Looking through the glass. Discussing the so-called glass “counters” from Pompeii

This paper deals with a peculiar class of objects widely documented in Pompeii, namely the glass hemispheres. They are small glass objects, with a plano-convex section, whose function is still debated. Generally, these objects are recognised as counters moved on the tabulae lusoriae, although other functions have been proposed. This research aims to show that the only valid parameter to certify their ludic value is the direct association with other items provided with a primary ludic function.