Bronze Age Celtic Dice

What happens when an oak tree soaks in a swamp for thousands of years? It turns a sinister black as the evil of that dank, fetid water is absorbed into the fibers of the once-mighty oak. This bark is tremendously exquisite, it’s older than Methuselah dating back to the Bronze Age in a place that would one day become Ireland. And when a tree like this falls to meet the humid forest floors you can, in fact, hear a sound. Its the sound of gamers yet to be born, crying out with glee in anticipation of obtaining an epic level Bronze Age relic for their gaming table. Ancient Bog Oak is a stunning material steeped in history, literally steeped like a fine swamp flavored tea. However, we are Artisan Dice and we simply cannot work with such a material without pushing the boundaries of just how amazing it can be. So how do we do that? We scale up to our Big Ass dice, engrave them with a gorgeous Celtic Knot pattern and inlay the whole set with Bronze. The material dates back to the Bronze age, which if you hadn’t guessed, is characterized by the extensive use of Bronze. In particular, we acquired a batch of Irish Bog Oak and what better way to the back to such rich history than with the Celtic Knot pattern. We have all seen Celtic Knots used in various designs and artwork. The patterns have been adopted and spread over much of the world, particularly throughout what once was the Holy Roman Empire. They are most commonly seen adorning churches and ancient manuscripts. Typically a Celtic Knot is characterized by a single line twisted and laid upon itself in plaits, usually connecting back to their beginning to form a continuous loop. It is widely believed that this symbolized a the interconnectedness of life and eternity. Other uses and interpretations included ties to the land and the representation of an ever flowing river. Each die is engraved with a customized Knot pattern painstakingly hand drawn by the resident Art Minion. Each die even has an intricate Celtic animal drawn for the highest numbered face, each with its own symbolism and significance.

• The dragon, a mighty creature common to English and Welsh lore, is a creature of fire but also heavily associated with the land. Druids even viewed the Earth as the body of a massive dragon.
• The salmon, a creature of great wisdom, was said to have acquired its knowledge from eating the Nine Hazels of Wisdom that fell from the Tree of Knowledge. Many sea creatures are viewed as symbols of wisdom but the salmon was also said to be the oldest of living creatures as well.
• The crane, typically a symbol of change as a sign of or punishment for deception. Numerous myths speak of a dirty or other figure transformed into a crane, such as the Lady of the Lake, Side, or Munanna.
• The raven, most often associated with death but also used by the Druids in Augury. It was said to fly over Celtic battlefields as a god incarnate.
• The fox, crafty, cunning, and wise, it is also a symbol of passion and play. Often seen as a sign to follow ones goals.
• The goat, often depicted as the Horned God Cernnunos, is sometimes a symbol of nature.
• The snake, represents the cyclical nature of life, particularly due to the annual shedding of its skin. It is often a phallic symbol and symbol of the Triple Goddess.

Each set of these monumentally gorgeous dice is then secured in a Walnut box with its own knot work engraving on the top.