Roman Dodecahedron

History · Finds

The Gold Dodecahedra of Óc Eo, Vietnam

Key points

  • Smaller gold dodecahedra with the same holes and knobs have been found in Southeast Asia, along the Maritime Silk Road.[W]
  • Examples were uncovered at Óc Eo, Vietnam, by Louis Malleret.[W][MAL]
  • Similar gold dodecahedra are known from Burma, China, India and Thailand.[W][DRAG]

The objects

They share the features of the Roman bronzes, holes and corner knobs, but are smaller and made of gold. The earliest appear to date from the Roman period.[W]

Malleret's conclusion

Louis Malleret, who excavated at Óc Eo, concluded that the objects reflected the influence of Mediterranean trade on the economy of Funan, the early kingdom of the Mekong delta.[W][MAL]

Gold vs bronze

Óc Eo typeGallo-Roman
MaterialGold[W]Copper alloy[W]
SizeSmaller[W]4–11 cm[W]
WhereSoutheast and South Asia[W][DRAG]North-western Roman provinces[W]

What we don't know

Our sources do not say whether the Asian pieces had the same use as the Gallo-Roman ones, or whether they copy them. Treat the link as an open question. For other relatives see the Roman icosahedron page.

FAQ

Has a Roman dodecahedron been found in Vietnam?

Not a bronze Gallo-Roman one, but smaller gold dodecahedra with holes and knobs were found at Óc Eo.

Who found them?

They were uncovered by the archaeologist Louis Malleret.

Sources

  1. [W] Wikipedia, “Roman dodecahedron” (accessed Oct 2026)
  2. [MAL] L. Malleret, Artibus Asiae 24, 1961 (cited by Wikipedia for the Óc Eo dodecahedra)
  3. [DRAG] P. Dragonidesová, “Mysterium Insolutum. Fragments of Roman Dodecahedrons from Hurbanovo and Chotín”, Študijné zvesti AÚ SAV, Suppl. 3, 2025

Want a Gallo-Roman dodecahedron on your desk? Our bronze dodecahedron replica is cast by the lost-wax method.