Dodecahedra Girl
@DodecahedraGirl
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AKA Lorena Hitchens. Archaeology postgrad student, dodecahedra-obsessive. #dodecahedron Follow me: FB: /dodecahedra.girl @dodecahedragirl @universeodon .co
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Joined August 2022
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Hello. I'm
@dodecahedragirl
, the leading expert on Roman dodecahedra in the UK. I have a long thread starting here about dodecahedra, but it’s also about attribution, ethics, belly buttons, misinformation, how science works, Joe Rogan, and the joy of discovery. Do bear with me…
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@stevenperkins
The Dirty Eleven.
The Wrong Pants Leg.
The Way I Was.
Child of a Lesser God.
The Theory of a Thing.
A Single Unfortunate Event.
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So pleased to be on Digging for Britain tonight with
@ndhags
and
@theAliceRoberts
! Check out the fantastic new dodecahedron find in Episode 4, Season 11. Airing at 8:00PM on
@BBCTwo
-- it's really special.
Photo credit: © Lorena Hitchens
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…They want attention. So let me be clear, no one has personally handled and evaluated more dodecahedra in the UK than me. Second-most would be the esteemed Lindsay Allason-Jones, who is one of my mentors. I find it very disappointing that the media doesn't do a little more…
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Presenting yourself as an expert in research that's not yours is unethical. Repeating my findings, including writings, photos and slides, without permission or attribution is unethical, and illegal. That’s copyright infringement, actionable civilly and sometimes criminally…
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homework in choosing "experts" to interview in my very narrow field. The first person to agree to speak on camera is not necessarily the right person. As has been said, opinions are like belly buttons, everybody's got one…But showing off your midriff doesn't make you an expert…
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…As for myself, I don't seek publicity and used to actively avoid it, because frankly, I need that time and energy for my own research. However, I’ve learned that if I don't speak up, other people will eagerly fill that space, with either uninformed nonsense or just because…
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…Briefly: the Norton Disney dodecahedron is large, it's in great condition, it's expertly made, it's complete, it was found in context, and all of that contributes to our knowledge of dodecahedra in a big way. Lots to celebrate: this artefact's of international importance...
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…
@ndhags
shows what community archaeology should be/can do - and with expert guidance from
@allenarchaeology
, I hope they’ll get some crucial dating evidence this summer as they complete their dig where that dodecahedron was found. I’ve supported their fundraising efforts too...
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…I was the specialist consultant on the Norton Disney dodecahedron. I appeared with Richard Parker of the
@ndhags
on Digging for Britain to discuss it. It's a remarkable find. NDHAG is an exemplary volunteer group…
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The real deal is so fun and exciting already; who needs pseudoscience and misinformation? Along those lines...I want to mention something here that I shared with
@FlintDibble
about his podcast episode on Joe Rogan. …contd next thread ⬇︎
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…of evidence. And that takes a long time. Years, years! of hard work; this is called "doing research" which may involve travel, it may involve experiments, lots of lab tests, etc. Literally, thousands of hours reading and writing. It's no joke…
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To avoid misinformation, ask yourself: who is the source of this content? Are they a specialist in this area with credentials? Have they put in the hard work? Do they have DATA to back it up, or are they just showing you their belly button?...
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…and Christopher Hitchens said claims made without evidence can be dismissed without evidence. If you've got a super duper theory and can back it up, I urge you to write it up and submit it to a peer-reviewed journal of Roman archaeology! Seriously!
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(Perhaps this is why people smarter than I have struggled researching dodecahedra? Ya think??) This is why I don't talk about my unpublished research. It’s still in process. When it's published, then you can cite that research when you argue against it…
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(OTOH, if you just discovered dodecahedra 5 minutes ago, it's prolly not necessary to urgently contact me to share your theory with me. Thanks.) But perhaps this could be a gateway to interest you in the many fascinating areas of research going on today, not just dodecahedra...
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The rise of the internet in the last 25 years, and particularly the anonymity aspect of it, means anyone can say anything without any evidence, or even without using their real name. I can't compete with that. I have to bring evidence to gain credibility within my profession…
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I strongly encourage everyone, young or old, who loves history and archaeology to get into it! Volunteer, join a group, and read good books. Take distance courses, maybe go back for a degree? Watch reputable videos and podcasts.
@FlintDibble
has a great list of resources.
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…interpreted that data and came to my conclusions. Then, you put it out there and have your supervisors and internal and external examiners grill you about it. Then you publish it, and your peers will have a go at your evidence. You need to back up your claims with the receipts.
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…but anyone at any time can claim that dodecahedra are from Mars, or whatever. I don't have time to debunk all these erroneous claims (often the same ones over and over), and I don't need to. Carl Sagan said extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence…
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…You may ask, why doesn't Lorena put her money where her mouth is and talk about her research, if she's such a smartypants expert? Here's why: Science is hard. When I submit my thesis, I have to support my conclusions with evidence. Facts. Data. A clear explanation of how I…
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…NDHAG's officers have done an excellent job of working with me to articulate accurate information about this dodecahedron and Roman dodecahedra in general. They understand the report that I gave them and stay on topic when they speak/write/tweet about this artefact…
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Thank you
@theAliceRoberts
- you are a true friend to dodecahedra research! ✴️
The Norton Disney dodecahedron continues to intrigue us - read some of the theories here:
And if you missed it - the bizarre object appeared on episode 4 of the latest series of Digging for Britain, with scholar
@DodecahedraGirl
trying to plumb its
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Apparently I found the limit on thread entries...this continues my previous thread...There was a moment in
@FlintDibble
's lengthy podcast episode with Joe Rogan that really choked me up…
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But again, citation is critical. It feels weird to complain about this to professionals in archaeology, as we should all know better, but apparently, it does need restating...
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…That's how publishing and scientific discourse works, and over time, this is how our body of knowledge grows and changes. Is it a perfect system? Well, it's based on evidence, the basis of the scientific method - the best we’ve got for finding objective truth. In the meantime..
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Now, if you're a civilian enthusiast and history buff who loves dodecahedra, awesome! They're wonderful intriguing objects. I share your enthusiasm. The Wikipedia page on them is not bad. You won't find much else, in English, for free, on the internet that's worth reading, sadly.
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…Why? Because there hasn't been much significant progress on dodecahedra research for a while, because they are fiendishly difficult to research. Which is why they're still mysterious. However, again, the void has been filled with some rampant speculation...
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(I have had to become an expert in IP protection lately, alas. See .) Yes, exceptions for students and research exist…
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@DrNWillburger
Speculation is fun, but that can also undermine legitimate research into these objects. I have to fight misinformation every day. Please,
@DrNWillburger
use your long reach for good..read my pinned post here:
Hello. I'm
@dodecahedragirl
, the leading expert on Roman dodecahedra in the UK. I have a long thread starting here about dodecahedra, but it’s also about attribution, ethics, belly buttons, misinformation, how science works, Joe Rogan, and the joy of discovery. Do bear with me…
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Throwing this out there for
#TombTuesday
. A dolmen tomb near my brother's house in Spain (Cova d'en Daina)
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About 3:12, Joe Rogan just has a lightbulb moment about seed domestication - he GETS IT. He gets the thrill of discovery, the JOY OF SCIENCE. Flint is beaming, because this is the THRILL OF TEACHING. In my experience, this is why we do all the slogging hard work…
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@WorldBollard
is my favourite tweeter once again
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(Thanks for reading this mega thread…as you may have guessed, it’s my first long thread, and it just took on a life of its own. Thanks to
@flintdibble
for the conversation yesterday, and again thanks everyone for reading this.)
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@romanhistory1
"Experts are baffled". Sigh. Pls see this thread:
Hello. I'm
@dodecahedragirl
, the leading expert on Roman dodecahedra in the UK. I have a long thread starting here about dodecahedra, but it’s also about attribution, ethics, belly buttons, misinformation, how science works, Joe Rogan, and the joy of discovery. Do bear with me…
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And here's Carmarthen!
Photo credit R. Nouwen
Since everyone is talking about the Norton Disney Dodecahedron here's the Fishguard Dodecahedron now at the British Museum.
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Who reminds me of the Rudston Venus
Who has a merman friend!
...and a patera. And animals.
While the hair reminds me of Venus of High Rochester (in the Great North Hancock Museum)
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…I wish I could share that joy with everyone. If you've been misled by misinformation/false experts, please, come back and take an introductory course or volunteer on a dig. If you're starting your journey into a love of history, visit your library and get an introductory text…
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So reminiscent of Coventina and her lettuce leaf
A really wonderful and unusual 12th century doorway with mermaid depicted! 🧜♀️ 🤩
St. Botolph’s Church, Stow Longa, Cambridgeshire.
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One correction however…I’m not at the end of my PhD with no idea what dodecahedra are for. I’m at the start of my PhD on all European dodecahedra, after finishing an MA on dodecahedra of only Roman Britain (including the 3 examples from the North East, especially).
Many thanks to
@theAliceRoberts
for the shout-out today on BBC Radio 4's The Today Programme! My phone is "blowing up".
(Photo: Richard Parker
@ndhags
)
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…And if you're asked to do an interview about dodecahedra, and you're not me...should you really be showing your belly button like that?
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…or visit a local museum's archaeology exhibit. There's probably something cool right in your neighbourhood! If you're a detectorist in the UK, follow the code of conduct and report possible treasure finds to your local Finds Liasion Officer (as many do, thank you!)...
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This is why I went back to school for an MA and a PhD. This is why archaeologists/historians/classicists all do what we do, not for the high pay and luxury and perks! (more like: dirt, sweat and eye strain, struggling for grants and funding.) No, it's for that lightbulb moment…
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Could you please find me another one please?
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Well said
@ndhags
!
1/ Looks like another day where Norton Disney is going to be trending. However this BBC article fails to mention the archaeological context of our find or note the other finds in similar circumstances. 🧵
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Many thanks to
@theAliceRoberts
for the shout-out today on BBC Radio 4's The Today Programme! My phone is "blowing up".
(Photo: Richard Parker
@ndhags
)
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And I love that the symbol of the resistance is the pelta.
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Thank you to everyone watched my talk on Roman dodecahedra at the RFG conference today! (and thanks for the support from my homies)
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While the hair reminds me of Venus of High Rochester (in the Great North Hancock Museum)
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d❤️decahedr❤️n
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Today, I was interviewed by the Washington Post about Roman dodecahedra. 🤓 As one does.
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@Rainmaker1973
Not science. I cannot believe this b.s. "theory" is still getting sold. The cows in the original article aligned themselves N-S to avoid the prevailing wind in their face. Which came from North, in the places they looked. No more real than crop circles or cattle mutilations.
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And I have lots of ideas about them…just keeping my powder dry for the meantime 😁
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Next time, I hope they try a little harder to find an actual expert on dodecahedra (spoiler: it's in my handle name
@dodecahedragirl
), or at least a Romanist, to comment. Instead of looking constipated,
@peter_levy
could be smiling with joy. 🥰
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Very lovely write-up re: the Norton Disney by
@mbridge82
A Roman dodecahedron unearthed on a community dig in Lincolnshire is the “find of a lifetime” and one of the finest examples of the rare mystery objects, archaeologists say
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Delicious midwinter treat! Cried the Romans.
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Thank you,
@ArchaeologyNCL
!
Great stuff, and a special shoutout to NCL PhD student Lorena Hitchens for publishing this note on the South Shields Roman dodecahedron!
@DodecahedraGirl
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In honour of International Archaeology Day, here's my *other* mystery object obsession (photo copyright Damian Kelly 2015):
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Rena Maguire is right, it's actually more accurate than some press articles on this find.
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@AnnaHerrington1
@PennAllenwrites
My mother taught me that all tulips become yellow, eventually. How this works is that as the original bulb exhausts itself, it makes daughter bulbs, which have the original DNA of the tulip, before it was bred to be a different colour from the ancestral yellow tulip.
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A civilezed end to a fabulous day of research. Springtime in Hereford.
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Thank you Leo, for your very fine article in WaPo today.
Q: What has 12 faces but 0 confirmed theories of its intended purpose? A: The dodecahdron.
Thank you
@DodecahedraGirl
and
@ndhags
for guiding me through the as-of-yet unsolved mystery surrounding this Roman relic!
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"What cannot be known hollows the mind. Fill it not with guesswork."
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@EleriCousins
@wallcurator
I was looking at that design of circles on the right-hand cup, and it reminded me of something (not dodecahedra! for once!). It's echoed on the dice tower that Roland Cobbett published in Lucerna in 20200: I'm sure you've seen this,
@wallcurator
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@wallcurator
@DavidPetts1
@NclAntiquaries
@EnglishHeritage
I saw that talk, and TOTALLY thought of you and your glass bits, Frances!
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One for sure, others...maybe.
Shocker!! Some of the known dodecahedra may be electro type copies!!
@RomanFindsGrp
@DodecahedraGirl
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@MatthewPope
@theAliceRoberts
Many thanks to Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group
@ndhags
, the volunteers, and Allen Archaeology
@allenarchaeo
for involving me in this incredible find story. It's now on display now at Newark's civil war museum
@civilwarcentre
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@ndhags
@BBCRadioLincs
Well done
@ndhags
!
With a great attribution to the incomparable Lindsay Allason-Jones, as well.
@ArchaeologyNCL
@NclAntiquaries
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@wallcurator
My previous reply didn't show up, so doing this again under my DG alias: thanks for the plug for my research, Frances! 😁
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Check out the little gold purse at 0:34...
Dolce & Gabbana (D&G) fashion show in summer of 2019; Ancient Greece inspired collection. As the collection was inspired by Ancient Greece, it was only fitting that the clothes were displayed for the first time at the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, Sicily - Italy.
The
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Stealing that.
Word discovery of my afternoon is 'pang-wangle', from the 19th century. It means remaining cheerful in spite of minor setbacks (which I'm hoping would make you a pang-wangler).
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@spr_tyrannus
Based on his expression, I was thinking he's angry about being on sheep-shit-shovelling duty again.
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Beautiful stuff! (And no dodecahedron required.) Check out Sally's cape, btw.
Nalbinding is a versatile craft that can be traced back into prehistory but is on the Red List of endangered crafts in the UK.
Join me
@berrycroft_hub
(Wiltshire, UK) on February 11 and learn five different stitch variations over the day.
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So, this is weird, but I was allowed to speak in public at 2022 congregation for Newastle University School of History, Classics, and Archaeology (and lit folks too):
Starts about 1:31.
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Pin it!
1/many
Hey everyone! So
@FlintDibble
shared a bunch of great resources including YouTube channels for archaeology. This part I helped with a little, so I thought I'd go one further and put together a list of them all in this 🧵!
Please share widely and make sure to subscribe!
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AKA, I have submitted my long-delayed MA dissertation!
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@ArchaeologyGrrl
this panis quadratus is making me hungry
A freshly baked
#Pompeii
loaf (panis quadratus) — smells as good today as it must have 2000 years ago! Find out how to recreate this iconic loaf in just 5 easy steps!
#SensoryTimeTravel
#BreadWeek
#GBBO
#ExtraSlice
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Ritual killing of a meaningful object before deposition...
The Lord Chamberlain performs his final duty, he breaks his Wand of Office and places the pieces on the coffin
This symbolic ritual has never before been seen by the public
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