A Roman Belie. 233 



villages the general custom elsewhere ; but this act of respect and 

 reverence for holy places and holy services, in an age usually re- 

 garded by us as one of religious indifference and deadness, indicates 

 perhaps a feeling quite as deep and sincere as is to be found at the 

 present day, when there is certainly no lack of loud and self-asserting 



religious pretension. 



Bryan King. 

 Avebury Vicarage, October 23r^, 1873. 



MOST interesting and perfect specimen of a Roman dice, 

 in bronze, was found near the house of Captain Wyndham, 

 at 'Wans, very near the old Wans Dyke, and close to the Roman 

 station of Verlucio, on the road from Bath to Marlborough. It is 

 in all probability the counterpart of the dice with which the Roman 

 soldiers cast lots for our Blessed Lord's coat at His crucifixion ; and 

 as such will be viewed with no" little interest. It is also an un- 

 doubted record of the sojourn of the Romans at Verlucio. By the 

 kindness of Captain Wyndham this little relic was exhibited at one 

 of the Society's meetings ; and also before the Archaeological Insti- 

 tute in London, at one of the evening meetings of their body ; and 

 it is to the courtesy of the governing body of that Society (and 

 especially to the exertions in our behalf of Joseph Burtt, Esq., 

 of the Public Record Office,) that we are indebted for the loan of 

 the wood-block, which the Institute caused to be made from the 

 specimen here recorded. [A.C.S.] 



Roman dice, found near the Wansdyke. (Full size.) 



