Northumberland Roman game 3D printed at Newcastle Univeristy

The team at Vindolanda asked electrical and electronic team leader Paul Watson and Dr Jenny Olsen, a lecturer in mechanical engineering, to help create a realistic replica of the game through 3D printing.

The original Roman board consisted of five separate stone pieces, which joined together to form the complete game.

Each individual piece was scanned separately using the university’s handheld high resolution 3D scanner and the pieces were printed using polylatic acid plastic.

Once the replica was produced, it was handed over to Vindolanda Charitable Trust to be used as part of a public engagement programme at The Roman Army Museum.

“It really brings you back into how it would have been and you know the downtime on the force as well.

“They’re not just active military spaces all the time, it would have been people just sitting around playing board games,” Westlake said.

She added the lack of strict rules has made it a great tool for SEND groups and those with dementia.

“You’re constantly negotiating with the other person that you’re playing with,” she said.

“So if you forget the rules, it doesn’t really matter.”

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