2026-09-18 21:14 UTC
My preferred theory is that it identifies the bearer as belonging to a group something like a smithies guild.
If there was a practical function someone would have figured it out. It’s a lame candle holder, coin counter, and glove knitting template. It’s function is symbolic.
It was hard to make, and the materials were costly.
It has specific features that can be described like “it has 12 flat faces with holes” but would be difficult to construct if you had never seen one.
They have often been found with caches of coins, but often found alone as though forgotten or discarded. They had value to some people but they were not treasure.
Replies (2)
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@WoodScientist@lemmy.world 2026-09-19 01:24
In other words, they were masterpieces in the original meaning of the word. Masterpiece originally meant not just some great or acclaimed work, but something much more specific. It was the work a guild artisan would use to demonstrate their ultimate skill and earn the title of Master. It was the craftsman equivalent of an academic dissertation. For a specific historical example, see columbine cup.
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@echodot@feddit.uk 2026-09-19 05:46
I’m just imagining a thousand years from now some archaeologists is trying to understand the technological purpose of the fidget spinner.