Megaliths to Modern Roulette: Unravelling Our Ancient Fascination with Chance
Submitted by Andy_B on Wednesday, 01 November 2023 Page Views: 734
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Although the term Megalithic geometry divides opinion within the scientific community, the assertion is that ancient civilisations used complex mathematical equations to create megastructures, including Stonehenge and the Pyramids.
According to a 2008 book by Oxford University landscape archaeologist, Anthony Johnson, it seems Stonehenge was built using advanced geometry long before Pythagoras championed its uses. As noted by Johnson, Stonehenge is an “87-metre diameter circle of chalk-cut pits which mark the points of a 56-sided polygon”.
He went on to say that a 56-sided polygon is the most complex shape that can be easily created through square and circle geometry, which is why Stonehenge is the way it is. Thus, we can infer from this that people behind Stonehenge understood geometry, at least to some degree.
There’s Always an Element of Chance in Megaliths
Why was that important? Well, if you’re going to balance large boulders on top of each other to create a monolith, you don’t want to leave things to chance. Of course, this is where the connection between mathematics and chance comes into play.Working out the correct alignment using mathematics is important, but there’s always an element of doubt, particularly when you’re dealing with large objects such as boulders. Therefore, while the Neolithic people who built Stonehenge were almost certainly using mathematics to guide their decisions, they were also leaving some things to chance.
We can say this with a relative degree of certainty because ancient artefacts show us that civilisations have been playing games of chance for centuries. For example, Burnt City, a place of archaeological significance in Iran, has thrown up a number of treasures, including two dice. . The dice date back to 2800-2500 BCE and historians think the dice may have been used for an early type of backgammon. Whether or not they were used for backgammon, or another game is up for debate. What’s clear is that ancient civilisations were using dice which, as we know, play the element of chance.
An Eternal Love of Numbers
Then, as we move through time, we can see how this deep-seated fascination with numbers and chance led to the creation of more games. Poker, blackjack, baccarat, bingo and, of course, roulette, have all evolved over the centuries and they’re still popular today. Indeed, turn on your computer or take out a smartphone and you can play an online simulation of popular casino games, including roulette. From digital adaptations of the classic table games to immersive iterations that feature live croupiers, on titles such as Lightning Roulette, there are dozens of ways to play roulette online.Why? Aside from being entertaining, these games call out to what we now know is a long-held love of numbers and chance. We can do the calculations for a game of roulette, poker or blackjack. We can use the odds to make decisions with the understanding that, to a greater or lesser extent, chance plays a part in the outcome.
This, as it transpires, is something we’ve been doing for centuries. We can see this in ancient megaliths, and we can see it in modern casino games. So, while the connection between Stonehenge and an online roulette table might not be obvious, it exists because of mathematics and chance. Please gamble responsibly.
You can explore more hypotheses relating to ancient maths and metronomy in our forum - here are a couple:
The HSMF (Harris and Stockdale Megalithic Foot) - proposed measurement for Megalithic Architecture
A Model of Ancient Monument Math and Metrology
