Been looking for way to know what will happen next in these topsy-turvy times? Well, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s curators offered up an idea straight out of antiquity this week. When the Grabbits saw the Greenstone polyhedron that @metgreekandroman posted, they realized the 20-sided carved rocks they swiped back in Ancient Greece were actually dice the Ancient Greeks used to try to tell the future! (To think the Grabbits have been trying to play badminton with them all these years.🤣) What luck to learn this now! Feels like the perfect time to revive the practice by making our own. Download the free printable below and check out the how-to video above to get started.
Want to color in your die? It’s easier if you color before you cut!
Here are some tips before you begin. First, the example in the video was printed on regular copy paper. Heavier paper will give sturdier results. Second, if you want to have some fun coloring your die, it will be easier to color it in before you cut it out. (Crayons or color pencils work best because they won’t soak through the paper.) Third, be sure to cut the pattern out in one piece with the tabs attached. To do this, cut along the solid outside line. Don’t cut the dotted lines. (The dotted lines are for folding back the tabs.) Finally, you may want to cut out the Greek Alphabet chart and keep it handy as you use your die.
Ready to get crafting? Let’s go! Download the printable below.
Love what you’ve made? Post a photo of it or—even better—a video of it being used on Instagram and tag @thegrabbits and @metgreekandroman to show off your work!
If you’ve enjoyed this activity, please give it a like on Instagram or Facebook, share it with someone, and follow @thegrabbits to show your support!
Wondering how to use your die? Check out @metgreekandroman to see how they explained it in their post.
The Grabbits have come up with two other options to adapt this practice to modern times:
Write words that stand for predictions. Toss the die. See what letter comes up on top. Match it to the prediction that starts with the same letter. Or…
Think of a question. Write 20 answers to it that each start with a different letter from the die. Toss the tie and match the letter on top to the answer that starts with it.
Note: The die doesn’t use all the letters in the Greek alphabet. So, if you’re using the Greek alphabet chart to pick the letters you use for your predictions, don’t use the letters in the bottom row.
Have fun and let us know how it goes!