Ancient Games: 4,000-year-old Game Board

Found in Oman

Archaeological news about ancient games always catches my eye. Games of strategy and puzzles play a significant role in my historical fantasy novels. In Oman, archaeologists found a stone game board dating roughly to 2500-2000 BCE.

Ancient Games for All

The ancient maker of this newly found game board carved two rows of shallow cups. He or she scored lines to mark fields for play. It isn’t anything fancy. It’s made of undecorated rough stone. But that’s part of what’s exciting. This isn’t a game for kings like the senet board in the photo that’s inscribed for Amenhotep III. This plain stone shows that ordinary people played ancient games. For a photo of this game board, click through to the article in Archaeology News Network “Archaeologists Find 4,000-Year-Old Board Game In Oman.”

Fictional Ancient Games

I created a fictional strategy game to go with my two main characters in Priestess of Ishana. I designed the board of ebony and cedar. It has carved pieces reminiscent of chess. Here is an excerpt when the characters have just met. Hattu and Tesha play the game I named Sphinx and Griffin. During the game and conversation Hattu wins Tesha’s heart, but he does lose the game.

From Priestess of Ishana:

Hattu’s hand hovered over one of the pieces for a moment, and then he moved it along one of its paths. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist. I’ve done the unforgivable and tampered with someone else’s game.”

Tesha studied the new position of the game piece Hattu had moved. “I’ll forgive you. The game is my father’s and mine. I don’t think he’ll mind that you moved his griffin. But do you want to make that move?”

Hattu tapped the wooden game board. “You enjoy Sphinx and Griffin?”

“My father and I play. He taught my mother, but she was no match for him.”

“And you are?” The scarred eyebrow rose slightly.

“It’s my favorite game.” Her bashfulness came out husky.

“Explain, then, why I shouldn’t make that move. Your father’s griffin is closer now to capturing the hunter.”

“Yes, but he’ll be attacked by my lion in three moves. And my hunter has two hidden allies.” She indicated the sequence of pieces on the board. “Better to avoid attack than to initiate an unwise battle.”

Hattu crossed his arms on his chest. “You’re right. I hadn’t noticed the allies. Of course, if my opponent weren’t as clever as you and didn’t think to use them, I might have succeeded. I underestimated your ability to strategize. I blame it on my struggle to keep my senses in the face of such enticing beauty.”

Here for a description of the Roman game of Ludus Latrunculorum.