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Egyptian Games

Mancala – Egyptian Variants

September 15, 2019 By Eli Leave a Comment

2x6 Mancala Board, Yoruba People, Nigeria, Early 20th Century - Penn Museum, 2015-22-108.1

Men – The Game of 16 Lines

April 6, 2018 By Eli 3 Comments

Men Game Board from The Tomb of Hesy, Saqqara, Egypt - Drawing by James Edward Quibell - 1913

Tab (Tâb), الطاب (Al-Taabu)

March 10, 2018 By Eli 3 Comments

Tab board near the Dier monument in Petra, Jordan. Photo: Dan Gibson, 2003, nabataea.net.

Hounds and Jackals

October 14, 2017 By Eli 2 Comments

Game of Hounds and Jackals. Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 12. Reign of Amenemhat IV. ca 1814–1805 BCE. Egypt, Thebes, pit tomb CC25. Ebony, Ivory. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York - 26.7.128

Aseb – Game of 20 Squares

September 18, 2017 By Eli Leave a Comment

Wooden Aseb Game of 18th Dynasty - Brooklyn Museum - 37.93E, 37.94E

Senet – Game of 30 Squares

September 18, 2017 By Eli Leave a Comment

Faience Senet Gaming Board Inscribed for Amenhotep III from Thebes - Brooklyn Museum - 49.56a-b

More Egyptian Games

Mesopotamian Games

Royal Game of Ur – Game of 20 Squares

September 19, 2017 By Eli 14 Comments

Royal Game of Ur - British Museum - 1928,1009.379.a

More Mesopotamian Games

Persian Games

Nard – The Original Backgammon

December 30, 2017 By Eli Leave a Comment

German backgammon board from the 17th century, made from amber, ivory, brass, and ebony. Metropolitan Museum of Art, 48.174.41.

More Persian Games

Greek Games

Knossos Game – Zatrikion

November 12, 2017 By Eli 4 Comments

Knossos Game, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete - Photo - Garrett Ziegler, April 21, 2016

More Greek Games

Roman Games

Ludus Latrunculorum (Latrunculi)

March 14, 2018 By Eli 6 Comments

Latrunculi found at Housesteads Roman Fort or Roman Corbridge, complete with pottery counters and dice containers. 2nd-3rd century CE. Corbridge Roman Town and Museum, English Hertitage. Photo: Historic England Archive.

Nine Men’s Morris

October 28, 2017 By Eli 2 Comments

Nine Men's Morris - on the floor of the platform between the bell tower and the dome of Diocletian's mausoleum in Split, Croatia - Photo June 29, 2009 by Helen Goodchild

Rota

December 15, 2017 By Eli 8 Comments

Roman Rota Game in the Old Forum, Leptis Magna, Libya. Photo: Pablo Novoa Alvarez, 2011.

More Roman Games

All Games

Alquerque – Qirkat

December 3, 2017 By Eli 2 Comments

Alquerque in the Church of the Condemnation, Jerusalem, Israel. Carved pavement stones are from the Roman period, 2nd century CE, incorporated into the building of the church, built in 1903-1904, on the ruins of an older 13th century church. Photo: Katelyn Doran, July 6, 2012.

Rota

December 15, 2017 By Eli 8 Comments

Roman Rota Game in the Old Forum, Leptis Magna, Libya. Photo: Pablo Novoa Alvarez, 2011.

Seega, سيجة (Al-Sija)

October 29, 2017 By Eli 4 Comments

Seega Game, carved on the wall of ElKab Temple of Amenhotep III, Elkab, Egypt. Photo: Bruce Allardice, July 2, 2013

Hnefatafl – Tablut

November 17, 2018 By Eli Leave a Comment

Tablut Board from Iter Lapponicum by Carl Linnaeus, 1732 - The Linnean Society of London, Manuscript GB-110-LM-LP-TRV-1-2-1, Folio 135 fragment

Nard – The Original Backgammon

December 30, 2017 By Eli Leave a Comment

German backgammon board from the 17th century, made from amber, ivory, brass, and ebony. Metropolitan Museum of Art, 48.174.41.

Hounds and Jackals

October 14, 2017 By Eli 2 Comments

Game of Hounds and Jackals. Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 12. Reign of Amenemhat IV. ca 1814–1805 BCE. Egypt, Thebes, pit tomb CC25. Ebony, Ivory. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York - 26.7.128

Hnefatafl – Brandubh

November 18, 2018 By Eli Leave a Comment

Ballinderry Game Board - National Museum of Ireland

Senet – Game of 30 Squares

September 18, 2017 By Eli Leave a Comment

Faience Senet Gaming Board Inscribed for Amenhotep III from Thebes - Brooklyn Museum - 49.56a-b

Royal Game of Ur – Game of 20 Squares

September 19, 2017 By Eli 14 Comments

Royal Game of Ur - British Museum - 1928,1009.379.a

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