800-Year-Old Native American Casino Discovered in Utah

“Gambling isn t just a matter of recreational play,” added archeologist Gabriel Yanicki. “In cases of gambling for very high stakes gambling took place between members of different social groups, sometimes in lieu of more hostile interactions, such as warfare.

“ In women s games, stakes tended to be smaller; items of personal property or, quite commonly, to decide who had to do chores like cooking,” he said.

Rich Trading Culture

Some of the items also suggest a sophisticated trading culture with other societies. One of the dice recovered from the site is made from a beaver tooth wrapped in sinew and is similar to dice made by the Klamath people who lived on the Oregon coast.

There are suggestions that other artifacts come from as far afield as British Columbia and the Colorado Plateau.

The exact location of the cave is being kept a secret to help protect the artifacts from looters. “The sites are extraordinary, and the landowners have been wonderful both about our work there, and protecting the sites from looting, which could be a genuine threat,” said Ives.

Among the items found in the casino were dice made from split pieces of cane and sticks that were thought to be used in guessing games. What’s less clear is whether Wayne Newton ever played the showroom on New Year s Eve.