Board games have been around for thousands of years and the ancient Egyptians were no exception in their love for games. They had a variety of board games that they played, some of which are still popular today. Let’s take a look at some of the board games that the ancient Egyptians played.
Senet
One of the most popular board games in ancient Egypt was Senet. It was played on a game board with 30 squares, arranged in three rows of ten.
The game was played with two players, each with five pawns. The objective was to move all your pawns off the board before your opponent did. The game involved both luck and strategy, as players rolled dice to determine how many squares they could move.
Mehen
Mehen is another ancient Egyptian board game that was popular during the Old Kingdom period. It was named after a mythological serpent god and was played on a circular game board decorated with the image of a coiled snake.
The game involved two to six players, each with their own set of lion and gazelle playing pieces. The objective was to move all your pieces along the snake’s body before your opponents did.
Hounds and Jackals
Hounds and Jackals is another ancient Egyptian board game that dates back to around 2000 BCE. It was played on a long rectangular board with two sets of animal-shaped playing pieces, hounds and jackals. Players rolled dice to determine how many spaces they could move their playing pieces along the track.
Mancala
Mancala is one of the oldest known board games in the world, dating back over 7,000 years ago in Africa. Ancient Egyptians also enjoyed playing Mancala which involves moving stones or seeds around a series of pits or holes on a board or in the ground.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the board games that the ancient Egyptians played. As you can see, many of these games are still popular today and are played around the world. The next time you play a board game, remember that you’re participating in an ancient tradition that dates back thousands of years.