http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_knitting
>Earlier pieces having a knitted or crocheted appearance have been shown to be made with other techniques, such as Nålebinding, a technique of making fabric by creating multiple loops with a single needle and thread, much like sewing.[4] Some artefacts have a structure so similar to knitting, for example, 3rd-5th century CE Romano-Egyptian toe-socks, that it is thought the "Coptic stitch" of nalbinding is the forerunner to knitting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nålebinding
The lack of signs of wear is a bigger problem for this hypothesis IMHO
The only geometry the knitting demonstrations justify is "pins around hole". I don't see an argument for the dodecahedron shape or the cast metal. A vastly cheaper wooden jig with nails would service just as well and offer much better ergonomic possibilities, like a handle. The knitting with the finger growing inside the dodec looks unhelpful and implausible.
There are also examples without the big holes in, which would make knitting pretty much impossible.
Gloves for children?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_dodecahedron#/media/File...
When you’re done, you take it off and unfold it.
Presumably you'd find similar jigs for finishing the glove nearby.
No mention in the article for this purpose, but sometimes it takes a bit for grandma info to reach the researchers.