Humans have been exploring games of chance since the Ice Age, according to a new archaeological study. Researchers have uncovered evidence that Native Americans were utilizing probability through games far earlier than their counterparts in the Old World.

Rewriting the History of Gambling

The study, published today, dramatically alters the timeline of a key intellectual development in human history – the recognition of randomness. All games of chance, from modern lotteries to classic board games, rely on the concept of probability, which is not always intuitive.

Early Dice Discoveries

Archaeologists have previously documented early examples of dice used in North America as early as 2,000 years ago, based on ethnographic accounts of early European settlers observing Native American games. These games were often large, social events, though the rules were often complex for outsiders to understand.

While smaller, older objects had been found, their individual size and isolated discovery made definitive identification difficult. The new research builds upon a 2001 paper by anthropologist Warren DeBoer, which highlighted these potential game pieces.

A 12,000-Year Lineage of Chance

Archaeologist Rick Madden meticulously reviewed existing archaeological records, confirming the oldest-known dice and establishing a continuous lineage of chance-based games dating back at least 12,000 years – 6,000 years before similar evidence appears in the Old World.

Madden established criteria based on later confirmed specimens, looking for characteristic markings and deliberate designs intended to produce random outcomes. He then searched online databases for these features in older finds.

Expert Reactions

“This is the most exciting paper I’ve seen in North American archaeology in at least the last five years,” says Robert Weiner, an archaeologist at Dartmouth College. “Demonstrating this Native American contribution to global intellectual history is fantastic.”

Gabriel Yanicki of Carleton University notes that the finding “makes the dice games played by Roman soldiers, or the ones found in Tutankhamun's tomb, look young in comparison.” He also emphasizes the social and economic significance of gambling in ancient America.

Beyond Games: The Roots of Probability

The discovery highlights a unique aspect of American cultures – the use of games of chance as a social mechanism for trade and interaction, even among groups without a shared language. This acceptance of gambling’s economic utility is considered unusual compared to other regions.

Moreover, the games represent a fundamental engagement with the question of causality. Madden suggests that recognizing randomness requires a significant cognitive leap, moving beyond the belief that all events have a predictable cause.

“When you start flipping a coin and writing down the outcomes, you are kind of summoning randomness,” Madden explains. “You can start to see these patterns emerging, and even more than seeing it, you can harness it.” The invention of games of chance is seen as a precursor to modern statistics and empirical science.