating this field, filling a gap in archaeological studies and providing clear evidence of both the complexity and ambiguity of ancient ritual customs in relation to knucklebones.