Astragali e trottole nella koinè levantina della prima Età del Ferro: giochi da ragazzi o strumenti oracolari?

This study investigates the symbolic and ritual significance of children’s play in the Levant during the first millennium BCE, centering on a monumental relief from the early eighth century BCE located in the central square of Carchemish, near the palace complex and key religious buildings. Depicting pairs of youths playing with spinning tops and knucklebones, the relief is notable for its unprecedented iconography and prestigious architectural context. In ancient Near Eastern art, representations of children are generally scarce, often limited to infants in the arms of female figures; however, in the first millennium BCE Levant, depictions of children grow more varied, highlighting their active roles and independent status. Through comparative analysis, the relief emerges as a layered image that not only reflects common aristocratic amusements but also embodies deeper metaphorical and oracular meanings. These games—linked to military strategy and combat—served as a medium for divinatory rituals, wherein young princes played an active role during the future king’s enthronement. Moreover, the relief can be read as an allegory of human development, from early childhood to adulthood, culminating in the assumption of the royal title.