Native American Innovation: Dice and Games of Chance

Indigenous people in the western United States developed dice and games of chance more than 12,000 years ago, according to a recent archaeological study. This discovery represents the oldest known evidence of gambling and potentially the earliest use of probability concepts.

A Comprehensive Archaeological Review

Donnie Madden, an archaeologist at Colorado State University, analyzed over 600 sets of Native American dice from 45 prehistoric archaeological sites across the western U.S., spanning from 13,000 to 450 years ago. His research demonstrated the consistent presence of dice throughout this extensive period, on both sides of the Rocky Mountains.

Early Evidence and 'Binary Lots'

“This precedes any evidence we have of dice in the Old World by 6,000 years,” Madden told Live Science. The study builds upon the work of Stewart Culin, an anthropologist who documented historic accounts of Native American games. Culin described the dice as “binary lots,” featuring a marked side and a blank side, similar to a coin flip.

Indigenous people often used multiple binary lots to create complex mathematical outcomes. Madden identified 565 “diagnostic” and 94 “probable” dice examples across 58 sites in the Great Plains and Rockies. Notably, dice were absent in the eastern U.S. before European arrival.

Social Function and Integration

“The dice tend to show up in liminal spaces where you have a lot of high mobility,” Madden explained. He suggests these games functioned as a “social technology of integration,” helping strangers exchange goods, information, or even find mates.

Unlike modern gambling, which often pits individuals against the “house,” Indigenous games were typically one-on-one interactions with near 50/50 odds. Stakes often involved trade items like hides or semiprecious stones. This system acted as a “leveling device” in egalitarian societies.

Folsom Culture and Resource Exchange

The earliest dice were found at sites in Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico dating back nearly 12,900 years, associated with the Folsom people. Known for their distinctive stone tools, the Folsom people traveled long distances to acquire materials like flint and chalcedony. Games of chance may have facilitated trade for these desired resources.

The Role of Women and a New World Origin

Historical accounts indicate that women were the primary participants in over 80% of Native American dice games. While it’s uncertain if this pattern extends to the distant past, Madden suggests Indigenous women may have pioneered this “social technology” to build connections.

“It shows significant intellectual accomplishment as a social technology,” Madden stated. The study suggests the understanding and application of probability may have originated in the New World, challenging previous assumptions about its development.