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All Evidence
2265 pieces of evidence found.
Id DLP.Evidence.2
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'04"E
Date 2592-01-01BCE - 2566-01-01BCE
Rules Two players, 3x10 board, 7 pieces per player, markings in squares 1, 11, 21, 26, 30.
Content Painting of Senet board and accessories in tomb of Hesy-Re. Shows one 3 x 10 board, 4 casting sticks, and 7 pieces per player.
Quibbell 1913: 17-20, Pl. 11, 16.
Confidence 100
Social status Nobility
Genders Male
Source Quibbell, J. 1913. Excavations at Saqqara 1911–1912: The Mastaba of Hesy. Cairo: IFAO.
Id DLP.Evidence.3
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°52'23.92"N, 31°13'7.73"E
Ruleset Simple Marked Senet
Date 2435-01-01BCE - 0525-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet graffiti at Pyramid Temple of Userkaf.
Piccione 1990: 384-385; Pusch 1979: 169.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Ritual
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.4
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°53'47.66"N, 31°12'16.46"E
Ruleset Simple Marked Senet
Date 2402-01-01BCE - 1213-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet graffiti at Mastaba of Ptahshepses.
Pusch 1979: 19, plate 40c;
Piccione 1990: 385.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.5
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°53'47.66"N, 31°12'16.46"E
Ruleset Simple Marked Senet
Date 2402-01-01BCE - 1213-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet graffiti at tomb of Ptahshepses.
Pusch 1979: 172;
Piccione 1990: 385-386.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.6
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°53'47.66"N, 31°12'16.46"E
Ruleset Simple Marked Senet
Date 2402-01-01BCE - 1213-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet graffiti at tomb of Ptahshepses.
Pusch 1979: 172-3;
Piccione 1990: 386.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.7
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°53'47.66"N, 31°12'16.46"E
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 2402-01-01BCE - 1213-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet graffiti at tomb of Ptahshepses.
Pusch 1979: 172-173;
Piccione 1990: 386.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.8
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°52'6.75"N, 31°12'57.78"E
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 2321-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet graffiti in mastaba of Khenut.
Decker 1987: 134, fig 85;
Pusch 1979: 174;
Piccione 1990: 386-387.
Confidence 100
Spaces Transitional
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Decker, W. 1987. Sport und Spiel im alten Ägypten. Munich: Verlag C.H. Beck.
Id DLP.Evidence.9
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°52'6.75"N, 31°12'57.78"E
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 2321-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet graffiti at mastaba of Khenut.
Piccione 1990: 387;
Pusch 1979: 174.
Confidence 100
Spaces Transitional
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.10
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°58'39.87"N, 31° 8'6.94"E
Date 2305-01-01BCE - 0525-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet graffiti at mastaba of Seshemnefer IV.
Junker 1940: 36;
Junker 1953: 103;
Pusch 1979: 175-176;
Piccione 1990: 388.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Junker, H. 1940. Giza IV: Die Mastaba des Kai-em-ankh. Vienna: Hölder-Pichler-Tempsky A.G.
, Junker, H. 1953. Grabungen auf dem Friedhof des Alten Reiches bei den Pyramiden von Giza. Giza 11: Der Friedhof südlich der Cheopspyramide. Vienna: Rudolf Rohrer.
Id DLP.Evidence.11
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 26°10'15.61"N, 31°55'28.07"E
Ruleset Middle Kingdom Senet
Date 1837-01-01BCE - 1819-01-01BCE
Rules Board with three rows, markings in squares 26–29.
Content Senet graffiti game board from Tomb of Senuseret III.
Ayrton 1904: 23, 53, pl. 40;
Needler 1953: 73;
Pusch 1979: 189-190;
Piccione 1990: 390.
Confidence 100
Source Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Ayrton, E. 1904. Abydos. London: Egypt Exploration Fund.
Id DLP.Evidence.12
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°12'26.03"N, 30°58'22.45"E
Ruleset Middle Kingdom Senet
Date 1980-01-01BCE - 1760-01-01BCE
Rules Board with three rows, markings in square 15 and 26.
Content Senet board from el-Lahun drawn on a stone. Manchester Museum 262. 3x6 pattern remains.
Pusch 1979: 186-187;
Piccione 1990: 390-391.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.13
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°12'26.03"N, 30°58'22.45"E
Ruleset Middle Kingdom Senet
Date 1980-01-01BCE - 1760-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in spaces 26–29.
Content Senet game on inside of box lid from el-Lahun. Manchester Museum 73.
Nash 1902: 342;
Needler 1953: 73;
Petrie 1890: 24, 30;
Pusch 1979: 181-182;
Piccione 1990: 391-392.
Confidence 100
Spaces Household, Inside
Source Nash, W. 1902. Ancient Egyptian draughts-boards and draughts-men. Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology 24(December): 341–348.
, Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Petrie, W.M.F. 1890. Kahun, Gurob, and Hawara. London: Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.14
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 30° 7'58.78"N, 31°17'59.91"E
Ruleset Middle Kingdom Senet
Date 1980-01-01BCE - 1760-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 15, 26–29.
Content Senet board from Heliopolis, Tell el-Hisn, from a temple enclosure. Middle Kingdom style board. Egyptian Museum Cairo CGC 37.794.
Piccione 1990: 393;
Pusch 1979: 183.
Confidence 100
Spaces Ritual
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.15
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 21°55'0.00"N, 31°17'0.00"E
Ruleset Middle Kingdom Senet
Date 1980-01-01BCE - 1540-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26–29.
Content Senet board from Buhen fortress. Middle Kingdom style board. Current location unknown.
Emery 1979: 146, 220, plate 51;
Piccione 1990: 394-395.
Confidence 100
Spaces Military
Source Emery, W. 1979. Fortress of Buhen: Archaeological Report. London: Egypt Exploration Fund.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.16
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Date 1640-01-01BCE - 1540-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26–27
Content Senet game board from Tomb of Hornakht/Akhhor. Egyptian Museum Cairo CGC 68.005/JdE 21.462.
Piccione 1990: 395;
Pusch 1979: 195-198;
Maspero 1871: 78;
Mariette 1889: plate 51.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Maspero, G. 1871. Une Enquête judiciaire à Thébes au temps de la XXe Dynastie. Étude sur le papyrus Abbott. Mémoires de l’Academie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres 7: 1–85.
, Mariette, A. 1889. Les mastabas de l’Ancien Empire. Paris: F. Vieweg.
Id DLP.Evidence.17
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Middle Kingdom Senet
Date 1640-01-01BCE - 1540-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markigns in squares 26–29.
Content Senet game board on Carnarvon Tablet 1. Middle Kingdom style board. Egyptian Museum Cairo JdE 41.790
Carnarvon and Carter 1912: 36, plate 27;
Needler 1953: 73;
Pusch 1979: 194;
Piccione 1990: 396.
Confidence 100
Ages Adolescent, Child
Source Carnarvon, Earl of and H. Carter. 1912. Five Years’ Exploration at Thebes. London: Oxford University Press.
, Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pieper, M. 1931. Ein text über das ägyptisches Brettspiel. Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde 66: 16–33.
Id DLP.Evidence.18
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1640-01-01BCE - 1540-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Asasif. Metropolitan Museum of Art MMA 16.10.475.
Piccione 1990: 396;
Pusch 1979: 199-201;
Hayes 1959: 24–25, fig. 10.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Source Hayes, W.C. 1959. The Scepter of Egypt. Volume 2. New York.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.19
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1539-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules Board with three rows.
Content Senet game board in Brooklyn Museum 36.2.
Pusch 1979: 191;
Piccione 1990: 396-397.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite, Elite
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.20
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple Marked Senet
Date 1539-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26–29.
Content Senet game board in University College London UC8.533.
Needler 1953: 73;
Needler 1983: 118;
Pusch 1979: 180;
Piccione 1990: 397;
Petrie 1927: 53, pl. 47.
Confidence 100
Source Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
, Needler, W. 1983. 'Review of Das Senet-Brettspiel im alten Ägypten.' Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt 20: 115–118., Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Petrie, W.M.F. 1927. Objects of Daily Use. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt.
Id DLP.Evidence.21
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Early New Kingdom Senet
Date 1479-01-01BCE - 1458-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26–29.
Content Senet gaming board in Louvre AF 6.797 bearing the name of Pharaoh Hatshepsut.
Devéria 1897: 86;
Kendall 1979: 25, fig. 19;
Needler 1953: 73;
Pusch 1979: 206-207;
Piccione 1990: 401-402;
Pierret 1878: 82.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Female
Source Deveria, T. 1897. Les jeux de dames en Égypte. In G. Maspero (ed.), Mémoires et Fragments II. Bibliothèque Égyptologique 5. Paris, 83–96.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Kendall, T. 1978. Passing through the Netherworld: The Meaning and Play of Senet, an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Game. Belmont, MA: Kirk Game Company.
, Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
, Pierret, P. 1878. Recueil d’inscriptions inédites du Musée égyptien du Louvre. Études égyptologues 8. Paris: F. Vieweg.
Id DLP.Evidence.22
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°44'25.51"N, 32°36'5.33"E
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1479-01-01BCE - 1458-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tomb of Mayherperi, Egyptian Museum Cairo CGC 24.069.
Daressy 1902: 31–32, plate 9;
Pusch 1979: 218-219;
Piccione 1990: 403-404.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Daressy, G. 1902. Fouilles de la Vallée des Rois 1889–1899. Cairo: Imprimerie de l’Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.23
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1539-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board in University of Missouri MAA 79.169.
Piccione 1990: 400.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.24
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Early New Kingdom Senet
Date 1539-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26–29.
Content Senet board from Dra abu el-Naga
Cairo Museum CGC 68.003.
Maspero 1883: 299;
Piccione 1990: 400;
Pusch 1979: 268.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Maspero, G. 1883. Guide du visiteur au Musée de Boulaq. Boulaq: Musée de Boulaq.
Id DLP.Evidence.25
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 26°11'0.40"N, 31°55'21.50"E
Ruleset Early New Kingdom Senet
Date 1479-01-01BCE - 1425-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26–29.
Content Senet game board from Tomb of Meryma'at. Metropolitan Museum of Art
MMA 01.4.1A.
Decker 1987: 134 fig 86;
Needler 1953: 74;
Piccione 1990: 404-405;
Pusch 1979: 230-232.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Decker, W. 1987. Sport und Spiel im alten Ägypten. Munich: Verlag C.H. Beck.
, Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.26
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1539-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet from Dra abu el-Naga
Cairo Museum CgC 68.002/JdE21402.
Mariette 1889: 17, plate 52;
Pusch 1979: 269-271;
Piccione 1990: 405-406.
Confidence 100
Social status Military, Elite
Genders Male
Source Mariette, A. 1889a. Monuments divers recueillis en Égypte et en Nubie. Paris: F. Vieweg., Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.27
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Early New Kingdom Senet
Date 1476-01-01BCE - 1400-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26-29.
Content Senet game of Sennefer. Berlin Museum 10756.
Kendall 1979: 25, fig 19h;
Needler 1953: 73;
Pusch 1979: 261-264;
Pieper 1909: 7, fig. 5;
Piccione 1990: 406-407.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Pieper, M. 1909. Das Brettspiel der alten Ägypter. Berlin: Weidmännische Buchhandlung.
, Kendall, T. 1978. Passing through the Netherworld: The Meaning and Play of Senet, an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Game. Belmont, MA: Kirk Game Company.
, Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
Id DLP.Evidence.28
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1539-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet board of Tuthmosis son of Ru.
Cairo Museum CGC 68004\JdE 28.427.
Piccione 1984: 175;
Piccione 1990: 407-408.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1984. 'Review of Das Senet-Brettpiel im alten Ägypten.' Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 70: 172–180., Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.29
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'40.96"N, 32°36'5.13"E
Ruleset Early New Kingdom Senet
Date 1479-01-01BCE - 1390-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26–29.
Content Senet board of Benermerut, found in the Tomb of Kha.
Turin Museum 845.
Has horn halves instead of two men in square 29.
Piccione 1984: 176, 178;
Piccione 1990: 408-409;
Pusch 1979: 233-238;
Schiaparelli 1927: 175–177, figs. 159-160.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Schiaparelli, E. 1927. Relazione sui lavori della missione archeologica Italiana in Egitto II. Turin.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Piccione, P. 1984. 'Review of Das Senet-Brettpiel im alten Ägypten.' Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 70: 172–180.
Id DLP.Evidence.30
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Early New Kingdom Senet
Date 1479-01-01BCE - 1425-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26–29.
Content Senet game board of Baky.
Leiden Museum AM34a.
Leemens 1846–1850: pl. 244;
Piccione 1984: 176;
Piccione 1990: 409-410;
Nash 1902: pl. 2;
Needler 1953: 74;
Pusch 1979:265-267;
Tait 1985: 33, 47.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Leemans, C. 1846–1850. Monuments égyptiens du Musée d’antiquités des Pays-Bas à Leide, Tome II. Leiden: Brill.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Piccione, P. 1984. 'Review of Das Senet-Brettpiel im alten Ägypten.' Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 70: 172–180., Nash, W. 1902. Ancient Egyptian draughts-boards and draughts-men. Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology 24(December): 341–348.
, Tait, W. 1982. Game-boxes and Accessories from the Tomb of Tutankhamun. Oxford: Griffiths Institute.
, Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
Id DLP.Evidence.31
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°44'25.51"N, 32°36'5.33"E
Ruleset Simple Marked Senet
Date 1390-01-01BCE - 1353-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26–29.
Content Senet board of Amenhotep III.
Brooklyn Museum 49.56.
Kendall 1979: 25–25, figs. 18-19;
MacGregor 1922: 34, pl. 3;
Needler 1953: 74;
Piccione 1984: 176;
Piccione 1990: 411;
Pusch 1979: 239-240.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Riefstahl, E. Ancient Egyptian Glass and Glazes in the Brooklyn Museum. New York: The Brooklyn Museum., Piccione, P. 1984. 'Review of Das Senet-Brettpiel im alten Ägypten.' Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 70: 172–180., Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Kendall, T. 1978. Passing through the Netherworld: The Meaning and Play of Senet, an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Game. Belmont, MA: Kirk Game Company.
, Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
, MacGregor, W. 1922. Catalogue of the MacGregor Collection of Egyptian Antiquities. Sotheby Sale Catalog 1922. London: Dryden Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.32
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°44'25.51"N, 32°36'5.33"E
Ruleset Early New Kingdom Senet
Date 1334-01-01BCE - 1324-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 15, 26–29.
Content Senet game board from the tomb of Tutankhamun.
Cairo Museum JdE 62058.
Carter and Mace 1933: 130-132, plate 75b;
Decker 1987: 135;
Needler 1953:74;
Piccione 1990: 411-412;
Pusch 1979:245-249;
Tait 1985: 6-15;
Confidence 100
Ages Adolescent
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Carter, H and A.C. Mace. 1933. The Tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amen. Cairo: Cassell & Co.
, Decker, W. 1987. Sport und Spiel im alten Ägypten. Munich: Verlag C.H. Beck.
, Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
, Nash, W. 1902. Ancient Egyptian draughts-boards and draughts-men. Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology 24(December): 341–348.
Id DLP.Evidence.33
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°44'25.51"N, 32°36'5.33"E
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1400-01-01BCE - 1390-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board of Tuthmosis IV
Egyptian Museum Cairo (unknown number).
Piccione 1990: 410;
Carter and Newberry 1904: 39.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Carter, H and P. Newberry. 1904. The Tomb of Thutmosis IV. Westminster: A. Constable & Co.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.34
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°44'25.51"N, 32°36'5.33"E
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1334-01-01BCE - 1324-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet board game from the Tomb of Tutankhamun.
Cairo Museum JdE 62060.
Piccione 1990: 413-414;
Pusch 1979:252-254;
Tait 1982: 15-17.
Confidence 100
Ages Adolescent
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Tait, W. 1982. Game-boxes and Accessories from the Tomb of Tutankhamun. Oxford: Griffiths Institute.
Id DLP.Evidence.35
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°44'25.51"N, 32°36'5.33"E
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1334-01-01BCE - 1324-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from the Tomb of Tutankhamun.
Cairo Museum JdE 62059.
Piccione 1990:412-413;
Carter and Mace 1933: 130 plate 42;
Pusch 1979: 250-251;
Tait 1982 19-25.
Confidence 100
Ages Adolescent
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Tait, W. 1982. Game-boxes and Accessories from the Tomb of Tutankhamun. Oxford: Griffiths Institute.
, Carter, H and A.C. Mace. 1933. The Tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amen. Cairo: Cassell & Co.
, Carter, H and A.C. Mace. 1933. The Tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amen. Cairo: Cassell & Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.36
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°44'25.51"N, 32°36'5.33"E
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1334-01-01BCE - 1324-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from the Tomb of Tutankhamun.
Cairo Museum JdE 62061.
Piccione 1990: 414;
Pusch 1979: 255-256;
Tait 1982: 17-19.
Confidence 100
Ages Adolescent
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Tait, W. 1982. Game-boxes and Accessories from the Tomb of Tutankhamun. Oxford: Griffiths Institute.
Id DLP.Evidence.37
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 26°11'0.40"N, 31°55'21.50"E
Ruleset Early New Kingdom Senet
Date 1539-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board. markings in squares 26–29.
Content Senet game board from the Tomb of Khamwaset. Unknown location.
Piccione 1990: 414-415;
Needler 1953: 74;
Pusch 1979: 259-260;
Randall-McIver and Mace 1902: 77, 97, plate 49.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Randall-McIver, D. And A.C. Mace. 1902. El Amrah and Abydos 1899–1901. EM 23. London: Egypt Exploration Fund.
, Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
Id DLP.Evidence.38
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1539-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board of Ptahmay with unknown provenience.
Wiesbaden SNA 2.308.
Piccione 1990: 415-416;
Pusch 1979: 281-284;
Wiedemann 1897: 43.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Wiedemann, A. 1897. Das Brettspiel bei den Alten Ägyptern. In Actes du Dixième Congrès Internationale des Orientalistes, 1894. Leiden: Brill, 35–61.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.39
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°56'25.60"N, 31° 9'5.13"E
Ruleset Simple Marked Senet
Date 1539-01-01BCE - 1191-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26, 28, 29, 30.
Content Senet game board from Tomb Z491 at Zawiet el-Aryan.
Museum of Fine Arts Boston MFA 11.3095.
Square 27 blank, Square 30 with "|".
Piccione 1990: 416-417;
Dunham 1978: 72;
Pusch 1979: 241-244.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Dunham, D. 1978. Zawiyet el-Aryan. The Cemeteries Adjacent to the Later Pyramid. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts.
Id DLP.Evidence.40
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1539-01-01BCE - 1191-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board in Brooklyn Museum.
Brooklyn Museum 37.93Ea&b.
Piccione 1990: 417;
Albright 1933: 134;
Prisse d'Avennes 1847: 740.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Prisse-d’Avennes, É. 1847. Monument égyptiens, bas-reliefs, peintures, inscriptions, etc. Paris: Didot frères.
Id DLP.Evidence.41
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1539-01-01BCE - 1191-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet board inscribed with the name of Teya Teya.
Metropolitan Museum of Art MMA 12.182.72.
Piccione 1990: 418-419;
Decker 1987: 135;
Hayes 1959: 198-199;
Pusch 1979: 274-278.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Decker, W. 1987. Sport und Spiel im alten Ägypten. Munich: Verlag C.H. Beck.
, Hayes, W.C. 1959. The Scepter of Egypt. Volume 2. New York.
Id DLP.Evidence.42
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1539-01-01BCE - 1191-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board in Egyptian Museum Cairo CGC 68.007.
Piccione 1990: 419;
Pusch 1979: 286.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.43
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1539-01-01BCE - 1191-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board with unknown provenience in British Museum.
BM 66669.
Piccione 419-420;
Pusch 1979: 287-288.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.44
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1319-01-01BCE - 1279-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board of Neferhotep. Unknown provenience and unknown location.
Piccione 1990: 420;
Pusch 1979: 74, 295-296;
Bruyère 1930: 158;
Wild 1979: pl. 33.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Wild, H. 1979. La tombe de Nefer-hotep (I) et Neb-nefer à Deir el-Medina (No. 6). Mémoires publiées par les membres de l’Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale 103. Cairo: Institue Français de l’Archéologie Orientale.
, Bruyère, B. 1930. Mert-Seger à Deir el Medineh. Cairo: Imprimerie de l’Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.45
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 22°46'32.56"N, 32°35'49.31"E
Ruleset Simple Marked Senet
Date 1539-01-01BCE - 1191-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 27 and 28.
Content Senet game board from Kubban Cemetery 100, Tomb 191.
Aswan Museum 664.
Piccione 1990: 420-421;
Pusch 1979: 223-229;
Firth 1927: 49, 83.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Source Firth, C.M. 1927. The Archaeological Survey of Nubia. Report for 1910–1911. Cairo: National Printing Department.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.46
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Early New Kingdom Senet
Date 1292-01-01BCE - 1191-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 squares, markings in squares 26-30
Content Senet game board in Royal Ontario Museum. Unknown provenience.
ROM 922.17.
Has Horus in square 30
Kendall 1979: 26, fig. 20;
MacGregor 1922: no. 1331;
Needler 1953: 60-75;
Picione 1990: 422;
Pusch 1979: 292-294;
Wallis 1898: 8-9.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Kendall, T. 1978. Passing through the Netherworld: The Meaning and Play of Senet, an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Game. Belmont, MA: Kirk Game Company.
, MacGregor, W. 1922. Catalogue of the MacGregor Collection of Egyptian Antiquities. Sotheby Sale Catalog 1922. London: Dryden Press., Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
, Wallis, H. 1898. Egyptian Ceramic Art: The MacGregor Collection. London: Taylor & Francis.
Id DLP.Evidence.47
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Early New Kingdom Senet
Date 0980-01-01BCE - 0838-01-01BCE
Rules Markings in squares 27-30.
Content Senet game board in Arizona State Museum.
ASM 12496. Only parts of last four squares remain.
Romano et al. 2018.
Confidence 100
Source Romano, I, W. Tait, C. Bisulca, P. Creasman, G. Hodgins, and T. Wazny. 2018. An Ancient Egyptian senet board in the Arizona State Museum. Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde 145(1): 71–85.
Id DLP.Evidence.48
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Early New Kingdom Senet
Date 1279-01-01BCE - 1213-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26-30.
Content Senet game board of Imenmes, Louvre 1605. Unknown provenience.
Piccione 1990: 424-426;
Needler 1953: 74;
Pusch 1979:64-66, 208-13;
Deveria 1897: 88-90;
Pierret 1878: 81-82.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Pierret, P. 1878. Recueil d’inscriptions inédites du Musée égyptien du Louvre. Études égyptologues 8. Paris: F. Vieweg.
, Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Deveria, T. 1897. Les jeux de dames en Égypte. In G. Maspero (ed.), Mémoires et Fragments II. Bibliothèque Égyptologique 5. Paris, 83–96.
Id DLP.Evidence.49
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Date 1292-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 27-30.
Content Senet game board in Wiesbaden Museum
D.S. 30. Unknown provenience. Square 26 is lost.
Piccione 1990: 426;
Gessler-Löhr et al. 1978: 112.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Source Gessler-Löhr, B. Et al. 1978. Meisterwerke altägyptischer Keramik: 5000 Jahre Kunst und Kunsthandwerk aus Ton und Fayence. Höhr-Grenzhausen: Keramikmuseum Westerwald.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.50
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Late New Kingdom Senet
Date 1292-01-01BCE - 1191-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26-30.
Content Senet game board in British Museum.
BM 102369. Unknown provenience.
Piccione 1990: 427;
Needler 1953: 74;
Pusch 1979: 309-310.
Confidence 100
Source Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.51
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Late New Kingdom Senet
Date 1292-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26-30.
Content Senet game board of Nesyamenemopet, likely from the burial of the priest of the same name at Deir el-Bahari.
Walters Art Museum.
WAG 48.408.
de Meulenaere 1981: 90;
Piccione 1990: 427-428;
MacGregor 1922: 36;
Pusch 1979: 322-323.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source de Meulenaere, H. 'Review of Das Senet-Brettspiel im alten Ägypten.' Chronique d'Égypte 56: 89-90., MacGregor, W. 1922. Catalogue of the MacGregor Collection of Egyptian Antiquities. Sotheby Sale Catalog 1922. London: Dryden Press., Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.52
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Late New Kingdom Senet
Date 1190-01-01BCE - 0525-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26-30.
Content Senet game board in Yale University
New Haven Art Gallery. Unknown provenience.
Piccione 1990: 429;
Pusch 1979: 311-312;
Schott 1986: 108-109.
Confidence 100
Source Schott, G. 1986. Ancient Egyptian Art at Yale. New Haven: Yale University Arts Gallery.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.53
Type Contemporary text
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 41°54'10.45"N, 12°29'46.38"E
Date 0038-01-01 - 0104-12-31
Rules Winning game by enclosing opponent with pieces.
Content Martial Epigrams VII.lxxii.7-8
"Sic vincas Noviumque Publiumque
Mandris et vitreo latrone clusos."
Confidence 100
Genders Male
Source Martial. Epigrammata.
Id DLP.Evidence.54
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 30°57'11.52"N, 31°53'44.71"E
Date 1190-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in spaces 26-30.
Content Senet game board in Norbert Schimmel Collection no.197.
Kendall 1979: 26, fig. 21;
Muscarella 1974: fig 174;
Piccione 1990: 430-431;
Pusch 1979: 313-314;
Hoffman 1964: fig 97.
Confidence 100
Source Muscarella, O. 1974. Ancient Art: The Norbert Schimmel Collection. Mainz: von Zabern., Kendall, T. 1978. Passing through the Netherworld: The Meaning and Play of Senet, an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Game. Belmont, MA: Kirk Game Company.
, Hoffman, H. (ed.) 1964. The Beauty of Ancient Art: The Norbert Schimmel Collection. Mainz: Philipp von Zabern.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.55
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Late New Kingdom Senet
Date 1190-01-01BCE - 0730-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30.
Content Senet game board in British Museum BM38429, found in the Tomb of Kenamun TT93.
The board is incomplete but all squares appear to be marked:
5: Ma'at,
10: Wadjet,
11: Mut,
12: Orion,
13: Life,
16: Net,
20: bread,
21: B3,
30: netjer.
Piccione 1990: 431-432;
Mond 1904: 93;
Pusch 1979: 324-327;
Needler 1953: 69, 74.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Mond, R. 1904. Report of the work done in the Gebel ash-sheikh Abd-el-Kurneh at Thebes. Annales du Service des antiquités de l’Égypte 5: 97–104.
, Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
Id DLP.Evidence.56
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'40.96"N, 32°36'5.13"E
Ruleset Late New Kingdom Senet
Date 1190-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 27, 28, 29, 30.
Content Senet game board on Turin Papyrus
Turin Museum 1.775.
Some other squares also contain markings:
7: The Thirty,
8: sd.t-sn(?),
9: dd-ti.t,
10: Wadjet,
11: Mut,
12: Orion,
13: Life,
14: Aten.
Piccione 1990: 432;
Seyffarth 1833: plate 3;
Pusch 1979: 328-323;
Wiedemann 1894: 41-43.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Seyffarth, G. 1833. Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Literatur, Kunst,
Mythologie und Geschichte des Alten Ägypten. Volume III. Laipzig: J.A. Barth.
, Wiedemann, A. 1897. Das Brettspiel bei den Alten Ägyptern. In Actes du Dixième Congrès Internationale des Orientalistes, 1894. Leiden: Brill, 35–61.
Id DLP.Evidence.57
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'40.96"N, 32°36'5.13"E
Date 1190-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, Markings in squares 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 20, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30.
Content Senet game board on Turin Papyrus
Turin Museum 1.775.
Other squares have markings:
1=Thoth,
2= ti.i-dd,
3=Neith,
6= Sixth Day Feast,
7= The Thirty,
8= tin.t hb-sd(?),
9: dd-ti.t,
10=Wadjet11=Mut,
12=Orion,
13=Life,
14= Aten,
15= Repeating Life (frog),
18=Pky,
20=bread,
21=B3,
23= Libation.
Piccione 1990:433-434;
Seyffarth 1833: plate 3;
Pusch 1979: 332-343.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Seyffarth, G. 1833. Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Literatur, Kunst,
Mythologie und Geschichte des Alten Ägypten. Volume III. Laipzig: J.A. Barth.
Id DLP.Evidence.58
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Late New Kingdom Senet
Date 1190-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules Board with 3 rows, markings in squares 26-30.
Content Senet game board in the Egyptian Museum Cairo.
CGC 88.007. (DLP.Evidence.59 on opposite face). Unknown provenience.
Piccione 1990: 434;
Pusch 1979: 344-346.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.59
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Date 1190-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules Board with three rows, Markings in squares 26-30.
Content Senet game board in Cairo Museum
CGC88.007. Unprovenienced.
DLP.Evidence.58 on opposite face.
Piccione 1990: 434-435;
Pusch 1979: 346-348.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.60
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'9.29"N, 32°36'4.84"E
Ruleset Double Senet
Date 1190-01-01BCE - 0525-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet graffiti in the First court, north colonnade of Temple of Medinet Habu.
Two senet boards placed perpendicular to wall and close together so players must sit with both between them.
Piccione 1990: 436;
Wiedemann 1898: 142;
Pusch 1979: 320-321.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Wiedemann, A. 1897. Das Brettspiel bei den Alten Ägyptern. In Actes du Dixième Congrès Internationale des Orientalistes, 1894. Leiden: Brill, 35–61.
Id DLP.Evidence.61
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'9.29"N, 32°36'4.84"E
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1190-01-01BCE - 0525-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet graffiti at Medinet Habu Temple, first court central pavement between pillars 4 and 5, three paving blocks west of pillar 5.
Piccione 1990: 437.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.62
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'9.29"N, 32°36'4.84"E
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 1190-01-01BCE - 0525-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet graffiti at Medinet Habu Temple, east colonnade of second court behind column 34.
Piccione 1990: 437;
Pusch 1979: 320-321.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.63
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°42'59.61"N, 32°39'20.65"E
Ruleset Late New Kingdom Senet
Date 1190-01-01BCE - 0525-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 6, 26-30.
Content Senet graffiti game board on Khonsu Temple roof.
Piccione 1990: 438;
Push 1979: 438;
Jacquet-Gordon 2003: 30-31.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Jacquet-Gordon, H. 2003. The Graffiti on the Khonsu Temple Roof at Karnak: A Manifestation of Personal Piety. Oriental Institute Publications 123. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.64
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°42'59.61"N, 32°39'20.65"E
Ruleset Vertical Senet
Date 1190-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26-30.
Content Senet graffiti on Temple of Khonsu roof.
Vertical senet with markings in squares:
26: nfr,
27: (unclear)
28: |||,
29: ||.
The top squares of board are curved, rather than arches appearing over them in typical vertical Senet.
Board orientation is mirrored in comparison to usual.
Piccione 1990: 439;
Jacquet-Gordon 2003: 78.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Jacquet-Gordon, H. 2003. The Graffiti on the Khonsu Temple Roof at Karnak: A Manifestation of Personal Piety. Oriental Institute Publications 123. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.65
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'7.80"N, 32°39'26.17"E
Ruleset Double Senet
Date 0690-01-01BCE - 0664-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26-29
Content Double senet graffiti on boat ramp of Taharqo, Temple of Karnak.
Squares are marked on both boards as follows:
26: nfrw (good),
27: X,
28:|||,
29:|| (simple marked Senet pattern).
Piccione 1990: 442-444;
Pusch 1979: 354-355;
Lauffray 1971: 100-102.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Lauffray, J. 1971. Abords occidentaux du premier pylône de Karnak. Kemi 21: 77–144.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.66
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 30°51'38.00"N, 32°10'17.00"E
Ruleset Simple Senet
Date 0664-01-01BCE - 0525-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from fortress of Tel Defenneh. British Museum. BM EA22323.
Piccione 1990: 444;
Crist et al. 2016: 61;
Petrie 1888: 74.
Confidence 100
Social status Military
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Crist, W., A.-E. Dunn-Vaturi and A. de Voogt. 2016. Ancient Egyptians at Play: Board Games Across Borders. London: Bloomsbury.
, Petrie, W.M.F. 1888. Tanis Part II: Nebesheh (Am) and Deffeneh (Tahpanhes). London: Egypt Exploration Fund.
Id DLP.Evidence.67
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 30° 7'45.52"N, 31°18'28.48"E
Ruleset Early New Kingdom Senet
Date 1190-01-01BCE - 0746-01-01BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in spaces 10, 11, 26-30.
Content Senet board of Keramit from Heliopolis.
Spaces 10 and 11 invoke name and title of owner (priestess of Mut).
Iskander 2010;
Crist et al. 2016:60-61.
Confidence 100
Genders Female
Source Iskander, J.N. 2010. 'A recently discovered senet-board from Heliopolis.' Mitteilungen des Deutsches Archäologischen Instituts, Abteilung Kairo 66: 122–129.
, Crist, W. 2016. Games of thrones: board games and social complexity in Bronze Age Cyprus. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Arizona State University.
Id DLP.Evidence.68
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 29°23'7.55"N, 31° 9'30.75"E
Date 2543-01-01BCE - 2436-01-01BCE
Rules Name of the game.
Content Name of Senet in list of offerings on a wall in Tomb of Rahotep.
Petrie et al. 1892: pl. 13.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Petrie, W.M.F. et al. 1892. Medum. London: D. Nutt.
Id DLP.Evidence.69
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 29°58'44.83"N, 31° 7'51.69"E
Date 2435-01-01BCE - 2306-01-01BCE
Rules Pieces may pass one another.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Ankhmare, Room II (Giza 7837/7843).
Left player caption: "It is in passing that I have made three"
Right player caption: "(damaged text) 2 (damaged text)
Porter and Moss 1973: 207.
Confidence 100
Social status Non-Elite, Elite
Source Porter, B and R. Moss. 1973. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings. Volume 3: Memphis. Second edition. Revised by J. Malek. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.70
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 29°58'44.83"N, 31° 7'51.69"E
Date 2435-01-01BCE - 2306-01-01BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Ankhmare (Giza 7837/7843) showing two people playing Senet.
Porter and Moss 1973: 207.
Confidence 100
Genders Male
Source Porter, B and R. Moss. 1973. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings. Volume 3: Memphis. Second edition. Revised by J. Malek. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.71
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2435-01-01BCE - 2306-01-01BCE
Rules Capture by passing pieces.
Content Senet playing scene in Tomb of Niykauhor at Saqqara (QS 915) with player captions.
Left player: "Three are known, my companion."
Right player: "Taking possession by means of passing. See the three things, my companion."
Porter and Moss 1980:498.
Confidence 100
Source Porter, B and R. Moss. 1980. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings. Volume 3: Memphis. Second edition. Revised by J. Malek. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.72
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2435-01-01BCE - 2306-01-01BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Niykauhor (Saqqara QS 915) with two men playing.
Piccione 1990: 51-52.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite, Elite
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.73
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2435-01-01BCE - 2306-01-01BCE
Rules Capture by passing pieces.
Content Senet playing scene in Tomb of Neferiretenef (Saqqara, Mariette D55) with player captions.
Right player: "Taking possession (by means of) passing. See, my companion."
Left player: "I shall carry up the exchange against my portion."
Piccione 1990: 54 note 82 interprets the text as: right player has captured opponent's square or piece, and the left player has either countered with a move to compensate for the loss or has to pay a price or penalty.
Piccione 1990:52-54;
Mariette 1889: 324-328.
Confidence 100
Source Mariette, A. 1889. Les mastabas de l’Ancien Empire. Paris: F. Vieweg.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.74
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2435-01-01BCE - 2306-01-01BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene in Tomb of Neferiretenef (Saqqara, Mariette D55) with two players.
Piccione 1990:52-54;
Mariette 1889: 324-328.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Mariette, A. 1889. Les mastabas de l’Ancien Empire. Paris: F. Vieweg.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.75
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2365-01-01BCE - 2322-01-01BCE
Rules Pieces pass each other.
Content Senet playing scene in Tomb of Chepses-re (Saqqara L16/ QS902).
Two people playing Senet with captions.
Right player: "It is in passing that I have made three."
Left player: "I will lift up three and two in passing. Observe my passing."
Piccione 1990: 54-55;
Pusch 1979: 13;
Pieper 1909: plate 1.
Confidence 100
Source Pieper, M. 1909. Das Brettspiel der alten Ägypter. Berlin: Weidmännische Buchhandlung.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.76
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2365-01-01BCE - 2322-01-01BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene in Tomb of Chepses-re (Saqqara L16/ QS902).
Two people playing Senet.
Piccione 1990: 54-55;
Pusch 1979: 13;
Pieper 1909: plate 1.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Pieper, M. 1909. Das Brettspiel der alten Ägypter. Berlin: Weidmännische Buchhandlung.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.77
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2435-01-01BCE - 2118-01-01BCE
Rules Good spaces and bad spaces exist.
Content Senet playing scene in the Tomb of Kairere (Saqqara). Two people are playing Senet with captions for the players:
Right player: "I will make three at the house of goodness."
Left player: "It is at this house of penetration/humiliation that I will make a one."
Piccione 1990: 55-57;
Lauer 1926: 101;
Smith 1949: 631;
Pusch 1979: 19.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Lauer, J.-P. 1926. Saqqara, Royal Cemetery of Memphis. London: Thames and Hudson.
, Smith, W.S. 1949. A History of Egyptian Sculpture and Painting. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts.
Id DLP.Evidence.78
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2435-01-01BCE - 2118-01-01BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene in the Tomb of Kairere (Saqqara). Two people are playing Senet.
Piccione 1990: 55-57;
Lauer 1926: 101;
Smith 1949: 631;
Pusch 1979: 19.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Lauer, J.-P. 1926. Saqqara, Royal Cemetery of Memphis. London: Thames and Hudson.
, Smith, W.S. 1949. A History of Egyptian Sculpture and Painting. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts.
Id DLP.Evidence.79
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 29°58'44.83"N, 31° 7'51.69"E
Date 2435-01-01BCE - 2118-01-01BCE
Rules Players can pass one another.
Content Senet playing scene in tomb of Isesi-mery-netjer. Caption above left hand player:
"Playing in passing."
Piccione 1990: 57-58;
Pusch 1979: 29-32;
Kendall 1978: 12.
Confidence 100
Source Kendall, T. 1978. Passing through the Netherworld: The Meaning and Play of Senet, an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Game. Belmont, MA: Kirk Game Company.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.80
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 29°58'44.83"N, 31° 7'51.69"E
Date 2435-01-01BCE - 2118-01-01BCE
Rules Players can pass one another.
Content Senet playing scene in tomb of Isesi-mery-netjer. Two players are playing senet; Isesi-mery-netjer against an unnamed opponent.
Portion of caption remains: "Playing in passing."
Piccione 1990: 57-58;
Pusch 1979: 29-32;
Kendall 1978: 12.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Kendall, T. 1978. Passing through the Netherworld: The Meaning and Play of Senet, an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Game. Belmont, MA: Kirk Game Company.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.81
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 29°58'44.83"N, 31° 7'51.69"E
Date 2305-01-01BCE - 2118-01-01BCE
Rules Some spaces are bad, players cannot move to occupied spaces.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Idu (Giza G7102). Two people are playing senet with captions:
Right player: "One and two, you have no claim to it."
Left player: "I will cause my finger to lead the way to the house which I ought to penetrate (or house of penetration/humiliation)."
Piccione 1990: 58-60;
Simpson 1976: 19.
Confidence 100
Source Simpson, W.K. 1976. Giza Mastabas 2: The Mastabas of Qar and Idu. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.82
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 29°58'44.83"N, 31° 7'51.69"E
Date 2305-01-01BCE - 2118-01-01BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Idu (Giza G7102). Two people are playing Senet in the midst of a celebration to the goddess Hathor.
Piccione 1990:58-60;
Simpson 1976:19.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Non-Elite
Spaces Ritual, Public
Genders Male
Source Simpson, W.K. 1976. Giza Mastabas 2: The Mastabas of Qar and Idu. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.83
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 27°25'42.98"N, 30°42'16.53"E
Date 2305-01-01BCE - 2118-01-01BCE
Rules Players can pass each other
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Pepi-ankh Heryib (Meir Tomb Chapel D no.2)
Two people are playing Senet with captions:
Left player: "It has alighted! You are happy, o heart, for I am causing you to see it taken away"
Right player: "It is from the back of the tongue that you speak; passing belongs to me."
Piccione 1990:62 note 123 says that this must mean taking the game, i.e. winning, because of the feminine pronoun; if it was taking a piece it would have to be masculine.
Piccione 1990: 60-62;
Pusch 1979: 37-40;
Kamal 1915: 243.
Confidence 100
Source Kamal, A. 1915. Le tombeau nouveau de Meir. Annales du Service des Antiquités de l’Égypte 14: 209–258.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.84
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 27°25'42.98"N, 30°42'16.53"E
Date 2305-01-01BCE - 2118-01-01BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Pepi-ankh Heryib (Meir Tomb Chapel D no.2).
Two people playing senet.
Piccione 1990: 60-62;
Pusch 1979: 37-40;
Kamal 1915: 243.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Kamal, A. 1915. Le tombeau nouveau de Meir. Annales du Service des Antiquités de l’Égypte 14: 209–258.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.85
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2305-01-01BCE - 2118-01-01BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene in Tomb of Mereruka showing Mereruka playing with another person.
Piccione 1990: 62-63;
Saqqara Expedition 1938: 2, plate 172;
Pusch 1979: 24.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Saqqara Expedition. 1938. The Mastaba of Mereruka. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.86
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2302-01-01BCE - 2118-01-01BCE
Rules Players can force another player to move to a certain space.
Content Senet playing scene from the tomb of Nebkauhor (Saqqara). Two people are playing Senet with captions:
Right player: "Indeed, I will cause that your finger lead the way to the house of the three bones."
Left player: "Lift this and hurry up, you fool."
Piccione 1990: 63-64;
Hassan 1975: 23.
Confidence 100
Source Hassan, S. 1975. The Mastaba of Neb-Kaw-Her: Excavations at Saqqara, 1937–1938. Excavations Saqqara 24. Cairo: Service des Antiquités.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.87
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2302-01-01BCE - 2118-01-01BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene from the tomb of Nebkauhor (Saqqara). Two people are playing Senet in the context of celebrations for the goddess Hathor.
Piccione 1990: 63-64;
Hassan 1975: 23.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Non-Elite
Spaces Public, Ritual
Genders Male
Source Hassan, S. 1975. The Mastaba of Neb-Kaw-Her: Excavations at Saqqara, 1937–1938. Excavations Saqqara 24. Cairo: Service des Antiquités.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.88
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 29°58'44.83"N, 31° 7'51.69"E
Date 2305-01-01BCE - 2118-01-01BCE
Rules Players can pass each other, Captures made by passing.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Kaiemankh (Giza G4561). Two people are playing with a caption:
Left player: "Playing in passing and taking possession."
Piccione 1990: 65;
Junker 1940: 36.
Confidence 100
Source Junker, H. 1940. Giza IV: Die Mastaba des Kai-em-ankh. Vienna: Hölder-Pichler-Tempsky A.G.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.89
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 29°58'44.83"N, 31° 7'51.69"E
Date 2305-01-01BCE - 2118-01-01BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Kaiemankh (Giza G4561). Two people are playing Senet in context of celebration.
Piccione 1990: 65;
Junker 1940: 36.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Non-Elite
Spaces Public, Ritual
Genders Male
Source Junker, H. 1940. Giza IV: Die Mastaba des Kai-em-ankh. Vienna: Hölder-Pichler-Tempsky A.G.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.90
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°34'51.27"N, 32°25'42.66"E
Date 2118-01-01BCE - 1980-01-01BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene of Init-itef painted on a granary in Norwich Castle Museum 37.21.
Init-itef playing Senet with another man, with a female servant offering water and a palm frond. Text captions read:
Init-itef: "The three, my companion..."
Right player: "The friend, Mery, I shall do what you praise, lord."
Piccione 1990:65-68;
Pusch 1979: 42-45;
Blackman 1920: 206-208.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Non-Elite
Spaces Private
Genders Male
Source Blackman, A. 1920. 'A painted pottery model of a granary in the collection of the late Jeremiah James Coleman, Esq. of Carrow House, Norwich.' Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 6: 206–208.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.91
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 27°55'58.81"N, 30°52'54.43"E
Date 1939-01-01BCE - 1760-01-01BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Baqet III at Beni Hasan (15).
Two players playing senet with the caption "Playing 5."
Piccione 1990: 68-71;
Crist et al. 2016: 51.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Crist, W., A.-E. Dunn-Vaturi and A. de Voogt. 2016. Ancient Egyptians at Play: Board Games Across Borders. London: Bloomsbury.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.92
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 27°55'58.81"N, 30°52'54.43"E
Date 1939-01-01BCE - 1760-01-01BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Khety at Beni Hasan (15)
Two players playing senet with the caption "Playing 5."
Piccione 1990: 71-73;
Crist et al. 2016: 51.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Crist, W., A.-E. Dunn-Vaturi and A. de Voogt. 2016. Ancient Egyptians at Play: Board Games Across Borders. London: Bloomsbury.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.93
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 27°25'42.98"N, 30°42'16.53"E
Date 1939-01-01BCE - 1760-01-01BCE
Rules Name of the game.
Content Text on coffin in the Egyptian Museum Cairo JdE 42909 from Meir belonging to Rarewet, daughter of the nomarch. On it appears Coffin Text 405:
"The great tribunal which is in the field says: 'let him sing, let him dance, and let him receive ornaments. Let him play Senet with those who are on earth. It is his voice which is heard, (although) he cannot be seen. Let him go to his house, that he may visit his children forever and ever."
Piccione 1990: 82-86;
Kamal 1914: 61.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Source Kamal, A. 1914. Rapport sur les fouilles executés dans la zone comprise entre Deîrout au nord et Deir-el-Ganadlah, au sud. Annales du Service des Antiquités de l’Égypte 15: 45–87.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.94
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Date 2118-01-01BCE - 1760-01-01BCE
Rules Players can move off the board.
Content Text from Coffin Text 1019 on Papyrus Gardiner 2 (pBM10676):
"To pass through the necropolis. O Anubis who is on his mountain, establish you claim to the two wash basins...bow...when you shall be removed from the Senet board, and you take possession of the Mehen board together with ... the Mound Dweller."
Piccione 1990:86-88;
deBuck 1961: 240.
Confidence 100
Source de Buck, A. 1961. The Egyptian Coffin Texts. Oriental Institute Publications 87. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.95
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Date 2119-01-01BCE - 1794-01-01BCE
Rules Name of the game.
Content Text from coffin of Mentuhotep (coffin 9 in Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung Berlin), epilogue to Coffin Text 305:
"(The deceased) mooring happily with Osiris...going out into the day, playing at Senet, and sitting in a booth after death."
Faulkner 1972: 269;
Crist et al. 2016: 52.
Confidence 100
Source Faulkner, R. 1972. The Book of the Dead: A Collection of Spells. New York: Limited Editions Club.
, Crist, W., A.-E. Dunn-Vaturi and A. de Voogt. 2016. Ancient Egyptians at Play: Board Games Across Borders. London: Bloomsbury.
Id DLP.Evidence.96
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Date 1187-01-01BCE - 1157-01-01BCE
Rules Seven playing pieces, players can block others from moving by being in front of them, moving forward is good, players can pass each other, water space is bad, moving past space 30 is the goal, there is a spot in which a player can become trapped, there is a space which is beneficial, may move more than one piece per turn.
Content Great Game Text from Papyrus Cairo JdE 58037
"...the Lord of Justification, to the Thirty, to Horus, Anubis, Thoth, Shu, Ma'at, to the Crew of the Great Ones of the Good House, to Heka, Hu, and Siaj, [so that they might permit] me to enter the Council Chamber of the Thirty, I will become the thirty-first. {I will approach Mehen and I will take away his draughtsmen from him. I will take away his draughtsmen from him. I will stop according to my predilection, [and I will take my place in the House of Thoth] I will fight the god with him, [while seeing] Neith with her arms upon the Abydos reliquary. I will open the Good House that contains Ma'at, so that I will conduct the god to the Thirty. I will fasten the djed pillar to the ti.t amulet while seeing Wadjet in her manifestations beside the House of Mut. My heart is shrewd, it is not forgetful. My heart is clever in determining his play against me, I will bring his draughtsmen to him. His fingers are confused, and his heart has removed itself from its place, so that he does not know his response. My name has been perpetuated in the house of Orion, that I may live forever and eternity. I will pass by as one who sails with the breeze together with the Sun Disk to the House of Repeating Life, while my opponent is stopped in the House of the Netting, which humbles him (or holds him back) by means of the meshes. I will convey my response to Tn.t-Mhn, with the result that I keep him from the good house. I shall lift up my three draughtsmen, while finding two draughtsmen. My opponent is behind me, I shall convey my draughtsmen to the place which I desire. I am guided in passing, being made wise in the Hosue of...so that I know their names-for the scribe who has become possessed of understanding is not ignorant. After Mehen instructed me, he gave bread in the House of Bread and cool water in the House of Libation. I will establish my draughtsmen in the Good House. I take possession of the rear or the Good House. My seven draughtsmen are before my fingers, like the jackals hauling the bark. I will seize his draughtsmen, and I will throw him into the water, that he might drown together with his draughtsmen. You are justified, so Mehen will say to me, while my heart..."
Piccione 1990: 96-154;
Wiedemann 1897: 50;
Pieper 1931: 20-22;
Piankoff and Jacquet-Gordon 1961: 258-261;
Kendall 1978: 56.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Kendall, T. 1978. Passing through the Netherworld: The Meaning and Play of Senet, an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Game. Belmont, MA: Kirk Game Company.
, Wiedemann, A. 1897. Das Brettspiel bei den Alten Ägyptern. In Actes du Dixième Congrès Internationale des Orientalistes, 1894. Leiden: Brill, 35–61.
, Pieper, M. 1931. Ein text über das ägyptisches Brettspiel. Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde 66: 16–33.
, Piankoff, A. And H. Jacquet-Gordon. 1972. The Wandering of the Soul. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.97
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 25°43'40.96"N, 32°36'5.13"E
Date 1163-01-01BCE - 1150-01-01BCE
Rules Seven playing pieces, players can block others from moving by being in front of them, moving forward is good, players can pass each other, water space is bad, moving past space 30 is the goal, there is a spot in which a player can become trapped, there is a space which is beneficial, may move more than one piece per turn.
Content Great Game Text from Tomb of Inherkau at Deir el-Medina, Theban Tomb 359.
"An offering which the king gives to Ra, Atum, Wennefer, the Lord of Justification, to the Thirty, to Horus, Anubis, to the Crew of the Great Ones of the Good House, to Heka, Hu, and Siaj, [so that they might permit] me to enter the Council Chamber of the Thirty, I will become a god, making 31. I will approach Mehen and I will lift up the draughtsmen. I will stop according to my predilection, [and I will take my place in the House of Thoth] I will fight as a god with him, [while seeing] Neith with her arms upon the Abydos reliquary. I will open the Good House that contains Ma'at, so that thre god will condust me to the House of the Thirty Gods. I will fasten the djed pillar and ti.t amulet while seeing Wadjet in all her manifestations beside the House of Mut. My heart is shrewd, it is not forgetful. My heart is clever in determining his play against me, his draughtsmen will turn back to him. His fingers are confused, and his heart has removed itself from its place, so that he does not know his response. My name has been perpetuated in the house of Orion, that I may live forever and eternity. I will pass by as one who sails with the breeze together with the Sun Disk to the House of Repeating Life, while my opponent is stopped i nthe House of the Netting, which humbles him (or holds him back) by means of the meshes. I will convey my response to Tn.t-Mhn, with the result that I keep him from the good house. I shall lift up my three draughtsmen, while finding two draughtsmen. My opponent is behind me, I shall convey my draughtsmen to the place which I desire. I am guided in passing, being made wise in the House of...so that I know their names-for the scribe who has become possessed of understanding is not ignorant. After Mehen instructed me, he gave bread in the House of Bread and cool water in the House of Libation. I will establish my draughtsmen in the Good House. I take possession of the rear or the Good House. My seven draughtsmen are sailing with the breeze before my fingers, like the jackals hauling the bark. I will remove my...from the House of[Water..] opponent...will approach my opponent, and will throw..., that he might drown together with his draughtsmen. You are justified, so Mehen will say to me, while my heart..."
Piccione 1990: 99-154;
Lepsius 1849: 404;
Naville 1900: 294;
Bruyère 1930: 158;
Pieper 1931: 17, 20;
Piankoff and Jacquet-Gordon 1972: 119.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Piankoff, A. And H. Jacquet-Gordon. 1972. The Wandering of the Soul. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
, Lepsius, R. 1849. Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien. Volume 1. Berlin: Nicolaische Buchhandlung.
, Naville, E. 1900. Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien. Texte. Lepizig: J.C. Hinrich.
, Bruyère, B. 1930. Mert-Seger à Deir el Medineh. Cairo: Imprimerie de l’Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale.
, Pieper, M. 1931. Ein text über das ägyptisches Brettspiel. Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde 66: 16–33.
, Piankoff, A. And H. Jacquet-Gordon. 1972. The Wandering of the Soul. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.98
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Date 1190-01-01BCE - 1077-01-01BCE
Rules Seven playing pieces, players can block others from moving by being in front of them, moving forward is good, players can pass each other, water space is bad, moving past space 30 is the goal, there is a spot in which a player can become trapped, there is a space which is beneficial, may move more than one piece per turn.
Content Great Game Text from Papyrus Turin 1.775.
"An offering which the king gives to Ra, Atum, Wennefer, the Lord of Justification, to the Thirty, to Horus, Anubis, Thoth, Shu, Ma'at, to the Crew of the Great Ones of the Good House, to Heka, Hu, and Siaj, [so that they might permit] me to enter the Council Chamber of the Thirty, I will become a god, making 31. I will approach Mehen and I will lift up the draughtsmen. I will stop according to my predilection, [and I will take my place in the House of Thoth] I will fight as a god with him, [while seeing] Neith with her arms upon the Abydos reliquary. I will open the Good House that contains Ma'at, so that thre god will condust me to the House of the Thirty Gods. I will fasten the djed pillar to the ti.t amulet while seeing Wadjet in her manifestations beside the House of Mut. My heart is shrewd, it is not forgetful. My heart is clever in determining his play against me, his draughtsmen will turn back to him. His fingers are confused, and his heart has removed itself from its place, so that he does not know his response. My name has been perpetuated in the house of Orion, that I may live forever and eternity. I will pass by as one who sails with the breeze together with the Sun Disk to the House of Repeating Life, while my opponent is stopped i nthe House of the Netting, which humbles him (or holds him back) by means of the meshes. I will convey my response to Tn.t-Mhn, with the result that I keep him from the good house. I shall lift up my three draughtsmen, while finding two draughtsmen. My opponent is behind me, I shall convey my draughtsmen to the place which I desire. I am guided in passing, being made wise in the House of...so that I know their names-for the scribe who has become possessed of understanding is not ignorant. After Mehen instructed me, he gave bread in the House of Bread and cool water in the House of Libation. I will establish my draughtsmen in the Good House. I take possession of the rear or the Good House. My seven draughtsmen are sailing with the breeze before my fingers, like the jackals hauling the bark. I will remove my...from the House of[Water..] opponent...will approach my opponent, and will throw..., that he might drown together with his draughtsmen. You are justified, so Mehen will say to me, while my heart..."
Piccione 1990: 101-154;
Seyffarth 1833: 200;
Maspero 1897: 94;
Wiedemann 1896: 1;
Piankfoff and Jacquet Gordon 1972: plate 46.
Confidence 100
Source Piankoff, A. And H. Jacquet-Gordon. 1972. The Wandering of the Soul. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Maspero, G. 1897. Les jeux de dames en Égypte. Bibliotèque Égyptologique 5: 83–96.
, Seyffarth, G. 1833. Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Literatur, Kunst,
Mythologie und Geschichte des Alten Ägypten. Volume III. Laipzig: J.A. Barth.
, Wiedemann, A. 1897. Das Brettspiel bei den Alten Ägyptern. In Actes du Dixième Congrès Internationale des Orientalistes, 1894. Leiden: Brill, 35–61.
Id DLP.Evidence.99
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Date 1279-01-01BCE - 1153-01-01BCE
Rules House of Three Gods is a good space,
water space is bad, pieces can pass opponents, pieces can obstruct opponents.
Content Game text in Tomb of Tjaynefer at Dra Abu el-Naga (Theban Tomb 158).
"He will see the sun disk; he will mingle with the star, and he will unite with the stars of heaven. He will accompany Osiris from R-Pky during the W3g- Festival, and he will take the helm in the bark of the god, his statue being within it. He will seize the stake, and he will take the netting needle in order to throw the Net. He will gladden the Thirty of the Senet game. Mehen is before him, opposite his opponent in the Good House. He will pass by the House of Towing after he has entered the papyrus. his heart is happy in the House of the Three Gods, until he descends into the water, knowing that he has strength. He will come out through the houses, even though they are obstructed. He will place the djed pillar and he will place the ti.t in the precincts of the Lord of Eternity. He will petition the god concerning his uprightness..."
Piccione 1990: 154-179;
Seele 1959: plate 4;
Kendall 1978: 57-58.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Seele, K. The Tomb of Tjanefer at Thebes. Oriental Institute Publication 86. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
, Kendall, T. 1978. Passing through the Netherworld: The Meaning and Play of Senet, an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Game. Belmont, MA: Kirk Game Company.
Id DLP.Evidence.108
Type Contemporary text
Game Senet
Location 27°25'42.98"N, 30°42'16.53"E
Date 0400-01-01BCE - 0301-01-01BCE
Rules Water space is bad, two gods space is good, players can cause "injury" to other players' pieces.
Content Senet scene from the Tomb of Petosiris at Tena el-Gebel with a general caption and player captions.
General caption: "Taking recreation in playing with his friends after lunch, until the time that he is purified in the beer chamber, by the Greatest of the Five, Petosiris."
Left Player: ...there is no road (for reaching) the land before (you). I shall place ...the road for your companion. Come, for I have become free thereof. I will lift up so that I might carry....to...at the Two Gods, while the companion of your draughtsman is upon the Water."
Right player: ...clear for me. I have caused that...receive...therein, in order to give to me the draughtsman ...the land, after I have injured your two draughtsmen."
Piccione 1990: 184-190;
Lefebvre 1923: 12;
Cherpion et al. 2007: 33.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Cherpion, N, J.P. Corteggiani, and J.-F. Gout. 2017. Le tombeau de Pétosiris à Touna el-Gebel: Relevé photographique. Cairo: Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale. , Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Lefebvre, G. 1923. Le Tombeau de Petosiris. Cairo: Institute Français des Antiquités Orientales.
Id DLP.Evidence.109
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1479-01-01BCE - 1425-01-01BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene in the tomb of Amenemhat (TT 82).
Amenemhat playing Senet with another person.
Piccione 1990: 264-265;
Davies & Gardiner 1915: 70.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Davies, N and A. Gardiner. 1915. The Tomb of Amenemhet (No. 82). London: Egypt Exploration Society.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.110
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1425-01-01BCE - 1400-12-31BCE
Content Offering scene in Tomb of Sennefer (TT96B), with a Senet board seen next to Sennefer as he accepts ritual food offerings.
Piccione 1990: 265-266
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Ritual
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.111
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1319-01-01BCE - 1292-12-31BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene of Neferhotep (TT 50) showing Neferhotep accompanied by his wife playing against a woman.
Piccione 1990: 266-267;
Bénédite 1894: plate 2.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Female, Male
Source Bénédite, G. 1894. 'Tombeau de Neferhotpu, fils d’Amenemanit.' Mémoires publiées par les membres de la mission archéologique française au Caire (Paris) 5: 489–540.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.112
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1319-01-01BCE - 1213-12-31BCE
Content Senet playing scene in tomb of Nebnefer (TT 6), showing Nebnefer accompanied by his wife in a vignette from the Book of the Dead where the deceased plays against an invisible opponent.
Piccione 1990:267;
Wild 1979: plate 11.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Ritual
Genders Male
Source Wild, H. 1979. La tombe de Nefer-hotep (I) et Neb-nefer à Deir el-Medina (No. 6). Mémoires publiées par les membres de l’Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale 103. Cairo: Institue Français de l’Archéologie Orientale.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.113
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'40.96"N, 32°36'5.13"E
Date 1279-01-01BCE - 1213-12-31BCE
Content Senet playing scene on wooden outer coffin of Sennedjem (Egyptian Museum Cairo JdE 27.301).
Sennedjem, accompanied by his wife, shown playing Senet against an invisible opponent in a vignette from the Book of the Dead.
Piccione 1990: 269;
Porter & Moss 1960/1964: 4.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Ritual
Genders Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.114
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1279-01-01BCE - 1213-12-31BCE
Content Senet playing scene of Sennedjem, showing him accompanied by his wife playing an invisible opponent in a vignette from the Book of the Dead.
Piccione 1990: 270;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 3.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Ritual
Genders Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.115
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'40.96"N, 32°36'5.13"E
Date 1279-01-01BCE - 1213-12-31BCE
Rules Astragali used as dice.
Content Senet playing scene on wooden outer coffin of Khonsu (Cairo Museum JdE 27.302), found in TT1.
Khonsu accompanied by his wife Tameket playing Senet against an invisible opponent in a vignette from the Book of the Dead. An astragalus appears with the board.
Piccione 1990: 270-271;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 5.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Ritual
Genders Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.116
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'39.93"N, 32°35'33.60"E
Date 1279-01-01BCE - 1213-12-31BCE
Content Senet playing scene from tomb of Nefertari (VQ 66).
Nefertari playing Senet against an invisible opponent in a vignette from the Book of the Dead.
Piccione 1990: 271-2;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 762.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Spaces Ritual
Genders Female
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.117
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1279-01-01BCE - 1213-12-31BCE
Content Senet playing scene from tomb of Nefersekheru (TT 296).
Nefersekheru accompanied by his wife playing Senet against an invisible opponent in a vignette from the Book of the Dead.
Piccione 1990: 272;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 378.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Ritual
Genders Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.118
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1279-01-01BCE - 1213-12-31BCE
Content Senet playing scene from tomb of Kenro (TT 178).
Kenro accompanied by his wife playing Senet against an invisible opponent in a vignette from the Book of the Dead.
Piccione 1990: 273;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 284.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Ritual
Genders Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.119
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1279-01-01BCE - 1213-12-31BCE
Rules Astragali used as dice, two players.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Penbuy (TT 10).
Penbuy playing against his wife in the context of a vignette from the Book of the Dead.
Piccione 1990: 274;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 22.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Ritual
Genders Female, Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.120
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1279-01-01BCE - 1213-12-31BCE
Content Senet scene in the tomb of Piay (TT 263).
Piay accompanied by his wife sitting next to a Senet board.
Piccione 1990: 275;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 345.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.121
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Date 1279-01-01BCE - 1213-12-31BCE
Rules Astragali used as dice, two players.
Content Senet playing scene from game box of Imenmes (Louvre 1605).
Imenmes playing Aenet against an opponent.
Piccione 1990:275-276.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.122
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1292-01-01BCE - 1191-12-31BCE
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Amenemopet (TT 265).
Amenemopet accompanied by his wife Hunero playing Senet against an invisible opponent in a vignette from the Book of the Dead.
Piccione 1990: 277;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 346.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Ritual
Genders Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.123
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1292-01-01BCE - 1191-12-31BCE
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Amenemhat (TT 163, BM55336).
Amenemhat and his wife Nedjemniut with a Senet board.
Piccione 1990: 278;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 276.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.124
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 26°11'2.28"N, 31°55'6.28"E
Date 1213-01-01BCE - 1203-12-31BCE
Content Senet playing scene of Merenptah from the Osireion, Abydos.
Merenptah playing Senet against an invisible opponent in a vignette from the Book of the Dead.
Piccione 1990: 278-279;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 30.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Spaces Ritual
Genders Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.125
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1292-01-01BCE - 1191-12-31BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Nebenma'at (T 219).
Nebenma'at playing Senet against Meretseger, his wife.
Piccione 1990: 279-278;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 321.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Female, Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.126
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1292-01-01BCE - 1191-12-31BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Khonsumose (TT 30).
Khonsumose playing Senet against his wife.
Piccione 1990: 280;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 47.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male, Female
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.127
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1292-01-01BCE - 1191-12-31BCE
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Amenhotep and Ameneminet (TT 58).
Amenhotep accompanied by his wife playing Senet against an invisible opponent in a vignette from the Book of the Dead.
Piccione 1990: 280-281;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 119.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Ritual
Genders Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.128
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1279-01-01BCE - 1157-12-31BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Tjaynefer (TT 158).
Tjaynefer playing Senet against a man in the context of a festival to Sokar.
Piccione 1990: 281-282;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 269.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Ritual
Genders Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.129
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'9.29"N, 32°36'4.84"E
Date 1187-01-01BCE - 1157-12-31BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene on west wall of the Eastern High Gateway of Temple of Medinet Habu.
Rameses III playing Senet against a princess.
Piccione 1990: 282;
Porter and Moss 1972: 487.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Spaces Private
Genders Female, Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1972. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol. 2: Theban Temples. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.130
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'9.29"N, 32°36'4.84"E
Date 1187-01-01BCE - 1157-12-31BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene from Temple of Medinet Habu in Eastern High Gateway, third floor room of North Tower.
Rameses III, accompanied by a princess, playing Senet against another princess.
Piccione 1990: 282-284;
Porter and Moss 1972: 487.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Spaces Private
Genders Female, Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1972. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol. 2: Theban Temples. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.131
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 25°43'49.68"N, 32°35'45.25"E
Date 1187-01-01BCE - 1150-12-31BCE
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Inherkau (TT 359).
Inherkau accompanied by his wife playing Senet against an invisible opponent in a vignette from the Book of the Dead.
Piccione 1990: 284;
Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 284.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Ritual
Genders Male
Source Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.132
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 0664-01-01BCE - 0525-12-31BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Ankhefensakhmet (Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore).
Two men playing Senet in the context of singing and music playing.
Piccione 1990: 286;
Capart 1938: fig 1-3.
It may be a copy of an Old Kingdom scene.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Spaces Ritual, Public
Genders Male
Source Capart, J. 1938. 'A Neo-Memphite bas-relief.' Journal of the Walters Art Gallery 1:13–18.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.133
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 18°31'26.57"N, 31°52'29.41"E
Date 0600-01-01BCE - 0501-01-01BCE
Content Senet playing scene of Aramatelqo from Nuri (MFA Boston 24.1789).
Man playing Senet, broken so cannot see other player.
Piccione 1990: 288
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Public
Genders Male
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.134
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 27°25'42.98"N, 30°42'16.53"E
Date 0335-01-01BCE - 0323-12-31BCE
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Petosiris, Tuna el-Gebel.
Two men playing Senet.
Piccione 1990: 288-289;
Lefebvre 1923: 50;
Cherpion et al. 2017: 33.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Carter, H and P. Newberry. 1904. The Tomb of Thutmosis IV. Westminster: A. Constable & Co.
, Cherpion, N, J.P. Corteggiani, and J.-F. Gout. 2017. Le tombeau de Pétosiris à Touna el-Gebel: Relevé photographique. Cairo: Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale. , Lefebvre, G. 1923. Le Tombeau de Petosiris. Cairo: Institute Français des Antiquités Orientales.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.135
Type Artistic depiction
Game Senet
Location 27°25'42.98"N, 30°42'16.53"E
Date 0335-01-01BCE - 0323-12-31BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Senet playing scene from Tomb of Petosiris, Tuna el-Gebel.
Two men playing Senet.
Piccione 1990: 288-289;
Lefebvre 1923: 50;
Cerpion et al 2017: 40.
Confidence 100
Source Cherpion, N, J.P. Corteggiani, and J.-F. Gout. 2017. Le tombeau de Pétosiris à Touna el-Gebel: Relevé photographique. Cairo: Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale. , Lefebvre, G. 1923. Le Tombeau de Petosiris. Cairo: Institute Français des Antiquités Orientales.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.136
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°44'24.59"N, 32°36'5.08"E
Ruleset Vertical Senet
Date 1149-01-01BCE - 1139-12-31BCE
Rules Marked spaces are good.
Content Senet game on limestone fragment.
Egyptian Museum Cairo CGC 25.183.
Senet arranged with the long sides vertical, arcs over the three spaces at the top of the board. Squares are decorated as follows:
30: neferu,
28: neferu,
27: neferu,
Pusch 1979: 361.
Confidence 100
Source Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.137
Type Contemporary text
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 42°24'15.94"N, 12°51'25.45"E
Date 0116-01-01BCE - 0027-12-31BCE
Rules Rectangular board.
Content Varro, De Lingua Latina X.22
"Ad hunc quadruplicem fontem ordines deriguntur bini, uni transversi, alteri directi, ut in tabula solet in qua latrunculis ludunt."
Confidence 100
Source Varro. De Lingua Latina. trans. R. Kent. Loeb Classical Library.
Id DLP.Evidence.140
Type Contemporary text
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 41°54'10.45"N, 12°29'46.38"E
Date 0001-01-01 - 0100-12-31
Rules Pieces can block one another, win by breaking through opponents ranks.
Content Laus Pisonis 192-208:
"callidore modo tabula variatur aperta calculus et vitreo peraguntur milite bella, ut nievus nigros, nunc et niger alliget albos. Sed tibi quis non terga dedit? Quis te duce cessit calculus? Aut quis non periturus perdidit hostem? mille modis acies tua dimicat: ille petentem dum fugit, ipse rapit; longo venit ille recessu, qui stetit in speculis; hic se committere rizae audet et in praedam venientem decipit hostem; ancipites subit ille moras similisque ligato obligat ipse duos; hic ad maiora movetur, ut citus effracta prorumpat in agmina mandra clausaque deiecto populetur moenia vallo. Interea sectis quamvis accerima surgant proelia militibus, plena tamen ipse phalange aut etiam pauco spoliata milite vincis, et tibi captiva resonat manus etraque turba."
"Cunningly the pieces are disposed on the open board, and battles are fought with soldiery of glass, so that now white blocks black, now black blocks white. But every foe yields to thee, Piso: marshalled by thee, what piece ever gave way? What piece on the brink of death dealt not death to his enemy? Thousandfold are the battle-tactics; one man in fleeing from an attacker, himself overpowers him; another, who has been standing on the look-out, comes up from a different corner; another stoutly rushes into the melee and cheats his foe now creeping on his prey; another courts blockade on either flank, and, under feint of being blocked, himself blocks two men; another's objective is more ambitious, that he may quickly break through the massed phalanx, swoop into the lines, and razing the enemy's rampart do havoc in the walled stronghold. Meantime, although the fight rages fiercely now the hostile ranks are split, yet thou thyself art victorious with serried line unbroken, or despoiled may be of one or two men, and both thy hands rattle with the prisoned throng."
Translation from Austin 1934: 30.
Confidence 100
Source Anonymous. Laus Pisonis. Loeb Classical Library. , Austin, R.G. 1934. 'Roman board games I.' Greece & Rome 4(10): 24-34.
Id DLP.Evidence.141
Type Contemporary text
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 41°54'10.45"N, 12°29'46.38"E
Date 0002-01-01BCE - 0002-12-31
Rules Pieces can move backwards, pieces can capture, two pieces are needed to capture one piece.
Content Ovid Ars Amatoria III.356-60:
"Quam subeat partem callida, quamque vocet. Cautaque non stulte latronum proelia ludat, Unus cum gemino calculus hoste perit, Bellatorque sua prensus sine compare bellat."
Translation Hejlduk 2014: "...and that she play prudently, not foolishly, Battles of Bandits when one counter perishes, vanquished by a twin foe, and the warrior, caught without his companion, wages war and the rival keeps retracing the path he's begun..."
Confidence 100
Genders Female, Male
Source Ovid. Ars Amatoria. , Hejduyk, J. 2004. The Offense of Love. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.142
Type Contemporary text
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 41°54'10.45"N, 12°29'46.38"E
Date 0002-01-01 - 0002-12-31
Rules Pieces can be captured.
Content Ovid Ars Amatoria II.208:
"Sive latrocinii sub imagine calculus ibit, Fac pereat vitreo miles ab hoste tuus"
Translation Hejduk 2014:
"or if the counter will go forth in the guise of a bandit, make sure your soldier is killed by the glassy foe."
Confidence 100
Source Ovid. Ars Amatoria. , Hejduyk, J. 2004. The Offense of Love. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.143
Type Contemporary text
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 41°54'10.45"N, 12°29'46.38"E
Date 0008-01-01 - 0018-12-31
Rules Pieces are captured between two opponent pieces, pieces move in a straight path, pieces can move backwards.
Content Ovid Tristia II.477-478:
"discolor ut recto grateur limite miles, cum medios gemino calculus hoste perit, ut bellare sequens sciat et revocare priorem, nec tuto fugiens incomitatus eat"
Translation Wheeler 1924: 91:
"...how the variegated soldier steals to the attack along the straight path when the piece between two enemies is lost, and how he understands warfare by pursuit and how to recall the man before him and to retreat in safety not without escort..."
Confidence 100
Source Ovid. Tristia. trans. A. Wheeler. 1924. Loeb Classical Library.
Id DLP.Evidence.144
Type Contemporary text
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 41°54'10.45"N, 12°29'46.38"E
Date 0004-01-01BCE - 0065-12-31
Rules Player with more pieces wins.
Content Seneca De Tranquilitate Animi 14.7:
"Ludebat latrunculis. Cum centurio, agmen periturorum trahens, illum quoque excitari iuberet, vocatus numeravit calculos et sodali suo"Vide, inquit, ne post mortem meam mentiaris te vicisse.| Tum, annuens centurioni: "Testis, inquit, eris uno me antecedere." Lusisse tu Canum illa tabula putas? Illusit."
Translation from Stewart 1900: "He was playing at draughts (latrunculi) when the centurion in charge of a number of those who were going to be executed bade him, join them: on the summons he counted his men and said to his companion, "Mind you do not tell a lie after my death, and say that you won;" then, turning to the centurion, he said "You will bear me witness that I am one man ahead of him." Do you think that Kanus played upon that draught-board? nay, he played with it."
Confidence 100
Social status Military
Source Seneca. De Tranquilitate Animi. trans. A. Stewart.
Id DLP.Evidence.145
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 42°4'24.97"N, 6°0'37.15"W
Date 0100-01-01 - 0199-12-31
Rules 9x7 or larger board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum board from Petavonium, military camp of the Ala II Flavia legion.
Incomplete board with a pattern of at least 9x7.
Carretero Vaquero 1998: 125.
Confidence 100
Social status Military
Source Carretero Vaquero, S. 1998. El Ludus Latrunculorum, un juego de estrategia practicado por los equites del Ala II Flavia. Boletín del Seminario de Estudios de Arte y Arqueologìa 64: 117– 140.
Id DLP.Evidence.146
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 42° 4'24.97"N, 6° 0'37.15"W
Date 0100-01-01 - 0199-12-31
Rules 8x6 or larger board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum board from Petavonium, military camp of the Ala II Flavia legion.
Incomplete board with a pattern of at least 9x7.
Carretero Vaquero 1998: 125.
Confidence 100
Social status Military
Source Carretero Vaquero, S. 1998. El Ludus Latrunculorum, un juego de estrategia practicado por los equites del Ala II Flavia. Boletín del Seminario de Estudios de Arte y Arqueologìa 64: 117– 140.
Id DLP.Evidence.147
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 55° 1'41.90"N, 2° 8'19.38"W
Date 0123-01-01 - 0406-12-31
Rules 7x8 board.
Content Ludus latrunculorum board from Chesters Fort on Hadrian's Wall, UK.
Complete 7x8 board.
Austin 1934: 27.
Confidence 100
Social status Military
Source Austin, R.G. 1934. 'Roman board games I.' Greece & Rome 4(10): 24-34.
Id DLP.Evidence.148
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 27°22'7.73"N, 33°40'58.02"E
Date 0309-01-01 - 0399-12-31
Rules 9x9 or 9x10 board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum board from Abu Sha'ar Fortress.
Either 9x9 or 9x10 pattern (difficult to determine if lines overlap the board or form a new row).
Mulvin and Sidebotham 2004: 612, fig. 9.1.
Confidence 100
Social status Military
Source Mulvin, L. and S.E. Sidebotham. 2003. Roman game boards from Abu Sha’ar (Red Sea Coast, Egypt. Antiquity 78: 602–617.
Id DLP.Evidence.149
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 27°22'7.73"N, 33°40'58.02"E
Date 0309-01-01 - 0399-12-31
Rules 8x9, 8x8, 6x8, 7x8, 7x9 or 6x9 board.
Content Ludus latrunculorum board from Abu Sha'ar Fortress with between 6-8 squares x 8-9 squares.
Mulvin and Sidebotham 2003: 613, fig. 9.5.
Confidence 100
Social status Military
Source Mulvin, L. and S.E. Sidebotham. 2003. Roman game boards from Abu Sha’ar (Red Sea Coast, Egypt. Antiquity 78: 602–617.
Id DLP.Evidence.150
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 27°22'7.73"N, 33°40'58.02"E
Date 0309-01-01 - 0399-12-31
Rules 8x6 or more spaces.
Content Ludus latrunculorum board from Abu Sha'ar Fortress 8x at least 6 squares.
Mulvin and Sidebotham 2003: 612, fig. 9.4.
Confidence 100
Social status Military
Source Mulvin, L. and S.E. Sidebotham. 2003. Roman game boards from Abu Sha’ar (Red Sea Coast, Egypt. Antiquity 78: 602–617.
Id DLP.Evidence.151
Type Artistic depiction
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location Fayyum Oasis
Date 180-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 6x7 board, 17 pieces, pieces played in the squares.
Content Terracotta model of a Ludus Latrunculorum game in progress from the Fayyum oasis, Egypt.
Petrie Museum UC59258.
Crist et al 2016: 139;
Petrie 1927: 55.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W., A.-E. Dunn-Vaturi and A. de Voogt. 2016. Ancient Egyptians at Play: Board Games Across Borders. London: Bloomsbury.
, Petrie, W.M.F. 1927. Objects of Daily Use. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt.
Id DLP.Evidence.152
Type Artistic depiction
Game Mehen
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2592-01-01BCE - 2544-12-31BCE
Rules Up to 6 players, six marbles and one lion per player, single track spiral board.
Content Painting from tomb of Hesy-Re showing Mehen board and playing pieces.
Six crouching lion pieces and six sets of six round pieces alongside a spiral board.
Quibbell 1913: 18-21.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Quibbell, J. 1913. Excavations at Saqqara 1911–1912: The Mastaba of Hesy. Cairo: IFAO.
Id DLP.Evidence.153
Type Contemporary text
Game Mehen
Location 29°23'7.55"N, 31° 9'30.75"E
Date 2543-01-01BCE - 2436-12-31BCE
Rules Name of the game.
Content Text from Tomb of Rahotep mentioning the name of the game Mehen in a list of tomb offerings.
Petrie 1892: pl XIII.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Petrie, W.M.F. et al. 1892. Medum. London: D. Nutt.
Id DLP.Evidence.154
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°58'27.19"N, 23°43'37.42"E
Date 0100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti on the NE platform of the Tower of the Winds, Athens.
Three rows of 12 squares divided in half down the middle with a circle and two semi circles.
Schädler 1995: 74-75.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Schädler, U. 1995. XII scripta, alea, tabula: new evidence for the Roman history of “backgammon.” In A. de Voogt (ed.), New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: IIAS. 73–98.
Id DLP.Evidence.155
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°58'27.19"N, 23°43'37.42"E
Date 0100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti on the NE platform of the Tower of the Winds, Athens.
Three rows of 12 squares divided in half down the middle with a circle and two semi circles.
Schädler 1995: 74-75.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Schädler, U. 1995. XII scripta, alea, tabula: new evidence for the Roman history of “backgammon.” In A. de Voogt (ed.), New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: IIAS. 73–98.
Id DLP.Evidence.156
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°58'27.19"N, 23°43'37.42"E
Date 0100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti on the NE platform of the Tower of the Winds, Athens.
Three rows of squares, damaged but appears to be a XII Scripta pattern.
Schädler 1995: 74-75.
Confidence 75
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Schädler, U. 1995. XII scripta, alea, tabula: new evidence for the Roman history of “backgammon.” In A. de Voogt (ed.), New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: IIAS. 73–98.
Id DLP.Evidence.157
Type Contemporary text
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 37°23'21.33"N, 5°59'1.50"W
Date 0560-01-01 - 0636-12-31
Rules Pieces trapped between two opposing pieces cannot move, pieces are placed on any space on the board in the beginning of play, pieces move forward or sideways.
Content Isidore Origines XVIII.67:
"DE CALCULORUM MOTU. Calculi partim ordine moventur, partim vage: ideo alios ordinarios, alios vagos appellent; at vero qui moveri omnino non possunt, incito dicunt. Vnde et egentes homines inciti vocantur, quibus spes ultra procedendi nulla restat."
Translation Schädler 1995: "Some of the pieces move regularly, others here and there: therefore the first are called ordinarii, the others vagi, and those that cannot move at all are called inciti."
Confidence 100
Source Isidore. Etymologiae (Origines). , Schädler, U. 1995. XII scripta, alea, tabula: new evidence for the Roman history of “backgammon.” In A. de Voogt (ed.), New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: IIAS. 73–98.
Id DLP.Evidence.158
Type Contemporary text
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°23'21.33"N, 5°59'1.50"W
Date 0556-01-01 - 0636-04-04
Rules Played with three dice, arrangement of board into three rows and also groups of six
Content Isidore Origines 18:60-64:
"DE TABULA. Alea, id est lusus tabulae, inventa a Graecis in otio Troiani belli a quodam milite Alea nomine, a quo et ars nomen accepit. Tabula luditur pyrgo, calculis tesserisque.
DE PYRGIS. Pyrgus dictus quod per eum tesserae pergant, sive quod turris speciem habeat. Nam Graeci turrem PURGON vocant.
DE CALCULIS. Calculi vocati quod lenes sint eet rotundi. Vnde et calculus dicitur lapis brevis, qui sine molestia sui brevitate calcatur. Item calculi, quod per vias ordinales eant, quasi per calles.
DE TESSERIS. Tesserae vocatate quia quadrae sunt ex omnibus partibus. Has alii lepusculos vocant, eo quod exiliendo discurrant. Olim autem terrerae iacula apellabantus, a iaciendo.
DE FIGURIS ALEAE. Quidam autem aleatores sibi videntur physiologice per allegoriam hanc artem exercere, et sub quadam rerum similitudine fingere. Nam tribus tesseris ludere perhibent propter tria saeculi tempora: praesentia, praeterita, futura; quia non stant, sed decurrunt. Sed et ipsas vias senariis locis distinctas propter aetates hominum ternariis lineis propter tempora argumentantur. Inde et tabulam ternis discriptam dicunt lineis."
Schädler 1995:81-82 interpretation:
"Game is played with three dice. "the players argue, that theses ways are divided into six places because of the human ages and in three lines because of the tenses. And therefore they say that the board is arranged in three lines."
Confidence 100
Source Isidore. Episcopi Etymologiarum sine Originum.
Id DLP.Evidence.159
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game baord from Marki Alonia S404 now in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum, Cyprus. 13 cavities in very small game arranged in three rows. Broken.
Frankel & Webb 2006.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.160
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S238, now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x5 preserved, broken.
Swiny 1986: 123.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.161
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°49'21.42"N, 32°23'47.84"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules At least two rows.
Content Senet game board from Kissonerga Skalia KS 312 now in the Paphos District Archaeological Museum. Pithos sherd with two rows of holes. On outer surface, depressions are pecked, so they are not likely meant to be decoration.
Crist 2016
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016. Games of thrones: board games and social complexity in Bronze Age Cyprus. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Arizona State University.
Id DLP.Evidence.162
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S489 now in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 pattern of depressions.
Frankel and Webb 2006.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.163
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S503 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken. Three rows of depressions with 7, 7, and 4 preserved. Frankel and Webb 2006.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.164
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game from Episkopi Phaneromeni S85 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken. 3x5 depressions preserved. Swiny 1986:119.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.165
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°59'3.60"N, 33°23'45.46"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Alambra Mouttes B311 (AO.392) now in the Cyprus Museum, Nicosia. Broken. 3x6 preserved. Coleman et al. 1996: 174-175.
Confidence 100
Source Coleman, J., J. Barlow, M. Mogelonsky, and K. Sharr. 1996. Alambra: A Middle Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. Investigations by Cornell University, 1975–1978. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.166
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S172 now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Three rows of depressions, broken. Swiny 1986: 121.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.167
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game from Sotira Kaminoudhia S102 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken board with two rows of depressions preserved. Swiny et al. 2003: 259.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.168
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Bamboula 11032 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016. Games of thrones: board games and social complexity in Bronze Age Cyprus. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Arizona State University.
Id DLP.Evidence.169
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S442 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions, one missing. Frankel and Webb 2006.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.170
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game from Sotira Kaminoudhia S1039. Three rows of depressions, broken. 7, 8, 8 in each row. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.171
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°59'3.60"N, 33°23'45.46"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Alambra Mouttes B316 (AO.498) now in the Cyprus Museum, Nicosia. Three rows of 7, 8, 9 depressions, badly preserved. Coleman et al. 1996: 174-176.
Confidence 100
Source Coleman, J., J. Barlow, M. Mogelonsky, and K. Sharr. 1996. Alambra: A Middle Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. Investigations by Cornell University, 1975–1978. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.172
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules At least two row board.
Content Senet game from Sotira Kaminoudhia S1040 small badly erodded fragment. 2x5 depressions, broken. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse., Townshend, P. 1986. Games in culture: A contextual analysis of the Swahili board game and its relevance to vaariation in African mankala. Unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Cambridge.
Id DLP.Evidence.173
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board, divided in half.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S231 now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x6 depressions, divided in half by an incised line. Swiny 1986: 123.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.174
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules Three row baord, divided in half
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S231 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x6 depressions divided with an incised line, broken. On opposite face of DLP.Evidence.173. Swiny 1986: 123.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.175
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°59'3.60"N, 33°23'45.46"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Alambra Mouttes B315 (AS-80.22) now in the Cyprus Museum, Nicosia. 3x7 depressions, broken. Coleman et al. 1996: 174-176.
Confidence 100
Source Coleman, J., J. Barlow, M. Mogelonsky, and K. Sharr. 1996. Alambra: A Middle Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. Investigations by Cornell University, 1975–1978. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.176
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°59'3.60"N, 33°23'45.46"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Alambra Mouttes B313 (AO.494) now in the Cyprus Museum, Nicosia. 3x10 depressions. Coleman et al. 1996: 174-175.
Confidence 100
Source Coleman, J., J. Barlow, M. Mogelonsky, and K. Sharr. 1996. Alambra: A Middle Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. Investigations by Cornell University, 1975–1978. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.177
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S1064 now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.178
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row game.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S1084 now in Korion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken Senet game with three rows. Crist 2016a
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.179
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°44'11.99"N, 32°43'45.95"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Anoyira Peralijithias S6 now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows with 5,6,5 depressions. Swiny 1981: 60, Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1981. Bronze Age Settlement Patterns in Southwest Cyprus. Levant 13: 51–87.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.180
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S464a now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Crist 2016a .
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.181
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S18 now in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions. Frankel & Webb 1996:87,90.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.182
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S417 now in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions. Frankel and Webb 2006;
Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.183
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Ten depressions per row.
Content Senet game from Sotira Kaminoudhia S1085 now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, one row of ten depressions remaining. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.184
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S613 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x4 depressions, broken.
Frankel and Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.185
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1700-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S464 now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.186
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S189 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 100.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.187
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Bamboula 130.EPBM.050.002. In Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute collection in Nicosia. Broken, 3 rows of 4, 3, 2 depressions. Swiny 1986: 37.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.188
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S1086 now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Badly eroded, three rows preserved of 10, 8, and 5 depressions. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.189
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S109 now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows preserved of 5, 3, and 3 depressions. Swiny et al. 2003: 260.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.190
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°45'44.51"N, 33°17'32.95"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Kalavassos Laroumena K-LAR 183. 3x10 depressions. Todd 1993: 92-93.
Confidence 100
Source Todd, I. 1993. Kalavassos-Laroumena: Test Excavation of a Middle Bronze Age Settlement. Report of the Department of Antiquities, Cyprus, 81–96.
Id DLP.Evidence.191
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°45'44.51"N, 33°17'32.95"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Kalavassos Malouteri 49-25. 3x9 depressions. Todd 1993: 92-93.
Confidence 100
Source Todd, I. 1993. Kalavassos-Laroumena: Test Excavation of a Middle Bronze Age Settlement. Report of the Department of Antiquities, Cyprus, 81–96.
Id DLP.Evidence.192
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S248 now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of 9, 7, and 5 depressions Swiny 1986: 123.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.193
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°45'26.28"N, 33°21'20.46"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game from Maroni Tsaroukkas MT.712. Broken, three rows of 8, 8, and 7 depressions. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.194
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S534 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, three rows with 3, 4, and 5 depressions.
Frankel and Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse., Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.195
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S114 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of 6, 4, and 3 depressions. Swiny 2003: 260.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.196
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S120 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of 8, 4, and 3 depressions. Swiny 2003: 260.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.197
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S161 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of 6, 5, and 3 depressions run diagonally across one face. Swiny 2003: 262
Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.198
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S403 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986: 129.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.199
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°45'44.51"N, 33°17'32.95"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Kalavassos Arkhangelos 8-90. 2x9 depressions, remainder of third row along broken edge. Todd 1993: 92-93.
Confidence 100
Source Todd, I. 1993. Kalavassos-Laroumena: Test Excavation of a Middle Bronze Age Settlement. Report of the Department of Antiquities, Cyprus, 81–96.
Id DLP.Evidence.200
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1700-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S479 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of 9,9, and 7 depressions. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.201
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game from Episkopi Phaneromeni S232 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions, two missing from one row. Swiny 1986: 123.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.202
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S520 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions. Frankel and Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.203
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°59'3.60"N, 33°23'45.46"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet board from Alambra Mouttes B317 (AO.499) now in the Cyprus Museum, Nicosia. Broken, three rows with 10, 9, and 7 depressions. Coleman et al 1996: 174-176; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Coleman, J., J. Barlow, M. Mogelonsky, and K. Sharr. 1996. Alambra: A Middle Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. Investigations by Cornell University, 1975–1978. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.204
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game from Sotira Kaminoudhia S163 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions, 17 in total. Swiny 2003: 262; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.205
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S167 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions, 5, 6, and 5 in each.
Swiny 2003: 263; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.206
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S38 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 91.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.207
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules At least two rows.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S168 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, two rows of 8 depressions. Swiny 2003: 263; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.208
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game from Sotira Kaminoudhia S234 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions, two missing from one row because of damage.
Swiny 2003: 266; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.209
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S235 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions.
Swiny 2003: 266; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.210
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S281 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions. Swiny 2003: 268.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.211
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S325 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 8, 7, and 5 in each row. Swiny 2003:270.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.212
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°44'11.99"N, 32°43'45.95"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Anoyira Peralijithias S14 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1981: 60; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1981. Bronze Age Settlement Patterns in Southwest Cyprus. Levant 13: 51–87.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.213
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S330 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 2003: 270.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.214
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S436 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, 3x6 depressions preserved. Swiny 1986:131.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.215
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S424 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 7, 9, and 8 preserved. Swiny 2003: 274.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.216
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S425a now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 2003: 274.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.217
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S467 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 2003: 276.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.218
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S475 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 5, 6, and 8 in each row preserved.
Swiny 2003:276; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.219
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S119 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, three rows of depressions with 4, 5, and 6 in each row. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 96.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.220
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, three rows of depressions with 9, 8, and 7 in each row. Frankel and Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.221
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S287 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions.
Frankel & Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.222
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S22 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, 3x7 depressions preserved. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 90.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.223
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S532 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 6, 5, and 6 in each row. Swiny 2003: 279.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.224
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S319 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986: 126.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.225
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules At least two rows.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S533 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, two rows of depressions with 4 and 9 in each row preserved. Swiny 2003: 279.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.226
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S546 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 2003: 280.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.227
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Kappara AS6 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Double-sided. 3x10 depressions. Frankel & Webb 1996: 102, 86.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.228
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Kappara AS6 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Double sided. 3x10 depressions. Frankel & Webb 1996:102, 86.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.229
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S606 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, 3x5 depressions. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.230
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Ten in each row.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S607 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Damaged, 2x10 depressions,two stone eroded where third row should be. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.231
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1700-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules At least two rows.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S441 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, 2x5 depressions preserved. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.232
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S608 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 8, 9, and 4 in each row.
Swiny 2003:282; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.233
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S172 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, four depressions preserved. Swiny 1986: 121.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.234
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°44'11.99"N, 32°43'45.95"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Anoyira Peralijithias S13 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 4, 3, and 3 in each row. Swiny 1981: 60.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.235
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°41'1.44"N, 32°45'27.63"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Evdhimou Beyouk Tarla SY-EBT S35 in the Kourion Kuseum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986: Fig 36; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.236
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S609 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, 3x8 depressions preserved.
Swiny 2003: 282; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.237
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S610 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 5, 6, and 6 in each row. Swiny 2003: 282.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.238
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia 178 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 100; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.239
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°59'3.60"N, 33°23'45.46"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Alambra Mouttes B312 (AO.410) in the Cyprus Museum, Nicosia. Broken, three rows of depressions with 6, 7, and 6 in each row. Coleman et al. 1996: 174-175.
Confidence 100
Source Coleman, J., J. Barlow, M. Mogelonsky, and K. Sharr. 1996. Alambra: A Middle Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. Investigations by Cornell University, 1975–1978. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.240
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°41'1.44"N, 32°45'27.63"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Evdhimou Stympouli Stym S6 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 7, 6, and 7 in each row. Swiny 1986: p 50; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1981. Bronze Age Settlement Patterns in Southwest Cyprus. Levant 13: 51–87.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.241
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules Ten spaces per row.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S46 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Incomplete, two rows with 6 and 10 depressions. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 92; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.242
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S232 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, 3x7 depressions preserved. Frankel & Webb 2006.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.243
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S611 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 6, 7, and 7 preserved in each row. Swiny 2003: 283.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.244
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S466 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.245
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°41'1.44"N, 32°45'27.63"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Evdhimou Beyouk Tarla S39 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 7, 6, and 6 in each row. Swiny 1981: 60; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1981. Bronze Age Settlement Patterns in Southwest Cyprus. Levant 13: 51–87.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.246
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°59'3.60"N, 33°23'45.46"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules At least two rows.
Content Senet game board from Alambra Mouttes B314 (A31-82.1) in the Cyprus Museum, Nicosia. Broken, 2x7 depressions preserved. Coleman et al. 1996: 174-175; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Coleman, J., J. Barlow, M. Mogelonsky, and K. Sharr. 1996. Alambra: A Middle Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. Investigations by Cornell University, 1975–1978. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.247
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules At least two rows.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S612 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus, Broken, 2x6 depressions preserved. Swiny 2003: 283; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.248
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°49'21.42"N, 32°23'47.84"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board
Content Senet game board from Kissonerga Skalia G234 3x10 depressions, four missing from one row. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.249
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°41'1.44"N, 32°45'27.63"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Evdhimou Beyouk Tarla SY-EBT S34 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, 3x8 depressions preserved. Swiny 1986: Fig 36; Crist 2016a
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.250
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°45'26.28"N, 33°21'20.46"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Maroni 833.IV U.S. 3x10 depressions. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.251
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S425 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, three rows of depressions with 8, 6, and 6 in each row. Frankel and Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse., Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.252
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°45'44.51"N, 33°17'32.95"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Kalavassos Malouteri 49-26. 3x10 depressions, two missing from one row. Todd 1993: 92-93;
Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Todd, I. 1993. Kalavassos-Laroumena: Test Excavation of a Middle Bronze Age Settlement. Report of the Department of Antiquities, Cyprus, 81–96.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.253
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S633 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, 3x5 depressions preserved. Swiny 2003: 284.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.254
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°45'2.59"N, 33°18'10.44"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Kalavasos Ayios Dhimitrios K-AD 122. 3x10 depressions. South et al. 1989: 103-103, 32, Fig 31.
Confidence 100
Source South, A., P. Russell and P. Keswani. 1989. Vasilikos Valley Project 3: Kalavasos Ayios-Dhimitrios II(Ceramics, Objects, Tombs, Specialist Studies). Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 71.3. Göteborg: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.255
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S137 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Three rows of depressions, with 9, 9, and 7 in each row. Swiny 1986:120.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.256
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game baord from Episkopi Phaneromeni S137 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Three rows of depressions with 9, 9, and 8 in each row. Swiny 1986:120; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse., Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.257
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules At least two rows.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S71 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, two rows of depressions with 5 and 4 in each row. Swiny 2003: 258.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.258
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S174 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 99.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.259
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S194 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986: 122.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.260
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S72 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 2003: 258.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
, Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.261
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S727 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, 3x8 preserved. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.363
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 0'34.47"N, 33°41'45.17"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1325-01-01BCE - 1225-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game from Pyla Kokkinokremos 100 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions.
Karageorghis & Demas 1984: 40, Pl. XXXII, XLVIII;; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Karageorghis, V. And M. Demas. 1984. Pyla-Kokkinokremos: A Late 13th Century B.C. Fortified Settlement in Cyprus. Nicosia: Department of Antiquities.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.367
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S178 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions.
Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 100; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.368
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°55'23.59"N,33°37'49.78"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1450-01-01BCE - 1050-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Kition Kathari 4808 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 board, end is slightly damaged obscuring 1-3 holes in each row.
Karageorghis and Demas 1985: 242; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Karageorghis, V. And M. Demas. 1985. Excavations at Kition V: The Pre-Phoenician Levels. Nicosia: Department of Antiquities.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.369
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°44'11.99"N, 32°43'45.95"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Anoyira Peralijithias S20 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1981: 60; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1981. Bronze Age Settlement Patterns in Southwest Cyprus. Levant 13: 51–87.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.370
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S412 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986: 130.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.371
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S727b in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, 3x7 depressions preserved. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.372
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S730 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions.
Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.373
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°51'10.79"N,32°21'43.62"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1200-01-01BCE - 1050-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Maa Palaeokastro 369 in the Paphos District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions, one row damaged with only 7 holes preserved.
Karageorghis & Demas 1988: 190. Pl CXLVI, CCXL.
Confidence 100
Source Karageorghis, V and M. Demas. 1988. Excavations at Maa-Palaeokastro 1979–1986. Nicosia: Department of Antiquities,
Id DLP.Evidence.374
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game from Episkopi Phaneromeni S412 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions.
Swiny 1986: 130.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.375
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S748 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions.
Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.376
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1800-01-01BCE - 1725-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S529 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions.
Frankel and Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.377
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S244 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986: 123.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.378
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°41'1.44"N, 32°45'27.63"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Evdhimou Beyouk Tarla SY-EBT S36 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986 Fig 36; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.379
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S402 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986: 129.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.380
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°44'11.99"N, 32°43'45.95"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Anoyira Peralijithias S10 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1981: 60; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1981. Bronze Age Settlement Patterns in Southwest Cyprus. Levant 13: 51–87.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.381
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S21 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986: 117.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.382
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1725-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S99 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, three rows of depressions with 3, 4, and 4 in each row. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 95; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.383
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S516 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, 3x8 depressions preserved. Frankel and Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.384
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°55'23.59"N,33°37'49.78"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1450-01-01BCE - 1050-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Kition Kathari 5499 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions. Karageorghis and Demas 1985: 242.
Confidence 100
Source Karageorghis, V. And M. Demas. 1985. Excavations at Kition V: The Pre-Phoenician Levels. Nicosia: Department of Antiquities.
Id DLP.Evidence.385
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°44'11.99"N, 32°43'45.95"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Anoyira Peralijithias S21 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1981: 60; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1981. Bronze Age Settlement Patterns in Southwest Cyprus. Levant 13: 51–87.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.386
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°44'11.99"N, 32°43'45.95"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Anoyira Peralijithias S10 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 board, three holes are damaged.
Swiny 1981: 60; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1981. Bronze Age Settlement Patterns in Southwest Cyprus. Levant 13: 51–87.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.387
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°49'21.42"N, 32°23'47.84"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Kissonerga Skalia G1. Broken, three rows of depressions with 6, 4, and 3 in each row. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.388
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S75 in the Kouion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, 3x7 depressions. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.389
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S168 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, three rows of depressions with 2, 3, and 5 in each row. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 99.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.390
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°44'11.99"N, 32°43'45.95"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game from Anoyira Livadhia S20 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 4, 2, and 3 in each row.
Swiny 1981: 60; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1981. Bronze Age Settlement Patterns in Southwest Cyprus. Levant 13: 51–87.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.391
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia 144 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, three rows of depressions with 9, 9, and 6 in each row. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 98; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.392
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S77 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 5, 6, and 7 in each row. Swiny 2003: 258.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.393
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°49'21.42"N, 32°23'47.84"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet board game from Kissonerga Skalia G545. Broken, three rows of depressions with 9, 8, and 7 in each row. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.394
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia 456 in the Larbnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, 3x5 depressions preserved. Frankel and Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.395
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S193 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986: 122.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.396
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°41'1.44"N, 32°45'27.63"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Evdhimou Beyouk Tarla S29 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 5, 5, and 6 in each row. Swiny 1981: 60; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1981. Bronze Age Settlement Patterns in Southwest Cyprus. Levant 13: 51–87.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.397
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S78 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions.
Swiny 2003: 258.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.398
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game baord from Marki Alonia S521 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, three rows of depressions with 9, 9, and 7 in each row. Frankel and Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.399
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules At least two rows.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S233 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, two rows of depressions with 3 and 5 holes. Swiny 1986: 123.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.400
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S80 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 8, 8, and 7 in each row. Swiny 2003: 258; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.401
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°44'11.99"N, 32°43'45.95"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet board game from Anoyira Livadhia S21 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1981: 60; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1981. Bronze Age Settlement Patterns in Southwest Cyprus. Levant 13: 51–87.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.402
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S279 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986: 124.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.403
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S688 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, three rows of depressions with 8, 9, and 9 in each row. Frankel and Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.404
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S851 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions.
Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.405
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S416 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Three 3x10 patterns of depressions on one stone. Swiny 1986: 130.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.406
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S179a in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 4, 4, and 3 in each row. Swiny 1986: 121.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.407
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S179 in the Mourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 23 in total. Swiny 1986: 121; Crist 2016a
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.408
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°44'11.99"N, 32°43'45.95"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Anoyira Livadhia S22 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, 3x8 depressions. Swiny 1981: 60; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1981. Bronze Age Settlement Patterns in Southwest Cyprus. Levant 13: 51–87.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.409
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°45'26.28"N, 33°21'20.46"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Maroni Tsaroukkas MT.688. 3x10 depressions, one is missing due to damage. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.410
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S768 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions. Frankel and Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.411
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S416 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Three 3x10 patterns of depressions on the same stone. Swiny 1986: 130.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.412
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S859 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions.
Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.413
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game viard from Episkopi Phaneromeni S136 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986: 120.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.414
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S19 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986: 117.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.415
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S61 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, 3x8 depressions. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 93.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.416
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S413 in the Kourion Msueum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986: 130.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.417
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 2000-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S457 in the Larnaca Distrcit Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions. Frankel and Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.418
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S48 in the Larnaca Disrtict Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 92.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.419
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1700-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S138 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions, three holes damaged. Swiny 1986; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.420
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules At least two rows.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S144 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Broken, 2x6 depressions preserved. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 98;
Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.421
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°53'16.22"N,33°36'13.83"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1475-01-01BCE - 1225-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Hala Sultan Tekke N1401 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions. Åström 1984a: 44; plate XII, 5; Swiny 1986: 36.
Confidence 100
Source Åström, P. 1984. 'Stones with cavities at Hala Sultan Tekke.' In C. Nicole (ed.), Aux origines de l’hellenisme: la Crète et la Grèce: hommage à Henri van Effenterre. Paris: Sorbonne, 9–14.
, Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.422
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°45'26.28"N,33°21'20.46"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Maroni Vournes 323. 3x10 pattern. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.423
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S280 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Swiny 1986: 124.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.424
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1700-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni S477 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions.
Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.425
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S859 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions, third row is damaged. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.426
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S887 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 5, 5, and 2 holes preserved. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.427
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°59'3.60"N, 33°23'45.46"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Alambra Mouttes B310 (AO 266) in the Cyprus Museum, Nicosia. 3x10 depressions.
Buchholz 1981:77
Coleman et al. 1996:174-175
Confidence 100
Source Buchholz, H.-G. 1981. ''Schalensteine' in Griechenland, Anatolien, und Zypern.' In H. Lorenz (ed), Studien zur Bronzezeit, Festschrift für Wilhelm Albert von Brunn. Main am Rhein: von Zabern, 63–94., Coleman, J., J. Barlow, M. Mogelonsky, and K. Sharr. 1996. Alambra: A Middle Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. Investigations by Cornell University, 1975–1978. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.428
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Marki Alonia S830 in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. 3x10 depressions.
Frankel and Webb 2006
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.429
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°45'26.28"N, 33°21'20.46"E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Maroni Tsaroukkas MT.188 3x10 depressions. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.430
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S888 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.431
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S918 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, 3x8 depressions preserved. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.432
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S953 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions, third row is damaged. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.433
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S958 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Broken, three rows of depressions with 7, 6 , and 4 holes. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.434
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Ruleset Cypriot Senet
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia S991 in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. 3x10 depressions.
Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.435
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen game S1011 from Sotira Kaminoudhia, Cyprus. Sotira Kaminoudhia found among field stones removed from Unit 12. 23 depressions form a spiral surrounding a larger deeper depression in the center. Now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.436
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen game from Marki Alonia, Cyprus, S416 Three curving rows of depressions preserved. Now in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Frankel and Webb 2006.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.437
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen game board from Sotira Kaminoudhia, Cyprus, S425 37 depressions in spiral pattern. Now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Swiny et al 2003: 274; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S, G. Rapp and E. Herscher. 2003. Sotira Kaminoudhia: An Early Bronze Age Site in Cyprus. American Schools of Oriental Research Reports, Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute Monographs 4. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.438
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen game from Marki Alonia, Cyprus, S211. 22 depressions in a clear spiral pattern. Now in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Frankel and Webb 1996; Frankel and Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.439
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen game board from Marki Alonia, Cyprus, S160. Fifteen depressions as part of spiral. Mislabeled in museum as S760. Now in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 99; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.440
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen game from Episkopi Phaneromeni, Cyprus. S244b. Ovoid spiral containing 51 depressions. Now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Swiny 1986: 123; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.441
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen game from Marki Alonia, Cyprus, S220. Set in floor surface 907. 45 depressions in a clockwise spiral. Now in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Frankel & Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.442
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen game from Marki Alonia, Cyrpus. 26 depressions in a partial spiral. Now in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Frankel & Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.443
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen game board from Marki Alonia, Cyprus. S13 24 depressions arranged in spiral. Now in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 90; Frankel and Webb 2006; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 2006. Marki Alonia. An Early and Middle Bronze Age Settlement in Cyprus. Excavations 1995–2000. Sävedalen: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.444
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Date 1720-01-01BCE - 1475-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni, Cyprus. S280. At least 17 shallow depressions, including a larger central one forming a spiral. Now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Swiny 1986: 124; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.445
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 35° 1'24.69"N, 33°19'29.15"E
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen game board from Marki Alonia, Cyprus. S150. Spiral with regular concentric circles of depressions. outer band consists of 5 elongated depressions. Now in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Frankel & Webb 1996: 87, 98; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Frankel, D. And J. Webb. 1996. Marki-Alonia: An Early and Middle Bronze Age Town in Cyprus. Excavations 1990–1994. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 123:1. Jonsered: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.446
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 34°40'11.32"N, 32°54'23.06"E
Date 1899-01-01BCE - 1650-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen game board from Episkopi Phaneromeni, Cyprus. S84. 40 shallow depressions forming a clockwise spiral The first two are circular and more pronounced, as is the central depression. Now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Swiny 1986: 119;
Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.447
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 35° 0'34.47"N, 33°41'45.17"E
Date 1325-01-01BCE - 1225-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen game board from Pyla Kokkinokremos. S41. Circular depressions on one face forming a spiral. Now in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum. Karageorghis & Demas 1984: 14, 36, Pl XXXII, XLVIII; Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Karageorghis, V. And M. Demas. 1984. Pyla-Kokkinokremos: A Late 13th Century B.C. Fortified Settlement in Cyprus. Nicosia: Department of Antiquities.
, Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.448
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 34°42'53.11" N, 32°51'33.26" E
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen board from Sotira Kaminoudhia, Cyprus. S942 42 depressions in a spiral pattern. Now in the Kourion Museum, Episkopi, Cyprus. Crist 2016a.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016a. Gaming stones morphological data. Harvard Dataverse.
Id DLP.Evidence.449
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 35° 9'57.85"N, 33°52'13.12"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 4 (x2), 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares game board found in an elite tomb at Enkomi. Murray et al. 1900: 12, pl. 1.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, A, A. Smith, and H. Walters. 1900. Excavations in Cyprus. London: British Museum.
Id DLP.Evidence.450
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°51'31.80"N, 34°55'15.26"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 0400-01-01BCE - 0101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Gezer. Macalister 1912: pl. CCI.7.
Confidence 100
Source Macalister, R.A.S. 1912. The Excavation of Gezer 1902–1905 and 1907–1909. London: Palestine Exploration Fund.
Id DLP.Evidence.451
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 37° 6'12.09"N, 36°40'39.01"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 0800-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Sam’al. May 1991: fig. 143.
Confidence 100
Source May, R. (ed.) 1991. Jouer dans l’antiquité. Marseille: Musées de Marseille.
Id DLP.Evidence.452
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 35°27'26.34"N, 43°15'40.08"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 0800-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Ashur. Harrak 1987: 56.
Confidence 100
Source Harrak, A. 1987. Assyria and Hanigalbat: A Historical Reconstruction of Bilateral Relations from the Middle of the Fourteenth to the End of the Twelfth Centuries BC. New York: Hildesheim.
Id DLP.Evidence.453
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 36°49'35.95"N, 40° 2'22.62"E
Ruleset 20 Squares Liver Model
Date 0800-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Tell Halaf. van Buren 1937: pl. VI.
Confidence 100
Source van Buren, E.D. 1937. A gaming-board from Tall Halaf. Iraq 4(1): 11–15.
Id DLP.Evidence.454
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 36°13'21.21"N, 43°24'54.34"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 0900-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Balawat. de Kainlis 1942: 19.
Confidence 100
Source de Kainlis, A. 1942. 'Un jeu assyrien du musée du Louvre.' Revue d’assyriologie et d’archéologie oriental 39: 19–34.
Id DLP.Evidence.455
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 36°30'34.91"N, 43°13'44.45"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 0800-01-01BCE - 0701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board etched on the base of a statue of a blessing Genius from Khorsabad. Castor, Musee du Louvre website: AO 19863. Falsely identified on the website as Tic-Tac-Toe.
Confidence 100
Source Castor, J.-M. 'Blessing Genius.' Musée du Louvre website https://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/blessing-genius .accessed 04/02/2020.
Id DLP.Evidence.456
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 36°30'34.91"N, 43°13'44.45"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 0800-01-01BCE - 0701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Khorsabad. Finkel 2008.
Confidence 100
Source Finkel, I. 2008. 'Board-games.' In J. Aruz, K. Benzel, and J. Evans (eds.) Beyond Babylon. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Id DLP.Evidence.457
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°51'31.80"N, 34°55'15.26"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1000-01-01BCE - 0501-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Gezer Macalister 1912: pl. CCI.11.
Confidence 100
Source Macalister, R.A.S. 1912. The Excavation of Gezer 1902–1905 and 1907–1909. London: Palestine Exploration Fund.
Id DLP.Evidence.458
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°51'31.80"N, 34°55'15.26"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1000-01-01BCE - 0501-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content Twenty Squares game board from Gezer. Macalister 1912: pl. CCI.3.
Confidence 100
Source Macalister, R.A.S. 1912. The Excavation of Gezer 1902–1905 and 1907–1909. London: Palestine Exploration Fund.
Id DLP.Evidence.459
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°24'28.24"N, 34°49'48.55"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 0900-01-01BCE - 0801-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a palace at Tell Beit Mirsim. Albright 1938: pls. 21.b and 37.a.
Confidence 100
Source Albright, W.F. 1938. The excavation of Tell Beit Mirsim. Volume II: The Bronze Age. Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research 17. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.460
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°16'51.65"N, 34°28'54.91"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 0900-01-01BCE - 0801-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 4 (x2), 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares game board found in an elite tomb at Beth Peleth. Petrie 1930: pl. 34, 188.
Confidence 100
Source Petrie, W.M.F. 1930. Beth Pelet I. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt.
Id DLP.Evidence.461
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 33°11'44.19"N, 44°36'40.71"E
Ruleset Double 20 Squares
Date 0900-01-01BCE - 0801-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, doubled so the boards connect on the extensions, markings in squares 4 (x2), 8, 12, 16, 20 on both sides.
Content Double 20 Squares game board found in a habitation space at Bismaya. Banks 1912: 355.
Confidence 100
Source Banks, E.J. 1912. Bismaya, or the Lost City of Adab. New York and London.
Id DLP.Evidence.462
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 35° 8'27.20"N, 36°45'18.72"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 0900-01-01BCE - 0801-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in an elite tomb at Hama. Riis 1948: figs. 218-219.
Confidence 100
Source Riis, P.J. 1948. Hama, fouilles et recherches de la Fondation Carlsberg 1931–1938. Copenhagen: National-museets Skrifter.
Id DLP.Evidence.463
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 35° 8'27.20"N, 36°45'18.72"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 0900-01-01BCE - 0801-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a habitation space at Hama. Fugmann 1958: 236, fig. 310.
Confidence 100
Source Fugmann, E. 1958. Hama: fouilles et recherches 1931–1938 II.1: L’architecture des périodes préhellénistiques. Copenhagen: Fondation Carlsberg.
Id DLP.Evidence.464
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°51'31.80"N, 34°55'15.26"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1001-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, marking in square 12.
Content 20 Squares game board from Gezer. Macalister 1912: pl. CCI.4.
Confidence 100
Source Macalister, R.A.S. 1912. The Excavation of Gezer 1902–1905 and 1907–1909. London: Palestine Exploration Fund.
Id DLP.Evidence.465
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 36° 4'3.24"N, 36°25'26.35"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1200-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a tomb at Tell es-Saidiyeh. Finkel 2008: 152-153.
Confidence 100
Source Finkel, I. 2008. 'Board-games.' In J. Aruz, K. Benzel, and J. Evans (eds.) Beyond Babylon. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Id DLP.Evidence.466
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content Unprovenienced 20 Squares game board from a tomb in Egypt. Leemans 1846-1850: pl. CXLIV (273a-c).
Confidence 100
Source Leemans, C. 1846–1850. Monuments égyptiens du Musée d’antiquités des Pays-Bas à Leide, Tome II. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.467
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content Unprovenienced 20 Squares game board from Egypt. Needler 1953: 65, 74.
Confidence 100
Source Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
Id DLP.Evidence.469
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 35° 9'57.85"N, 33°52'13.12"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in the Ashlar Building at Enkomi. Dikaios 1969: pl. 128,65.
Confidence 100
Source Dikaios, P. 1969. Enkomi. Excavations 1948–1958. Vol. 1. Mainz am Rhein: Philip von Zabern.
Id DLP.Evidence.470
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 35° 9'57.85"N, 33°52'13.12"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in the Ashlar Building at Enkomi. Dikaios 1969: pl. 128,66.
Confidence 100
Source Dikaios, P. 1969. Enkomi. Excavations 1948–1958. Vol. 1. Mainz am Rhein: Philip von Zabern.
Id DLP.Evidence.471
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°44'50.56"N, 34°59'18.36"E
Ruleset 20 Squares Liver Model
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a habitation space at Beth Shemesh. Grant 1934: 34, pl. XX.2, fig. 4.
Confidence 100
Source Grant, E. 1934. Rumeileh III. Biblical and Kindred Studies 5: Haverford.
Id DLP.Evidence.472
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°44'50.56"N, 34°59'18.36"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 8 and 12.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a habitation at Beth Shemesh. Meyer 1982: fig. 12.
Confidence 100
Source Meyer, J.-W. 1982. Lebermodell oder Spielbrett. In R. Wachmann (ed.) Bericht über die Ergebnisse der Ausgrabungen in Kamid el-Loz in den Jahren 1971 bis 1974. Bonn: Rudolf Hagelt Verlag, 53–79.
Id DLP.Evidence.473
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 32°34'43.20"N,35°10'5.04"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a palace at Megiddo. Loud 1939: pl. 47, no. 220.
Confidence 100
Source Loud, G. 1939. The Megiddo Ivories. Oriental Institute Publications 52. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.474
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 32°34'43.20"N,35°10'5.04"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 4(x2), 8, 12.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a palace at Megiddo. Loud 1939: pl. 51, no. 225.
Confidence 100
Source Loud, G. 1939. The Megiddo Ivories. Oriental Institute Publications 52. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.475
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 32°34'43.20"N,35°10'5.04"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 4(x2) and 8.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a palace at Megiddo. Loud 1939: pl. 5, no. 8.
Confidence 100
Source Loud, G. 1939. The Megiddo Ivories. Oriental Institute Publications 52. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.476
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 32°34'43.20"N,35°10'5.04"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a palace at Megiddo. Loud 1939: pl. 5, no. 9.
Confidence 100
Source Loud, G. 1939. The Megiddo Ivories. Oriental Institute Publications 52. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.477
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 32°34'43.20"N,35°10'5.04"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a palace at Megiddo. Decamps de Mertzenfeld 1954: pl. LIX,425.
Confidence 100
Source Decamps de Mertzenfeld, C. 1954. Inventaire commenté des ivoires phéniciens et apparentés découverts dans le Proche-Orient. Paris: É. de Brocard.
Id DLP.Evidence.478
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'47.10"N, 32°38'40.93"E
Ruleset Double 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 0901-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, doubled so the boards connect at the extensions, markings in squares 4(x2), 8, 12, 16, 20.
Content Double 20 Squares game board found in an elite tomb at Kurna. Mond 1904: 98.
Confidence 100
Source Mond, R. 1904. Report of the work done in the Gebel ash-sheikh Abd-el-Kurneh at Thebes. Annales du Service des antiquités de l’Égypte 5: 97–104.
Id DLP.Evidence.479
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 4(x2), 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a tomb at Saqqara. Quibell 1909: 114, pls. LVIII-LIX.
Confidence 100
Source Quibbell, J. 1909. Excavations at Saqqara (1907–1908). Cairo: IFAO.
Id DLP.Evidence.480
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1400-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content Unprovenienced 20 Squares game board from Egypt. Needler 1953: 65 (no. 7), 74.
Confidence 100
Source Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
Id DLP.Evidence.481
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 4(x2), 8 , 12, and 16.
Content Unprovenienced 20 Squares game board Egypt. Pierret 1878: 81-82.
Confidence 100
Source Pierret, P. 1878. Recueil d’inscriptions inédites du Musée égyptien du Louvre. Études égyptologues 8. Paris: F. Vieweg.
Id DLP.Evidence.482
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'40.96"N, 32°36'5.13"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1001-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in square 4.
Content 20 Squares game board from Deir el-Medineh. Rothöhler 1996: nr H54.
Confidence 100
Source Rothöhler, B. 1996. Ägyptischer Brettspiele außer Senet. Unpublished M.A. Thesis, Bayerischen Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg.
Id DLP.Evidence.483
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1001-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content Unprovenienced 20 Squares game board Egypt. Kendall 1991: 149.
Confidence 100
Source Kendall, T, 1991. Le jeu des <>. In R. May (ed.) Jouer dans l’antiquité. Marseilles: Musées de Marseilles, 148–152.
Id DLP.Evidence.484
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 33°37'26.23"N, 35°49'16.23"E
Ruleset 20 Squares Liver Model
Date 1400-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 4(x2), 8, 12.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a temple deposit at Kamid el-Loz. Meyer 1982: fig. 5, 1, fig. 12.
Confidence 100
Source Meyer, J.-W. 1982. Lebermodell oder Spielbrett. In R. Wachmann (ed.) Bericht über die Ergebnisse der Ausgrabungen in Kamid el-Loz in den Jahren 1971 bis 1974. Bonn: Rudolf Hagelt Verlag, 53–79.
Id DLP.Evidence.485
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 33°37'26.23"N, 35°49'16.23"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1400-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in an elite tomb at Kamid el-Loz. Meyer 1983, 101, 126, n. 24.
Confidence 100
Source Meyer, J.-W. 1983. Spielbretter aus Kami el-Loz. In R. Wachmann (ed.) Frühe Phöniker im Libanon. Mainz am Rhein: Philip von Labern, 101–104.
Id DLP.Evidence.486
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 33°37'26.23"N, 35°49'16.23"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1400-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in an elite tomb at Kamid el-Loz. Meyer 1983: 101, 127, n. 25.
Confidence 100
Source Meyer, J.-W. 1983. Spielbretter aus Kami el-Loz. In R. Wachmann (ed.) Frühe Phöniker im Libanon. Mainz am Rhein: Philip von Labern, 101–104.
Id DLP.Evidence.487
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 33° 1'2.57"N, 35°34'4.98"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1400-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 4(x2), 8, 12.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a storehouse at Hazor. Yadin 1960: 6, pl. LXXVIII, CLIX.
Confidence 100
Source Yadin, Y. 1960. Hazor II. Jerusalem: Magres Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.488
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1400-01-01BCE - 1301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares game board from the tomb of Tutankhamun. Carter and Mace 1933: 130, pl. LXXV (b).
Confidence 100
Source Carter, H and A.C. Mace. 1933. The Tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amen. Cairo: Cassell & Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.489
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1400-01-01BCE - 1301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from the Tomb of Tutankhamun. Carter and Mace 1933: 130-132.
Confidence 100
Source Carter, H and A.C. Mace. 1933. The Tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amen. Cairo: Cassell & Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.490
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1400-01-01BCE - 1301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, marking in square 16.
Content 20 Squares game board from the tomb of Tutankhamun. Carter and Mace 1933: 121-130, pl. XLII (a).
Confidence 100
Source Carter, H and A.C. Mace. 1933. The Tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amen. Cairo: Cassell & Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.491
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1400-01-01BCE - 1301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from the tomb of Tutankhamun. Carter 1933: 131, pl. XLII (b).
Confidence 100
Source Carter, H and A.C. Mace. 1933. The Tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amen. Cairo: Cassell & Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.492
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares game board from a tomb in Egypt. Wiedemann 1897: 43.
Confidence 100
Source Wiedemann, A. 1897. Das Brettspiel bei den Alten Ägyptern. In Actes du Dixième Congrès Internationale des Orientalistes, 1894. Leiden: Brill, 35–61.
Id DLP.Evidence.493
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, square 16 marked.
Content Unprovenienced 20 Squares game board from Egypt. Refat 1972: no. 7.
Confidence 100
Source Refat, W. 1972. Le jeu de trente cases dans l’Égypte ancienne. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation. Université libre, Brussels, Belgium.
Id DLP.Evidence.494
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 26°33'45.33"N, 31°44'41.70"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board possibly from Akhmim. Hoerth 1961: 33 no. 34.
Confidence 100
Source Hoerth, A. 1961. Gameboards in the Ancient Near East. Unpublished MA Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.495
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'40.96"N, 32°36'5.13"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1500-01-01BCE - 1301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 4(x2), 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a tomb at Deir el-Medineh. Schiaparelli 1927: 175-179, figs. 159-160.
Confidence 100
Source Schiaparelli, E. 1927. Relazione sui lavori della missione archeologica Italiana in Egitto II. Turin.
Id DLP.Evidence.496
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'40.96"N, 32°36'5.13"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Deir el-Medineh. Kendall 1991: 148, fig. 141.
Confidence 100
Source Kendall, T, 1991. Le jeu des <>. In R. May (ed.) Jouer dans l’antiquité. Marseilles: Musées de Marseilles, 148–152.
Id DLP.Evidence.497
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a tomb at Drah Abu el-Naga. Mariette 1889: 17, pl. LII (a).
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.498
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a tomb at Thebes. Maspero 1883: 299f.
Confidence 100
Source Mariette, A. 1889. Les mastabas de l’Ancien Empire. Paris: F. Vieweg.
Id DLP.Evidence.499
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a tomb at Thebes. Prisse d’Avennes 1846: 741.
Confidence 100
Source Prisse-d’Avennes, É. 1847. Monument égyptiens, bas-reliefs, peintures, inscriptions, etc. Paris: Didot frères.
Id DLP.Evidence.500
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1700-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content Unprovenienced 20 Squares game board Egypt. Prisse d’Avennes 1847: 9, pl. XLIX (4).
Confidence 100
Source Prisse-d’Avennes, É. 1847. Monument égyptiens, bas-reliefs, peintures, inscriptions, etc. Paris: Didot frères.
Id DLP.Evidence.501
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1700-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content Unprovenienced 20 Squares game board from Egypt. Hoerth 1961: 24, no. 12.
Confidence 100
Source Hoerth, A. 1961. Gameboards in the Ancient Near East. Unpublished MA Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.502
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content Unprovenienced 20 Squares game board from Egypt. Falkener 1892: 28-32.
Confidence 100
Source Falkener, E. 1892. Games Ancient and Oriental and How to Play Them. London: Longmans, Green and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.503
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1500-01-01BCE - 1301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from a tomb in Egypt. Hayes 1959: 198-199.
Confidence 100
Source Hayes, W.C. 1959. The Scepter of Egypt. Volume 2. New York.
Id DLP.Evidence.504
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 29°56'25.60"N, 31° 9'5.13"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a tomb at Zawiet el-Aryan. Rothöhler 1996: nr H33.
Confidence 100
Source Rothöhler, B. 1996. Ägyptischer Brettspiele außer Senet. Unpublished M.A. Thesis, Bayerischen Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg.
Id DLP.Evidence.505
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 22°46'32.56"N, 32°35'49.31"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a tomb at Kubban. Firth 1927: 49, 83.
Confidence 100
Source Firth, C.M. 1927. The Archaeological Survey of Nubia. Report for 1910–1911. Cairo: National Printing Department.
Id DLP.Evidence.506
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°30'15.88"N, 34°28'39.06"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1700-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a tomb at Gaza. Petrie 1933: pl. 28, 25.
Confidence 100
Source Petrie, W.M.F. 1933. Ancient Gaza III. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt.
Id DLP.Evidence.507
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 26°11'0.40"N, 31°55'21.50"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1500-01-01BCE - 1401-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a tomb at Abydos. Hayes 1959: 198, fig. 113.
Confidence 100
Source Hayes, W.C. 1959. The Scepter of Egypt. Volume 2. New York.
Id DLP.Evidence.508
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1500-01-01BCE - 1401-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a tomb at Thebes. Daressy 1902: 31-32, pl. IX.
Confidence 100
Source Daressy, G. 1902. Fouilles de la Vallée des Rois 1889–1899. Cairo: Imprimerie de l’Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale.
Id DLP.Evidence.509
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1500-01-01BCE - 1401-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares game board from a tomb in Egypt. Maspero 1897: 86.
Confidence 100
Source Maspero, G. 1897. Les jeux de dames en Égypte. Bibliotèque Égyptologique 5: 83–96.
Id DLP.Evidence.510
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1401-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a tomb at Thebes. Hayes 1935: 34, fig 1.
Confidence 100
Source Hayes, W.C. 1935. The Tomb of Nefer-khewet and his family. Bulletin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art 30(2): 17–36.
Id DLP.Evidence.511
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1401-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a tomb at Thebes. Hayes 1935: 34, fig. 1.
Confidence 100
Source Hayes, W.C. 1935. The Tomb of Nefer-khewet and his family. Bulletin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art 30(2): 17–36.
Id DLP.Evidence.512
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1401-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, two marked spaces in the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Thebes, Egypt found in the Tomb of Nefer-khawet and his family, a middle-class family buried in Thebes, Egypt. Hayes 1935: 32. Only the square inlays for the playing pieces survive, with markings in two spaces on the central row.
Confidence 100
Source Hayes, W.C. 1935. The Tomb of Nefer-khewet and his family. Bulletin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art 30(2): 17–36.
Id DLP.Evidence.513
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1401-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 8, 12.
Content Unprovenienced 20 Squares game board from Egypt. Pieper 1909: 4, fig. 5(b).
Confidence 100
Source Pieper, M. 1909. Das Brettspiel der alten Ägypter. Berlin: Weidmännische Buchhandlung.
Id DLP.Evidence.514
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°51'31.80"N, 34°55'15.26"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1800-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 5, 8.
Content 20 Squares game board from Gezer. Macalister 1912: pl. CCI.10.
Confidence 100
Source Macalister, R.A.S. 1912. The Excavation of Gezer 1902–1905 and 1907–1909. London: Palestine Exploration Fund.
Id DLP.Evidence.515
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Southern Levant
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1401-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 8, 12, 16.
Content Unprovenienced 20 Squares game board from the southern Levant. Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem 1992: 74.
Confidence 100
Source Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem. 1992. Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem, Guide to Collection. Jerusalem: R. Sirkis Publishers Ltd.
Id DLP.Evidence.516
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1700-01-01BCE - 1401-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from an elite tomb at Asasif (Thebes), Egypt. Hayes 1959: 25, fig. 10.
Confidence 100
Source Hayes, W.C. 1959. The Scepter of Egypt. Volume 2. New York.
Id DLP.Evidence.517
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1700-01-01BCE - 1501-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Drah Abu el-Naga, Egypt found in an elite tomb. Mariette 1889, pp. 16-17, pl. LI.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.518
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Double 20 Squares
Date 1700-01-01BCE - 1501-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, markings in squares 4, 8, 12, 16, 20.
Content Double 20 Squares game board from Egypt. Refat 1972.
Confidence 100
Source Refat, W. 1972. Le jeu de trente cases dans l’Égypte ancienne. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation. Université libre, Brussels, Belgium.
Id DLP.Evidence.519
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°24'28.24"N, 34°49'48.55"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1800-01-01BCE - 1501-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Tell Beit Mirsim. Erdös 1986: 70, pl. 32.
Confidence 100
Source Erdös, S. 1986. Les tabliers de jeu de l’Orient ancien, Maîtrise d’archéologie orientale. Paris: Sorbonne.
Id DLP.Evidence.520
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°50'18.71"N, 45°28'50.65"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1601-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in square 8.
Content 20 Squares game board from Tell Abu Hatab. Heinrich 1931: 146, pl. 76.9.
Confidence 100
Source Heinrich, E. 1931. Fara: Ergebnisse der Ausgrabungen der deutschen Orient-gesellschaft in Fara und Abu Hatab 1902/1903. Berlin.
Id DLP.Evidence.521
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 34°15'55.53"N, 42°18'11.08"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1601-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Tell as-Sib. Harrak 1987: 57.
Confidence 100
Source Harrak, A. 1987. Assyria and Hanigalbat: A Historical Reconstruction of Bilateral Relations from the Middle of the Fourteenth to the End of the Twelfth Centuries BC. New York: Hildesheim.
Id DLP.Evidence.522
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°19'26.84"N, 45°38'15.93"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1601-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board in secondary context from Uruk, Mesopotamia. Becker 1993: 65, pl. 51, 805.
Confidence 100
Source Becker, A. 1993. Uruk. Kleinfunde I, Stein. Mainz am Rhein: Philip von Zabern.
Id DLP.Evidence.523
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°19'26.84"N, 45°38'15.93"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1601-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, marking in square 12 or 16.
Content 20 Squares game board on a brick from Uruk. Becker 1993: 65, pl. 51, 806.
Confidence 100
Source Becker, A. 1993. Uruk. Kleinfunde I, Stein. Mainz am Rhein: Philip von Zabern.
Id DLP.Evidence.524
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 34°33'3.17"N, 40°53'19.48"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, markings in squares 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares graffiti game board found in the palace at Mari. Parrot 1958: 13, fig. 7.1.
Confidence 100
Source Parrot, A. 1958. Le palais. Mission archéologique de Mari, II. Paris: P. Geuthner.
Id DLP.Evidence.525
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 34°33'3.17"N, 40°53'19.48"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, markings in squares 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares graffiti game board found in the palace at Mari. Parrot 1958: 13, fig. 7.2.
Confidence 100
Source Parrot, A. 1958. Le palais. Mission archéologique de Mari, II. Paris: P. Geuthner.
Id DLP.Evidence.526
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 34°33'3.17"N, 40°53'19.48"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, markings in squares 8, 12.
Content 20 Squares graffiti game board found in the palace at Mari. Parrot 1958: 13, fig. 7.3.
Confidence 100
Source Parrot, A. 1958. Le palais. Mission archéologique de Mari, II. Paris: P. Geuthner.
Id DLP.Evidence.527
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 34°33'3.17"N, 40°53'19.48"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, markings in squares 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares graffiti game board found in the palace at Mari. Parrot 1958: 13, fig. 7.4.
Confidence 100
Source Parrot, A. 1958. Le palais. Mission archéologique de Mari, II. Paris: P. Geuthner.
Id DLP.Evidence.528
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 34°33'3.17"N, 40°53'19.48"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules number of spaces, markings in squares
Content 20 Squares graffiti game board found in the palace at Mari (Parrot 1958: 46-47)
Confidence 100
Source Parrot, A. 1958. Le palais. Mission archéologique de Mari, II. Paris: P. Geuthner.
Id DLP.Evidence.529
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 34°33'3.17"N, 40°53'19.48"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, marking in squares 8, 14.
Content 20 Squares graffiti game board found in the palace at Mari. Parrot 1958: 182, fig. 211.
Confidence 100
Source Parrot, A. 1958. Le palais. Mission archéologique de Mari, II. Paris: P. Geuthner.
Id DLP.Evidence.530
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 34°33'3.17"N, 40°53'19.48"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, markings in squares 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares graffiti game board found in the palace at Mari. Parrot 1958: 182, fig. 211.
Confidence 100
Source Parrot, A. 1958. Le palais. Mission archéologique de Mari, II. Paris: P. Geuthner.
Id DLP.Evidence.531
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 34°33'3.17"N, 40°53'19.48"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, markings in squares 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares graffiti game board found in the palace at Mari. Identical to DLP.Evidence.532. Parrot 1958: 247, fig. 291.
Confidence 100
Source Parrot, A. 1958. Le palais. Mission archéologique de Mari, II. Paris: P. Geuthner.
Id DLP.Evidence.532
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 34°33'3.17"N, 40°53'19.48"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, markings in squares 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares graffiti game board found in the palace at Mari. Identical to DLP.Evidence.531. Parrot 1958: 247, fig. 291.
Confidence 100
Source Parrot, A. 1958. Le palais. Mission archéologique de Mari, II. Paris: P. Geuthner.
Id DLP.Evidence.533
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 34°33'3.17"N, 40°53'19.48"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, markings in squares 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares graffiti game board found in the palace at Mari. Parrot 1958: 258, fig. 333.
Confidence 100
Source Parrot, A. 1958. Le palais. Mission archéologique de Mari, II. Paris: P. Geuthner.
Id DLP.Evidence.534
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°19'26.84"N, 45°38'15.93"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1801-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, marking in square 8.
Content 20 Squares game board from a palace at Uruk. Becker 1993: 65, pl. 51, 804.
Confidence 100
Source Becker, A. 1993. Uruk. Kleinfunde I, Stein. Mainz am Rhein: Philip von Zabern.
Id DLP.Evidence.535
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 28°40'30.41"N, 57°44'13.74"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 2300-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Jiroft, Iran probably from a looted tomb. Madjidzadeh 2003: 130.
Confidence 100
Source Madjizadeh, Y. 2003. Jiroft, the Earliest Oriental Civilization. Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. Iran Cultural Heritage Organization Research Center.
Id DLP.Evidence.536
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 28°40'30.41"N, 57°44'13.74"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 2300-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Jiroft, Iran, probably from a looted tomb. Madjidzadeh 2003: 131.
Confidence 100
Source Madjizadeh, Y. 2003. Jiroft, the Earliest Oriental Civilization. Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. Iran Cultural Heritage Organization Research Center.
Id DLP.Evidence.537
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 28°40'30.41"N, 57°44'13.74"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 2300-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Jiroft, Iran, probably from a looted tomb.. Madjidzadeh 2003: 136.
Confidence 100
Source Madjizadeh, Y. 2003. Jiroft, the Earliest Oriental Civilization. Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. Iran Cultural Heritage Organization Research Center.
Id DLP.Evidence.538
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 28°40'30.41"N, 57°44'13.74"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 2300-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row
Content 20 Squares game board from Jiroft, Iran probably from a looted tomb. Madjidzadeh 2003: 133.
Confidence 100
Source Madjizadeh, Y. 2003. Jiroft, the Earliest Oriental Civilization. Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. Iran Cultural Heritage Organization Research Center.
Id DLP.Evidence.539
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 28°40'30.41"N, 57°44'13.74"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 2300-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Jiroft, Iran, probably from a looted tomb. Madjidzadeh 2003: 135.
Confidence 100
Source Madjizadeh, Y. 2003. Jiroft, the Earliest Oriental Civilization. Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. Iran Cultural Heritage Organization Research Center.
Id DLP.Evidence.540
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 28°19'51.00"N, 56°52'3.00"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 2300-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Tepe Yahya. Lamberg-Karlovsky 1988: 76, pl. XX.C.
Confidence 100
Source Lamberg-Karlovsky, C.C. 1988. The ‘intercultural style” carved vessels. Iranica Antiqua 23: 45–95.
Id DLP.Evidence.541
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 34°53'16.22"N, 33°36'13.83"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1401-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, markings in squares 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares game board found on the surface at Hala Sultan Tekke. Only the central row is preserved. Swiny 1986: 40, fig. 57:d..
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.542
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 32°11'23.02"N, 48°14'55.78"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1401-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, marking in square 8.
Content 20 Squares game board from Susa. de Mecquenem 1943: 44, fig. 39.
Confidence 100
Source de Mecquenem, R. 1943. Mémoires de la Délégation en Perse, Vol. XIX. Paris.
Id DLP.Evidence.543
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 34°41'53.92"N, 32°35'38.07"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 0001-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row, markings in squares 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares game board found in the dromos of a tomb at Kouklia Skales, Cyprus. Swiny 1986: 38, fig. 43:c.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.544
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 30°57'41.76"N, 46° 6'19.02"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1000-01-01BCE - 0001-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Ur. May 1991: 150, fig. 142.
Confidence 100
Source May, R. (ed.) 1991. Jouer dans l’antiquité. Marseille: Musées de Marseille.
Id DLP.Evidence.545
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 36°49'35.95"N, 40° 2'22.62"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 2300-01-01BCE - 1-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Tell Halaf. Oppenheim 1962: pl. 42.e.
Confidence 100
Source Oppenheim, M. 1962. Tell Halaf IV: Die Kleinfunde aus historischer Zeit. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
Id DLP.Evidence.546
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 36°49'35.95"N, 40° 2'22.62"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 2300-01-01BCE - 1-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Tell Halaf. Oppenheim 1962: pl. 42.f.
Confidence 100
Source Oppenheim, M. 1962. Tell Halaf IV: Die Kleinfunde aus historischer Zeit. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
Id DLP.Evidence.547
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 35° 8'27.20"N, 36°45'18.72"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1200-01-01BCE - 0332-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a temple at Hama. Fugmann 1958: 117, fig 216.
Confidence 100
Source Fugmann, E. 1958. Hama: fouilles et recherches 1931–1938 II.1: L’architecture des périodes préhellénistiques. Copenhagen: Fondation Carlsberg.
Id DLP.Evidence.548
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 35° 8'27.20"N, 36°45'18.72"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1200-01-02BCE - 0332-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a temple at Hama. Fugmann 1958: 117, fig 216.
Confidence 100
Source Fugmann, E. 1958. Hama: fouilles et recherches 1931–1938 II.1: L’architecture des périodes préhellénistiques. Copenhagen: Fondation Carlsberg.
Id DLP.Evidence.549
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 35° 8'27.20"N, 36°45'18.72"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1200-01-01BCE - 0332-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content Twenty Squares game board found in a courtyard at Hama. Fugmann 1958: fig 216.
Confidence 100
Source Fugmann, E. 1958. Hama: fouilles et recherches 1931–1938 II.1: L’architecture des périodes préhellénistiques. Copenhagen: Fondation Carlsberg.
Id DLP.Evidence.550
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 35° 8'27.20"N, 36°45'18.72"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1200-01-01BCE - 0332-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a palace at Hama. Fugmann 1958: 238.
Confidence 100
Source Fugmann, E. 1958. Hama: fouilles et recherches 1931–1938 II.1: L’architecture des périodes préhellénistiques. Copenhagen: Fondation Carlsberg.
Id DLP.Evidence.551
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 35° 8'27.20"N, 36°45'18.72"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1200-01-01BCE - 0332-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a palace at Hama. Fugmann 1958: 238.
Confidence 100
Source Fugmann, E. 1958. Hama: fouilles et recherches 1931–1938 II.1: L’architecture des périodes préhellénistiques. Copenhagen: Fondation Carlsberg.
Id DLP.Evidence.552
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 35° 8'27.20"N, 36°45'18.72"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 1200-01-01BCE - 0332-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board found in a palace at Hama. Fugmann 1958: 238.
Confidence 100
Source Fugmann, E. 1958. Hama: fouilles et recherches 1931–1938 II.1: L’architecture des périodes préhellénistiques. Copenhagen: Fondation Carlsberg.
Id DLP.Evidence.553
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 30°57'41.76"N, 46° 6'19.02"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 2300-01-01BCE - 1-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Ur, Mesopotamia, in the University of Pennsylvania Museum. B16562. Woolley 1962: 111).
Confidence 100
Source Woollet, L. 1962. Ur Excavations Vol. IX: The Neo-Babylonian and Persian Periods. London: British Museum.
Id DLP.Evidence.554
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 30°57'41.76"N, 46° 6'19.02"E
Ruleset Simple 20 Squares
Date 2300-01-01BCE - 1-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row doubled and connected at the ends of the central row.
Content 20 Squares game board from Ur, Mesopotamia, now in the University of Pennsylvania Museum. B16498. University of Pennsylvania Online Collection Database.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.555
Type Artifact
Game Royal Game of Ur
Location 30°38'59.39"N, 61°23'59.85"E
Ruleset Historical Information
Date 3000-01-01BCE - 2001-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 grid and a 2x3 grid connected via their central rows with two with two squares between them.
Content 20 Squares game board from Sharh-i-Sokhta, Iran found in a tomb. Piperno & Salvatore 1983: fig 6.
Confidence 100
Source Piperno, M and S. Salvatori. 1983. Recent results and new perspectives from the research at the graveyard of Shahr-I-Sokhta, Sistan, Iran. Annali 43: 172–191.
Id DLP.Evidence.556
Type Artifact
Game Royal Game of Ur
Location 30°57'41.76"N, 46° 6'19.02"E
Ruleset Historical Information
Date 3000-01-01BCE - 2001-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 grid and a 2x3 grid connected via their central rows with two with two squares between them.
Content 20 Squares game board from Ur, Mesopotamia found in an elite tomb. Woolley 1934: pl. 95a.
Confidence 100
Source Woolley, C.L. 1934. Ur Excavations. Volume 2, The Royal Cemetery. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.557
Type Artifact
Game Royal Game of Ur
Location 30°57'41.76"N, 46° 6'19.02"E
Ruleset Historical Information
Date 3000-01-01BCE - 2001-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 grid and a 2x3 grid connected via their central rows with two with two squares between them, markings in squares 4 (x2), 8, 16.
Content 20 Squares game board from Ur, Mesopotamia found in an elite tomb. Wooley 1934: pl 95b.
Confidence 100
Source Woolley, C.L. 1934. Ur Excavations. Volume 2, The Royal Cemetery. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.558
Type Artifact
Game Royal Game of Ur
Location 30°57'41.76"N, 46° 6'19.02"E
Ruleset Historical Information
Date 3000-01-01BCE - 2001-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 grid and a 2x3 grid connected via their central rows with two with two squares between them, markings in squares 4(x2), 8, 16.
Content 20 Squares game board from Ur, Mesopotamia found in an elite tomb. Woolley 1934: pl.96.
Confidence 100
Source Woolley, C.L. 1934. Ur Excavations. Volume 2, The Royal Cemetery. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.559
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 38°24'40.36"N, 33°50'8.50"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 1800-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules Outer arc of spaces, inner line of spaces, spaces 6, 20 and 25 are marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a palace at Acemhuyuk. Broken, violin-shaped type. Larger holes for beginning and "goal" space. Ozguc 1966: 46, pl. XXI.1, fig 3.
Confidence 100
Source Ozgüc, T. 1986. Kültepe-Kanesh II. Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi.
Id DLP.Evidence.560
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 38°24'40.36"N, 33°50'8.50"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 1800-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules Outer arc of spaces, inner row of spaces, space 25 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a palace at Acemhuyuk. Metropolitan Museum of Art 36.70.37a2 and 36.70.37g, (Dunn-Vaturi 2012)
Confidence 100
Source Dunn-Vaturi, A.-E. 2012. 'Un jeu de 58 trous parmi les ivoires Pratt.' Histoire Antique et Médiévale HS 33: 62–67.
Id DLP.Evidence.561
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 38°24'40.36"N, 33°50'8.50"E
Ruleset Unmarked
Date 1800-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules Outer arc of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a palace at Acemhuyuk. Ozguc 1986: 83, pl. 62, 2a-b.
Confidence 100
Source Ozgüc, T. 1986. Kültepe-Kanesh II. Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi.
Id DLP.Evidence.562
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 40° 1'10.75"N, 34°36'54.98"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 1500-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 59 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board from Bogazköy, Anatolia. Bittel 1937: 22, pl. 14, 13; Ellis and Buchanan 1966:S.193 Anm.3.
Confidence 100
Source Ellis, R. and B. Buchanan. 1966. 'An Old Babylonian Game Board with Sculptured Decoration.' Journal of Near Eastern Studies 25(3): 192–201., Bittel, K. 1937. Bogazköy, die kleinfunde der grabungen, 1906–1912. Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichs.
Id DLP.Evidence.563
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 38°44'19.15"N, 35° 5'25.82"E
Date 1800-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Content 58 Holes game board found in a habitation at Karahuyuk. Identified but not illustrated. Ozguc 1986: 82.
Confidence 100
Source Ozgüc, T. 1986. Kültepe-Kanesh II. Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi.
Id DLP.Evidence.564
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 38°51'2.33"N, 35°38'4.98"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 1800-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules 61 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 6, 8, 10, 20 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a habitation at Kültepe. Ozguc 1986: 81-83, pl. 132.7.
Confidence 100
Source Ozgüc, T. 1986. Kültepe-Kanesh II. Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi.
Id DLP.Evidence.565
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 38°51'2.33"N, 35°38'4.98"E
Ruleset Crossover 1
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1801-12-31BCE
Rules 61 holes, with lines connecting holes 6 and 8 (they may connect 6 with 8 in the other row; the lines intersect); 15 is connected to 20, and 20 to 25.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a habitation at Kultepe, (Ozguc 1986: 81-83, pl. 132.9)
Confidence 100
Source Ozgüc, T. 1986. Kültepe-Kanesh II. Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi.
Id DLP.Evidence.566
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location Kerman
Ruleset Crossover 2
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1801-12-31BCE
Rules 63 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of holes. Lines connect holes 6 in each of the inner rows, and hole 8 with hole 10 in the other row. Hole 21 is connected to hole 6 on each side..
Content Unprovenienced 58 Holes game board. Finkel 2020: 46-47. British Museum website, 2003, 1201.1.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.567
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 21°55'18.58"N, 31°17'5.37"E
Ruleset Unmarked
Date 2100-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board found in the fortress at Buhen. Pictured in publication with DLP.Evidence.568. Emery 1979: 146, no. 1525, pl. 103.J.
Confidence 100
Source Emery, W. 1979. Fortress of Buhen: Archaeological Report. London: Egypt Exploration Fund.
Id DLP.Evidence.568
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 21°55'18.58"N, 31°17'5.37"E
Ruleset Unmarked
Date 2100-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board found in the fortress at Buhen. Pictured in publication with DLp.Evidence.567. Emery 1979: 146, no. 1533, pl. 103.J.
Confidence 100
Source Emery, W. 1979. Fortress of Buhen: Archaeological Report. London: Egypt Exploration Fund.
Id DLP.Evidence.569
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 21°55'18.58"N, 31°17'5.37"E
Ruleset Unmarked
Date 2100-01-01BCE - 1601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board found in the fortress at Buhen. Emery 1979: 145, no. 1275.
Confidence 100
Source Emery, W. 1979. Fortress of Buhen: Archaeological Report. London: Egypt Exploration Fund.
Id DLP.Evidence.570
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 21°55'18.58"N, 31°17'5.37"E
Ruleset Unmarked
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board found in the fortress at Buhen. Emery 1979: 145, no. 1275.
Confidence 100
Source Emery, W. 1979. Fortress of Buhen: Archaeological Report. London: Egypt Exploration Fund.
Id DLP.Evidence.571
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 29°12'26.03"N, 30°58'22.45"E
Ruleset Parallel Connections
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1801-12-31BCE
Rules 59 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 6 and 20, 8 and 10 are connected, 15, 25, and 30 are marked.
Content 58 Holes game board from El-Lahun. Petrie 1890: 30, pl. 16;
Petrie and Brunton 1924: 7, 12, pl.XXI, XXII; Petrie 1927: pl.XLVIII, 176;
Gadd 1934: 46; Drioton 1940: 179ff;
Decker & Herb 1994: 685.
Confidence 100
Source Petrie, W.M.F. 1890. Kahun, Gurob, and Hawara. London: Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co.
, Petrie, W. and G. Brunton. 1924 Sedment I. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt., Petrie, W.M.F. 1927. Objects of Daily Use. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt.
, Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50., Drioton, E. 1940. 'Un ancien jeu copte.' Bulletin de la société d'archéologia copte 6, Decker, W. and M. Herb. 1994. Bildatlas zum Sport im Alten Ägypten Corpus der Bildlichen Quellen zu Liebesübungen, Spiel, Jagd, Tanz, und Verwandten Themen. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.572
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 29° 8'31.75"N, 30°54'5.98"E
Ruleset Parallel Connections
Date 2100-01-01BCE - 1901-12-31BCE
Rules 61 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 6 and 20, 8 and 10 connected, 15 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a tomb at Sedment. Petrie & Brunton 1924 7-8, pls. XXI-XXII; Gadd 1934; Drioton 1940: 179ff; Ellis and Buchanan 1966: 193;
Decker and Herb 1994: 683ff.
Confidence 100
Source Petrie, W. and G. Brunton. 1924 Sedment I. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt., Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50., Drioton, E. 1940. 'Un ancien jeu copte.' Bulletin de la société d'archéologia copte 6, Decker, W. and M. Herb. 1994. Bildatlas zum Sport im Alten Ägypten Corpus der Bildlichen Quellen zu Liebesübungen, Spiel, Jagd, Tanz, und Verwandten Themen. Leiden: Brill. , Ellis, R. and B. Buchanan. 1966. 'An Old Babylonian Game Board with Sculptured Decoration.' Journal of Near Eastern Studies 25(3): 192–201.
Id DLP.Evidence.573
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Parallel Connections
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1801-12-31BCE
Rules 59 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 6 and 20, 8 and 10 are connected, 15, 25, and 30 are marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a tomb at Thebes. Carnavon & Carter 1912: 58, pl. L; Petrie & Brunton 1924: 7, 12, pl. XXI, XXII; Gadd 1934: 45; Drioton 1940: 179ff; Hayes 1935: 250 fig. 160;
Vandier 1964: 508f fig. 227 pl.XXV;
Decker and Herb 1994: 683ff.
Confidence 100
Source Carnarvon, Earl of and H. Carter. 1912. Five Years’ Exploration at Thebes. London: Oxford University Press.
, Hayes, W. 1935. The Scepter of Egypt I. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art., Vandier, J. 1964. Manuel d'archéologie égyptienne, 4: bas-reliefs et peintures, scènes de la vie quotidienne. Paris: Editions A. et J. Picard et Compagnie., Decker, W. and M. Herb. 1994. Bildatlas zum Sport im Alten Ägypten Corpus der Bildlichen Quellen zu Liebesübungen, Spiel, Jagd, Tanz, und Verwandten Themen. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.574
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Parallel Connections
Date 2100-01-01BCE - 1901-12-31BCE
Rules 61 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 6 and 20, 8 and 10 connected, 15 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a tomb at Thebes. Winlock 1928: 10, fig. 10;
Winlock 1942: pl.36; Gadd 1934: 45;
Drioton 1940: 179ff Ellis 1966: 193
Decker and Herb 1994: 684.
Confidence 100
Source Winlock, H. 1928. 'The Egyptian Expedition 1925–1927: The Museum's Excavations at Thebes.' The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 23(2): 3–58., Winlock, H. 1942. Excavations at Deir El-Bahri: 1911–1931. New York: Macmillan., Ellis, R. and B. Buchanan. 1966. 'An Old Babylonian Game Board with Sculptured Decoration.' Journal of Near Eastern Studies 25(3): 192–201., Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50., Drioton, E. 1940. 'Un ancien jeu copte.' Bulletin de la société d'archéologia copte 6, Decker, W. and M. Herb. 1994. Bildatlas zum Sport im Alten Ägypten Corpus der Bildlichen Quellen zu Liebesübungen, Spiel, Jagd, Tanz, und Verwandten Themen. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.575
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Labyrinth
Date 0500-01-01BCE - 0301-12-31BCE
Rules 59 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content Unprovenienced 58 Holes game board from Egypt. Petrie and Brunton 1924: 7, pl. XXII, 25.
Confidence 100
Source Petrie, W. and G. Brunton. 1924 Sedment I. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt.
Id DLP.Evidence.576
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Labyrinth
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1201-12-31BCE
Rules 60 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 4, 6, 10 marked.
Content Unprovenienced 58 Holes game board from Egypt. Petrie and Brunton 1924: 8, pl. XXII, 13; Gadd 1934: 46; Drioton 1940: 179ff; Decker and Herb 1994: 683ff.
Confidence 100
Source Petrie, W. and G. Brunton. 1924 Sedment I. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt., Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50., Drioton, E. 1940. 'Un ancien jeu copte.' Bulletin de la société d'archéologia copte 6, Decker, W. and M. Herb. 1994. Bildatlas zum Sport im Alten Ägypten Corpus der Bildlichen Quellen zu Liebesübungen, Spiel, Jagd, Tanz, und Verwandten Themen. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.577
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location Ancient Egypt
Ruleset Parallel Connections
Date 2200-01-01BCE - 1901-12-31BCE
Rules 59 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 6 and 20, 8 and 10 connected, 15, 25, 30 marked.
Content Unprovenienced 58 Holes game board from Egypt. Petrie & Brunton 1924: 8, pl. XXII, 12; Gadd 1934: 46; Drioton 1940: 179ff; Ellis 1966: 193;
Decker and Herb 1994: 685.
Confidence 100
Source Ellis, R. and B. Buchanan. 1966. 'An Old Babylonian Game Board with Sculptured Decoration.' Journal of Near Eastern Studies 25(3): 192–201., Petrie, W. and G. Brunton. 1924 Sedment I. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt., Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50., Drioton, E. 1940. 'Un ancien jeu copte.' Bulletin de la société d'archéologia copte 6
Id DLP.Evidence.578
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location Luristan
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0501-12-31BCE
Rules 58 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board from Luristan. Amiet 1976: 97-98, pl. 240.
Confidence 100
Source Amiet, P. 1976. Les antiquités de Luristan. Paris: De brocard.
Id DLP.Evidence.579
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location Northern Iran
Ruleset Crossover 4
Date 1000-01-01BCE - 0901-12-31BCE
Rules 59 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 1 and 5, 6 and 20, 7 and 9, 10 and 15, 11 and 14, 25 and 5 are connected.
Content 58 Holes game board from Northern Iran. British Museum website, 1991, 0720, 1.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.580
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 32°11'23.02"N, 48°14'55.78"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 1, 30, 20, 25 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a deposit at the Temple of Inshushinnak at Susa. de Mecquenem 1905: 104, fig. 345)
Petre and Brunton 1924: 7, 12, pl. XXI, XXII; Gadd 1934: 46; Ellis 1966: 195) May 1991: 163, fig. 152.
Confidence 100
Source de Mecquenem, R. 1905. Offrandes de fondations du temple de Chouchinak. In J. de Morgan and G. Jeequier (eds), Mémoires de la Délégation en Perse VII. Paris: Recherches archéologiques, 61–130.), Ellis, R. and B. Buchanan. 1966. 'An Old Babylonian Game Board with Sculptured Decoration.' Journal of Near Eastern Studies 25(3): 192–201., Petrie, W. and G. Brunton. 1924 Sedment I. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt., Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50., May, R. (ed.) 1991. Jouer dans l’antiquité. Marseille: Musées de Marseille.
Id DLP.Evidence.581
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 32°11'23.02"N, 48°14'55.78"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 1, 5, 25, 30 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in the temple deposit at the Temple of Ishushiinnak. . de Mecquenem 1905: 105, fig. 346;
Petre and Brunton 1924: 7, 12, pl. XXI, XXII; Gadd 1934: 46; Ellis: 1966: 195;
May 1991: 163 fig. 152.
Confidence 100
Source de Mecquenem, R. 1905. Offrandes de fondations du temple de Chouchinak. In J. de Morgan and G. Jeequier (eds), Mémoires de la Délégation en Perse VII. Paris: Recherches archéologiques, 61–130.), Ellis, R. and B. Buchanan. 1966. 'An Old Babylonian Game Board with Sculptured Decoration.' Journal of Near Eastern Studies 25(3): 192–201., Petrie, W. and G. Brunton. 1924 Sedment I. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt., Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50., May, R. (ed.) 1991. Jouer dans l’antiquité. Marseille: Musées de Marseille.
Id DLP.Evidence.582
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 32°11'23.02"N, 48°14'55.78"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 6, 8, 15 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in the deposit at the Temple of Inshushinnak at Susa. de Mecquenem 1905: 105, fig. 347;
Petre and Brunton 1924: 7, 12, pl. XXI, XXII; Gadd 1934: 46; Ellis 1966: 195; May 1991: 163 fig. 152.
Confidence 100
Source de Mecquenem, R. 1905. Offrandes de fondations du temple de Chouchinak. In J. de Morgan and G. Jeequier (eds), Mémoires de la Délégation en Perse VII. Paris: Recherches archéologiques, 61–130.), Ellis, R. and B. Buchanan. 1966. 'An Old Babylonian Game Board with Sculptured Decoration.' Journal of Near Eastern Studies 25(3): 192–201., Petrie, W. and G. Brunton. 1924 Sedment I. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt., Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50., May, R. (ed.) 1991. Jouer dans l’antiquité. Marseille: Musées de Marseille.
Id DLP.Evidence.583
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 32°11'23.02"N, 48°14'55.78"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 1, 20, 25, 30 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in the deposit at the Temple of Inshushinnak at Susa. de Mecquenem 1905: 105, figs. 348-349;
Petrie and Brunton 1924: 7, 12, pl. XXI, XXII; Gadd 1934: 46; Ellis 1966: 195; May 1991: 163 fig.152.
Confidence 100
Source de Mecquenem, R. 1905. Offrandes de fondations du temple de Chouchinak. In J. de Morgan and G. Jeequier (eds), Mémoires de la Délégation en Perse VII. Paris: Recherches archéologiques, 61–130.), Ellis, R. and B. Buchanan. 1966. 'An Old Babylonian Game Board with Sculptured Decoration.' Journal of Near Eastern Studies 25(3): 192–201., Petrie, W. and G. Brunton. 1924 Sedment I. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt., Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50., May, R. (ed.) 1991. Jouer dans l’antiquité. Marseille: Musées de Marseille.
Id DLP.Evidence.584
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 32°11'23.02"N, 48°14'55.78"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 8, 10, 15 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in the temple deposit of the Temple of Inshushinnak at Susa. de Mecquenem 1905: 106, fig. 351; Petrie & Brunton 1924: 7, 12, pl. XXI, XXII; Gadd 1934: 46; Ellis 1966: 195; May 1991: 163, fig. 152.
Confidence 100
Source de Mecquenem, R. 1905. Offrandes de fondations du temple de Chouchinak. In J. de Morgan and G. Jeequier (eds), Mémoires de la Délégation en Perse VII. Paris: Recherches archéologiques, 61–130.), Ellis, R. and B. Buchanan. 1966. 'An Old Babylonian Game Board with Sculptured Decoration.' Journal of Near Eastern Studies 25(3): 192–201., Petrie, W. and G. Brunton. 1924 Sedment I. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt., Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50., May, R. (ed.) 1991. Jouer dans l’antiquité. Marseille: Musées de Marseille.
Id DLP.Evidence.586
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 33°58'7.49"N, 51°24'15.31"E
Ruleset Crossover 3
Date 1000-01-01BCE - 0901-12-31BCE
Rules 59 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaced 5 and 25, 6 and 20, 8 and 10 are connected.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a tomb at Tepe Sialk. Ghirshman 1939:42ff, pl. XXII, 8; Ellis 1966: 193 n.3; May 1991: 162 fig.157.
Confidence 100
Source Ghirshman, R. 1939. Fouilles de Sialk II. Paris: P. Geuthner. , May, R. (ed.) 1991. Jouer dans l’antiquité. Marseille: Musées de Marseille.
, Ellis, R. and B. Buchanan. 1966. 'An Old Babylonian Game Board with Sculptured Decoration.' Journal of Near Eastern Studies 25(3): 192–201.
Id DLP.Evidence.587
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 35°27'26.34"N, 43°15'40.08"E
Ruleset Unmarked
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules 59 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board found on the surface at Ashur. Klengel-Brandt 1980: 119-120, no. 1, pl. XIII, 1.
Confidence 100
Source Klengel-Brandt, E. 1980. Spielbretter und Würfel aus Assur. Alt-Orientalische Forschungen 7, 119–126.
Id DLP.Evidence.588
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 35°27'26.34"N, 43°15'40.08"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules 59 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, space 20 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found on the surface at Ashur. Klengel-Brandt 1980: 122, no. 5, pl. XIV, 4a-b.
Confidence 100
Source Klengel-Brandt, E. 1980. Spielbretter und Würfel aus Assur. Alt-Orientalische Forschungen 7, 119–126.
Id DLP.Evidence.589
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 35°27'26.34"N, 43°15'40.08"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules 58 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, space 4 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a temple at Ashur. Klengel-Brandt 1980: 119-120, no. 2, pl. XIII, 2a-b.
Confidence 100
Source Klengel-Brandt, E. 1980. Spielbretter und Würfel aus Assur. Alt-Orientalische Forschungen 7, 119–126.
Id DLP.Evidence.590
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 35°27'26.34"N, 43°15'40.08"E
Ruleset Unmarked
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a temple at Ashur. Klengel-Brandt 1980: 122, no. 4.
Confidence 100
Source Klengel-Brandt, E. 1980. Spielbretter und Würfel aus Assur. Alt-Orientalische Forschungen 7, 119–126.
Id DLP.Evidence.591
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 35°27'26.34"N, 43°15'40.08"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 6, 8, 10, 15, 20 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board from Ashur. Klengel-Brandt 1980: 121, no. 3, pl. XIII, 3.
Confidence 100
Source Klengel-Brandt, E. 1980. Spielbretter und Würfel aus Assur. Alt-Orientalische Forschungen 7, 119–126.
Id DLP.Evidence.592
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 32°32'32.04"N, 44°25'15.37"E
Ruleset Unmarked
Date 0900-01-01BCE - 0701-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board from Babylon. Wetzel et al. 1957: 36, pl. 4.d; May 1991: 156, fig. 148.
Confidence 100
Source Wetzel, F., E. Schmidt, and Mallwitz. 1957. Das Babylon der Spätzeit. Berlin: Verlag Gebr. Mann., May, R. (ed.) 1991. Jouer dans l’antiquité. Marseille: Musées de Marseille.
Id DLP.Evidence.593
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 33°21'17.19"N, 44°33'21.52"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1501-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 8, 10, 15 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a temple at Khafaje. Hill et al. 1990: 227, 234, pl. 66.e.
Confidence 100
Source Hill, H, T. Jacobsen, and P. Delougaz. 1990. Old Babylonian Public Buildings in the Diyala Region. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.594
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 36° 5'54.12"N, 43°19'43.66"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 6, 8, 10, 15, 20 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a palace at Nimrud. Gadd 1934: 47, no. 4, pl. VII, b; May 1991: 158.
Confidence 100
Source May, R. (ed.) 1991. Jouer dans l’antiquité. Marseille: Musées de Marseille.
, Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50.
Id DLP.Evidence.595
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 36°21'30.54"N, 43° 9'7.59"E
Ruleset Unmarked
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a temple at Nineveh. Gadd 1934: 49 (note 2).
Confidence 100
Source Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50.
Id DLP.Evidence.596
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 36°21'30.54"N, 43° 9'7.59"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 8, 10, 15 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board from Nineveh, Mesopotamia. Nassouhi 1925: 17ff, pl. II; Gadd 1934: 46.
Confidence 100
Source Nassouhi, E. 1925. 'Un curieux monument néo-assyrien en marbre rouge veiné.' Révue d'assyriologie 22: 17–22., Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50.
Id DLP.Evidence.597
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 36°21'30.54"N, 43° 9'7.59"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces. Spaces 10, 11, 8 are marked.
Content 58 Holes game board from Nineveh. Gadd 1934: 48, no. 5, pl. VII, a.
Confidence 100
Source Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50.
Id DLP.Evidence.598
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 36°21'30.54"N, 43° 9'7.59"E
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board from Nineveh, Mesopotamia. British Museum Nr. 91 930 and 12 104. Gadd 1934: 48, no. 6.
Confidence 100
Source Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50.
Id DLP.Evidence.599
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 36°21'30.54"N, 43° 9'7.59"E
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board from Nineveh. British Museum Nr. 81-7-27, 80-7-19, 327. Gadd 1934: 48, no. 7.
Confidence 100
Source Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50.
Id DLP.Evidence.600
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 36°21'30.54"N, 43° 9'7.59"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board from Nineveh. Gadd 1934: 48, no. 8; van Buren 1937: 15.
Confidence 100
Source Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50., van Buren, E.D. 1937. A gaming-board from Tall Halaf. Iraq 4(1): 11–15.
Id DLP.Evidence.601
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 32° 7'35.17"N, 45°13'59.99"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1501-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces. Spaces 5, 15, 25, 30 marked; 10 is hidden in photograph.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a temple at Nippur. McCown et al. 1967: 23, pl. 32.3.
Confidence 100
Source McCown, D., R. Haines and R. Biggs. 1967. Nippur. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.602
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 35°22'19.24"N, 44°15'38.71"E
Ruleset Unmarked
Date 1500-01-01BCE - 1301-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board from the city wall at Nuzi. Starr 1937: pl. 117, L.
Confidence 100
Source Starr, R. 1937. Nuzi II. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.603
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 35°22'19.24"N, 44°15'38.71"E
Ruleset Unmarked
Date 1500-01-01BCE - 1301-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a habitation at Nuzi. Starr 1937: pl. 123, B.
Confidence 100
Source Starr, R. 1937. Nuzi II. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.604
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 33° 5'58.42"N, 44°17'57.21"E
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Unfinished board.
Content 58 Holes game board from Sippar. Gadd 1934: 49, no. 9, pl. VIII, a.
Confidence 100
Source Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50.
Id DLP.Evidence.605
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location Mesopotamia
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content Unprovenienced 58 Holes game board from Mesopotamia. Gadd 1934: 49.
Confidence 100
Source Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50.
Id DLP.Evidence.606
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location Mesopotamia
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content Unprovenienced 58 Holes game board from Mesopotamia. Gadd 1934: 49.
Confidence 100
Source Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50.
Id DLP.Evidence.607
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location Mesopotamia
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content Unprovenienced 58 Holes game board from Mesopotamia. Gadd 1934: 49.
Confidence 100
Source Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50.
Id DLP.Evidence.608
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location Mesopotamia
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content Unprovenienced 58 Holes game board from Mesopotamia. Gadd 1934: 49.
Confidence 100
Source Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50.
Id DLP.Evidence.609
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location Mesopotamia
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1701-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 1, 10, 15, 20, 25 marked.
Content Unprovenienced 58 Holes game board from Mesopotamia. Ellis & Buchanan 1966: pl. XVII,a.
Confidence 100
Source Ellis, R. and B. Buchanan. 1966. 'An Old Babylonian Game Board with Sculptured Decoration.' Journal of Near Eastern Studies 25(3): 192–201.
Id DLP.Evidence.610
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 30°57'41.76"N, 46° 6'19.02"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0301-12-31BCE
Rules 61 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 1, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a habitation at Ur. Woolley 1932: 43, pl. XVII.
Confidence 100
Source Woolley, L. 1932. 'Excavations at Ur.' University of Pennsylvania Museum Journal 23(3): 193–248.
Id DLP.Evidence.611
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 30°57'41.76"N, 46° 6'19.02"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0301-12-31BCE
Rules 61 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 1, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board from Ur. Gadd 1934: 46, no.2, pl. VIII, b.
Confidence 100
Source Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50.
Id DLP.Evidence.612
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 30°57'41.76"N, 46° 6'19.02"E
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board from Ur. Gadd 1934: 47.
Confidence 100
Source Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50.
Id DLP.Evidence.613
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 31°19'26.84"N, 45°38'15.93"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0501-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 6, 8, 10, 15, 20 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board on a brick from Uruk. Becker 1993: 66, no. 810, pl. 51.
Confidence 100
Source Becker, A. 1993. Uruk. Kleinfunde I, Stein. Mainz am Rhein: Philip von Zabern.
Id DLP.Evidence.614
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 31°19'26.84"N, 45°38'15.93"E
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0501-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board from a production context at Uruk. Becker 1993: 66, no. 809, pl. 51.
Confidence 100
Source Becker, A. 1993. Uruk. Kleinfunde I, Stein. Mainz am Rhein: Philip von Zabern.
Id DLP.Evidence.615
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 31°19'26.84"N, 45°38'15.93"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 0700-01-01BCE - 0501-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 1, 25, 30 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a secondary context at Uruk. Becker 1993: 65, no. 807, pl. 51.
Confidence 100
Source Becker, A. 1993. Uruk. Kleinfunde I, Stein. Mainz am Rhein: Philip von Zabern.
Id DLP.Evidence.616
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 31°19'26.84"N, 45°38'15.93"E
Ruleset Marked Holes
Date 0900-01-01BCE - 0501-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 6, 9, 15, 20 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a secondary context at Uruk. Becker 1993: 66, no. 808, pl. 51.
Confidence 100
Source Becker, A. 1993. Uruk. Kleinfunde I, Stein. Mainz am Rhein: Philip von Zabern.
Id DLP.Evidence.617
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 32°30'15.74"N, 35°30'11.12"E
Date 1200-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a tomb at Beth Shean. Oren 1973: fig. 41, 37.
Confidence 100
Source Oren, E. 1973. The Northern Cemetery of Beth Shean. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.618
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 32°30'15.74"N, 35°30'11.12"E
Date 1200-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a tomb at Beth Shean. Oren 1973: fig. 45, 23.
Confidence 100
Source Oren, E. 1973. The Northern Cemetery of Beth Shean. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.619
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 31°23'11.99"N, 34°26'45.44"E
Ruleset Labyrinth
Date 1500-01-01BCE - 1301-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, space 30 marked. Labyrinth-type board, but labyrinth is broken off.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a habitation at Gerar (Petrie 1928, p. 18, pl. 39, 22; Drioton 1940: 179ff)
Confidence 100
Source Petrie, W. 1928. Gerar. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt. , Drioton, E. 1940. 'Un ancien jeu copte.' Bulletin de la société d'archéologia copte 6
Id DLP.Evidence.620
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 31°51'31.80"N, 34°55'15.26"E
Ruleset Labyrinth
Date 1400-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 58 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 15, 20 marked. Labyrinth with six holes around the final hole.
Content 58 Holes game board from Gezer . Macalister 1912: 416, fig. 501;
Petrie and Brunton 1924: 7, 12, pl. XXI, XXII; Gadd 1934: 46; Drioton 1940: 179ff; van Buren 1937: 14.
Confidence 100
Source Macalister, R.A.S. 1912. The Excavation of Gezer 1902–1905 and 1907–1909. London: Palestine Exploration Fund.
, Petrie, W. and G. Brunton. 1924 Sedment I. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt., Gadd, C. 1934. 'An Egyptian Game in Assyria.' Iraq 1: 45–50., Drioton, E. 1940. 'Un ancien jeu copte.' Bulletin de la société d'archéologia copte 6, van Buren, E.D. 1937. A gaming-board from Tall Halaf. Iraq 4(1): 11–15.
Id DLP.Evidence.621
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 32°34'43.20"N, 35°10'5.04"E
Ruleset Labyrinth
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 58 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 1, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 marked, "labyrinth" with 8 spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a palace at Megiddo. Loud 1939: pls. 46-47, no. 220.
Confidence 100
Source Loud, G. 1939. The Megiddo Ivories. Oriental Institute Publications 52. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.622
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 32°34'43.20"N, 35°10'5.04"E
Ruleset Labyrinth
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 58 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 1, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 marked, "labyrinth" with 8 spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a palace at Megiddo. Loud 1938: pl. 48, no. 221.
Confidence 100
Source Loud, G. 1939. The Megiddo Ivories. Oriental Institute Publications 52. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.623
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 32°34'43.20"N, 35°10'5.04"E
Ruleset Labyrinth
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 58 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 1, 6, 10, 20, 25 marked, "labyrinth" of 8 spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board found in a palace at Megiddo. Loud 1939: pl. 49, no. 222.
Confidence 100
Source Loud, G. 1939. The Megiddo Ivories. Oriental Institute Publications 52. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.624
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 32°34'43.20"N, 35°10'5.04"E
Ruleset Labyrinth
Date 1300-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 10 and 15, "labyrinth" of 17 spaces.
Content 58 Holes game board from Megiddo found in a palace. Loud 1939, pl. 50, no. 223.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.625
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 33°13'40.19"N, 35°13'25.32"E
Date 0900-01-01BCE - 0601-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, space 6 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board from Ras el-Ain. Nougayrol 1947: 46, fig. 8.
Confidence 100
Source Nougayrol, J. 1947. Textes et documents figurés. Revue d'assyriologie 41: 23–53.
Id DLP.Evidence.626
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 37° 4'44.40"N, 40°43'37.20"E
Date 1400-01-01BCE - 1101-12-31BCE
Rules 61 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 6, 8, 10, 15, 20 marked.
Content 58 Holes game board from Tell Ailun. Moortgat-Correns 1959: 339-345, fig. 1.
Confidence 100
Source Moortgat-Correns, U. 1959. 'Ein Spielbret vom Tell Ailun (?).' InR. von Kienle, A. Moortgat, H. Otten, E. von Schuler, and W. Zaumseil (eds) Festschrift Johannes Friedrich. Heidelberg: Carl Winter, 339–345.
Id DLP.Evidence.627
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 40° 6'9.43"N, 49°23'6.77"E
Date 2200-01-01BCE - 1800-01-01BCE
Rules 59 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces, spaces 7 and 9 connected on both track, spaces 15 and 20, 20 and 25 connected, spaces 1, 30 marked.
Content 58 holes graffiti on stone surface behind rock shelter at Capmali, Gobustan Preserve, Azerbaijan. Shows 2 rows of 11 parallel depressions in center with an arc of 30 surrounding it. 30th hole in arc is larger than the others, as are the first depressions in each of the parallel lines in the center. Depression 15 is connected to 20, 20 is connected to 25. In the parallel rows, seventh and ninth depressions are connected.
Crist forthcoming.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Id DLP.Evidence.628
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 36°51'15.23"N, 10°20'5.85"E
Date 0145-01-01 - 0600-12-31
Rules 9x8-10 board.
Content Graffiti ludus latrunculorum board from the Antonine Baths, Carthage. 9x8-10 board. de Voogt 2019: 91.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public, Communal
Genders Male
Source de Voogt, A. 2019a. 'Traces of appropriation: Roman board games in Egypt and Sudan.' Archimède 6:89–99.
Id DLP.Evidence.629
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 36°51'15.23"N, 10°20'5.85"E
Date 0145-01-01 - 0600-12-31
Rules 8x10-11 board.
Content Graffiti ludus latrunculorum board from the Antonine Baths, Carthage. 10-11x8 or more board. de Voogt 2019: 91.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public, Communal
Genders Male
Source de Voogt, A. 2019a. 'Traces of appropriation: Roman board games in Egypt and Sudan.' Archimède 6:89–99.
Id DLP.Evidence.630
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 51° 7'26.64"N, 1°18'45.54"E
Date 0117-01-01 - 0160-12-31
Rules 10x10 board.
Content Ludus latrunculorum board found in barracks at the Roman fort at Dover. 10x10, made of chalk. Dates from Hadrian to Antonine period. Philip 1981: 167.
Confidence 100
Source Philip, B. 1981. The Excavation of the Roman Forts of the Classis Brittanica at Dover 1970–1977. Dover: Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit.
Id DLP.Evidence.631
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 38°10'1.67"N, 44°47'33.98"E
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1550-12-31BCE
Rules Spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines of spaces.
Content 58 Holes fragment from Haftavan Tepe. Metal fragment with remains of outer arc and of inner lines of spaces. Edwards 1983:: Fig. 146.2.
Confidence 100
Source Edwards, M. 1983. Excavations in Azerbaijan (North-western Iran) 1. Haftavan, Period VI. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports.
Id DLP.Evidence.632
Type Artifact
Game Royal Game of Ur
Location 38°12'50.31"N, 62° 2'16.31"E
Ruleset Historical Information
Date 2400-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 grid and a 2x3 grid connected via their central rows with two with two squares between them.
Content Ivory inlays from Gonur Depe found in the pattern of the Royal Game of Ur from Tomb 2900. Frenez 2018: 20-22; Sarianidi 2007: 152.
Confidence 100
Source Frenez, D. 2018. Manufacturing and trade of Asian elephant ivory in Bronze Age Middle Asia. Evidence from Gonur Depe (Margiana, Turkmenistan). Archaeological Research in Asia 15: 13–33.
, Sarianidi, V. I. 2007. Necropolis of Gonur. Athens: Kapon Editions.
Id DLP.Evidence.633
Type Artifact
Game Royal Game of Ur
Location 38°12'50.31"N, 62° 2'16.31"E
Date 2400-01-01BCE - 1900-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 grid and a 2x3 grid connected via their central rows with two with two squares between them.
Content Royal game of Ur from Gonur Depe, Tomb 3210. Frenez 2018: 20-22; Sarianidi 2008: 203-204.
Confidence 100
Source Frenez, D. 2018. Manufacturing and trade of Asian elephant ivory in Bronze Age Middle Asia. Evidence from Gonur Depe (Margiana, Turkmenistan). Archaeological Research in Asia 15: 13–33.
, Sarianidi, V. I. 2007. Necropolis of Gonur. Athens: Kapon Editions.
Id DLP.Evidence.634
Type Ethnography
Game Aw-li On-nam Ot-tjin
Location Borneo
Date 1913-01-01 - 1917-12-31
Rules Played on a board of 2 rows of 10, with a larger hole at either end. 2-5 stones are placed in each hole, 3 is most common. Each player owns one row. Player picks up stones in one of his hole and sows them one in each hole following. Player continues sowing until he sows a seed into an empty hole. Sowing happens counterclockwise. When a hole, after sowing, contains the same number of stones that were in each hole at the beginning of the game, they are captured. When a player has no more stones in his holes he loses.
Content Played by the Penihing people in Borneo as documented by Carl Lumholtz: "The Penihings have a game called ot-tjin which I also observed in other Bornean tribes, and which to some extent is practiced by the Malays...With the Penihings the complete name is aw-li on-nam ot-tjin, meaning: play on-nam fish. An essential of the game is an oblong block of heavy wood which on its upper surface is provided with two rows of shallow holes, ten in each row, also a larger one on each end. The implement is called tu-tung ot-jin, as is also both of the single holes at the ends. There are two players who sit opposite each other, each controlling ten holes. The stake may be ten or twenty wristlets, or perhaps a fowl, or the black rings that are tied about the upper part of the calf of the leg, but not money, because usually there is none about. The game is played in the evenings. Two, three, four, or five stones of a small fruit may be put in each hole; I noticed they generally had three; pebbles may be used instead. Let us suppose two have been placed in each hole; the first player takes up two from any hole on his side. He then deposits one in the hole next following. Thus we have three in each of these two holes. He takes all three from the last hole and deposits one in each of the next three holes; from the last hole he again takes all three, depositing one in each of the next three holes. His endeavour is to get two stones in a hole and thus make a "fish." He proceeds until he reaches an empty hole, when a situation has arisen which is called a gok—that is to say, he must stop, leaving his stone there. His adversary now begins on his side wherever he likes, proceeding in the same way, from right to left, until he reaches an empty hole, which makes him gok, and he has to stop. To bring together two stones in one hole makes a "fish," but if three stones were originally placed in each hole, then they make a "fish"; if four were originally placed, thenb four make a "fish," etc., up to five. The player deposits the "fish" he gains to the right in the single hole at the end. The two men proceed alternately in this manner, trying to make a "fish" (ára ot-tjin). The player is stopped in his quest by an empty hole; there he deposits his last stone and his adversary begins. During the process of taking up and laying down the stones no hole is omitted, in some of them the stones will accumulate. On the occasion of the game i described I saw two with eight in them. When one of the players has no stones left in his holes he has lost. If stones are left on either side, then there is an impasse, and the game must be played over again."
The drawing accompanying the description is of a board with 2x9 holes with one larger on either end. Caption: "The Game Mancala As Used By The Penihings." Lumholtz 1920:435-437.
Confidence 100
Source Lumholtz, C. 1920. Through Central Borneo: An Account of Two Years’ Travel in the Land of the Head-Hunters between the Years 1913 and 1917. Stockholm.
Id DLP.Evidence.635
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 51°17'36.05"N, 1°19'56.89"E
Date 0100-01-01 - 0600-12-31
Rules 8x at least 5 board.
Content Ludus latrunculorum game board from Richborough Fort, UK. On marble casing stone. 8x5 preserved, 8 spaces in one direction is certain. Bushe-Fox 1928: Fig 1.2; p. 13.
Confidence 100
Source Bushe-Fox, J.P. 1928. Second Report on the Excavation of the Roman Fort at Richborough, Kent. Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London 7. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.636
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 51°17'36.05"N, 1°19'56.89"E
Date 0100-01-01 - 0600-12-31
Rules At least 9x7 board.
Content Ludus latrunculorum game board from Richborough Fort, UK. On marble casing stone. 9x7 preserved. Bushe-Fox 1928: Fig 1.1; p. 13.
Confidence 100
Source Bushe-Fox, J.P. 1928. Second Report on the Excavation of the Roman Fort at Richborough, Kent. Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London 7. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.637
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 51°17'36.05"N, 1°19'56.89"E
Date 0100-01-01 - 0600-12-31
Rules At least 6x7 board.
Content Ludus latrunculorum game board from Richborough Fort, UK. On Lower Greensand (stone). 6x7 preserved. Bushe-Fox 1928: Fig 1.3; p. 13.
Confidence 100
Source Bushe-Fox, J.P. 1928. Second Report on the Excavation of the Roman Fort at Richborough, Kent. Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London 7. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.640
Type Ethnography
Game Okwe (Nigeria)
Location Igboland
Date 1921-01-01 - 1921-12-31
Rules 2x10 board, or up to 2x20.
Opening arrangement: Each player has this opening arrangement (number of counters in each hole, starting from the leftmost hole): 5-5-5-5-5-5-5-1-1-5-1-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.
The challenger concedes the first move.
Opening phase: Player 1 removes the counters in the opponent's final four holes with counters. Player 2 removes the same counters from Player 1's holes, except leaving the single counter in the opponent's final hole, with one counter.
Players take the counters from any of their holes and sow them When sowing, the first counter is dropped into the hole from which it just came. If the last counter lands in the opponent's row and the opposite hole contains one or three, theses are taken and added to the store.
In place of a move, a player may add some or all of the counters from the store. If the sowing reaches the end of the row, sowing continues from the opposite end hole rather than continuing into the opponent's rows.
Content "No account of the pastimes of the Ibos would be complete without a description of the of the game of okwe. Probbaly this remark applies to the whole of West Africa, as the game is almost, if not quite, universal. It is a recreation more in favour with the elder folk, the old man being particularly partial to it.
In order to play the game counters and a properly prepared board are necessary. The board (ubaw-okwe) has two parallel rows of holes. The number of holes varies from ten to twenty per side and the boards are often nicely carved. Some of them are black and polished with long usage and are treasured as heirlooms. The players may be two, three, or four, the opponents facing each other on opposite sides of the board. It is impossible, without taking up a huge amount of space, to write full directions for playing the game. Briefly, the procedure is as follows:
Working always from left to right on the board the counters are distributed thus:-
5 counters in each of the first 7 holes. on both sides.
1 counter in each of the next 2 holes, on both sides.
5 counters in the tenth hole on both sides.
1 counter in the eleventh hole on both sides.
The challenger always concedes first move.
Player No. 1 immediately appropriates (lit: "eats") all the counters in holes 8, 9, 10, and 11, as a sort of nucleus for his working capital.
Player No. 2 likewise appropriates a number, but in his case leaves the single counter in hole eleven, i.e. No. 1 is one counter to the good from the start.
Players begin where they like on the board but must take all-save one- of the counters from the holes selected, and these must be distributed singly along the row of holes until they are exhausted. The object is so to place the counters that the last one drops opposite a hole in which the opponent has one or three counters. If a player can do this he "eats" the one or three, i.e. he appropriates them. The object is to force one's opponent to move out his counters in such a way that he cannot save himself from the one and three traps. As soon as a player wishes he can replace his playing counters be redistributing his own working capital, but to do this he must drop in the counters singly, one for each hole, and if a surplus remains after passing down all the hole of the board then the process is repeated until all the "eaten" counters are once more in the game." Basden 1921: 134-136.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder
Genders Female
Source Basden, G. 1921. Among the Ibos of Nigeria. London: Seeley, Service and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.642
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Kiuthi
Location Kikuyu
Date 1903-01-01 - 1936-12-31
Rules 2x5-10 holes (six is the most common), six counters in each hole.
The player to go first is selected by one player guessing correctly which of his opponent's hands holds one counter.
Play begins from any hole in a player's row.
Counters can be sown in either direction.
If sowing fails to reach a hole in the opponent's row, the player makes a second move from a loaded hole in the opposite direction, continuing to do so until they can sow in the opponent's row.
If the last counter is sown in a loaded hole, the contents are lifted and sowing continues in the opposite direction.
Play continues like this until the last counter lands in an empty hole.
If the empty hole is in the opponent's row, play ends.
If it lands in an empty hole in the player's row, the counters in the opponent's hole opposite it are placed in the store, as well as the final counter.
If the next hole in the direction of sowing in the player's row is empty, the counters in the opponent's hole opposite that hole are also placed in the store.
Play continues until both players have only single counters in holes. These are then collected and placed in the store of the player whose row they are in.
If the number of counters is unequal, the player with fewer counters arranges them in their row however they wish.
The opponent then matches this arrangement, placing any extras in the store.
If the player has fewer than half of the original number of counters, the board is decreased in size by one hole.
If less than a quarter, it is decreased by two holes, and if less than one eight, decreased by three holes.
If in subsequent rounds a player regains more than one half/one quarter/one eighth of the original total, the board size is increased appropriately.
Play continues until one player has all the counters.
Content "As a child I learned to play the Kikuyu form of the game which they call by the name of "Giuthi"...
The Kikuyu do not as a rule have a wooden board as many other tribes do, but dig two parallel rows of six small holes in the ground (six holes a side is the common number but by agreement any number from 5 to 10 holes a side may be played) and into these are placed six round soluanum berries, or sometimes pebbles...
One of the players picks up one pebble or berry and putting his hands behind his back, juggles a little and then puts both his closed hands forward for the other player to choose which hang he will have. If he chooses the hand with the berry or pebble in it he has the move.
He may then pick up the six counters in any one of the holes on his own side and start his move. He may move either to the right or to the left and if he picks up from one of the end holes he may if he wishes start straight across on to hi opponent's side. He then drops one pebble into each successive hole (starting from the one next to the one where he picked up all six). He next picks up all the pebbles which are in the hole in which he placed his last pebble and starts to move back. This time he must move in the opposite directions from that in which he first moved...
each move only ends when the last pebble of a hand is put into an empty hole...
The object of the game is to capture all of the pebbles of your opponent, and this is done by placing the last pebble of your hand into an empty hole on your own side, in which case you capture all the pebbles that are in the hole directly opposite it on your opponent's side...
As the hole on his side next to the one into which he put his last pebble is empty he has also the right to take the pebbles in the opponent's hole opposite to that...and he removes them and his own pebble that made the capture from the board...
If a man moves the pebbles from a hole on his own side and his move comes to an end in an empty hole on his own side without his having had to cross on to his opponent's side, he has to make a further move for he has not yet raided the enemy's camp...
game proceeds until all the pieces have been captured by one or other players, or until there are only single pieces left which cannot be moved. The game is then over and each player counts to see how many he has captured, singles that remain on the board belonging to the player on whose side they are...
If they decide to have a second game, the player who has the fewer pieces has to put them out, and this time instead of having to arrange them symmetrically, i.e., in sixes, he may put his pieces out in any formation that he likes on his own side provided that he leaves no hole without at least one piece in.
When he has arranged them to his liking, his opponent proceeds to put his out in the same order, and the winner of the last game has the opening move of the new game...
If the loser has less than half the original number with which the game started (i.e., if in the game which I have described in which each player started with 6 x 6 pieces, B found himself with less than 18 pieces) the he has the right to "cut off" the two end holes on his and his opponent's sie and may elect to play with only four holes a side. Similarly if he has less than nine pieces he may elect to reduce the board to three holes a side, and if he has five pieces only or less he may reduce to two holes a side." Leakey 1936:165-173.
Confidence 100
Source Leakey, L. 1936. White African. Cambridge, MA: Schenkman.
Id DLP.Evidence.643
Type Ethnography
Game Bao Kiswahili (East Africa)
Location Malawi
Date 1913-01-01 - 1913-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. The fourth hole from the right in the inner rows of each player is larger and square.
Total of 64 counters.
Starting position: in the inner row, the first four holes, number of counters from the right: 0; 2; 2; 6.
Play begins with each player alternately introducing the remaining counters in their holes. Each is introduced in such a way as to capture an opponent's counters, by placing it into an occupied hole which is opposite one of the opponent's occupied inner-row holes. The opponent's counters are then captured and sown along the inner row from either the leftmost or rightmost hole. If the capture occurs in the rightmost or leftmost holes in the inner row, or the hole immediately adjacent to them in the inner row, the counters must be sown from the leftmost or rightmost hole (whichever is closest), and sown along the inner row. Captures on these subsequent sowings happen according to the same rules as in the second phase, with certain exceptions explained below.
If no capture is available, a counter may be placed in any occupied hole in the inner hole except the square hole, and sows them in either direction.
If the square hole is the only occupied hole in the inner row, the counter is placed there and the player sows only two seeds from it in either direction.
Moves that start without a capture on the first sowing which end in the square hole stops there without further sowing.
One all of the counters are introduced, second phase starts. Players move by sowing seeds from a player's holes. Sowing can happen in any direction, but must continue in that direction throughout the turn except in the special cases below.
When the final counter of a sowing lands in a hole in the inner row and there are counters in the opponent's hole in the inner row opposite, these are captured. The captured counters are placed in the leftmost or rightmost hole of the inner row and sown along the inner row. The leftmost or rightmost hole is chosen based on which continues the sowing direction of the move that made the capture. If the capture occurs in the rightmost or leftmost holes in the inner row, or the hole immediately adjacent to them in the inner row, the counters must be sown from the leftmost or rightmost hole (whichever is closest), and sown along the inner row, even if this incurs a change of direction.
If the final counter lands in an occupied hole and a capture is not possible, the counters are picked up and sowing continues. If the final counter lands in an empty hole, the turn ends.
A player must make a capturing move on their initial sowing if it is available.
If a capturing move is not possible on the first sowing, no captures can be made on subsequent sowings in that turn.
The game is won when the opponent's inner row is cleared of counters.
Content "The Game is in Nyasaland almost exclusively by the Yaos, and even among them it is of recent importation.
The game is played by two persons, a special board and 64 marbles or seeds being required.
The board consists of a flat piece of wood...on one surface are four rows of shallow round holes (Inyumba), eight in each row or 32 in all. The "nyumba" are regularly placed so that from side to side there are four holes in each line.
The fourth hole from the right of each player is in most boards made larger than the rest, often square instead of round, and is called the "village" (mji or musi).
The traveling Yao makes his board after the fashion of the other games, i.e. by scooping out the requisite number of holes in any flat piece of ground, pebbles taking the place of the more correct seeds (nam or makomo).
For the proper understanding of the play it is necessary to plan out the two
opposing front rows into two squares of four holes, one at each end, and a rectangle of eight holes in the centre.
The two holes at each end of each front line may for convenience be termed
"reverse" and the four holes in each front line between them " optional."
The object of the game is to take all the men from the opponent's front row.
Definitions.
The back rows are those nearest the player.
The front rows are the two centre ones.
Reverse holes are the last two at each end of the front rows.
Optional holes are the remaining four of the first row, lying between the reverse holes and including the " village."
Addition.-A player is said to "add" a man when, in commencing his turn, he puts one of the men in hand into a hole.
Spreading.-A player is said to "spread" when he takes up all the men from a hole
in one of his own rows and puts them seriatim in other holes as far as they will go, beginning with the hole next to that from which he is moving; the latter remains empty.
Placing.-A player is said to "place" the men he takes from his opponent. One is
put into each hole of his own front row, as in spreading, but beginning at one end.
Arrival.-A player is said to "arrive" at a hole when he adds to that hole the last man of those which he is either spreading or placing.
Opposition.-Is said to be taken, or to exist, when a player puts, or has, respectively, a man or men in a hole of his front row opposite to one in which his opponent has a man or men.
Rules.
I.-Each player plays in turn.
II.-Each player has, at the
commencement of the game, ten men in his front row and twenty-two in hand.
III.-Of the ten men, six are in the village, and two in each of the two holes immediately to the (player's) right of the village.
There is no opposition when the men are so placed.
IV.- A man must be added at the commencement of each move, as long as any remain in hand, i.e., till all are on the board.
V.-A man can only be added to a hole already occupied by one or more.
VI.-A man must be added to a hole in opposition if there be one.
VII. -A move ends when, in spreading or placing, a player arrives at an empty
hole.
He is then said to "lie" (kugona).
VIII.-A man or men belonging to the opponent can only be taken (kulya) by
adding a man to a hole already in opposition or by arriving at such a hole.
IX.-In such circumstances the opponent's man or men must be taken and placed in accordance with Rules XII, XVI, XVIII, and XIX.
X.-If no holes be in opposition at the commencement of a move, a man must be
added to any hole in the front row containing one or more, and the resulting contents spread in either direction.
Only two men may be taken and spread from the " village " under this rule, and then only if all other holes in the front row be empty.
XI.-None of the opponent's men can be taken during a move commenced by adding
to a hole not in opposition
XII.-A man or men taken from an optional hole by adding may be placed from either end at the discretion of the player.
XIII.-When no men remain in hand, the game proceeds by spreading the contents
of any hole containing more than one man; if, in so spreading, the player arrives at a hole in opposition, he takes and places the opponent's man or men as before, and continues spreading or taking till he arrives at an empty hole, when the move ends.
XIV. -No man can be taken during a move under the preceding rule unless the first spread arrives at a hole in opposition; otherwise the player continues spreading till stopped by arriving at an empty hole, but he must not take any of his opponent's men.
XV. -A move must be continued till an empty hole is arrived at.
Exception.-If in spreading or placing a player arrives at the village he has the
option of discontinuing his move, provided that no men have been previously removed from the village and that it is not in opposition.
XVI.-Men taken from the opponent must be placed in the front row. If more
than eight men are taken from any hole the placing is continued along the back row in the reverse direction.
XVII.-Similarly, spreading is continued from one row to another by proceeding
along the new row in an opposite direction.
XVIII.-A man or men taken from a reverse hole must be placed from the end
hole of the same reverse.
XIX.-The direction of moves in the front row-from left to right or from right to left-can only be altered by the preceding rule. So that a man or men taken from an optional hole by spreading or placing from right to left and so arriving at a hole in opposition, must be placed from the right-hand end, and vice versa.
XX.-A player loses if, there being no men in hand, he has only single men in the holes." Sanderson 1913: 726-731.
Confidence 100
Source Sanderson, M. 1913. "Native Games of Central Africa." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 43: 726-736.
Id DLP.Evidence.644
Type Ethnography
Game Kiuthi
Location Kikuyu
Date 1972-01-01 - 1972-12-31
Rules 2x5-10 holes (six is the most common), two stores on either end
six counters in each hole preferred, 4-9 are also possible
The player to start the game is decided as follows: One player takes a stone or seed and hides it in one of his hands behind his back so that his opponent does not know which hand the stone
is in. He may place a small wad of mud in the other hand. The two hands are then brought forward and the opponent must guess which hand holds the stone. If he guesses correctly, he
begins the game.
Play begins from any hole in a player's row, and counters can be sown in either direction. if sowing fails to reach a hole in the opponent's row, the player makes a second move from a loaded hole in the opposite direction, continuing to do so until they can sow in the opponent's row. If the last counter is sown in a loaded hole, the contents are lifted and sowing continues in the opposite direction. Play continues like this until the last counter lands in an empty hole. If the empty hole is in the opponent's row, play ends. If it lands in an empty hole in the player's row, the counters in the opponent's hole opposite it are placed in the store, as well as the counter making the capture. If the next hole in the direction of sowing in the player's row is empty, the counters in the opponent's hole opposite that hole are also placed in the store.
*this source says a series of consecutive empty holes also make captures which is not corroborated in Leakey*
Play continues until both players have only single counters in holes. These are then collected and placed in the store. If each player has the same number of counters, the game is a draw. If the number of counters is unequal, the player with fewer counters arranges them in their row however they wish. The opponent then matches this arrangement, placing any extras in the store. If the player has fewer than half of the original number of counters, the board is decreased in size by one hole. If less than a quarter, it is decreased by two holes, and if less than one eight, decreased by three holes.
If in subsequent rounds a player regains more than one half/one quarter/one eighth of the original total, the board size is increased appropriately.
Play continues until one player has all the counters.
Content "KIKUYU, GIUTHI. Among the Kikuyu giuthi is played primarily by young boys when they are herding cattle of goats. Since the game is played on a very casual basis, holes dug in the ground are the most common form of board. Wooden boards are practically nonexistent. Small
stones are used as counters, or sometimes the seeds of the mubuthi tree. The board consists of two rows with anywhere from five to ten pits in each. Two-by-eight is preferred. The number
of stones in each pit varies from four to nine; six is preferred. At present, knowledge of the game is being lost among the Kikuyu. Even those who can play it, often make mistakes in the
rules and have to reminded by a bystander who happens to remember. One of them said, “If you haven’t been herding you don’t know the game.” And many of the boys today have not
been herding. There were special names for various pits and for certain moves, but no ones eems to know them now...
The player to start the game is decided as follows: One player takes a stone or seed and hides it in one of his hands behind his back so that his opponent does not know which hand the stone
is in. He may place a small wad of mud in the other hand. The two hands are then brought forward and the opponent must guess which hand holds the stone. If he guesses correctly, he
begins the game. (I wonder if this practice was introduced by Europeans as it appears to be unique.)
To make a move, a player picks up the entire contents of any one pit on his own side and sows
the stones, one in each succeeding pit, in either direction. When a handful ends, he picks up the entire contents of that pit and sows them in the opposite direction. Each time he picks up a
new handful, he changes direction. This complete lack of a mandatory direction is unique to giuthi. One is not permitted to start with a single stone.
A move is not considered valid until the player has crossed the border over into the other side of the board. If he lands in an empty pit before this he gets another turn. If, after having crossed
the border, he ends in an empty pit on his own side, and the pit opposite contains one or more
stones, these stones are captured. The stone making the capture is also taken off. Captured
stones are put in some safe place off the board. If the pit making the capture is followed by a
string of one or more empty pits each of which has at lest one stone in its opposing pit, these
are also captured. The move is over after all captures are completed and it is the opponent’s
turn. In any case, the move is over once a player has landed in an empty pit on either side after
having crossed the border at least once.
If a player cannot make a move because he has only single stones in any of his pits, he loses
his turn until such time as he has more. If, at any time, he has none, that game is over. The
stones left on the opponent’s side belong to the opponent. The winner is the one with the most
stones.
As with the Maasai, it is common practice to continue the game into a second phase. One
proceeds like this: The person with the less beads replaces them on the board in any
arrangement he chooses. Much experience is required to take maximum advantage of this
opportunity. Some versions of the game do not require one to replace all the seeds that one
has on the board. In addition, if the loser of the first game has less than half of his original
number of seeds, he may ask that the board be shortened by two pits in each row, to a
minimum of three. His opponent, the one with the most seeds, places an equal number of
seeds in each pit on his side opposite to the ones placed by the loser. Some versions require
that the winner place double the number in each of his pits, if the loser has less than half. The game then continues as before until one player cannot continue. The second game is begun by
the loser; after that the two take turns." Driedger 1972.
Confidence 100
Source Driedger, W. 1972. "The Game of Bao, or Mankala, in East Africa. Mila 3(1): 7-19.
Id DLP.Evidence.646
Type Ethnography
Game Tablut
Location Lapland
Date 1732-01-01 - 1732-12-31
Rules 9x9 board. The central square is the castle, which only the king can enter. There are two sides: one with the king and 8 pieces, another with 19 undifferentiated pieces. The king begins on the castle space, and his associated pieces are arranged with two pieces on each orthogonal side of the king. The opposing side is arranged on the sides of the board, one piece on each of the three central squares on each of the four sides, and one further piece on the next row in on the central square of the row.
Pieces move orthogonally any number of squares.
Pieces cannot jump.
If a piece is caught between two opposing pieces, it is removed from play.
The king, when in the castle, can only be captured when surrounded on four sides. Otherwise, it is captured like any other piece.
If the king moves to the edge of the board, the player controlling the king wins. If the opposing side captures the king, they win.
Content Tablut.
1. arx regia. Konokis Lappon., cui nullus succedere potest.
2 et 3. Sueci N:r. 9 cum et eorum loca s. stationes.
4. Muscovitarum stationes omnes in prima aggressione depictae.
O. Vacua loca occupare cuique licitum, item Regi, idem valet de locis characterisatis praeter arcem.
Leges.
1. Alla få occupera och mutare loca per lineam rectam, non vero transversam, ut a ad c non vero a ad e.
2. Nulli licitum sit locum per lineam rectam alium supersalire, occupare, ut a b ad m, alio aliquo in i constituo.
3. Si Rex occuparet locum b et nullus in e, i et m positus esset, possit exire, nisi mox muscovita aliquod ex locis nominatis occupat, et Regi exitum praecludit.
4. Si Rex tali modo exit, est praelium finitum.
5. Si Rex in e collocaretur, ned ullus s. ejus s. hostis miles esset in f g sive i m, tum aditus non potest claudi.
6. Ut Rex aditum apertum vidit, clamet Raihi, si duae viae apertae sunt tuicha.
7. Lichtum est loca dissita occupare per lineam rectam, ut a c ad n, nullo intercludente.
8. Suecus et muscovita in gressibus alternant.
9. Si quis hostem 1 inter 2 sibi hostes collocare possit, est occisus et ejici debet, item Rex.
10. Si Rex in arce 1 et hostis in 3bus ex N:r 2, tum abire potest per quartum, et si ejus in 4to locum occupare potest, si ita cinctus et miles in 2 collocatur, est inter regem et militem qui stat occusis, si quatuor hostes in 2 tum rex captus est.
11. Si Rex in 2, tum hostes 3, sc. in a a et 3 erint, si capiatur.
12. Rege capto vel intercluso finitur bellum et victor retinet suecos, devictus muscovitas et ludus incipiatur.
13. Muscovitae sine rege erint, suntque 16 in 4 phalangibus disponendis.
14. Arx potest intercludere, aeque ac trio, ut si miles in 2 et hostis in 3 est, occidat." Linnaeus 1732: 147-148.
Confidence 100
Source Linnaeus, C. 1732. Iter Lapponicum.
Id DLP.Evidence.647
Type Artifact
Game Bao Ki Arabu (Zanzibar 1)
Location Zanzibar
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules 4x8 board.
Three counters in each hole.
Players pick up counters from any of their holes and sow them in either direction. If the last counter falls into an occupied hole, they pick the counters in this hole up and continue sowing. Sowing ends when the last counter falls into an empty hole. If the empty hole is in the inner row, the player captures any of the counters in the opponent's two holes opposite it.
Play ends when all of one player's seeds have been captured.
Content "In each hole are three seeds, and two rows of holes for each player. The starting player picks up the seeds from one hole, and passing either to right or to left, drops one into each hole. If the last of the seeds in his hand drops into a hole with more seeds in, all are picked up and distributed till at last one falls into an unoccupied hole. He then picks up all the seeds of his opponent in the two holes immediately opposite. The second player goes on, and the game continues till one or the other captures all his enemy's seeds."Ingrams 1931: 256-257.
Confidence 100
Source Ingrams, W. H. 1931. Zanzibar: Its History and People. London: H. F. & G. Witherby.
Id DLP.Evidence.649
Type Ethnography
Game Mefuvha
Location Bavenda
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules 4x6-28 board; between sixteen to twenty is most common.
Two counters in each hole except the leftmost on the inner row, which is left empty, and the one to its right which contains one counter.
Players sow by picking up the counters in any of their holes and sowing them in an anti-clockwise direction. Sowing continues when the last counter falls into an occupied hole by picking up the counters in that hole and continuing in the same direction. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, the counters in the opponent's hole opposite in the inner row are captured; if there are also counters in the opponent's outer row opposite, these are also captured. The player is also entitled to capture counters in any other hole on the opponent's side. The turn ends with a capture and the opponent's turn begins.
Play always begins with a stylized move, where the counters are taken from the third hole from the left in the inner row, sowing and making captures as described above.
Players may not sow single counters unless there are no holes on their side containing multiple counters.
Play ends when one player has captured all of their opponent's counters.
Content "This game is played by men only, on a solid wooden board made from the trunk of a tree, in which four rows of square holes are cut out. At either end there may be two larger hollowed recesses which are used as receptacles for the counters. There are an equal even number of holes in each of the four rows. but there may be any number of holes from six to twenty-eight in a row, the usual number being between sixteen and twenty. Sometimes, instead of on a board, the game is played in little holes scooped out in the ground. There are two players, each man commanding two rows. Each starts by putting two stones or pips into each hole in his own two rows, except the left-hand hole of the front row, which is empty, and the adjoining hole into which he only puts one. The game represents a cattle raid and the stones are the cattle. The player who first removes all his opponent's stones is the winner. Some of the ejaculations, used to describe moves and positions, appear to be archaic words, and could not be explained by the players.
Method of Play
1. The moves are made anti-clockwise, and there is a regular opening move which is always followed.
2. Stones are picked up from one hole and placed one in each following hole. If, however, the last stone does not fall in a vacant hole, the pile is picked ip and the stones again dropped, one at a time, in the following holes. This is repeated until eventually one stone ends in a vacant hole. A single move may entail many movements of stones around the two rows before a vacant hole is obtained.
3. When the counter finally comes to rest in a vacant hole in the front row the player shouts "Thuku!" a hit (onomatopoeic, implying that the shot has hit the mark). After achieving a thuku, the player removes all the stones in the hole immediately opposite and the hole behind it on his opponent's side; if there are no counters in the hole immediately opposite, he may not remove those behind and no hit is scored.
4. After scoring a thuku, the player is entitled to a forfeit, the thuro. He may take the contents of any hole on the opponent's side as his thuro. This ends the move, and the next player has a turn.
5. As long as any hole contains two or more counters no single stones may be removed. ...
It is tabu to play this game after sunset, for fear that, by playing at cattle raiding after dark, a real raid might be provoked. During the rainy season is it tabu to use fruit pips as counters for fear that hail will fall instead of rain. ...
Opening move: B. no. 3, two stones taken, one to No. 2, and to No. 1. Thuku! (I hit).
Remove stones from No.6 and No.12 A.
Thuro. Take stones from No. 10A. ..." Stayt 1931 (1968):364-366.
Confidence 100
Genders Male
Source Stayt, H. A. 1931. The Bavenda. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.650
Type Ethnography
Game Isolo
Location Sukuma
Date 1979-01-01 - 1979-12-31
Rules 4x8 board.
Play begins with two counters in each hole.
Opening moves: Players place all of the counters in the outer row into their rightmost hole. They then take one counters from each of the holes in the inner row and redistribute them into the outer row, one in each hole. Then, each player sows counters in an anti-clockwise direction beginning from the rightmost hole in the inner row, proceeding, picking up the contents of holes when the last counter falls into an occupied hole and continuing sowing. However, the final counter that would fall into the rightmost hole in the outer row (which should now contain 17 coutners) is not placed there, but rather on the second to right hole in the inner row, which should now contain one counter.
Initial phase:
In the initial phase, the rightmost hole in the inner and outer row for each player are out of play. All sowing and capturing only occurs on the remaining holes. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an empty hole, the turn ends. When it falls into an occupied hole in the player's inner row and the opponent's opposite holes in the inner and outer row are occupied, these are taken. These are then sown in the player's holes beginning with the next hole after the one making the capture. If the final counter of a sowing falls into an occupied hole that cannot make a capture, then the counters in this hole are picked up and sowing continues.
Second phase: The initial phase ends when a player plays from the rightmost hole in the outer row. This can be by necessity or by choice. Once this happens, that player must play in all of their holes. The opponent may remain in the initial phase after this point until they play from their rightmost hole. The same sowing and capturing rules as before.
Play continues until one player can no longer move.
Content "En position initiale, les pions sont répartis à raison de edux par case (cette distribution est uniforme dans tous les solo, elle permet aux joueurs de vérifier le nombre des pions).
Dans la première partie, le trait est adjugé par tirage au sort ou, plus souvent, par accord entre les joueurs. Pour les parties suivantes, l'usage est de joueur à tour de rôle.
Pour effectuer un coup, le joueur choisit dans son camp un liha, c'est-à-dire une case qui contient au moins deux pions. Les singletons, donc, ne sont pas jouables –ce que les Sukuma expriment par <>. Ensuite, le joueur prend les pions de cette case de départ et les sème un par un dans les cases suivantes, en respectant la direction obligatoire.
Si la dernière graine de son semis tombe dans une case occupée en face de laquelle aucune prise n'est possible, il ramasse tous les pions qui s'y trouvent et enchaîne un nouveau semis. Il peut effectuer une prise si la dernière grain de son semis tombe dans une case occupée de sa rangée interne faisant face aux deux cases adverses de la même colonne.
Dans ce cas, le joueur prend le contenu de ces deux cases adverses et le transfère dans son camp, pour enchaîner un nouveau semis à partir de la case de départ de son précédent semis. En un seul coup, il est donc possible de faire plusieurs captures. On peut également procéder à un très long safari en enchaînant des semis sans gain (kutagata). Le coup se termine lorsque le dernier pion d'un semis tombe dans une case vide: le joueur qui vient de <> (kucha) passe la main à son adversaire.
Gagne celui qui parvient à immobiliser son adversaire, ce qui se produit lorsque ce dernier n'a que des singletons ou même (très rarement) plus de pions du tout.
Jeu de garçons, Position initiale:
Pour obtenir cette disposition, le protocole ludique exige que l'on procède de la manière suivante: on commence par la position de contrôle (deux pions par case); puis, chacun des joueurs ramasse tous les ions de sa rangée externe et les dépose dans sa case H/h; les pions sont alors placés comme indiqué par la figure 6. Les joueurs prennent ensuite un pion de chaque case de la rangée interne et les déposent dans la case symétrique de la rangé externe. Après quoi, chacun des joueurs prend le pion de la case I/i, le dépose dans la case J/j, récupère les 2 pions de celle-ci et les sème; parvenu à la case L/l, il enchaîne pour arriver en N/n, et ainsi de suite jusqu'à ce qu'il ait atteint H/h. A l'issue de cette manoeuvre, cette dernière case contient 18 pions. Pour obtenir la position initiale de cette variante, il suffit d'ôter un pion de H/h et de le déposer en J/j.
Pendant la phase d'ouverture, les cases H et h, qui contiennent chacune 17 pions, sont des ng'hana (cases privilégiées): tant que leur propriétaire ne les a pas entamées, elles sont imprenable et, de ce fait, les cases I/i se trouvent protégées (de même, réciproquement, I/i protègent H/h). Ces quatre cases, le temps d'ouverturee, sont exclues des circuits de déplacement des pions, si bien que chacun évolue dans un camp rétréci.
La durée de la phase d'ouverture est déterminée par la maintien des ng'hana: elle est donc différente pour chaque partenaire. Ainsi lorsque Sud décide ou est contraint de redistribuer les pions de cette case, la phase d'ouverture est close pour lui, il n'a plus de cases privilégiées et son camp recouvre ses dimensions normales. Son adversaire peut toutefois continuer à bénéficier des avantages d'une ouverture prolongée.
Quant au reste, les joueurs appliquent, dans les deux phases, la règle énoncée plus haut." Popova 1979: 113-115 (Jeu de garçons).
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1979. "'Isolo,' jeu royale des Sukuma." Cahiers d'études Africaines 19: 111-123.
Id DLP.Evidence.652
Type Ethnography
Game Abalala'e
Location Eritrean Highlands
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 3x6 board.
Each player owns the row closest to them and the half of the central row to their right.
Play begins with three counters in each hole.
During the first phase of the game, the players race each other (i.e., do not take turns) to be the first person to drop the last counter into an empty hole.
Play moves from left to right in the row closest to the player, right to left in the central row, and left to right in the furthest row. Upon reaching the final hole in the opponent's row, play continues with the first hole in the player's own row. In the first phase, Players take counters from the leftmost hole in their row and sow them in the appropriate direction. When the final counter lands in a hole with counters, they are picked up and sowing continues until the last counter is dropped into an empty hole.
Play continues in phase two in the same manner as before, but the players take turns and the player who "won" the first phase plays first. Players capture counters when placing the last counter of a sowing into one of their own holes which is empty. If the hole is on the left half of the board, any counters in the two holes of the opponent facing it are captured. If the last hole is on the right half of the board, any counters in the opponent's one hole facing it are captured. The player then continues to move using the last counter placed which effected the capture, and placing it in the next hole. This move can result in further captures (if the hole is empty), continuation of sowing (if there are counters in it), or the end of the turn (if hole is empty and there are no opponent's counters to be captured).
Play continues until a player has no counters in their holes. The opponent then captures the remaining counters.
Players then redistribute their counters, three in each hole, starting from the leftmost hole in their row in the direction of play. The player with fewer counters distributes all of their counters on the board, even if they cannot place three in the final hole of the counting. The player with more counters then places three counters in the same number of holes as the other player, taking any remaining as their winnings.
Play continues in this fashion until one player captures all of the counters.
Content "Gabata in the central highlands of Eritrea is played by males and females on boards, or in holes in the ground, particularly in the period of marriages, the latter taking place largely after the harvest season, i.e., between November and January. During the weeks after the marriage the young people associated with the event spend many hours playing gabata, but it would be unusual, at least in public, for the newly married husband and wife to play together, for to do so might appear too intimate or familiar.
This highland game was played for the present writer by Abba Pawlos Tzadua of Serae and his colleagues Abba Zacharias of Akala Guzay both of the Catholic Cathedral in Addis Ababa, as wel as by several Eritrean students at Haile Sellassie I University, notably by Michael Yaqob of Akala Guzay and Gabra Sellasé Gabra Amlak of Serae, to all of whom, as to the other players mentioned later, the warmest thanks are due.
This game, often referred to in Tigrinya as abalala'e, or "eating," is probably the game msot widely played in the highlands of Eritrea. It is played by two players on a three-row board of sixteen holes, half of which are considered to belong to each player. Each player owns the whole of the row nearest to him and half of the central row to the right.
At the outset of the game three balls or counters are placed in each of the eighteen holes.Play then begins, by the two players moving simultaneously—more or less it should be noted, as in Ethiopian chess, or santaraj—with a view of racing each other to an empty hole. Each player would thus start by picking up the entire contents of the left-hand hole in his nearest row (i.e., PLayer A in hole 1 and Player B in hole 10), and would then distribute them one by one in the ensuing holes to their right. On dropping the last of his balls in his or her hand into any hole each player would pick up the entire contents of that hole, and distribute them in turn in the ensuing holes. He would thus move from left to right across his own row, from right to left along his half of the middle row, from right to left across his opponent's principal row, and finally from left to right along his opponent's half of the middle row. Having thus traversed all eighteen holes he would start again in his left-hand corner hole, and proceed as before, unless of course he has already stopped at an empty hole. Such hole was called kwah in Tigrinya, an onomatopoeic word symbolising the sound of the ball alighting on the board.
The first player to come to a halt at this stage of the game would be the first to move, and thereafter—there is again a parallel with santaraj—the players would move alternately in accordance with the following rules.
Each player would always start in one of his own holes by picking up its entire contents. Following the above specified direction of play he would then distribute the ball or balls he had in his hand one by one into the ensuing hole or holes, which, because of the previous play, now had an unequal number
of counters in them. Should the last ball in his hand alight on an empty hole his move would come to an end, but if the last ball landed on an occupied hole he would pick up its contents and continue in this way until finally alighting on an empty hole. On thus stopping in an empty hole the player could under certain circumstances take, in Tigrinya balé, or "eat" the contents, of one or more of his opponent's opposite holes.
The rules for such captures are as follows:
1. A player stopping in an empty hole is any of the three holes to his left, i.e., facing two rows of his opponent, would capture the contents, if any of the opposite holes in both rows of his opponent.
2. A player stopping in an empty hole in any of the six holes in the two rows on his right, i.e., facing a single row of his opponent, would capture the contents, if any, of the opposite hole in that single row, irrespective of whether he landed in the first or second row.
After making such a capture or captures the player would continue his move by picking up the counter with which he had effected this gambit, and would place it in the ensuing hole. This latter gambit, depending on circumstances, would result in one of the following three situations:
(a) the capture of a further ball or balls, if the counter again fell into one of the player's empty holes facing an occupied hole or holes on his opponent's opposite row or rows.
(b) continuation of the move if the counter fell on an occupied hole, the contents of which the player would then pick up and redistribute.
(c) end of the move if the counter landed in an empty hole (kwah) from which a capture could not be effected, i.e., because the opposite hole or holes on the opponent's opposite row or rows were empty, or because the hole in which the counter stopped was itself on the opponent's side.
Players were entitled to count balls and holes in order to estimate how best to play. A player wishing to cancel and repeat a move, on account for example of a miscalculation, would say in Tigrinya aygushetoyn, i.e., literally "I must change," but a player could prevent this by saying "gushetoka," i.e., "you must not change."
Play would continue until one player's side of the board was entirely empty and its owner was therefore unable to move. The other player would then appropriate the remaining balls, i.e., those in his holes, and add them to his previous takings.
The two players would then count out their winnings by placing the balls they had taken, three by three, into the holes on their own side, and would do this by following the routine order of play, i.e., left to right in the first row and right to left in the middle row. If the two player's takings were not equal the weaker player would fill as many holes as he could, being allowed to occupy the last hole with two or even one ball if he did not have the requisite three. His opponent would fill the corresponding holes on his own side with an identical number of balls to those deployed by the first player and would put the remainder aside as his winnings. Part of the central part of the board would thus be left unoccupied but the holes in that area are continued to belong to their original owners, and were played over in exactly the same manner as before.
Play would continue, round by round, until one or other player had captured all the balls, and thus driven his opponent from the field." Pankhurst 1971: 163-164.
Confidence 100
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.653
Type Ethnography
Game ||Hus (Nama)
Location Namibia
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules 4x16 board.
Can be played with up to 22 holes
Two counters in each player's outer row and the right half of the holes in the inner row.
The opening move is stylized; Player makes chooses of the following moves and the opponent copies it:
Take counters from outer row, seventh from the right: Place one each in inner row fifth and sixth from right;
or take counters from outer row, eighth hole from right: place one each in inner row sixth and seventh hole from right;
or take counters from eighth hole from right in the inner row: place one each into seventh and sixth holes from right in inner row;
or take counters from ninth hole from right in outer row: place one each in seventh and eight hole from right in the inner row.
Players then sow from any of their holes in an anti-clockwise direction.
If the last counter of a sowing lands in an empty hole, the turn ends.
If the last counter falls into an occupied hole, the counters in that hole are picked up and sowing continues, unless the opposite two holes on the opponent's side are occupied, in which case the counters in the opponent's two holes opposite are captured. The captured counters are then sown on the player's side of the board, starting with the hole following the one from which the capture was made.
The game ends when one player captures all of the counters
Content "Weit verbreitet in Südafrika und von Hottentottenkindern ebenso gern gespielt wie von Erwachsenen, ist das Grubenspiel, Hus genannt, bei dem ich den Eingeborenen mit besonderem Interesse zugesehen habe, da es Überlegung erfordert und mit Leidenschaft gespielt wird. Ohne Bezug darauf zu nehmen, wie diese weitverbreitete Spiel in andere Teilen Südafrikas gehandhabt wird, seien hier nur kurzdie Beobachtungen mitgeteilt, die ich über diesen Gegenstand unter Hottentotten gemacht habe.
a) Das Spiele wird ausgefochten von zwei einander gegenübersitzenden Parteien (I und II) mit beliebig vielen Teilnehmern. Die Parteinmitglieder können jeden Zug gemeinsam beraten, einer führt ihn aus.
b) Das Spielfeld besteht aus 4 Reihen von je 16 bis 22 mit der Hand im losen Sande ausgehobenen Gruben, Huti, die sich gleichmäßig auf beide Parteien verteilen. In der ersten Reihe (a) jeder PArtei jedes Loch mit zwei Marken besetzt, in der zweiten Reihe (b) nur die rechte Hälfte jeder Spielfront. Als Marken dienen kleine Steinchen, häufig auch Ziegenmist.
c) Vie Anfänge sind möglich. Es kann gesetzt werden:
aus a7 in b6 und b5;
oder aus a8 in b7 und b6;
oder aus b8 in b7 und b6;
oder aus a9 in b8 und b7.
d) Das Setzen der Marken. Nur beim ersten Anziehen ist es erlaubt, aus der Mitte der einen Reihe in die andere zu setzen. Im übrigen erfolgt das Setzen, ohne ein Loch zu uuberspringen, nur gegen die Richtung des Uhrzeigers. Ein Übergang von einer Reihe zur anderen erfolgt für jeden Spieler nur an der rechten Ecke seines Spielfeldes (seihe Pfeil).
Das Setzen besteht darin, daß der Spieler die Marken einer seiner Gruben aufnimmt und einzeln auf die folgenden Gruben verteilt, Diese Marken aufnehmen muß jeder, der beim Setzen mit mehr als einer Marke in einer Gruber endet. Die Marken dieser Grube werden also ausgenommen und weiter gesetzt. Kommt in das lezte Loch, das besetzt wird, nur eine Marke zu liegen, so spielt der Gegner weiter; kommen in das jeweilige letzt Loch, das benutzt wird, zwei oder mehr Marken zu liegen und hat gleichzeitig der Gegner in der entsprechenden (gleichzahligen) Grube seiner Reihe b eine oder mehrere Marken, so nimmt man die eigene Grube, in der man endete, nicht aus, sondern raubt dem Gegner alle Marken, die, kurz gesagt, in der Flucht dieser Gruben liegen (d.h. alle Marken, die in den gleichzahligen Löchern der a- und b-Reihe des Gegners sich befinden).
Die geraubten Marken legt man sich nach den Regeln, die für das Setzen gelten, in die eigenen Gruben. Die Zahl der Marken in einer Grube kann beliebig steigen.
Gewonnen hat, wem es gelingt, dem Gegner auf dem angegebenen Wege alle arken abzunehmen." Schultze 1907:313-315.
Confidence 100
Source Schultze, L. 1907. Aus Namaland und Kalahari. Jena: Gustav Fischer.
Id DLP.Evidence.657
Type Ethnography
Game Bao Ki Arabu (Zanzibar 2)
Location Zanzibar
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules 4x7 board.
Two counters in each hole.
Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the last counter falls into an occupied hole, the counters in it are picked up and sowing continues. Sowing ends when the last counter falls into an empty hole. When this hole is in the inner row, the counters in the opponent's inner row opposite it are captured; if there are also counters in the opponent's outer row opposite, these are also captured, but not if the inner row is empty.
Play continues until one player has lost all of their counters.
Content "Bao is a game played on a board, having four rows of eight holes in it, with the grey seeds of a shrub that grows on the seashore. There are three forms, Kiswahili and two forms of Kiarabu. Kiswahili is very complicated, but Kiarabu is more simple.
The debased form is as follows:
In each hole are three seeds, and two rows of holes for each player. The starting player picks up the seeds from one hole, and passing either to right or to left, drops one into each hole. If the last of the seeds in his hand drops into a hole with more seeds in, all are picked up and distributed till at last one falls in an unoccupied hole. He then picks up all the seeds of his opponent in the two holes immediately opposite. The second player goes on, and the game continues till one or the other captured all his enemy's seeds. The true for form Arabia is playes, using only seven holes in each of the four rows and only two seeds in each hole. Otherwise it is the same as the form described above, except that all movement is anti-clockwise, and if there are no seeds in the opponent's front like, those in his back line cannot be taken." Ingrams 1931: 256-257.
Confidence 100
Source Ingrams, W. H. 1931. Zanzibar: Its History and People. London: H. F. & G. Witherby.
Id DLP.Evidence.658
Type Ethnography
Game Iyogh
Location Kukuba
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 2x8 board.
Four counters in each hole
Play begins with both players placing all of the counters in the rightmost three holes in their row into the rightmost hole. Counters are sown in an anti-clockwise fashion, but they can be sown clockwise only if it leads to a capture. Counters are captured when the final counter is sown into a hole opposite a hole containing one or three counters, and those are take. If the hole opposite the next hole also contains one or three, these are also taken, continuing until a hole with any other number of counters is reached.
Instead of taking counters from one of their holes, a player may sow any or all of the counters they have captured, beginning from the leftmost hole. The same rules for sowing apply.
The game ends when one player has no counters in their holes.
Content Recorded by K.C. Murray, Surveyor of Antiquities of Nigeria:
"Nigeria, Kukuba Tribe, near Jos, Plateau Pr: Iyogh (K.C. Murray). 2x8 holes. Apparently no stores since captures are held in the hand. The board is called agumu. Four beans (iyogh) in each hole; one lap to the move; one round; moves anticlockwise, but clockwise moves may be made to effect a capture.
The players begin by rearranging their beans, both making the same series of moves; X transfers all his beans in F and G to H, and three beans from E, two from D, and two from C to B; Y then makes the same transfers on his row....
When lifting beans from a hole for sowing, one bean must be left in the hole from which they are lifted. Captures are made when the last bean in hand is sown in a hole on either row opposite to a hole containing one or three beans, and these beans are taken. If the next hole in the direction in which the beans were sown, or an unbroken sequence of holes in the same direction also contain one or three beans, these are also taken. Thus, the game seen began by lifting eleven beans from H and sowing them clockwise in G, F...A, h, g...D, the hole opposite e, then contained three beans, and C also contained three beans, so the contents of D and C were taken.
A player, when it is his turn to play, may, instead of lifting beans from one of this holes for sowing, enter some or all of the beans which he has already taken, beginning from his left-hand end-hole, and sowing anti-clockwise, or clockwise if the latter leads to a capture. The game ends when one player has no beans in his holes." Murray 1951: 189-190.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.660
Type Ethnography
Game Adjiboto
Location Saramacca
Date 1929-01-01 - 1929-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Ten counters in each hole
Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction, sowing first into the hole from which the counters originally came.
Opening phase: In the first ten turns, each player must sow from each of their five holes.
Main phase: Captures are made when the last counter of a sowing falls into a hole preceding a hole containing one, three, or five counters. These counters are taken. Any subsequent holes also containing one, three, or five counters are captured, until a hole is reached that does not have one of these numbers of counters. The exception to this is in the first move when no captures are made. Sowing cannot begin from a hole with a single counter.
A player wins when his opponent can no longer sow. However, if a player can no longer move, they can redistribute their captured beans into their holes, and if all five can be filled with ten, the game is a draw.
Content "The game is played by two players, each of whom uses five of the ten playing- holes, and an extra hole for captured pieces called his boto, to his right. Each player has fifty beans, which he places ten to each of his five playing-holes. The play commences when the first player, selecting any hole on his side of the board, takes out nine of the beans, leaving one in the hole from which he played, and dis- tributes them, one to a playing-hole, moving around the board in a counter-clockwise direction until the beans in his hand are exhausted. His opponent then selects a hole on his side (in which there will now be eleven beans) and does the same. In the first ten moves of the game, all of the ten playing-holes must be emptied, and it is only after these more or less formal moves, which get the game under way, have been played that the essential tactics can show themselves.
The object of the game is to reduce one's opponent to a position where it is impossible for him to move. To this end, beans are captured in the following manner: if, after distributing the beans which have been in a given hole the final bean falls into a hole (the native term being kaba, " to end ") which precedes another hole containing 1, 3, or 5 beans, or any sequential combination of ones, threes or fives, he captures these beans and places them in his bot-the hole at his right hand. The only exception to this rule is the opening move of the game, since the final bean must fall in the hole preceding the one where play was started. This bean cannot be captured. It makes no difference whether the captured beans be in holes on the player's side of the board, or on his opponent's, he must take if. he ends before a hole having 1, 3, or 5 beans.
When beans are distributed from a hole, one must be left, nor may a hole containing only one bean be played. Empty holes can only result from a capture.Therefore, when the play has reduced the number of beans, and the holes of one's opponent contain no beans or only one apiece, he is unable to move in his turn, and the game is lost. There is a way, however, in which the game may be tied: after .one player can no longer move, he redistributes the beans in his boto, that is, the ones he has captured in the course of the game, into the holes on his side. If he can fill his holes, or, in other words, if he has captured fifty beans during the play, the game is a draw. This is signified by drawing the finger across the centre of the board, between the opposing holes." Herskovits 1929: 123-124.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.661
Type Ethnography
Game Fanorona
Location Madagascar
Date 1896-01-01 - 1896-12-31
Rules 9x5 intersecting lines with diagonals. Each player has 22 pieces, starting on the intersections of the lines except in the centre position. Pieces move to an adjacent intersection along the lines. Players must capture pieces when possible. Capturing is accomplished by moving to an adjacent intersection to an opposing piece in the continuing direction of the capturing stones movement, or by moving away from an adjacent opposing pieces in such a direction. When an opponent's piece is captured, all other of the opponent's pieces in that line are also captured. Multiple captures can be made, but cannot be done by moving twice in the same direction. Multiple captures are optional. A player wins by capturing all of the other player's pieces.
Content "The fanorona board is a rectangular parallelogram, divided into 31 equal squares. Gather these, in your eye, into eight larger squares, containing four each; draw the diagonal lines in each of the eight, and the fanorona figure is complete. Forty-four movable plieces are required for the game—twenty-two on each side. With the Malagasy these are usually little pebbles and potsherds, or beans and berries. We, however, will cal then the Black and the White pieces. The two players sit opposite each other, having the long sides of the fanorona adjacent to them. The pieces are then arranged on the corners of the angle-points, not on the squares, as in chess or draught. There are five of these long lines on the board, each containing, of course, nine angle-points, and the pieces are thus arranges:
Black: First line 1.....9
Second Line 1....9
White: Fourth Line 1.....9
Fifth Line 1.....9
The third, or central line, is occupied by the eight remaining pieces, placed alternately thus:
Black 1, 3, 6, 8
White 2, 4, 7, 9
One point remains unoccupied, the central angle-point of the board, the fifth and the third line. The represents the royal seat in the public gatherings, but in the fanorona game it is called the fòibény (navel).
The object aimed at by each of the players is, as in draughts, to remove the whole of the adversary's pieces from the board...
First, that a piece may be moved in any direction—forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally, to the first station in a direction, if such station be vacant.
Second. If there be now no other vacant station between the attacking piece just moved and the enemy's piece along that line, these, whatever their number, are captured at once, as far as they stand in unbroken order on the line attacked. If, however, a vacant position occurs in their line, or another hostile piece is among them, then only the piece or pieces nearest the assailant are captured.
Thirdly. The pieces of the enemy may be captured by a retreat as well as by an advance. A piece that has been standing in an adjoining station to some piece or pieces of the enemy may capture it or them by retreating one point along that line, if such point happens to be vacant. The limitation defined immediately above applies in this case also.
Fourthly. At the beginning of a game one move only is permitted to the first side. After that side has moved once, any piece that is moved is permitted to run amuck in the enemy's lines, and to go on as long as he finds foes to capture, provided (a) that he does not return immediately to any point he has just left, and (b) that he does not take a foe behind him immediately after taking one in front of him, nor one on his right hand immediately after taking on his left hand, and vice versa. "Don't eat at both ends, like a leech," says the Malagasy proverb..." Montgomery 1896: 151-155.
Confidence 100
Source Montgomery, W. 1896. The Malagasy game of Fanorona. The Antananarivo Annual and Madagascar Magazine 3: 148–157.
Id DLP.Evidence.662
Type Ethnography
Game Nsumbi
Location Nsumbi
Date 1977-01-01 - 1977-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. Two counters in each hole. No captures during the first turn.
Content "B1.1.2: Règles du Sombi: Nous donnons ici les règles les plus simples telles qu'elles valent pour le Nsumbi des Taabwa (Shaba). Les formes plus compliquées seront traités ultérieurement.
B1.1.2.1.On dispose au départ 2 billes par case. On ouvre le jeu en ramassant les 2 billes d'une case quelconque et en les égrenant normalement. La prise est interdite a tous les deus joueurs pendant leur premier tour.
2. Si la dernière bille en main tombe dans une case vide le joueur "dort" et passe la main; si elle tombe dans une case occupée mais face à laquelle aucune prise n'est possible, toutes les billes qui s'y trouvent sont ramassées et égrenées normalement.
3. Si la dernière bills tombe dans une case occupée de la rangée intérieure face à laquelle se trouvent deux cases occupées de l'adversaire, toutes les billes dans celles-ci sont "mangées" et réintroduites du côté du joueur à partir de la case où il a commencé la semaille précédente. Plusieurs prises sont possibles pendant un seul tour.
4. Il n'est pas permis de jouer une bille unique.
5. Est vaincu, celui qui n'a plus des cases contenant un minimum de 2 billes. Il est très rare qu'un joueur arrive à vider totalement le camp de son adversaire." Townshend 1977: 23-25.
Confidence 100
Source Townshend, P. 1977a. Les jeux de mankala au Zaïre, au Rwanda et au Burundi. Les cahiers du CEDAF 3: 3–76.
Id DLP.Evidence.663
Type Ethnography
Game I Pere
Location Dogon
Date 1938-01-01 - 1938-12-31
Rules 2x5 board; the right-most hole is the store.
Four counters in each hole.
Sowing in an anti-clockwise direction.
Play begins by each player placing the counters in their fourth hole into their store. Moves may begin from any of a player's holes except the store. If the last counter of a sowing drops into a hole making it contain two or three counters, these are taken and placed in the store. As soon as a player has thirteen counters in their store, they are picked up and sown, omitting each player's store and takes any counters in the opponent's holes which now contain two or three counters.
The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content "I pere.
Chaque joueur dispose de 5 trous (numérotés de 1 à 5 de gauche à droite) dans chacun desquels sont disposés 4 pierres. LE trou de droite est dit oho, hogon. Chacun tentera d'y accumuler le plus de pierres possible. Les deux joueurs sortent le contenu de 4 et le mettent en 5. Puis à tour de rôle ils prennent le contenu d'un quelconque de leur trous, sauf celui du <>, et le répandent pierre à pierre, dans leur rang d'abord en procédant vers la droite et dans le rang adverse en allant de droite à gauche. Si la dernière unité est déposée dans un trou ne contenant déjà qu'une ou deux pierres, le tout est pris par le joueur qui le place dans son <>.
Le premier qui possède 13 pierres dans le <> les prend et les répartit une à une dans le rang adverse (de droite à gauche) et dans le sien (de gauche à droite), en évitant d'enm déposer dans les <>. Il ramasse alors le contenu des trous adverses de 2 et 3 pierres qui se suivent à partir du <>.
L'autre joueur fait le même quand il a réussi à rassembler 13 pierres adns son <>. Puis chacun prend, dans le rang adverse, les pierres des trous qui en contiennent 2 et 3. Celui qui a le plus de pierres est le vainqueur.
Le jeu recommence alors, après que le vainqueur a partagé avec l'autre son excédent, en lui infligeant les insultes ou les brimandes suivantes...
...CE jeu ne doit pas être pratiqué après le coucher du soleil, sinon la mère des joueur meurt. Pour éviter ce malheur en cas d'infraction à cette règle, il faut avaler un caillou blanc.
Garçons, filles (ensemble). Saison sèche. De jour." Griaule 1938:169-170.
Confidence 100
Source Griaule, M. 1938. Jeux dogons. Paris: Institute d'ethnologie.
Id DLP.Evidence.664
Type Ethnography
Game Gabata (Adowa)
Location 14° 9'47.41"N, 38°53'36.72"E
Ruleset Gabata (Adwa)
Date 1977-01-01 - 1977-12-31
Rules 3x6 board. Play begins with three counters per hole. Each player owns the row closest to them and the right half of the central row. Variant: Can be played with three players, where one player has a full row of six and each other player has two rows of three on either half of the board. Sowing occurs in the following direction: from left to right in the player's full row, right to left in the player's half of the central row, proceeding to the opponent's full row and sowing right to left, then left to right in the opponent's part of the central row, then proceeding back to the player's full row and proceeding as before. Sowing always begins from a player's own holes. When the last counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends. If the last counter falls into an occupied hole, the contents of that hole are picked up and sowing continues. Captures are made by dropping the last counters of a sowing into an opponent's hole which contains three counters, making it have four counters. Captures cannot be made until after the original three counters placed in the holes at the beginning of the game have been moved. Once such a hole is captured, the player owns this hole, but cannot sow from it. When a player captures a hole like this, they may continue sowing from any hole on their side of the board. During sowing, if the final counter lands in an opponent's captured hole, the player captures the last counter dropped and one of the counters from the hole, or just the final counter if the hole is now empty. Play ends when all the counters are captured or have accumulated in captured hole. The player with two or more counters more than the original number captures one hole from the opponent; one hole for every three extra counters, taking these holes from the opponent's left hand holes. If the player only has two extra counters, the opponent gives the player one more counter to make three extra. Play continues as before. Play ends when one player has captured all of the holes.
Content "Gabata in Northern Tigre is played on the three-row board already described for the central highlands of Eritrea, and, again as in those highlands, made use of three balls er hole. The mode of play is, however, radically different, the method of capturing in particular having more in common, s we shall see, with the games of central Ethiopia. The game is, however, played by basically the same cross-sections of the population as further north, and is similarly often a pastime during the celebrations after marriage.
The Adowa Area
The gabata of the Adowa area here described was played by two Haile Sellassie I University students, Alamayehu Gabra Heywat of Maymesham and Haylu Belay of the Gabriel quarter of the city.
The arrangement of the board and direction of plat is the same as in the three-row gabata of the highlands of Eritrea. Normally the game would be played by two players, but three could also play, in which case one would own the whole of one row of six holes, while the two other players would each be allotted two rows of three holes on either side of the board.
Players would move alternately (or in the case of three players consecutively) , without racing as in the highlands of Eritrea. The first plater would begin any-where on his side of the board by picking up the entire contents of any of his holes and would then drop the balls one by one in the ensuing holes, picking up the contents of the hole in which the last ball fell, and proceeding in this manner until he reached an empty hole after which he would stop, it being then his opponent's turn to move.
EAch player, who could start a move only from one of his own holes, would have as his objective the capture of a hole on his opponent's side, preferably the latter's extreme left hole, known as ayni eda or "eye of the house." (If the game was played by three players each would try to capture the hole immediately after his own block of holes in the direction of play.)
The process of capturing, or wagika, the word employed for piercing with a spear, was effected by dropping the last ball in any hand into one of the opponent's holes containing three balls, which were thus increased to four. (This method of capture, as we shall see, is characteristic of several of the games further south). Such a hole was referred to as wegue, but could not be captured until the original clusters of three balls in each hole had been destroyed.
A player could under no circumstances pick up the contents of a wegue he had captured, but could tax or "eat" mebelae, from s wegue belonging to his opponent, in which case he would put aside two balls, the last in his hand and one from the wegue, as his takings. Should the wegue become empty the opponent landing there with the last ball in his hand would pit aside only that ball, i.e., not two as previously, but whenever the holle filled again the previous method of "eating" involving two balls would be resumed. A player capturing a wegue continued his move, doing so by moving the contents of any of the holes on his side. The prolongation of the move was known as belu'eka sini, or "escorting." There was (unlike in some other types of gabata) no limitation on the number of wegue a player could capture, and the two players (or in the case of three players, all three)could simultaneously own such holes, for a wegue once captured could not be lost in that round.
A player unable to move on account of lack of counters on his side (always excluding wegue holes from which he could not in any case pick up balls) would lose the right to play, but could do so again whenever in the course of play one or more balls returned to any of his usable holes.
The round would come to an end when all the balls had been either captured and put aside or had accumulated in one or more wegue. The players would then count out their total takings i.e., those removed from the board or accumulated in wegue, by putting them back in their holes three by three. A player winning two or more than his original complement of counters would capture holes from his opponent, one hole for every three balls captured, and would take these from his opponent's left-hand holes. Whenever a player found himself with an extra two counters, he would gain a complete hole, for his opponent, with one extra counter, would surrender the latter to him.
If towards the end of the game a player was reduced to one hole which was subsequently captured as a wegue the capturer would pick up three of the four balls as his takings, thus leaving the other player one counters with which to continue to move.
The game would be won when one or other player captured all the holes and thus became the victor." Pankhurst 1977: 164.
Confidence 100
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.665
Type Ethnography
Game Gabata (Aksum)
Location 14° 7'55.67"N, 38°43'8.99"E
Ruleset Gabata (Aksum)
Date 1977-01-01 - 1977-12-31
Rules 3x6 board.
Play begins with three counters per hole. Each player owns the row closest to them and the right half of the central row.
Variant: Can be played with three players, where one player has a full row of six and each other player has two rows of three on either half of the board.
Sowing occurs in the following direction: from left to right in the player's full row, right to left in the player's half of the central row, proceeding to the opponent's full row and sowing right to left, then left to right in the opponent's part of the central row, then proceeding back to the player's full row and proceeding as before.
Sowing always begins from a player's own holes. When the last counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends. If the last counter falls into an occupied hole, the contents of that hole are picked up and sowing continues.
Captures are made by dropping the last counters of a sowing into an opponent's hole which contains three counters, making it have four counters. Captures cannot be made until after the original three counters placed in the holes at the beginning of the game have been moved. Once such a hole is captured, the player owns this hole, but cannot sow from it. When a player captures a hole like this, they may continue sowing from any hole on their side of the board.
During sowing, if the final counter lands in an opponent's captured hole, the player captures the last counter dropped and one of the counters from the hole, or just the final counter if the hole is now empty.
Play ends when all the counters are captured or have accumulated in captured hole. The player with two or more counters more than the original number captures one hole from the opponent; one hole for every three extra counters, taking these holes from the opponent's left hand holes. If the player only has two extra counters, the opponent gives the player one more counter to make three extra.
Play continues as before. Play ends when one player has captured all of the holes.
Content "The Aksum Area
Gabata as played in the Aksum area is little different from that described above for the country around Adowa, and thus once more makes use of three rows of six holes, with three halls per hole. The game was played by Wasihun Tatamke, Amha Sahay and Abraha Berhe, all of the city, now studying at the Baeda Maryam School, Addis Ababa, to whose Director, Walter Grisdale, we are much indebted.
The game, as in Adowa, is based on the capture of an enemy hole as wegue, once more prefereably on the extreme left of one's opponent's main row, i.e., on his left. That hole was known as chafa enda, and, to facilitate its capture by his opponent, a player was not allowed to pick up its contents unless they numbered more than three balls, though this was permissible if he had no other counter with which to play. The purpose of this restriction was of course to facilitate a capture in the hole in question. Apart from this restriction the game is as described from Adowa." Pankhurst 1977: 164-165.
Confidence 100
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.666
Type Ethnography
Game Makonn
Location Seychelles
Date 2007-03-22 - 2007-03-24
Rules 4x10 board
Content De Voogt 2013: 160-162
"The players
The National Historic Museum at Mah ́e owns one Makonn playing board [access number 0119/99]. It consists of four rows of ten holes and, according to the museum information, was brought in by World War I soldiers as a souvenir. With the assistance of the senior curator Ms Bella Rose and assistant senior Curator Miss Jeanne Pothin, the following players were located near the capital Mah ́e.
On March 22, 2007, Barry Marengo (1933–) was invited to the museum and illustrated the game using the museum board. He confirmed that the name was Makonn and that the configuration had always been four by ten holes. He played with stones, although cowry shells are also known to be used, that were placed one by one in each hole and he spread the stones in anti-clockwise direction. Singles were not allowed to be played unless the player had singles only. He had learned the game at age fourteen and used to play in a group of circa eight players.
Two days later a visit was paid to Robin Pierre Marie (1934–) who owns a lakanbiz or baka-bar in Pointe La Rue, south of Mah ́e. In his bar there was one Makonn board, a ten by ten draughts board and another board game similar to draughts and known as Damn la tete. On arrival players were involved in playing Makonn.
Mr Marie started his bar in 1989 and used a self-made board for play. The players in the bar were mostly taught by the owner although in former days other players, already familiar with the game, had also joined. He started playing the game at age sixteen and also played in Diego Garcia from 1959 onwards with other men from the Seychelles and Mauritius. He later played in Desroches, part of the Amirantes archipelago and Aldabra. In 1988 he left Desroches and returned to Mah ́e where he had resided since he was nine. He was originally brought up on the island of La Digue.
The game was not known to him with any configuration other than four rows of ten holes. Since the game is associated with drinking baka, women do not commonly play with men but they are known to play the game in separate areas. Both Mr Marie and Mr Marengo were not familiar with any competition or tournament play for this game.
The National Sports Council produced a document in which the game of Makonn is described but the rules cannot be inferred from this description [3]. The following rules were obtained after observing, playing and asking questions about the game of Makonn in Pointe La Rue.
The Makonn rules
Makonn is played on a board with four rows of eight holes. It needs forty counters, usually stones or shells. Each player owns two rows of eight holes that are closest to the player as well as the counters in those rows. The object of the game is to capture all counters of the opponent.
The game can be divided in three stages.
The opening
The game starts with one counter in each hole. One player begins by rear- ranging the counters in the two rows owned by that player. The player may rearrange these counters in any way as long as they remain on the board and on the player’s side of the board. One counter may be placed in order to capture the opposite occupied holes of the opponent (for capture moves, see middle game).
Once ready, the other player may rearrange the other part of the board and, if possible, also place a counter to capture the content of the opposite hole(s).
The middle game
Once the counters have been arranged, the first player starts a move by picking up the contents of a hole on the player’s side that contains more than one counter. These counters are placed one-by-one in consecutive holes in counter-clockwise direction within the player’s own two rows. When the last counter of such a sowing reaches an occupied hole, that hole is emptied and the contents are sowed starting in the next hole and in the same way and direction. This continues until the last counter of a sowing ends in an empty hole.
When the last counter ends in an empty hole the move ends or the player makes a capture. The player can only capture if this empty hole is directly adjacent to an occupied hole of the opponent. The complete contents of the opponent’s hole and, if present, the contents of the hole directly behind this hole in the back row of the opponent, are captured and taken from the board.
This game continues until one player has nothing left and lost the game or when one player has only holes with single counters in which case this player enters the singles game.
The singles game
If a player has only single counters in the two rows of holes, this player is still allowed to play. The player may now move a single counter in the same way and direction, but only into an empty hole. It is not allowed to play a single into a hole that already contains a counter. Captures are made in the same way as in the middle game.
Since the game starts with all holes containing a single counter, it is necessary that in the opening game at least one change is made to allow the players to make a move."
Confidence 100
Source de Voogt, A. 2013. "Makonn and the Indian Ocean: East African Slave Trade and the Dispersal of Rules." Board Game Studies 8: 159-164.
Id DLP.Evidence.667
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Mangala (Turkey)
Location Turkey
Date 1979-01-01 - 1979-12-31
Rules 2x7 board.
Five counters in each hole
Play begins from a player's hole, sowing in a counter clockwise direction. If the last counter is sown in a hole containing one or three counters, they are taken. if the previous hole also has one or three, these are also taken. Play continues until all the holes are empty. The taken stones are then placed five in each hole, and the player with more counters than that needed to fill the holes in their row wins.
Content "A game which is remarkabkle for its particularly wide distribution, especially in Africa, is Mancala (or in Turkish spelling Mangala...In fact, in current Turkish in some areas like Gaziantep in Southeast Anatolia, the game is still sometimes called Mangala. The game is generally played in brazier-like holes, either twelve or fourteen of them In most cases it is played by two players in the following manner. Each player digs seven small holes in the ground in lines opposite each other and places five stones in each hole. Each player in turns picks up all the stones out of any hole on his side, and distributes them one by one counter-clockwise in the other holes beginning at the first hole on the right of the one from which he has taken the stones. Should the last stone end in a a hole which either contains one or three stones (not two), the player may take them and place them on one side; alkso, if the one immediately next to it on the right, in which a stone has been put., contains either one or three, it may also be taken. The game is finished when all fourteen holes are empty. The stones are then replaced five in each hole and the player whose stones exceed the number needed to fill the holes in his line wins." And 1979: 52.
Confidence 100
Source And, M. 1979. 'Some notes on aspects and functions of Turkish folk games.' The Journal of American Folklore 92(363): 44–64.
Id DLP.Evidence.668
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Mangala (Suez)
Location Sinai
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 2x6 board.
Eight counters in each hole; any two holes on one half and one holes on the other half of the player's row is left empty.
Sowing in an anti-clockwise direction.
No captures in first two turns.
If the last counter falls into a hole that is occupied, these are picked up and the sowing continues.
When the last counter of a sowing falls into an empty hole, the counters in the opposite hole are captured. The player continues play by moving the counter that made the capture into the next hole, and continuing play.
If the last counter falls into an empty hole and the opposite hole is also empty, the turn ends.
When a capture is made, the opponent much begin their turn at the hole after the one where the other player ended.
Content "The Arabian game differs greatly. As a preliminary, any two holes on one side and one hole on the other are left empty; in each of the other nine holes are placed eight cowry shells, which are termed "Dogs." Play begins anywhere on the player's own side of the board, and always goes to the right. "Sowing" is effected as in Puhulmutu, until the last shell drops into an empty hole. If this occur during the first two sowings round the board, in which no captures are made, the player stops, and the opponent begins to play; but on subsequent occasions he "eats" the Dogs in the opposite hole, whether on his own or his opponent's side of the board, as in the Daramutu game. He then continues his play, moving into the next hole the last shell which he had just put down, and sowing the shells out of that one, and so on, until his last shell falls into an empty hole opposite which there are no Dogs to be eaten. The other player then commences, and plays in the same way. After each player has once sown the shells, the succeeding player must always begin at the next hole to that at which his opponent ended, unless it be empty, in which case he begins at the following one containing shells.
The game is a rapid one, and ends with the first round, the winner being the person who has "eaten" the most Dogs." Parker 1909: 601.
Confidence 60
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.669
Type Ethnography
Game Mangala (Bedouin)
Location Arabia
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 2x6 board.
Seventy counters.
One player distributes the counters unevenly in the central four holes (central two holes of each row). The opponent then has the option to flip the board around if they are not satisfied with the distribution.
Opponent begins play. The first move must be from the fourth hole in the row. Sowing occurs in a clockwise direction. Capturing cannot happen on the first move. If the last counter is dropped into a hole, creating an odd number of counters in it, play ends. If the number is now even and the hole in the other player's row also has an even number, the contents of both holes are captured. If the final hole is now even but the other player's row does not have an even number of counters, the counters are picked up and a new sowing begins. If the final hole has more than ten counters it cannot be captured and sowing must continue from this hole whether the number is even or odd.
Play ends when a player has no more counters on their side of the board. The player who has captured the greatest number of counters wins.
Content "Mangala (Bedawi)
This game is played with 70 cowry shells, called "Dogs." At first all the shells are deposited by one of the players, without counting them, in the four middle holes, the eight end ones being left empty. His opponent feels them with the backs of the fingers of a closed fist, and if he be satisfied with the distribution he begins to play. In case the arrangement be not to his liking he turns the board round and tells the other player to begin.
Play commences on the player's own side of the board, at the right-hand filled hole, and always passes to the left,. The shells are "sown" as in Puhulmutu, but each player stops when his last shell falls into a hole in which it makes an odd number. But in the early part of the game if it fall into one of the holes full of shells they are not counters; it is assumed that the number is an even one, and the player takes all out and continues to sow them round the holes, commencing at the next one. After both players have had one turn at sowing they begin subsequent sowings at any hole on their own side of the board.
If, when a player has dropped each last shell, there be any even pairs of shells in opposite holes on the two sides of the board, whether twos, fours, sixes, eights, or tens, beyond which they are said not to run, he "easts" the whole of these pairs. This is the only way in which the shells are captured. The game ends in one round, when one of the players has no shells on his side of the board after his opponent stops playing; and the winner is he who has captured or "eaten" the greatest number. The Bedawi who showed me the game assured me that his people know no other way of playing..." Parker 1909: 601-602.
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.670
Type Ethnography
Game Hoyito
Location Hoyito
Date 2002-01-01 - 2005-02-28
Rules 2x6 board.
Variants: can be up to two rows of twelve
Four counters in each hole
A player moves by picking up the contents of one of their holes and sowing them in an anti-clockwise direction. If the final counter lands in an occupied hole, the contents of this hole are picked up and sowing continues. If the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends.
If the final counter falls into a hole containing three counters, making it four after the sowing, then these counters are captured and the turn ends.
If at any time during sowing a player drops a counter into a hole to make it contain four, these are captured.
If a player cannot move because there are no counters in their holes, they pass.
When eight counters are left, the player to first capture a group of four also takes the remaining four counters on the board.
Content "Hoyito (also known as El Hoyito, Casitas or Mate) is the generic term used in the Dominican Republic for many different mancala games. Hoyito means "little hole". The games were first described by Víktor Bautista i Roca, who together with Salvador Cases i Majoral interviewed Dominican expatriates in Catalonia (September 2004), and then conducted a field study for three weeks in the Dominican Republic (January-February 2005).
Hoyito variants are played the provinces of Barahona, Bahoruco and Independencia collectively known as "El Sur". These provinces are rather poor, and thus have a low population density and a strong emigration rate. They were observed in Neiba, Villa Jaragua, Los Ríos, Postrer Río, La Descubierta and Jimaní, but not in Barahona, the largest town in the area. Generally Hoyito is not played in the centre of bigger villages or along the main road even in smaller villages. It is more popular in the countryside, where it is played outdoor, either in the courtyard or near the river.
Hoyito was once enjoyed by everyone, though mostly by women. Today it is a children's game, rarely played by adults who often view it in a depriciatory manner. It is considered a waste of time by many adults and sometimes children are punished for playing it. A woman reported that she was scolded as a girl for playing it because she didn't do her homework, and another person said that children skipped school to play it. As a match takes a long time, players may change. Although there are no competitions, it is widely believed that girls are playing better than boys.
Some older people still think that the game invites misfortune. One woman remembered that in old days it wasn't allowed to dig holes on Good Friday, so the board was made on Holy Thursday.
The game was played with seeds of bottle gourds (Crescentia cujete) known as mate seeds, but today pebbles have replaced them. The holes are either dug into the earth or drawn on concrete. There are no wooden boards. Sometimes the game is played for a little stake such as glass beads.
Today Hoyito has lost much of its former popularity, although it could be argued that the game might be a useful tool to teach children mathematical skills.
Hoyito I is almost equal to Ba-awa, except that a four is captured by the one moving, not by the one owning the hole.
Rules
Hoyito is played by two persons on a board, which consists of two rows of six holes called casitas ("little houses"). Sizes up to 2x12 were also recorded, but are far less common.
Initially each hole contains four counters.
Initial Position
On his turn a player picks up the contents from one of his holes and then distributes them, one by one, into the following holes in a counterclockwise direction.
If the last stone falls in an occupied hole, its contents (including the last distributed counter) are distributed in a new lap starting in the next hole.
However, if the last stone made a casa ("house"), that is a four, the contents are captured and the turn ends.
If, at any moment, a casa is made in any hole of the board, the player who is moving captures these counters.
When the last stone is dropped into an empty hole, the turn ends.
If a player cannot move because he has no stones in his holes, he passes until he can move again.
The player who captured the last group of four but one, also gets the last four seeds and the game ends.
The winner of the game is the player who captured more stones.
Match Rules
Once a game is over another one can be started.
The following rules are observed:
Each player fills as many holes on his side with four pieces from his captures as possible. The empty holes are not used in this round, but can be recovered in the next game.
The winner of the preceding round starts.
The player who leaves his opponent with less than four pieces at the end of a game, wins the match. (Bautista wrote "with no pieces at all", but a player with less than four can't claim a hole)." Gering and Bautista I Roca 2005.
Confidence 100
Source Gering, R. and V. Bautista I Roca. 2005. "Hoyito I." Mancala World. https://mancala.fandom.com/wiki/Hoyito_I. Accessed April 23, 2020.
Id DLP.Evidence.671
Type Ethnography
Game Dongjintian
Location 23°25'52.63"N, 101°41'4.76"E
Date 1994-03-01 - 1994-03-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Five counters per hole
Sowing can happen in either direction.
When the last counter falls into a hole, sowing continues if there are counters in the following holes; these are picked up and sowing continues from there.
When the hole after the end of a sowing is empty, the counters in the next hole following it are captured. If a pattern of alternating empty and occupied holes continues after this, the counters in the occupied holes are captured, until there are two occupied or two empty holes in a row.
Four player variant:
Four rows of five holes
Five counters per hole
Players can sow from any hole.
Sowing occurs orthogonally in any direction, and a player can change direction orthogonally at any point in the move, but can never double back.
Rules for continuing to sow are the same as for the two player game. The hole from which the sowing continues will always be the next one in the opposite direction from the penultimate hole in which a counter was dropped. Therefore, if the sowing ends when a sowing hits an edge or corner, sowing does not continue.
Captures are made in the same way as the two player game, but captures cannot be made when the final counter falls into a hole from which a new direction must be chosen.
Captures cannot be made from the central two holes of the board.
The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content "The game dongjintian is played in Simao Prefecture, Mojiang County, Jiulian Town (the county seat). The name of the game, which is Chinese, means 'moving (in the) golden fields.'. My principal informant, a Hani, knew no term for mancala in the Hani language. The game for two players is standard (2x5, no stores; five stones per hole, no large stones; pussa kanawa relays and captures, either sense of play, no rounds). But for four players there is a rather unusual game, as follows:
Principal informant: Wang Hongbin, 23, male, Hani nationality. Interviewed March 1994.
Configuration: The board is 4 x 5, with five stones per hole. There are no large stones.
Sectors: None, A player may play from any of the 20 holes on the board.
Sowing: The first stone may be sown in any hole horizontally or vertically neighboring the hole being played; subsequently stones are sown forward, left, or right, but may not double back. Thus if a corner hole is lifted it may be sown in two directions; if one of the ten holes on the edge of the board which are not corners are played there are three possible directions, and if one in the middle six holes is lifted, there are four possible directions. If a stone has been sown in a corner, edge, or middle hole and there remain stones to be sown, there are respectively one, two, or three possible choices for the hole in which to sow the next stone. This results in a huge number of possible moves. For example, if four stones are lifted from one of the holes diagonally neighboring a corner, there are 52 different ways in which they can be sown.
Relays and captures: These are pussa kanawa, but can only be made straight aead in the direction in which the last stone was sown. That is, after the last stone of a sowing is played, the contents of the neighboring hole in the opposite direction from the hole in which the penultimate stone was sown are lifted and sown. If this hole is empty, the contents of the hole beyond, if any, are captured. This results in diminished possibility of relay and capture. If the last stone lands in a corner, no relay or capture is possible. If the last stone lands in an edge-hole, but the penultimate stone was sown in a middle hole, again there is no relay or capture. Stones lying in one of the two holes at the midpoints of the two internal rows cannot be captured at all." Eagle 1995:57-58.
Confidence 100
Source Eagle, V. 1995. "Some Newly Described Mancala Games from Yunnan Province, China, and the Definition of a Genus in the Family of Mancala Games." In A. de Voogt, ed, New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: International Institute for Asian Studies, 48-63.
Id DLP.Evidence.672
Type Ethnography
Game Pallankuli
Location South India
Date 1928-01-01 - 1928-12-31
Rules 2x7 board.
Six counters in each hole.
Play begins from any of a PLayer's holes, even if there is just one. Sowing occurs anticlockwise. When sowing, if the contents of a hole are brought to four, those are picked up and sowing continues until the last counter is sown.
If sowing ends in an empty hole, the contents of the next hole are taken and turn ends. If they end in a hole with counters, these are taken and sowing continues. Play ends when a player has no counters in their holes, remaining player takes all the remaining counters.
In the next round, the player with the smaller number of counters captured from the previous round fills as many of their holes as they can, starting from the left and filling each hole with six counters. Leftover counters are placed in the player's store. The opponent then does the same. Any holes remaining empty are out of play for this round, otherwise play continues as before.
The right to begin alternates from round to round.
Further rounds are played until one player has fewer than six counters.
Content "In South India there are several variations of a game known in Tamil as pallanguli, or "Manyholes." In view of the fact that it resembles-superficially, at any rate-the universal African game, and that several notes on the African varieties have recently been published, the following description may be of interest. Pallanguli is played on a wooden board which may be quite plain or may be beautifully carved and ornamented. The board has two parallel rows of holes scooped out. The number of holes varies, but in the particular variation which I propose to describe there are seven holes each side. Sometimes at either end of the board is a large hole for holding the captured pieces. The stones of the tamarind, tiny pebbles, or small cowrie shells are used as pieces, the last-mentioned being preferred because they make an attractive sound as they fall into the holes in course of play.
The two players sit down with the board between them and begin by placing
six pieces in each of the seven holes on their own side.
The first player picks up the pieces from any one hole on his own side, and,
moving always in a counter-clockwise direction, places one piece in each of the holes as he goes, leaving, of course, the hole from which he picks up the pieces empty.
Having deposited the last piece in a hole containing others (either on his own or his opponent's side) he picks up all the pieces in the hole next the one he ended in and proceeds as before still in the counter-clockwise direction. The move ends when he puts his last piece into a hole next to an empty one. When he does this he captures all the pieces in the hole on the further side of the empty one in the clockwise direction. If this hole is also empty the move ends, but he captures nothing.
It is now his opponent's turn to play. He may start anywhere on his own side, and, moving in the counter-clockwise direction, he proceeds in the same way until his move ends in a capture or a blank. Each player plays thus in turn until the board is cleared. During the course of the game empty holes gradually become filled, and as soon as the number of pieces in a hole becomes " four " the players on whose side the " four " is removes them from the board and adds them to the pieces already captured. A "four" is called a pasu, which means a "cow," which is interesting as being a probable survival from days when, as in Africa, the game was a parody of cattle raiding. At the end of the first round, when the board is cleared, each player puts back his winnings, six to a hole, into as many holes on his own side as he can fill. The loser of the first round will not be able to fill all his seven holes, and into the empty holes he puts a bit of paper or leaf or other rubbish to show that it is not in use, and these holes are known as peekkuli, or dung holes. Any pieces left over less than six are retained. The winner of the last round fills each of his seven holes with six pieces and, of course, will have a balance of few or many pieces in proportion to the number of holes his opponent has been unable to fill.
The right to play first alternates round by round, and who ever did not begin last round starts off on his own side before, and the game proceeds exactly as in first round, except that the rubbish holes are left out.
The game goes on until eventually one or other of the players has not even enough pieces to fill one hole. During any round by skillful play' it may be possible to capture sufficient pieces to enable the player to reopen one or more rubbish heaps, and even, of course, turn the tables on the other, and, consequently, a great number of rounds may have to be played before the game is won outright.
Pallanguli is really a women's game in South India, and they play it when the morning's work is finished. Men do sometimes play it as a gambling game.
I believe there are penalties for cheating, but I am not certain, as I do not remember ever having incurred any.
No deliberate counting of pieces before a move is allowed, but observant and experienced players can tell at a glance what is the best move." Durai 1928: 185-187.
Confidence 100
Genders Female
Source Durai, H. 1928. "Pallanguli: A South Indian Game." Man 28: 185-186.
Id DLP.Evidence.673
Type Ethnography
Game Gifia
Location Umon
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 2x4 board with two stores on the ends.
Six counters in each hole.
Instead of owning the row of holes closest to them, players own the holes on the left half of the board.
Play begins from any of the player's holes, sowing in either direction. When the last counter is sown, making the hole contain two or four counters, these are captured. If the adjacent holes also contain two or four counters, these are also captured. If the last counter falls into a hole, making it contain a number other than two or four, and adjacent holes contain two or four, the counters from only one of these adjacent holes may be captured. Play ends when each player is reduced to one counter.
A second round begins with each player placing six counters in as many of their holes as they can, returning surplus to the store. Play continues as before.
Rounds are played until one player loses all their counters.
Content Recorded by K. C. Murray, Surveyor of Antiquities of Nigeria
"Nigeria, Umon, Aro Division, Calabar Pr.: Gifia. 2 x 4 holes and two stores, one at each end of the board. Each player owns the two holes in each row and the store to his left side. Six beans in each hole; one lapt to the move; several rounds; moves can be made in either direction, and go round the board in the usual way.
A move may begin from any of the player's holes. When a player has only a few beans left in his holes, he may refrain from moving when it is his turn to do so. If a move ends in a hole making its contents two or four beans, he takes these, and if the adjacent hole on either side also contains two or four beans, he takes these, and if the adjacent hole on either side also contains two or four beans, he takes them also. If a move ends in a hole making its contents other than two or four beans, but the adjacent hole on either side contains two or four beans, he takes from one of theses hole, but not from both. When each player is reduced to one singleton, the round ends and each player takes the singleton in his own row.
Each player then arranges his beans in his own holes, putting six in as many of his holes as he can, and returning any surplus beans to his store. The rouns is played in the same way, and rounds are played until one player has lost all his beans."
K.C. Murray recorded the first round of a game played by two women in Umon. Murray 1951: 192-193.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.674
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Gundru
Location Tibet
Date 1926-01-01 - 1926-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, pieces are played on the intersections.
16 pieces per player, one player is black, the other white. Pieces begin placed on the edge of the board: Black on the top and right, white on the bottom and left. Sixteen others are held in reserve for each player.
Pieces move any distance orthogonally along the lines.
Opponent's pieces are captured when they are surrounded by two of a player's pieces. When this is done, the surrounded player's pieces are removed and replaced with the pieces of the player that surrounded them.
If multiple opponent's pieces are in a line and the other player places their pieces at either end of the line, all the pieces in between are captured.
When a player is reduced to one piece, it gains the ability to capture by jumping, and has to be closed in by two pieces on each side in order to prevent this.
The player that removes all of their opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Here is a parlour game, called Gun-dru, for grown-up people. My plan shows the board with the pieces in position for the game to commence. On two sides of the square are sixteen Black pieces; on the other two sides, sixteen White pieces. Sixteen more of each are held in reserve. The pieces can move across any number of squares you please, but must move, or course, along the lines. The purpose is for the one side to take all the pieces of the other, and the game is then won. You can take the pieces not as in your draughts by hopping over them, but by manoeuvring your pieces until they shut in the enemy on one side, thus: BWWB. The two Whites are then dead, and you remove them and put two Blacks in their place. The longer the sequence yo ucan get the better, and the sequence is not broken by going round a corner, thus:
W
B
B
B
B B B B W
in this case these Blacks are dead, and are replaced by Whites from the White reserve. You go on until all the pieces of one side or the other are dead, so that at the end of the game there will be thirty-two pieces of the winning side on the board and none of the losing side. If you get into the position of having taken all of the enemy's pieces save one, this acquires the additional power of taking pieces by hopping as in draughts, so that, to prevent this, it has to be closed in on each side by two pieces instead of one. If it takes a piece it of course replaces it with one of its own; it is thus possible to win, even when reduced to this desperate position, but of course most unlikely." Lha-Mo 1926: 143-144.
Confidence 100
Source Lha-Mo, Rin-Chen. 1926. We Tibetans. London: Seeley Service and Co., Ltd.
Id DLP.Evidence.675
Type Ethnography
Game Mbelele
Location Mba
Date 1977-01-01 - 1977-12-31
Content "Le jeu de Mbelele (Manga: Haut-Zaïre).
A3.0. Les Manga (Mba) sont un peuple soudanais qui vit directement au nord de Kisangani. Ils occupent la route Kisangani-Buta entre les km. 17 et 118 (près de Banalia). Ils constituent le saillant situé le plus au sud de tous les peuples soudanais du Zaïre.
A3.1. Le jeu de Mbelele est un des plus singuliers de toute l'Afrique. Leur planche de jeu - et ici les mots "tablier: ou "tableau" semblent déplacés- consiste en un morceau peu taillé de bois très léger de l'arbre "kombo-kombo" d'environ un mètre de long dans lequel sont brûlées (et non sculptées) 36 cases disposées comme suit: (Fig 5)
Les cases sont nettement moins grandes que celles de jeux à 4 rangées, car il est rare qu'une seule case contienne un nombre élevé de graines. Chaque joueur est la propriétaire de la rangée la plus proche de lui, de la case de bout à sa droite et de celle intercalée entre les 2ème et 3ème paires à sa gauche; ces deux cases s'appellent ses "teka" (pas d'autre sens). Une planche pareille se trouve depuis 1975 au Musée National à Kinshasa. (objet 75.115.1).
A.3.2. Règles du jeu
1. Au départ 3 graines sont disposées dans chaque case, y compris les "teka".
2. Le sense du jeu est au choix, mais arrivé au bout de sa propre rangée on rebrousse chemin au lieu d'entrer dans la rangée de l'adversaire. Les deux "teka" sont inclues d'entret dans la semailles qui suit l'ordre de l'alphabet dans la fig. 5:
3. On effectue des captures en terminant sa semaille dans iune case vide de sa propre rangée et en mangeant les graines, que contient éventuellement la case d'adversaire située immédiatement en face. Après une capture le joueur dort et passe la main.
4. Au cas où l'on termine se semaille ans une des deux "teka" (c ou r; C ou R) ce sont les graines de la "take" ennemie correspondante qui sont mangées. Ainsi, X pose sa dernière graine en C il mange le contenu de c.
5. Les graine capturées sont mises de côté hors jeu. Il n'est pas nécessaire de tenir séparés les graines des deux joueurs.
6. On peut jouer une seule graine; celle-ci ne pourra cependant capturer plus d'une graine unique de l'adversaire.
7. Si la dernière graine d'une semaille tombe dans une case déjà occupée, toutes les graines qui s'y trouvent sont à leur tour semées, et obligatoirement dans le même sens.
8. Bien qu'un joueur puisse semer, p.ex. 4 graines de p en q, r, q, et de retour en p (maintenant vide) pour obtenir le droit de manger en face (en B), il n'eat pas oermis d'effectuer un mouvement semblable avec deux graines à partir de q pour revenir manger en face de q.
9. Une graine unique se trouvant dans la case dernière celle choisie pour un nouveau mouvement (compte tenu du sens de ce mouvement) s'appelle "kiba" (pas d'autre sens); une fois la dernière graine de cette semaille déposée, le joueur a le droit de revenir chercher le "kiba" pour le déposer dans la case suivant la dernière ayant reçu une graine, afin de réaliser une capture plus profitable.
10. Le but du jeu est de vider la rangée de l'adversaire.
11,. Une seule partie ne dure pas d'habitude très longtemps et il est par conséquent usuel de jouer une série de parties avant de juger du gagnant." Townshend 1977: 16-17.
Confidence 100
Source Townshend, P. 1977a. Les jeux de mankala au Zaïre, au Rwanda et au Burundi. Les cahiers du CEDAF 3: 3–76.
Id DLP.Evidence.676
Type Ethnography
Game Main Chongkak
Location Malaya
Date 1900-01-01 - 1900-12-31
Rules 2x8/2x9 board with a store on either end.
Play starts with same number of counters in each hole as number of holes in the row (6 counters if 6 holes in a row, etc). Store on either end. A player's store is the store to their left.
Play is clockwise; stores included when sowing. Played by women.
Play begins from any hole belonging to the player. Counters are sowed clockwise: if the final counter lands in an empty hole, in player's own row, they take the counters in the opposite hole and place them in the store. If play ends in the store, they can then take counters from any of their holes and sow again. if play ends in an empty hole in the opponent's row, play ends. if play ends in a hole with counters, those are collected and sowing continues.
A round ends when there are no counters left in a player's row. The opponent then takes all remaining counters and adds them to their store.
Next round begins with each player taking the counters from their store and placing the same number of counters in the holes as when the game began, starting from right to left. Surplus counters are placed in the store. unfilled holes are excluded from play in this round. Play continues as before.
Play continues with as many rounds as needed until one player does not have enough counters to fill a single hole.
Content "Main chongkak, again, is a game played with a board (papan chongkak) consisting of a boat-shaped block.
In the top of this block (where the boat’s deck would be) are sunk a double row of holes, the rows containing eight holes each, and two more holes are added, one at each end. Each of the eight holes (in both rows) is filled at starting with eight buah gorek (the buah gorek being the fruit of a common tree, also called kĕlichi in Malacca). There are usually two players who pick the buah gorek out of the holes in turn, and deposit them in the next hole according to certain fixed rules of numerical combination, a solitary buah gorek, wherever it is found, being put back and compelled to recommence its journey down the board.
A similar game is, I believe, known in many parts of the East, and was formerly much played even by Malay slaves, who used to make the double row of holes in the ground when no board was obtainable." Skeat 1900: 485-486
Confidence 100
Source Skeat, W. 1900. Malay Magic: Being an Introduction to the Folklore and Popular Religion of the Malay Peninsula. London: Macmillan and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.677
Type Ethnography
Game Mweso
Location Buganda
Date 1912-01-01 - 1912-12-31
Rules 4x8 board.
32 counters per player. Players may arrange the counters however they like in their holes.
Players sow by taking the counters from one of their holes and dropping them one by one in an anti-clockwise direction only in the two rows closest to them.
When the last counter lands in an empty hole, the turn is over.
When the last counter falls into an occupied hole, the contents of this hole are picked up and sowing continues.
If the final counter falls into an occupied hole in the inner row, and the two holes opposite it in the opponent's rows are occupied, the counters in these two rows of the opponent are taken. They are then sown on the player's side of the board beginning from the hole that received the first counter of the sowing that led to the capture. Both of the opponent's holes must be occupied to capture.
Clockwise sowing is allowed in certain circumstances. If a clockwise move from the four holes on the left hand side of the players board (i.e., the left two holes in the outer row or the left two hole in the inner row) can lead to a capture, a clockwise move is allowed. When capturing, the captured seeds made from such a move may also be sown in a clockwise direction if they lead to a capture, otherwise they must be sown in the normal direction.
Sowing cannot occur with single counters.
The player who can no longer move loses.
A player may also win by capturing the counters at both ends of the opponent's rows in the same move.
Content "1. The Board. The board is divided into 32 squares arranged in four rows of eight. The players sit at the long sides of the board so that each has two rows of eight squares before him.
2. The Men. The game is played with 64 men, 32 for each player.
3. The object of the game: The object of the game is to capture all the opponent's men but the game stops when the opponent's men are so reduced in number that he cannot move, or when all the men are taken from the squares at both ends of each row in one move. This last coup is called "Nkutemye":—"I have cut your head off".
4. Commencement of the game. Before the game proper starts each player distributes his men four to each square in his first row. The object of this is to ensure that each player has the correct number of men. Having checked this each player proceeds to allot his men betweenthe sixteen squares on his own side of the board as best pleases him. There is no rule as to the number which may be placed in any square and any square may receive any number of men or none at all...In his own interest he will not place men in squares or rows one and to which are opposite to each other, as this is the position in which his opponent can take them
5. Choice of first move. With the Baganda this is a matter of mutual agreement and they do not usually bother to spin a coin or decide in any other arbitrary way. In second and subsequent games the loser always starts.
6. The move. A player moves by taking all the men which are in any one square (provided there are two or more) and distributing them one at a time to each successive square starting at the square next to the one vacated and moving in an anti-clockwise direction. It does not matter whether a square traversed by the hand is occupied or vacant - each square receives one man and no more. If the last man falls into a vacant square the move is finished, but if it falls into a square already occupied the move is relayed, i.e., the men in that square together with the one which has just arrived are taken up and distributed one at a time to each successive square, still moving in an anti-clockwise direction, and starting from the square on the anti-clockwise side of the square just vacated. (By anti-clockwise side of a square is meant the left hand side of a square in the second row or the right hand side of a square in the first row. if men are taken from the left hand end of the square of the second row the first man is dropped into the left hand end square of the first row. If taken from the right hand end square of the first row the first man is dropped into the right hand end square of the second row.)
7. Taking of opponent's men. If the last man of a player's move falls into a square in the second row which is occupied and if the two squares directly in line with it in the opponent's first and second rows are occupied the player takes whatever number of men are in those two squares and distributes them one at a time to each successive square, moving in an anti-clockwise direction, but starting from the square on the anti-clockwise side of the square on which own side of the board which he last left empty. If, when he has done this, the last man again falls into an occupied square which is opposite to two occupied squares of his opponent he takes whatever men are in those squares and distributes them in the same way, starting necessarily from the same square as previously, because that will again be the one in the anti-clockwise side of the square last left empty. He continues to repeat the operation so long as the requisite conditions prevail, i.e., his last man falls into an occupied square in line with two occupied squares of his opponent. If, however, his last man falls into an occupied square which is in line with two of his opponent's, only one of which or neither of which is occupied he just relays his move as provided under Rule 6. He continues taking and relaying until such time as his move finishes because his last man falls into an empty square.
8. Moving backwards. Moving backwards, i.e., in a clockwise direction, is only allowed in the following circumstances:-
(a) It is only permissible to move backwards by starting from the two squares at the left hand end of the first row or the two squares at the left hand end of the second row row.
(b) The move must immediately result in the taking of some opponent's men.
The distribution of the men may be started from either side of the square last left empty, but in the case of a start from the square on the clockwise side of the empty square the move must immediately result in the taking of some more opponent's men. Having taken all the men possible by moving in a clockwise direction, the player continues his move in an anti-clockwise direction by starting to distribute the last lot of captured men from the square on the anti-clockwise side of the empty square, relaying where possible, and finishing when the last man falls into an empty square. Moving backwards is known as "Okutebuka"—"To go back."
9. Penalties: A player upsetting the board loses the game. There is no penalty for making a mistake in distributing men, but the mistake, if noticed, must be corrected.
10. Counting men. As a square may contain so many men that it is impossible to see at a glance how many there are, a player may at any time count the number of men in any square on either his own or his opponent's side of the board." Shackell 1934: 14-20.
Confidence 100
Source Shackell, R. 1934. "Mweso - The Board Game." Uganda Journal 2: 14-20.
Id DLP.Evidence.678
Type Ethnography
Game Kpo
Location Vai
Date 1896-01-01 - 1896-12-31
Rules 2x6 board with stores on either end.
Four counters in each hole.
Players sow in an anti-clockwise direction.
When the last counter falls into a hole, and it now contains two or three counters, these are captured.
VARIANT: 3 player: the game can be played with three players, one player with the first two holes in both rows, the next with the middle two rows in each row, and the last player with the final three holes in each row. The rules are the same except that three counters are placed in each hole at the beginning, and captures are made from the next hole in the direction of the sowing when the last counter causes a hole to contain two or three counters. Sowing may also occur in any direction.
VARIANT: 4 player: The same rules as the 3 player variant except each player takes one half of a row as their holes.
Content "Prince Momolu Massaquoi, son of the King of the Vei tribe, described to me the manner of playing the game among the Vei. They all the game Kpo, a word having an explosive sound resembling a note of the xylophone, mimicking the noise made by the seeds or ivory balls with which the game is played when tossed into the holes on the board. The boards, which are made with twelve holes in two rows, with large holes at the ends., are called by the same name. The boards used by the chiefs are often very expensive, being made of ivory and ornamented with gold. He had seen boards which cost 20 slaves. The holes in the boards are called kpo sing or kpo kungo, kungo meaning . "cup." The game is usually played with sea beans, which grow on vines like the potato on the west coast, or by the chiefs with the before-mentioned ivory balls. These seeds are called kpo kunje, kunje meaning "seed." He identified a board from the Gaboon River as suitable for the game, although he said that much more elaborate ones, like those of the Liberian exhibit, were common. The depression in the middle of the board from the Gaboon River is intended to catch pieces that do not fall in the hole for which they are intended. Cheating is practiced, and to guard against it players must raise their arms and throw the pieces upon the board with some violence. Two, three, or four play. The game differs somewhat from that played in Syria and Egypt. A player may commence at any hole on his side. His play ends when the pieces first taken up are played. He wins when the number in the last hole is increased to two or three. He does not take those in the hole opposite. When two play, four beans are put in each hole, but when three or four play three beans are put in each hole. When two play, the pieces are dropped around in the same direction s in the Syrian game, but when three or four play they may be dropped in either direction. When two play, each player takes one side of the board; when three play, each takes four hole, two on each side, dividing the board transversely into three parts, and when four plat, each takes three holes. When two play, a winner takes only what he "kills" (fá); but when three or four play, when one completes two or three in a hole by this play, he takes those in the next hole forward. When a man takes a piece with one next to it, he uses his fingers to squeeze the pieces into his hand, the operation being called "squeezing" (boti), but this can only be done when one of the pieces is in one of the player's own cups and the other one or two in that of an opponent. Players sit crosslegged upon the ground. and when the chiefs play large numbers often assemble to watch them. I have given Prince Momolu's account somewhat in length, as several African travelers have declared the game incomprehensible to a white man." Culin 1896: 603-604.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1896. Mancala, the National Game of Africa. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.679
Type Ethnography
Game Galatjang
Location Macassar
Date 1859-01-01 - 1859-12-31
Rules 2x7 board with two stores.
Seven counters in each hole.
Play moves in an anti-clockwise direction and players sow into the store on their right hand side.
A move may begin from any of the player's holes except their store. If the last counter falls into the store, they can sow again from any of the holes in their row. If it lands in a hole with counters in it, these are picked up and sowing continues. If the last counter falls into an empty hole the move ends, but if the hole is in the player's own row, any counters in the hole opposite it are captured and placed in the store.
When no more moves can be made, a new round begins and each player fills as many holes as they can by putting seven in each. Surplus counters are placed in the store. Any unfilled holes are excluded from play.
Play continues until one player has all of the counters.
Content "Dit spel wordt gespeeld door twee personen, dat zij ieder aan hunne regterhand een groote opening, anrong genamd, hebben, welke dan ook elk als de zijne beschouwt. Nadat de zes, soms ook meer, kleine openingen, kalobeng genaamd, die ieder can de spelers vóór zich heeft, elk metzeven bagôré-pitten, of dergelijke, gevuld zijn, begint men tegelijk uit één der kalobangs aan zijne zijde de pitten te nemen, en telt die, can de linkerhand naar de regter- voortgaande, één voor één in de daaropvolgende gaten, ook zijn eigen anrong niet te vergeten, uit; alleen de anrong van de tegenpartij wordt overgeslagen. De pitjes van de kalobang, waarin men het laatste pitje dat men in de hand heeft, uittelt, dienen om op dezelfde manier voor te tellen. Treft het echter, dat men het laatste pitje juist in zijn eigen anrong uittelt; zoo mag men op nieuw met één der kalobangs aan zijn eigen' zijde beginnen uit te tellen. Op deze wijze gaat het voort, totdat één der spelers het laatste pitje in een ledig gat uittelt, hetgeen dotjo heet. Alsdan gaat de ander voort, totdat ook hij dotjo wordt, waarop de eerste wederom aan de beurt komt, enz.
Bij dit dotjo worden, valt op te merken, dat, wanneer men het laatste pitje in een' ledige opening aan zijn' eigen kant uittelt, en er in he tegenover gelegen kalobang pitjes aanwezig zijn, neb zeggen mag: tembami, en alsdan het regt heeft, om die pitjes tegelijk met dat laatste pitje in zijn eigen anrong te gooijen. Dit neemt echter niet weg, dat onze beurt voorbij is, en de ander wederom moet spelen. Wanneer het eindelijk zoover gekomen is, dat één der spelers aan zijne zijde geen pitjes meer heeft, om meê te tellen, neemt men van weêrszijde de pitjes uit zijn' anrong, en ziet, hoeveel kalobangs men daarmede, evenaks bij het begin van het spel, vullen kan. Zoo nu één der spelers één de kalobangs niet met seven pitjes vullen kan; heet dit: nisoe-soeloe-mi si-balla (er is één huis in brand gestoken). Bkijven er twee ledig, zoo sprekt men van: nisoesoeloe-mi roewam-balla, enz.—De ledig gebleven kalobangs worden met het een of ander digt gestopt en mogen niet meer gebruikt worden bij de eerstvolgende partij.
Zoodra nu wederom één der spelers biuten magte is om te tellen, vult men op nieuw de kalobangs san zijne zijde met de pitjes uit zijn' anrong, en komt men ook nu te kort, zoo worden al wederom één of meer der kalobangs digt gestopt. Hij, wiens kalobangs eindelijk alle digt gestopt zijn, krijgt een kongkong, of streepje, aan. En het spiel is uit.
Heeft men echter het geluk, om bij de tweede of derde, of één der volgende partijen wederom al de kalobangs te kunnen vullen; zoo wordt één der digt gestopte kalobangs op nieuw gebruikt, en zoo duurt het spel soms metfwisselend geluk geruimen tijd voort." Matthes 1859: 82, 898-899.
Confidence 100
Source Matthes, B. 1859. Makassaarch-Hollandsch Woordenboek. Amsterdam: Frederik Muller.
Id DLP.Evidence.680
Type Ethnography
Game Deka
Location Bas-Congo
Date 1977-01-01 - 1977-12-31
Rules Two rows of six holes encircling a larger hole in the center. Two counters in each hole, except the center hole. Players move by removing the counters from one of the holes in their row and sowing them in an anti-clockwise direction. If the final counter of the sowing falls into an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends. If the final counter falls into a hole already containing two others, the player takes these counters and covers the hole. The three counters are sown beginning with the following hole. When sowing, if a player reaches a covered hole in their row, they skip it and continue sowing with the next available hole. If the player reaches a covered hole in the opponent's row, the counter that would fall into it is instead deposited into the central hole. If this is the final counter, the turn ends. The two holes on the end cannot be closed. It is possible to sow a single counter. The player who can no longer sow from their row loses.
Content "Au Bas-Zaïre on joue le plus fréquemment à même le sol dans des trous creusées à l'aide p. ex. d'une carapace d'escargot. L'emploi d'un tablier en bois fait plutôt exception. Chez les Yombe le tablier comporte 12 cases et une case plus grande au centre, disposées de la maniere suivante...
Au Bas-Zaïre des noyaux de noix palmistes servent de pions lorsqu'on joue dans le sol, des graines "nkandi" lorsqu'on joue sur un tablier en bois. Dans le Haut-Zaïre ce sont plutôt les graines de l'arbre pictantus makombo (=ngola).
A2.2 Pour énoncer les règles nous nous sommmes tenus au jeu de Deka des Yombe:
1. Au départ 2 graines sont placées dans chaque case, à l'exception du dépôt au centre.
2. Il n'y a pas d'ouverture spéciale: chaque joueur ramasse à son tour toutes les grains d'une case choisie de sa propre rangée et les sème dans le sens contraire à celui des aiguilles d'un montre.
3. Si la dernière graine d'une semaille tombe dans une case occupée appartenant au koueur, ou dans une case de l'adversaire contenant déjà 1 ou plus de 2 graines, le joueur ramasse le tout et continue en les égrenant.
4. Si la dernière graine en main tombe dans une case vide, le joueur dort et passe la main.
5. Si par contre elle tombe dans une case de l'adversaire qui en contient déjà 2 autres, le joueur ramasse les 3 graines et ferme cette case à l'aide d'une papier, d'une feuille, etc. Puis il sème les 3 graines à partir de la case suivante. Plusieurs cases peuvent être fermées au cours d'une même partie, voire d'une même tour.
6. Quand un joueur arrive au cours d'une semaille à une case fermée de sa propre rangée il la saute et continue à semer à partir de la case suivante.
7. Si par contre il arrive à une case analogue chez l'adversaire, il doit verser une graine dans le dépôt central avant de sauter. S'il s'agit de la dernière graine de la semaille, il passe la main.
8. Les deux cases de bout, appelées "nti" (=tête), ne peuvent pas être fermées.
9. Il est permis de jouer une graine unique.
10. Aura perdu le joueur qui ne possède aucune graine lorsque son tour est venu de jouer. Une victoire sur un adversaire qui n'a fermé aucune case en vaut deux.
11. Le fait que dans ces jeux il n'y ait ni captures ni gains, dans le sens strict des termes, mais plutôt des forfaits qui sont versés dans une même dépôt leur donne leur cachet distinctif et a comme effet que la victoire est fonction de la disposition finale des graines et non d'un calcul quelconque de gains." Townshend 1977: 12-13.
Confidence 100
Source Townshend, P. 1977a. Les jeux de mankala au Zaïre, au Rwanda et au Burundi. Les cahiers du CEDAF 3: 3–76.
Id DLP.Evidence.681
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Halusa
Location Mesopotamia
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 2x6 board.
Play begins with six counters in each hole.
Sowing is anti-clockwise.
If the last counter of a sowing lands in the player's own hole making it even, the counters are captured. If the contents of the hole before it is also even, these are also taken, continuing until an odd or empty hole is reached. If the last counter makes a hole odd, the turn ends.
If a player has no counters in their holes at the end of the turn, the opponent must play so that the player can play on the next turn.
Play ends when neither player is able to move; the last player who was able to move takes the remaining counters and the player with the most counters captured wins.
Content "Hic Ludus in Oriente tam apud Arabes quam Turcas frequens est. Ex nomine autem videatur origine Arabicus: ab omnibus enim vocatur (vulgo Mangala), idque propterea quod transferunt calculos a loco in locum et ab uno latere ad alterum. Adeo ut Mancala Latine Tralatorius seu Tralatitius Ludus merito dici queat. Eit autem Mancala apud Mesopotamienses duplex seu duarum specierum, quarum altera quae simplicitor, vocatur Halusa seu Halusi, ab extenuando; altera vero quae elegantior et intricatior, dicitur Bakura, a findendo, aperiendo et dilatando: nam in illa est sinplex Calculorum minutio, in hac autem transferendo dividuntur et dispescuntur in alteram partem Tabellae.
De Instrumento in quo hic Ludus exerceri solet, loquitur Thevenotus in Intinerario Orientali, Saepissime ludunt Mancala, quod sit in Pyxide duos circiter Pedes longa et semipedem lata, quae in utraque parte habet sex serobes parvas, nempe 6 in ipsa Pyxide et 6 in Operculo Pyxidi juncto, quod aperitur tanquam scaccarium. Uterque lusor 36 habet Conchylia, ex quibus 6 in initio Ludi ponuntur in unaquaque Scrobe. Dictam Pyxidem aliquando sic mihi formarunt Turcae, ut et Hieremias Sacerdos Graecus, qui hujus Ludi optime gnarus fuit: sed apud ARabes 7 ex utraque parte Scrobiculi haberi solent. Appositae Notae Numerales utriusque Lusoris initium et progressum inter ludendum indicant, et ludendi ordinem monstrant.
Tabella ut vides, est sesquipedalis longitudinis, et dimidiae ejusmodi latitudinis, fitque vel ad modum Valvarum, vel ex uno integro Assere crassiore, in quo tot Cavitates seu Cellulae inciduntur. Singularum Cellularum seu Scrobiculorum Diameter commode potest este duarum Uniarum seu latorum Pollicum, cum profunditate unciali; ita nempe ut Calculi extremis digitis facile eximi possint. Sed loco Pyxidis, ejusmodi Schema eandem formam prae fe ferens in plana quavis mensa aut in Charta delineatum, usui ludentium sat commode inservire potest.
Luditur quidem vel Fabis discoloribus, vel Calculis sine Lapillis aut Conchyliis, quorum uterque lusor habet (ut dictum) 36, viz. sexies sex, i. e. sex pro squavis scrobe; hic schil. Albos, alter totidem Nigros. Vel si vis, omnes Calculi ejusdem coloris esse possunt: cum non sit opus ut tuos Calculos, sed tantum tuos Cellulas ab eis illius distinguas.
His hic modo comparatis, ad Ludum proceditur: et ille cujus est incipere, (quod sortiendo dignoscitur ut in omnibus aliis Ludis,) aliquam ex suis Cellulis (puta secundam) evacuat: nam semper debet evacuare eximendo omnes Calculos, quos in sequentes ex sua parte Cellulas sigillatim et unatim distribuit; et duos reliquos in primam et secundam ex adversis cellulis injicit, ut hoc modo totus exemptorum numerus absumatur. Deinde similiter, lusorum alter evacuat aliquam ex Cellulis suis, (puta quintam) et exemptos calculos distribuit, unum in suam sextam, reliquos vero in 1, 2, 3, 4,5 cellulas adversi lusoris. Notandum enim est, quod ab utroque lusorum quasi in gyrum ludatur; nempe a sexta cellula ex sua parte in primam ex adversa parte, donec rursus incipiat a suis.
Lucrum autem et vincendi ratio in eo consistit, quod sc. ille qui ita prudenter suos calculos novit distribuere, ut in aliqua ex suis cellulis aequalem calculorum numerum (puta 2 vel 4) legitime consituat, sintue ex calculis suis solis sive mixtim cum adversis, omnes ex aedem sua cellula reporter tollatque: nam ex adversa parte cellulave non aufert, quamvis numeros ibi effercerit aequales. Et eadem ratione si effecerit ut in pluribus suis Cellulis simul sit numerus par, modo nullus numerus impar sit interpositus. Sed ulterius quam ludendo processeris, non potes tollere. Ideoque tuos ita debes distribuere, ut numerum parem in adversis cellulis relinquas; ne forte adversarius addendo unum, suum numerum faciat parem unde ei liceat talem cellulam evacuare: id enim in ipso actu ludendi ac movendi faciendum est, dum quisque suos motos unatim distribuere tenetur. Et quamdiu numeros tuos habes pares, tamdiu tutus es: quia adversarius addendo unum faciet imparem, quo ille nihil lucratur, tua autem paritas et lucrandi libertas tollitur; nisi quod proxima motione addendo unum, paritatem restituere et ad aequalem numerum reducere potes.
Si autem in processu lusu mihi sint aliqui calculi superstites, et non illi; tum debeo itsa movere ac distribuere meos in illius cellulas, ut ille etiam ex sua parte aliquos habeat quibus ludat: alias enim lusus statim finiretur, cum ille calculos ex mea parte seu in meis cellulis tangere non debeat. Si ex mea parte restent plures unitates, tum licitum est pro libitu unam alteri addere, ut fiat numerus par, qui auferatur. Tandem Victoria est, quando alter lusorum omnes perdidit. Hae sunt Regulae Ludi Halusa, qui uno circuitu finiri potest: Bakura autem non nisi pluribus circuitibus." Hyde 1694: 226-230.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.682
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Baqura
Location Mesopotamia
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 2x6 board.
Each player has 36 counters which they arrange however they like in their holes.
Play begins from any hole in a player's row. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the last counter falls makes an odd number of counters in the final hole of the sowing, these are picked up and sowing continues. If the last hole is made to be even, these are captured, as well as the contents of the opposite hole. If the previous hole is also even, those counters and those in the opposite hole are also taken, continuing until there is an odd or empty hole. If the final counter falls into an empty hole, play ends.
The round ends when one player in unable to move.
A new round begins. The player with the smaller number of counters distributes them as they like in their holes. The opponent then copies this arrangement, keeping the surplus of counters. Play continues as before.
Rounds are played until one player has no remaining counters.
Content "Bakura quidem iisdem plane instrumentis, sed alio diverso modo luditur. Nam si tuum sit incipere, consultum est lusum ordiri a cellulis tuis medianis, quarum unam prime vice evacuabis, et exemptos inde calculos sigillatum per circuitum distribues, donec aliquos ad aequalitatem adductos lucraberis; et deinde pergas rursus omnes eximendo a proxima uni desinebas cellula: et hoc faciendum est in cellulis quae ex tua parte, ut supra. Et deinde perges ludendo et lucrando, donec tandem desinas in unitate, quae Battal, i.e. otiosum, seu nihilum et inane reputatur. Postea, te desistente, alter faciet eodem modo. Sed si potest fineri, praecogitandum est ut lucreris calculos in aliqua ex tuis cellulis quae ex adverso habet aliam adversarii cellulam calculis bene plenam: nam quando lucraris (i.e., omnes eximis) eos qui in aliqua cellula ex tua parte, simul auferes omnes qui sunt in adversarii cellula huic opposita. Hoc facto, Perditor seu ille qui tunc amittit, refundit et lusui addit omnes quotquot calculos lucratus fuerat, si quos habet, et lucrator itidem tenetur reponere et lusui addere ex suis tot quot periditor refundebat: et hi omnes sigillatum in Cellulas distribuendi sunt. Et deind lucrum, ut supra, est ubi definis in pari numero ex tua parte, i.e. in 2 vel 4: et, si poteris in pluribus cellulis simul numerarum parem constituere, (modo nulllus interponatur numerus impar,) omnes auferes quosque processeris movendo: si autem interponatur aliquis numerus impar, tum lucraberis eam tantum cellulam ubi definebas, non autem penultimam, quamvis erat aequalis. Si vero in processu lusus acciderit ut cellulae in altera Pyxidis extremitate fuerint omnino vacuae, non erit tibi commodum ut utaris illis; sed potius evitare et transilire debes. Est autem consultissimum ut (si sieri potest) extremae cellulae servantur plenae. Et, in processu lusus, si habes ex tua parte numeros habes Victoria tandem deciditur inter duas cellulas duabus aut tribus motionibus, per illum qui habet vicem movendi: et cum alter collusorum suos omnes amiserit, tum finitus est lusus. Et hoc facto, ille qui perdit, in erecta pyxide tanquam in trabe aut sedili sedere solet.
In hoc ludo expertus computista alios facile vincet, quia potest faciliori negotio computare quomod calculos in suum commodum optime disponat, et praesertium ut desinat in cellula quae oppositam habet aliam bene repletam, de qua re praecogitandum. In hoc ludo Bakura per circuitum ludendum est: sed tolles primo es tua parte; deinde hoc jure ab altera parte. Et quidem privilegium est incipere; quod si facis ab Angulo seu extremitate, prima vice lucraberis 16: et sic si a tertia aut quinta cellula: at a secunda, quarta, et sexta non item." Hyde 1694: 230-232.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.683
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Azigo
Location Bende
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 2x20 board.
Opening arrangement: Each player has this opening arrangement (number of counters in each hole, starting from the leftmost hole): 5-5-5-5-5-5-5-1-1-5-2-1-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.
Opening phase: Players remove the counters in their final four holes with counters and conceals them from the opponent.
Players take the counters from any of their holes and sow them in an anti-clockwise direction. When sowing, the first counter is dropped into the hole from which it just came, unless it is a single counter. If the last counter lands in the opponent's row and the opposite hole contains one or three, counters, these are taken and added to the concealed store. Also, if the hole from which a capture was made is preceded by an unbroken sequence of holes with one or three counters, these are also taken.
In place of a move, a player may add all of the counters from the concealed store, sowing from the leftmost hole in their row. If the sowing reaches the rightmost hole in this row, sowing may continue from the leftmost hole or may continue into the opponent's row. If the player continues into the opponent's row, subsequent holes after the one in which the final counter was dropped are captured if they contain one or three counters, in an unbroken sequence.
Content Reported by K.C. Murray, Surveyor of Antiquities of Nigeria
"7.5.47. Nigerio, Ibo tribe, Item, Bende Division (also at Abiribi, and Onafia, but not at Edda): Azigo (K.C. Murray). 2x20 holes. The initial arrangement only differs from 7.5.45 bu having one bean in I and one on L. X removes nine beans from i,j,k, and l, and Y nine beans from I,J, K, and L. Or the stronger player removes one bean fewer, leaving the bean on l or L. The rules only differ from 7.5.46 in two particulars: only one or three beans can be taken from any hole, and, when a player enters beans from his store, he must enter all of them, and if sowing reaches his right-hand end-hole before all are sown, he has the choice of either returning to his left-hand end-hole to sow the remaining beans in his hand, or to continue sowing along his opponent's row, in which case, if the hole next beyond that in which he sowed his last bean, or an unbroken sequence of holes contain one or three beans, he takes these. Any beans that he has so sown in his opponent's holes now belong to his opponent and he can lift them for sowing.
At Abiribi, only men play azigo." Murray 1951: 189.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.684
Type Ethnography
Game Pereaüni
Location Didinga
Date 1927-01-01 - 1927-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. (VARIANT: Longarim and Topotha tribes enlarge the board, up to four rows to sixteen maximum)
Two counters in each hole.
Opening play: Two players play simultaneously, lifting and sowing counters from their outer rows. Rules for sowing and capturing are the same as in the main phase of the game except that all holes in each player's outer rows are considered to be in opposition and back captures can be made from them. Once a counter has been sown into the inner row, this ceases and captures can only be made from the inner row. The opening ends when both players reach an empty hole, and the first player to do so begins play in the main phase.
Main phase: Play begins from any hole on the player's side of the board with counters in it. Singletons cannot move. Sowing happens in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last counter lands in an empty hole, the turn is over.
For capturing: four holes are in opposition when one player has the front row hole occupied and the opponent has both of the holes opposite it occupied. If the last hole in a sowing is in opposition, the player takes the counters in both of the opponent's holes and places them in the empty hole from which the player lifted the counters. The player then sows the captured counters from this hole. Further captures in the sowing can occur in the same way.
If the last counter lands on a hole that is occupied but not in opposition, these counters are picked up and sowing continues.
Play ends when one player captures all the opponent's counters or one player cannot play. The player who cannot play loses.
Content "Definitions.
1. The game is played by two principals, but any number may assist on each side. The one in play or about to start a move is called the PLAYER and the other his OPPONENT. They take alternate moves.
2. A MOVE consists in the complete operation, comprising one or more laps, by which the player manipulates the marbles till he comes to rest in an unoccupied hole. When he reaches an unoccupied hole the move is completed and it is his opponent's turn to make a move.3. A LAP may be of two kinds, simple or incremented. A SIMPLE LAP may constitute a move if it ends in an unoccupied hole, and in the Lango version an incremented lap may also constitute a move. But one move may include many simple and incremented laps.
By a SIMPLE LAP iS meant the act of lifting two or more marbles from a hole and dropping them one by one in the succeeding holes, according to the rules of the particular code. If the final marble rests in an unoccupied hole both the lap and the move are completed. If, however, the final marble rests in a hole containing one or more marbles, these are again lifted together with the marble dropped into the hole and the movement is continued as before, constituting a new lap of the same move. In this way there may be a succession of simple laps before the marble finally comes to rest in an unoccupied hole, when the move is completed.
By an INCREMENTED LAP is meant a lap which starts by capturing and confiscating marbles from the opponent's half of the board, in accordance with the rules of the particular code. Only in the Lango version can an incremented lap begin a move. A move may thus consist of a series of simple and incremented laps, and the order of their succession is conditioned by no limiting rules, but purely by the positions occupied by the marbles of the player and his opponent.
4. By INCREMENT is meant the seizure of such of the opponent's marbles as may be en prise according to the rules of the particular code. A player has no option in the matter but is obliged to take marbles which are lying en prise, and should he by an oversight fail to do so his opponent may insist on a replay of the move.
5. The OPENING consists of the preliminary moves, which are made by the two players simultaneously in order to obtain position. The player who first completes his opening has the first move in the game.
General Principles.
The game is played on a BOARD* containing 32 holes, arranged in four parallel rows of eight holes each. The two inner rows are known as FRONT ROWS, the two outer rows as BACK ROWS. Each hole contains two marbles.
The board is divided into two halves, each player having 16 holes for play and 32 marbles. On the chart the holes of player A are indicated by capital letters, those of player B by small letters.
The block of four left-hand holes of each player constitutes a TURNING BASE.
The object of the game is to deprive the opponent of all his marbles or of as many of them as will prevent his moving. In order to make a move at least two marbles must be together in the same hole.
Didinga Variation.
The marbles are moved counter-clockwise and are dropped one in each hole starting at the hole next to that from which they have been lifted. Thus 10 marbles at hole c, if moved, would be dropped singly in d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, 1, m. Should m be vacant the move then ends. Should m however be occupied by one or more marbles, these, together with the marble dropped in m, continue the movement, starting at n, and the move continues in this way till the last marble in the hand coincides with an empty hole.
If the last marble in the hand drops into a hole in the player's front row which is already occupied, and both the corresponding holes on the opponent's side of the board are also occupied, the marble is left in the hole and the marbles from the opponent's two holes are treated as increment and are captured. With these marbles the player plays an incremented lap, starting again to drop the marbles singly at the hole from which he began the move or, if there have been more than one lap, at the hole from which the last lap started. For example, the player starts at m with 4 marbles, and drops one each at n, o, p, a, but finding 2 marbles at a (which now number 3) he takes them up and drops them at b, c, d, d is occupied by one or more marbles, and at I there are three marbles and at L there are four marbles. These 7 marbles form an increment which the player picks up and with them begins again at b, which was the starting hole of the last lap of the move, and dropping one at each hole ends at h. If h is unoccupied the move now ends; but if it is occupied and E and P are also occupied, he takes up his new increment from E and P and staits again from b. If neither or only E or P is occupied, he continues the move with the marbles which he finds at h, as before.
The player may start his move from any hole which he thinks most advantageous, and it is not incumbent on him to make a move which will result in an increment. Though increments are necessary in order to attain the final object of the game, at certain stages and in certain dispositions a tactical advantage may often be gained by so playing as temporarily to avoid an increment.
The players make their moves alternately till one is rendered immobile, either through having lost all his marbles or through his remaining marbles being disposed singly.
At the beginning of the game the board is arranged with two marbles in each hole, and before the game proper commences the opening has to be played. The preliminary opening is conducted as speedily as possible by both players simultaneously, starting generally at aA or bB. The two marbles are lifted by each from the hole and they proceed as described above, taking the opponent's marbles whenever they are en prise, and each continuing until he ends in a vacant hole. Should the players start the opening further to the left than aA, say at pP, it is obvious that, as there are only two marbles in the hole, the first lap of the opening will end while the players are still in the back row. For the purpose of the opening only and not in the game proper an opponent's marbles are en prise at this stage of play even if the player concludes a lap in the back row. Thus a player starts at 1 and drops a marble at m, n: if his opponent has not moved his marbles from FO, he may take these
(which will of course number 4) and drop them at m, n, o, p: similarly he takes the marbles from HM (if they are still there) and again drops them at m, n, o, p. p must now contain 4 marbles, viz., the original 2 plus 1 from each increment, and taking these up he continues the move by dropping them at a, b, c, d and so on until the move is completed. The opponent's marbles are only en prise to the back row at the beginning of the opening: once the player has turned the corner and reached c increments can only be taken from the front row.
Usually players start their opening simultaneously from the same hole and generally from aA or bB; but this is not obligatory and an expert player will often start from another hole unobserved by his opponent in order to secure a different
" position " or arrangement of marbles which he can exploit by his superior technique to greater advantage. There is a great deal of finesse in the opening and an expert
by observing his opponent, who is playing simultaneously, and by increasing or retarding the speed of his own play may secure a disposition of marbles which will
give him a tactical advantage even if he has to concede his opponent the first move in the game." Driberg 1927: 170-172.
Confidence 100
Source Driberg, J. 1927a. "The Game of Choro or Pereauni. Man 27: 168-172.
Id DLP.Evidence.685
Type Ethnography
Game Kisolo
Location Luba
Date 1977-01-01 - 1977-12-31
Content "B5. Cisolo ou Kisolo.
B5.0.01. Il s'agit ici du jeu des tribus Luba, Lulua et Songye. Les même règles valent pour tous ces peuples. Le jeu s'appelle Cisolo aux Kasaïs, Kisolo au Shaba. Les noms dérivent de la racine "Solo" sont parmi les plus largement répandus de l'Afrique- il n'ya que les variantes de "wuri" et de "mankala" qui peuvent rivaliser avec eux- mais le jeu qui sera décrit ici, sous le nom de Cisolo est un des plus particuliers, n'ayant presqu'aucun trait commun avec les jeux des peuples avoisinants et seulement deux parallèles plus lointains, dont l'un (le jeu Lango de Coro en Ouganda, voir B5/3) constitue un des grands mystères de la distribution du Mankala.
B5/1.1 Le materiel du jeu.
Le tablier traditionnel repose le plus souvent sur un piédestal rond et comports 4 rangées de 7 cases. Les cases sont généralement rondes, bien que des cases carrées soient connues, surtoiut au Shaba. Il existe des tabliers, rares dans cette partie de l'Afrique, soutenus per des figures humain assises (voir MRAC, objet no. R.G. 59.8.3). Les dimensions du tablier varient en fonction des graines employées: dans le cas ou celles-ci sont les graines des arbres "pictantus makombo" (lingala: "ngola" or "canarium schweinfurtii" (ciluba: "menga") le tablier peut atteindre 70 cm de long et 35 de large, mais si l'on utilise les petites graines rondes d'arbres comme le kapokier il ne dépasse guère les 40cm x 20 cm. Dans ce dernier cas, les cases sont probablement un peu plus profondes que d'habitude pour empêcher les graines de sauter d'un trou à l'autre pendant la semaille.
B5/1.2 Règles.
1. Au deebut on place 3 graines dans chaque case de rangées extérieures, ceci pour contrôler le nombre total.
2. Le jeu peut partir de cette disposition régulière et simple ou les joueurs peuvent préférer une parmi plusieurs dispositions spéciales où le plus souvent figurent une ou plusieurs banques, p. ex.
3. On ramasse toutes les graines d'une case librement choisie, et les égrène une par une, dans le sens contraire `za celui des aiguilles d'une montre.
4. On peut choisir de joueur une graine uniquer.
5. Les étapes d'une manoeuvre à relais sont enchaînées d'une manière qui diffère do tous les autres jeux connus au Zaïre: quand la dernière graine d'une semaille est versée, l'on ramasse les graines so trouvant dans la case suivante et continue de jouer en les semant normalement.
6. Si cette case suivante est vide, le joueur "dort" et passe la main. Ceci fait qu'on peut dormir indifféremment dans une case occupée ou vide, pour autant qu'elle soit précédée d'une case vide.
7. Les prises sont également effectuées de manière particulière: on "mange" les graines se trouvant dans les deux cases, ou seulement dans la case de la rangée intérieure, opposées à une case occupée de sa propre range intérieure. Au cas où deux cases sont menacées toutes les deux doivent obligatoirement être vides. Les prises se font avant de jouer ses propres graines ou de procéder à une étape subséquente d'une manoeuvre à relais.
8. Dans le cas d'une étape subséquente, la prise se fait dans la case ou les cases face, non à celle où fut déposée la dernière graine de la semaille, mais à la suivante, c'est-à-dire celle d'où l'on ramasserait les graines pour l'étape subséquente. Il s'en suit qu'aucune prise m'est possible, là où une nouvelle étape ne peut pas être enchaînée.
9. Les graines ainsi capturées, sont introduits dans le camp du joueur, à partir de la case occupée de la rangée intérieure qui à justifié la prise.
10. Pour gagner, il suffit de vider la rangée intérieure de l'adversaire....
12. Ajoutons qu'une partie de Cisolo dure en général moins de temps qu'une partie des autres jeux où les captures sont introduites du côté du joueur. Il est ainsi de coutume de jouer une série de parties. Dans ce cas le score est tenu par le moyen d'une poignée de plumes: le gagnant de chaque partie en donne une au perdant, qui la remettra s'il gagne une victoire subséquente. ..." Townshend 1977: 45-47.
Confidence 100
Source Townshend, P. 1977a. Les jeux de mankala au Zaïre, au Rwanda et au Burundi. Les cahiers du CEDAF 3: 3–76.
Id DLP.Evidence.686
Type Ethnography
Game Whyo
Location 4°47'35.35"N, 8°13'51.55"E
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 2x6 board with two stores.
Four counters in each hole.
Players sow in an anti-clockwise direction from a hole in their row. Sowing ends when the last counter falls into a hole, making it contain four counters, which are taken. Sowing also ends when the last counter falls into an empty hole. Sowing continues in any other scenario by picking up the contents of the hole where the last counter was dropped and continuing to sow. The game ends when one player can no longer move. The remaining counters are taken by the last player that was able to move and put into the store.
A new round begins: The winner of the previous round now owns seven holes - the six in his row and the next hole in the opponent's row. Player takes fours from the extra hole.
Content Documented by K.C. Murray, Surveyor of Antiquities of Nigeria
"7.5.37. Nigeria, Oron clan, Ibibio tribe, Oron, Calabar Pr.: Whyo (K.C. Murray). The informant said that the name whyo came from Lagos and was taken from the English 'why Oh', a slang expression referring to smart or deceitful tricks. It seems more likely that the name is a perversion of the Yoruba ayo, 'mancala.'
2x6 holes neatly cut in the ground; four beans (usually palm seeds) in each hole; several laps to the move; one round; play anticlockwise. The game only differs from 7.5.36 in the following particulars: when the game comes to an end, each player adds any beans left in his holes to his store, and if another game is played, the winner of the first game now owns seven holes, six in his own row and one in the opponent's row, and takes fours from his extra hole." Murray 1951: 186.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.687
Type Ethnography
Game Obridje
Location Ijaw
Location 5°54'11.25"N, 0°59'12.65"E
Date 1946-01-01 - 1946-01-30
Rules 2x6 board with two stores.
Four counters in each hole.
Play may begin from any of the player's holes. Counters are sown anti-clockwise. If the last counter falls into an empty hole or a hole in either row, making that hole contain four counters, play ends, and the four counters are taken. Also, if at any time during the sowing a hole contains four counters, the player on whose row this occurs takes those counters. Otherwise, the player lifts the counters in the hole in which the final counter lands and continues sowing.
Play ends when one player can no longer move. The player with the most counters wins.
Content Recorded by K.C. Murray, Surveyor of Antiquities of Nigeria
"7.5.36. Gold Coast, Kets: Adi; Nigeria, Ijaw Tribe: Obridje (K.C. Murray). 2x6 holes and two stores, one at each end of the board; four beans in each hole; several laps to the move; one round; play anticlockwise.
A move may begin from any of the player's holes, and ends when, in playing a lap, the last bean falls in an empty hole or in a hole on either row, making its contents four beans, which are tken. Also, if at any time in the course of sowing, a hole contains four beans, the player on whose row this happens takes the four beans. The game ends when one player can no longer move, and the player wins who has taken the larger number of beans.
The following game, played between two Ijaw women in January 1946, was recorded by K.C. Murray: ..." Murray 1951: 185-186.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.688
Type Ethnography
Game Ceelkoqyuqkoqiji
Location 26°57'15.13"N, 100°13'3.04"E
Date 1992-05-01 - 1993-05-31
Rules 2x5 board with one store on either end. The store to the right of the player belongs to the player.
Play begins with five counters in each regular hole, with one larger stone in each store, but one is slightly smaller than the other.
Game can be played with two or four players. With four players, two players control the larger stones, but cannot move the regular counters.
Players throw out a finger (index, little, or thumb) to determine who plays first. index beats thumb, thumb beats little finger, little finger beats index. This happens at the start of each round.
Counters are taken from any of the holes in the player's row, sowing them in either direction, including the stores. When the last counter of a sowing is dropped in a hole, sowing continues by picking up the counters in the next hole and continuing to sow in that direction. If the hole following the last seed of a sowing is empty, the counters in the hole following this empty hole are captured. If there is an empty hole following the captured hole, and then an occupied hole immediately after it, the counters in the occupied hole are also captured, and so forth until there are two occupied or two empty holes in a row.
Moves may not begin from stores. Both stores are sown into normally by both players. Stores are considered to be empty, except when its large stone remains in it, then the large stone only can be sown or captured and not any other counters that may have accumulated there. Large stones can be sown in any order a player chooses during a sowing.
If a player has no counters in their holes, they may opt to place one counter in each of their holes, taking counters from their store and continue play (called huelshe). If they opt not to, the opponent takes all the remaining stones on the board. If one of the large stones remains in its original store, the player cannot opt out. If the player doesn't have enough stones for all of the holes, they may choose which holes in their row to place the counters, but they must form a continuous sequence of holes with counters.
When the round ends, players must buy back their large stones if they no longer have them, at a price determined in the beginning of the game (usually seven for the larger stone and six for the smaller). (VARIANT: they can both be worth five)
Players then attempt to refill their holes with the original number of counters. The player that has fewer than the original number of counters must borrow counters from the opponent. Debt accumulates over subsequent rounds. When the debt reaches five, the player must sell one of their holes to the opponent. The selling player can choose which holes to sell. The seller then receives five holes to either repay debt or fill holes as long as debt does not exceed four.
Sold holes are always meant to be empty. Anything sown into it is immediately taken by its owner and put in the store and it cannot be sown into during huelshe by either player.
A player can buy back one of these previously sold holes, but must borrow counters from the opponent in order to fill it.
(VARIANT: Two rows of seven with seven counters in each hole; large stones cost seven counters between rounds).
Content "A. Walking goats and buying holes: The Naxi game ceelkoqyuqkoqiji as played in Lijiang Prefecture, Lijiang County, Baisha Township, Longquan village
Principal informants: He Hao, 64, male; Li Qiulan, 63, female, and Wang Qiaoxin, 43, male, all of Naxi nationality. Interviews conducted in May 1992 and May 1993 (ages as of 1992).
Configuration: Normally the board is 2x5, with two larger storeholes, one at each end. Each of the 10 regular holes contains 5 stones at the outset. Each store contains one large stone. The two large stones are slightly different in size. The marger is the mu, female, ie the nanny-goat, the smaller is the gong, male, ie the billy-goat. (These terms are Chinese).
Players and their sectors: The game is played either by two or four players. In the two-player game, each player's sector consists of the five holes on one side of the board. THe store to his right belongs to him, but is outside the sector, as no player can play from a store. In the four-player game, there are two inactive players, each owning a store, and two active players, each with the five holes on one side of the board. Only the active players sow.
Terminology: The kolomei is a large hole, or storehole, one at each end. The kolosso is a small home, or regular hole. five on each side. The lubasso is a small stone ('mei,' meaning 'female,' here has a sense of 'large,' which 'sso', meaning 'male,' here means 'small.')
Preliminaries: To decide who goes first, the two active players simultaneaously throw out either thumb, index finger, or little finger of their right hands. Then the result is determined by the following cycle: index finger (snake) beats thumb (frog), which beats little finger (centipede), which in turn beats index finger. This procedure is followed at the start of each round.
PLay: Play is in either direction throughout the game. Captures and relays are of the standard pussa kanawa type: relay from the postultimate hole of a sowing; if this and the next hole are both empty, the move ends with no capture. If the postultimate hole is empty and the following hole is not, then capture from an alternating sequence of empty and non-empty holes beginning with the postultimate hole. Captures are removed from the board, and are set aside, to be reckoned at the end of the round. Following capture, a move ends.
The large stones are played, relayed and captured just like the small stones. In sowing the contents of a hole containing both large and small stones, the stones may be sown in any order.
Stores: A move may not begin from a store. Both stores are sown into normally by both players. The large stone which is originally in a store is captured and relayed normally by both players. But small stones are not captured or relayed from a store, nor is a large stone which has left its original store. Stores are sinks, in that whatever is sown in them never comes out, bu in effect has been captured by the owner of the store. Hence, except when a store contains a large stone which never left it, it is always 'empty.' That is, if the ultimate hole of a sowing is just before a store, then the stones in the hole following the store are captured. More generally, it counts as 'empty' in constituting an alternating sequence of empty and non-empty holes for a capture. Stones which have fallen into a store may be removed freely by the owner and added to his stock of captured stones.
Huelshe: Whenever a player whose turn it is to move has no stones in any of the holes in his sector, he may 'huelshe' (Chinese "tianzi"), by placing a single stone in each hole in his sector, and then playing normally. If he declines to do this, the round ends, and his opponent confiscates all the stones on his side of the board. If there is still a large stone in its original store, then huelshe is obligatory, as otherwise the large stone would belong to neither player. If a player who wants to huelshe has fewer stones than holes, he may place his stones in as many holes as he can. The choice of holes is his, but there may be no gaps, that is the holes he places singletons in must be consecutive. The round ends by mutual agreement, each player taking the few stones left in his sector.
Rounds: At the end of a round the players attempt to refill their holes as they were initially. The large stones, if they do not now belong to their original owners, must be bought back. Their value is by agreement, but most commonly is this: the mu is worth seven, and the gong is worth six. But it is also acceptable to value them both at five. (It is also acceptable, according to one informant, to play the game with seven holes in a row, seven stones per hole, and the large stones valued at seven).
A player who, at the end of a round, has less than his original complement, must borrow from another player. The debt is remembered, and accumulates from round to round. A player who has a surplus may not refuse to lend. If a player's debt to another reaches five, he is obliged to sell a hole. The seller chooses which of his holes to sell. In return for the hole, the seller receives five stones, which he may use to repay debt and to fill holes, so long as the debt to any player does not exceed four.
Sold holes: A hole which has been sold functions as a sink for the benefit of its new owner. It is always empty (that is, counts as an empty hole with respect to pussa kanawa captures for either player), and anything sown into it is immediately taken by the owner. At the start of a round it is empty, and on huelshe nothing is placed in it by either player. A player is free to relay or play a large stone into a hole he has bought,, thereby capturing it.
If a player who has sold a hole originally in his sector accumulates the five surplus stones needed to buy it back, he may do so, and his opponent may not refuse the transaction. But he must still have or borrow the stones needed to fill it.
Suppose, for example, in a two-player game, that at the end of a round, after debts have been cleared, one of the players has four of the original five holes remaining in his sector, his original large stone, and 26 small stones. He then places the large stone in its store, fills each of his four holes with five stones, buys back the fifth hole for five stones, places his single remaining stone in it, and borrows the four stones necessary to fill it from his opponent. The next round then starts." Eagle 1995: 53-5.
Confidence 100
Source Eagle, V. 1995. "Some Newly Described Mancala Games from Yunnan Province, China, and the Definition of a Genus in the Family of Mancala Games." In A. de Voogt, ed, New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: International Institute for Asian Studies, 48-63.
Id DLP.Evidence.690
Type Ethnography
Game Walak-Pussa
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 2x7 board with two stores.
Four counters in each hole.
Sowing occurs in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction; the first player chooses the direction and all subsequent moves are made in that direction. Players sow beginning from holes in their row.
If the last counter falls into a hole with counters, the counters in the next hole are picked up and sowing continues, and if this hole is empty, the counters in the hole following the empty hole are captured. If there is an unbroken sequence of alternating empty and occupied holes, the counters in the occupied holes are captured until there are two empty or two occupied holes. If the final counter falls into an empty hole the turn ends.
The round ends when one player's holes are empty.
Second round begins with the winner of the first round placing four counters in each of their holes, leaving any surplus in the store. The loser, starting from one end of the row, places four counters into as many holes as possible, leaving any extra in the store. The holes which cannot be filled are excluded from play for the round. A twig or piece of straw are often placed over it to indicate this. The losing player begins the round, moving in the direction of the excluded holes, and played in the same way as the first round.
Rounds three and above: The winner of round two places four counters in as many of their holes as possible, and the remaining counters in the next hole. If it contains one, it is called puta, if two, naga, if three, wala. Holes with no counters are excluded from play for this round. If the loser has a puta hole, the opponent removes one counter from their hole opposite; if a naga, the opponent removes two from the opposite hole, if a wala, the opponent removes three. The removed counters go into their store. puta and naga holes are marked with a piece of paper or straw in them. Empty holes are excluded as before. The player with excluded holes begins play in the direction of the excluded hole. Counters cannot be captured or sowed from puta or naga holes. Play continues as before. When the final counter of a sowing ends in the hole preceding a puta or naga hole, these are treated as though they are non-existent and capturing holes hold for the next following hole.
When one player has fewer than twelve counters, they may arrange them differently at the beginning of a round. They may put one or two counters in one end hole and not more than four in the other end hole, and one or two counters in the intermediate holes, leaving some empty and, thus, excluded. The opponent then puts four counters in each of their holes. There are no puta, naga, or wala holes in this round. The player with more counters plays as before, but the one with less has captures that are determined by the number of counters placed in the first end hole. If there were two in the end hole, the player captures when dropping the final counter into a hole to make it three; or when it makes two if there was one counter in the first end hole. Otherwise, the player does not sow in holes with one or two counters.
Throughout the game, singletons cannot be moved is a player has a hole with multiple counters, and a singleton in the front hole cannot be moved if there are other singletons in the player's row.
Play continues until one player has no counters.
Content "Walak-pussa, 'A Hole Empty.'
This game is begun like the last (puhulmuti), but when the last seed of the set which is being sown has been placed in a hole he does not remove and re-sow the seeds out of that hole, but always takes those in the next one for the purpose. If this next hole be empty, the seeds in the following one, that is, the second one after that in which he placed his last seed, are captured or 'eaten,' the verb which expresses it being pussa kanawa, 'eating because of the empty (hole).' If the following or third hole be empty, the seeds in the one after it are also captured, and so on as long as there is a sequence of alternate empty and full holes. This is termed wael mutu ekilenawa, picking out the pearls of the necklaces.' He then stops playing and the opponent begins.
At the commencement of the next or succeeding rounds the same arrangements as in Puhulmutu are necessary in case there be a puta, naga, wala, or 'blind' holes. in this and all the games, the player with the fewest seeds always begins the play after the first round, and it must go in the direction of the empty or deficient holes.
When the last seed of the set which is being sown falls into an empty hole immediately preceding one containing a puta or naga (which is considered to be pussa, 'empty,' and the seeds in which cannot be captured these are passed over as though non-existent, and the seeds in the next hole to them are 'eaten.' Like the last, this game is almost interminable, and there is no 'Cutting Ash-pumpkins' to curtail it." Parker 1909: 597-598.
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.691
Type Ethnography
Game Kotu Baendum
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Content "Kotu-baendum, 'Tying up the Enclosures.'
This game is begun and played like Puhulmutu, excepting that it must be commenced from either of the two end hole in each player's row. During the rest of the game the players may begin each turn at any hole on their own side of the board. For re-sowing, the seeds are taken as in Puhulmutu out of the hole in which the last seed was placed; but if this previously held three seeds the four now in it are 'eaten,' and the next player then begins.
When the last seed falls into an end hole in which there were three seeds, thus making four, that hole is said to be 'tied' (baenda); it becomes like a puta or naga hole, and the seeds in it cannot be captured, although others continue to be sown in it by both players, as usual. Such holes belong to the person who puts the fourth seed in them, whether they be on his own or his opponent's side of the board; and they receive a distinctive mark like the naga or puta. All four end holes may thus become 'tied.' When the last seed is sown in a 'tied' hole the player stops or 'sits down,' and the opponent begins, since the seeds in it cannot be taken out and played. The game is also a very long one, like the others." Parker 1909: 598-599.
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.692
Type Ethnography
Game Daramuti
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 2x7 board with two stores.
Four counters in each hole.
Sowing occurs in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction; the first player chooses the direction and all subsequent moves are made in that direction. Players sow beginning from holes their row.
In the course of sowing, a player cannot sow into a hole containing three counters; if one is encountered, it is skipped and the counter is sowed into the next hole without three. If the final counter falls into a hole containing three counters, the contents of the hole are captured and the contents of the next hole are picked up and sowing continues. Otherwise, if the last counter falls into a hole with counters, these are picked up and sowing continues, or if it falls into an empty hole the turn ends.
The round ends when one player's holes are empty.
Second round begins with the winner of the first round placing four counters in each of their holes, leaving any surplus in the store. The loser, starting from one end of the row, places four counters into as many holes as possible, leaving any extra in the store. The holes which cannot be filled are excluded from play for the round. A twig or piece of straw are often placed over it to indicate this. The losing player begins the round, moving in the direction of the excluded holes, and played in the same way as the first round.
Rounds three and above: The winner of round two places four counters in as many of their holes as possible, and the remaining counters in the next hole. If it contains one, it is called puta, if two, naga, if three, wala. Holes with no counters are excluded from play for this round. If the loser has a puta hole, the opponent removes one counter from their hole opposite; if a naga, the opponent removes two from the opposite hole, if a wala, the opponent removes three. The removed counters go into their store. puta and naga holes are marked with a piece of paper or straw in them. Empty holes are excluded as before. The player with excluded holes begins play in the direction of the excluded hole. Counters cannot be captured or sowed from puta or naga holes. Play continues as before.
When one player has fewer than twelve counters, they may arrange them differently at the beginning of a round. They may put one or two counters in one end hole and not more than four in the other end hole, and one or two counters in the intermediate holes, leaving some empty and, thus, excluded. The opponent then puts four counters in each of their holes. There are no puta, naga, or wala holes in this round. The player with more counters plays as before, but the one with less has captures that are determined by the number of counters placed in the first end hole. If there were two in the end hole, the player captures when dropping the final counter into a hole to make it three; or when it makes two if there was one counter in the first end hole. Otherwise, the player does not sow in holes with one or two counters.
Throughout the game, singletons cannot be moved is a player has a hole with multiple counters, and a singleton in the front hole cannot be moved if there are other singletons in the player's row.
Play continues until one player has no counters.
Content "Daramutu, or Ellaewala-kanda.
Play begins at any hole of the player's row. When the last seed of the set which is being sown falls in an empty hole the seeds in the opposite hole on the other side of the board are 'eaten.' The player then stops, and the opponent begins. If the last seed fall in a hole containing a puta or naga it is treated as an empty one, and those in the opposite hole are eaten. In other respects the game resembles Puhulmutu.
The village women play all these games with astonishing rapidity. Without counting the seeds they are about to 'sow' they seem to know instinctively, perhaps as the result of long practice, at which hole it is best to begin in order to effect captures. An inexperienced person has no chance of beating them." Parker 1909: 599.
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.693
Type Ethnography
Game Sonka
Location Iloko
Date 1927-01-01 - 1927-12-31
Rules 2x5 board with one store on either side.
Six counters in each hole.
Players play each turn simultaneously.
Players sow from the holes in their row in an anti-clockwise direction, including their own store but not the opponent's store. When the final counter is sown, the contents of the next hole are picked up and sowing continues. If this hole is empty, the move ends and the player must wait for the other player to finish the move before they begin again. If the move ends in the player's own row, the player captures the counters in the opponent's row opposite to the one in which the last counter was dropped.
Play continues until all of the counters are in the stores. The counters are then redistributed into the holes as at the beginning of the game. The player with extra counters places them in the store. Any holes that are not filled are left out of the game for the round.
Content "(Ag)s(inn)onka.
A girls' game. Two playes (A and B) use a piece of wood in which there are a certain number of holes, generally twelve. Instead of using a piece of wood, they may also dig a certain number of holes in the ground.
To each player belongs an equal number of holes (generally six), and in each hole (except the homes) are an equal number of pebbles. Then both players, at the same time, start taking the pebbles out of one of their own holes (any one of them), and distributing them one into each hole, moving toward the right. E.g:.: A begins with N o. 2, she drops a pebble into No. 3, one into No. 4, one into No. 5, one home, one into No. 1 of B, and so on, until they are all gone. Then they start with the pebbles of the hole next to that into which they dropped their last pebble, even though it be in their opponent's quarters. When arriving at their opponent's home, they skip it, not dropping any pebbles.
If one of the players drops her last pebble into a hole followed by an empty one, she is "dead," and must wait until the other player also is "dead". If she dies in her own quarters, however, she is alowed (sic) to take all the pebbles from that of her opponent's holes which faces the hole into which she dropped her last pebble, and to drop them into her own home. When her opponent also dies, then both start again from any of their own holes.
When all the pebbles are home, the players redistribute them into their own holes, placing the same number as before into each hole. If one of the players has more pebbles than she needs, she leaves the remainder at home. If one of the players has not enough pebbles to fill all her holes, the empty ones are called "burned." All burned holes have to be skipped by both players; if, by mistake, one of them drops a pebble into a burned hole, her opponent simply takes it out and drops it into her home.
The player who has the largest number of pebbles at home, at the end of the game, is the winner." Vanoverbergh 1927: 236-237.
Confidence 100
Source Vanoverbergh, M. 1927. "Iloko Games." Anthropos 22(1/2): 216-243.
Id DLP.Evidence.694
Type Ethnography
Game Um el-Bagara
Location Sudan
Date 1925-01-01 - 1925-12-31
Rules 2x5 board. Play begins with five counters in each hole Players sow from any one of their holes. Sowing can occur in the following directions: From the leftmost two holes: clockwise. From the rightmost two holes: anti-clockwise. from the center hole: the player may choose either direction. If the final counter falls into a hole in the opponent's row containing either one or three counters, making it now contain two or four, these are taken. If the holes before them also contain two or four, in an unbroken sequence, they may all be captured. Single counters cannot be sown. When neither player can move, the single counters in each player's rows are taken by the player belonging to those rows. The player with the most counters wins.
Content "I. Mangala or Um El Bagara, or The Cow Game (northern Tribes)
The two players, A and B, have each five "houses", usually hollows in the sand, each of which initially contains five counters (Fig. 4). The player to begin picks up the five counters of any one of his own houses, and moving in the direction indicated by the arrows, drops the counters one by one into successive houses. Thus, if B should begin to play and should decide to start with the house marked X, the result of his first move would be as shown in Fig. 5. It will be observed that if the contents of the middle one of the five houses be taken up, they can be distributed in either direction, at the player's choice, while counters from a house to the right of the middle one move to the right, and vice versa.
It is now A's turn to move, and, though the players are still only manoeuvring for position, it is time to indicate their ultimate object. This is, that the last counter dropped shall fall into a house of the opponent's, containing already one counter or three counters. In either case the player removes from the board both the afore-mentioned last counter and the one counter or three counters on to which it falls. Moreover, if he scores with his last counter he is allowed to score with the penultimate counter also, if it falls on one or three; and if with the penultimate, then with the last but two also, if it falls on one or three, and so on. Thus at a late stage of the game, illustrated in Fig. 6, if the player A moves with the contents of the house marked Y, he will "eat" all the contents of B's houses. At house Z he is said to have eaten a cow, and in each of the other houses, a calf.
A very important rule is that a single counter in a house cannot be moved. Thus the only way to protect a calf from being eaten is to make a move which leaves a second counter in the house with it. Anyone who cares to try it will find that a successful "end-game" depends solely on judicious appreciation of this rule. When all movement is over, each player removes such single counters as remain in his houses and the winner is the one who has taken most counters." Davies 1925: 140-141.
Confidence 100
Source Davies, R. 1925. 'Some Arab Games and Puzzles.' Sudan Notes and Records. 8: 137–152.
Id DLP.Evidence.695
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Okwe (Achalla)
Location 6°20'12.29"N, 6°59'16.90"E
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules Two rows of five holes arranged in a circle around four stores in the center. Each player has five holes on one half of the circle
Ten counters in each hole.
Players sow from their holes, and can choose to sow any number of counters, but must leave at least one in the starting hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. If sowing ends in a hole making its contents an odd number of counters, they are captured, but not more than nine. If the sowing ends and the last counter makes the contents of a hole an even number and the next hole has an odd number of counters, the contents of the odd hole are taken, but not more than nine. In both situations, if there is an unbroken sequence of holes with an odd number of counters, these are all taken, but not more than nine from each.
Content Recorded by K.C. Murray, Surveyor of Antiquities of Nigeria.
"7.5.55. Nigeria, Ibo tribe, Achalla (near Akwa), Onitsha Pr.: Okwe (K.C. Murray). 2x5 holes arranged in a circle and four stores within the circle. Boards are marked on the ground under the verandas of houses. Ten beans in each hole; one lap to the move; one round; play anticlockwise. Two, three, or four persons can play.
A move may begin from any of the player's holes, but not more than nine beans can be lifted from any hole, and one bean at least must be left in the hole. If the move ends in a hole, making its contents an odd number of beans, these are taken, but not more than nine beans. If a move ends in a hole, making its contents even and the next hole has an odd number of beans, the contents of the odd hole are taken but not more than nine beans. If in either case the hole from which the beans are taken is followed by an unbroken sequence of holes with an odd number of beans, these are taken." Murray 1951: 191-192.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.696
Type Ethnography
Game Ako Okwe
Location 5°23'12.66"N, 7°54'15.47"E; 6°17'46.07"N, 9°17'42.53"E
Ruleset Murray
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 2x5 board with two stores.
Ten counters in each hole
Play begins from any of a player's holes, and sowing proceeds in either direction, at the player's choice. The first counter is sown in the hole from which the counters were taken. When the last counter of a sowing falls into a hole, making the contents of that hole odd (but not more than nine), the counters are captured. The first capture be of one counter.
Content Recorded by K.C. Murray, Surveyor of Antiquities of Nigeria
"7.5.56. Nigeria...Owerri Pr.: Ako okwe or Ezu ahia ako okwe, 'buying market'; Aro, Calabar Pr.: Okwe; Okwa, Calabar Pr.: Akwa nsa (K.C. Murray). 2x5 holes and two stores. Ten beans in each hole; one lap to the move; one round; moves may be made in both directions.
A move may begin from any of the player's holes, but one bean must be left in the hole from which the beans are lifted. Captures are made from the hole in which the move ends; if its contents are now odd and not greater than nine, they are taken, but the first capture must be of a single bean." Murray 1951: 192.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.698
Type Ethnography
Game Kara
Location Bagara
Date 1925-01-01 - 1925-12-31
Rules Can be played by any number of players; each player has three holes and one store. The stores are located in the center, with the players' holes surrounding them.
Seven counters in each hole.
Players begin by picking up the counters in one of their holes and sowing them anti-clockwise. If the final counter lands in an opponent's hole or the rightmost hole belonging to the player sowing, having dropped counters in the opponent's holes making them contain two, four, or six counters, the contents of those holes are captured.
The player who has the most counters at the end of the game wins.
Content "3. Kâra
This is a Bagara game of something the same kind as the last two described.
Any number of players take part and each has three houses and a store for what he "eats" (a makkâla, plural makâkîl). Each house contains initially seven counters, generally small balls of dried clay, called collectively tûb (bricks).
Fig. 7 shows the board set for four players, MM being the Makâkîl. A player moves by picking up the contents of any one of his houses and distributing the counters one at a time, round the board in an anti-clockwise direction. If his move comes to an end in an opponent's house or in the right-hand one of his own houses and also leaves two or four or six counters in any of the opponent's houses then the player "eats" any such householed of two, four, or six and the move passes to the next player. The winner is the person whose makkâla contains the most counters at the end of the game.
If there are several players, any given house is apt to become very full of counters, with the result that it is difficult to foresee the effect of moving its contents. This explains an otherwise obscure allusion to the celebrated Sheikh Musa Mâdibbo, late Nazir of the Rizeigat tribe, as "bahr Kâra gharig"—"a deep sea of Kâra". The Nzir's reputation was that he would sit in council with his sheikhs and elders, and would listen to all their opinions, but would not disclose his own, so that the result of the "meglis" was as unpredictable as that f moving the contents of a very full hour of Kâra." Davies 1925: 142
.
Confidence 100
Source Davies, R. 1925. 'Some Arab Games and Puzzles.' Sudan Notes and Records. 8: 137–152.
Id DLP.Evidence.699
Type Ethnography
Game Leyla Gobale (Somaliland)
Location Somaliland
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules 2x6, 8, or 12 board.
Four counters in each hole.
Play begins from a player's righthand hole and counters are sown clockwise. After this, a player may begin sowing from any hole in their row. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole, the counters in that hole are picked up and sowing continues. If the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends; if this hole is in the player's own row, the contents of the opponent's hole are captured if they contain one, two, four, or more counters. If it contains three counters, one of the opponent's counters is taken and placed into the hole where sowing ended, so that each now has two counters. These holes cannot be sown from for the rest of the game and are owned by the player whose turn created them.
Play ends when one player can no longer play. The opponent then takes all of the counters in their own row, and each player takes the counters that have accumulated in their captured holes. The player with the most counters wins.
Content "5. leyla-gòbale.
Related to the Arabian manqala, and to similar games found over thee greater part of Africa and India.
Two parallel rows of 6, 8, or 12 holes are dug in the ground, and four balls of dry camel dung are dropped in each hole.
Each of the two players takes possession of one row. The first one to play takes the contents of the hole at the right end of his own row (A) then distributes one ball in each of the followin pits: B, C, D, E; then he picks up the contents of the hole in which he has dropped his last ball (E), and distributes them in F,G, H, IJ; he distributes the contents of J in K, L, A< B, C; those of C in D, E, F, G, H, I, those of I in J, K, L, A, B, C. As his last ball drops in an empty hole (in C), together with the one which lies opposite (in J), and hiss opponent starts playing.
Both players are henceforth free to start their turn at whichever hole they like, providing it belongs to their own row. When a player ends his turn in one of his opponent's holes he takes nother (abar, "famine"). When he ends it in one of his own holes, he looks at the opponent's hole which lies directly opposite; if the latter is empty he gets nothing (abar); if it contains 1, 2, 4, or more balls, he takes these, together with the one he has dropped last; but if it contains 3 balls, one of these is removed into the hole where his last ball dropped, so that each contains two balls; these two holes are now his 'ur, and any ball that drops into either of them cannot be touched until the end of the game, when they are taken by the owner of the 'ur.
When a player is unable to play, owing to the fact that all his holes are empty-with the possible exception of some 'ur which cannot be touched-his opponent can take all that remains in his own row, always excepting the contents of any 'ur which may belong to the first.
The object of the game is to secure the larger number of balls." Marin 1931: 506-507.
Confidence 100
Source Marin, G. 1931. Somali Games. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 61: 499-511.
Id DLP.Evidence.700
Type Ethnography
Game Leyla Gobale (Gabradarre)
Location 6°44'29.95"N, 44°15'43.61"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board.
Five counters in each hole.
Play begins from any hole in a player's row and sown anti-clockwise. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole, the counters in that hole are picked up and sowing continues. If the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends; if this hole is in the player's own row, the contents of the opponent's hole are captured if they contain one, two, four, or more counters. If it contains three counters, one of the opponent's counters is taken and placed into the hole where sowing ended, so that each now has two counters. These holes cannot be sown from for the rest of the game and are owned by the player whose turn created them.
Players cannot change their move mid-turn and counting of counters is forbidden.
Play ends when one player can no longer play. The opponent then takes all of the counters in their own row, and each player takes the counters that have accumulated in their captured holes.
A new game begins. The player with the fewest counters arranges them in their holes, distributing them as equally as possible. The opponent then mirrors this arrangement in their holes, placing aside any extras for use in subsequent games. If the player is reduced to four counters or less, these are arranged one to a hole and any empty holes are not used for the game (by either player).
The player who captures all the counters wins.
Content "Leyla Gobale II
This game (Game 36) varies somewhat from the above, and was played by Abdul Kadir Haji Abdulahi, a Radio Ethiopia entertainer from the Gabradarre area of Ogaden.
The game has the basic characteristics described in Game 37, but also has several distinguishing points, as follows:
1. The game is said to be usually played on two rows each of six holes rather than on the larger number of holes mentioned by Marin.
2. The game is anti-clockwise not clockwise.
3. The first player can begin his move anywhere on his row, though more usually on the extreme left, rather than on the extreme right as stated by Marin.
4. There are initially five balls per hole, not four as in Marin's account.
Abdul Kadir, whose play gives us more understanding of the game than is afforded by Marin, declares that a player having once began a move was not allowed to change it as a result of a change of mind, and that the counting of balls, other than at a glance was forbidden. He also tells us about the redeployment procedure adopted after the termination of one round and before the beginning of the next. He states that the player with least counters would rearrange these in his holes as he wished in order to have approximately the same number of balls in each of his holes. His opponent would then place his counters in an identical fashion so that the contents in each opposite pair of holes would be identical. the more successful player's surplus would be put aside for use in a subsequent round if need be. Should a player be reduced to four balls or less he would arrange them one to a hole, the unoccupied hole or holes being then closed down, the player's opponent doing the same with his opposite holes." Pankhurst 1971: 181.
Confidence 100
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.701
Type Ethnography
Game Bosh
Location Darod Somaliland
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Four counters in each hole
Players move by picking up all of the counters in any of the holes in their row and sowing them anti-clockwise. If the next hole after the one in which the final counter is dropped contains counters, these are picked up and sowing continues. If the next hole after the one in which the last counter was sown is empty, the counters in the hole after this one are taken and the turn is over. If that hole is empty, none are taken.
When all of the holes in one row are empty, the player whose row still contains counters captures these counters.
A new game begins. Each player fills as many of the holes in their row with four counters. The player which cannot fill all of their holes with four counters removes from play all of the holes that cannot be filled, and sets aside the extra counters.
The game ends when one player must close all of the holes in their row, thus being unable to play.
Content "6. bòsh (Daròd).
This game belongs to the same class as the preceding one. (Some of the details below need confirmation.)
Ten holes arranged in two rows are dug in the ground. At the outset of the game, each of the two players is provided with 20 stones, and places four of them in each of the five holes, which are on his side. The first player lifts up the four stones from any one of his own holes, e.g., E, and distributes them, one in each of the following pits, F. G> H. I, then he takes the contents of the hole which follows next, J, and distributes them likewise in A,B,C,D. The following hole, E being empty after he finishes his turn, and takes as his winnings the contents of the next pit, F. Then the other player starts, by picking up the contents of one of the holes on his own side, and proceeds in a similar way. When the pit where a player has dropped his last stone is followed by two empty stones, he naturally gets nothing (bosh).
As in leyla gobale, when a person, whose turn it is to play, finds that all the pits on his side are empty, he foreits all the remaining stones to his opponent.
As soon as all the holes are cleared, each player must replenish from his winnings the pits on his own side. The one who is unable to pay the full amount of four stones into each of his five pits, must close down with sand or earth those holes which he cannot keep going; they are considered as non-existent for the time being, but can be re-opened later, should the owner increase his wealth.
The aim of the game is to reduce one's opponent's provision to less than four stones, in which case he is unable to continue the game, all his pits having to be closed." Pankhurst 1971: 181.
Confidence 75
Source Marin, G. 1931. Somali Games. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 61: 499-511.
Id DLP.Evidence.703
Type Ethnography
Game Um el Banât
Location Kababish
Date 1925-01-01 - 1925-12-31
Rules 2x6 board.
Four counters in each hole.
Players sow from any of the holes in their row in an anti-clockwise direction.
When the final counter of a sowing falls into an occupied hole (except in the scenario below), these are picked up and sowing continues. If the final counter falls into either an empty hole or one of the opponent's holes with three counters, making that hole now have four counters, the sowing ends.
When the final counter falls into a hole in the opponent's row containing four counters after sowing concludes, this hole is marked.
If a player sows their final counter into their opponent's marked hole. the final counter and one of the counters in the hole are captured. The player then gets another turn. If the final counter falls into a player's own marked hole, the turn ends.
The contents of marked holes cannot be sown.
The game ends when only marked holes contain counters. These are then captured by the players who marked them.
A new game begins. The player with the most counters places four in each hole beginning from the left hole in their row. Each hole that contains four counters is owned by that player for the new round. If the player has three counters remaining after filling as many holes with four as possible, they borrow one counter from the opponent to make four and own the corresponding hole. If there are two or one remaining, the opponent borrows these to fill and own the last hole.
Play continues until one player owns no more holes.
Content "4. Um El Banât, or The Game of Daughters
"This game is for two players, each of whom has six houses containing initially four counters each (Fig. 8). It introduces a new principle in counter-distribution, in that a player, picking up the contents of one of his own houses and dropping them one by one in an anti-clockwise direction, does not end his move with the fall of the last counter unless (a) it falls into a house previously empty, or (b) it falls on to three others in one of his opponent's houses. In other cases he picks it up, together with any together with any other counters contained in the house into which it just fell, and goes on distributing these counters, often moving several times round the board, until he is brought to a standstill by one of the happenings (a) or (b). In case (b) the player is said to have "begotten a daughter" in his opponent's house and the house has a mark put against it to indicate the fact. The "birth" to one player or the other, of one or more "daughters," introduces a new factor into the game, and that the determining factor. For if, now, A can so move that the last counter dropped falls into the house of B's daughter, he removes it and one other from that house and from the board and plays again. In doing so he is said to "peck" her. Also, if either player drops the last counter from his hand into the house of one of his own daughters, he is said to have "given her a drink" or to have "nourished" her and his move stops.
Daughters, it will be observed, are a source for profit and a loss to their father, but all are not equally so. Fig. 9. shows a stage of the game at which B has two daughters in houses D1 and D2. If A is to move, he can begin with the two counters in house X, drop one into W and the other into D1, from which he then removes two from the board. Moving again, he can pick up the one counter just dropped into W, drop it into D1 and again remove two. Playing again from Y, he again removes two, after which he can again score by playing from W.
D2, on the other hand, is much more immune from "pecking." It is true that by moving from Z, A can "peck" at her once, but he cannot repeat the process, while, also, practically every move which B makes adds to the counters in D2.
The contents of a daughter's house cannot be piked up and moved, so that a stage of the game is completed when the board is left with no counters in it except those in the various daughter's houses. Each player then removes the counters pertaining to his own daughters, adds them to those previously removed by him from the board and divides them into fours. In the result, B has perhaps gained eight counters from A. The game is, however, by no means ended at this point. The board is reset, only this time B has eight houses and A only four, a state of affairs indicated by a deep groove in the sand (Fig. 10).
If B has gained three counters, over and above some multiple of four from A, he borrows one more from A to make up a complete house, but if B has gained a multiple of four plus two counters or one, A borrows these back to make up his last house.
Play proceeds until one player has driven the other off the board altogether, and therefore it may last for hours; for as the result of the second stage of play A may win back a house or more, and so the fortunes of the game may fluctuate for many successive stages.
In practice, it requires great skill, or, rather swift and accurate calculation, to foresee the result of a given move. Some Arabs are quite extraordinarily good at it, notably Sheikh Ali El Tom, the Nazir of the Kababish, who, with hardly any hesitation, will accurately predict the result of a move which takes him three or four times round the board." Davies 1925:143-144.
Confidence 100
Source Davies, R. 1925. 'Some Arab Games and Puzzles.' Sudan Notes and Records. 8: 137–152.
Id DLP.Evidence.705
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Intotoi
Location Samburu
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 2x12 board.
Starting position, from the left hand hole, for each player: 0-3-3-0-3-3-0-3-3-0-3-3
In the opening play, one player must sow two counters from the second hole from their right. The opponent then makes the same play from their row, or from the fourth hole from their right. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. A player's turn ends when the final counter falls into an empty hole.
Players may now begin their move from any hole in their row, but only if it ends in an empty hole in their row or if it enters the opponent's row. If the final counter lands in an occupied hole in the opponent's row, these are picked up and sowing continues. If the final counter lands in an occupied hole in the player's row, the contents of the hole in the opponent's hole opposite it are captured. Sowing ends when a capture is made or when a counter falls into an empty hole.
Content Reported by "Miss Grindley"
"7.6.20. Kenya, Samburu tribe (south-east of Lake Rudolf): Intotoi (Miss Grindley). 2x12 holes. The initial arrangement of beans is:
A move may comprise several laps but only if the last bean in hand falls in a loaded hole on the opponent's row. Play is anticlockwise.
Opening play. X lifts two beans from K and sows them in L and a. Y then lifts three beans, either from k or from i, and sows them, starting new laps until the last bean in hand falls in an empty hole. This will necessarily happen on X's row. This concludes the opening play.
In the subsequent play, a player may begin his move from any hole on his own row, but only if the sowing ends in an empty hole on his own row or extends to his opponent's row. If it ends in a loaded hole on the opponent's row, its contents are lifted for a new lap, and further laps are played until the last bean in hand falls in an empty hole; if this hole lies on the player's own row and the opposite hole contains beans these are taken." Murray 1951: 200.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.706
Type Ethnography
Game French Wari
Location Barbados
Date 1932-01-01 - 1932-12-31
Rules 2x6 board.
Four counters in each hole.
Moves begin from any hole in the player's row and sowing proceeds in an anti-clockwise direction. If the final counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole, these counters are lifted and sowing continues. If the final counter lands in an empty hole, any counters in the opposite hole are taken and the turn ends.
Content "The form of wari that has been described in the preceding paragraphs is called "English wari" in Barbados and the other islands where the English tradition is predominant, but it is termed "French Wari" in the French-speaking islands. The fact that there must be a "French wari" played on the English islands, and an "English wari" on the French-speaking ones seemed a logical conclusion, and this for of lesser prestige was first encountered and learned at Barbados. It is a simpler form of the game than that which has just been described, and the rules are as follows. The cups that appertain to each player, the manner of moving the seeds, and the object of the game, are identical with the Ashanti-Djuka-Island form that has been last described. It is the manner of the play that differs. The first player, taking the four seeds from any one of his cups, plays them about the board and then, continuing to move, takes the seeds in the cup in which his last seed has dropped, and distributes these. This continues until his last seed falls into an empty cup, in which case he takes the seeds that are in the cup opposite the one in which he finishes his play, no matter how few or how numerous they may be. If there are no seeds in the cup opposite the one where he ends play, he captures nothing. ...It makes no difference if he ends on his own side or that of his opponent, he captures the seeds in the cup opposite the empty one in which he ends his play. He must begin his play, however, from some cup on his own side of the board. The winner is the player who at the end of the game has twenty-five or more seeds. I do not know whether this form of the game is played on the islands at which I touched other than Barbados and St. Lucia; Martinique and Guadeloupe were not visited" Herskovits 1932: 32.
Confidence 100
Source Herskovits, M. J. 1932. 'Wari in the New World.' The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 62: 23–37.
Id DLP.Evidence.707
Type Ethnography
Game English Wari (St. Lucia)
Location St Lucia
Date 1932-01-01 - 1932-12-31
Rules 2x6 board with two stores.
Four counters in each row.
For the opening move, a player may take all of the counters in one hole and add them to the next hole.
Play continues with players sowing from any one of the holes in their row in an anti-clockwise direction. If a sowing reaches the hole from which the sowing began, this hole is skipped. If the final counter falls in a hole containing three counters, thus making it contain four counters, these are captured. An unbroken sequence of holes containing four counters moving backwards from the final hole are also captured. Single counters cannot be sown.
If a player cannot move, the opponent must sow in a way that allows them to play on the next turn. Play continues until one player has no counters on their side of the board. The player with the most captured counters wins.
Content "Another addition to the rules of this form of wari, one that is possibly a local variant, was disclosed while playing...at St Lucia. Here, in breaking the holes, all four seeds may be taken from one cup and put into the next, as, for instance, in Fig. 4, Y might take the four seeds in "e" and place them all in "f," this making no seeds in "e" and eight in "f." This can only be done in the opening move, and the object is to make what is called on all the islands a "house,"—i.e. a cup that has a large number of seeds in it. Tactically this is good if the number of seeds in such a cup be carefully counted, for having such a "house" often gives the player who possesses it an opportunity to go completely around the board and, continuing on the second round, to fill holes on his opponent's side that are either empty or that have only one seed each. This makes a series of two's and three's, the player thus capturing a large number of counters." Herskovits 1932: 31.
Confidence 100
Source Herskovits, M. J. 1932. 'Wari in the New World.' The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 62: 23–37.
Id DLP.Evidence.708
Type Ethnography
Game Meusuëb
Location Aceh
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Content "Another game which is much played by women and children, resembles in principle the Javanese dakon and is played with peukula or gentuë seeds or pebbles. Wooden boards are sometimes used for it, but as a rule the required holes are simply made in the ground, the whole being called the uruë' or holes of the game.
The little round holes are called rumòh, the big ones A and B geudong or choh and the pips aneu'. The game itself is known in different places under the names chato, chuka', and jungka'. There are four different ways of playing it in Acèh with which I am acquainted, called respectively meusuëb, meuta', meuchoh, meuliëh. Let us here describe the meusuëb as a specimen.
The two players put 4 aneu's in each of six small holes. Then they commence to play, each in his turn taking the pips from any one hole selected at hap-hazard and distributing them among the other holes, dropping one in each they pass.
The direction followed is from left to right for the six holes next the player, and from right to left in the opposite ones. The player takes the contents of the hole he reaches with his last pip, and goes on playing. Should he reach an empty hole with his last pip he is dead.
Should it happen that when the player reaches the last hole which his store of pips enables him to gain, he finds 3 pips therein, he has suëb as it is called, that is to say he may add these 3 to the one he has still remaining and put these 4 as winnings in his geudong. He can then go on playing with the pips in the next hole (adòë suëb = the "younger brother" of the suëb); but if this next hole be empty he may retain the winnings but the turn passes to his opponent.
Thus they go on until there are too few pips left outside the two geudongs to play round with. Then each of the players takes one turn with one of the pips which remains over on his own side of the board. If he is compelled to put his pip in one of the holes on the opposite side, he loses it and when all the pips are thus lost the game is finished." Snouck-Hurgronje 1909: 200-201.
Confidence 100
Source Snouck Hurgronje, C. 1906. The Acehnese. trans. by A. W. S. O’Sullivan. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.709
Type Ethnography
Game Nchuwa
Location Atonga
Date 1913-01-01 - 1913-12-31
Content "Nchuwa (Atonga)
In this game the "board" is also made by scooping out the requisite number of holes in the ground, but it differs from Nchombwa in the numbers of holes, These are in four rows, as in the other games, but there are six, nine, twelve, or fifteen holes in each row. The number of seeds (machi) also varies with the number of holes (godi) (two for each), 48, 72, 96, or 120 being required.
The Bau board may be used by dispensing with two end holes of each row. The 15-hole game is, however, much the most interesting.
The gambit.—Two men are put in each hole.
The first player takes up the two in the right hand end hole of the front row, and puts one in the second hole and one in the third. He then takes up the two in the next hole and puts one in each of the next two holes, and so on till there are twice the number of holes having three in them as there are empty. The positions being as drawn:—
The opponent does the same.
The first player then takes two men from any hole in the front row, and puts them in any empty hole in the back row. He then takes from his opponent the contents of the two holes opposite to that from which he moved the two men, and also the contents of any one other hole (back or front rows), and removes all of them from the board.
His opponent does the same.
This constitutes the gambit.
The game then proceeds exactly as in the Angoni (Nsolo or Nchombwa) game." Sanderson 1913: 734.
Confidence 100
Source Sanderson, M. 1913. "Native Games of Central Africa." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 43: 726-736.
Id DLP.Evidence.710
Type Ethnography
Game Choro (Acholi)
Location Acholi
Date 1927-01-01 - 1927-12-31
Rules 4x8 board.
Two counters in each hole.
Opening play: Two players play simultaneously, lifting and sowing counters from their outer rows. Rules for sowing and capturing are the same as in the main phase of the game except that all holes in each player's outer rows are considered to be in opposition and back captures can be made from them. Once a counter has been sown into the inner row, this ceases and captures can only be made from the inner row. The opening ends when both players reach an empty hole, and the first player to do so begins play in the main phase.
Main phase: Play begins from any hole on the player's side of the board with counters in it. Singletons cannot move. Sowing happens in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last counter lands in an empty hole, the turn is over.
For capturing: Holes are in 'opposition' when one player has the front row hole occupied and the opponent has both of the holes opposite it occupied. If the last hole in a sowing is in opposition, the player takes the counters in both of the opponent's holes and places them in the empty hole from which the player lifted the counters. The player then sows the captured counters from this hole. Further captures in the sowing can occur in the same way.
However, each player has two hole from which clockwise plays can be made: the leftmost hole in the outer row and the second from the left in the inner row. Clockwise moves can only be made from these holes if they immediately lead to a capture. When the captured counters are sown, starting from the same hole, they can also be sown clockwise if they lead to a capture. If they cannot lead to a capture, they are sown anti-clockwise. Another alternative the player has is that, if the player plays clockwise from one of these holes and therefore makes a capture, the captured counters may be placed in the hole and left there, and the player may play instead from the other hole from which clockwise captures are allowed in a clockwise direction, if it leads to a capture. The player may continue playing from this hole as above until the possibilities to move are exhausted, and then may move from any hole in an anti-clockwise direction.
Multiple captures can only be made in a clockwise direction from these holes if it is made on the first sowing of the turn. Otherwise, only one clockwise capture can be made and sowing must proceed in an anti-clockwise direction.
If the last counter lands on a hole that is occupied but not in opposition, these counters are picked up and sowing continues.
Play ends when one player captures all the opponent's counters or one player cannot play. The player who cannot play loses.
Content "Acholi Variation.
This appears to be the Didinga variation modified by an adaptation of the Lango
turning base, and its essential features may be summarised as follows. It will be seen, however, that the modifications are such that the game under this code differs materially from both the Didinga and the Lango variations.
(i) As in the Didinga variation and in contrast with the Lango code, an incremented lap begins at the starting hole of the lap leading up to the increment.
(ii) The opponent's marbles are not en prise at the beginning of the move but the player has first to move some marbles in order to reach the requisite position. That is to say, none of the opponent's marbles can be taken before at least one lap has been played. This again conforms with Didinga usage.
(iii) The opponent's marbles are en pri,se only if, as in the Didinga code, both of the opponent's holes are occupied opposite an occupied hole in the player's front row in which the player drops the last marble of a lap. It is not permissable to take an inicrement if only the opponent's front row hole is occupied, as is allowable by Lango practice.
(iv) The turning base has been incorporated in a modified form:
(a) Clockwise motion is permitted only from IK and ik.
(b) As in the Lango code, clockwise motion is only permitted in order to take the opponent's marbles which are en prise.
(c) When an increment is taken the captured marbles are all placed in the hole from which the lap leading to the increment started.
(d) If the increment is taken from the first lap of a move and the captured marbles, played clockwise, suffice to take another increment, they are taken from the hole and so played: but if there is no fresh increment available they must be played counterclockwise in the usual way starting from the hole forward of the one in which they have been deposited.
(e) Alternatively the player may start the first lap in this way with a clockwise move from the turning base leading to an increment and after depositing the captured marbles in the hole from which the lap started may leave that lap entirely. He may then, if it is available, play another clockwise move from the other portion of the base and after taking the increment leave it in the same way. Having done all the execution possible by clockwise moves, he may start the move proper from that or from any other part of the board counterclockwise.
(f) The rules given under (d) and (e) apply to a clockwise motion frona the turning base at the beginning of a move only. If during the course of a move a player's marble ends at iI or kK, at which there is already one marble or more, he may, subject to an increment being available, play one lap, but only one, clockwise. After taking the increment he proceeds again counterclockwise with the captured marbles, starting at jJ or IL, as the case may be. If the move continues and he again returns to the turning base and finds other of the opponent's marbles en prise, he may similarly play one clockwise lap and continue counterclockwise as before. That is to say, apart from preliminary attacks, in each circuit of a move only one clockwise lap is permitted...The opening is played in the same way as under the Didinga code with the addition of clockwise moves from the turning base. For the purpose of the opening only, the opponent's marbles are en prise to the player's back row, as has been described in the paragraph dealing with the Didinga opening." Driberg 1927b: 188-189.
Confidence 100
Source Driberg, J. 1927b. "The Game of Choro or Pereaüni." Man 26-27:186-189.
Id DLP.Evidence.711
Type Ethnography
Game Choro (Lango)
Location Lango
Date 1927-01-01 - 1927-12-31
Rules 4x8 board.
Two counters in each hole.
Opening play: Two players play simultaneously, lifting and sowing counters from their outer rows. The game must begin from one of the rightmost two holes. Rules for sowing and capturing are the same as in the main phase of the game. The opening ends when both players reach an empty hole, and the first player to do so begins play in the main phase.
Main phase: Play begins from any hole on the player's side of the board with counters in it. Singletons cannot move. Sowing happens in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last counter lands in an empty hole, the turn is over.
For capturing: Holes are in 'opposition' when one player has the inner row hole occupied and the opponent has at least the opposite hole in the inner row occupied; if the outer row hole is also occupied it is also in opposition. However, if the opponent's inner row hole is empty and the outer row is occupied, it is not in opposition. If the last hole in a sowing falls into a hole that is is in opposition, the player takes the counters in the opponent's holes in opposition and places them in the outer row hole next to the hole from which the capture occurred. The player then sows the captured counters from this hole. If the capture is only of one counter, the contents of the appropriate outer row hole on the player's side are sown along with the one captured counter. Further captures in the sowing can occur in the same way.
If a player can make a capture on the first sowing they must. Otherwise, they can choose any hole on their side to sow.
However, each player has four holes from which clockwise plays can be made: the leftmost two holes in both the inner and outer rows. Clockwise moves can only be made from these holes if they immediately lead to a capture. When the captured counters are sown, they may, starting from the same hole, also be sown clockwise as long as they lead to a capture. If they cannot lead to a capture, they are sown anti-clockwise in the normal way from the outer row hole opposite the hole from which the capture was made.
A player is not required to capture in a clockwise direction.
If the last counter lands on a hole that is occupied but not in opposition, these counters are picked up and sowing continues.
Play ends when one player captures all the opponent's counters or one player cannot play. The player who cannot play loses.
Content "Lango Variation.
The Lango game is in principle the same, that is to say, the object is to capture the opponent's marbles or to leave him immobile in ones. But the code includes one important addition and several variations.
(1) The opponent's marbles are en prise either if both holes opposite the player's are occupied or if only the hole of the front row. But if the opponent's front row hole is empty and there are marbles in the corresponding hole of the back row these are not en prise.
(2) An incremented lap in a move does not begin at the starting hole of the previous lap, but at the hole opposite which the increment was taken—e.g., a player moving 4 marbles from b drops them in c,d,e,f, and opposite f takes an increment of 3 marbles fron GN. Under the Didinga code he would start dropping the three marbles at b, but under the Lango code he drops them at f,g,h. Should there be only a single marble however in the opponent's first row hole and none in the corresponding back row hole, this marble is taken up together with whatever marbles are in the player's corresponding hole and these are dropped singly from the next hole. hus in the last example supposing that instead of 3 marbles from GN the player took only 1 marble from G, he would add to this his own marbles from f and start dropping them from g onwards.
(3) Whereas in the Didinga variant every move must be started by the player lifting a group of his own marbles and continuing the motion until he reaches a hole at which he stops, during the course of which he may have been in a position to capture some increment from his opponent: in this variant if the opponent's marbles are en prise, he must first take these and start dropping them at the hole opposite that from which they were taken, e.g., the player has a marble at f and his opponent is en prise at GN: the player must first take up the marbles from GN and drop them singly from f onwards and so continue the move in the usual manner. If more than one group of the opponent's marbles are en prise the player may choose the group which will be the most advantageous to himself. If none of the opponent's marbles is en prise the player starts his move in the same way as under the Didinga code. It is clear accordingly that in this variant a single marble in the front row may save the game even if all other marbles are taken, as it may ipso facto take any marbles in the hole opposite it.
(4) The blocks of holes IJKL and ijkl form the turning bases of players A and B respectively. From these bases moves or laps may be played either clockwise or counter-clockwise, subject to the condition that a move or lap may only be played clockwise in order to take an increment which is en prise.
After a lap played clockwise from the turning base, the marbles captured from the opponent may again be played clockwise from the same hole as originated the clockwise lap if their number suffices to take another increment, and this movement may continue as long as the captured marbles permit fresh increments. When no fresh increments are possible, the move must continue counterclockwise, starting from the hole opposite the last increment; but if during the course of the move the player on returning to the turning base finds another opportunity of taking his opponent's marbles by a clockwise lap, he is at liberty to do so.
A player is not compelled to play clockwise even if an opponent's marbles are en prise in that direction, and it is sometimes a tactical gain to pass such an opportunity.
The opening is played in the same way as in the Didinga variation, with the exception that the players must start either at aA or bB. Clockwise motion from the turning base is also permitted during the opening under the conditions described above. The opponent's marbles are never en prise to the player's back row." Driberg 1927b: 186-187.
Confidence 100
Source Driberg, J. 1927b. "The Game of Choro or Pereaüni." Man 26-27:186-189.
Id DLP.Evidence.712
Type Ethnography
Game Chongka'
Location Marianas
Date 1904-01-01 - 1904-12-31
Rules 2x7 board with two stores.
Seven counters in each hole.
Players move from one of the holes in their row, sowing in a clockwise direction, and including the player's store, which is to the left, but not the opponent's store.
If the final counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole, sowing continues. If it lands into an empty hole, the turn is over. If the empty hole is in the player's own row, the contents of the hole opposite in the opponent's row are captured and placed in the store.
The first person to capture all the counters wins.
Content ">>Tchonka<<: ein Holzbrett mit 2 Reihen zu je 7 Vertiefungen, in welchen bei Beginn des Spieles je 7 Steinen, SChnecken oder Muscheln liegen (Taf. III, Fig. 1). Beiderseits am Ende des Brettes ist die Kasse jeder der beiden Spieler. Der erste nimmt den Inhalt eines seiner 7 Häufchen und legt von rechts nach links je 1 Muschel in die nächstfolgenden, in seine Kasse, dann in die Fächer des Gegenspielers. Er endet in einem der letzteren, nimmt dessen Inhalt und zählt in derselben Weise weiter, ohne aber etwas in die Kasse des Gegners zu legen. Endet er in einem seiner Ställer, der leer ist, so darf en den Inhalt des gegenüberliegenden in seine Kasse legen, aber nicht weiter spielen. Endet er in einem leeren Stell des Gegners, so spielt dieser weiter. Es kommt darauf an, möglichst viele Muscheln in seine Kasse zu bekommen. Schliesslich sind nur noch wenige Muscheln in den Ställen und das Spiel kann sich sehr in die Länge ziehen." Fritz 1904: 57-58.
Confidence 100
Source Fritz, G. 1904. "Die Chamorro. Eine Geschichte und Ethnographie der Marianen." Ethnologisches Notizblatt 33: 25–110.
Id DLP.Evidence.713
Type Ethnography
Game Owela (Benguela)
Location Benguela
Date 1995-01-01 - 1995-12-31
Rules 4x12-20 board, even numbers preferred.
Number of counters is three times the number of holes in a row minus two for a game with an even number of holes in a row; three times the number of holes minus one for odd.
Counters are distributed beginning in the leftmost hole in the outer row, placing two counters in each hole in an anti-clockwise direction.
Play begins from any of the player's holes, sowing anti-clockwise. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues, unless a capture can be made.
Captures are made when the final counter falls into an occupied hole in the inner row, and the opponent's hole opposite contains counters. If it is, they are captured, and if the hole in to outer row opposite also contains counters, these are also captured. These are then sown from the hole following the one from which the capture occurred.
If the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn is over.
Single counters cannot be sown.
Play ends when one player cannot move.
Content "Este jogo está muito espalhado entre os Umbundos e encontra-se com frequência ao longo da linha do caminho de ferro de Benguela, muito especialmente etre Lobito e Cubal. (foto 3). Aparece também, acidentalmente, em Luso e Teixeira do Sousa, levado pelos ferroviários naturais do litoral, onde, por influência lunda-quiocoa, é, às vezes, designado por Tchela, mas com o qual não deve ser confundido.
Este jogo é simples e talvez o mais despido de tradições, por elas já se terem perdido nos longos anos de contacto o Branco, o que, aliás, também se verifica em todos os outros aspectos da vida do nativo na zona do litoral de Benguela:
Quadrícula: 4 x 12 a 4 x 20, com número par de casas por linha, sendo a mais corrente 4 x 20. Um só informador se referiu a uma quadrícula ímpar de 4 x 15. Todos os outros dizem que as quadrículas ímpares não permitem boas disputas.
Tabuleiro—Não existe, por a quadrícula ser materializada no chão, pela abertura de buracos (foto 23).
Casas — Em forma de calote esférica de 4 a 6 cm de diâmetre, a que chamam akina (sing. kina).
Pedras — Seixos, geralmente com 2 a 3 cm de dimensão máxima, que designam por ongombe (boi; pl. olombombi). O número de pedras inicial é, por jogador, igual ao triplo do número de casas duma fila menos duas (3n-2). No caso excepcional de n ser ímpar, é de (3n-1).
A distribuição inicial das pedras é feita a duas por casas, a partir da situada na extrema esquerda da fila exterior de cada jogador e pelas que se lhes sequem, no sentido directo.
Sentido: Cada jogador faz a distribuição das suas pedras no sentido directo.
Casas de mão — Têm pertencer ao campo do próprio jogador e conter duas o mais pedras.
Distribuição da mão — Faz-se só pelas casas do campo do próprio jogador. Se a última pedra da distribuição da mão cair numa casa já ocupada, esta pedra e as que lá se encontravam voltam a consituir uma mão, que é distribuída, seguidamente, como a anterior.
Jogadas — Podem ser movimentos compostos ou cumulativos.
Comer — Só podem ser comidas (daria = comer) pedras adversárias com a última pedra da distribuição de uma mão e desde que esta termine numa casa já ocupada da fila interior. Esta pedra come todas as que o adversário tenha nessa coluna, desde que a casa da fila interior esteja ocupada. As pedras comidas formam oma nova mão, que se distribui a partir da casa que se segue àquela em que terminou o lanço que permitiu a captura.
Variantes — Não se conhecem.
Tradições — Dizem que o jogo é originário de Cuanhama.
Interdições — Não se conhecem.
Prática — Praticado só por homens e rapazes, como passatempo recreativo, embora por vezes seja jogado a prémio.
A disputa é feita entre dois indivúduos ou grupos de indivíduos, sem ser obrigatório haver igual número de cada lado.
Como particularidade, há que assinalar o hábito de os jogadores baterem com força a última pedra de distribuição de uma mão sobre as que se encontram na casa onde vai ser despositada, antes de comer as pedras do adversário. Este procedimento, além de ser uma manifestação de júbilo, serve tembém para avisar o adversário." Silva 1995: 75-77.
Confidence 100
Source Silva, E. R. S. 1995. Jogos do quadrícula do tipo mancala com especial incidência nos praticados em Angola. Lisbon: Instituto de investigação cientifica tropical.
Id DLP.Evidence.714
Type Ethnography
Game Muvalavala (Quioco)
Location Moxico
Date 1995-01-01 - 1995-12-31
Rules 4x6-16 board.
Number of counters is four times the number of holes in a row minus two.
Counters are distributed only in the outer row, with two counters in each hole containing two counters, except the hole on the far left which contains the rest.
The counters are then redistributed so that there is one in every hole, except the one on the extreme left in the inner and outer hole. The one on the left in the inner hole remains empty and the one in the inner row retains the same number initially placed there.
Play begins from any of the player's holes, sowing anti-clockwise. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues, unless a capture can be made.
Captures are made when the final counter falls into an occupied hole in the inner row, and the opponent's hole opposite contains counters. If it is, they are captured, and if the hole in to outer row opposite also contains counters, these are also captured. These are then sown from the hole following the one from which the capture occurred.
If the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn is over.
Single counters cannot be sown.
Play ends when one player cannot move.
Content Informants: João Mutenga and Amaro Cacoma da Silva, from Cazombo, and José Alfredo, from Gago Coutinho.
"2.1.4 — Muvalavala (variante A), dos Luenas e Bundas
Os Luenas e Bundas praticam duas variantes de Muvalavala, que diferem fundamentalmente no destino das pedras comidas ao adversário. Na que vamos descrever, as pedras comidas permanecem em jogo (Classe A) e na outra, que descrevemos a seguir em 2.2.1, saem do jogo (Classe B).
A presença destas duas classes de jogos Mancala IV entre os Luenas e os Bundas explica-se, por estarem numa zona de transição entre áreas de jogos de profundas tradições e classes perfeitamente definidas— os Cuanhamas (Classe A) e o Quiocos (Classe B). Sendo assim, as duas variantes do Muvalavala não serão mais do que adaptações do Owela e do Tchela. No entanto, é do Muvalavala a única tradição da origem do jogo que recolhemos:
Quadrícula — 4 x 6 a 4 x 16. O número de casas por linha não obedece a qualquer norma fixa, diminuindo à medida que desejam obter um jogo de desfecho mais répido. Não usam mais de 16 casas por linha porque, dizem, se torna incómodo oara jogar por causa das deslocações que têm de fazer para movimentar as pedras do jogo. Este motivo é na mesma considerado quando se defrontam dois grupos de jogadores.
Tabuleiro — Não existe, por a quadricula ser materializada no chão. Os buracos de quadrícula são geralmente abertos, rodando no solo uma pedra bicuda facetada, à semelhança duma broca.
Casas — Em forma de caloe esférica, de 4 a 6 dm de diâmetro, a que chamam buraquinho, (kauina, pl. tuina). As casas da extrema esquerda da linha exterior de cada jogador são designadas por limbo. Esta designação é também dada no decorrer do jogo a todas as casas que tenham mais de três pedras.
Pedras — Geralmente pequenos frutos, quer em verde quer depois de secos, com 8 a 10 mm de diâmetro, a que chamam salia, ou missalia (sing. lissalia), duma árvore a que dão o nome de mussalia (Pseudolachinostylis dekindtii Pax ?). Usam também sementes de mandioca (Manihot utilissima) e doutras plantas, e pedras.
O número inicial de pedras por jogador é igual a quatro vezes o número de casas por linha menos duas (4n-2); a sua distribução faz-se só na linha exterior de cada jogador, à razão de duas por casa, excepto na da extrema esquerda, onde se colocam as restantes (2n). Por este motivo é que estas casas da quadrícula são chamadas quimbos.
Sentido — É seguido o sentifo directo.
Casas de mão — Têm de pertencer ao campo do próprio jogador e conter duas ou mais pedras.
Distribuição da mão — Da mesma forma que o Owela.
No Muvalavala há que distinguir duas fases distintas do jogo:
1.a fase (distribuição inicial): neste fase, em que se procuram distribuir as pedras, uma a uma por todas as casas de quadrícula (semelhança com o Tchela), não se podem jogar as pedras dos quimbos nem incluir no circuito de distribuição das pedras as casas A1, a1, B8 e b8 (caso da figura 16), pelo que estas são consideradas como se não existissem. Quando se fica com uma soó pedra em cada casa, inicia-se a 2. fase (jogo propriamente dito): esta fase é obrigatoriamente iniciada pelo quimbo, o que resulta da proibição de não se poder iniciar um lanço por uma casa com uma única pedra. A partir deste momento passam a ser utilizadas todas as casas da quadrícula.
Jogadas — Podem ser movimentos compostos.
Comer — De mesma forma que no Owela.
Variantes — Não são conhecidas...
Interdições — Não se conhecem.
Prática — É praticado por homens, mulheres e crianças como passatempo, embora se façam às vezes apostas insignificantes, especialmente entre as crianças. Algumas designações especiais usadas:
kulia (comer) — comer pedras ao adversário;
nassavala mu mussenge (ir dormir no mato) — diz-se duma jogada que termina na linha exterior, e, portanto, sem qualwuer consequência para o adversário;
limbo (quimbo=aldeia) — grupo de mais de três pedras numa casa, ou a casa que as contém;
ngunakutape (degolei-te) — expressão que o vencedor dirige ao adversário ao ganhar o jogo." Silva 1995: 83-85.
Confidence 100
Source Silva, E. R. S. 1995. Jogos do quadrícula do tipo mancala com especial incidência nos praticados em Angola. Lisbon: Instituto de investigação cientifica tropical.
Id DLP.Evidence.715
Type Ethnography
Game Muvalavala (Luena)
Location Moxico
Date 1995-01-01 - 1995-12-30
Rules 4x6-16 board.
Two counters in each hole.
The first move must be from the inner row.
Play begins from any of the player's holes, sowing clockwise. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues.
Captures are made when the final counter falls into an empty hole in the inner row, and the opponent's hole opposite contains counters. If it is, they are captured, and if the hole in to outer row opposite also contains counters, these are also captured.
If the final counter falls into an empty hole and a capture cannot happen, the turn is over.
Play ends when one player cannot move.
Content "2.2.1 — Muvalavala (variante B), dos Luenas e Bundas
Como já dissemos, supomos que as variantes do Muvalavala são adaptações do Owela cuanhama e do Tchela quioco. Embora na variante A apareça somente a influência do Owela, nesta é notória a influência dos dois jogos, o que explica o uso de quadrículas superiores a 4 x 8 e a ausência de tabuleiro, peça fundamental de importância bem vincada nas tradições do povo quioco:
Quadrícula — 4 x 6 a 4 x 16. O número de casas por linha não obedece a qualquer norma especial, sendo válido neste caso o dito para a variante A (influência do Owela).
Tabuleiro — Não existe, por a quadrícula ser materializada no chão (influência do Owela).
Casas — Idênticas às da variante A, não havendo neste caso a designação limbo.
Pedras — São utilizados como pedras os mesmos materiais que na variante A.
O número inicial de pedras por jogador é igual a quatro vezes o número de casas por linha (4n) e a sua distribuição faz-se a duas pedras por casa.
Sentido — É seguido o sentido directo, que, neste caso, concorda com o movimiento a direita para a esquerda, como o velho ensinou e é descrito na lenda de origem do jogo, porque a primeira jogada tem de ser iniciada por uma casa da linha interior.
Casas de mão — Têm de pertencer ao campo do jogador:
O primeiro lanço é sempre iniciado por uma casa da linha interior;
Podem ter uma só pedra.
Distribuição de mão — Segue a regre general.
Jogadas — Podem ser movimentos compostos.
Comer — Se a última pedra de distribuição de uma mão cair numa casa vazia da linha interior, esta pedra pode comer as pedras adversárias existentes nessa coluna se a casa da linha interior estiver ocupada.
As pedras comidas saem do jogo...
Prática — Como no Muvalavala (variante A)." Silva 1995: 87.
Confidence 100
Source Silva, E. R. S. 1995. Jogos do quadrícula do tipo mancala com especial incidência nos praticados em Angola. Lisbon: Instituto de investigação cientifica tropical.
Id DLP.Evidence.716
Type Ethnography
Game Dabuda
Location Afar
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x10 board.
Four counters in each hole.
Play begins from one of the rightmost four in the player's row, sowing in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. Captures are made if the player's final counter lands in an empty hole in their row; the contents of the opponent's hole opposite and the final counter are both captured. If the hole opposite is empty, nothing happens. If the empty hole is in the opponent's row, the turn ends.
After each player performs this move, they may sow from any hole in their row, provided the sowing leads into the opponent's row or finishes in an empty hole in the player's own row.
Play continues until one player cannot play because their holes are empty. When this happens, the opponent captures the remaining counters. Each player counts their captured counters, four by four, into their holes. The player who has the most counters wins.
Content " Dabuda I
This game (Game 33), the best known among the Afar, is based on two rows, each normally consisting of 10 holes, with four balls per hols, and was played by Haji Ali Muhamad Salah of the Damohoita tribe, a trader resident in Asaita, Ahmad Al-Jowari, a Radio Ethiopia entertainer from Jibuti and Mahmouda Ahmed Gassa, a Haile Selassie I University student from Thio.
The first player would begin, as Haji Mohamad says, by lifting up the balls from his extreme right hole, or, as Ahmad Al-Johari says, at least from one of the four right-hand holes, and would then distribute these balls, in an anti-clockwise direction, by dropping them one by one into the following holes. On dropping his last ball into a hole he would lift up the entire contents of that hole, and would proceed in this manner until he reached an empty hole. If that happened on one of his own holes, with one or more balls in his opponent's opposite hole, the player would take his last ball or counter, together with the opposite ball or balls as his winnings, but if his opponent's opposite hole were empty the player was entitled to take nothing, and this was the case also if he alighted in one of his opponent's empty holes. It would then be the second player's turn to move.
The players, who were allowed to count the contents of their hole so as to calculate their moves, could now start from any of their holes provided the last ball in their hand fell on one of their own empty holes or led on to the enemy row, in which latter case it was permissible for a ball going round the board finally to alight on the player's own side...
Captures would always be effected by alighting in an empty hole belonging to the player and facing an occupied enemy hole.
Play would continue until one of the players was unable to move because his holes were all empty. His opponent would at this point appropriate the remaining balls )which were of course now only in the latter's row) and would place them with his previous winnings.
The two players would then count out their takings, four by four, into their holes, the player with the largest number of balls being the victor. Ahmad Al-Johari states that a player capturing enough balls to fill three or more of his opponent's holes would be considered to have gained a particularly notable triumph, and would say, farasal kokaysé, literally "I beat you by a horse." Pankhurst 1971: 180.
Confidence 100
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.717
Type Ethnography
Game Mbangbi
Location Nsungli
Date 1938-01-01 - 1938-12-31
Rules 2x5 board with two stores.
Eight counters in each hole.
When sowing, if the final counter makes two or four counters, these are taken.
Can be played with 2 or 4 players.
**Does not indicate direction of play.
Content "Spielsachen sind unter der Jugend nicht vorhanden.Die Kinder sind darauf angewiesen, Sand, Steinchen, Früchte und Hölzchen zum Spielen benutzen. Da die Mädchen vielfach mit die Wartung der jüngeren Geschwister beschäftigt sind, und sie auch schon frühzeitig zur Feldarbeit mit herangezogen werden, so sieht man sie recht wenig beim Spiel. Doch sind der der Jugend immerhin eine ganze Anzahl Spiele bekannt, mit denen sich besonders die Knaben oft stundenlang beschäftigen. Am beliebtesten is mbangbi. Dieses Spiel hat in manchem Ähnlichkeit mit unseren Brettspielen. Anstatt der Felder werden 12 kleine Mulden im Erdboden ausgehoben.
In jedes Feld — eins bleibt frei —werden 8 Steinchen oder Fruchtkerne gelegt. Es können sich 2 oder 4 am Spiel beteiligen. Das Spiel erfordert eine gewisse Berechnung. Wer das Besetzen er einzelnen Felder so überlegt, dass am meisten 2 oder 4 Steine nebeneinander in den Mulden sind, hat gewonnen." Sieber and Sieber 1938: 218.
Confidence 100
Source Sieber, J. And D. Sieber. 1938. Das Leben des Kindes im Nsungli-Stamm. Africa: Journal of the International African Institute. 11(2): 208–220.
Id DLP.Evidence.718
Type Ethnography
Game Wouri
Location 14°29'14.77"N, 4°11'50.86"W
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules 2x6 board.
Four counters in each hole.
Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction, beginning from any hole in the player's row. When the final counter lands in a hole in the opponent's row containing three (four counting the last counter dropped into it), these are taken. In addition, the contents of any hole in the opponent's row which a player causes to contain four counters are captured. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the turn ends. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole containing a number of counters other than three, the counters are picked up and sowing continues.
If sowing reaches the original hole from which the sowing began, this hole is skipped over.
A player must play so that the opponent has counters with which to play, if possible.
Content "D'après Koné Moussa, Doc. IFAN, f. William Ponty, III, SO 3.
2.— Le <> malinké à 12 cases de Mopti.
La planche est la même, semblables le nombre et la disposition des billes et leur sens de rotation. Départ, comme dans l'awélé, d'une case quelconque, du camp du joueur. Mais quand le joueur, premier à jouer, a vidé son pot, il prend le pot dans lequel il a placé sa dernière bille, et continue jusqu'à ce que la dernière bille tombe dans un trou qui en contient 3, en quel cas il ramasse — il mange — les 4 billes et passe le main; soit sur un trou vide, en quel cas il passe simplement la main. Le partenaire agit de même.
De plus, toutes les fois où un joueur forme dans le camp de son adversaire une case pleine de 4 billes, il vide cette case.
Il existe des variantes où l'on prend au contraire les 4 de son camp, d'autres où le joueur qui joue prend dans les deux camps, d'autres enfin où chaque joueur prend les pots de 4 qui se forment dans son camp." Béart 1955: 490-504.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.719
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Khrour
Location Moudjeria
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules 2x2-6 board.
Each hole contains a number of counters equal to the total number of holes in the board.
Sowing begins from any hole in the player's row, and proceeds anti-clockwise. Counters are captured when the final counter lands in an occupied hole, making it contain 2, 4, 6, or 8 counters.
When all of the counters have been captured, a second game begins. Each player fills their holes with the same number of counters as the beginning of the previous game. The player who has extra counters holds these in reserve. The other player will have either empty holes or one without the requisite number to fill the hole. Sowing cannot begin and captures cannot be made from these holes until the contents of these holes reaches the required number of counters to fill them.
The second player in the first game now becomes the first player.
Play continues with subsequent games until one player captures all the counters.
Content "On le retrouvera dans le khrour, hrur maure de Moudjéria, qui mérite cependant une description plus complète, car nous allons y rencontrer quelque chose qui ressemble aux cases brûlées du jeu malais.
Il est joué aux heures les plus chaudes de midi, à la première prière vespérale, zohor, par les femmes et les jeunes filles; quelquefoid les adolescents, pour approcher les jeunes filles, joueront avec elles, mais jamais entre eux. Les trous sont creusés dans le sable, et l'on emploie pour jouer, non pas la crotte de chameau, pourtant si communément admise comme jeton, mais de gros haricots de la taille d'une dragée, Canavalia ensiformis, appelés tamret 'grab, dattes du Corbeau, qui ne poussent que bien plus au Sud, ou, à défaut, le fruit appelé tougué, tugé, d'un arbuste du pays: etkišot.
Le mot krur désigne le jeu lui-même et l'ensemble des pions du jeu.
Deux joueuses face à face creusent deux rangées de trous parallèles—eddiar*, sing.: eddar*, lieu habité (cf. la <> des jeux étudiés), dans lesquelles elles placent des pions kyétan (sing. : kyit = impair?). Le nombre des pions par case west d'autant p;lus grand qu'il y a plus de trous:
2 trous par rangée 4 pions par trou
3 trous par rangée 6 pions par trou
4 trous par rangée 8 pions par trou
Admettons que les deux joueuses aient 6 trous chacune, il y aura 12 graines dans chaque tour (fig 394).
La joueuse première à jouer, S par exemple, prendra les 12 graines de la case II, en laissera une dans la case. En tournant en sens inverse de celui des aiguilles d'une montre, elle égrènera les onze graines restant, la dernière viendra en I, le nombre des graines, y compris celle qui arrivem étant impair, la graine y <>, ibat, et la main passe. Il y a 13 graines partout, sauf en II, où il y en a une seule. N joue 12 pions de XI, et le dernier viendra coucher en XI, où se trouve le pion laissé au départ. (On égrène dans la cas de départ, ce qui est une particularité assez rare.) Il y a deux graines —nombre pair—dans le pot, N les mange, yokel 'um, et la main passe.
S joue un de ses pots, où il laisse une graine. S'il se couche en formant un pot de 2, 4, 6, ou 8 graines, pas au-delà, il le mange et passe la main; s'il forme en se couchant un pot impair, il passe la main sans rien manger: i but tlekhlé, il couche en brousse, ce qui est tout à fait évocateur.
Quand un joueur joue, on dit qu'il nomadise, yerahal; s'il est accusé de tricher ou de s'être trompé, il doit faire à l'envers se nomadisation et revenir au point de départ.
Le deuxième rob. Quand toutes les graines ont été mangées, elles sont redistribuées dans les pots. Supposons que S ait mangé 86 des 144 graines, N en aura mangé 144-86=58.
S pourra remplir ses six cases et il lui restera 86-72=14 graines, qui constitueront sa réserve.
N ne pourra remplir que 4 cases, et il lui restera 10 graines, qu'il placera dans sa cinquième case, qui sera borgne, dar aora, la sixième est morte, dar miyeta (fig. 394).
S ayant commencé la première partie, c'est N qui commence la seconde. Elle posera une graine dans la case aveugle et dans la case borgne, mais si l'on s'y couche on ne peut les manger aussi longtemps qu'elles n'auront pas été complétées, malet, de mal = la mise.
La partie n'est terminée, sauf convention particulière, que quand toutes les cases d'une joueuse sont aveugles." Béart 1955: 512-514.
Confidence 100
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.720
Type Ethnography
Game Tchela
Location Chokwe
Date 1995-01-01 - 1995-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. May have one or two stores per player. Stores are located to the right hand side of the player's two rows, centered with respect to the player's two rows. If each player has two stores, the second store is located between the fourth and fifth holes of the player's rows; i.e., in the center of the board
Variant: can also be played on 4 x 6 board.
One counter in each hole except the stores
Opening play: Player sows from any one of their holes, thus making a pair. They then take the counter in the next hole and sow it, making another pair. This continues until the last pair is made. When the last pair is made, the player sows this pair normally.
Main phase: Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. The turn ends when the final counter falls into an empty hole. When this empty hole is in the inner row, the counters in the opponent's hole opposite are captured. If the opponent's inner row hole are occupied, then any contents in the outer row opposite are also captured.
When a single counter exists in the penultimate hole in the inner row and the opponent is able to capture it on their next turn it can "skip" to either the first or second hole in the outer row, provided one of them is empty. This can only be done if the final hole in the inner row is empty.
Several rules apply to the stores:
They are not used during the opening play, except on the final sowing after all pairs have been made;
They may only hold one counter at a time;
The counter in the store cannot be captured;
It is the player's choice whether to include the store in sowing;
they are considered to be in the player's inner row of holes for the purposes of sowing.
Content "O Tchela é um jogo profundamente arreigado na tradição do povo lunda-quioco. A forma praticada na Lunda parece-nos a mais pura e primitiva porque é nesta região que o jogo se apresenta aureolado pelo prestígio das antigas tradições e vinculado a manifestações que são, indubitavelmente, apanágio da élite de um povo que, pelo seu carácter e vitaldade, se distingue do conjunto dos outros povos de Angola. Referimo-nos ao facto de o tchela estar não só ligado a ritos funerários e aos cestos dos adivinhos, mas também representado nos célebres desenhos na areia e nas paredes pintadas, expressões artísticas profundamente ligadas às tradições quiocas, exemplos típicos de arte por arte da maior importância para o cnhecimento e compreensão da opulenta mentalidade deste povo de artistas.
Compreende-se que assim seja se atendermos a que a Lunda é o centro de irradiacões de todos os núcleos de quiocos estabelecidos para sul e às condicões especiais da região que são favoráveis, sob todos os aspectos, ao culto e conservação das tradições e ao predomínio da cultur quioca sobre a dos demais grupos étnicos daquela área.
A zona ao longo do cominho de ferro é muito pouco característica, pela facilidade de contactos permitida por aquela via de comunicação que atravessa Angola. Os jogos nela praticados pelos Quiocos são, salvo raras excepções, da quadrícula igual ou superior a 4 x 12. Estes jogos do tchela quioco só têm o nome, porque seguem integralmente as regras do owela, já descrito em 2.1.1, trazido do Oeste através da via férrea.
Quadrícula— 4x6 a 4x8, mas geralmente 4x8.
Tabuleiro— Tradicionalmente de madeira, mais ou menos trabalhado, conforme a categoria do seu dono, com dois depósitos em braços situados no seu eixo. Parece que tembím se serviriam de pedra dura (liwe lya mukandji) para fazer tabuleiros (tchela ca kuta), mas não temos conhecimento de casos concretos. Como recurso podem materializar uma quadrícula no chão, sistema que também é utilizado pelos mais novos que não podem dispor dum tabuleiro. No Dundo vimos, à hora do descanso do almoço, dois empregados da Diamang jogarem nom tabuleiro materializado por uma quadrícula pintada, com tinta de óleo vermelha, sobre uma chapa de ferro industrial, possivelmente dum tambor. Trata-se, necessariamente, duma solução de recurso, mas que mostra a importância tradicional do tabuleiro.
Casas— São designadas por mena (sing. uina).
Cabeças— Aparece, geralmente, este tipo de casas de designam por mitue (sing. mutue = cabeça (No Lumeje ouvi designar as cabeças por meso (sing. rhiso = olho)). O seu número é variavel, podendo existir uma ou duas por jogador. Quando só há duas por tabuleiro, elas são sempre exteriores à quadrícula (foto 8), situando-se à direita de cada um dos jogadores. Havendo quatro <>, duas são exteriores, como no primeiro caso, e as outras, interiores. Estas situam-se entre as duas linhas que pertencem a cada parceiro, no eixo do tabuleiro (fotos 6 e 7). Um dos tabuleiros representados (foto 6) tem as cabeças interiores assimétricas —A'4, A'8, B'O e B'3.
As cabeças gozam de regalias particulares, que são as seguintes:
Não são consideradas no distribuição inicial das pedras;
Só podem conter uma única pedra;
As pedras nelas colocadas não podem ser comidas;
Podem ou não ser incluídas numa jogada, conforme a vontade do jogador;
Só podem ser occpadas no sentido do jogo, considerando-se, para o efeito, as cabeças interiores como pertencentes à fila interior.
Não conseguimos obter qualque informação do razão de ser das cabeças. Parece-nos, no entanto, que elas fazem parte do jogo já há muito tempo e que foram introduzidas com o fim de dar maid maleabilidade aos jogos de reduzido número de colunas, tornando-os mais difíceis.
Depósitos— Existem dois depósitos em todos os tabuleiros que conhecemos.
Pedras —São designadas por sache (sing. lucache (no Lumeje ouvi designar as pedras por dumbue (sing. lundumbue))) e normalmente constituídas por pequenos seixos ou sementes. Destas, as mais usadas são as de mumanga (Brackystegia manda De Wild), coconote, vulgarmente conhecido por dendém (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) e mpáfu, ou mupáfu (Canarium schweinfurthii Engl. (Em Sandando utilizam sementes designadas por kapango, do nome da árvore)). O número de pedras usado é de uma por casa da quadrícula, não incuindo as cabeças.
Sentido–Directo.
Casas de mão — Têm de pertencer ao campo do jogador e não podem ter uma só pedra, excepto se for uma cabeça, enquanto houver outras com mais do que uma.
Distribuição— A primeira jogada não segue a regra general. Nesta, que tem por fim agrupar as pedras aos pares, toma-se a pedra duma casa qualquer e junta-se à da casa seguinte, o que forma o primeiro par; toma-se a pedra d casa imediata e procede-se de igual forma, e assim successivamente; a jogada termina com a distribuição normal do último par formado. Na primeira jogada pode-se já ocupar qualquer cabeça...a dispisição das pedras depois desta jogada será indicDistribuição— A primeira jogada não segue a regra general. Nesta, que tem por fim agrupar as pedras aos pares, toma-se a pedra duma casa qualquer e junta-se à da casa seguinte, o que forma o primeiro par; toma-se a pedra d casa imediata e procede-se de igual forma, e assim successivamente; a jogada termina com a distribuição normal do último par formado. Na primeira jogada pode-se já ocupar qualquer cabeça...a dispisição das pedras depois desta jogada será indicada na figura 18.
A jogada seguinte de A obedecerá já à regra geral.
No decorrer do jogo aparece outra excepção: a jogada designada por kutchina (fugir);
Supunhamos a distribuição indicada na figura 19 e que é o parceiro A a jogar:
O jogador A pode mover a pedra de A2 para a1, saltando a casa A1, e evitar assim que seja comida pela pedra de B'0 ou b1. No caso de a1 estar ocupanda poderia passar para a2, o que corresponde à posição do jogador B. Neste caso, a pedra de B7 saltava para b7, fugindo a ser comida pela de A'8.
Jogadas—Podem ser movimentos compostos.
Comer— Só pode comer a última pedra da distribuição de uma mão desde que esta termine numa casa vazua da linha interior.
Esta pedra come todas as pedras adversárias existentes nessa coluna se a casa da linha interior estiver ocupada." Silva 1995: 88-91.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.721
Type Ethnography
Game Yovodji
Location Benin
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Content "Variantes dahoméennes (fig. 390). Souvent jeux de femmes, pendant les funérailles, souvent aussi jeux d'argent, on y engage des sommes importantes, une bicyclette, la récolte d'un champ.
Yovodji, mina: yovoji = jeu des blancs, jeu classique, 12 trous, 4 billes par trou, mais le joueur prend les billes du pot où il a déposé sa dernière bille et continue avec les billes de ce trou jusqu'à ce qu'il rencontre un trou vide; si c'est un trou de son adversaire, il passe la main, si c'est un trou se sa rangée, il prend les billes qui se trouvent dans le pot opposé chez son adversaire et passe la main." Béart 1955: 510.
Confidence 100
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.722
Type Ethnography
Game Foji
Location Benin
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Content "Variantes dahoméennes (fig. 390). Souvent jeux de femmes, pendant les funérailles, souvent aussi jeux d'argent, on y engage des sommes importantes, une bicyclette, la récolte d'un champ.
Yovodji, mina: yovoji = jeu des blancs, jeu classique, 12 trous, 4 billes par trou, mais le joueur prend les billes du pot où il a déposé sa dernière bille et continue avec les billes de ce trou jusqu'à ce qu'il rencontre un trou vide; si c'est un trou de son adversaire, il passe la main, si c'est un trou se sa rangée, il prend les billes qui se trouvent dans le pot opposé chez son adversaire et passe la main. Une variante fôji serait identique, mais se jouerait dans le sens des aiguilles d'une montre." Béart 1955: 510.
Confidence 100
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.723
Type Ethnography
Game Enindji
Location Benin
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Content "Enindji, mina: eninji = jeu des 4, 12 trous, 4 billes par trou, même jeu, jusqu'à ce que le joueur place sa dernière bille dans un trou vide, la main passse, ou dans un pot contenant 3 billes; si ce pot est dans son camp, il sort les 4 billes, s'il est chez l'adversaire, c'est l'adversaire qui les sort, dans les deux cas la main passe."Béart 1955: 510.
Confidence 100
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.724
Type Ethnography
Game Fondji
Location Benin
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Content "Fondji, mina: fôji. Awélé classique, le joueur ne ramasse les pots de 3 et de 2 que s'ils se trouvent dans son camp. S'ils sont chez l'adversaire, personne n'y touche et la main passe." Béart 1955: 510.
Confidence 100
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.725
Type Ethnography
Game Kapana Bona
Location 11° 5'59.69"N, 2° 6'0.54"W
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules Counters are arranged in piles: two rows of three heaps.
Eight counters in each pile.
A player takes the counters from any of the piles and sows them anti-clockwise, beginning with the pile from which the counters were taken.
Any piles that now contain 2, 4, or 6 counters are captured.
The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content "Une variante gourounsi: kapana bona. Chez les Gourounsi de Léo, kapana bona est joué par les filles avec six tas de 8 cailloux (fig 392). La première à jouer prend les cailloux d'un de ses pots moins un, et les répartit en tournant de gauche à droite. Sont acquis tous les pots contenant 2, 4, ou 6 cailloux. La tradition veut que ce jeu soit toucouleur et ait été rapporté par les Gourounsis de la prise de Toumbouctou par les Mossis, dont les Gourounsis étaient les alliés..." Béart 1955: 511.
Confidence 100
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.726
Type Ethnography
Game Ouré Ngat
Location 14°45'36.47"N, 17°22'17.61"W; 16° 1'57.36"N, 16°28'54.60"W
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Content "...au Sénégal, en face de l'ouré ngon, w. : uré ngon, awélé classique, existe l'ouré ngat, w. uré ngat, jeu de filles, à deux rangées à 4 trous, 6 billes par trou, où l'on ramasse également le contenu de tous les trous contenant 2, 4, ou 6 billes; on ramasse même dans son camp, comme dans kapana bona. (Gueye Iba, Dakar, et plusieurs informateuers de Saint-Louis.)." Béart 1955: 511.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Female
Source Driberg, J. 1927b. "The Game of Choro or Pereaüni." Man 26-27:186-189.
Id DLP.Evidence.727
Type Ethnography
Game Wöré
Location 16° 1'57.36"N, 16°28'54.60"W
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Content "Un weuré, w. : wöré, de Saint-Louis est semblable (to ouré ngat), mais on ne ramasse que dans son camp. C'était autrefois strictement un jeu de femmes, qui, dans certaines familles comme les DAHRO, demeure absolument interdit aux garçons non circoncis et aux jeunes filles." Béart 1955: 512.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.728
Type Ethnography
Game Woli
Location Senegal Valley
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Content "Un woli toucouleur est joué sur la table classique, mais avec 6 billes par case, et les deux joueuses jouant en sens inverse, cas très rare en Afrique, où les joueurs jouent généralement de gauche à droite." Béart 1955: 512.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.729
Type Ethnography
Game Li'b al-Ghashim
Location Modern Egypt
Date 1860-01-01 - 1860-12-31
Content "One of the games most common among the Egyptians is that of the "mankalah." Two persons play at this, with a board (or two boards joined by hinges) in which are twelve hemispherical holes, called "buyoot" (plural of "beyt"}, in two equal rows ; and with seventy-two small shells, of the kind called cowries ; or as many pebbles : these, whether shells or pebbles, are termed the (in the singular, "hasweh").
To explain the game of the mankalah, I must distinguish the beyts of the board by letters, thus : -
The beyts marked A, B, C, D, E, F, belong to one party; and the opposite six beyts to the other. One of the parties, when they are about to play the game in the most simple manner (for there are two modes of playing it), distributes all the unequally into the beyts ; generally putting at least four into each beyt. If they were distributed equally, there would be six in each beyt ; but this is seldom done ; for, in this case, he who plays first is sure to lose. The act of distributing the is called "tebweez." When one party is dissatisfied with the other's distribution of the he may turn the board round ; and then his adversary begins the game ; which is not the case otherwise. Supposing the party
to whom belong the beyts A, B, C, D, E, F, commences the game, he takes the from beyt F, and distributes them to the beyts a, b, c, &c., one to each beyt ; and if there be enough to put in each of his adversary's six beyts, and more remain in his hand, he proceeds in the same manner to distribute them to his own beyts, in the order A, B, C, &c. ; and then,if he have still one or more remaining, to his adversary's beyts, as before, and so on. If the last beyt into which he has put a contain but one (having been empty before he put that in; for it may have been left empty at the first,) he ceases ; and his adversary plays : but if it contain two or four, he takes its contents, with those of the beyt opposite ; and if the last beyt contain two or four, and one or more of the preceding beyts also contain either of these numbers, no beyt with any other number intervening, he takes the contents of these preceding beyts also, with the contents of those opposite. If the last beyt into which he has put a contain (with this three, or five, or more, he takes these out, and goes on distributing them in the same manner as before ; for instance, if, in this case, the last beyt into which he has put a be D, he puts one from its contents into E, another into F, a third into a, and so on ; and thus he continues, until making the last beyt to contain but one stops him, or making it to contain two or four brings him gain, and makes it his adversary's tum to play. He always plays from beyt F, or, if that be empty, from the nearest beyt to it in his own row con- taining one or more When one party has more than a single in one or more of his beyts, and the other has none, the former is obliged to put one of his into the first of his adversary's beyts. I f only one remain on one side, and none on the other, that one is the property of the person on whose side it is. When the board is completely Cleared, each party counts the number of the he has taken ; and the one who has most reckons the excess of his above his .adversary's number as his gain. The gainer in one board begins to play the next board; his adversary having first distributed the When either party has made his suc- cessive gains amount to sixty, he has won the game.-In this manner, the game of the manl5-alah is played by young persons ; and hence this mode of playing it is called "the game of the ignorant" (" el-ghasheem ")..." Lane 1860: 344-346.
Confidence 100
Source Lane, E. W. 1836. An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians. London: John Murray.
Id DLP.Evidence.730
Type Ethnography
Game Papan Dakon
Location 3°19'6.98"S, 114°35'39.75"E
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Content "Le dakon malais.
Se première particularité est que le mot dakon — dakon ou dakun— n'est pas malais. Le jeu est connu en Malaisie sous le nom de papan-dakon papân, malais, signifiant planche, dakon paraissant n'être pas une racine malaise, mais plutôt javanaise. Cependant, à l'interior de Java, il se nomme tjonglak, jôngklak. Il est dakoun, dakun, sur les côtes de Java et à Borneo. Ici comme en Afrique, le nom vernaculaire ne peut guère apporter de renseignements, seule une étude approfondie de tous les vernaculaires pourrait indiquer des filiations vraies.
Le seconde, plus importante, est qu'il se joue de droite à gauche, dans le sense du mouvement des aiguilles d'une montre, ce que nous ne rencontrons nulle part ailleurs.
La troisième, plus importante encore, est que les cases des extrémités, qui partout ailleurs servent à placer les gains — que dans le feu de l'action on laisse le plus souvent trainer par terre— sont ici fonctionelles. Dans une variante élémentaire jouée par les fillettes, et quelquefois même par les adultes, qui en font un jeu de hasard, elles sont même l'élément essentiel du jeu. On place un certain nombre de noyaux, de cailloux ou de coquillages égal dans chaque trou, puis la joueuse prend la noyaux, de cailloux ou coquillages, d'un trou qui, dans certaines règles, est la premier à droite, en quel cas tout le jeu est déterminé, et n'est plus ni un jeu d'intelligence, ni un jeu de hasard, mais requiert seulement un peu d'attention pour ne pas tricher involontairement, ou pour tricher volontairement; ou bien c'est un des trous au choix de joueur, en quel cas des qualités stratégiques et tactiques peuvent intervenir. Elle égrène ses billes une par une dans chaque trou, en plaçant une au passage dans le trou d'éxtremité qui est à sa gauche, sa <> ou son <>. Quand la dernière bille tombe dans un trou occupé, elle prend les billes de ce trou et continue jusqu'à ce qu'elle trouve une <> vide ou qu'elle s'arrête chez sa mère. En quels cas la main passe. Les seuls prises sont dont les billes placées en tournant chez les mères. C'est un jeu de hasard pour les fillettes— à l'âge où elles ne se sont pas encore aperçu qu'une comptine bien menée désigne qui on veut. Pour un adulte qui sait jouer, les quelques coups nécessaires pour s'assurer le gain sont assez aisés à retenir.
Le jeu d'adultes est beaucoup plus compliqué (La règle que je vais donner a été recueillie à Bandjermasin (Bornéo) par Mme Imbert-Prosé, mais le jeu est le même à l'intérieur de Java.); c'est un jeu d'hommes et surtour de viellards (Il est aussi joué à Java et à Borneo par les Chinois que passionnent tous les jeux d'argent, est celui -ci en est un.). Il se joue sur un plateau de bois de fer, très lourd, très résistant, souvent ouvragé, qui se transmet dans la famille durant des nombreuses générations. Le plateau comporte deux rangées de 7 cases et, à chaque extrémité, une case, la <> ou le <>, chaque joueur disposant des 7 cases <> ou <> qui sont devant lui, et de la >, qui est à sa gauche (fig. 386). On joue à Java, sur le côte, avec des cauris, à Bornéo, avec des coquillages ronds, bruns, provenant des rizières, on joue aussi avec des noyaux ou des cailloux; on place en général 7 coquillages par trou, quelquefoid plus, mais jamais moins.
Les joueurs— et ceci constitue une nouvelle particularité—commencent ensemble (Je n'ai pas le détail des règles pour le cas où ils se présentent ensemble dans la même case, cas certainement prévu dans un jeu dont la règle est si précise et si compliquée, et joué par des gens, Malais, Chinois, très minutieux dans tous leurs comportements sociaux. Le fait de commencer ensemble n'existe en Europe, à ma connaissance, que dans certains jeux de billard, peut-être d'origine orientale). Chacun prend les 7 billes d'une des cases à son choix et les égrène une par une dans le sens du mouvement des aiguilles d'une montre, plaçant au passage une bille dans son tas et n'en plaçant pas, évidemment, dans celui de l'adversaire. Quand la dernière bille tombe dans une case occupée, le joueur prend les billes de ce cette case et les égrène à leur tour, jusqu'à ce que la dernière bille en main tombe dans une case vide ou dans le tas du joueur, en quels cas la main passe. Les deux joueurs ont commencé ensemble mais l'un des deux poursuivra son jeu plus longtemps, après quoi il repassera la main au premier et le jeu continuera, chaque joueur jouant à son tour comme dans les jeux que nous avons déjà rencontrées...
Les Prises. Quand la dernière bille égrenée tombe dans une <> occupée du joueur, il peut prendre le contenu de cette maison et continuer comme nous l'avons vu; mais il peut également poser cette dernière bille dans la maison opposée de son partenaire, et mettre le contenu de cette maison, plus cette dernière bille dans son tas, après quoi il égrènera le contenu de sa maison...Il n'est jamais obligé de prendre ainsi, et l'avantage tactique d'une prise immédiate compromet souvent les résultats meilleurs d'une stratégie habile.
5. Les maisons brûlées.
Quand commence la deuxième partie, des joueurs de bridge diraient le deuxième rob, le perdant place sept billes dans chacun de ses trous, en commençant par la gauche, les cases VII, Vi, V, etc., dans cet ordre, resteront vides, s'il n'a plus assez de fois 7 billes pour le remplir. Si le nombre de billes dont il dispose n'est pas multiple de 7, les billes en excès seront remises dans son tas. Le gagnant mettra dans chacune de ses maison le plus grand nombre des billes possible, chacune en contenant un nombre égal; quand il n'a plus assez de billes pour en mettre une das chaque maison, il place le reste dans son tas. Les cases vides du perdant sont dites maison brûlées...
Les maison brûlées ne comptent plus. Si par erreur un joueur y verse une bille, son partenaire lui imposera comme amende au prochain tour de commencer par tel pot qu'il lui deisgnera. Quand un joueur a des maison brûlées, celui qui a toutes ses maisons doit commencer par une des cases opposées aux maison brûlées.
Le jeu s'achève en principe, et sauf conventions particulières, quand toutes les maisons d'un joueur sont brûlées." Béart 1955: 505-508.
Confidence 100
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.732
Type Ethnography
Game Quela
Location 10°44'6.79"S, 14°58'52.52"E; 12°11'45.57"S, 15°51'17.32"E
Date 1969-01-01 - 1969-12-31
Content "2.2.3—Quela, dos Quibalas (Informadores: soba grande Sebastião Dumbo, da banza Catúmbi, soba António Quinjango e os velhos Trinta, Chico e Chiombo, da sanzala Catamba; os velhos Deniel Costa e José Brandão, da sanzala da Missão.), Bailundos e Dembos.
Este jogo é idêntico ao Tchela, dos Quiocos (notar a semelhança da pronúncia dos nomes). Difere em não ter cabeças, no número de pedras por jogador e nas primeiras jogadas....
A confusão do nome é compreensível e aceitável porque os Quibalas designam também o jogo pelo nome das sementes, mas o seu nome verdadeiro é o dado ao tabuleiro—Quela.
O Quela foi tembém praticado pelos Bailundos (veja p. 55), mas já foi esquecido. Contactámos com o soba grande Candimba e com vários velhos da zona. Todos se lembram do jogo, que era igual ao dos Quibalas, e de ele ter sido muito praticado no tempo do pai e do avô do actual soba, e por eles próprios, mas há muito tempo que não está em uso. Um dos informadores disse que talvez ainda se encontrasse alguém que o soubesse jogar na área da Epila, junto do rio Cunhangama, afluente do Queve. Este essquecimento do jogo explica-se por os Bailundos se encontrarem profundamente desarreigados das tradições tribais, em consequência da sua intensa emigração, como contratados, para outras regiões, em especial para as fazendas de café do Norte. O mesmo sucede com os Huambos e os Quiacas, que tembém praticaram um jogo igual ou idêntico, mas que presentamente o desconhecem.
Quadrícula—4 x 6 e 4 x 7.
Tabuleiro— De madeira. São designados por <>, nome do jogo. Existe um por sanzala, propriedade tradicional do soba, que passa de geração em geração, e que é utilizado por todos os homens, que geralmente jogam com o soba ou na sue presença. É interdita a existência doutros tabuleiros. Tivemos a confirmação prática deste uso, ao depararem-se-nos sérias dificuldades na aquisição do tabuleiro do soba grande Sebastião Dumbo (foto 14) , quando nos informaram, em grande segredo, que talvez fosse possível conseguir o do velho Francisco Candamba, que o tiunha escondido (foto 26a).
O tabuleiro encontra-se sempre colocado sobre um aflormento granítico (muito abundantes mesmo dentro da área das sanzalas) , suficientemente espaçoso para a prática do jogo e seus assistentes, situado em frente da casa do soba, de fundo para o ar, exposto ao sol e à chuva. Por esta razão, os tabuleiros antigos encontram-se smepre muito deteriorados.
Os três tabuleiros observados têm todos a mesma forma básica: o rectângulo da quadrícula é sobreelevado em relação aos bordos e contornado por uma aba, que alarga nas extremidades, e que serve se dépositos (foto 27).
Como recurso, não havendo tabuleiro, podem abrir uma quadrícula no chão.
Casas-Podem ser circulares ou quadrangulares.
Depósitos— Não existem depósitos, propriamente ditos.
Pedras— São utilizadas sementes ósseas, quase pretas, a que chamam lasseta, dum arbusto espinhoso a que dão o mesmo nome.
O número de pedras por jogador é igual ao dobro de casas por linha.
No início do jogo, as pedras são dispostas, aos pares, nas casas da linha exterior, esta distribuição tem exclusivamente por fim a verificação do número de pedras em jogo.
De notar ume particularidade curiosa: as pedras do jogo da banza do Catúmbi estavam guardadas no crânio duma hiena, colocado sobre o tabuleiro (foto 14).
Segundo informação do soba grande, é hábito guardar as lassetas em crânios de hiena, onça ou leão, mas não conseguimos obter qualquer explicação para este costume.
Sentido—Directo.
Casas de mão— Têm de pertencer ao campo do jogador e não podem ter uma só pedra enquanto houver outras com mais do que uma.
Distribuição da mão— A forma de distribuir a mão segue a regra geral desde que se considere na fase inicial do jogo uma quadrícula limitada pela supressão dumas casas, com uma só excepção. Vejamos como se procede:
Fase inicial: após a distribuição das pedras, aos pares, pela linha exterior, os dois jogadores procedem ao arranjo arbitrário das suas pedras, geralmente só nesta linha; quando se ocupam casas da linha interior é com uma só pedra. Por regra, o maior número de pedras é sempre colocado na casa da extrema esquerda da linha exterior de cada jogados, casa a que chamam uté (cabeça).
Após este arranjo, inicia-se o jogo, sem se considerarem as pedras e as casas da ou das colunas em que cada jogador tem mais do que duas pedras (no caso da figura 26, as casas A1,a1, A7,a7, B7, e b7; no da figura 27, as casas A1, a1, A7,a7, B1,b1, B7 e b7). Após ser comido o par inicial a um jogador, este começa o seu lanço pela casa com maior número de pedras (sempre a1 ou b7), distribuindo-as de forma usual, sem considerar as casas da coluna da outra extremidade, se nela houver um grupo de mais de duas pedras, deixando ficar uma pedra na casa de mão (excepção). Se houver ainda outro grupo inicial com mais de duas pedras, só será desfeito quando desparecem os pares desse parceiro.
Depois de desfeitos os grupos inciais com mais de duas pedras designados por uté o jogo segue as regras gerais.
Jogadas— Podem ser movimentos compostos.
Comer— Segue a regra do Tchela.
Variantes— É permoitifo fugir como no Tchela. As diversas disposições das pedras no início do jogo, propriamente dito, não se podem considerar como variantes.
Tradições— Não se conhecem.
Interdições— Não se conhecem.
Prática— Jogo de homens, praticamente só velhos o sabem jogar, não havendo, no entanto, qualquer proibição para os homens e para os rapazes. O mesmo não sucede com as mulheres, pois dizem <>" Silva 1995: 97-101.
Confidence 100
Source Silva, E. R. S. 1995. Jogos do quadrícula do tipo mancala com especial incidência nos praticados em Angola. Lisbon: Instituto de investigação cientifica tropical.
Id DLP.Evidence.733
Type Ethnography
Game Chisolo
Location Ba-ila
Date 1920-01-01 - 1920-12-31
Content "(a) Chisolo— Foremost among these games is one that in different forms is found over a large part of Africa. It is what the Bathonga call tshuba; the Banyanja mchombwa, or msuo; and the Ba-ila chisolo. This is not a children's game, though we have seen lads engaged in it with adults as their opponents, evidently a case of teaching the young idea how to shoot.
This popular game is played by two men sitting on opposite sides of a "board," consisting of a series of shallow holes in the ground. The number of these varies; we have watched games with as many as twenty holes on each side, but a more common number is fourteen. In any case they are arranged in four parallel lines, two to each player. Small stones, called lubwe, are used as "men": and of them each player has an equal number. The motive of the game is, by moving these stones in certain directions fixed by rule. to get them into positions relative to your opponent's and so sweep them off the board. The skill lies in selecting your move so as to bring your men into the required position.
There are several varieties of the game: the following is a typical example of the kind named "natatu" ("the one of three"), so called because most holes contain three stones to start with.
Each player has 33 stones, which he proceeds to place in the holes nearest to him—this is called "planting" (kushanga)— three in each hole, except the last four on his right hand in the second row which have 2, 1, 0, 0. They are now ready to start. They may move only in one direction: in the line nearest the player from right to left, in the farther row from left to right (This applies to the first move: in the second move the player may, if he chooses, reverse the direction, but if he does he must keep to it through the rest of the game.)...The opening move is called kubingula, subsequent moves kuteka ("to draw water"). The player selects the hole to move from; takes out the stones and drops them one by one in the following holes. The secret is to plan a move so as to leave the last of these stones in an otherwise empty hole, immediately opposite the opponent's occupied hole. If he succeeds in this, he takes all directly opposite that hole: this is to "eat" (kudya); and he has also the right to remove all the stones in any other hole of his opponent: this is kusuwa ("to snacth")...
Another form of move is called kusuntula ("to lift up"). You drop the men in the holes as before, but having come to the end of those you hold you take out all the stones from the last hole you come to and drop them one by one in succeeding holes: you can continue this till your last stone drops into an empty hole. At times one sees a player going round the board, twice or even three times, dropping men in successive holes and taking them out. The do it so rapidly that it is difficult to see what they are doing...
The game is frequently lengthened by one or both players "passing in foreigners," as they say, kuisha Balumbu. When one is getting beaten he has this privilege of adding six or seven fresh stones to his depleted holes and continuing the game. His opponent may elect to do the same. But unless he does, the other may not enjoy the privilege in two successive games." Smith and Dale 1920: 232-237.
Confidence 100
Source Smith, E and A. Dale. 1920. The Ila-speaking Peoples of Northern Rhodesia. London: Macmillan.
Id DLP.Evidence.734
Type Ethnography
Game Namudilakunze
Location Ba-ila
Date 1920-01-01 - 1920-12-31
Content "Another variety is names namudilakunze ("eating on the outside"); and is also played with one stone in each hole, but with the hole on the player's extreme left, on the outer row, empty. As the name implies, instead of eating stone on the inner row only those on the outer row can be eaten. This is the "eating" position." Smith and Dale 1920: 237.
Confidence 100
Source Smith, E and A. Dale. 1920. The Ila-speaking Peoples of Northern Rhodesia. London: Macmillan.
Id DLP.Evidence.735
Type Ethnography
Game Quiela
Location Jinga
Date 1969-03-27 - 1995-12-31
Rules 4x7 board. Three counters in each hole in the outer row; before beginning each player rearranges these as they wish, with the following rules: The leftmost hole in the outer row must have the most counters; Each hole must have equal to or less than the number of the counters as the hole on its left; there can be a maximum of two holes with one counter in the inner row. Initial phase: Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction, and when a counter lands in an occupied hole the sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the turn ends. If the empty hole is in the player's inner row, counters in the opponent's inner row opposite are captured, and if there are also counters in the opponent's outer row hole opposite, these are also taken. When the player sows from the leftmost hole in the outer row for the first time, they have the option of sowing first in that hole or in the next hole (the one in which sowing would normally occur). When a single counter exists in the penultimate hole in the inner row and the opponent is able to capture it on their next turn it can "skip" to either the first or second hole in the outer row, provided one of them is empty. This can only be done if the final hole in the inner row is empty. The initial phase ends for a player when they have one counter in each hole. After this, players can only move single counters into empty holes. The player who captures all of the opponent's counters wins.
Content "2.2.4— Quiela, dos Jingas (Informadores: Francisco João Kilanda, da sanzala Giambata, António Ramos, empregado da Pousada, e Cristóvão Francisco Maria, empregado da Administração do Concelho, todos do Duque de Bragança)
Este jogo é idêntico ao Quela, praticado na Quibala:
Quadrícula — 4x7
Tabuleiros— De madeira, planos e sem acabamento esmerado nos quatro exemplares observados, todos idênticos (foto 27a).
Casas— Circulares (sing. makungo ia quiela).
Depósitos— Dois em três tabuleiros dos quatro observados e o outro com um só depósito lateral.
Pedras— São utiizadas sementes ósseas e escuras, a que chamam sache, ou solo, dum arbusto espinhoso. Parece serem as mesmas sementes que são utilizadas na Quibala, aí designadas por lasseta.
O número de pedras por jogador é igual ao triplo do de casas por linha (3 x 7 = 21).
No início do jogo as pedras são dispostas em grupos de 3 pelas casas da fila exterior, para verificação mútua do seu número.
Sentido— Directo.
Casas de mão— Têm de pertencer ao campo do jogador e, enquanto houver casas com mais de uma pedra, tem de ser sempre aquela que estiver mais afastada, no sentido de distribuição da mão, da casa a1 ou b7. Há uma excepção: no caso de o adversário já só ter casas ocupadas por uma pedra, pode iniciar-se uma jogada duma casa com uma só pedra, desde seja para comer.
Distribuição da mão— Segue a regra geral, com as seguintes excepções:
a) Na fase inicial do jogo: Após a distribuição inicial das vinte e uma pedras de cada parceiro pela fila exterior, para verificação mútua do seu número, cada jogador procede ao arranjo arbitrário das suas pedras. Geralmente só pela fila exterior, colocando o maior número de pedras na casa da extrema esquerda (a1 e b7); a partir desta, o número de peddras por casa é sempre igual ou menor do que o da casa contígua que lhe fica à esquerda. Quando se ocupam casas da fila interior, são, no máximo, duas com uma única pedra.
Quando se jogam pela primeira vez as pedras das casas a1 ou b7, pode-se, se assim convier, no distribuição da mão, deixar uma pedra na própria casa, o que constitui uma excepção à regra geral.
A fase inicial do jogo termina quando se fica com ume só pedra por casa.
b) Fase final: Nesta fase só se pode jogar para uma casa vazia, o que constitui outra excepção à regra geral.
Jogadas— Podem ser movimentos compostos.
Comer— Segue a regra do Tchela.
Variantes— É permitido fugir como no Tchela. As diversas disposições das pedras no início do jogo não se podem considerar como variantes.
Tradições— Segundo a tradição, a célebre rainha Jinga jogou no tabuleiro aberto em rocha que existiu no cimo do monte Quiela-Quiaxi (Tabuleiro do Mundo), como referido anteriormente.
Interdições— Não se conhecem.
Prática— Jogo de homens. Em Pungo Andongo ganhava-se e perdia-se muito dinheiro com este jogo. Ai viveu um comerciante de nome Duque, já falecido, que jogava a cabeças de gado (Informação do Sr. Norberto Antas, comerciante muito antigo de Cacuso (27 de Março de 1969).)
Quando se come uma casa com muitas pedras dizem: <>." Silva 1995: 103-106.
Confidence 100
Source Silva, E. R. S. 1995. Jogos do quadrícula do tipo mancala com especial incidência nos praticados em Angola. Lisbon: Instituto de investigação cientifica tropical.
Id DLP.Evidence.736
Type Ethnography
Game Kay
Location Haiti
Date 1952-01-01 - 1952-12-31
Content "Dans le nord d'Haïti, le mancala s'appelle warri, comme au Sierra Leone, du nom de la plante dont les graines servent d'habitude de pions. Il s'appelle kay dans le sud. Il paraît qu'il existe des plateaux en bois avec cases creusées, mais je n'en ai jamais vu. Les hommes se servent le plus souvent d'un morceau de bois grossièrement équarri dans lequel sont fouillés 12 trou circulaires de 4 à 5 centimètres de diamètre, disposés en deux rangées parallèles. À l'extremité opposée de chaque rangée se trouve un trou un peu plus large où chaque joueur assemble son gain. Les enfants des deux sexes creusent des trous dans la terre et emploient de petits cailloux arrondis comme pions quand ils n'ont pas de graines de warri.
Les joueurs s'installen l'un vis-à-vis de l'autre. Les cases de 1 à 6 appartiennent au joueur B et les cases 7 à 12 au joueur A. Chacun dépose ses pions de son côté, quatre par case.
Règle 1. — Tous les déplacements s'effectuent dans le sens contraire à celui des aiguilles d'une montre et débutent du côté du joueur. J'ai essayee de faire jouer dans le sens des aiguilles d'une montre des enfants de la région de Fond-Melon (Marbial); ils se trompaient régulièrement et ont fini par cesser de jouer, prétendant que c'était trop difficile.
Règle 2. — Au premier tour, on peut partir de n'importe quelle case du côté du joueur.
Règle 3. — A chacun des tours suivants on peut partir de n'importe quelle case du côté du joueur, à condition qu'elle contienne plus d'un pion. Cependant, lorsqu'un pion solitaire est suivi d'une seule case vide on peut le placer dans cette case et s'y arrêter.
Règle 4. — Chaque tour consiste à ramasser tour les pions d'une case du côté du joueur et à les placer un à un dans les cases suivantes, qu'elles soient ou non du côté du joueur. Quand le dernier pion tombe sur une case occupée (<>) non suivie d'une case vide, le joueur la vide de son contenu (<>). Il continue la distribution en sautant les cases qu'il a vidés. Il peut ainsi faire plusieurs fois le tour des cases sans avoir à s'arêter. Lorsque le dernier pion tombe sur l'une des cases de l'asdversaire contenant 3 pions, le joueur crie Kay!, d´´pose les 4 pions dans la case destinée à recevoir ses gains (<>) et s'arrête. Quand le dernier pion tombe sur un couvert suivi d'une case vide, le joueur s'arrête au couvert. Quand le dernier pion tombe sur une case vide, le joueur dépose dans la première case occupée suivante et s'y arrête.
Règle 5. — on peut <> plusieurs couverts à la fois: lorsque plusieurs cases consécutives de l'adversaire contiennent chacune 3 pions et qu'on s'arrête devant la première avec autant de pions en mains qu'il y a de cases de ce genre, on crie kay! et on dépose les pions gagnés dans la case destinée à cet effet.
La partie est finie quand l'un des joueurs ne peut pas jouer: aucune de ses cases n'a plus d'un pion solitaire n'est suivi d'une seule case vide. Les joueurs comptent leur kay et celui qui en a le plus a gagné." Comhaire-Sylvain 1952: 361-362.
Confidence 100
Source Comhaire-Sylvain, S. 1952. "Jeux congolais." Zaïre 2: 351-362.
Id DLP.Evidence.737
Type Ethnography
Game Mangola
Location 4°26'30.95"S, 15°15'58.66"E
Date 1943-01-01 - 1945-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. Two counters in each hole. Play begins with each player taking the two counters in the leftmost hole of either the inner or outer row and placing them both in the following hole in an anti-clockwise direction, and continuing with the two counters in the next hole, until there is an alternating pattern of holes with four counters followed by empty holes in all of the player's holes. On the next turn, the player sows from one of the holes on the end of one of their rows. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. After this turn, sowing can be from any hole on the player's side of the board. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole, the player picks up these counters and continues to sow. When the final counter is supposed to fall into an empty hole, it is not placed there but placed in the next hole. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole in the inner row, any counters in the opponent's two holes opposite are captured. These are then sown on the player's side of the board, beginning with the first occupied hole immediately after an empty hole before the hole from which the capture was made. Play continues until one player can no longer play, and the opponent wins.
Content "Mangola est une des variétés de ce jeu à pions et à cases, d'origin arabe (mancalla), connu un peu partout en Afrique et souvent observé chez les Noirs de plusieurs régions d'Amérique. À Léopoldville, les adultes se servent de plateaux en bois joliment décorés aves 32 cases rondes peintes ou creusées dans le bois (on m'a dit qu'il existait aussi des plateaux à cases en relief, mais je n'en ai jamais vu), mais les petites filles qui m'ont servi de professeur n'avaient rien d'aussi compliqué: elles dessinaient leur tableau avec les doigt sur le sable, ou bien avec un morceau de craie sur le ciment. De même qu'on pouvait voir beaucoup plus de femmes que d'hommes jouer au mangola à la Cité Indigène, il semblerait qu'il y eût aussi beaucoup plus de petites filles que de petits garçons à y trouver plaisir. Leurs mouvements étaient si rapides et leurs explications si confuses que j'ai dû suivre un grand nombre de parties et poser bien des questions avant d'arriver à pouvoir en formuler les règles.
Comme le mangola congolais diffère des variétés d'Afrique du Sud, et d'Afrique Occidentale, he vais d'abord vous donner ses règles et décrire ensuite une partie afin de les illustrer.
Appelons les deux joueur A et B. Chacun a en mains trente-deux grains. Ils s'asseyent l'un en face de l'autre devant un tableau comprenant quatre rangées de huit cases (je les au numérotées afin de rendre plus intelligible ma démonstration. Les cases 17 à 24 et 35 à 21 appartiennent au joueur A, elles constituent le côté A; les cases 1 à 8 et 9 à 16 appartiennent au joueur B, elles constituent le côté B. Chacun d´´pose ses graines ou pions de son côté, deux par case.
Règle 1. — Tous les déplacements s'effectuent dans le sense contraire à celui des aiguilles d'une montre et débutent du côté du joueur...
Règle 2. — Au premier tour, on part de l'une des deux cases situées à l'extrême gauche de chacun des joueurs (17 or 25 pour A, 16 ou 8 pour B), comme disent les enfants (na nsuka loboko ya mwasi (littéralement: de la fin du bras femelle).
Règle 3. — Le premier tour consiste à vider une case de ses deux pions pour les déposer dans la suivante qui en aura ainsi quatre, puis à faire de même pour la case après la suivante, à condition qu'elle n'ait pas déjà été vidée.
Règle 4. — Au 2e tour on peut commencer à ramasser d n'importe quelle case des extrémités, et à chacun des tours suivants de n'import quelle case du côté du joueur, à condition qu'elle contienne plus d'un pion.
Règle 5. — Le 2e tour et les suivants consistent à ramasser tous les pions d'une case du côté du joueur et à les placer un à un dans les cases suivantes. Quand le dernier pion tombe sur une case occupée, le joueur vide la case de son contenu et poursuit la distribution. Quand le dernier pion tombe sur une case vide, il ne l'y laisse pas, il le dépose dans la case suivante où, comme disent les enfants, ndika ekoya kolala (la graine va dormir). C'est à l'autre joueur de tenter sa chance.
Règle 6. — Quand le dernier pion d'un joueur doit être placé dans une case occupée de l'une des rangées du milieu (cases 17 à 24 pour A, 9 à 16 pour B) et que cette case occupée se trouve en face de deux cases occupées apparetenant à son adversaire, il <> les pions de ces deux cases, c'est-à-dire qu'il les ajoute à celles qu'il a déjà en mains et commence se distribution depuis la première case occupée suivante une case vide qu'il peut trouver en faisant marche arrière.
Règle 7. — On peut effectuer diverses <> avant de débuter. La plus commune consiste à permettre aux joueurs de rebrousser chemin quand ils s'aperçoivent que leur combinaison les mènerait à un échec; généralement ils n'ont pas le droit de repartir à nouveau: ils ont perdu leur tour et doivent céder la place à l'adversaire." Comhaire-Sylvain 1952: 356-361.
Confidence 100
Source Comhaire-Sylvain, S. 1952. "Jeux congolais." Zaïre 2: 351-362.
Id DLP.Evidence.738
Type Ethnography
Game Mwambulula
Location Bemba
Date 1956-01-01 - 1956-12-31
Content "Bemba Tribe. Mwambulula. 4x8 holes. Two beans in each hole; the front rows are at once cleared to make a store. Plat is anti-clockwise. If a player lands in a full hole he may 'eat' his opponent's opposite file provided that the fron hole has beans. If he is unable to 'eat,' the contents of the hole are resown. The captured beans are re-entered, the sowing beginning at the hole from which the 'eating' move commenced. At any time during the game when your own beans are running short you may empty your store and add one bean to each of your holes."Chaplin 1956: 169.
Confidence 100
Source Chaplin, J. 1956. "A Note on Mancala Games in Northern Rhodesia." Man 56: 168-170.
Id DLP.Evidence.739
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Altıev
Location 41°14'57.52"N, 32°40'59.22"E
Date 1935-01-01 - 1935-12-31
Content Account from Beşe, as seen in Safranboluç Turkey: "Altıev: Safranbolu köy çocuklarının oyunlarından biri de Altı ev dir. Bu oyun damayı andıran bir oyundur. Bu oyun biraz zeka ve daha ziyade de mümarese işidir. Oyunu kavrayamıyan oyuncu evlerini kaybeder. Altı ev oynatmak için en ơnce otuz santim boyunve onbeş santim eninde müstatli şekilde toprak çizilir. Bu çizgi üzerinden yekdiğerine muvazi altı bir tarafa altı bir tarafa olmak üzere oniki tane çukur kazılır. Çukurun altısını bir oyuncu, altısını da diğer bir oyuncu alır. Bu çukurlara kale denilir. Oyuncular renkleri de ğişmek suretile on sekizer tane taş alır ve bu taşları üçer tane kalelerine doldurlar. Bütün bunlar bittikten sonra ilk önce taşını oynadacak tarafin tayinine sıra gelir. Bunun için de iki oyuncu arasında taş tutulur. Taş saklıyanın taşı hangi avucuna sakladığını bilen kaledeki taşını oynatmağa başlar. Oyuncu evlerinden hangisini isterse boşaltır ve boşalttığı evin üç taşını sıra ile gelen kalelere doldurur. Birinci, ikinci kaleye koydu, üçüncüye de üçüncüdeki dört taşı kaldırır, bu sefer o kaleyi de boşaltır. Bu dört taşı sıra ile kalelere taksime başlar ve bu suretle taşın bittiği her son kaleyi boşaltır. Taşları dolaştıra dolaştıra öyle olur ki, bazı kalede hiç taş kalmaz, bazısında (9-12-15) taş birikir. İşte kaleler boşalıpta elde kalan taş kendi tarafından boş bir kaleye girdi mi o kalenin karşısında bulunan kale dolu ise bütün en son taşın tesadüf ettiği kalelenin mukabil tarafindaki kaledeki taşları alır, esir eder, kendi haznesine boşaltırş Suoz gelimi böyle bolaştırırken elindeki en son taşın tesadüf ettiğiboş kalenin mukabil tarafında taş bulamasza, oyunu bırakır. Bu sefer karşı taraf kalelelerindeki taşı oynamağa başlar. Bu oyun bir tarafin karşısındakinin bütün taşlarını zaptedip kalelerini boşaltıncaya kadar sürer.
Altı ev Safranboluda köy çocuklarının (on üç - on beş) yaşlarına girdikleri zaman oynadıkları zevkli bir oyundur." Beşe 1935: 6-7.
Confidence 100
Source Beşe, M. Enver.1935. Safranbolu’da ve Köylerinde Aile. Halk Bilgisi Haberleri 49: 2-12.
Id DLP.Evidence.740
Type Ethnography
Game Mandoli
Location Hydra
Date 1810-04-01 - 1810-04-02
Content "I saw there to-day a game, which, not having seen elsewhere, I will give you a description of. The Idriots call is Mandoli, or Almonds, and it is played at a board by two persons. Twelve hollows are scooped in the board, in two rows of six each: in each hollow six balls are placed, and the opponents take each a row. The game is commenced by the first player taking out the balls from any one of the hollows, and distributing them, one by one, successively, round the board. In the first round no balls can be captured, but in the second the contest becomes serious. The skill of the player consists in so managing his distribution, that his last ball shall either fall into a hollow where there is only one, or three, or seven, or nine, &c. which, by the addition of his ball, are made even numbers, and in consequence become prizes. If in the distribution he makes even numbers in the two last hollows, he takes the contents of both. This is considered a great stroke. The victor is, of course, he who reckons the greatest number of prisoners." Galt 1813: 241-242.
Confidence 100
Source Galt, J. 1913. Letters from the Levant; Containing Views of the State of Society, Manners, Opinions, and Commerce, in Greece and Several of the Principal Islands of the Archipelago. London: T. Cadell and W. Davies.
Id DLP.Evidence.741
Type Ethnography
Game Mawkar Katiya
Location Khasi
Date 1923-06-01 - 1923-12-31
Rules Two rows of seven holes Five counters in each hole Players sow in a clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in a hole, the contents of the next hole are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter is sown and the next hole is empty, the contents of the hole in the opposite row of the empty hole are captured. Play continues until all of the counters are captured. A new game begins. The players fill their holes with five counters in each, starting from the left. The player who has remaining counters after this puts the extra counters aside to their credit. The player who has fewer places the remainder in the next empty hole. Play begins with the same rules, with the following modifications: Each player, during their opponent's turn, captures counters in any hole that are made to equal the number of extra counters they had at the beginning of this round. The winner of the previous round will capture one counter each time that player sows into the leftmost hole of their row. The opponent cannot sow in this hole. In addition, the winner of the previous round will always capture pieces that accumulate in the hole which contained the extra counters of the opponent at the start of the round. Subsequent rounds are played like this until one playre captures all of the counters, and thus wins.
Content "The type of sedentary game which is the subject matter of this note is usually played on a plank on which a number of shallow depressions have been scooped out; the depressions are filled with small pieces of stone, cowries, or seeds, etc.
My attention was first drawn to this game in June, 1923 at Cherrapunji. Among the Khasis the game is known as Máwkár kátiyá (=going round the slab or plank). It may be mentioned that though a wooden board in which rough circular and shallow depressions have been scooped out in two rows, the number of rows in each hole (sic) being seven, is generally used, sometimes specially on fair days, the game is played outside the house on stone slabs. Two persons are necessary for the play and, to start with, five small stones are kept within each depression. One of the players picks up the stones from a depression lying in the row just next to him and goes on putting one piece of stone into each depression. As soon as he has done with the five pieces he started with, he picks up all the stones lying immediately in front of the depression where the last piece was deposited. He must repeat this action till, after having deposited all the pieces that he may carry in his hand, he comes to an empty depression lying immediately in front of the one where the last piece was dropped. In this case all the pieces of stone lying within the depression immediately next to the vacant one will come into his possession and the other player will begin the game, following exactly the same method, each playing from right to left along his line of depressions and from left to right along the line of depressions belonging to his adversary. The players will thus keep on the game alternately till all the pieces have been removed from the plank, with the general result that one of the players is in possession of more than 35 pieces of stone and the other less. The game will now be started for the second time but not by the player who started it on the previous occasion and one peculiarity will be observed while arranging the pieces. Suppose, for example, that after the end of the first game, one player finds that he has 37 pieces in his possession, then he will arrange 35 pieces in the usual way, while two (I.e. the pieces he has obtained in excess of 35) will not be placed in any of the depressions, but will remain to his credit while the game is being played for the second time. The other player will now arrange the 33 pieces, placing 3 within the depression lying to the extreme left along his line, while the other six will contain 5 pieces each. On this occasion the following additional rules will also be observed:—
(a) The person that has got two pieces extra will have all the single groups of two pieces that may accumulate within one depression while his adversary is playing to his credit. While the latter will have all the single groups of 3 pieces that may accumulate within one depression to his credit while the former may be playing.
(b) The winner will have the depression to his extreme left covered by his palm and gain one piece every time he passes round this depression, while his adversary will not be allowed to drop any piece in it.
(c) The pieces that will be gathered in the depression where the three pieces were placed will always come to the possession of the winner.
These rules will, certainly, vary according to the difference in the number of pieces possessed by each player after the end of any game. If we, for example, suppose that the winner has got 47 pieces after one game, then two depressions beginning from the right of his adversary along the row belonging to his adversary along the row belonging to his adversary will be kept covered over and none will be allowed to place any piece inside these. The games will be continued in this way and the person who succeeds in capturing all the pieces of his opponent will be victorious. It is clear that the rules of the game are a little complicated and as I had to obtain my information from an old Khasia woman with the help of an interpreter I would not be surprised if it was found that the rules enumerated above require correction. I sincerely hope that, as a result of the publication of this note, some better informed person may come forward and give us (possibly) a more correct and complete account of the game." Das Gupta 1923: 71-72.
Confidence 100
Source Das-Gupta. H. 1923. "Notes on a Type of Sedentary Game Prevalent in Many Parts of India." Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 19: 71-74.
Id DLP.Evidence.742
Type Ethnography
Game Kanji Guti
Location Orissa
Date 1923-01-01 - 1923-12-31
Rules 2x7 board. Twelve counters in each hole, except in the central hole of each row, one of which has one counter and the other is empty. Players do not own a row of holes, rather each player owns the six holes on one side of the central holes. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. Neither player may begin sowing from the central holes. When sowing ends, if the next hole after the hole in which the final counter was placed is occupied, these counters are picked up and sown. If this hole is empty, the counters in the hole opposite it are captured. The player who captures the most pieces wins.
Content "A similar game played in parts of Orissa is known as Kánji-guti. One hundred and forty-five pieces are required to play this game. One piece is kept within one depression of the central pair, while the other depression of this pair is kept empty and 12 pieces are placed within each of the remaining 12 depressions. As I gather from my Oorya servant, the rules of the game are mainly the same as are followed by the Khasis with some differences. In the case of the Orissa game one row of depressions does not belong to one player. During the first run of play no piece is to be dropped in that depression in which one piece was played at the beginning of the game. Then the rules observed by the Khasis are generally followed with the important exception that none will be able to play with the pieces lying with the central pair of depressions, I.e. they cannot be taken out of these depressions and dropped in the succeeding ones but the pieces lying within the central pair can be captured like the pieces lying in the others. In the Orissa type the pieces are moved from left to right and the player who captures more pieces at the end of each game is the winner, and the result of one game is not carried over to the next to finish what may be called a set." Gupta 1923: 73.
Confidence 100
Source Das-Gupta. H. 1923. "Notes on a Type of Sedentary Game Prevalent in Many Parts of India." Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 19: 71-74.
Id DLP.Evidence.743
Type Ethnography
Game Motiq
Location Lembata
Date 1975-01-01 - 1975-12-31
Rules 2x7 board. Four counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction and begins from one of the holes in the player's row. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. If the occupied hole has three counters (four including the final counter from the sowing), these are captured. Then, the player picks up the counters in the next hole after the one from which the capture was made and continues sowing from there. When the final counter lands into an empty hole the turn ends. The game ends when one player no longer has any counters on their side of the board. The opponent then captures the remaining counters on the board. A new game begins, with each player filling holes with the counters they captured, four to each hole. The player now controls as many holes as they can fill with counters. Play begins with the player who played second in the previous game. Subsequent games are played until one player captures all of the holes, becoming the winner.
Content "These comparative questions will be taken up later, after the following description. I was taught to play the game by Molan Baia, a man in his fifties and a leading elder of his clan, Laong Hodiq, who was one of my most constant companions and closest friends. This happened early in my second year, at a time when the larger connections in the culture, which had until then remained hidden to me, began to make
their appearance; and indeed the discovery of motiq, as the game is called, was an early impulse toward the coalescing of my understanding of K?dang culture. For several weeks then the village was slightly amused watching Molan and myself, as well as whoever else joined in,
squatting in the dust and deeply engaged in a game that was a little less than suited to our customary dignity.
The general name for the game is motiq. I do not know if this word has any other meaning. The general phrase for play of any kind, huang,
is not connected directly with the game. To play this game is pan motiq,
and pan means "to travel" or "move", a phrase not far removed in
meaning from the Arabic manqala. Motiq is played in two versions, each with a name of its own. The first and more common version is
ka ia or "eat fish". Here there are two parallel lines of seven holes each, and the game starts with four stones (or seeds) in each hole. These
holes are either dug in the ground, or (as one occasionally, but very rarely, sees) the game may be played on a board in which holes are cut.
There are two players, and each player owns the holes in the row closest to him. Each row represents a human body and each hole is associated
with a part of the body, as in figure 1. The object of play is to capture stones. They are moved from hole to hole circularly through the rows, always in a counter-clockwise direction according to the native injunction to travel to the right, wana
pan. It is never allowed to reverse this direction. A player may begin
with any hole on his own side, but never with a hole in the opponent's
row. He picks up the stones in one hole and distributes them, one each, in the next four. He then takes the five stones in the last of these holes
and distributes them one by one in the next five, and so on. Eventually, it begins to be possible to end with one's last stone in a group of three.
When this occurs, the player takes all four and sets them aside as his winnings before continuing play.
It works out mathematically that the first to move always ends his play in the hole from which he started. He picks up four stones and puts them one each in the next consecutive holes. He then picks the five
in the last hole and lays them down. Again he picks up five and lays them down. Four plus five plus five equal fourteen, and the last stone lands in the hole from which he began. Since this hole is empty before this last stone is placed there, he cannot pick up the stones in it; his
hand is empty and he is mat?, "dead". It is then the opponent's turn. This first play leaves two empty holes. Already at this point an experienced player may exercise strategy in his play. If the opponent
picks up the stones just behind one of these empty holes, he will eventually (after several rounds) gain four stones on two occasions, and his play will then end. However, he will leave one hole for the first
player containing nine stones, and if these are picked up, the first player will, after a much longer series, himself capture the stones in two holes. These are mathematical certainties, which all experienced players know
about. The whole exchange can be prevented if on the very first play of the game, the first player takes the stones from the "head" hole because the relevant empty hole will land on his side. It will, in fact, be the "shin" hole. The hole right behind it, (his "foot") will also be on his side, so his opponent will not be allowed to start there.
When a player's last stone lands in a group of three and he captures all four, the player is said to ka ia, "eat fish". He gets, figuratively, a meal of fish. Consequently, when a group of three appears during
the play they attract attention as ia, "fish", which potentially may be
"eaten" before they are covered up by the play; i.e., before the player with more than the requisite number of stones in his hand fills it up by
adding a stone in passing beyond it. Although in this case it has four, it is not won by the player because he must play beyond it, and it becomes closed like other holes with any number of stones other than three: it is for the time being no longer a potential fish.
The player who is fortunate enough to land with a final stone in a hole with a group of three, and thus "eats fish", then, after setting aside
his winnings, takes the stones in the next consecutive hole and plays on until he too lands with a final stone in an empty hole and is dead. The turn changes, and the game proceeds by alternating turns in
this way.
Eventually the stones will begin to be scarce and the point will be
reached where the players are in danger of moving their few stones on to the opponent's side without having any left on their own. This marks the beginning of the end game. The strategy at this point becomes to
move the stones which by chance are on one's side as slowly as possible, hoping to force the opponent to move all of his stones on to one's own side before moving any more on to his. One hopes simultaneously to
avoid the same fate. This stage is usually of short duration and one or the other soon fails. All stones remaining on the board are the winnings
of the player who can hold out longest.
This round of the game is then over. The players count the stones
they have won to see who has the most. Unless they are both even (i.e., twenty-eight to a side), there is always an advantage which is a multiple of four. Four stones represent a hole. The player on the
disadvantage loses, for the next round, the number of holes correspond ing to the quotient of the number of stones he is behind divided by four. In short, one loses and gains holes, not stones.
At each new play, the opening player is the one who was second in the previous set. The play begins again with (except in the event of
a tie) one player with fewer, one with more, holes. The holes gained or lost are removed from the foot end. The last consecutive hole gained becomes the new head for the more fortunate player. All fourteen holes are always in play, with one player gaining more, another losing, holes.
The two figures then shrink and expand according to the fortunes of the play; i.e., they become shorter or taller. It gives one a tactical advantage in the play to have more holes; for one can only begin with a hole in one's own territory and in the play one chooses to start from that hole which promises to be most productive. Although it is possible to recover ground, the more one falls behind the more difficult it becomes to maintain one's position. If after several rounds, one player
is able to consume the opponent's territory to the point of capturing his head, the game is finished. As can be seen the game can be absorbingly interesting, and an
experienced player will learn to recognize certainties in the probable
course of the play according to the way the stones lie, in the same way
that an experienced cribbage player no longer needs to count the cards in his hand but knows what it is worth and what can be done with it
at a glance." Barnes 1975: 73-76.
Confidence 100
Source Barnes, R. 1975. "Mancala in Kédang: A Structural Test." Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde, 131(1): 67-58.
Id DLP.Evidence.744
Type Artistic depiction
Game O An Quan
Location Vietnam
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules 2x5 board with two stores.
Content Chơi Ô ăn quan ("Playing the Ô Ăn Quan Game), silk painting by Nguyễn Phan Chánh, 1931.
Painting shows a group of two children with two others watching, playing Ô Ăn Quan on a board of holes scooped into the ground. The board is rendered in holes, including the end-holes.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.745
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Katra
Location Sakalava
Date 1952-01-01 - 1952-12-31
Content "8.3.1. Madagascar: Katra(...A.C. Haddon in CP, for the Sakalava tribe...). Played by women and older children only (cf. the Malay games). 4z6 to 4z10 holes, but usually 4x8. The Tamala boards have one store 'for spare pieces'; the Sakalava boards have two stores, both at the same end of the board. There are no reverse holes. Two beans in each hole. Several laps to the move; one round. The first move determines the direction of play; if it is made clockwise, all moves are clockwise, if anticlockwise, anticlockwise (cf. again the Malay games).
A move may begin from any hole on the player's side of the board, but usually from a back-row hole. If the last bean in hand is sown in an empty hole, the move ends; if in . back-row hole containing one or more beans, these are lifted for a new lap; if in a front-row hole containing beans and the opponent's opposite front-row hole is empty or a singleton, the move ends, but if this hole contains more than one bean, these are lifted and added to the beans in the player's hole in which he sowed his last bean, and all the beans now in this hole are lifted for a new lap which is played in the usual way. If the opponent has no beans in any of his front-row holes, captures are made from his back-row in the same way." Murray 1952: 214-215.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.746
Type Ethnography
Game Vai Lung Thlān
Location Mizo
Date 1912-01-01 - 1912-12-31
Content "Vai lung thlan."1
The players sit on the ground on opposite sides of two paral-
lel rows of shallow holes. In each row there are six holes and
in each hole five small stones are placed. Each player in turn
picks up all the stones in any hole in the row nearest him and,
commencing from the hole next on the left, drops one in each
hole along his row and then back along that of his opponent.
If at the end of a turn one or more of the holes last dropped
into is found to contain only one stone, the player removes
these single stones and places them aside. The game continues
till all the stones have been thus removed, and the winner is he
who has taken most. Counting the stones in the hole before
removing them is not allowed, and considerable skill is required
to judge accurately the number of stones, so as to select a hole
containing the number of stones which when distributed will
leave the maximum number of holes with single stones in them." Shakespear 1912: 39.
Confidence 100
Source Shakespear, J. The Lushei Kuki Clans. London: Macmillan and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.747
Type Ethnography
Game Achi
Location Ghana
Location 5°25'22.24"N, 2°30'11.25"W
Date 1928-01-01 - 1929-12-31
Rules Two concentric squares with a line connecting their midpoints. Six pieces per player. Players alternate placing one of their pieces on the intersections of the lines. Whenever a player places three of their pieces in a row, they may remove one of the opponent's pieces from the board. Once all of the pieces are placed, players may take turns moving a piece to an adjacent point along the lines, attempting to place three of their pieces in a row. When one player is reduced to two pieces, that player loses.
Content "3.4.4. Gold Coast: Achi or Ati; Nigeria (Yoruba tribe): Akidada (K.C. Murray, who saw it played at Nopa in 1928 and 1929). Two players, on the first occasion Yorubas, and on the second from the Gold Coast, were playing on a board traced on the sand, each having six 'sticks' made from the fibres of palm leaves, one side green, the other brown. On the second occasion he learnt the rules of the game as given above." Murray 1951: 43.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.748
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Adugo
Location Mato Grosso
Date 2004-01-01 - 2004-12-31
Rules There are 14 "dog" pieces and one "jaguar" piece. The jaguar attempts to capture all of the dogs by hopping over them. The dogs attempt to surround the jaguar and block it from moving. Pieces move from the points where lines intersect to adjacent points along the lines on the board.
Content Lima 2004 (Quoted in Ferreira et al 2008: 51 and other sources, website now defunct but the repeated citations are consistent).
"No Brasil, entre od indígenas Bororo, no Mato Grosso, há um jogo chamado 'jogo da onça', cujo tabuleiro é traçado na terra e pedras são usadas como peças. Uma pedra representa a 'onça', sendo diferente das demais. Outraas 15 peças representam os 'cachorros'. Um jogador atua com apenas uma peça, a 'onça', com o objetivo de capturar as peças 'cachorro'. A captura da 'onça' é realizada quando as peças 'cachorro' a encurralam, deixando-a sem possibilidades de movimentação. Outro jogo semelhante a esse foi encontrado entre os indígenas Manchakeri, no Acre, e entre os Guarani, da região de São Pãolo."
Confidence 100
Source Ferreira, M. B. R., M. Vinha, de Souza, Fernandes. 2008. Jogos du tabuleiro, um percurso em etnias indígenas. Revista Brasileira Ciencia e Movimento 16(1): 47–55.
, Lima, M. 2004. Jogos indígenas do Brasil [projecto on line], July 12, 2007. http:// www.jogosindigenasdobrasil.art.br/port/projeto.html
(defunct)
Id DLP.Evidence.749
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Alquerque
Location Alfonso X
Date 1221-01-01 - 1284-12-31
Rules The board consists of 5x5 intersecting lines with diagonals. Pieces are placed on the intersections and can move along the lines. Each player has 12 pieces. Pieces can move to one adjacent point. Captures can be made by hopping over an opponent's piece. The goal is to capture all of the opponent's pieces.
Content Alfonso X, Libro de los Juegos fols. 91r, 91v, 92r.
Translation by Sonja Musser Golladay.
"This is twelve man’s morris (alquerque de doze) which is played with all its pieces.
Since we have spoken in the previous books of all the ways of playing chess, dice, and tables that those three wise men showed as examples to the king and then that intelligent men spread through play, we want now to tell about other games that men later found that are not among those discussed above. However, they have similarities like mill takes some from chess, dice, and tables. There are others that take from chess and tables but not from dice.
And we will begin first with twelve man’s morris because it is larger and it is played with more pieces. And we will tell in how many ways it is played, with how many pieces, and why it has in it part of chess, tables, and dice. Chess has a part in it because it is played by intelligence and so is mill. The pieces48 with which it is played resemble the pawns of chess. And it has some of tables because of the tie which ties the game in the same way and because of the lines on which the pieces are played. And it has part of dice in it due to luck, because as with the rolls of the dice that are luck so in mill players roll to decide who plays first.
And it is played in this manner: on the millboard there are to be twenty-five places where the pieces can be placed and there are to be twenty-four pieces. And they put twelve of one colour on one side and the other twelve on the other in a troop formation. And one place remains in the centre to allow play. And the one who plays first has a disadvantage because he is forced to play in that empty space.
And the other player moves his piece to the space the first left empty and captures the one that was first to move. That player captures the second player’s piece by jumping over it from one space to another according to the straight lines on the board, and over as many pieces as he should jump in this manner he will capture them all. And the other player does likewise. And the one that plays first always moves first trying to capture some piece from the other side. And the other player guards himself well from attack because of and by understanding the move that he wants to make so that he guards that piece of his best. And the other does the same thing that his opponent plans to do to him and therefore he is at a disadvantage, the one who plays first.
And the one who guards his pieces worse and loses them more quickly, loses. And if both players known how to play it, they can both tie the game. And this is the mill, the pieces, and how they are placed in their spaces."
Confidence 100
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.750
Type Historical rule description
Game Ashtapada
Location Gujarat
Date 1200-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules Two dice, red and black pieces.
Content Discussion from the Balabharata by Amaracandra (II verses 10-14), as discussed in Lüders 1907:66-67.
"Teils bestatigt, teils ergänst werden die bisherigen Ergebnisse durch die Beschreibung des Würfelspiels zwischen Sakuni und Yudhisthira in Amaracandras Balabharata, II, 5, 10ff. Auch hier handelt es sich sichlerlich um das mit dem Brettspiel kombinierte Würfelspiel. In Vers 11 ist wie dei Bhartrhari und Mayura von zwei Würfeln (aksau) die Rede, und diese werden astapadastapadamurdhni plamanau genannt. Darauch würde also jeder Spieler je einem Wuurfel und je ein ashtapada benützen, und das letztere, wie das phalaka der Jatakas, als Würfelbrett dienem. Diese Angaben über das astapada sind sehr auffällig. An und für sich würde es jedenfalls näher liegen, das astapada als das Brett zu betrachten, auf dem die Steine gezogen werden, doch scheinen mir die Worte des Textes völlig klar zu sein und eine andere Interpretation nicht zuzulassen.Die Steine selbst werden mehrfach erwähnt, und sie galten offenbar als so wesentlich für das Spiel, dass as in Vers 10 geradezu heisst, Duryodhna habe sich angeschickt, mit dem Sohne des Dharma mit Steinen zu spielen (sarai rantum). Aus Vers 13 und 14 geht weiter hervor, dass sie zur Hälfte schwarz, zur Hälfte rot waren; sie stimmt also in der Farbe mit den dazugehörigen Würfeln überein. In Vers 12 wird von dem Geklapper gesprochen, das die Steine beim Ziehen in ein andered Feld (grhantaropana) verursachen, und in Vers 14 werden sie mit Königen verglichen, da sie diese aufgestellt, gezogen (oder orhört), festgestzt und wieder befreit werden:
Utthapitaropitabaddhamuktaih syamais ca raktais ca nrpair ivaitou |
sarair vicikridatur ekacittau gamam care 'py adadhatav alaksam||
Die Erwähnungen der Steine, die nach dem Ergebnisse des Wurfes von einem Felda auf das andere gezogen wurden, zeigt deutlich, dass wir es mit einer Abart und vermutlich sogar dem Urbilde unseres Puff oder Trictrac und des modernen indischen Pacisi und Caupur zu tun haben."
Confidence 80
Source Lüders, H. 1907. Das Würfelspiel im alten Indien. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung.
Id DLP.Evidence.751
Type Ethnography
Game Awithlaknan Mosona
Location Zuni
Date 1903-01-01 - 1903-12-31
Rules Stones are placed on intersections, on all except the center. The first player moves to the center, pieces are captured by jumping. Moves must be along the lines.
Content "AWE THLACNAWE. (" STONES KILL.")
Implements. - A number of small stones (a different color for
each side), and geometrical markings on a stone slab or on the ground.
There is no specified size for the "board," it being larger or smaller according to the number of angles. The stones are placed on all the intersections of the geometrical drawing except the central one. The first player moves to the center, where his "man" is jumped by his opponent. The stones may be moved in any direction so long as the lines are followed." Stevenson 1903: 496-497.
Confidence 100
Source Stevenson, M. C. 1903. Zuñi Games. American Anthropologist 5(3): 468-497.
Id DLP.Evidence.752
Type Ethnography
Game Awithlaknan Mosona
Location Zuni
Date 1902-01-01 - 1903-12-31
Rules A series of three parallel lines are drawn, with diagonals connecting the outer lines at intervals, crossing each other at the central line, black and white pieces; center space left empty.
Content "Zuni. Zuni, New Mexico. (Cat. no. 5049, Brooklyn Institute Museum.)
Long stone slab, inscribed with the diagram shown in figure 111.
This was found by the writer on a house top in Zuñi, and was explained by the natives as used in a game with white and black pieces, played like the preceding. The positions of the pieces at the beginning of the game are indicated by black and white circles. The name of the game was given as kolowis awithlaknannai, the kolowisi being a mythic serpent. Another form of the same game (figure 1112) was made for the writer by Zuñi Nick (Nick Graham), who described it under the name of awithlaknan moson, the original awithlaknannai." Culin 1907: 801.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.753
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Chaturanga
Location Western Chalukya
Date 1126-01-01 - 1138-12-31
Rules Placement of pieces from outer squares to inner squares: Chariot, Horse, Elephant; king and minister in the interior (unknown which order). Eight foot soldiers in the row in front of the others.
Chariot moves two places diagonally.
Horse moves like a knight in chess (no mention of jumping).
Elephant moves like a chess rook, but can jump pieces.
Minister moves one space diagonally.
King moves one space in any direction.
Checkmate rules like in chess
Content Rule description from the Manasollasa 5.560-604, in the chapter called Caturangavinoda.
Discusses the rules of chaturanga and various problems and scenarios. German translation by Bock-Raming (1996)
"Die beiden Schlachtordnungen sind einander 'fest' (d.h. in geschlossener Linie?) zugewandt aufzustellen. Auf der Anfangs- (d.h. Grund-)reihe soll der kluge [Spieler] die beiden Wagen [so| plazieren, [daß] sie sich an den zwei Ecken [derselben] befinden. (560) Und zwischen diesen möge er auf dem [anstoßenden] Felderpaar die beiden Pferde niedersetzen, dann innerhalb [davon) das Paar der Elefanten [und) dazwischen König und Minister. (561)
Die beiden (d.h. Minister und König) sind im Unterschied [zu den anderen bisher genannten Figuren] von dem verständigen [SpielerJ auf [jeweils| einem Feld aufzustellen. In den acht Feldern vor diesen [eben genannten Figuren] möge er die acht Fußsoldaten niedersetzen. (562)
So möge [auch] der Gegner sein Heer in zwei Reihen aufstellen".
Der Wagen geht über Eck, indem er den Zwischenraum von einem Feld zurückläßt. (563) Das Pferd kann auf die den vier Eckfeldern benachbarten Felder gehen. Der Elefant kann auf den vier Reihen gehen; er springt überall hin, (564) [um] ein Feld oder auch zwei [oder] auch alle [Felder] vorangetrieben. Der Minister geht in alle vier Ecken an seiner Seite. (565) Der König gheht in alle Richtungen in die benachbarten Felder. Der Fußsoldat bewegt sich um ein [Feld], [und] er schlägt über die beiden Ecken. (566)
Er geht stets nur nach vorn, niemals kehrt er, [bis er die 8. Reihe erreicht hat], um. Nachdem er aber vier Felderreihen [weit] gegangen ist, soll er zum Minister werden; (567) kehrt er [danach] nach hinten zurück, dann [ist] er Minister auf den vier Feldern.
Der König, der Minister, der Wagen, der Elefant und das Pferd, [jeder von diesen] geht, auf seinem eigenen Feld befindlich, (568)
mit dem [für ihn vorgeschriebenen) Zug zu einem anderen Feld [und] schlägt das darauf befindliche feindliche Heer (bzw. einen zu diesem gehörigen Stein). Der Fußsoldat jedoch [geht] nach vom zu dem an seinen beiden Ecken befindlichen [Feld und] schlägt einen darauf vorhandenen [Stein des Gegners]. (569)
Weil die Soldaten84 'zweifüßig' (?) sind, möge man sich (bzw. seine Steine) geschickt vor ihnen schützen.
Für den in der Ecke [der Grundreihe) stehenden Wagen wird von den Experten ein einziges Feld angegeben, [auf das er ziehen kann]. (570)
Auf der dritten und fünften Reihe [werden ihm] vier Felder [zugesprochen]. Während [der Wagen], der die siebente Reihe erreicht hat, [nur] umkehren kann, (571)
bietet die siebente [Reihe] für den auf anderem Wege [dorthin] gelangten [Wagen] zwei Felder, [auf die er ziehen kann]. Für den auf der Grundreihe befindlichen Wagen [gibt es] zwei Felder. (572)
So ist die Anordnung der Felder des Wagens bestimmt worden. Für das nächst der Ecke [der Grundreihe] stehende Pferd [werden] drei Felder [angegeben] , (573) für das in der Ecke stehende zwei, für das auf [den übrigen Feldern] der Grundreihe [stehende] vier Felder. Dem auf der zweiten Reihe in der Ecke stehenden Pferd [stehen] drei Felder [zur Verfügung]. (574)
[Steht es] anderswo auf der zweiten Reihe, werden ihm sechs Felder zugesprochen; und für das Pferd, das sich in der Mitte auf den sechzehn [Feldern] befindet, (575) werden von den des caturanga Kundigen acht Felder angegeben. Für den Elefanten, wo auch immer er sich befindet, auch wenn er an seinem eigenen Platz (d.h. in der Grundstellung zu Beginn des Spiels) steht, (576)
werden hier vierzehn Felder genannt. Für den in der äußeren Ecke [der Grundreihe] stehenden Minister [werden] ein Feld, für den am Rande (d.h. auf allen anderen Feldern der Grundreihe) der Grundreihe) stehenden zwei, (577)
für den anderswo stehenden vier Felder genannt. Und für den 'außen' (d.h. auf den Feldern der Grundreihe mit Ausnahme der beiden Eckfelder) stehenden König [werden] fün Felder [angegeben], (578)
[steht er] in deren (d.h. der in 578c mit bahih bezeichneten Grundreihe) Ecke, soll man wissen, [daß er auf] drei Felder [ziehen kann]; [steht er] anderswo (d.h. auf irgendeinem anderen Feld außerhalb der Grundreihe), werden [für ihn] acht Felder angegeben. Für den Fußsoldaten Fußsoldaten werden von den Kennern des caturanga drei Felder bestimmt. (579) [So] ist die Anzahl der Felder, die für die vier Teile [des Heeres] bestimmt sind, von mir genannt.
Die simä (wörtl.: "Grenze") genannte [ist] die erste Schlachtordnung; zweitens [gibt es) die sumeru [genannte Schlachtordnung], (580)
Die gomütra (wörtl.: "Urin der Kuh") genannte soll die dritte [Schlachtordnung] sein; diese Schlachtordnungen [kann man) nach Belieben [aufstellen]. Wenn alle Fußsoldaten, in einer Reihe stehend, wie eine Woge (581)
in der Schlachtordnung vorrücken,105 [dann] wird diese [Schlachtordnung] mit dem Namen 'Grenze' bezeichnet.106 Wenn von den Spielern das vierteilige Heer in der Form des Gipfels des [Berges] Sumeru aufgestellt wird, (582)
[dann] wird diese Schlachtordnung sumeru genannt. Wenn die Fußsoldaten beim Spiel wie der Urin der Kuh vorschreiten, (583)
[dann] wird [dies] von den des caturanga Kundigen als die wie der Kuhurin [verlaufende] Schlachtordnung bezeichnet.
Im feindlichen Heer möge der kluge [Spieler] mit Ausnahme von Minister und König [alle anderen eigenen Figuren, nämlich] Wagen, Elefant, Springer und Fußsoldaten mit Bedacht zu zwei Zwecken einsetzen. Sowohl den eigenen König als auch den Minister als auch den Elefanten möge er [besonders] schützen. (585)
Indem er so verfährt, möge er den feindlichen König an einem anzuvisierenden Ort gefangensetzen (ni-bandh-). Setzt man einen Fußsoldaten auf die fünfte Reihe, den Minister auf die sechste Reihe, (586)
den Wagen auf die siebente, [so wird dies] von den Weisen als vajrabandha (wörtl.: "Donnerkeilfesselung") gelehrt. Wo Minister und ein Fußsoldat vorhanden sind [und] sich gegenseitig decken, (587)
der Minister auf der sechsten und der Fußsoldat auf der fünften [Reihe], [das ist] das drdhabandhana (wörtl.: "feste/harte/dauerhafte Fesselung"). Wo Soldaten [aufgestellt sind], die 'hinsichtlich des Schützens nach ihrem gegenseitigen Wohle streben' (588)
wie Leibwächter im Kampf, dies nennt man die mit bandha (wörtl.: "das Binden; die Fesse lung, Gefangensetzung) bezeichnete [Fesselung].
"In den eigenen vier Reihen aber möge der kluge [Spieler] das feindliche Heer aufhalten.
(589)
Nachdem er in das feindliche Heer eingebrochen ist, möge er alsdann [weiter] in den vom Gegner [beherrschten] Bereich (paraksetra) eindringen. Nachdem er die Reihe des Königs verlassen hat,möge er den König dort (im Bereich des Gegners?) niedersetzen.(5 90) Vor [ihn] aber möge er, um ihn zu decken, den Minister setzen. Mittels des Wagens [oder] des Pferdes möge er verhindern, daß er (= der eigene König) in Bedrängnis gerät.
So wird 'der des vierteiligen Heeres Kundige' (caturangabaläbhijna) schnell siegen. Der kluge [Spieler] möge den Wagen etc., den zu ziehen er im Begriff ist, [erst] nach [reiflicher] Überle gung ziehen.(592)
Er möge ihn nach [eingehender] Prüfung [dort] niedersetzen, wo er nicht bedrängt (d.h. angegriffen und wieder verdrängt) werden kann. Wenn [ein Stein] zieht, um [einen feindlichen Stein] zu schlagen, [dann] soll man [zugleich auch] dafür Sorge tragen, daß er gedeckt ist. (593)
Über dieses (d.h. das Decken eines einzelnen Steines) hinausschauend, soll man [auch die anderen Steine] decken. Niemals darf ein König, der an einem Ort steht, an dem er geschlagen werden kann (vadhyasthänasthitä), [tatsächlich auch] geschlagen werden. (594) 'Dein König wird [mit meinem nächsten Zug] geschlagen werden, er möge ziehen', so soll der kluge [Spieler] sprechen. '[Dein] König kann geschlagen werden', so ist zu sprechen. [Daraufhin] ist er (d.h. der im Schach stehende König) von dem, der [die Regeln des] Spiels kennt, auf ein solches Feld zu stellen, daß ihn der andere nicht schlagen kann. Mit Sorgfalt soll er (d.h. der umsichtige Spieler) den König und den Elefanten zugleich decken. (595-596)
Vor welchem [Stein) der König flieht, (durch den] wird der Elefant in jedem Fall geschlagen. Der Elefant soll auf der Reihe, [auf der er gerade steht], durch irgendeinen anderen [Stein] angemessen gedeckt werden. (597)
So [soll man in erster Linie darauf] achten, [seine eigenen Steine] zu decken, nicht darauf, den Feind zu schlagen. [Wenn] der Elefant, [dem die Aufgabe zufällt, den eigenen König] vor dem Geschlagenwerden zu decken, einen [Stein] des feindlichen [Heeres] schlagen soll und deshalb den König im Kampf verläßt, (598)
dann soll sich der König zu dem Ort begeben, wo der Elefant [nun seinerseits der Gefahr] des Geschlagenwerdens ausgesetzt ist, [um ihn so zu decken?)
"Der kluge [Spieler] möge mit Sorgfalt dem [feindlichen] König den Weg versperren. (599) Nachdem er die [Steine], die den König schlagen [können], rings um dessen Feld aufgestellt hat,140 soll er [seinen Gegner] darauf hinweisen: 'Wieder141 kann [dein] König von irgendei nem anderen [Stein] (d.h. einem Stein der Gegenpartei) geschlagen werden'.142 (600)
"Der kluge [Spieler] möge mit Sorgfalt dem [feindlichen] König den Weg versperren. (599) Nachdem er die [Steine], die den König schlagen [können], rings um dessen Feld aufgestellt hat, soll er [seinen Gegner] darauf hinweisen: 'Wieder kann [dein] König von irgendei nem anderen [Stein] (d.h. einem Stein der Gegenpartei) geschlagen werden'. (600)
Weil [der König] weder [im Schach] stehen bleiben darf noch [von dort] wegziehen kann, ist seine Seite [somit] besiegt. Oder der kluge [Spieler) möge [einen seiner] gut gedeckten Soldaten oder sein Pferd [oder] seinen Wagen [oder] seinen Elefanten (601).
"Der kluge [Spieler] möge mit Sorgfalt dem [feindlichen] König den Weg versperren. (599) Nachdem er die [Steine], die den König schlagen [können], rings um dessen Feld aufgestellt hat, soll er [seinen Gegner] darauf hinweisen: 'Wieder kann [dein] König von irgendei nem anderen [Stein] (d.h. einem Stein der Gegenpartei) geschlagen werden'. (600)
Weil [der König] weder [im Schach] stehen bleiben darf noch [von dort] wegziehen kann, ist seine Seite [somit] besiegt. Oder der kluge [Spieler) möge [einen seiner] gut gedeckten Soldaten oder sein Pferd [oder] seinen Wagen [oder] seinen Elefanten (601) oder seinen Minister in der Absicht aufstellen, den [feindlichen] König am Ziehen zu hindern. Auch dann ist anzukündigen, daß der [feindliche] König [beim nächsten Zug] durch irgendeinen anderen [Stein] geschlagen wird.(602) Wenn [so der König] aber durch einen Stein [der] anderen [Partei] mattgesetzt worden ist, auch [dann] ist seine Seite bezwungen. Oder wenn das eigene Heer dem König im Wege steht [und] ihn einsperrt (d.h. am Ziehen hindert), (603) auch so [fällt der Gegenpartei) der Sieg [zu], nachdem er durch irgendeinen anderen (Stein des Gegners] mattgesetzt worden ist. [So ist im Vorgehenden] dargelegt worden, daß der
Sieg, (604)
den es in dem caturanga genannten Spiel über das vierteilige (Heer des Gegners) geben kann, von dreifacher Art ist.
So (lautet) der Zeitvertreib des caturanga."
Confidence 100
Source Bock-Raming, A. 1996. Manasollasa, 5,560–623: Ein Bisher unbeachtet gebliebener Text zum indischen Schachspiel, übersetzt, kommentiert und interpretiert. Indo-Iranian Journal. 39(1):1–40.
Id DLP.Evidence.754
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Four-Handed Chaturanga
Location Western Chalukya
Date 1126-01-01 - 1138-12-31
Rules Placement of pieces: Chariots on corners, horses to their right, elephants to the right of horses, kings to right of elephants. One row of four pawns in from of these.
Winning consists of scoring the most points. Points are assigned to pieces:
pawns= 1, chariots = 2, horses = 3, elephants = 4, king = 6.
Content Rule description from the Manasollasa 5.615-622, in the chapter called Caturangavinoda.
Discusses the rules of chaturanga and variantss. German translation by Bock-Raming (1996)
"Die Figurenaufstellung ( vyüha, wörtl.: "Schlachtordnung), bei der vier Spieler [teilnehmen], die wird [im folgenden) gelehrt. (615)
[Dabei] ist ein weißes [und] ein rotes Heer herzurichten, das nur durch ein Zwischenglied getrennt ist. Die Wagen sind in den Ecken aufzustellen, rechts davon die Pferde, (616)
auf der rechten Seite der Pferde die Elefanten, die aus Elfenbein gemacht sind. Neben ihnen [befinden sich) vier Könige, [aber] ohne Minister. (617)
Hierbei gibt es nicht die Regel: 'Der König darf nicht geschlagen werden'. [Bei deiser Form des caturanga] wird ein Schlagen der vier [Könige] gelehrt; es kann immer wieder praktiziert. (618)
Die Soldaten usw. welches [Heeres] auch immer können von den [anderen] Spielern geschlagen werden. Wenn aber irgendein einzelner [Stein in der Mitte des [gegnerischen?] Heeres übrigbleibt, (619)
dann wird er vom Spiel ferngehalten. Der Sieg soll sich aufgrund der Zählung [d.h. der Werte der Steine] ergeben. Der Fußsoldat soll eins zählen, der Wagen wird als zwei zählend gelehrt. (620)
Das Pferd wird als drei zählend bezeichnet, der Elefant die zählt vier, der König sechs; [dies ist] die Unterscheidung der Werte [der Steine] im Hinblick auf den Spieleinsatz. Wer mehr als das eigene Heer hat, dem soll man den Sieg zuweisen; wenn [das eigene Heer] Verluste erlitten hat, [dann] soll man wissen, daß man verloren hat; wenn [das heer in seiner Stärke] gleich geblieben ist, wird von Ausgeglichenheit gesprochen. (622) Diese Regel wird im Spiel zu vieren von den Kennern gelehrt."
Confidence 100
Source Bock-Raming, A. 1996. Manasollasa, 5,560–623: Ein Bisher unbeachtet gebliebener Text zum indischen Schachspiel, übersetzt, kommentiert und interpretiert. Indo-Iranian Journal. 39(1):1–40.
Id DLP.Evidence.755
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Baghchal
Location Nepal
Date 1976-01-01 - 1976-12-31
Rules Played on 5x5 grid including diagonals and pieces are played on the intersections of the lines. One player has four tigers, placed on the corners, and the other has up to 20 goats, placed on the board on a free space. Tigers and goats can move to an adjacent intersection along the lines on the board. Tigers may capture goats by hopping over them. The game ends when tigers have captured all of the goats or the goats block the tigers from being able to move.
Content "The nearest approach to an 'intellectual' native game that I came across was Bagh Chal, which may most be likened to Draughts. I found it particularly popular with Buddhist monks, who used pebbles as pieces and moved them over a pattern scratched in the ground...
BAGH CHAL
A Nepalese game for two players
The tiger-player places a tiger in each corner of the grid (see fig. 1). His object is to avoid being blocked by a goat, of which his opponent starts with 20 off the board.
The goat-player moves first and turns alternate. At each turn the goat-player places a goat on any unoccupied point of the grid, and his opponent moves a tiger. A tiger may move to an adjacent point, but only following a line of the grid. If an adjacent point is occupied by a goat, the tiger may jump over the goat in a straight line to the point immediately behind it, but only if that point is unoccupied. The goat is thereby killed and removed from the board. Only one such jump may be made in one turn.
Goats may not jump, but when all 20 goats have been placed (even if some have meanwhile been captured) the goat-player's turn consists of moving a goat to an adjacent unoccupied point.
If and when the tiger-player is unable to make a legal move he has lost. He may win by capturing all the goats."Parlett 1976: 4.
Confidence 100
Source Parlett, D. 1976. 'Himalayan Games.' Games and Puzzles: The New Magazine about Games of Every Kind. 52:4-6.
Id DLP.Evidence.756
Type Contemporary text
Game Alea Evangelii
Location 54°39'22.49"N, 5°40'26.92"W
Date 1100-01-01 - 1199-12-31
Rules 18x18 board. Markings in the corner squares. 69 or 72 pieces. One king piece. King piece begins in the center.
Content Discussed in Corpus Christi College Manuscript 122.
Transcription from Robinson 1923: 171-181:
"Incipit Alea Evangelii, quam Dubinsi episcopus Bennshorensis detulit a rege Anglorum, id est a domu Adalstani regis Anglorum, depicta a quodam Francone et a Romano sapiente, id est Israel.
Si quis voluerit scire hanc aleam plene, illi ante omnia hujus discipline documenta hec. vii. scire animo necesse est: duces scilicet et comites, propugnatores et impugnatores, civitatem et civitatulam, et .IX. gradus bis.
Iudeus Romanus et Franconus peritissimi .IIII. evangeliorum ut per ordinem canonum .X. multiplicationem .IIII. evangelistarum intellexeurnt quadrangulam paribus figuram quatuor lateribus .X. et .VIII. tramites in longitudine et in latitudine habentem consignaverunt. Si cui autem in scropulum occurrerit quare quatuor est laterum et angulorum inter .IIII. evangelistas divisio. Primum quidem latus cum precedente angulo a sinistro in dexteram supra manus verticem in scribendi positione porrectum Mathei esse quis dubitat? Secundum autem latus cum antecedente angulo in quo Mathei latus finitum est. et a superiore loco dirivatum post ejusdem manus dorsum ad imum Luce latus terminatum et subradice palme a dextera in sinistram porrectum esse non dubitamus. Porro quartum exinde inceptum atque angulum erectum Marci esse designatum est. Tricentas vero XXIIII intra se habet quadrangulas ista figura. X. enim et octo octies decies in trecentos .XXIIII. consurgunt. Septem autem trianguli secundi et tertii et quarti canonis intra se haberi videntur. Porro viri qui in canonibus continentur .LXXII. esse non dubitamus. id est Matheus .XX. Marcus .XV. Lucas .XVII. Iohannes .XV. videtur. Quantumcunque enim evangelium in canonibus multiplicantur ad ampliorem numerum consurgere videntur. In canone primo Matheus quater .in secundo ter. in .III. ter. et in quarto ter . in quinto bis. in sexto bis. in. VII. bis. atque in X. semel nominatur. Quatuor igitur semel et terni ter et bini ter atque singuli semel. xx. esse perspicuum est. Marcus vero in canone. I. quater, in secundo ter atque in .iiii. ter . in. vi. bis. bisque in viii. ac semel in .x. consurgere videtur. Quatuor igitur cum bis ac binis bis singulisque semel .xv. virorum numerum efficiunt. In .i. canone quater atque in secun do ter terque in .iii. in .v. vero bis et in viii. bis atque bis in .ix. in .x. vero semel Lucas conumeratur. Quatuor igitur cum tribus bis atque binis ter ac singulis semel ad .xvii. summum virorum consurgunt. Iohannes porro .iiii. in .i. canone in .iii. tribus tribusque in quarto in .vii. duobus duobusque in .ix. vicibus atque in .x. semel connumeratur. Quatuor igitur semel atque tres bis. iique bis at singuli semel .xv. esse non dubium est Iunge igitur .xx. Mathei ac Marci .xv. et Luce .xvii. atque Iohannis .xv. et .lxvii. efficiuntur. Atque his junge .iiii. varios viros qui a Marco et ab Iohanne possidentur. Ac primarium virum quem nullus evangelistarum possidet . et unitatem trinitatis significacntem et simul omnes lxxii ut prediximus efficiuntur. Hi sunt viri quos varietas .x. canonum multiplicavit. Videamus igitur quomodo isti hanc aleam possident viri. Quandrangula quidem media .ix. quadrangulas intra se habens. id est .v. pallidas quatuorque plenas quaternis viris primi canonis esse videtur. Hec est autem via per quam uniuscuiusque canonis initium reperire potueris. In quocunque enim loco crucem cum numero reperieris initium canonis esse non dubites. Perge igitur ad superiorem quadrangulam magne et medie quadrangule et intra quatuor viros habentem id est Matheum in superiore loco et in principio sub cruce et unario. et Lucam a sinistris Mathei. Iohannem vero a plantis. atque Marcum a dextris possidentem. Deinde ad aliam quadrangulam binarium supra se habentem. et sub binario Marcum . Matheum vero a sinistris Marci ac Iohannem a dextris. atque Lucam a plantis astantem pergere debemus. Postea ad quadrangulam a diverso positam . et sub ternario Lucam habentem .et a dextris ejum Matheum. et a plantis Marcum. a sinistris vero Iohannem nunc gradiamur Postremo ad quartam auqdrangulam et sub ternario Iohannem et ejus a dextris Lucam. ac a sinistris Marcum. a plantis vero Matheum habentem ingredi debemus. Eleva nunc oculos ad Matheum in principio positum canonis secundi ac in primo angulo et a dextris ejus Marcum ac sinistris Lucam habentem. Ad secundum nune triangulum Marcum e contrario habentem. et a sinistris ejus Matheum. a dextris Lucam aspicientem pergamus. Vertamus ad dexteram et Lucam ante varium virum noscere. at post varium Marcum . ac deinde Matheum debemus. Incipit nunc tertius canon a Matheo sub cruce et ternario in primo angulo trianguli posito qui Lucam a dextris. Iohannem vero a sinistris videtur habere. Lucas quoque virginitatem et ampliorem canonis id est actuum et evangelii conscriptionem. In canonibus Marcum precedere non dubitatur. Nunc duos viros Lucam in primo ac Matheum in secundo ante varium virum loco . atque Iohannem postremo inspicere debemus. Adhuc ad dexteram vertamus. et Iohannis in . I. trianguli angulo . et Lucas ejus a sinistris . et Matheus a sinistris ejus nobis occurret. Quartus autem canon a Matheo in angulo primo trianguli sub cruce et quaternario possito incipit. qui Marcum a dextris ac Iohannem a sinistris videtur habere. Varium nunc transgrediamur virum. et postea Marcus in trianguli primo angulo. Matheum a dextris atque Iohannem a sinistris habens constare videtur . Iohannes vero in primo angulo contrarii trianguli. Marcum a sinistris . et Matheum a dextris habens non dubitamus haberi. Hic prope Matheum primarium virum habitare perspicuum est. Nunc aliam viam in reliquis canonibus inspicere debemus. Quintus enim canon et sextus . vii. atque .viii. nonusque canon a sinistra in dexteram singuli per singulos tramietes porrigi videntur. Quintum vero canonem Matheum in primo sub cruce et quinario habentem loco. Ac Matheum in fine. Lucamque bis in medio possidetem conspicimus. Senarium nunc cum cruce Mattheum in principio atque in fine. Marcum vero bis in medio possidentem intueri debemus. Porro vii a septinario et cruce icipiens Iohannem bis inter duos Matthei habere nemo dubitat. Octavus quoque ab octinario et cruce incipiens Lucam primo et Marcum secundo et tertio. Lucam vero quarto loco habere videtur. Nonus vero a .ix. et cruce inchoans. Lucam in primo Iohannem vero in secundo et tertio atque Lucam in quarto loco continere perspicuum est. Decimus vero canon in quatuor locis constare videtur. Cumque enim .x. cum cruce conspexeris .x. canone deputare ne dubites. Quatuor autem varii viri qui sparsim in hac figura conspiciuntur Marco et Iohanni deputantur. Ideo autem varii sunt et non nirgri sicut ceteri quia Marcus et Iohannes canonem sine altera evangelista non ediderunt. Porro primarius unum Mathei et Marci. et Luce et Iohannis. votum vel unitatem trinitatis significare videtur. Unarius quoque qui in medio alee perspicitur indivisibilem trinitatis substantiam sive primi canonis principatum significat. Quaterni quoque viri quatuor extremorum angulorum propter alie decorum formatii sunt. vel ideo quia sparsim quateruatimque per aleamn viros evangeliste possident. Unus quisque quatuor in sup proprio angulo viros possident. finit amen finit. "
Confidence 100
Source Robinson, J. A. 1923. The Times of St. Dunstan. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.757
Type Ethnography
Game Dala
Location Bagara
Date 1925-01-01 - 1925-12-31
Rules 6x6 board. Each player has twelve sticks. One player's sticks are without bark to distinguish them. Players placing their sticks in empty spaces, filling the central four first. Once all of the sticks have been placed, the players may move their sticks orthogonally one space. If a player can bring three of their sticks in a row, they may then remove one of the opponent's sticks. The player who can no longer play loses.
Content "2. Dala
This game is played by all Baggara tribes. I learnt it from the Homr and have seen it played by the Rizeigat. It is very much more difficult than Sîja, to play well, and is fully as worthy as draughts of the attention of European players.
Dar Homr contains very little sand and no stone at all, so Dâla is played on a raised board made of soft mud, divided into six rows of six squares, marked by holes, and the counters, of which each player has twelve, take the form of sharpened sticks, about six inches long. Those of one player are distinguished by removal of the bark, which is left on those of the other player.
The holes are called Nugâr (sing., Nûgara) and the sticks 'Îdân (sing. 'Ûd). The players set the board by sticking in their sticks (tchakka is the verb) one at a time, alternately, the rule being that the four middle holes of the board must be filled, after which a player may place his stick in any vacant hole he likes. The diagram, Fig. 2, shows a possible distribution of the twenty-four sticks on the board. Here, again, the setting of the board is done with a view to, and largely determines, the subsequent line of play amd there is room for a high degree of skill in doing it.
The rule is that the two players make alternate moves. If a move brings three of the player's sticks into line and adjacent to each other, or (if four of the sticks were previously in line and adjacent) leaves three in line and adjacent, then the player can remove from the board any one of his opponent's sticks which he may select.
This bringing of sticks into line and the resulting removal of one of the opponent's sticks is called a ta'na. Thus, in fig. 2, by moving the stick X1 into line with X2 and X3 the player makes a ta'na and can remove any one of the sticks ).
If a player gets five sticks into the positions indicated in Fig. 3 he is said to have a "bull" which yields a ta'na every time he moves the stick X1 up or down, and, if it is beyond the opponent's power to break up the bull, he mocks him, saying "Dejj! Tsp tsp, tsp, tsp, tsp —" these being the sounds the herdsboy makes to cause a bull to lead a herd straight ahead. Tactful remarks to a defeated opponent, in fact, are no part of the Homrawi convention. When the issue is no longer in doubt, for instance, he will pronounce the jingle "Jebbid Hateibak: Biga li'eibak"—"Pull up your little sticks: your game's up." Davies 1925: 139-140.
Confidence 100
Source Davies, R. 1925. 'Some Arab Games and Puzzles.' Sudan Notes and Records. 8: 137–152.
Id DLP.Evidence.758
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Das Bohnenspiel
Location Baltic Provinces
Location 53°25'44.69"N, 14°33'11.26"E
Date 1908-01-01 - 1923-12-31
Rules The game begins with six counters in each hole. Each player owns one row of holes. At the beginning of the turn, a player picks up all of the counters from their side of the board and sows them, one each, into consecutive holes in a counterclockwise pattern. If the last counter lands in a hole that contains 2, 4, or 6 (after sowing), then the player captures the counters in that hole. If the player captures counters in a hole, then they may also capture counters in the previous hole, if it also has 2,4, or 6, continuing until reaching a hole without 2, 4, or 6. Play continues until one player cannot play on their turn, at which point the other player receives all of the remaining counters. The player with the most captured counters wins.
Content "Das Bohnenspiel, dieses uralte, höchst originelle und interressante, völlig in Vergessenheit geratene Brettspiel habe ich auf einer Besuchsreife in den baltischen Provinzen bei Herrn Baron von Stackelberg 1908 in Kardis wiederentdeckt. Der Schah von Persien hatte vor über 100 Jahren der Kaiserin Katharina II. von Rußland ein Bohnenspiel zum Geischenk gemacht, und nach Kardis war eine Dublette davon gekommen. Genau nach dem Muster in Kardis habe ich unser Bohnenspiel ansertigen lassen.
Wie alt und wie weitverbreitet das Bohnenspiel auch heute noch ist, wird jedem Besucher von Völkermuseen auffallen. Unter den Spielzeugen der asiatischen und afrikanischen Völkerschaften befinden sich stets verschiedene Zählbretter in der Urt unseres Bohnenspiels. Auch in Deutschlanbd muß das Bohnenspiel vor Jahrzehnten allgemein bekannt gewesen sein. Gerade heute, während ich hier auf das Bohnenspiel zu sprechen komme, hat mir Frau Oberpräsident von Waldow in Stettin ein Bohnenspiel aus ihrer kindheit gezeigt, das genau dem baltischem entspright; nur ist das deutsche Bohnenspiel besteht, wie aus der obigen Abbildung ersichtlich ist, aus einem sauber gearbeitenen Spielbrett mit 2x6 sich gegenüberliegenden, eingearbeiteten Bohnenschalen und je einer Gewinnmulde zur rechten Hand der beiden Bohnenspieler. Zu dem Spielbrett gehören 2x36 Bohnen, die von jedem der Spieler zum Anfang des Spiels zu seschsen in jede seiner sechs Bohnenschalen abgezählt werden.
Die Ausgabe der Spieler bessteht darin so geschicht den Inhalt ihrer Schalen zu räumen, daß beim Auszählen der Bohnen rechts herum über die eigenen end die Schalen des Gegners hinweg möglichst viele Zweier oder Vierer oder Sechser in eigenen oder geanrischen Schalen ohne Unterbrechung zu liegen kommen und dann als Gewinn von dem Betreffenden in seine Gewinnmulde eingeheimst werden.
So leicht das Bohnenspiel ze erlernen ist — es können schon sechsjährige Kinder damit spielen —, mit so unglaublich vielen Kombinationen und Variationen ist es doch verbunden. Auch der gescheiteste Brettspieler muß einem gewiegten Partner gegenüber auf der Hut sein. " Jahn 1923: 13-15.
Confidence 100
Source Jahn, F. 1923. Alte Deutsche Spiele. Dresden: Pflugschar-Verlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.759
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Cercar La Liebre
Location Alfonso X
Date 1221-01-01 - 1284-12-31
Rules One player is the rabbit, and the other player plays with twelve other pieces. They may also play with either ten or eleven pieces instead of twelve. The pieces move along the lines. The goal is to corner the rabbit so that it cannot move. The rabbit may hop over the other pieces to capture them. The rabbit wins by reducing the opponent to nine pieces.
Content From Alfonso X (1221-1283)'s Libro de los Juegos, with diagram of the board and opening position.
Translation by Sonja Musser Golladay:
"The game called corner the rabbit that is also played on the twelve man’s morris board.
This is another game that is also played on the twelve man’s morris board and it is called the corner the rabbit game and it is played like this: they take one piece and place it in the centre of the board and they put twelve of the other colour in a troop formation, or eleven or ten according to the wager between the two who are to play it.
And they play it like this: The single piece plays first and then the others, however many they are, go after him. And that single piece alone is safe from capture because they are not to remove but rather trap him in a space so that there is nowhere for him to go.
And he captures as many of the others as he can by jumping over them. And once he has captured one of the others [if they begin with ten], they cannot trap him. But if there were twelve,by capturing one eleven remain, and they can carry him with them wherever thy want. They will do the same with ten if they know how to play it well. But if one of the ten is captured, the nine that remain can never trap him in any way, and therefore lose the game.
And this is the explanation of this game and this is the diagram of the board and of the pieces."
Confidence 100
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.760
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Demala Diviyan Keliya
Location South India; Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules Played with three "leopards" and fifteen "dogs." The pieces are placed on the intersections of the lines, and move along the lines to the next intersection. The game starts with the leopards on the board, but in the beginning the player controlling the dogs places one dog on an intersection until they are all on the board. After this, the dogs move in the same manner as the leopards. The leopard can hop over a dog as in draughts, capturing it. The leopard wins the game if it captures more than half of the dogs, the dogs win if they block the leopard from being able to move.
Content "Demala Diviyan Keliya, or Koti Sellama. 'The Tamil Leopards' Game.
The board is an enlarged form of that of the preceding game, all the lines being extended so as to provide an additional set of positions for the pieces on the three sides of the triangle.
Three 'Leopards' and fifteen pieces called 'Dogs' are required for this game, which is played exactly like the last one. Capturing the Dogs is termed 'chopping' them (v. kotanawa). The game is well known in southern India, from whicb country it was doubtless imported into Ceylon, as its name indicates. Its Hindustani name is Rafaya. Some extend the lines so as to make an extra set of positions for the pieces outside those described above." Parker 1909: 581.
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.761
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Dra
Location Dra
Date 1939-01-01 - 1939-12-31
Rules Players alternate placing their pieces until they are all placed on the board. The goal is to make a line of three, which allows the player to capture one of the opponent's pieces. Once the pieces are all on the board, they may be moved one space orthogonally. In the case that a move creates two lines of three, only one capture is made. The player who captures the most pieces wins. Matches are typically played to a score of ten, with a player scoring one point by winning a game, and two points for winning without any of their pieces being captured.
Content "II.—Le cheval.
Tamachew: dra; haoussa: dili; bambara, bozo, sonraï: wali; peul Macina: kyoti.
1. Le jeu (fig. 12) se compose de 6 x 5 = 30 cases (fossette juxtaposées sur la table).
2. Chaque joueur dispose de 12 pions (bâtonnets ou cailloux).
3. Une partie se joue habituellement en 10 points: ceux-ci peuvent être obtenus par un joueur gagnant chaque foi en 10 jeux, ou même en moins, celui qui gagne sans avoir lui-même perdu de pions marquant 2 points.
4. Le jeu comporte 2 temps: 1e le placement des pions; 2e le jeu proprement dit.
5. Premier temps: chaque joueur à tour de rôle, sans qu'il y ait de règle fixe pour le choix du débutant, place, un à un, ses douze pions à son gré, sans avoir le droit de constitute des séries de 3 dès ce premier temps.
6. Deuxième temps: avec des pions se déplaçant orthogonalement (dans tous les sens, en avant, en arrière et même de côté), d'une case à la fois, chaque joueur s'efforce de constituer des séries de 3 pions alignés, chaque alignement réussi lui conférant le droit d'enlever du jeu 1 pion à l'adversaire.
7. Celui qui a débuté pour le placement commence aussi la deuxième partie du jeu.
8. Il est interdit d'aligner plus de 3 pions.
9. Si, au cours du jeu, un joueur venait à former simultanément, d'un seul mouvement, 2 alignements (fig. 13), il ne pourrait compter comme valable qu'un seul des 2 et ne prendra qu'un pion à l'adversaire.
10.Le pion capable de fermer à chaque mouvement ou tous les deux coups, un alignement (nos. 7-13), se nomme un cheval (tamacheq: aîs, haoussa: doki). Le joueur ayant réussi à établir un cheval, simple ou double, inaccessible aux attaques de son adversaire, a nécessairement gagné." Monod 1939: 12-13.
Confidence 100
Source Monod, T. 1950. Sur quelques jeux africains à quadrillages. Notes Africains 45: 11–13.
Id DLP.Evidence.762
Type Ethnography
Game En Gehé
Location Maasai Tanzania
Date 1904-01-01 - 1904-12-31
Rules Each team controls one row. Play begins with each hole containing four counters (usually seeds or pebbles). A player picks up the counters in a hole in his team's row and sows them in a counterclockwise fashion, one in each consecutive hole. If the last counter is deposited into a hole containing counter, those counters are picked up and the player continues sowing. The turn continues in this fashion until the last counter falls into an empty hole. If this empty hole is on the player's side, the counters in the opposite hole in the other team's row are captured. The counter also causing the capture is taken. Play continues until one team cannot move, and the remaining counters are captured by the other team. The team with the most seeds wins.
Content "Diese ziehen meist das en gehé ('n gehén) vor, welches in ganz derselben Weise gespielt wird (en dodoi), nur dass auf jeder Seite ungefähr acht Spieler nach einander je einen Gang spielen und dass jeder Reihe 40 bis 50 Fächer hat, die nicht in ein Brett eingemeisselt, sondern in den Erdboden gescharrt sind." Merker 1904: 37.
Confidence 100
Source Merker, M. 1904. Die Masai: Ethnographische Monographie eines ostafrikanischen Semitenvolkes. Berlin: Dietrich Reimer (Ernst Vohsen).
Id DLP.Evidence.763
Type Contemporary rule description
Game O-Pat-Kono
Location Korea
Date 1893-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules Played on a 4x4 grid. Each player has seven pieces, placed on the intersections of the lines, five on the back row and one on each outer intersection of the second line. Pieces are moved diagonally across the squares. The object is to place one's pieces in the opponent's starting position. The first player to do so wins.
Content "LXXVIII. O-Pat-Ko-No—Five-field Kono.
The board is set as shown in Fig. 107. The players move one square at a time, either backward or forward diagonally across the squares. The object of the game is to get the pieces across to the other side in the place of those of the opponent, and the one who does this first wins the game." Culin 1895: 102.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1895. Korean Games with Notes on the Corresponding Games of China and Japan. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.
Id DLP.Evidence.764
Type Contemporary text
Game Brandub
Location Ireland
Date 1200-01-01 - 1640-12-31
Rules Central square of the board is marked, A special piece exists in the center spot with four other pieces on each side of it.
Content Excerpt from "Abair riom a Éire ógh," attributed to Maoil Eóin Mac Raith.
Translation by E. Knott, as reported by MacWhite 1945:29-30:
"The centre of the plain of Fál is Tara's Castle, delightful hill; out in the exact centre of the plain, like a mark on sa particoloured brannumh board. Advance thither, it will be a profitable step; leap up on that square, which is fitting for the branán, the board is fittingly thine. I would draw thy attention, o white of tooth to the noble squares proper for the branán (Tara, Cashel, Croghan, Naas, Oileach), let them be occuppied by thee. A golden branán with his band art thou with they four provincials; thou, O king of Bregia, on yonder square with a man each side of thee."
Confidence 100
Source MacWhite, E. 1945. "Early Irish Board Games." Eigse: A Journal of Irish Studies. 5(1): 25–35.
Id DLP.Evidence.765
Type Artifact
Game Shatranj
Location 29°57'0.00"N, 35°20'49.00"E
Date 0685-01-01 - 0749-12-31
Rules Rukh piece.
Content Rukh piece from Humayma in Jordan, from the dump above the cooking area of a household. Oleson and Scheck 2013: 503-504; Oleson 2019.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.766
Type Contemporary text
Game Five Men's Morris
Location England
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules Name of game.
Content
"Apud Anglos vocatur Bushels, fortè propter mediam Schematis partem, quae aliquando ita formatur, acsi Modium rotundum referrer videretur. Quin & alia habet Nomina sec. numerum frustulorum quibus luditur, eáque à Gallico Nomine corrupta quo tempore Normanni Angliam possiderent: sicut est...five penny Morris...five pin Morris..." Hyde 1694: 204.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.767
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Nei-Pat-Kono
Location Korea
Date 1895-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules 4x4 board, 8 pieces each player. Pieces move orthogonally by either jumping a player's own piece to capture an opponent's piece or by moving one space into an empty hole. Captures are not compulsory. The goal is to reduce the opponents pieces to 1 or blocking them so they can no longer move.
Content "LXXVII. Nei-pat-ko-no—Four Field Kono
Each player has eight pieces, which are set as shown in Fig. 106. The players move alternately along the lines and take an opponent's piece by jumping over one of their own pieces to the third place. When not thus taking, the pieces are moved one square at a time. The object is to block or capture the opponent's men." Culin 1895: 101.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1895. Korean Games with Notes on the Corresponding Games of China and Japan. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.
Id DLP.Evidence.768
Type Artifact
Game Gyan Chaupar
Location Rajasthan
Date 1735-01-01 - 1735-12-31
Rules 84 spaces.
Content "2. Jain 84-square gyan chaupar board on cotton cloth. Rajasthan, dated 1735. Museum of Indology, Jaipur." Topsfield 2006: 76.
Confidence 100
Source Topsfield, A. 2006. Instant karma: The meaning of Snakes and Ladders. In Topsfield, A. ed., The Art of Play: Board and Card Games of India. Mumbai: Marg Publications. pp. 75–89.
Id DLP.Evidence.769
Type Artifact
Game Gyan Chaupar
Location Rajasthan
Date 1800-01-01 - 1899-12-31
Rules 84 spaces.
Content "Jain 84-square gyan chaupar board on cotton cloth. Rajasthan, 19th Century. Present location unknown." Topsfield 2006: 77.
Confidence 100
Source Topsfield, A. 2006. Instant karma: The meaning of Snakes and Ladders. In Topsfield, A. ed., The Art of Play: Board and Card Games of India. Mumbai: Marg Publications. pp. 75–89.
Id DLP.Evidence.770
Type Artifact
Game Gyan Chaupar
Location Gujarat
Date 1834-01-01 - 1834-12-31
Rules 84 spaces.
Content "Jain 84-square gyan chaupar board on cotton cloth. Gujarat, dated 1834. 63 x 63 cm. Calico Museum of Textiles, Ahmedabad." Topsfield 2006: 78.
Confidence 100
Source Topsfield, A. 2006. Instant karma: The meaning of Snakes and Ladders. In Topsfield, A. ed., The Art of Play: Board and Card Games of India. Mumbai: Marg Publications. pp. 75–89.
Id DLP.Evidence.771
Type Artifact
Game Gyan Chaupar
Location 26°50'48.08"N, 80°56'46.18"E
Date 1780-01-01 - 1785-12-31
Rules 72 spaces.
Content "Vaishava 72-square gyan chaupar board on paper. Lucknow, early 1780s. 52 x 52.5 cm. The British Library (India Office Collections), London." Topsfield 2006: 79.
Confidence 100
Source Topsfield, A. 2006. Instant karma: The meaning of Snakes and Ladders. In Topsfield, A. ed., The Art of Play: Board and Card Games of India. Mumbai: Marg Publications. pp. 75–89.
Id DLP.Evidence.772
Type Ethnography
Game Hawalis
Location 23°37'22.19"N, 58°34'22.56"E; 23°35'43.16"N, 58°32'45.63"E
Date 2003-01-01 - 2003-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. Play begins with two seeds in each hole. Each player owns the two rows closest to them. Play proceeds by taking the seeds from one hole and sowing them one by one in consecutive holes in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last seed falls in a hole in the inner row, and the opponent's hole opposite it is not empty, then the opponent's seeds in that hole are captured. Players can only play from holes with single counters when there is no other option, and they may not sow into another hole that already contains a counter. Play continues until one player no longer has any seeds.
Content "The mancala game played in Oman consists of four rows of seven holes. Each hole contains two counters, commonly white stones or pebbles. With each turn the contents of a hole with more than one stone is pick (sic) up and spread one-by-one in counter-clockwise direction. The players play in the two rows at their side. When the last counter enters an occupied hole, the contents of this hole is picked up and spread in the same way and direction. When the last counter enters an empty hole the move ends, unless it enters an empty hole on the front row in which case it is possible to capture.
If the holes directly opposite this last counter, i.e. one hole in the front row and one hole in the back row of the opponent, contain at least one counter each, the contents of both holes are captured and taken from the board. If the front hole is empty, no capture is made, but if the hole in the back row is empty, it is still possible to capture the counters in the front hole.
The player who has lost all the pieces has also lost the game. If a player plays an endless move, this player has lost as well.
One is not allowed to play singletons, i.e. holes containing only one counter. Only when all the holes of the player contain less than two counters is the player allowed to play singletons. In that case, the single counters are not allowed to double up, i.e. they may not enter a hole already containing one counter. When it enters an empty hole in the front row captures are possible as described above...
...Players of Hawalis are found in two places in Muscat, the capital of Oman. the first group plays at the taxi stand near the Ruwi bus station...the second group plays near the harbor at the Corniche in Mutrah." de Voogt 2003: 95-97.
Confidence 100
Source de Voogt, A. 2003. Hawalis in Oman: a first account of expertise and dispersal of four-row mancala in the Middle East. Board Game Studies 6: 5–98.
Id DLP.Evidence.773
Type Ethnography
Game ||Hus (Damara)
Location Namibia
Date 1923-01-01 - 1923-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. Play begins with two counters in the outer row of each players' holes and two counter in each of the four holes on the right hand side of both players' inner row of holes. Play begins with a stylized move. Player picks up contents of any hole containing two or more counters and sows them anti-clockwise. If the final counter of the sowing falls into an empty hole, the turn is over. If the last counter falls into an occupied hole, sowing continues by picking up the counters in that hole and continuing in the same direction. If the last counter falls into an occupied hole in the player's inner row, and the opponent's two holes opposite it are occupied, these are captured and sowing continues using these counters beginning at the next hole after the one which caused the capture. Play ends when one player cannot move; i.e. when they have only single counters in holes or all their counters have been captured.
Content "Das beliebteste Spiel der Bergdama, an dem sie sich stunden-, ja tagelang ergötzen können, ist ein Steinchenspiel, das |hus genannt wird. Es werden vier Lochreihen hergestellt. Die Anzahl der Löcher schwankt zwischen 12 und 24 in den geraden Zahlen. 13, 15, oder 17 Löcher in einer Reiche sind also ausgeschlossen. Das Spiel kann von nur zwei Personnen ausgeführt werden. Diese können aber eine Gruppe von befreundeten Spielgenossen zur Unterstützung laden. Die Spieler sitzen einander gegnüber. Jeder hat zwei Reihen Löcher, eine äußere und eine innere, für sich. Die Steinchen werden so angesetzt, daß in den beiden äußeren Reihen je zwei liegen. Von den beiden inneren Reihen darf nur je die recht Hälfte der Lochreihen mit zwei Steinen versehen werden.
Die Spielregeln sind folgende:
1. Der Spieler bezweckt seinem Gegner möglichst viele Steine abzugewinnen und ihn so zu schwächen, daß er nicht mehr ziehen kann.
2. Es wird in den inneren Reihen von rechts nach links, in den äußeren Reihen von links nach rechts gespielt. Kommt der Spieler mit seinen Steinen am linken Ende der inneren oder am rechten Ende der äußeren Reihe an, so geht er in seine andere Reihe über.
3. Jede Partei kommt abwechselnd zum Spiel.
4. Nur wenn zwei oder mehr Steine in einem Felde liegen, dürfen sie zum Spiel benutzt werden. Im übrigen steht es dem Spieler frei, die Steine jedes seiner Felder zu benutzten.
5. Die aus irgend einem seiner Felder aufgenommenen Steine sind so zu verteilen, daß der Reihe nach in jedes folgende Feld ein Stein zu legen ist.
6. Kommt der letzte der aufgehobenen Steine in ein Feld, in dem nooch kein Stein liegt, so hört der Spieler auf, und der Gegner kommt ans Spiel.
7. Befinden sich in dem Feld, in das der letzte der aufgenommenen Steine gelegt wird, bereits ein oder mehrere Steine, so spielt der Spieler weiter, und zwar handelt es sich
a) um die innere Felderreihe, und in dem entsprechenden Felde der innered Reihe des Gegners befinden sich ein oder mehrere Steine; dann nimmt der Spieler diese und auch die Steine weg, die sich in dem entsprechenden Felde der äußeren Reihe des Gegners etwa befinden, und spielt mit ihnen weiter;
b) es handelt sich um die äußere Reihe, oder es befindet sich in dem entsprechenden Felde der inneren Reihe des Gegners kein Stein, dann hebt der Spieler die zwei oder mehreren eigenen Steine auf und spielt mit ihnen weiter.
Die Spiel regeln verdanke ich der Freundlichkeit des Bezirksamtmannes Herrn von Zastrow" Vedder 1923:95-96.
Confidence 100
Source Vedder, H. 1923. Die Bergdama. Hamburg: L. Friederichsen and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.774
Type Artifact
Game Janggi
Location Korea
Date 1895-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules The board has nine vertical lines and ten horizontal rows, and the pieces are placed on the intersections of these lines. Centreed along the back lines of each side is a three by three square with diagonals known as the palace. Pieces have special movement values: Janggun (general): May move one spot along the lines within the palace but cannot leave it. Sa (guards): Same movement as the Janggun. Ma (horses): Move one spot forward orthogonally and then one forward diagonally. Sang (elephants): Move one spot orthogonally forward then two spots diagonally forward. A Ma and Sang can be switched in the initial setup. Cha (chariots): Move like a rook in Chess, but also diagonally within the palace. Po (cannons): Jump over exactly one piece, over any distance horizontally or vertically, but cannot jump over or capture another cannon. Byeong/Jol (soldiers): Move and capture one point forward or sideways. Play continues until Woetong (checkmate) of the Janggun.
Content "LXXIV. TJYANG-KEUI—CHESS.
By W. H. Wilkinson, Late H. B. M. Acting Consul-General in Korea.
Korean chess, Tjyang-keid (Chinese, tseungk'i) is admittedly a variant of Chinese, yet, as will be seen, there are some important differences be- tween the two games. The design of the board, but not its shape, is the same, save that in Korea the files are carried across the " river," which is, in fact, ignored. The men, again, have the same names as in China, and, except that the King is placed in the centre of his " camp," and that the " Horse" and " Elephant" are interchangeable, occupy the same positions at starting. But their powers and privileges in most cases differ largely. A Korean chess-board and men, arranged for a game, is represented in Fig. 93. It will be noticed that the board is not square, but oblong, the width being greater than the breadth. All the Korean chess.-boards have this shape, the object in view being to facilitate the moving of pieces when they have reached the opponent's end of the board. It may be observed, in passing, that chess-boards would seem to be all of domestic manufacture, as they are not sold in any shops, even at the capital. The men can be procured, though they are usually made to order, inclosed in a net resembling an onion bag.
Another feature in which the Korean game will be seen to differ out- wardly from the Chinese is the shape of the men and the circumstances that the hieroglyphics on one side are inscribed in the " grass character," or running hand. Korean chessmen are not circular, as in China, but octagonal,^ and vary in size according to their value, the King (General) being the largest, the Chariot, Elephant, Horse and Cannon of medium size and the Pawns (soldiers) and Counsellors the smallest. The hiero- glyphs on one side are usually colored red, on the other green—the draughtsmen, for such in appearance they are, being all of the same wood and undyed. In describing the powers of the pieces, it will be convenient to give each its corresponding Western name, the Hpo, a piece we unfortunately lack, being styled a Cannon. The Korean names are as follows
1. Tjyang (Chinese, tseung), " General," more usually called Koung (Chinese, kiin), " Palace," the King.
2. Tcka (Chinese,M), "Chariot, "Rook.
3. Hpo (Chinese), p'du), "Cannon."
4. Pyeng (Chinese, ping), or tjol (Chinese, tsut), " Foot-soldier," Pawn. 5. Sd (Chinese, sz'), "Counsellor, "Queen.
6. Syang{ OamtsG, tseung),"Elephant,"Bishop.
7. Ma (Chinese, ma), " Horse," Knight.
The moves of these pieces follow two general laws, the existence of
which makes Korean chess a more finished or more logical game than the Chinese. The first is that the pieces invariably take as they move ; the second, that, within their limitations, they move along any marked line. In Chinese chess the P'du moves like a Rook, but takes only when a piece intervenes ; the Korean Cannon moves and takes in the same way. On the Chinese board the files between the fifth and sixth ranks are not marked, in order to better indicate the " river," after the crossing of which the Pawns acquire increased powers; yet for the purposes of play they exist. The diagonal lines joining the corners of the General's " camp " may be, though they seldom are, omitted from a Chinese chess-board ; but neither they nor the river files must be left out on the Korean. For, as has been said, wherever a line is marked a Korean piece can, within its limitations, move along it. Thus the Chariot, which has precisely the same powers as our Rook, may move from one corner of the " camp " to the centre, or, if so desired, to the corner diagonally opposite, because those points are connected by a marked line. For the same reason the Cannon, if on one such corner, may, when the centre is occupied, hop over to the opposite corner along the line of the diagonal. A similar train of reason- ing has made identical the movements of the two Counsellors and the General.
The General, or King, as he shall be called, may move from his original position at the centre on to any one of the nine points in his camp, but he can never leave his camp. Within it he moves only one step at a time, and that only along marked lines. Thus, if the King were at 5 a he could move thence to 5 b (the centre), 6 a or 4 a, but he could not move to 4 b or 6 b, because there is no line connecting 5 a with these last two points. As in the Chinese game, the Kings check one another across the board if they are on the same file, with no piece intervening. Korean chess, however, leans here, as in other games, toward the losing side. If one of the players has an overpowering advantage the other is allowed, should opportunity occur, to check his opponent's King with his own.Thus, if Red has King on 6 i, Pawns on 3 d and 6d, while Green has King on 5a, Rook on 7a, Pawn on 7d, Red is allowed to play King 6i to 5i (check). When Green moves his King to 4 a or 6 a (his only alternatives), Red again checks with his King, making the game a draw. It should, how- ever, be observed that the act of checking the opponent's King with one's own is in itself a confession of inferiority, and deprives the player of any chance of winning the game,—he can at most draw it.'
The King on the losing side is allowed yet another privilege. If he is the only piece on his side, and if his moving would greatly endanger him, he is allowed, as the equivalent of a move, to turn over and remain in his original position...The Counsellors, or Queens, move in all respects like the King, and are equally confined to the nine points of the camp. They cannot give check, however, across the board. They are more powerful than the Chinese Ss', which can only occupy the five points on the diagonals.
The Chariots, or Rooks, have exactly the powers of our own Castles, or the Chinese Kii, except that, as has been said, they can also move along the marked diagonals of either their own or the enemy's camp.
The Horses (Knights) have precisely the move of the Chinese Md, which is also that of the Western Knight, with one important limitation. The Korean and the Chinese Md always moves first one step along a file or rank, and then a step diagonally. If there be a piece, whether of his own side or the enemy's, at the elbow, so to speak, of his beat, he cannot move. Thus in the example given above, the Red Knight on 3 c could not move to 5b or 5d, because of the Pawn on 4c; had the Pawn been on 4b or 4 the Knight would not be stopped. It will be seen that it is, owing to this rule, possible to cover check- from a Korean Knight.
The Elephant, or Bishop, moves one step along a rank or file, then two steps diagonally. It differs from the Jafna/ or Camel of Tamerlane's Chess, in that the latter moves first a step diagonally, and then two straight wise, and has, which the Syang has not, the privilege of vaulting. For the Korean Elephant must have a clear course from start to finish, like the Chinese Elephant. Unlike the latter (whose move is that of Tamerlane'sF il, or the original Bishop, the Fil less their power of vaulting), the Korean Elephant is not confined to its own side of the river, but may move freely all over the board.
At starting, the Korean Bishop must stand on one of the two points between the Rook and the Queen, the Knight being placed on the other; but on which point depends upon the whim of the player. Perhaps it would be simpler to say that at the commencement of the game, the men being arranged as in Chinese chess (except that the Kings are on 5 b, not 5 a, and 5 i, not 5 j, either player may, before moving, but not afterward, interchange Knight or Bishop at one or both sides of his Hne. If one player so inter- changes, it is generally considered advisable for the other to do the same, but he is under no obligation in the matter.
The Soldiers (Pawns) differ from those of China in that they have from the first the move which the Chinese Ping only gets after crossing the river. A Korean Pawn moves one step sideways or forward, but never backward or diagonally. When he reaches his tenth rank (the enemy's first) he does not change his condition, but remains a Pawn, restricted to a sidelong movement up and down that rank. For this reason a Pawn is not often advanced to the last line—is, indeed, seldom carried beyond the eighth rank, his strongest position. We have seen that, in common with the Rook, the King, and Queen, the Pawn can travel along the diagonal of the camp.
The Cannon differs from the P'du of China in that it moves as it takes, and that another Cannon can neither form a " Screen " for it nor be taken by it. The Korean Hpo moves in a straight line, horizontally or perpendicularly, but only when some piece (not itself a Cannon) intervenes." Wilkinson in Culin 1895:82-88.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1895. Korean Games with Notes on the Corresponding Games of China and Japan. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.
Id DLP.Evidence.775
Type Contemporary text
Game Knight's Tour
Location Bundelkhand
Date 1500-01-01 - 1550-12-31
Rules Knight moves to every space on a board.
Content From the Nitimayukha of Bhatta Nilakantha (early 15th century Bundelkhand; De Simini 2014: 604).
Knight's tour is discussed in Murray 1913: 65.
Three knights tours are given at the end of an explanation of Krida buddhibalasrita, a chess-like game.
Confidence 100
Source de Simini, F. 2014. Observations on the use of quotations in Sanskrit Dharmanibandhas. Journal of Indian Philosophy 43: 601–624.
Id DLP.Evidence.776
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Ko-app-paw-na
Location 36°24'21.72"N, 105°34'25.29"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules One player has a single piece, the other has twelve, playing as jackrabbits. The player playing as the jackrabbits attempts to move all of their pieces to the opposite side of the board until they form the same configuration as the starting position on the opposite side. Pieces move orthogonally to accomplish this. The opponent's goal is to capture one of the jackrabbits by hopping over it.
Content "Tanoan Stock, Taos, New Mexico. Dr. T. P. Martin, of Taos, describes the following game, the name of which translated into English is Indian and jack rabbits: 'Two play. A diagram of sixteen squares is marked on the sand, as shown in figure [1105]. Twelve small stones are arranged at points where the lines intersect, on one side, as in the figure. The opposing player, occupying the one in the center at the beginning of the game, holds a stick, with which he points at the squares. The small stones are moved one at a time, and the object is to move them square by square without losing any until they occupy corresponding positions on the opposite side of the diagram. The player with the stick, who moves in turn, endeavors to catch the stones by jumping, as in draughts. Vocabulary: Name of the game, ko-app-paw-na, Spanish fuego de la liebre; board, or diagram, whee-e-na, Spanish reyes; pieces, ko-na, Spanish liebre; stick, tu-na-mah; to take a piece, con-con-we-la (the rabbit gets out from the man); some of the old men, however, shout au-gala, eat up." Culin 1907: 798.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.777
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Komikan
Location Araucania
Date 1918-01-01 - 1919-12-31
Rules One player has 12 dogs, the other one lion. The dogs may move one space forward, the lion may move one space in any direction, and may also hop over a dog to capture it. The lion may make multiple hops in one turn. The goal of the dogs is to block the lion from moving; the lion's goal is to capture all the dogs.
Content "Segun algunos historiadores, los araucanos conocieron tembien el ajedrez con el nombre de comican, pero esto me ha parecido dudoso, pues en ninguna obra aparece la manera cómo y de qué elementos se servian para praticarlo.
Frebrés en sua obra Arte Jeneral del Reino de Chile, dice que los indios llamaban comican al juego de ajedrez. Creo que este juego se parecia mas al juego de las damas que al ajedrez, talvez ha sido el juego del <> o bien el juego que los niños conocen con el nombre de leoncito y que se pratica con doce piedrecitas que representan los perros y por una mas grande que representa el leon. Los perros tienen la obligaction de avanzar siempre y pretenden encerrar al leon colocándose en dos filas. El leon puede avanzar o retroceder siempre y en cualquier sentido. Digo que el juego es éste y no el ajedrez, porque se negaron a darme detalles. Sin embargo, creo de interes dar o conocer el plano de una partida de este juego, aunque él es mui conocido de nuestros niños. Fig. 51.
He aqui los perros y el leon listos para comenzar una partida. Una persona se encarga de manejar los perros y otra maneja el leon.
Cada vez que el leon encuentra un perro solo y que no esté protejido por otro, se lo come, saltando sobre él y ocupando el puesto vacante. Cuando encuentra dos perros que tienen un puesto de por medio libre se puede comer los dos.
Por su parte, los perros van avanzando con todo cuidado i disciplina hasta tratar de dejar sin movimiento al leon.
El rayado para jugar una partida se hace jeneralmente en el suelo."
Matus Z. 1918-1919: 168-169.
Confidence 100
Source Matus Z, L. 1918–1919. Juegos i ejercicios de los antiguos araucanos. Boletín del Museo nacional de Chile p: 162–197.
Id DLP.Evidence.778
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Konane
Location Hawaii
Date 1779-03-01 - 1779-03-31
Rules 14x17 board, two players, black and white pieces, moves similar to draughts.
Content "It is remarkable, that the people of these islands are great gamblers. They have a game very much like our draughts; but, if one may judge from the number of squares, it is much more intricate. The board is about two feet long, and s divided into two hundred and thirty-eight squares, of which there are fourteen in a row, and they make use of black and white pebbles, which they move from square to square." King 1784:144-145.
Confidence 100
Source King, J. 1784. A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Undertaken, by the command of His Majesty, for making discoveries in the Northern hemisphere, to determine the position an extent of the west side of North America; its distance from Asia; and the practicability of a northern passage to Europe. Performed under the direction of Captain Cook, Clerke, and Gore, in His Majesty’s ships the Resolution and Discovery, in the years 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, and 1780. London: W. and A. Strahan.
Id DLP.Evidence.779
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Latin Square
Location Korea
Date 1700-01-01 - 1700-12-31
Rules NxN grid filled with n symbols which cannot repeat in a row or column.
Content Gusuryak (구수략) by Choi Seok-jeong, a treatise on Latin Squares of order 9 from the Joseon period of Korea. (Sung Sook 2012).
Confidence 100
Source Sung Sook, K. 2012. 'Orthogonal Latin Squares of Choi Seok-Jong.' History and Pedagogy of Mathematics: 823–826.
Id DLP.Evidence.780
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Diviyan Keliya
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules One player has two leopards, the other has 24 cows. Play begins by each player taking turns to place their pieces, and then can move to one adjacent intersection. Leopards capture cows by hopping over them. Leopards win by capturing all the cows, cows win by blocking the leopards from moving.
Content "Diviyan Keliya,. 'The Leopards' Game'; or Diviyalliya, 'the Leopards' Square'; or Kotiyo saha Harak, 'The Leopards and Cattle.'...
The board is a square with five lines passing across from each face, including the two outer ones; the diagonals which run into the angles . of the square and through the middle of each of its sides are also drawn. A triangle of six places for the pieces, enclosed by two extended diagonals, projects at the middle of each face, in addition.
This game is played by two persons, one of whom has two pieces called 'Leopards,' while the other has twenty-four pieces called 'Cattle,' with which he endeavours to shut up the Leopards, which are then said to be 'imprisoned.' It is played in the same manner as the last games, the Leopards 'eating' the Cattle one at a time, by jumping over them into a vacant place. The stations for the pieces are at all meeting places of lines, and the pieces move along the lines, both at right angles and along the diagonals, going one step each time, excepting when the Leopard is making a capture. Small stones and fragments of earthenware are used as pieces.
The owner of the Leopards begins the game by placing one of them at the centre of the board, but any other place may be selected for it. One of the Cattle is next put down by the other player at any meeting-point of two or more lines where it will be safe from immediate attack, and his opponent then deposits the second Leopard at any other place which he prefers. Another of the Cattle is then placed on the board, and the rest follow after each move of a Leopard until all are in play, up to which time they cannot be moved on the board. In the meantime some of them will have been 'eaten'; and notwithstanding the large number of them they are almost certain to lose the game is the Leopards can capture eight. With careful play the Cattle will always win." Parker 1909: 581-583.
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.781
Type Ethnography
Game Merimüeng-rimüeng-do
Location Aceh
Date 1906-01-01 - 1906-12-31
Rules One player plays as the tigers (five in number), the other as the sheep (fifteen in number). They take turns placing the pieces on the intersections of the lines. When all of the player's pieces are on the board, the piece may move to any adjacent intersection along the connecting lines. The tiger hops over a sheep to capture it. The goal of the tiger is to capture all of the sheep; the sheep try to prevent all of the tigers from moving.
Content "The game is played on the second figure here represented with 5 tigers and fifteen sheep. A tiger and a sheep are first placed on the board wherever the player likes. Fresh sheep are added one at a time after each move, so long as the supply lasts.
The game ends either when all the sheep are killed, or the tigers hemmed in so as to be unable to move; hence it is called meurimuëng-rimuëng-dò' in contradistinction to the next game." Snouck-Hurgronje 1906: 204.
Confidence 100
Source Snouck Hurgronje, C. 1906. The Acehnese. trans. by A. W. S. O’Sullivan. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.782
Type Ethnography
Game Mu Torere
Location East Cape
Ruleset First Move
Date 1912-01-01 - 1912-12-31
Rules Play begins with the pieces on the kewai, each player on half of the circle. Players move by moving one piece to an empty adjacent space. Players can only move to the putahi when the piece being moved is next to an opponent's piece. The player that blocks the other from moving is the winner.
Content "Mu torere. This game, known as torere and mu torere, is one of the most interesting items we have to discuss, on account of its resemblance to our game of draughts...Mohi Turei, a well informed and very old man of the Ngati-Porou tribe informs us (1912) that mu torere was the old name for the game...The most disconcerting fact if we view mu torere as an old time game, is that is seems to have been unknown to other tribes than those of the East Cape district, and its vicinity. From no other district have we succeeded in obtaining any information as to a former knowledge of the game....The following is a description of the game of mu torere, as explained by Tyta Nihoniho:—
A board is marked with charcoal with a design resembling an eight-pointed star (see diagram). The centre from which the arms radiate is termed the putahi, the radiating arms are termed kawai or tentacles, the design bring compared by the Maori to an octopus, from which the pattern is said to have been derived. Two persons play this game, each having four perepere or 'men,' which are small stones so marked that each player's men may be readily distinguished. One player has his four men on points 1,2,3, and 4, the other player puts his four on points 5, 6, 7, and 8. Let B represent the letter player, and A the one who has numbers 1 to 4. The men can be moved only to the points of the design, or to the putahi, or centre. No jumping over an occupied point is allowed, to move a man from one point to another it must be moved to the next point, which must be unoccupied, or he cannot move it. A player cannot jump a man over an occupied point to put it on a blank one beyond, and there is no taking or crowning of men, it is simply a question of blocking your opponent. A man can be moved to the putahi if it be unoccupied.
B cannot open the game by moving either 6 or 7, as they are tapu (prohibited) for the time being. He can move 5 or 8 to the putahi...B is effectually hemmed in and has to capitulate.
The player can move a man either way, but only when a point (or kawai) on one side or the other, or the putahi, is open to move into." Best 1925: 60-61.
Confidence 100
Source Best, E. 1925. Games and Pastimes of the Maori. Wellington: Whitcombe and Tombs Limited.
Id DLP.Evidence.783
Type Artifact
Game Roman Merels
Location 43°18'35.82"N, 3° 6'29.02"E
Date 0100-01-01BCE - 0040-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides.
Content Tile with Nine Men's Morris pattern from the final level of occupation at the Roman Oppidum of Enserune. Berger 2004: 15.
Confidence 100
Source Berger, F. 2004. 'From circle to square to the image of the world: a possible interpretation of some petroglyphs of merel boards.' Rock Art Research 21: 11–25.
Id DLP.Evidence.784
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Peralikatuma
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules Each player has 24 pieces, which are placed on the intersections of the lines and move along the lines to an adjacent intersection. Players may capture opponents' pieces by jumping them. Captures are not obligatory. Multiple captures can be made. A player wins by capturing all of the opponent's pieces.
Content "Perali Kotuwa 'The War Enclosure'
This is merely a variety of the last game (Hewakam Keliya), in which the two side rooms are retained, the board being thus the same as for Diviyan Keliya. Each player has seven more soldiers than in the last game, and in each case these fill up the outer room on his left hand, and three empty places are then left along the central transverse line." Parker 1909: 583.
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.785
Type Ethnography
Game Picaria
Location 34°54'28.55"N, 106°41'40.89"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules 3x3 grid with diagonals in the squares or with only the large diagonals of the grid.
Content "Tigua. Isleta, New Mexico.
A boy from Isleta, J. Crecencio Lucero, described the people of this pueblo as playing a board game which they call picaria (Spanish, pedreria), little stone. They use diagrams of two kinds, represented in figures 1099 and 1100." Culin 1907: 798.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.786
Type Ethnography
Game Pon Chochotl
Location 32° 6'25.55"N, 111° 0'28.36"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Played on an Alquerque board, one person has one piece, the other has twelve pieces.
Content "Piman stock. Papago. Mission of San Xavier del Bac, Pima County, Arizona.
Mr. S. C. Sims informs me that he saw the game of coyote and chickens, pon chochotl (figure 1091), played by this tribe on a diagram traced on the smooth ground.
A red bean was used for the coyote and twelve grains of corn for the chickens. Another form of the game was played with twelve chickens on each side. This latter was played for money, the first game being regarded as too easy to bet on. Both papago and Mexicans play, mostly men." Culin 1907: 794.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.787
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Pretwa
Location Bihar
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules Board with three concentric circles with six radii. Each player begins with nine pieces. Pieces moves along the lines to the next intersection point. Players may hop an opponent's piece to capture it. Captures can be made in sequence if another capture is available after the previous one is made. The player who captures all of their opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Games with the same rules of move and capture as in the alquerque games are also played in India on other boards, all the intersections of lines except the central one being occupied by men...4.2.40. India, Behar: Pretwa (A.G. Shirreff). Played on Fig. 31b, formed of three concentric circles with six diameters, between sides of nine men which are arranged on three consecutive diameters, leaving the centre of the circles empty." Murray 1951: 71.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.788
Type Artifact
Game Round Merels
Location 37°42'23.74"N, 28°43'32.28"E
Date 0250-01-01 - 0550-12-31
Rules Circle with eight radii.
Content C.4 (British Museum Working Typology) board from the street paving at the Theatre Baths of Aphrodisias, circle with eight spokes. Roueché 2007: 102.
Confidence 100
Source Roueché, C. 2007. Late Roman and Byzantine game boards at Aphrodisias. In Finkel, I. ed. Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press. pp. 100–105.
Id DLP.Evidence.789
Type Ethnography
Game Seega
Location Modern Egypt
Date 1825-01-01 - 1833-12-31
Rules 5x5, 7x7, or 9x9 board. Players begin by placing their pieces in prescribed spaces, and then alternating two-by-two in places as they see fit, except for the central space. Once all the spaces except the central one are filled, the first player moves a piece one space orthogonally to the empty space. Pieces are captured by surrounding them on either side by a player's own pieces. Multiple captures are allowed. The player to capture all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Many of the felláheen of Egypt also frequently amuse themselves with a game called that of the " seega," which may be described in a few words. The seega employed in this game is different from that of the táb: it consists of a number of holes, generally made in the ground; most commonly, of five rows of five holes in each, or seven rows of seven in each, or nine rows of nine in each: the first kind is called the "khamsáwee seega ; " the second, the "seb'áwee ; " and the
third, the "tis'áwee."
A khamsáwee seega is here represented. The holes are called '"oyoon ''(or eyes, in the singular cc 'eyn "). In this seega, they are twenty-five in number. The players have each twelve "kelbs," similar to those used in the game of the tab.2, One of them places two of his kelbs in the 'eyns marked a, a : the other puts two of his in those marked 6, 6 : they then alternately place two kelbs in any of the 'eyns that they may choose, except the central 'eyn of the seega. All the 'eyns but the central one being thus occupied (most of the kelbs placed at random), the game is commenced. The party who begins moves one of his kelbs from a contiguous 'eyn into the central. The other party, if the 'eyn now made vacant be not next to any one of those occupied by his kelbs, desires his adversary to give him, or open to him, a way ; and the latter must do so, by removing, and thus losing, one of his own kelbs. This is also done on subsequent occasions, when required by similar circumstances. The aim of each party, after the first disposal of the kelbs, is to place any one of his kelbs in such a situation that there shall be, between it and another of his, one of his adversary's kelbs. This, by so doing, he takes ; and as long as he can immediately make another capture by such means, he does so, without allowing his adversary to move. --These are the only rules of the game. It will be remarked that, though most of the kelbs .are placed at random, foresight is requisite in the disposal of the remainder.-Several seegas have been cut upon the stones on the summit of the Great
Pyramid, by Arabs who have served as guides to travellers." Lane 1836: 356-357.
Confidence 100
Source Lane, E. W. 1836. An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians. London: John Murray.
Id DLP.Evidence.790
Type Artifact
Game Shogi
Location 34°40'58.54"N, 135°49'55.78"E
Date 1058-01-01 - 1058-12-31
Rules King piece.
Content Heritage of Japan blog, citing Yomiuri Shimbun, in reference to excavations at Kofuku-ji temple
17 Shogi pieces, including a king piece, found with a wooden writing tablet dated 1058.
https://heritageofjapan.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/1000-year-old-shogi-pieces-are-japans-earliest-shogi-pieces-found-in-kashihara-city-nara-prefecture/
Confidence 100
Source Kawagoe, Aileen. 2012. '1,000 year old shogi pieces are Japan’s earliest shogi pieces found in Kashihara city, Nara prefecture.' Heritage of Japan Blog. https://heritageofjapan.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/1000-year-old-shogi-pieces-are-japans-earliest-shogi-pieces-found-in-kashihara-city-nara-prefecture/
Id DLP.Evidence.791
Type Historical text
Game Six Men's Morris
Location 48°51'15.96"N, 2°20'54.79"E
Date 1412-01-01 - 1412-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content "Ludus S. Mederici, Ludi ad merellas seu calculos genus. Lit. remiss. ann. 1412. in Reg. 167. Chartoph. reg. ch. 87 :
Jehan Aysmes qui avoit joué aux marelles à six tables, appellé le jeu saint Marry, etc." Ducange, C. 1678, v. 5 col. 149a.
Confidence 100
Source Ducange, C. 1678. Glossarium Mediae et Infimae Latinitatis. Niort: L. Favre.
Id DLP.Evidence.792
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Hewakam Keliya
Location Sri Lanka; Bengal
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules Played on an Alquerque board with triangular appendages at the top and bottom. Sixteen pieces per player. Each player moves one spot along the lines on the board. Captures are made by hopping over an opponent's piece. Multiple hops are allowed per turn if possible. Captures are not compulsory. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Hewakam Keliya, 'the War game'
This is also a game for two players, and the same diagram as for Diviyan Keliya is employed for it, with the exception that the two triangular 'rooms' at the right and left sides are not required.
Each player has sixteen pieces called 'Soldiers,' and these are said to be 'chopped' when captured. All move along the lines of the board, whether diagonals or otherwise, and capture the opponents by jumping over them exactly like kings at Draughts, that is, there is no limit to the number which may be captured in one move. At the same time the player has the option of refusing to capture the men of the other side. Small stones or pieces of earthenware form the soldiers.
At the commencement, the Soldiers of each opponent are arranged in an orderly manner on the opposite sides of the board, as shown by those of one player in the illustration, leaving only the transverse central line clear of them. The players move the men alternately, taking one step at a time in any direction when not capturing an opponent's pieces. The player who captures all the Soldiers of the other side is the winner.
This game is known in India, and in Bengal is termed Solah Guttiyah, 'Sixteen Balls.'"Parker 1909: 583.
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.793
Type Ethnography
Game Oware
Location Ghana
Date 1927-01-01 - 1927-12-31
Rules 2x6 board, with a storage hole on either end. The game starts with four counters in each hole. A player picks up all of the counters in one of the holes in their row and sows them one-by-one in a counterclockwise direction in consecutive holes from the hole the pieces originated. The starting hole is always left empty, even if a player sows in a complete circuit of the board, the original house is skipped and sowing continues in the next hole after it. Players capture counters when the final counter is sown in the opponent's row and the hole containing it has two or three counters (counting the counter just dropped into it). If the hole before it also has two or three counters, these are also captured and so on until reaching a hole without two or three counters or one not belonging to the opponent. A move which would capture all of the opponent's counters is not allowed. If an opponent's holes are all empty, the other player must make a move placing counters in the opponent's row. If not possible, the player captures all the counters in their row. The player who has captured the most counters wins. If the game continues in a repeating loop, the players can agree to end the game and capture the counters remaining in their row.
Content "The game of Wari, as played by the natives of the Gold Coast, is a game for two players using as apparatus 48 pebbles and a board hollowed out into two parallel rows of six cups. (a dozen patty-pans and four dozen marbles make a convenient substitute.) The plan of the board may be represented by the diagram... where the letters are inserted for convenience of reference in the description of the game now to be given.
The players P and p sit facing each other with the board between them. The six cups ABCDEF are on P\s side of the board, and are here named in alphabetical ordered from his left to his right hand; and similarly the six cups abcdef are on p's side of the board and are lettered from left to right as seen by him. The large extra cup Z at P's extreme right hand is for holding the pebbles won by P; and the extra cup z at the opposite end is, similarly, used by p to hold the pebbles won by him. When the board is set ready for play each of the twelve cups ABCDEF abcdef hold 4 pebbles (the cups Z and z being empty)...The players P and p then play alternately an observe the following rules.
Rules of the game
(I) When P plays he empties any one of the six cups ABCDEF on his own side of the board and deals them round the board cyclically until they are exhausted. In his cyclic sequence the cup F is followed by cup a, and the cup f by cup A...
When p plays he empties any one of the cups abcdef and deals round its contents according to the same cycle...
(ii) P wins pebbles by his dealing when (and only when) the last pebble falls into one of p's cups abcdef and, there falling, makes 2 or 3 pebbles in that cup. He then captures the 2 or 3 (whichever it is) and places them with his winnings in cup Z. Similarly p captures 2 or 3 pebbles from one of P's cups ABCDEF when the last pebble he deals produces a 2 or 3 when it falls in the cup...\
(iii) Captiures by P may consist of any number (up to six) of 2's and 3's, provided only that they are in consecutive cups of p's, and that the last of the series of cups receives the last marble dropped. That is, when P captures a 2 or 3 from one of p's cups he captures also the contents of the next cup of p's to his (P's) right if that also has become a 2 or 3; and so on for as many 2's and 3's are consecutive...Captures by p, similarly, are made from P's cups only, and consist of 2's and 3's consecutive with the 2 or 3 captured from the last cup...
(iv) A heavily loaded cup may in the course of play accumulate 12 or more pebbles, and the playing of this cupful will give a deal making more than one complete cycle of the board. For the cup emptied is always to be left empty. The cycle of cups which receive, by dealing, the contents of the cup emptied are therefore in effect the 11 cups remaining after the omission of the one emptied...
(v) An exception to P's free choice of any one of his own cups, from which to play its contents, occurs when p's cups are all empty. If P is able to play from a cup which feeds pebbles into p's cups he must do so: he may not play a cup which does not reach p's cups. If, however, no move of P plays pebbles into p's cups, then P captures the whole contents of his own cups...Similarly for player p. When P's cups are empty p must, if possible, play so as to feed P's cups; and if p cannot do so he captures the whole contents of his own cups.
If p's cups are empty and it is p's own turn to play (p's cups having just been cleared by P), then also P becomes owner of the total contents of his own cups...Similarly for P, with empty cups after p has just played; the contents of p's cups become p's.
(vi) When very few pebbles remain in play it may happen that they circulate in a cyclic and periodic chase with no captures possible for either player. Each player then takes the pebbles which are circulating through his territory." Bennett 1927: 382-385.
Confidence 100
Source Bennett, G.T. 1927. 'The game of Wari.' In Rattray, R. S. ed. Religion and Art in Ashanti. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 382–390.
Id DLP.Evidence.794
Type Artifact
Game Toguz Kumalak
Location 48°17'35.05"N, 71°14'44.71"E
Date 1500-01-01 - 2000-12-31
Rules 2x9 board.
Content Toguz kumalak board found in a cave at Dastarbasy, on a central rock. Ceramic sherd from the Middle Ages was found in the cave. Akhmet and Zheleznyakov 2005: 71.
Confidence 100
Source Akhmet, S. and B. Zhelezhnyakov. 2005. Mystery of Dastarbasy Caves. Nomad-Kazakhstan 5.
Id DLP.Evidence.795
Type Artifact
Game Roman Small Merels
Location 34°39'59.60"N, 32°53'3.92"E
Date 0175-01-01 - 0674-12-31
Rules 3x3 grid.
Content Three Men's Morris board scratched into pavement of Forum at Kourion, Cyprus. Observed by Walter Crist, July 2016.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.796
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Tuknanavuhpi
Location 35°52'35.01"N, 110°38'25.49"W
Date 1901-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules 4x4 grid, each square with both diagonals. Pieces are played on the intersections of the lines, moving to an empty point along one of the lines. Play begins with 20 pieces per player. Players take turns moving the pieces, and capture the opponent's pieces by hopping over them. When the back line on a player's side of the board is vacated, it is no longer in play. The player who captures the other player's pieces wins.
Content "Shoshonean Stock. Hopi. Oraibi, Arizona. (Cat. No. 38613, Free Museum of Science and Art, University of Pennsylvania.)
Stone boards= (figure 1093), 7 by 9 1/2 inches, inscribed with three equidistant cross lines in both directions, dividing the surface into sixteen rectangles, each of which is crossed by diagonal lines.
The central point is marked with a star.
Collected by the writer in 1901.
Two men play, using white and black stones, which are arranged as shown in figure 1094. The game, called tuknanavuhpi, is like fox and geese. White leads. The object is to jump over and take an opponent's piece, which is continued until one or the other loses all. A player may jump in any direction. When a line across one end of the board becomes empty, it is not used again, so the player's field becomes more and more contracted." Culin 1907: 794-795.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.797
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Backgammon
Location England
Date 1753-01-01 - 1753-12-31
Rules The game is played on a board with twelve points on either side. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left. Each player has 15 pieces. The starting position is as such, number the points from the origin of each player's track: Point six: five pieces Point 8: three pieces Point 13: five pieces Point 24: two pieces Ply begins by each player rolling one die; the player who rolls the most plays first and plays the numbers on this first roll. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the number on one die and other the number on the other die, or by moving one piece the total number of both die. If doubles are rolled, the player must play the number on each die twice. Players cannot end their move on a point with multiple opposing pieces. If a player ends the turn on a point with one opposing piece, that piece is placed in the middle of the board (not on a point) and must reenter the board according the the next die roll, counting the origin point as a move of 1. They cannot reenter on a point with two or more pieces. No other pieces can move until all of the pieces belonging to that player are removed from the center. When all of a player's pieces are on their final 6 points, they may start removing pieces from the board. They can do so by rolling a 6 to move from the 6th point, and so on down to 1. Players must use all available moves presented by the dice. The first player to remove all of their pieces wins.
Content "A Short Treatise on the Game of Backgammon." Hoyle 1753.
Confidence 100
Source Hoyle, E. 1753. A Short Treatise on the Game of Backgammon. Dublin: George and Alexander Ewing.
Id DLP.Evidence.798
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Hasami Shogi
Location Japan
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules Play begins with the pieces arranged in the last row of squares on opposite sides of the board. Pieces move as rooks in Chess. An opponent's piece is captured by surrounding it on two opposite sides by a player's piece. Play continues until all of one player's pieces are captured.
Content "4.1.6. Japan: Hasami-shogi. 'intercepting chess' (Prof. Tsuboi). Two persons play, each with nine men arranged on his first row of the Japanese chess board of 9x9 cells. The chess pawns (fu) are used as men; they have the move of the rook in chess, and capture by the interception method. Professor Tsuboi thought that it was a modern game, a simplification of the Japanese chess." Murray 1951: 54.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.799
Type Contemporary text
Game Kharbaga
Location 31°57'30.47"N, 12° 1'13.47"E
Date 2012-01-01 - 2012-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content "Dans le texte examiné, cela concerne également le nominal composé de
quatre consonnes ẖárbăga ‘kharbaga (jeu de plateau)." Pereira 2012: 175.
Confidence 100
Source Pereira, C. 2012. L’arabe de Zâdu (Zebel Nefûsa) d’après Gioia Chiauzzi. Dynamiques langagières en arabphonies. In Barontini, A., C. Pereira, A. Vicente, and K. Ziamari, eds. Variations, contacts, migrations, et créations artistiques. Hommage offert à Dominique Caubet par ses élèves et collègues. p. 163–199.
Id DLP.Evidence.800
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Coyote
Location Mexico
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules 5x5 grid with the long diagonals of the grid.
Content
"In Mexico a corresponding game (fig. 874) is called Coyote." Culin 1898: 876.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
, Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.801
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Zamma
Location West African Sahara
Date 1950-01-01 - 1950-12-31
Rules Played on a square Alquerque board with 9x9 intersecting lines with diagonals. Each player has 40 pieces. Pieces are placed on the intersections of the lines, and move forward along the lines to an adjacent unoccupied intersection. Once pieces reach the opposite side of the board from their starting position at the end of their turn, they are promoted and can move in any direction and over any distance. Opponent's pieces are captured by jumping them. Captures are obligatory if possible. If a player does not capture when they are supposed to, the opponent may remove that piece immediately and then play as normal. The player who captures all of their opponent's pieces or blocks them from being able to move wins.
Content "Il s'agit de jeux avec quadrillages tracés par terre, très répandus, en particulier dans les pays de sable (Sahara, Sahel, Soudan).
I.--Les Dames.
Les Sahariens ont un jeu de dammes très reepandu et qui se présente sous deux aspects, le jeu à 81 cases et la variante à 25 cases.
a) Le jeu de dames proprement dit. En maure: dâmma; on trouve aussi zâmma, voire dâmma.
1. LE damier (fig. 8) comporte 9 x 9 = 81 cases, obtenues par quadrillage sur le sable au moyen d'un petit bâtonnet.
2. Les pions seront: a0 les bâtonnets (al-'oudân) mâles généralement des fragments de tiges de morkba (Panicum turgidum) et b) les crottes (de chameau) ('al-'ouba 'rat) femelles, (à défaut de crottes: cailloux ou noyaux de dattes.
3. Le jeu est orienté de telle sorte que chaque joueur ait à main droite les 4 pions de la rangée meediane.
4. Chaque joueur a 40 pions qu'il dispose sur le jeu, la partie commençant avec une seule case libre, la centrale.
5. Les mâles commencent. L'attribution de ceux-ci à l'un des camps se fait sans tirage au sort, par entente entre les joueurs, mais, ensuite,m c'est le gagnant qui prend, à chaque nouvelle partie, les mâles et, par conseequent, a le trait.
6. Les piomns se déplacent d'une case à la fois et seulement en avant (lignes droites et diagonales); ils prennent dans tous les sens, même en arrière et latéralement, par conseequent (fig. 9).
7. La prise est obligatoire: le joueur ayant oubliée de prendre voit son pion <> (çafar).
8. Le pion arrivé à dame devient une dame, qui, sans recevoir le plus souvent, de signe distinctif (on peut au besoin pour un bâtonnet, le doubler), se déplace dans tous les sens et sans de limitation de parcours." Monod 1950: 11-12.
Confidence 100
Source Monod, T. 1950. Sur quelques jeux africains à quadrillages. Notes Africains 45: 11–13.
Id DLP.Evidence.804
Type Historical rule description
Game Weiqi
Location Northern Zhou
Location 40° 2'29.31"N, 94°48'32.88"E
Date 0500-01-01 - 0599-12-31
Rules Played on a 19x19 board. The board begins empty. One player plays as black, the other as white. The black player begins by placing a piece on one of the intersections on the board. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. A player may pass at any time. A piece or a group of pieces are captured when they are completely surrounded on all sides on adjacent intersections by the opposing player. Stones cannot be placed to recreate a previous position. The game ends when both players pass consecutively. Players total the number of intersections their pieces occupy or surround. The player with the highest total wins.
Content Qi Jing "Classic of Go" found in Mogao caves at Dunhuang, China. British Library manuscript Or.8210/S.5574. Foster 2009.
Confidence 100
Source Foster, R. (trans.) 2009. The Classic of Go. British Library Manuscript Or.8210/S.5574.
Id DLP.Evidence.805
Type Contemporary text
Game Draughts (12x12)
Location 51°29'54.44"N, 0° 7'35.38"W
Date 1805-01-01 - 1805-12-31
Rules 12 x 12 board, 30 pieces per player
Content "There are Draught-boards to be met with in the London shops with twelve squares on a side, twelve dozen in all, or 72, on which the Pawns are placed: thirty for each player" (Twiss 1805: 175–176.)
Confidence 100
Source Twiss, R. 1805. Miscellanies in Two Volumes. London: Twiss.
, Twiss, R. 1805. Miscellanies in Two Volumes. London: Twiss.
Id DLP.Evidence.806
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Chess
Location 41°54'10.45"N, 12°29'46.38"E
Date 1512-01-01 - 1512-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Damiano 1512. First Italian treatise on "jochi deli partiti ala rabiosa." Published in Rome, in Italian and Spanish. Damiano himself was from Odemira, Portugal. Murray 1913: 787.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Damiano. 1512. Questo libro e da imparare giochare a scachi e de li partiti.
Id DLP.Evidence.808
Type Artifact
Game Shatranj
Location 34°59'27.36"N, 39°10'45.27"E
Date 0750-01-01 - 0990-12-31
Rules Rukh piece.
Content Two wooden rukh found at Qasr al-Hayr, made from imported wood. Dark in color similar to ebony. C-14 dated to 750 CE ± 120. Found just over the pavement at the Large Enclosure's north gate. Grabar et al. 1978: Vol 1 189, Vol 2 291; Oleson and Schick 2013: 503.
Confidence 100
Source Grabar, O., R. Holod, J. Knustad, and W. Trousdale. 1978. City in the Desert: Qasr al-Hayr East. Harvard Middle Eastern Monograph Series XXIII/XXIV. Cambridge: Harvard University Press., Oleson, J. P. and R. Schick. 2013. Humayma Excavation Project, 2: Nabataean Campground and Necropolis, Byzantine Churches, and Early Islamic Domestic Structures. Boston: American Schools of Oriental Research.
Id DLP.Evidence.809
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Xiangqi
Location Late Tang China
Date 0779-01-01 - 0847-12-31
Rules Two players, horse moves orthogonally one and then diagonally one space, soliders move one space forward, commanders move orthogonally, baggage wagons move forward only.
Content Passage from Huan Kwai Lu ("The Book of Marvels"): "In the first year of the period of Pao Ting (A.D. 762) Tsêng-Shun of Ju-Nan heard one night the sound of a military drum in the Lady Lu's house. A man in full armor announced the news from the General of the golden elephant (kin siang triang kun) about the battle with the thieves of Tien-No. Shun kindled a light in order to see better, and after midnight a mouse-hole in the east wall changed into a city gate. Two armies stood opposite one another. When he had arranged the army, the general (shwai) entered and said: 'The celestial horse (t'ien ma)springs aslant over three, the commanders (shang-tsiang) go sidewards and attack on all four sides, the baggage-wagons (tze cho) go straight forwards and never backwards, the six men (liu kia) in armour go in file but not backwards.' Then the drum sounded and from either army a horse moved out three steps aslant. Again the drum sounded and on either side a foot-soldier moved sidewards one step. Once again the drum was sounded, the wagons moved forwards, and in an instant the shot from the cannon (p'ao) fell in confusion. He made a hole through the east wall, and found a set of siang k'i in an old tomb, with wagons (ku) and horses in rank and file." (Murray 1913: 123–124)
Confidence 100
Social status Non-Elite, Military
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Niu Sengru. Xuanguai Lu. (Trans. Murray 1913: 123–124).
Id DLP.Evidence.810
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Dama
Location Turkey
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules Pieces move orthogonally.
Content "Hic ludus apud Turcas aliquando appellatur Atlanbâgj, nunc Europaeorum modo Dâma, quorum illud (si recte distinxit narrator) Dogri, i.e. recta, hoc vero Ters i.e. oblique movetur. Sed forte voluit docere, motionem progressionis esse directam; & motionem capiendi aut interficiendi aliquem, esse obliquam." Hyde 1694: 180–181.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
, Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.811
Type Ethnography
Game Dash Guti
Location 23°23'56.45"N, 80° 3'40.59"E
Date 1923-01-01 - 1923-12-31
Rules Each player lays out the pieces on the board on the intersections of the lines, each filling all the intersections of the triangle closest to the player, plus the extra intersection to their right. Play moves to the next adjacent intersection connected by a line. Opponent's pieces can be captured by hopping over them. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Dash-guti (fig. 2) —The diagram for playing this game is shown above. It has some similarity with the bara-guti diagram in having the main square outline, the two diagonals, and the two lines joining the middle points of the opposite sides of the square, while in the tri-section of the diagonals and the drawing of the lines joining the points of the tri-section as shown in the figure, it recalls the type of diagram used in a Bhandara game. There is nothing new regarding the number of captures and the movement of the pieces.". Gupta 1924: 166.
Murray 1951: 70 incorrectly cites Gupta with the board excluding the left and right sides of the square.
Confidence 100
Source Gupta, H. 1924. 'A few types of sedentary games prevalent in the central provinces.' Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 20(5): 165–169., Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Gupta, H. 1924. 'A few types of sedentary games prevalent in the central provinces.' Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 20(5): 165–169.
Id DLP.Evidence.812
Type Ethnography
Game Egara Guti
Location 21°10'39.77"N, 79°39'25.48"E
Date 1926-01-01 - 1926-12-31
Rules Each player begins with their eleven pieces arrayed on the intersections of the lines in one of the triangles. Pieces move to an adjacent point along one of the lines connecting it to its present location. Captures are made by hopping over an opponent's piece. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "For the details of the Central Provinces game (egára guti) I am indebted to a gentleman of the district of Bhandara whom I met at the Linga Railway Station (Chhindwara district) a few years ago...The diagram adopted for the Central Provinces game is shown above (fig. 1). Two players are necessary for the game. There are 23 cross-points and of these 22 are filled up with ballets of two different descriptions, each player having 11 while the central cross-point is kept vacant at the beginning of the game. The play proceeds in the usual way of jumping over and capturing the ballet of the adversary lying on the next cross-point if there be an un-occupied cross-point just beyond the latter and in the same line." Gupta 1926: 211); Murray 1951: 71.
Confidence 100
Genders Male
Source Gupta, H. 1926. A Few Types of Indian Sedentary Games. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 22(4): 211–213., Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Gupta, H. 1926. A Few Types of Indian Sedentary Games. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 22(4): 211–213.
Id DLP.Evidence.813
Type Contemporary text
Game English Draughts
Location 15 c France
Date 1534-01-01 - 1534-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content "CHAPITRE XXII
Les jeux de Gargantua.
Puis marmottant, tout alourdi, une bribe de prière, il se lavait les mains de vin frais, se curait les dents avec un pied de porc et devisait joyeusement avec ses gens. Ensuite, le tapis vert étendu, on étalait force cartes, force dés, force tablettes et alors il jouait...au forcé..." Rabelais 1534.
Confidence 100
Genders Male
Source Rabelais, F. 1534. Gargantua. , Rabelais, F. 1534. Gargantua.
Id DLP.Evidence.814
Type Contemporary text
Game Fox and Geese
Location England
Date 1633-01-01 - 1633-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content "let him sit in the shop with nere a paire of cuffs on his hands, and play at Fox and Geese with the foreman..." Marmyon 1633: Act 2 Scene 6. Murray 1951: 102 incorrectly quotes "shop" as "ship."
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite, Elite
Genders Male
Source Marmyon, S. 1633. A Fine Companion. London., Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Marmyon, S. 1633. A Fine Companion. London.
Id DLP.Evidence.818
Type Contemporary text
Game Game of the Goose
Location 44°36'54.80"N, 11°50'6.68"E
Date 1453-01-01 - 1453-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content In a proclamation from Borso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara: "a zugare over fare zugare in alcuno luoco over privato in ascoxo over in palexe in la terra de Argenta et suo destrecto ad alcuno zuogo de dato como è al sozo, ocha, badalasso bolognexe over altro zuogo de dati" Statua Terrae Argentae 1781: 214. Date of proclamation given in Seville 2019: 23.
Confidence 100
Source Seville, A. 2019. The Cultural Legacy of the Royal Game of the Goose: 400 years of Printed Board Games. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press., Statuta Argentae e veteri manuscripto codie nunc primum edita.1781. Ferrare: Typografia Camerali.
Id DLP.Evidence.819
Type Ethnography
Game Gol Ekuish
Location 23°23'56.45"N, 80° 3'40.59"E
Date 1924-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules Each player begins with 21 pieces, arranges on the 21 intersections of three consecutive radii. Players alternate turns moving to an empty adjacent spot. Captures are made by hopping over an opponent's piece. The player who captures all of the other player's pieces wins.
Content "3. Gol-ekuish (fig. 3).— As is shown in the figure seven concentric circles with three diameters are required for playing this game, the diameters meeting the circles at 42 points. Two persons are required for playing this game, and each of them provides himself with 21 ballets which are placed at the 21 cross-points arranged along 3 consecutive radii. The rules of the game are practically the same as are observed in the case of bara-guti or similar other plays, the only important point to be noted is that in this game ballets may be moved not only along the radii or diameters, but also along the arcs or the circumferences. The ballets belonging to the 2 players are necessarily of two different types." Gupta 1924: 167. Murray 1851: 71 incorrectly gives the name of the game as "Gol-skuish.
Confidence 100
Source Gupta, H. 1924. 'A few types of sedentary games prevalent in the central provinces.' Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 20(5): 165–169., Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.820
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Gomoku
Location Japan
Date 1905-01-01 - 1905-12-31
Rules Played on go board, win by making five in a row.
Content "By the way, there is another and simpler, yet fascinating, game names Gomok-narabee (Jap.), a lining of five pieces, a sort of checkers, played, with the Igo-pieces, on the Igo-board, through not necessarily in a chessological sense are all required for the play, as it has nothing whatever to do with Igo. This game is played as a pastime by women and children, and also men to a certain extent. It is the easiest and peculiarly fascinating and instructive game." Cho-Yo 1905: 212. Murray 1951: 50 elaborates on this description using rules from go-bang evidence.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adult
Genders Female, Male
Source Cho-Yo. 1905. Japanese Chess (sho-ngi): The Science and Art of War or Struggle Philosophically Treated. New York: Eurasiamerica., Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.821
Type Artistic depiction
Game Hnefatafl
Location 60°53'14.59"N, 16°42'56.61"E
Date 1080-01-01 - 1099-12-31
Rules Square board with central and four corner squares marked, two players.
Content Gs 19 Ockelbo Runestone, depicting two men holding drinking horns sitting across from each other on opposite sides of a square board with the central space and the corner spaces marked. Schulte 2017: 13–16. Date: Berger 1998: 279
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Berger, F. 1998. 'Das Spielbrett auf dem Stein von Ockelbo.' Archäologische Informationen 21(2): 279–281., Schulte, M. 2017. Board games of the Vikings— from hnefatafl to chess. Maal og Minne. 1–42.
Id DLP.Evidence.822
Type Contemporary text
Game International Draughts
Location 51°29'54.44"N, 0° 7'35.38"W
Date 1733-09-15 - 1733-09-15
Rules Name of the game.
Content First mention of Polish Draughts in the London periodical The Craftsman, 15 September 1753, promising a future article on Polish Draughts that never appeared: "where you will see the whole board engaged in the important business of making Kings. There you may observe the whole Art of Intrigue and Bribery, Fraud and Force. This is a game of skill, but more confused and irregular than that of Chess." Quoted in Murray 1951: 80
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.823
Type Ethnography
Game Kotu Ellima
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1873-01-01 - 1873-12-31
Rules Alquerque board with four triangular appendages, which are bisected vertically and horizontally, captures by jumping, 24 pieces per player, played like draughts (English draughts?).
Content "Games, however, much on the same principle as draughts are not uncommon...the Kotu Ellime or "Taking of the Castles" may be considered the most elaborate...The "Taking of the Castles" is played exactly the same as draughts, each player taking on diagonal half of the board, which is a square with a reversed triangle in the middle of each side, and forty-nine intersections (see diagram B) in all. The counters are of different colors, generally coffee beans and Indian corn seeds. Each player lays down his twenty-four pieces, covering all the points and intersections with the exception of the middle one. The first move made into this point is a sacrifice, for the piece is immediately taken by his opponent, and so the game proceeds until one party is entirely checked or has all his pieces taken." Ludovisi 1873: 33–34). Parker 1909: 583 mentions its relationship to Perali Kotuwa. Murray 19-51: 68 describes an opening position which is not mentioned by Ludovisi.
Confidence 100
Source Ludovisi, L. 1873. 'The sports and games of the Singhalese.' The Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 17–41., Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
, Ludovisi, L. 1873. 'The sports and games of the Singhalese.' The Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 17–41.
Id DLP.Evidence.824
Type Ethnography
Game Lau Kata Kati
Location 23°41'19.71"N, 86°57'58.11"E; 23°13'56.78"N, 87°51'41.20"E; 22°25'32.57"N, 87°19'11.70"E; 23°10'27.77"N, 88°33'37.61"E; 23°15'52.06"N, 88°26'17.53"E; 22°50'44.31"N, 89°32'25.16"E; 22°42'4.09"N, 90°21'9.73"E
Date 1863-01-01 - 1933-12-31
Rules Play begins with each player's pieces on the pieces occupying the points of one of the triangles, leaving the shared apex empty. Pieces move to the next adjacent point connected by a line. Captures are made by hopping over an opponent's piece. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Lau-kata-kati. The diagram used in playing the game of lau-kata-kati is shown in figure 2. The game is played by two persons with 18 pieces; each player places his nine distinctive pieces on the nine cross-points of his triangle leacing the apex vacant. In the first move, a piece is shifted to the central point O and then the usual rules of draughts are followed, with the exception that only one piece can be captured at a time. One, who captures all the nine pieces of his adversary, is the winner." Datta 1933: 168.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Elder
Genders Male
Source Datta, J. 'A few types of sedentary games of Lower Bengal.' Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 29(1): 167–170.
Id DLP.Evidence.825
Type Ethnography
Game Lau Kata Kati
Location 25° 8'15.67"N, 81°27'19.31"E
Date 1906-01-01 - 1906-12-31
Rules Two triangles joined at the apex, bisected along their heights, and divided into three horizontally, opening position, captures made by hopping.
Content "The same game is played at Bargarh on a slightly different board, as shown in the accompanying diagram (Fig 5.) The rules of both these games are the same as those of Ahtarah Gutti." Humphries 1906: 123.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public
Source Humphries, E. de M. 1906. Notes on "Pachesi" and similar games, as played in the Karwi Subdivision, United Provinces. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 2(4): 117–127.
Id DLP.Evidence.826
Type Ethnography
Game Mogul Putt'han
Location 23°41'19.71"N, 86°57'58.11"E; 23°13'56.78"N, 87°51'41.20"E; 22°25'32.57"N, 87°19'11.70"E; 23°10'27.77"N, 88°33'37.61"E; 23°15'52.06"N, 88°26'17.53"E; 22°50'44.31"N, 89°32'25.16"E; 22°42'4.09"N, 90°21'9.73"E
Date 1863-01-01 - 1933-12-31
Rules Game is played on an Alquerque board with 5x5 intersecting lines and with a triangular appendage on either side. Each player has sixteen pieces, which are placed on the intersections and move along the lines to the next open intersection. Players can hop opponents pieces to capture them. Multiple captures in one turn are allowed. A player wins when they capture all of the opponent's pieces or block them from being able to move.
Content "Mughal-Pathan. The diagram used in playing the game of Mughal-Pathan (in the vernacular name reference is made to the well-known wars between the Moghuls and the Pathans in Bengal) is shown in figure 3. Two players are necessary to play the game, and each player has 16 distinctive pieces. At the commencement of the game, each player arranges his pieces in his half of the board and in this way the central line is left vacant. The game is played like draughts and two or more pieces of the opponent can be removed at a time. In some localities, another horizontal line is drawn in each triangle and then each player has 19 pieces to play with." (Datta 1933: 168–169).
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Elder
Source Datta, J. 'A few types of sedentary games of Lower Bengal.' Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 29(1): 167–170., Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.827
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Pachisi
Location Deccan
Date 1832-01-01 - 1832-12-31
Rules Size and shape of board, number of dice and throws, direction of play, turns last uintil rolling 2, 3, or 4, track, pieces are moved to the beginning when an opponent lands on the same space, marked spots allow a player to be safe from moving back, players must roll exactly to move off the board
Content "Pucheesee—This game is the most popular and celebrated in India (next to chess) It is thus played; the board consists of four rectangles, with their narrow sides so placed as to form a square in the centre (as shewn in plate vii. fig. 2.) Each rectangle is divided into twenty-four small squares, consisting of three rows of eight squares each. It is usually played by four persons, each of whom is furnished with four ivory or wooden cones (called got or gottee) of a peculiar color for distinction, and takes his station opposite one of the rectangles. His pieces (or gotee) start one by one from the middle row of his own rectangle. beginning at the division next to the large central space. They thence proceed all round the outside rows of the board, passing, of course, through those of the adversaries' rectangles, traveling from right to left (I.e. contrary to the sun) until they get back to the central row from which they started. Any piece is liable, however, to be taken up and thrown back to the beginning, as in backgammon, by any of the adversaries' pieces happening to fall upon its square; except in the case of the twelve privileged squares, which are marked with a cross (see plate); in that case the overtaking piece cannot move from its position. Their motion is determined by throwing of six or seven cowries (I.e. shells) as dice, which count according as the apertures fall uppermost or not; one aperture up, counts 10; two, 2; three, 3; four, 4; five, 25; six, 30; seven, 12; and if none be turned up, it counts 6. A throw of 25 or 30 gives an additional move of 1. At the last step the throw must account exactly to one more than the number of squares ledt to enable the piece to go into the central space; that is, as we would say, off the board. If it happen to stop on the last square, therefore, it cannot get off until you throw a 25 or 30. The players throw in turns, and each goes on until he throws a 2, 3, or 4, when he loses the lead. If the same number be thrown thrice successively, it does not count. The game is generally played with six cowries, making the highest throw 25 (the six apertures up then counting 12), hence it is termed pucheesee (from puchees, 25); and the board is used as a carpet, ornamented and marked with different colours of cloth sewed on it. It is sometimes played by two persons, each taking the two opposite rectangles with eight pieces, and playing them all from the rectangle next to him: the game continues till three of the players get out. They never play for money." (Herklots 1832: lviii–lix).
Confidence 100
Source Herklots, G. 1832. Qanoon-e-Islam, or the Customs of the Moosulmans of India. London: Parbury, Allen, and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.828
Type Ethnography
Game Sokkattan
Location Sri Lanka
Ruleset Sokkattan (Sri Lanka)
Date 1906-01-01 - 1906-12-31
Rules Standard Pachisi Board. Squares marked with "X" (counting from top): fifth in each outer row, fourth in central row. Three per player. Play begins in the central row of each player's arm of the board. Values of the cowries are: 0=6, 1=10, 2=2, 3=3, 4=4, 5=25, 6=12. A roll of 10 or 25 adds an extra move of 1. This extra move must be used to enter a new piece on the board if possible, if not possible then it can be assigned to any piece. Pieces on a space marked "x" are safe from being captured. Players throw dice until they receive a 2, 3, or 4, and then move. The value of an individual roll can only move one piece, but multiple pieces can be moved in turns with multiple rolls. If a player rolls the same number three times in a row, it does not count. Reference
Content "Pachis, 'Twenty-five,' is the Indian form of the same game. Its Tamil name is Sokkattan (commonly pronounced in COlombo Shok'otan); or according to Winslow's Dictionary Sorkettan or Sorkattan. This popular Indian game may be played by two, three, or four persons, and twelve counters are used, called Kay in Tamil and Sar in Hindustani; and also coloured red, yellow, black, and green, in sets of three. Blue being an unlucky colour is never used for counters in any game. If there be only two players each takes six counters. They are more or less dagaba-shaped, like those previously described. The board, called Silei, 'the cloth' in Tamil, is like that used for Pahada Keliya, and is always worked on cloth or velvet (Fig. 264). Crosses are marked on the fifth outer squares from the central enclosure, and on the fourth squares if the middle rows. In these squares the counters cannot be 'struck' by the opponents; they are termed Chira. The ordinary squares are called 'House' (ghara, Hind. or vidu, Tamil), and the central enclosure is the char-koni (hind.), 'the Square.' Six cowry shells are thrown as dice, after being shaken in the closed hands. The score is as follows:—When all the mouths are upward it counts 12, barah; if five mouths be upward it is 25, pachis; if two, three, or four mouths be upward the score is 2, do; 3, tin; and 4, char, respectively. If only one mouth be upward the score is 10, das; and when no mouth is upward it counts 6, choka. Whenever 10 or 25 is thrown the player has another throw, abd if at the second throw one of the same numbers fall it counts accordingly, that is, another 10 or 25. But if either of these numbers be thrown a third time consecutively nothing is counted, and this throw cancels the two previous throws of 10 or 25, the score of the whole three throws being now 0. The right to have an additional throw would still remain, and the score would then begin afresh. There are also additional throws after 6 or 12 has fallen. To begin the game, each player throws the shells in his turn in the right-hand order; until he obtains a 10 or 25 his counters cannot enter the board. Whenever either of these two numbers is thrown it is called a 'win' and an addition of 1 is made to the score. If the player have counters awaiting entry or re-entry at the time, this extra allowance must always be expended in paying for one of them, 1 being charged for the entry or re-entry of each counter. If all be in the game the extra 1 is added to the rest of the score; thus a throw of 10 is counted as 11, and 25 is reckoned as 26. Excepting that this extra may be used separately, the amount of each throw cannot be subdivided among different counters. In the case of the additional throw of the shells after a throw of 6, 10, 12, or 25, the amounts of the two throws may be used separately, without subdivision—either to bring a counter into an opponent's square so as to 'strike' his counters, and then move onward to the extent of the other part of the score; or the tow parts may be employed in moving forward two counters. The counters are not blocked as in Pahada Keliya. As they pass down the middle row on their way into the central enclosure they are aid on their sides to distinguish them from counters that may be moving outwards. To enter the central enclosure the exact number required must be thrown. If the counter be in the last square this can only be obtained by throwing 10 or 25, the extra score of 1 which either of these receives being utilised for the purpose." (Parker 1909: 619–621)
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.829
Type Artistic depiction
Game Peg Solitaire
Location 48°51'15.96"N, 2°20'54.79"E
Ruleset European
Date 1687-01-01 - 1687-12-31
Rules Hexagonal board with three spaces per side, starting position.
Content Portait of Anne Chabot de Rohan Princess of Soubise (1687) by Claude Auguste Berey.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Nobility
Spaces Inside
Genders Female
Source de Berey, Claude Auguste. 1687. Portrait of Anne Chabot de Rohan Princesse de Soubise.
Id DLP.Evidence.830
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shisima
Location Tiriki
Date 1982-01-01 - 1982-12-31
Rules Eight points arranged around a central point. Each player has three pieces. Pieces are initially placed three-in a row on side nearest the player. Pieces can move to an adjacent space connected to it by a line. The goal is to create three in a row through the central space.
Content "Shisima (Kenyan "Tic-Tac-Toe") This game, similar to Tic-Tac-Toe, is played by the Tiriki people in Kenya. The name, Shisima, which means "source of water," was inspired by watching imbalavali, the Tutriki word for "water insects," crawling toward the shisima (water source). When the Tiriki play it, they draw lines toward the shisima and use beans, stones, or other objects to represent the imbalavali. Board: Octagonal shape, as illustrated, with three insect figures at the opposite corners on each side. The central point is drawn as a circle to suggest the water...Counters: Each of the two players has 3 pieces of different design to represent the crawling imbalavali... Players: Two players or teams. General Rules: 1. Opening Position. The board is places in such a position that each player faces a group of insects (imbalavali). The players lay down, on their respective sides, all their pieces on top of the three corners occupied by the insect.
2. Object of the game. The object of the game is to get your 3 imbalavali in a straight line first.
3. Moves. The players take turns, moving one piece at a turn. Moves are made along any line (no jumping) to a vacant space. Obviously, whoever wins must have one counter in the center (in the shisima). However, moving there first does not necessarily guarantee winning. In spote of its seeming simplicity, this game requires some strategy!." Crane 1982: 11.
Confidence 100
Source Crane, L. African Games of Strategy. African Outreach Series 2. Urbana-Chapmaign, IL: University of Illinois.
Id DLP.Evidence.831
Type Ethnography
Game Tant Fant
Location 23°41'19.71"N, 86°57'58.11"E; 23°13'56.78"N, 87°51'41.20"E; 22°25'32.57"N, 87°19'11.70"E; 23°10'27.77"N, 88°33'37.61"E; 23°15'52.06"N, 88°26'17.53"E; 22°50'44.31"N, 89°32'25.16"E; 22°42'4.09"N, 90°21'9.73"E
Date 1863-01-01 - 1933-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines with diagonals. Play occurs on the intersections of the lines. Players each have three pieces, initially placed on the sides closest to the player. Players move the pieces to an adjacent unoccupied intersection along the lines. The goal is to make three in a row which cannot be in the starting position. An alternate version requires the three in a row to be diagonal.
Content "Tant-fant. The diagram used for the game of Tant-fant is shown in figure 1. It is generally drawn on floor wit ha piece of charcoal or broken brick. Two persons play the game. At the commencement of the game each player places three distinctive pieces on the three cross-points (ABC or DEF) on his side of the square. In the first move, a piece is shifted to the central line TT. The game is won, when all the three pieces belonging to a player lie in a straight line anywhere (horizontally, vertically, or obliquely) with the exception of the starting line." (Datta 1933: 167)
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Elder
Genders Male
Source Datta, J. 'A few types of sedentary games of Lower Bengal.' Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 29(1): 167–170.
Id DLP.Evidence.832
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Tawlbwrdd
Location Wales
Date 1587-08-01 - 1857-08-31
Rules 11x11 board. King piece. Twelve pieces on king's side and 24 opposed. Starting position. Two players. Captures by placing opponent's piece between two of one's own pieces.
Content "A Peniarth manuscript (Welssh Nat. Library, 158, p. 4) (I am indebted to Dr. F. R. Lewis for this reference.) contains a description of tawlbwrdd which was written by Robert ap Ifan in August 1587, with a drawing of the board. It contains 11x11 cells and the second, fourth, sixth, and eight columns are shaded (cf. the Gokstad board), and continues: The above board must be played with a king (brenin) in the centre and twelve men in the places next to him, and twenty-four lie in wait to capture him. These are placed, six in the centre of every end of the board and in the six central places. Two players move the pieces, and if one belonging to the king comes between two attackers, he is dead and is thrown out of play; and if one of the attackers comes between two of the king's men, the same. If the king himself comes between two of the attackers nd if you say 'watch your king' before he moves into that place, and he is unable to escape, you can catch him. If the other says gwrheill (?) and goes between the two, there is no harm. If the king can go along the line (lacuna here) that side wins the game." (Murray 1951:63).
"MS. 158...Y talbwrdd yehed a fydd raid I chawaray a brenin yn y canol &c. There is a sketch of a chequered-board divided into 110 squares in 5 white columns and 5 shaded columns of 11 squares each." Gwenogvryn 1899: 942–943.
Confidence 100
Source Gwenogvryn, E (ed.). 1899. Report on Manuscripts in the Welsh Language. Vol. I Part II. Peniarth. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode., Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.833
Type Ethnography
Game Terhüchü
Location Nagaland
Date 1921-01-01 - 1921-12-31
Rules Played on a board similar to Perali Kotuma, with the addition of triangular extensions on the four corners. Play begins with nine pieces for each player. Pieces move along the lines to the next open space. Opponent's pieces can be captured by hopping over them. Within the trianguler extensions, pieces may move two places at a time, in a straight line. The player to capture all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "The Angamis, leading an outdoor life such as they do, would not be expected to have many games of a sedentary nature. One such game is, however, known to them. It is a form of draughts known as terhüchü—"Fighting-eating," because the pieces of the opposing side fight and eat one another up. The board is a square one of sixteen squares (Fig. 1) joined by diagonal lines and usually scratched roughly on a large stone, cut into planking, or merely drawn in the earth. The pieces, which are bits of stone, move obliquely or straight along the lines, one going the distance of one square only at a time unless they are able to "eat" one of their opponents by jumping over him into an empty station beyond. As a rule, there are ten pieces on each side, but the game is sometimes played with eight, in which case the two outside stations of the forward line are left empty. A variant form is played with nine pieces on each side, the pieces being set out as shown in the diagram (Fig II). In this form there are triangular refuges into which and in which pieces may move along any of the lines shown. Inside these corners the piece may skip one junction of lines and move straight to the next but one. These triangles are formed by prolonging all the oblique lines beyond the square and also the straight lines forming the sides of the square and those dividing it into quarters. The bisected angles thus formed are joined up separately." Hutton 1921: 101–102. Murray 1951: 68 only provides the variant with triangles as an example of this game.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Hutton, J. 1921. The Angami Nagas. London: Macmillan and Co, Ltd., Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.834
Type Ethnography
Game Baghchal
Location Teesta Valley
Date 1933-01-01 - 1933-12-31
Rules Played on 5x5 grid including diagonals and pieces are played on the intersections of the lines. One player has four tigers, placed on the corners, and the other has up to 20 goats, placed on the board on a free space. Tigers and goats can move to an adjacent intersection along the lines on the board. Tigers may capture goats by hopping over them. The game ends when tigers have captured all of the goats or the goats block the tigers from being able to move.
Content "Bhagchal, Bhagchakar, or Chakrachal. Description.—This is a kind of tiger-play in which two persons are required to play the game, one plays with four 'tigers' and the other with twenty 'goats.' The diagram is given on the opposite page. The four 'tigers' are placed at the four points A B C D, and then one by one the 'goats' are brought on the board. As soon as the first 'goat' is placed on the board, one of the 'tigers' moves to capture it. This can only happen when the 'goat' is between the 'tiger' and a vacant point in a straight line. The 'goats' are captured as in draughts by jumping over. No 'goat' is to be moved from its place on the board till all the 20 'goats' have been placed on the board one by one. Then the pieces can be moved forwards and backwards on adjacent vacant places. The effort of the player holding the 'goats' is to checkmate the movements of the 'tigers.' When either all the 'goats' are captured or all the 'tigers' are checkmated, the play is finished. The person who performs one or the other of the two feats is the winner." Hora 1933: 8–9.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Hora, S. 1933. Sedentary games of India. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 29: 5–12., Hora, S. 1933. Sedentary games of India. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 29: 5–12.
Id DLP.Evidence.835
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Taikyoku Shogi
Location Japan
Date 1603-01-01 - 1868-05-03
Rules 36x36 board.
Content "There is in Shogi Zushiki also mention of a 36x36 huge-board (taikyoku) shogi which, if it really existed, presumably belonged to this group too. Not surprisingly it is assumer that priests invented these games." Fairbairn 1981: 11.
Confidence 50
Source Fairbairn, J. 1981. Shogi history...and the variants. Shogi 27: 9–13.
Id DLP.Evidence.836
Type Historical rule description
Game Mǎnzhōuqí
Location Manchuria
Date 1869-01-01 - 1912-12-31
Rules Manzhouqi is played on a Xiangqi board. The black player's pieces are set up as in Xiangqi, but the white player has the following pieces: Five soldiers: Move one space forward orthogonally. Two courtiers: Move one space diagonally and cannot leave the palace. One general: Moves on space orthogonally and cannot leave the palace. Two elephants: Move two spaces diagonally and cannot cross the river. One chariot: can move any distance orthogonally, taking either by jumping or by landing on the same space, and can also move like a knight in chess. The player that checkmates the other player's general wins.
Content "There is so-called Manchu chess, which is actually elephant chess. The method is as follows: the opponent also sets up sixteen pieces [as in regular xiangqi]. Those playing Manchu chess each have one general, two courtiers, two elephants and five soldiers. Besides these, there is only one other piece which combines the capabilities of the chariot, horse and cannon. Therefore, the moment the game begins, this piece has free movement in enemy territory, and if the defender is the least bit careless, there will be no chance of saving the whole game. Although this is a game, we can imagine the might of the Suolun troops after the entered the passes into China." Lo 2007: 126, quoting Xu Ke 1986: 4173–4174.
Confidence 100
Source Lo, A. 2007. An introduction to board games in Late Imperial China. In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press. pp. 125–132., Xu Ke. 1986. Qingbai leichao. Beijing.
Id DLP.Evidence.837
Type Ethnography
Game Hat Diviyan Keliya
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1873-01-01 - 1873-12-31
Rules Board size and layout, number of pieces, tiger starts on the apex, leopards are entered one by one, tigers capture leopards, leopards win when checking the tiger, tiger wins when capturing so many leopards they cannot check the tiger.
Content " Games, however, much on the same principle as draughts are not uncommon, and while the Hatdiviyan or "Seven Leopards" may be taken as the simplest...The former is played with seven pieces representing the leopards, and one representing the tiger. The moves are made in a triangular diagram with one perpendicular line in the middle and two cross lines at right angles to it (See Diagram A). The player or the tiger lays down his piece first, and as the apex of the triangle is the most advantageous, chooses that. The other player then lays down a piece when the tiger makes a move. Until all the seven pieces are laid, there is very little chance, if skillfully played, of taking apiece or checking a tiger. When all the pieces are laid, the moves go on with greater deliberation until either the tiger is checked, or the great number of leopards being taken, all hopes of checking the former is lost; when the game ends." (Ludovisi 1873: 33–34).
Parker 1909: 581 mentioned that he does not know it from the interior of the island.
Murray 1951: 106–107 repeats Ludovisi's description.
Confidence 100
Source Ludovisi, L. 1873. 'The sports and games of the Singhalese.' The Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 17–41., Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
, Ludovisi, L. 1873. 'The sports and games of the Singhalese.' The Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 17–41.
Id DLP.Evidence.838
Type Artifact
Game Twelve Men's Morris
Location 32°41'0.38"N, 35°39'53.84"E
Date 0600-01-01 - 0799-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners.
Content Twelve men's morris pattern graffiti on a flagstone in the Hall of Inscriptions at the Umayyad baths at Hammat Gader. It is associated with an alquerque board and an Arabic inscription. Amitai-Preiss 1997: 277.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public, Communal
Source Amitai-Preiss, N. 1997. 'Arabic inscriptions, graffiti and games.'In Y. Hirschfeld, The Roman Baths of Hamat Gader: Final Report. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society. pp. 267–278.
Id DLP.Evidence.839
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Nim
Location 43°46'10.44"N, 11°15'23.06"E
Date 1496-01-01 - 1517-12-31
Rules Take a number of objects, number to take is limited, loser takes the final object.
Content First mention of the game, in Luca Pacioli's De Viribus Quantitatis, Problem XXXIIII. "Finish any number before the opponent, without taking more than a certain finite number." Rougetet 2014: 359.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Rougetet, L. 2014. 'A Prehistory of Nim. ' The College Mathematics Journal 45(5): 358–363.
Id DLP.Evidence.840
Type Contemporary text
Game Tic-Tac-Toe
Location Southeast Indiana
Date 1850-01-01 - 1883-12-31
Rules Name of the game, three in a row.
Content "Sometimes he played 'tee-tah-to, three in a row' with the girls, using a slate and pencil in a way known to all school-children." Eggleston 1883: 36. "The "tee-tah to, three in a row" which Eggleston refers to first as "well-known to all school-children" is probably noughts and crosses." time and place also given as Southeast Indiana, 1850. Beard 1961: 94–95.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Female, Male
Source Beard, A. 1961. 'Games and recreations in the novels of Edward Eggleston.' Midwest Folklore 11(2): 85–104., Eggleston, E. 1883. The Hoosier School-Boy. New York: Charles Scribner's and Sons.
Id DLP.Evidence.842
Type Contemporary rule description
Game 20 Squares
Location 32°32'32.04"N, 44°25'15.37"E
Date 0177-11-03BCE - 0176-11-03BCE
Rules Boards consist of a grid of 3x4 squares and a continuation of the central row in the grid that extends for 8 further squares. The game is played with two astragals as dice: one from a sheep and one from an ox. The sheep astragal provides the base value for the roll, and the ox astragal serves as a bonus. Each player starts play on one of the right corners of the 3x4 grid, proceeding left down that row to the opposite corner, and then right down the central track, which both players use, with the goal of moving off the end of the track. If a player lands on a square occupied by the opponent, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and may reenter on a subsequent turn. Rosettes on certain squares in the central track mark spaces where a player is safe from being sent to the beginning. Rosettes in the corners allow a player to roll again when a player lands on them. A player wins when they remove all seven of their pieces from the board by rolling the exact number of spaces left in the track, plus one.
Content Cuneiform tablet BM 33333B; written by Itti-Marduk-balatu with the rules of the Seleucid twenty squares game. Finkel 2007; Wee 2018.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Source Finkel, I. 2007. On the Rules of the Royal Game of Ur. In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press,16–32., Wee, J. 2018. 'Five Birds, Twelve Rooms, and the Seleucid Game of Twenty Squares.' In S. Panayotov and L. Vacin (eds), Mesopotamian Medicine and Magic. Leiden: Brill. 833–876.
Id DLP.Evidence.843
Type Contemporary rule description
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°19'26.84"N, 45°38'15.93"E
Date 0626-01-01BCE - 0539-12-31BCE
Rules Boards consist of a grid of 3x4 squares and a continuation of the central row in the grid that extends for 8 further squares. Each player starts play on one of the right corners of the 3x4 grid, proceeding left down that row to the opposite corner, and then right down the central track, which both players use, with the goal of moving off the end of the track. If a player lands on a square occupied by the opponent, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and may reenter on a subsequent turn. Rosettes on certain squares in the central track mark spaces where a player is safe from being sent to the beginning. Rosettes in the corners allow a player to roll again when a player lands on them. A player wins when they remove all seven of their pieces from the board by rolling the exact number of spaces left in the track, plus one.
Reference
Content Neo-Babylonian cuneiform tablet (dated based on script) with the rules for 20 squares. likely from Uruk. Bottéro 1956: 16–25, 30–35; Finkel 2007. The tablet was destroyed during World War I but photographs of it survive.
Confidence 100
Source Bottéro, J. 'Deux curiosités assyriologiques (avec une note de Pierre Hamelin).' Syria 33: 17–35., Finkel, I. 2007. On the Rules of the Royal Game of Ur. In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press,16–32.
Id DLP.Evidence.844
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 31°51'31.80"N, 34°55'15.26"E
Date 2300-01-01BCE - 1-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with an 8 square extension of the central row, markings in squres 4(x2), 8, 12, 16.
Content Ivory gaming board showing the game of twenty squares with rosettes in the usual spots. Found in the fill of the palace and dating to the 10th century BCE. Wolff and Ortiz 2018: 958-959.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Source Wolff, S. and S. Ortiz. 2018. 'Roll the Dice: Iron Age II Gameboards and PLaying Pieces from Gezer. In I. Shai, J. Chadwick, L. Hitchcock, A. Dagan, C. McKinny, and J. Uziel (eds), Tell it in Gath: Studies in the History and Archaeology of Israel. Ägypten und Altes Testament 90. Mënster: Zaphon, 956–965.
Id DLP.Evidence.845
Type Artifact
Game 58 Holes
Location 40°29'15.33"N, 50°12'32.96"E
Date 2200-01-01BCE - 1800-12-31BCE
Rules 61 spaces arranged in an arc around two parallel lines, spaces 7 and 9 are connected on both tracks, 16 and 21, 21 and 26 are connected, 1 and 30 are marked.
Content 58 holes graffiti game board from Aghdashdüzü. Aliyev and Abdullayev 2011.
Confidence 100
Source Aliyev, I. & F. Abdullayev. 2011. Namälum Abseron. Baku: Digital Age Production.
Id DLP.Evidence.846
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Chaturaji
Location Bengal
Date 1490-01-01 - 1580-12-31
Content Sanskrit description of Chaturaji from a poem by Raghunandana, a Bengali poet of the 16th century. Given in Murray 1913: 69–71.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Raghunandana. Tithi-tattvana.
Id DLP.Evidence.847
Type Ethnography
Game Dama (Comoros)
Location Grande Comore
Date 2018-06-01 - 2018-06-30
Rules Played on an 8x8 board. 16 pieces per player, lined up in the second and third rows (first row on each side is empty). Pieces move forward or horizontally one space, and capture opponents' pieces by jumping in these directions. When they reach the opposite side, they become a king and can jump opponents' pieces from any distance orthogonally. Captures must be taken if possible, and the maximum number of jumps must be made. Multiple captures cannot be made by moving 180 degrees from the previous jump. Pieces can be promoted to king mid-jump. Winning is achieved by capturing all of the other player's pieces or by blocking them so they cannot move.
Content "Dama refers to a series of games on Grande Comore...they wouold draw a board with chalk on the pavement and gathered game pieces to make a gaming set. The first pattern they would draw is a board of 64 fields. The board is uncheckered and pieces are places as in Turkish Draughts...There is promotion to a long king and there are only orthogonal captures with no backward captures for unpromoted pieces." de Voogt 2019: 5–6.
Confidence 100
Source de Voogt, A. 2019. 'The Comoros: A confluence of board game histories.' Board Game Studies 13: 1–13.
Id DLP.Evidence.848
Type Ethnography
Game Dama (Kenya)
Location 2°16'5.43"S, 40°54'5.58"E; 4° 2'41.51"S, 39°40'4.05"E
Date 1940-01-01 - 1980-03-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board. 16 pieces per player, lined up in the second and third rows (first row on each side is empty). Pieces move forward or horizontally one space, and capture opponents' pieces by jumping in these directions. When they reach the opposite side, they become a king and can jump opponents' pieces from any distance orthogonally. Captures must be taken if possible, and the maximum number of jumps must be made. Multiple captures cannot be made by moving 180 degrees from the previous jump. Pieces can be promoted to king mid-jump. Winning is achieved by capturing all of the other player's pieces or by blocking them so they cannot move.
Content Dama played in Lamu and Mombasa, generally considered as an "Arab" alternative to "African" bao. Played with the rules of dama as seen elsewhere. Said to have been played since the 1940s at least. Townshend 1986: 106–108; 218–259.
Confidence 100
Source Townshend, P. 1986. Games in culture: A contextual analysis of the Swahili board game and its relevance to vaariation in African mankala. Unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Cambridge.
Id DLP.Evidence.849
Type Ethnography
Game Dash Guti
Location 25°12'35.98"N, 80°55'11.08"E
Date 1904-01-01 - 1905-12-31
Rules Each player lays out the pieces on the board on the intersections of the lines, each filling all the intersections of the triangle closest to the player, plus the extra intersection to their right. Play moves to the next adjacent intersection connected by a line. Opponent's pieces can be captured by hopping over them. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Kowwu Dunki. There are several variants of this game. Of these, one, known as "Kowwa Dunki," is played on a board of 21 spaces, arranged as in the accompanying diagram (Fig. 4)...The rules...are the same as those of Ahtarah Gutti." Humphries 1906: 122.
Confidence 100
Source Humphries, E. de M. 1906. Notes on "Pachesi" and similar games, as played in the Karwi Subdivision, United Provinces. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 2(4): 117–127., Humphries, E. de M. 1906. Notes on "Pachesi" and similar games, as played in the Karwi Subdivision, United Provinces. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 2(4): 117–127.
Id DLP.Evidence.850
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 26°11'0.40"N, 31°55'21.50"E
Date 2740-01-01BCE - 2740-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen board form the Tomb of Pharaoh Peribsen at Abydos. Musée d'Art et d'Histoire, Brussels E. 4180. Board has four parallel spiral tracks. Kendall 2007: 35; Amélineau 1899: pl. 47.11.
Confidence 100
Social status Royalty
Genders Male
Source Amélineau, E. 1905. Les nouvelles fouilles d'Abydos 1895–96. Paris: Ernest Leroux., Kendall, T. 2007. 'Mehen.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, p. 33–45.
Id DLP.Evidence.851
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 26°11'0.40"N, 31°55'21.50"E
Date 2740-01-01BCE - 2740-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen board from the Tomb of Peribsen now in the Musée Royal de Mariemont, Belgium B.102.0. Kendall 2007:35–36; Amélineau 1905: pl. 47.10.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Genders Male
Id DLP.Evidence.852
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 26°11'0.40"N, 31°55'21.50"E
Date 2740-01-01BCE - 2740-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen board form the Tomb of Pharaoh Peribsen at Abydos. Musée d'Art et d'Histoire, Brussels E. 4180. Board has four parallel spiral tracks. Kendall 2007: 35; Amélineau 1905: pl. 47.11.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Genders Male
Source Petrie, W. and J. Quibell. 1896. Naqada and Ballas. London: Bernard Quaritch.
Id DLP.Evidence.853
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 26°11'0.40"N, 31°55'21.50"E
Date 2740-01-01BCE - 2740-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen board with spaces arranged in seven concentric circles; spaces were likely marked to indicated where to move from one circle to the next. Now in the Louvre E.29891. Amélineau 1905: pl. 47.8; Kendall 2007: 35.
Confidence 100
Source Amélineau, E. 1905. Les nouvelles fouilles d'Abydos 1895–96. Paris: Ernest Leroux., Kendall, T. 2007. 'Mehen.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, p. 33–45.
Id DLP.Evidence.854
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 25°57'1.47"N, 32°44'23.42"E
Date 3100-01-01BCE - 3000-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Small mehen board found in Tomb 19 at Ballas. Late 4th millennium BCE. Now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Petrie and Quibell 1896: 42, pl. XLIII.2.
Confidence 100
Source Kendall, T. 2007. 'Mehen.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, p. 33–45., Petrie, W. and J. Quibell. 1896. Naqada and Ballas. London: Bernard Quaritch.
Id DLP.Evidence.855
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 31°15'11.27"N, 35°32'14.94"E
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 2350-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Mehen game board from Bâb edh-Dhrâ', Jordan. GSREG253. Spiral game board found in the destruction layer of Stratum II town. Rast and Schaub 2003: 637.
Confidence 100
Source Rast, W. and T. Shaub. 2003. Bâb edh-Dhrâ': Excavations at the Town Site (1975–1981). Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.
Id DLP.Evidence.856
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 34°48'44.94"N, 32°24'23.05"E
Date 2700-01-01BCE - 2500-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Half of a mehen game board from Lemba Lakkous, Cyprus. A spiral pattern on a limestone block. Swiny 1982.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1982. 'A Spiral Game (Mehen) from Lemba Area II? In E. Peltenburg, "Lemba Archaeological Project, Cyprus 1980: preliminary Report." Levant 14: 53–54.
Id DLP.Evidence.857
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location Ancient Egypt
Date 3100-01-01BCE - 2181-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Unprovenienced mehen board now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo JE 27354. Ranke 1920: 7; Petrie and Quibell 1896: 42; Kendall 2007: 36.
Confidence 100
Source Kendall, T. 2007. 'Mehen.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, p. 33–45., Petrie, W. and J. Quibell. 1896. Naqada and Ballas. London: Bernard Quaritch. , Ranke, H. 1920. Das altägyptische Schlangenspiel. Heidelberg: Carl Winters Universitätsbuchhandlung.
Id DLP.Evidence.858
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 26°11'0.40"N, 31°55'21.50"E
Date 3100-01-01BCE - 2181-01-01BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Unprovenienced mehen game board reportedly found at Abydos. Now in the Bode Museum, Berlin 13686. Scharff 1926: 145, pl.33; Kendall 2007: 36.
Confidence 100
Source Kendall, T. 2007. 'Mehen.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, p. 33–45., Scharff, A. 1926. Die archäologischen Ergebnisse des Vorgeschichtlichen Graberfeldes von Abusir el-Meleq. Leipzig: Wissenschaftliche Veröffentlichung der Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft.
Id DLP.Evidence.859
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location Ancient Egypt
Date 3100-01-01BCE - 2181-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Unprovenienced mehen game board from Egypt. Petrie claims it is of prehistoric date. Now in the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology 19602. Petrie 1914: 25, pl. 47; Kendall 2007: 36.
Confidence 100
Source Kendall, T. 2007. 'Mehen.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, p. 33–45., Petrie, W. 1914. Amulets. London: Constable and Co. Ltd.
Id DLP.Evidence.860
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location Ancient Egypt
Date 3100-01-01BCE - 2181-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Unprovenienced mehen board from Egypt. now in the Oriental Institute Museum, Chicago. 16950. Piccione 1990a: 46-7.
Confidence 100
Source Kendall, T. 2007. 'Mehen.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, p. 33–45., Piccione, P. 1990a. 'Mehen, Mysteries, and Resurrection rom the Coiled Serpent. ' Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt 27: 43–52.
Id DLP.Evidence.861
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location Ancient Egypt
Date 3100-01-01BCE - 2181-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board.
Content Unprovenienced mehen board from Egypt. In the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. (e.g.A. 4464.1943). Kendall 2007: fig. 4.15.
Confidence 100
Source Kendall, T. 2007. 'Mehen.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, p. 33–45.
Id DLP.Evidence.862
Type Artistic depiction
Game Mehen
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2450-01-01BCE - 2350-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board, spheres as playing pieces, four players.
Content Tomb relief from Tomb of Rashepses, showing four people playing mehen. Caption reads: "Playing mehen." Shown among a scene of music, senet playing, and offerings to the deceased. Lepsius 1849-1856: Bl. 61; Kendall 2007: 39.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Nobility
Genders Male
Source Kendall, T. 2007. 'Mehen.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, p. 33–45., Lepsius, R. 1846-1856. Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien. Abtheilung II. Berlin: Nicolaische Buchhandlung.
Id DLP.Evidence.863
Type Artistic depiction
Game Mehen
Location 29°58'44.83"N, 31° 7'51.69"E
Date 2332-01-01BCE - 2287-12-31BCE
Rules Two players.
Content Tomb relief from the Tomb of Idu at Giza. Two men play mehen amid a scene of senet playing, music, and dancing in honor of the goddess Hathor. Caption reads: "I am playing mehen against you." Kendall 2007: 40; Simpson 1976: 25.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Nobility
Genders Male
Source Kendall, T. 2007. 'Mehen.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, p. 33–45., Simpson, W.K. 1976. Giza Mastabas 2: The Mastabas of Qar and Idu. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts.
Id DLP.Evidence.864
Type Artistic depiction
Game Mehen
Location 29°58'44.83"N, 31° 7'51.69"E
Date 2450-01-01BCE - 2350-12-31BCE
Rules Spiral board, two players.
Content Tomb relief from the tomb of Kaiemankh at Giza showing two men playing mehen in a scene of people playing senet, music, and dancing. Captions reads: "Seizing mehen" while the opponent responds "I take aim at you and play toward you." Kendall 2007: 40; Junker 1940: Fig. 9.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Nobility
Genders Male
Source Junker, H. 1940. Giza IV: Die Mastaba des Kai-em-ankh. Vienna: Hölder-Pichler-Tempsky A.G.
, Kendall, T. 2007. 'Mehen.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, p. 33–45.
Id DLP.Evidence.865
Type Ethnography
Game Mogul Putt'han
Location Deccan
Date 1832-01-01 - 1832-12-31
Rules Played with sixteen men; played with some rules of draughts.
Content "Mogol Putt'han—played like the game of draughts on a diagram sketched on the ground, or on a board or paper, using sixteen cowries or gravel, pebbles, &c. on each side for men." Herklots 1832: lix.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Herklots, G. 1832. Qanoon-e-Islam, or the Customs of the Moosulmans of India. London: Parbury, Allen, and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.866
Type Artifact
Game Nine Men's Morris
Location 58°31'17.57"N, 31°16'33.82"E
Date 1075-01-01 - 1125-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides.
Content Wooden board found during excavations at medieval Novgorod. Rybina 2007: 357–359, Fig. 21.2.b.
Confidence 100
Source Rybina, E. 2007. 'Chess Pieces and Game Boards.' In M. Brisbane and J. Hather (eds), Wood Use in Medieval Novgorod. Oxford: Oxbow Books, 354–359.
Id DLP.Evidence.867
Type Artifact
Game Nine Men's Morris
Location 58°31'17.57"N, 31°16'33.82"E
Date 1275-01-01 - 1325-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides.
Content Wooden Nine men's morris board found at medieval Novgorod. Rybina 2007: 357–359; Fig. 21.2.c.
Confidence 100
Source Rybina, E. 2007. 'Chess Pieces and Game Boards.' In M. Brisbane and J. Hather (eds), Wood Use in Medieval Novgorod. Oxford: Oxbow Books, 354–359.
Id DLP.Evidence.868
Type Ethnography
Game Shantarad
Location Somaliland
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules 5 x 5 board, players take turns placing two pieces at a time, move orthogonally, custodial capture.
Content "3. Shantarad (Issaq)=bub(Darod) . Related to Arabian siga and Japanese gp. It is played on a checker of 5 x 5 squares drawn on the ground. Each of the two players provides himself with a set of 12 stones of distinctive colour, and places two stones at a time on whichever free square he chooses, with the exception of the centre one (called deh, "centre"). When the twenty-four stones are placed, the person who put the last couplr has the first move. The stones are shifted to any adjacent square, but never diagonally. If by so moving a player can place one of his opponent's stones between two of his own, he removes it from the game, and can go on playing as long as he sees the possibility of taking pieces by single moves. The accompanying figure shows how three stones can be taken by a single move (by shifting white stone as indicated by the arrow). On the other hand, a player can saely place one of his own stones between two of his opponent's. A stone in the deh cannot be taken. When a player is unable to move, his opponent must give him an opening by making an extra move." Marin 1931: 595–596.
Confidence 100
Source Marin, G. 1931. Somali Games. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 61: 499-511.
Id DLP.Evidence.869
Type Ethnography
Game Seega
Location Sudan
Date 1925-01-01 - 1925-12-31
Rules 5x5 board, players take turns placing pieces two-by-two, moves orthogonally, custodial capture, win by capturing all opponent's pieces.
Content "1. Sija. this is not specially a nomad Arab game—in fact, it is more commonly played in towns than in the desert—but it seems to be a basic game, widely known in Africa, from which local variants are derived. It is played on a board of twenty-five squares (I.e. five rows of five hollows scooped in the sand), each player having twelve counters known as dogs (I.e. twelve pieces of stone for one player and twelve pieces of brick, or other distinguishable matter, for the other). The counters are not set out on the board in a predesignated order, but the player who wins the toss places two "dogs" where he likes, the only restriction being that the middle square of the board must be left vacant. His opponent then "throws" two counters into any unoccupied squares other than the middle one, and so on, alternately, until the board, except for the middle square, is full, as shown in the diagram. This "throwing" is of course done with an eye to the succeeding play and is important as the deal at Bridge. Play is continued by the winner of the toss moving one of his counters into the middle square. If, thereby, he can bring one of his opponent's "dogs" between two of his own, he "eats" it, I.e. removes it from the board. In the diagram, as shown, by moving the coutner ) to the middle square, the player "eats" both X1 and X2. His opponent then moves, "eating" or not, as he is able, and so on, alternately, until one has completely destroyed the "dogs" of the other and is therefore the winner. "Dogs" do not move, or eat, diagonally but only along ranks and files." Davies 1925: 138–139.
Confidence 100
Source Davies, R. 1925. 'Some Arab Games and Puzzles.' Sudan Notes and Records. 8: 137–152.
Id DLP.Evidence.870
Type Ethnography
Game Seega
Location 28°33'21.42"N, 33°58'33.76"E
Date 1890-01-01 - 1890-12-31
Rules 5x5 board, players place pieces alternately two-by-two, pieces move orthogonally, custodial capture, win by capturing all the opponent's pieces
Content "While in camp at the Monastery of St Catherine, Mt. Sinai, I observed Bedouins and Egyptians playing a game with black and white pebbles in the sand...The called the game "Seegà," and the pebbles kelb; they played in holes in the sand, but it can be played as well on a common board rules with twenty-five squares...[goes on to describe rules as attested in other sources]." Bolton 1890.
Confidence 100
Source Bolton, H. 1890. 'Seegà, an Egyptian Game.' Journal of American Folklore 3(9):132–134.
Id DLP.Evidence.871
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-00BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad, 3x10 incised squares on a limestone block. IAA no. 89-402. Sebbane 2001: 226.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.872
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad. 3x10 incised squares on a limestone block. IAA no. 91-1807. Sebbane 2001: 226.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.873
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad. 3x10 squares on a limestone block. IAA no. 89-417. Sebbane 2001: 226.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.874
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad. 3x10 drilled holes on a limestone block. IAA no. 91-1963. Sebanne 2001: 227.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.875
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad. 3x10 incised squares with a hole drilled in the center of each. IAA no. 91-1600. Sebanne 2001: 227.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.876
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad. 3x10 game nearly completely preserved, missing two squares. Incised on limestone block. IAA no. 91-1677. Sebbane 2001: 227.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.877
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad. 3x10 incised squares on an incised block. IAA no. 91.1861. Sebbane 2001: 227.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.878
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad. 3x10 drilled holes on a limestone block. IAA no. 89-403. Sebbane 2001: 227.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.879
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad. 3x10 incised squares with drilled holes in the center of each square. IAA no. 91-1268. Sebbane 2001: 227.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.880
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad. 3x10 drilled depressions on a limestone block. IAA no. 89-421. Sebbane 2001: 228.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.881
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad. Nearly intact 3x10 pattern of drilled holes in a limestone block, two holes are missing. IAA no. 91-1959. Sebbane 2001: 228.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.882
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad. 3x10 incised squared with drilled holes in the squares. IAA no. 91-1958. Sebbane 2001: 228.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.883
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3 row board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad. Incised squares on a limestone block, but broken. One row with ten squares, one with six, one with four. IAA no. 91-1961. Sebbane 2001: 228.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.884
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad. 3x10 drilled depressions in a limestone block. IAA no. 89-422. Sebbane 2001: 228.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.885
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°16'50.28"N, 35° 7'32.86"E
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2600-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tel Arad. 3x10 squares incised on a limestone block. IAA no. 91-1676. Sebbane 2001: 228.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.886
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°15'11.27"N, 35°32'14.94"E
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 2350-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Bâb edh-Dhrâ'. 3x10 depressions on a limestone block. GSREG 49. Rast & Schaub 2003: 636; Lee 1982 .
Confidence 100
Source Lee, J. 1982. 'An Early Bronze Age Game Stone from Bab edh-Dhra, Jordan.' Levant 14: 171–174. , Rast, W. and T. Shaub. 2003. Bâb edh-Dhrâ': Excavations at the Town Site (1975–1981). Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.
Id DLP.Evidence.887
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°15'11.27"N, 35°32'14.94"E
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 2350-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Bâb edh-Dhrâ'. 3x10 depressions on a limestone block. GSREG 79. Rast and Schaub 2003: 636; Lee 1982.
Confidence 100
Source Lee, J. 1982. 'An Early Bronze Age Game Stone from Bab edh-Dhra, Jordan.' Levant 14: 171–174. , Rast, W. and T. Shaub. 2003. Bâb edh-Dhrâ': Excavations at the Town Site (1975–1981). Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.
Id DLP.Evidence.888
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°15'11.27"N, 35°32'14.94"E
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 2350-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Bâb edh-Dhrâ'. 3x10 depressions on a limestone block. GSREG 94. Rast and Schaub 2003: 636; Lee 1982.
Confidence 100
Source Lee, J. 1982. 'An Early Bronze Age Game Stone from Bab edh-Dhra, Jordan.' Levant 14: 171–174. , Rast, W. and T. Shaub. 2003. Bâb edh-Dhrâ': Excavations at the Town Site (1975–1981). Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.
Id DLP.Evidence.889
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°15'11.27"N, 35°32'14.94"E
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 2350-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Large gaming table with eight senet boards on its surface. Eight 3x10 patterns of depressions on the surface of a large stone. Rast and Schaub 2003: 636; Lee 1982: pl. 14.
Confidence 100
Source Lee, J. 1982. 'An Early Bronze Age Game Stone from Bab edh-Dhra, Jordan.' Levant 14: 171–174. , Rast, W. and T. Shaub. 2003. Bâb edh-Dhrâ': Excavations at the Town Site (1975–1981). Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.
Id DLP.Evidence.890
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°41'59.22"N, 34°50'48.77"E
Date 2870-01-01BCE - 2490-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Tel es-Safi/Gath 1. Three rows of incised squares with 8, 8, and 6 squares at least partially preserved. Markings correspond to what seem to be squares 16 and 29. Shai et al. 2014: 39.
Confidence 100
Source Shai, I, H. Greenfield, J. Regev, E. Boaretto, A. Eliyahu-Behar, and A. Maeir. 2014. 'The Early Bronze Age Remains at Tell exs-Safi/Gath: An Interim Report. Tel Aviv 41: 20–49.
Id DLP.Evidence.891
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°41'59.22"N, 34°50'48.77"E
Date 2870-01-01BCE - 2490-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board.
Content Senet game board from Tel es-Safi/Gath 2. Broken, 3x5 incised squares. One square in the central row is marked. Shai et al. 2014: 39.
Confidence 100
Source Shai, I, H. Greenfield, J. Regev, E. Boaretto, A. Eliyahu-Behar, and A. Maeir. 2014. 'The Early Bronze Age Remains at Tell exs-Safi/Gath: An Interim Report. Tel Aviv 41: 20–49.
Id DLP.Evidence.892
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 32°34'43.20"N, 35°10'5.04"E
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1550-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Megiddo from Upper Level Sub-Area J. 3x9 depressions, tenth depression in each row obscured. Guillaume 2013: 1106–1107.
Confidence 100
Source Guillaume, P. 2013. 'Games.' In I. Finkelstein, D. Ussishkin, and E. Cline (eds). Megiddo V: The 2004–2008 Seasons. Tel Aviv: Emery and Claire Yass Publications in Archaeology, 1106–1114.
Id DLP.Evidence.893
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 32°34'43.20"N, 35°10'5.04"E
Date 1150-01-01BCE - 1000-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Megiddo built into a Late Iron I wall. 3x10 incised squares, squares 14 and 27 marked with an X. Guillaume 2013: 1110.
Confidence 100
Source Guillaume, P. 2013. 'Games.' In I. Finkelstein, D. Ussishkin, and E. Cline (eds). Megiddo V: The 2004–2008 Seasons. Tel Aviv: Emery and Claire Yass Publications in Archaeology, 1106–1114.
Id DLP.Evidence.894
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°33'39.27"N, 34°50'38.71"E
Date 0800-01-01BCE - 0710-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 15, 20, and 30.
Content Senet game board graffiti on a step of the gatehouse at Lachish. Squares 15 and 20 are marked with an X, square 30 is made to be concave. Sebbane 2004.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2004. 'Appendix: And Incised Senet Board Game.' In D. Ussishkin (ed), The Renewed Arcahaeological Excavations at Lachish (1973–1994). Tel Aviv: Emery and Claire Yass Publications in Archaeology, 690–694.
Id DLP.Evidence.895
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 33° 1'2.57"N, 35°34'4.98"E
Date 0900-01-01BCE - 0801-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from the Pillared Building at Hazor IAA 1995-1112. 3x10 incised squares. Yadin 1960: 34, pl. 78.6. Sebbane 2004: 693.
Confidence 100
Source Sebbane, M. 2004. 'Appendix: And Incised Senet Board Game.' In D. Ussishkin (ed), The Renewed Arcahaeological Excavations at Lachish (1973–1994). Tel Aviv: Emery and Claire Yass Publications in Archaeology, 690–694., Yadin, Y. 1960. Hazor II. Jerusalem: Magres Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.896
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34° 7'8.22"N, 35°38'45.87"E
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1550-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Byblos 13079. 3x10 incised squares. Dunand 1958: 573.
Confidence 100
Source Dunand, M. 1958. Fouilles de Byblos 1933–1938 Tome II. Paris: Maisonneuve.
Id DLP.Evidence.897
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34° 7'8.22"N, 35°38'45.87"E
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1550-12-31BCE
Rules Three row board, markings in every square in outer rows.
Content Senet game board from Byblos 12202. Three rows of seven incised squares, both outer rows marked in each square. Dunan 1958: 505.
Confidence 100
Source Dunand, M. 1958. Fouilles de Byblos 1933–1938 Tome II. Paris: Maisonneuve.
Id DLP.Evidence.898
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34° 7'8.22"N, 35°38'45.87"E
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1550-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Byblos 12526. 3x10 drilled depressions. Dunand 1858: 531.
Confidence 100
Source Dunand, M. 1958. Fouilles de Byblos 1933–1938 Tome II. Paris: Maisonneuve.
Id DLP.Evidence.899
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 34° 7'8.22"N, 35°38'45.87"E
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1550-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Byblos. 3x10 incised squares with drilled holes in each square. Dunand 1954: 310.
Confidence 100
Source Dunand, M. 1954. Fouilles de Byblos Tome I. Parios: Maisonneuve.
Id DLP.Evidence.900
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 35° 8'27.20"N, 36°45'18.72"E
Date 2100-01-01BCE - 2001-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Hama. 3x10 incised squares with drilled holes in the center of each square. Fugmann 1958: 76, 80; Swiny 1986: 42.
Confidence 100
Source Fugmann, E. 1958. Hama: fouilles et recherches 1931–1938 II.1: L’architecture des périodes préhellénistiques. Copenhagen: Fondation Carlsberg.
, Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.901
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31°14'24.53"N, 35°45'54.51"E
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 2200-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Khirbet Iskander. 3x10 depressions. Richard and Boraas 1984: 83.
Confidence 100
Source Richard, S. and R. Boraas. 1984. 'Preliminary Report of the 1981–82 Seasons of the Expedition to Khirbet Iskander and its Vicinity.' Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 254: 63–87.
Id DLP.Evidence.902
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 30°59'16.16"N, 34°55'47.22"E
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 2200-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Har Yeroham. 3x10 depressions, three damaged on one end. Kochavi 1967: 120, pl. 7.17 Sebbane 2001:220, fig. 7.6.
Confidence 100
Source Kochavi, M. 1967. The Settlement of the Negev in the Middle Bronze (Canaanite) I Age. Unpublished PhD Dissertation, Hebrew University of Jerusalem., Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.903
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 31° 0'14.55"N, 34°47'6.12"E
Date 2500-01-01BCE - 2200-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Mashabei Sade. 3x10 depressions, one hols damaged.
Cohen 1986: 56, pl. 43.2. Sebbane 2001: 220, fig. 7.5.
Confidence 100
Source Cohen, R. 1986. The Settlement of the Central Negev in the Light of Archaeological and Literary Sources during the Fourth-First Millennia BCE. Unpublished PhD dissertation, Hebrew University Jerusalem., Sebbane, M. 2001. 'Board Games from Canaan in the Early and Intermediate Bronze Ages and the Origin of the Egyptian Senet Game.' Tel Aviv 28:213–230.
Id DLP.Evidence.904
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 33°37'26.23"N, 35°49'16.23"E
Date 1640-01-01BCE - 1110-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board, square 15 marked.
Content Senet game board from Kamid el-Loz KL:78:536. Ivory game board with 3x10 Senet pattern and a man's head marking square 15. Meyer 1986: 126–136.
Confidence 100
Source Meyer, J.-W. 1986. Die Spielbretter KL 78:534 und KL:53d. In R. Hachmann (ed), Bericht über die Ergebnisse der Ausgrabungen in Kamid el-Loz in den Jahren 1977 bis 1981. Bonn: Rudolf Habelt, 123–143.
Id DLP.Evidence.905
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 33°37'26.23"N, 35°49'16.23"E
Date 1640-01-01BCE - 1110-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Kamid el-Loz KL78:534. Damaged game box that originally had 3x10 recessed for playing spaces. Meyer 1986: 123–126.
Confidence 100
Source Meyer, J.-W. 1986. Die Spielbretter KL 78:534 und KL:53d. In R. Hachmann (ed), Bericht über die Ergebnisse der Ausgrabungen in Kamid el-Loz in den Jahren 1977 bis 1981. Bonn: Rudolf Habelt, 123–143.
Id DLP.Evidence.906
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°58'39.87"N, 31° 8'6.94"E
Date 2305-01-01BCE - 0525-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet graffiti board on the pavement of the inner pillared hall before the entrance to the burian chamber of Shesemnefer IV's chamber in his mastaba. Piccione 1990:288; Junker 1953: 103; Pusch 1979: 175–176.
Confidence 100
Source Junker, H. 1953. Grabungen auf dem Friedhof des Alten Reiches bei den Pyramiden von Giza. Giza 11: Der Friedhof südlich der Cheopspyramide. Vienna: Rudolf Rohrer., Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.907
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 24° 5'17.98"N, 32°51'51.61"E
Date 2345-01-01BCE - 0525-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet graffiti board on the low enclosure wall surrounding the forecourt of the tomb of Sebekhotep at Qubbet el-Hawa. 3x10 incised squares. Piccione 1990: 389; Pusch 1979: 177.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.908
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°58'44.83"N, 31° 7'51.69"E
Date 2345-01-01BCE - 301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet graffiti board on a block that fell from the wall in the mastaba of Meryre-meryptah-ankh. 3x10 incised squares. Piccione 1990: 389; Kendall 1978: 22, fig, 15; Piccione 1984: 175.
Confidence 100
Source Kendall, T. 1978. Passing through the Netherworld: The Meaning and Play of Senet, an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Game. Belmont, MA: Kirk Game Company.
, Piccione, P. 1984. 'Review of Das Senet-Brettpiel im alten Ägypten.' Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 70: 172–180., Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.909
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Date 1506-01-01BCE - 1425-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in square 15, 26-30.
Content Senet game board from the tomb of Neferkhawt, from Asasif. Elaborate markings in squares 15, 26-30. Egyptian Museum Cairo JdE 65.372
Piccione 1990: 403; Hayes 1959: 32-34, fig. 18; Kendall 1978: 25, fig. 19j; Piccione 1984: 175; Pusch 1979: 214–217.
Confidence 100
Source Hayes, W.C. 1959. The Scepter of Egypt. Volume 2. New York.
, Kendall, T. 1978. Passing through the Netherworld: The Meaning and Play of Senet, an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Game. Belmont, MA: Kirk Game Company.
, Piccione, P. 1984. 'Review of Das Senet-Brettpiel im alten Ägypten.' Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 70: 172–180., Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.910
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Date 1549-01-01BCE - 1242-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board, square 26 marked.
Content Senet game board un unknown provenience, in the British Museum BM 21577. 3x10 squares, faience inlays not all preserved. squares 27-30 are gone. Square 26 is marked. Piccione 1990: 399-400; Needler 1953: 74; Piccione 1984: 176; Pusch 1979: 257-258.
Confidence 100
Source Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
, Piccione, P. 1984. 'Review of Das Senet-Brettpiel im alten Ägypten.' Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 70: 172–180., Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.911
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°44'25.51"N, 32°36'5.33"E
Date 1479-01-01BCE - 1458-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26, 28, 29.
Content Senet game board probably from the Tomb of Hatshepsut, now in the British Museum BM 21576. Square 27 is missing, but squares 26, 28, and 29 are marked. Piccione 1990: 401; Needler 1953: 74; Piccione 1984: 176; Porter and Moss 1960/1964: 586; Wiedemann 1897: 40; Pusch 1979: 279-280.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1984. 'Review of Das Senet-Brettpiel im alten Ägypten.' Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 70: 172–180., Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Porter, B. And R. Moss. 1960/1964. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings.Vol 1 pt. 1: The Theban Necropolis: Private Tombs. Pt. 2: The Theban Necropolis: Royal Tombs. 2nd edition, revised. Oxford: Griffith Institute.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Wiedemann, A. 1897. Das Brettspiel bei den Alten Ägyptern. In Actes du Dixième Congrès Internationale des Orientalistes, 1894. Leiden: Brill, 35–61.
Id DLP.Evidence.912
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Date 1479-01-01BCE - 1458-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26-29.
Content Senet game board with name of Hormose, now in the Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge. Elaborated markings in squares 26-29. Piccione 1990: 404; Kendall 1978: 25, fig. 19g; Piccione 1984: 176; Pusch 1979: 220-222.
Confidence 100
Source Kendall, T. 1978. Passing through the Netherworld: The Meaning and Play of Senet, an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Game. Belmont, MA: Kirk Game Company.
, Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.913
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'40.96"N, 32°36'5.13"E
Date 1479-01-01BCE - 1391-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 bord, markings in squares 26-30.
Content Senet game board from Tomb of Kha at Deir el-Medina. Hieroglyphs in squares 26-29. In Turin Egyptian Museum 8451. Piccione 1990: 408-409; Piccione 1984: 176, 178; Pusch 1979: 233-238; Schiaparelli 1927: 175-177.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1984. 'Review of Das Senet-Brettpiel im alten Ägypten.' Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 70: 172–180., Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Schiaparelli, E. 1927. Relazione sui lavori della missione archeologica Italiana in Egitto II. Turin.
Id DLP.Evidence.914
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 25°43'7.80"N, 32°39'26.17"E
Date 1292-01-01BCE - 0525-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board found in the destruction layer of the Treasury of Thutmose I at Karnak. Luxor museum KN A2675. Piccione 1990: 421-422; Piccione 1984: 175; Jacquet 1983: 92.
Confidence 100
Source Jacquet, J. 1983. Le trésor de Thoutmosis Ier. Cairo: Institut Français d'Archeeologie Orientale., Piccione, P. 1984. 'Review of Das Senet-Brettpiel im alten Ägypten.' Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 70: 172–180., Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.915
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 1290-01-01BCE - 1279-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 26-30.
Content Senet game board from Tomb of Kha at Saqqara. Egyptian Museum Cairo CGC 68.001/JdE39925. Piccione 1990: 422-423; Needler 1953: 74; Piccione 1984:176; Pusch 1979: 299-302; Quibell 1909: 114, pl. 58-59; Schiaparelli 1927: 175-177.
Confidence 100
Source Needler, W. 1953. A thirty-square draught board in the Royal Ontario Museum. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 39: 60–75.
, Piccione, P. 1984. 'Review of Das Senet-Brettpiel im alten Ägypten.' Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 70: 172–180., Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
, Quibbell, J. 1909. Excavations at Saqqara (1907–1908). Cairo: IFAO.
, Schiaparelli, E. 1927. Relazione sui lavori della missione archeologica Italiana in Egitto II. Turin.
Id DLP.Evidence.916
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location Ancient Egypt
Date 1292-01-01BCE - 1077-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board, markings in squares 6, 15, 26, 30.
Content Senet board of unknown provenience. Egyptian Museum Cairo JdE 88006. Hieroglyphs in squares 6, 15, 26, 30. Other spaces are eroded. Piccione 1990: 428; Pusch 1979: 352-353.
Confidence 100
Source Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.917
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 29°34'22.95"N, 31°13'27.73"E
Date 1189-01-01BCE - 1077-12-31BCE
Rules 3x10 board.
Content Senet game board from Tomb 460 at Lisht. Metropolitan Museum of Art MMA 15.3.603. Piccione 1990: 428-429; Hayes 1959: 404; Pusch 1979: 306.
Confidence 100
Source Hayes, W.C. 1959. The Scepter of Egypt. Volume 2. New York.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.918
Type Artifact
Game Roman Small Merels
Location 54°58'41.26"N, 2° 1'44.15"W
Date 0139-01-01 - 0163-12-31
Rules 3x3 board with diagonals.
Content Three Men's Morris board from Roman Fort at Corstopitum, England. Bell 2007: 98, date from Bishop and Dore 1988: 140.
Confidence 100
Source Bishop, M. and J. Dore. 1988. Corbridge: Excavations of the Roman Fort and Towm 1947–1980. London: historic Buildings and Monuments Commission., Bell, R. 2007. 'Notes on Pavement Games of Greece and Rome.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, 98-99.
Id DLP.Evidence.919
Type Artifact
Game Roman Small Merels
Location 54°57'57.00"N, 2°41'43.95"W
Date 0122-01-01 - 0350-12-31
Rules 3x3 board with diagonals.
Content Three Men's Morris graffiti game board on a stone from Hadrian's Wall, now in the garden wall of a vicarage at Lanercost. Bell 2007: 98.
Confidence 100
Spaces Military
Source Bell, R. 2007. 'Notes on Pavement Games of Greece and Rome.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, 98-99.
Id DLP.Evidence.920
Type Artifact
Game Tuknanavuhpi
Location 35°52'35.01"N,110°38'25.49"W
Date 1901-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules 5x5 board with diagonals.
Content Tuknanavuhpi board game collected by Stewart Culin in Oraibi, Arizona. now in the Penn Museum 38613. Culin 1907: 794–795.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.921
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'23.74"N, 28°43'32.28"E
Date 0175-01-01 - 0525-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII scripta board at the baths of Aphrodisias. Spaces are circles, central circles are decorated with rosettes. inv. no. 88.9 Roueché 2007: 101, Roueché 2004: 238.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public, Communal
Source Roueché, C. 2007. Late Roman and Byzantine game boards at Aphrodisias. In Finkel, I. ed. Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press. pp. 100–105.
, Roueché, C. 2004: Aphrodisias in Late Antiquity: The Late Roman and Byzantine Inscriptions. http://insaph.kcl.ac.uk/ala2004/inscription/index.html
Id DLP.Evidence.922
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'23.74"N, 28°43'32.28"E
Date 0175-01-01 - 0525-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII scripta board from the baths at Aphrodisias. Playing spaces are circles, central circles are rosettes. inv. no. 69. Roueché 2004: 69; Roueché 2007: 101.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public, Communal
Source Roueché, C. 2007. Late Roman and Byzantine game boards at Aphrodisias. In Finkel, I. ed. Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press. pp. 100–105.
, Roueché, C. 2004: Aphrodisias in Late Antiquity: The Late Roman and Byzantine Inscriptions. http://insaph.kcl.ac.uk/ala2004/inscription/index.html
Id DLP.Evidence.923
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'23.74"N, 28°43'32.28"E
Date 0175-01-01 - 0525-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII scripta board from the baths of Aphrodisias. Spaces are circles, with central circles as rosettes. Roueché 2004: 70, Roueché 2007: 101.
Confidence 100
Source Roueché, C. 2004: Aphrodisias in Late Antiquity: The Late Roman and Byzantine Inscriptions. http://insaph.kcl.ac.uk/ala2004/inscription/index.html, Roueché, C. 2007. Late Roman and Byzantine game boards at Aphrodisias. In Finkel, I. ed. Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press. pp. 100–105.
Id DLP.Evidence.924
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'23.74"N, 28°43'32.28"E
Date 0175-01-01 - 0525-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII scripta graffiti board on the stylobate of the east colonnade of the baths at Aphrodisias. Playing spaces are holes with a line dividing them in the middle of the board. Roueché 2007: 102 (i).
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public, Communal
Source Roueché, C. 2007. Late Roman and Byzantine game boards at Aphrodisias. In Finkel, I. ed. Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press. pp. 100–105.
Id DLP.Evidence.925
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'23.74"N, 28°43'32.28"E
Date 0175-01-01 - 0525-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII scripta graffiti board on the stylobate of the east colonnade at the baths of Aphrodisias. Roueché 2007: 102 (ii).
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public, Communal
Id DLP.Evidence.926
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'23.74"N, 28°43'32.28"E
Date 0175-01-01 - 0525-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII scripta graffiti board from the stylobate of the east colonnade at the baths of Aphrodisias. Roueché 2007: 102 (iii).
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public, Communal
Source Roueché, C. 2007. Late Roman and Byzantine game boards at Aphrodisias. In Finkel, I. ed. Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press. pp. 100–105.
Id DLP.Evidence.927
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 46°52'52.057"N, 7°2'36.154"E
Date 0001-01-01 - 0299-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from Aventicum, Located in the a la Conchette. Inv. 1904/03841 in the Roman Museum of Avenches. The lowest row is composed of 12 semi circles, divided in two with a larger central semi circle. The central row is made of complete circles and also divided in half. Roman in date. Schenk, A., Regard sur la tabletterie antique. Les objets en os, bois de cerf et ivoire d'Avenches. 2008. - Tuor-Clerc, D., Chance, les jeux de hasard pur. 1992. - Castella, D., Blanc, P. et al., Aventicum. Une capitale romaine. 2015. - Lazzarini, L., Poikiloi lithoi, versiculores maculae : i marmi colorati della Greccia Antica, Pisa-Roma, 2006. Daniaux 2019: 89, fig. 2. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.1
Id DLP.Evidence.928
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 46°52'52.057"N, 7°2'36.154"E
Date 0200-01-01 - 0300-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from Aventicum Aventicum. Insula 10 east, demolition layer.
Inv. 70/07929 Roman Museum of Avenches. The lowest row is composed of 7 remaining semi circles the last one is larger than the others. Same pattern used for the central row of complete circles. 4 of them are preserved. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.2
Id DLP.Evidence.929
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 46°52'52.057"N, 7°2'36.154"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from Aventicum. Located in a la Conchette (Insula 21 or 27)
Inv. 1904/03831 Roman Museum of Avenches Slab incised with 4 circles. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.3
Id DLP.Evidence.930
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'28.577"N, 28°43'26.162"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from Aphrodisias at the stadium. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.7
Id DLP.Evidence.931
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'28.577"N, 28°43'26.162"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from Aphrodisias at the stadium. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.8
Id DLP.Evidence.932
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'31.309"N, 28°43'31.292"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from Baths at Aphrodisias. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.18
Id DLP.Evidence.933
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'28.577"N, 28°43'26.162"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from stadium at Aphrodisias. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.19
Id DLP.Evidence.934
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'28.577"N, 28°43'26.162"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from the stadium at Aphrodisias.Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.20
Id DLP.Evidence.935
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'28.616"N, 28°43'26.339"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from the stadium at Aphrodisias. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.21
Id DLP.Evidence.936
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'31.309"N, 28°43'31.292"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from baths at Aphrodisias. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.22
Id DLP.Evidence.937
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'31.309"N, 28°43'31.292"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from baths at Aphrodisias. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.23
Id DLP.Evidence.938
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°42'31.309"N, 28°43'31.292"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from baths at Aphrodisias. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.24
Id DLP.Evidence.939
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 46°52'51.521"N, 7°2'35.603"E
Date 180-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules At least four squares.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum graffiti game board from Aventicum.
Inv. 1911/05118. Roman Museum of Avenches. 4 squares of a grid preserved. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.940
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 46°52'51.521"N, 7°2'35.603"E
Date 180-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 6x8 board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum graffiti game board from Aventicum Theater. 6x8 grid
Inv. X/02924. Roman Museum of Avenches. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.941
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 46°52'51.521"N, 7°2'35.603"E
Date 0001-01-01 - 0300-12-31
Rules 6x6 board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum graffiti game board from Aventicum Theater: Drainage trench along the walls M90/M174/M175/M102/M112/M101
Inv. 13/15890-01 Roman Museum of Avenches. Daniaux 2019: 88-89. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.942
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°0'45.49"N, 24°17'0.978"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board on a street at Philippi. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.41
Id DLP.Evidence.943
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'20.35"N, 27°20'28.068"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board in a street at Ephesus 174 Unfinished board with central line and two crossing it. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.46
Id DLP.Evidence.944
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'19.198"N, 27°20'28.968"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board found in a street at Ephesus 200 rectangle divided into four sections. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.53
Id DLP.Evidence.945
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'19.223"N, 27°20'28.831"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from a street at Ephesus 199. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.54
Id DLP.Evidence.946
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'18.931"N, 27°20'28.165"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board found in a street at Ephesus 205.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.57
Id DLP.Evidence.947
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'19.018"N, 27°20'27.938"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from a street at Ephesus 202. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.59
Id DLP.Evidence.948
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°56'11.908"N, 27°20'41.95"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from a basiica at Ephesus 284. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.74
Id DLP.Evidence.949
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°56'11.544"N, 27°20'42.727"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from a basilica at Ephesus 287. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.75
Id DLP.Evidence.950
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'11.411"N, 27°20'42.5"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from the Upper Agora at Ephesus 289. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.79
Id DLP.Evidence.951
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°56'8.891"N, 27°20'42.158"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from the Doric gate at Ephesus 292. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.80
Id DLP.Evidence.952
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°56'10.475"N, 27°20'35.682"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from the street Ephesus 306. Three rows of 12 squares divided in the center with circles. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.82
Id DLP.Evidence.953
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'10.306"N, 27°20'35.646"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from a street at Ephesus 303. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.84
Id DLP.Evidence.954
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°56'9.604"N, 27°20'35.556"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from a street at Ephesus 301. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.85
Id DLP.Evidence.955
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'18.168"N, 27°20'30.134"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from a street at Ephesus 216. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.86
Id DLP.Evidence.956
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'17.754"N, 27°20'30.926"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from a street at Ephesus 217. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.87
Id DLP.Evidence.957
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°56'17.678"N, 27°20'31.024"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from the intercolumniation near the staircase at Ephesus 218, seven circles preserved. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.88
Id DLP.Evidence.958
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'17.376"N, 27°20'31.438"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from the entrance to the stoa at Ephesus 220. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.90
Id DLP.Evidence.959
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'17.545"N, 27°20'31.218"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from the entrance to the stoa at Ephesus 221, Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.91
Id DLP.Evidence.960
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°56'14.69"N, 27°20'34.631"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules Three row board.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from the Herakles gate at Ephesus 273. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.101
Id DLP.Evidence.961
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'12.491"N, 27°20'39.228"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from the basilica at Ephesus 276. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.104
Id DLP.Evidence.962
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'12.304"N, 27°20'39.739"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from the basilica at Ephesus 277. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.105
Id DLP.Evidence.963
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°56'9.582"N, 27°20'35.675"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from the colonnade behind the fountain at Ephesus 302. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.109
Id DLP.Evidence.964
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°56'4.744"N, 27°20'46.576"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from the stylobate of St Luke's grave Ephesus 299. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.110
Id DLP.Evidence.965
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°56'21.714"N, 27°20'27.798"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from the south hall of the Agora at Ephesus 169. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.117
Id DLP.Evidence.966
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°56'23.762"N, 27°20'28.543"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from the East hall at Ephesus 165. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.119
Id DLP.Evidence.967
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'24.713"N, 27°20'28.867"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from the agora at Ephesus 168. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.120
Id DLP.Evidence.968
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'33.655"N, 27°20'33.36"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from a street at Ephesus 159. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.129
Id DLP.Evidence.969
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°56'33.655"N, 27°20'33.36"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from Ephesus 158. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.130
Id DLP.Evidence.970
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°56'29.501"N, 27°20'30.422"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from a street at Ephesus 149. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.139
Id DLP.Evidence.971
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'32.572"N, 27°20'17.804"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from a street at Ephesus 31. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.161
Id DLP.Evidence.973
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°56'30.869"N, 27°20'24.414"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from a street at Ephesus 103.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.190
Id DLP.Evidence.974
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37°56'30.786"N, 27°20'24.529"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board. divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti game board from a street at Ephesus 112. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.216
Id DLP.Evidence.975
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 35°1'48.133"N, 33°14'41.579"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x11 board.
Content Double Pente Grammai graffiti game board from Tamassos on a column capital. Cyprus Museum Nicosia 1935/V-2772. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Nikolau, I. 1970. 'Une nouvelle table à jeu de Chypre.' Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 94: 549–550.
External database Locus.226
Id DLP.Evidence.976
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 34°59'25.433"N, 33°43'58.912"E
Date 0300-01-01BCE - 0200-12-31
Rules 2x11 board.
Content Double Pente Grammai game board from Dhekeleia, Cyprus. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Nikolau, I. 1965. 'Table à jeu de Dhekelia (Chypre).' Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 89: 122–127.
External database Locus.227
Id DLP.Evidence.977
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°23'56.141"N, 25°15'57.377"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from Delos. Deonna 1938: 336, Pl. XCV.831. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Deonna, W. 1938. Le mobilier délien. Paris: de Boccard.
External database Locus.228
Id DLP.Evidence.978
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°35'48.908"N, 23°4'41.192"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai game board from Epidauros 3. Pritchett 1968: 191; Blinkenberg 1898: 4–5. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Pritchett, W. 1968. '"Five Lines" and IG I2, 324.' California Studies in Classical Antiquity 1: 187–215., Blinkenberg, C. 1898. 'Epidaurische Weihgeschenke.' Mitteilungen des deutschen Archaologischen Instituts, Athenische Abteilung 23: 1–23.
External database Locus.231
Id DLP.Evidence.979
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 38°17'28.468"N, 23°50'43.678"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x11 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from the Amphiareion at Oropos. Each line ending in large dots, The third, sixth, and ninth lines are bisected by X's. A half circle extends outward from the midpoint of eleventh lines. Pritchett 1968:191, pl. 2. Portico of Archaeological Museum Skala Oropou. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Pritchett, W. 1968. '"Five Lines" and IG I2, 324.' California Studies in Classical Antiquity 1: 187–215.
External database Locus.232
Id DLP.Evidence.980
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 38°17'28.468"N, 23°50'43.678"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x11 board.
Content Pente Grammai game board from the Amphiareion at Oropos 3. Incomplete, six lines remain, sixth line is marked with a circle. Pritchett 1968: 192, pl. 3.2. Portico of Archaeological Museum Skala Oropou.
Confidence 100
Source Pritchett, W. 1968. '"Five Lines" and IG I2, 324.' California Studies in Classical Antiquity 1: 187–215.
External database Locus.234
Id DLP.Evidence.981
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 38°17'28.468"N, 23°50'43.678"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules At least two lines of spaces.
Content Pente Grammai game table from Oropos 4. Two lines are preserved. Pritchett 1968: 192, pl. 3.3. Portico of Archaeological Museum Skala Oropou. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Pritchett, W. 1968. '"Five Lines" and IG I2, 324.' California Studies in Classical Antiquity 1: 187–215.
External database Locus.235
Id DLP.Evidence.982
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 38°17'28.468"N, 23°50'43.678"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x11 board.
Content Pente Grammai game table from the Amphiareion at Oropos. Broken game table with seven lines preserved. Pritchett 1968: 192, pl. 3.4. Portico of Archaeological Museum Skala Oropou. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Pritchett, W. 1968. '"Five Lines" and IG I2, 324.' California Studies in Classical Antiquity 1: 187–215.
External database Locus.236
Id DLP.Evidence.983
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 38°17'28.468"N, 23°50'43.678"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x11 board.
Content Pente Grammai game table from the Amphiareion at Oropos. Eleven lines. Pritchett 1968: 192–193, pl. 3.5. Portico of Archaeological Museum Skala Oropou. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Pritchett, W. 1968. '"Five Lines" and IG I2, 324.' California Studies in Classical Antiquity 1: 187–215.
External database Locus.237
Id DLP.Evidence.984
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°23'49.085"N, 25°16'5.045"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x11 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from the theatre at Delos. Eleven lines, second, third, sixth, and ninth are marked with an X. Pritchett 1968: 195, pl. 5.1. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Pritchett, W. 1968. '"Five Lines" and IG I2, 324.' California Studies in Classical Antiquity 1: 187–215.
External database Locus.240
Id DLP.Evidence.985
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 39°17'44.196"N, 22°23'4.085"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from Pharsalos. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.244
Id DLP.Evidence.986
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 41°56'16.102"N, 12°46'34.9"E
Date 0117-01-01 - 0138-12-31
Rules 7x8 board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum graffiti game board from Hadrian's Villa 7x8 grid of squares in the Serapeum. Manderscheid et al. 2011: 514–518. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Manderscheid, H., F. Carboni and M. Bruno. 2011. 'Tabulae lusoriae del mondo Romano: Il tavioliere dei muratori di Villa Adriana, tabulae di Traiano a Roma e dal complesso Severano di Leptis Magna. Archeologia Classica 62: 513–535.
Id DLP.Evidence.987
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 37°58'17.36"N, 23°43'34.295"E
Date 180-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 8x8 board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum graffiti game board on the Parthenon, Athens. 8x8 squares. Karakitsou 2009: 24. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Karakitsou, E. 2009. Games in the Parthenon. The Acropolis Restoration News 9:23–25.
Id DLP.Evidence.988
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 27°22'7.86"N, 33°40'57.99"E
Date 0301-01-01 - 0400-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente grammai game board from the fortress at Abu Sha'ar. Two rows of five holes, damaged. Mulvin and Sidebotham 2004: 606–607, fig. 3.1. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Mulvin, L. and S. Sidebotham. 2004. 'Roman Game Boards from Abu Sha'ar (Red Sea Coast, Egypt).' Antiquity 78(301): 206–617.
External database Locus.322
Id DLP.Evidence.989
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 27°22'7.86"N, 33°40'57.99"E
Date 0301-01-01 - 0400-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente grammai game board from a threshold at the fortress of Abu Sha'ar. Two rows of five holes. Mulvin and Sidebotham 2004: 606–607, fig. 3.2. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Mulvin, L. and S. Sidebotham. 2004. 'Roman Game Boards from Abu Sha'ar (Red Sea Coast, Egypt).' Antiquity 78(301): 206–617.
External database Locus.323
Id DLP.Evidence.990
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 27°22'7.86"N, 33°40'57.99"E
Date 0301-01-01 - 0400-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente grammai game board from fortress at Abu Sha'ar Two rows of five holes, eroded. Mulvin and Sidebotham 2004: 606. Data from Locus Ludi Project. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Mulvin, L. and S. Sidebotham. 2004. 'Roman Game Boards from Abu Sha'ar (Red Sea Coast, Egypt).' Antiquity 78(301): 206–617.
External database Locus.324
Id DLP.Evidence.993
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 27°22'7.86"N, 33°40'57.99"E
Date 0301-01-01 - 0400-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente grammai graffiti game board from fortress at Abu Sha'ar. Incomplete 2x5 pattern of holes. Mulvin and Sidebotham 2004: 606–607, fig. 3.6.
Confidence 100
Source Mulvin, L. and S. Sidebotham. 2004. 'Roman Game Boards from Abu Sha'ar (Red Sea Coast, Egypt).' Antiquity 78(301): 206–617.
External database Locus.325
Id DLP.Evidence.995
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 27°22'7.86"N, 33°40'57.99"E
Date 0301-01-01 - 0400-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente grammai graffiti game board from fortress at Abu Sha'ar. Two rows of five holes with an extra hole, perhaps for storing pieces. Mulvin and Sidebotham 2004: 606–607, fig. 3.8. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Mulvin, L. and S. Sidebotham. 2004. 'Roman Game Boards from Abu Sha'ar (Red Sea Coast, Egypt).' Antiquity 78(301): 206–617.
External database Locus.326
Id DLP.Evidence.997
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 27°22'7.73"N, 33°40'58.02"E
Date 0301-01-01 - 0400-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII Scripta game board from fortress at Abu Sha'ar. Mulvin and Sidebotham 2004: 609, fig. 6. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Mulvin, L. and S. Sidebotham. 2004. 'Roman Game Boards from Abu Sha'ar (Red Sea Coast, Egypt).' Antiquity 78(301): 206–617.
External database Locus.332
Id DLP.Evidence.998
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 27°22'7.73"N, 33°40'58.02"E
Date 0301-01-01 - 0400-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII Scripta game board from fortress at Abu Sha'ar. Mulvin and Sidebotham 2004: 610, fig. 7. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
External database Locus.333
Id DLP.Evidence.999
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 27°22'7.73"N, 33°40'58.02"E
Date 0301-01-01 - 0400-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half
Content XII Scripta game board from Abu Sha'ar Broken, with one outer and central lines preserved. Mulvin and Sidebotham 2004: 610–611, fig. 8. Data from Locus Ludi Project.
Confidence 100
Source Mulvin, L. and S. Sidebotham. 2004. 'Roman Game Boards from Abu Sha'ar (Red Sea Coast, Egypt).' Antiquity 78(301): 206–617.
External database Locus.334
Id DLP.Evidence.1001
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 27°22'7.73"N, 33°40'58.02"E
Date 0301-01-01 - 0400-12-31
Rules At least 6x4 grid.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum game board from fortress at Abu Sha'ar. Fragmentary, at least six squares in one direction, four in the other. Mulvin and Sidebotham 2004: 612, fig. 9.2.
Confidence 100
Source Mulvin, L. and S. Sidebotham. 2004. 'Roman Game Boards from Abu Sha'ar (Red Sea Coast, Egypt).' Antiquity 78(301): 206–617.
Id DLP.Evidence.1002
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 27°22'7.73"N, 33°40'58.02"E
Date 0301-01-01 - 0400-12-31
Rules At least 4x4 grid.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum graffiti game board from fortress at Abu Sha'ar. Fragmentary, small piece with at least 4x4 grid. Mulvin and Sidebotham 2004: 612, fig. 9.3.
Confidence 100
Source Mulvin, L. and S. Sidebotham. 2004. 'Roman Game Boards from Abu Sha'ar (Red Sea Coast, Egypt).' Antiquity 78(301): 206–617.
Id DLP.Evidence.1005
Type Ethnography
Game Oumoul Kono
Location Korea
Date 1895-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules Pieces begin on opposite sides of the square or players may take turns placing pieces. Players take turns moving the piece to an empty spot either orthogonally or diagonally. but one orthogonal direction is forbidden. The player who blocks the other player from being able to move wins.
Content "Ou-moul-ko-no is played upon a diagram, Fig. 103. Each player has two stones which they may put down alternately or may set at the beginning, as shown on the diagram. The players move one piece at a time, in alternate plays along the sides of the square, except that marked with a circle, which is barred, or from the corners to the centre. The object of the game is to block the opponent's men so that they cannot move." Culin 1895: 101.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1895. Korean Games with Notes on the Corresponding Games of China and Japan. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.
Id DLP.Evidence.1006
Type Ethnography
Game Pong Hau K'i
Location 23° 7'44.51"N, 113°15'51.35"E
Date 1895-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules Pieces begin on opposite sides of the square. Players take turns moving the piece to an empty spot either orthogonally or diagonally. but one orthogonal direction is forbidden. The player who blocks the other player from being able to move wins.
Content "The game of Ou-moul-ko-no is called Pong hau k'i in China (Kwang-tung), and is played upon a diagram like Fig. 104." Culin 1895: 101
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1895. Korean Games with Notes on the Corresponding Games of China and Japan. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.
Id DLP.Evidence.1007
Type Ethnography
Game Do Guti
Location 32°34'58.69"N, 71°32'16.52"E
Date 1926-01-01 - 1926-12-31
Rules Players take turns placing pieces. Players take turns moving the piece to an empty spot either orthogonally or diagonally. but one orthogonal direction is forbidden. The player who blocks the other player from being able to move wins.
Content "Do-Guti. As is implied by the name do-guti (=two gutis, or pieces), each player begins the game with two gutis which they have to place on any of the 'cross points' alternately. The movement of the pieces then begins from one 'cross-point' to the next along the lines as drawn in figure 1. Each player tries to checkmate his adversary by these movements, and whoever succeeds in this attempt is the winner. In this game no piece may be captured by any player." Gupta 1926a: 143.
Confidence 100
Source Gupta, H. 1926a. 'A Few Types of Sedentary Games Prevalent in the Punjab." Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 22(4): 143–148.
Id DLP.Evidence.1008
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 38°17'28.468"N, 23°50'43.678"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai game table from the Amphiareion at Oropos. Five lines. On same table as DLP.Evidence 983. Pritchett 1968: 192–193, pl. 3.5. Portico of Archaeological Museum Skala Oropou.
Confidence 100
Source Pritchett, W. 1968. '"Five Lines" and IG I2, 324.' California Studies in Classical Antiquity 1: 187–215.
External database Locus.237
Id DLP.Evidence.1009
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 38°17'28.468"N, 23°50'43.678"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai game table from the Amphiareion at Oropos. Five lines. On same table as DLP.Evidence.983 and DLP.Evidence.1008. Pritchett 1968: 192–193, pl. 3.5. Portico of Archaeological Museum Skala Oropou.
Confidence 100
Source Pritchett, W. 1968. '"Five Lines" and IG I2, 324.' California Studies in Classical Antiquity 1: 187–215.
External database Locus.237
Id DLP.Evidence.1010
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°58'43.34"N, 23°43'28.45"E
Date 0100-01-01 - 0199-12-31
Rules 2x5 board, use of dice, five pieces per player, center line marked.
Content Pollux Onomasticon VII.206 lists pente grammai as a game of chance. IX.97 states "each of the players has five pieces upon five lines...on the five lines from either side there was a middle one called the sacred line. And moving a piece already arrived there gave rise to the proverb 'he moves the piece from the sacred line'". Schädler 2009: 173.
Confidence 100
Source Pollux. Onomasticon., Schädler, U. 2009. 'Pente grammai: The Ancient Greek board game Five lines.' In J. Nuno Silva (ed.), Proceedings of Board Game Studies Colloquium XI. Lisbon: Associacão Ludus, p. 173–196.
Id DLP.Evidence.1012
Type Contemporary text
Game Pente Grammai
Location 39° 6'23.86"N, 26°33'25.17"E
Date 0600-01-01BCE - 0600-12-31BCE
Rules Pieces move from the sacred line to win.
Content Alkaios Poem (Bergk 1883: 177 no, 82): Νυν δ' (αυτ') ουτος επικρετει κινησαις τον απ' ιρας πυματον λιθον. Implies moving a piece from the sacred line leads to victory. Schädler 2009: 174.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Bergk, T. 1882. Poetae Lyrici Graeci. Leipzig: B. G. Teubneri., Schädler, U. 2009. 'Pente grammai: The Ancient Greek board game Five lines.' In J. Nuno Silva (ed.), Proceedings of Board Game Studies Colloquium XI. Lisbon: Associacão Ludus, p. 173–196.
Id DLP.Evidence.1013
Type Contemporary text
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37° 4'31.60"N, 15°17'12.30"E
Date 0300-01-01BCE - 0201-12-31BCE
Rules Moving from the sacred line is bad.
Content "καὶ τὸν ἀπὸ γραμμᾶς κινεῖ λίθον: ἦ γὰρ ἔρωτι
πολλάκις ὦ Πολύφαμε τὰ μὴ καλὰ καλὰ πέφανται." Schädler 2009: 174: "and from the line she moves the piece, because to love's desire often appears beautiful what is not beautiful." Theocritos Idylls 6. 18.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female
Source Schädler, U. 2009. 'Pente grammai: The Ancient Greek board game Five lines.' In J. Nuno Silva (ed.), Proceedings of Board Game Studies Colloquium XI. Lisbon: Associacão Ludus, p. 173–196., Theocritus. Idylls.
Id DLP.Evidence.1014
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°49'40.87"N, 23°48'39.59"E
Date 0675-01-01BCE - 0625-12-21BCE
Rules 2x5 board, played with one die.
Content Model game board in the form of a miniature terracotta table, found in a grave with a cubic die at Anagyros in Attica. Mid seventh century BCE. Five lines with holes on the ends. Kallipolitis 1963: 123–124, 172, pl. 53–55; Schädler 2009:175.
Confidence 100
Source Kallipolitis, V. 1963. ‘Ανασκαφη ταφων Αναγθροντος’, Archaeologikon Deltion, 18: 123–73., Schädler, U. 2009. 'Pente grammai: The Ancient Greek board game Five lines.' In J. Nuno Silva (ed.), Proceedings of Board Game Studies Colloquium XI. Lisbon: Associacão Ludus, p. 173–196.
Id DLP.Evidence.1015
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 27°22'7.73"N, 33°40'58.02"E
Date 0301-01-01 - 0400-12-31
Rules At least 8x6 board.
Content Ludus latrunculorum game board from fortress at Abu Sha'ar. Game surface is damaged, at least 8x6 grid. On opposite side of same block as DLP.Evidence.148. Mulvin and Sidebotham 2004: 612, fig. 9.1.
Confidence 100
Source Mulvin, L. and S. Sidebotham. 2004. 'Roman Game Boards from Abu Sha'ar (Red Sea Coast, Egypt).' Antiquity 78(301): 206–617.
Id DLP.Evidence.1016
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 24°28'11.30"N, 32°56'17.27"E
Date 180-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 8x9 board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum graffiti game board from Kom Ombo. Crist et al 2016: 140–141, fig. 6.7.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W., A.-E. Dunn-Vaturi and A. de Voogt. 2016. Ancient Egyptians at Play: Board Games Across Borders. London: Bloomsbury.
Id DLP.Evidence.1017
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 41°53'31.19"N, 12°29'5.24"E
Date 0283-01-01 - 699-12-31
Rules 8x8 board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum graffiti game board at the Basilica Iulia, Rome. Schädler 1994: 49–50.
Confidence 100
Source Schädler, U. 1994. 'Latrunculi—ein verlorenes strategisches Brettspiel der Römer.' Homo Ludens 4: 47–67.
Id DLP.Evidence.1018
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 40° 5'56.51"N, 8°29'37.69"W
Date 0069-01-01 - 0468-12-31
Rules At least 4x4 board.
Content Fragment of Ludus Latrunculorum game board from the Roman settlement at Conimbriga. 4x4 board preserved. da Ponte 1986:138–139, fig. 3.
Confidence 100
Source da Ponte, S. 1986. 'Jogos romanos de Conimbriga.' Conimbriga: Revista de Arqueologia 25:131–141.
Id DLP.Evidence.1019
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 54°58'41.26"N, 2° 1'44.15"W
Date 0122-01-01 - 0169-12-31
Rules 7x8 board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum game board found in 1911 from excavations at the Roman fort of Corstopitum. 7x8 grid. Murray 1913: 30 (note 15e), Murray 1951: 33; Austin 1934: 26; Schädler 1994: 50, 63 (note 17).
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Military
Source Austin, R.G. 1934. 'Roman board games I.' Greece & Rome 4(10): 24-34.
, Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Schädler, U. 1994. 'Latrunculi—ein verlorenes strategisches Brettspiel der Römer.' Homo Ludens 4: 47–67.
Id DLP.Evidence.1020
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 51°49'11.17"N, 1°55'28.32"W
Date 0100-01-01 - 0410-12-31
Rules 8x8 board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum board from Chedworth, from the Roman Villa. 8x8 grid of squares. Baddesley 1925; Schädler 1994: 50; Murray 1951: 3; Austin 1934: 26.
Confidence 100
Source Austin, R.G. 1934. 'Roman board games I.' Greece & Rome 4(10): 24-34.
, Baddeley, S. 1925. 'A Roman Draught-board.' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society 25: 125. , Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Schädler, U. 1994. 'Latrunculi—ein verlorenes strategisches Brettspiel der Römer.' Homo Ludens 4: 47–67.
Id DLP.Evidence.1021
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 50°43'6.28"N, 3°32'2.04"W
Date 0056-01-01 - 0410-12-31
Rules 8x8 board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum game board from Exeter. 8x8 grid of squares. Holbrook and Bidwell 1991: 278, fig. 134.9; Schädler 1994: 50, 52.
Confidence 100
Spaces Military
Source Holbrook, N. and P. Bidwell. 1991. Roman Finds from Exeter. Exeter: University of Exeter., Schädler, U. 1994. 'Latrunculi—ein verlorenes strategisches Brettspiel der Römer.' Homo Ludens 4: 47–67.
Id DLP.Evidence.1022
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 50°43'6.28"N, 3°32'2.04"W
Date 0056-01-01 - 0410-12-31
Rules 6x8, 6x9, 7x8, or 7x9 board.
Content Ludus latrunculorum game board from Exeter. Broken, grid of at least 6x8 squares, could be 7x9 also. Holbrook and Bidwell 1991: 279, fig. 135; Schädler 1994: 50.
Confidence 100
Spaces Military
Source Holbrook, N. and P. Bidwell. 1991. Roman Finds from Exeter. Exeter: University of Exeter., Schädler, U. 1994. 'Latrunculi—ein verlorenes strategisches Brettspiel der Römer.' Homo Ludens 4: 47–67.
Id DLP.Evidence.1023
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 47° 2'53.46"N, 23° 2'40.18"E
Date 0100-01-01 - 0299-12-31
Rules At least 7x3 board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum game board from the fortress at Buciumi. Fragmentary, incised on ceramic. 7x3 square grid preserved. Gudea 1971: 60, pl. LVI.4; Mihailescu-Birliba 2016: 44.
Confidence 100
Spaces Military
Source Gudea, N. 1971. 'Ceramica.' In E. Chirila, N. Gudea, V. Lucacel, and C. Pop (eds), Castrul de la Buciumi. Cluj: Muzeul de Istoire si Arta Zalau., Mihailescu-Birliba, V. 2016. 'Games and gamers in Dacia.' Arheologia Moldovei 39: 33–56.
Id DLP.Evidence.1024
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 45°37'7.61"N, 25°26'29.44"E
Date 0100-01-01 - 0299-12-31
Rules At least 3x4 board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum board from the fortress of Cumidava. Fragmentary, 3x4 grid of squares preserved, made of ceramic. Gudea and Pop 1971: 54, pl. LII.3; Mihailescu-Birliba 2016: 44.
Confidence 100
Spaces Military
Id DLP.Evidence.1025
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 35°29'4.61"N, 6°28'0.33"E
Date 0100-01-01 - 0499-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from the Forum at Timgad. Six words of six letters as playing spaces. VENARI LAVARI LUDERE RIDERE OCCEST VIVERE. Cagnat and Schmidt 1894: 1712; Austin 1934: 31.
Confidence 100
Source Austin, R.G. 1934. 'Roman board games I.' Greece & Rome 4(10): 24-34.
, Cagnat, R. and I. Schmidt. 1894. Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum VII.2: Inscriptionum Provinciae Numidiae. Latinarum Supplementum. Berlin: George Reimer.
Id DLP.Evidence.1026
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°46'12.31"N, 12°39'30.71"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board on a cippus reused in Marino. Six six-letter words divided into two groups of three by a circle. LEVATE DALOCU LUDERE NESCIS IDIOTA RECEDE. Dessau 1887: 479 (4125); Austin 1934: 31.
Confidence 100
Source Austin, R.G. 1934. 'Roman board games I.' Greece & Rome 4(10): 24-34.
, Desssau, H. 1887. Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum XIV. Inscriptiones Latii Veteris Latinae. Berlin: George Reimer.
Id DLP.Evidence.1027
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 49°45'0.51"N, 6°38'14.28"E
Date 0016-01-01BCE - 0459-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from Trier. Six six-letter words making up the playing spaces, divided by circles. VIRTUS IMPERI HOSTES VINCTI LUDANT ROMANI. From crypt of church of St. Matthew. Hirrschfeld and Zangemeister 1904: 618 ()3865); Austin 1934: 31.
Confidence 100
Source Austin, R.G. 1934. 'Roman board games I.' Greece & Rome 4(10): 24-34.
, Hirschfeld, O. and C. Zangemeitster. 1904. Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum XIII.1. Trium Galliarum et Germinarum Latinae. Inscriptiones Belgicae. Berlin: George Reimer.
Id DLP.Evidence.1028
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°45'18.29"N, 12°17'23.15"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half, direction of play.
Content XII Scripta board from the "street of the fountain." Three rows of letters divided in half by circles. CCCCC BBBBBB AAAAAA AAAAAA DDDDDD EEE(EE). Wickert 1930: 760 (5317); Austin 1934: 33.
Confidence 100
Source Austin, R.G. 1934. 'Roman board games I.' Greece & Rome 4(10): 24-34.
, Wickert, L. 1930. Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum XIV. Supplementum Ostiense. Berlin: George Reimer.
Id DLP.Evidence.1029
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 53° 4'42.21"N, 2°53'9.52"W
Date 0100-01-01 - 0150-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII Scripta game board from Holt. Made of ceramic. Fragmented, portions of all three lines preserved. Rosettes dividing the lines in half. Top edge is complete. Leaf-shaped marks making the playing spaces. Austin 1938.
Confidence 100
Source Austin, R. 1938. 'A Roman game-board from Holt, Denbighshire.' Archaeologia Cambrensis 93: 250–253.
Id DLP.Evidence.1030
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 24°28'11.30"N, 32°56'17.27"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graaffiti board from the Temple of Kom Ombo. Located in a corridor just outside the inner sanctuary. Three rows of 12 divided in half by square "brackets." do Voogt 2019: 97. One of four.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Public, Ritual
Source de Voogt, A. 2019a. 'Traces of appropriation: Roman board games in Egypt and Sudan.' Archimède 6:89–99.
Id DLP.Evidence.1031
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 24°28'11.30"N, 32°56'17.27"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti board from the Temple of Kom Ombo. Located in a corridor just outside the inner sanctuary. Three rows of 12 divided in half by square "brackets." de Voogt 2019: 97. Two of four.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Public, Ritual
Source de Voogt, A. 2019a. 'Traces of appropriation: Roman board games in Egypt and Sudan.' Archimède 6:89–99.
Id DLP.Evidence.1032
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 24°28'11.30"N, 32°56'17.27"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti board from the Temple of Kom Ombo. Located in a corridor just outside the inner sanctuary. Three rows of 12 divided in half by square "brackets." de Voogt 2019: 97. Three of four.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Public, Ritual
Source de Voogt, A. 2019a. 'Traces of appropriation: Roman board games in Egypt and Sudan.' Archimède 6:89–99.
Id DLP.Evidence.1033
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 24°28'11.30"N, 32°56'17.27"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta graffiti board from the Temple of Kom Ombo. Located in a corridor just outside the inner sanctuary. Three rows of 12 divided in half by square "brackets." do Voogt 2019: 97. Four of four.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Public, Ritual
Source de Voogt, A. 2019a. 'Traces of appropriation: Roman board games in Egypt and Sudan.' Archimède 6:89–99.
Id DLP.Evidence.1034
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 24°28'11.30"N, 32°56'17.27"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from the Temple of Kom Ombo. Three rows of 12 divided in half by triangular "brackets." do Voogt 2019: 97–98.
Confidence 100
Spaces Ritual
Source de Voogt, A. 2019a. 'Traces of appropriation: Roman board games in Egypt and Sudan.' Archimède 6:89–99.
Id DLP.Evidence.1035
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°53'51.06"N, 12°29'54.56"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules Row of twelve divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from the "Liberian" catacombs in Rome. Two words of six letters, divided by an arch. PROSIO VICTOR. Ihm 1890: 236; de Rossi 1877: 274.
Confidence 100
Source de Rossi, G. 1877. La Roma sotteranea cristiana III. Rome: Saliucci., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1036
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°51'38.85"N, 12°30'31.65"E
Date 0100-01-01 - 699-12-31
Rules Rows of twelve, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from the Catacombs of St. Callixtus, Rome. Broken, four words with six letters each, two on each side of arches. BELOCI LUSORI DICCTE IAUDES. Ihm 1890: 235; de Rossi 1877: 389.
Confidence 100
Source de Rossi, G. 1877. La Roma sotteranea cristiana III. Rome: Saliucci., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1037
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°51'38.85"N, 12°30'31.65"E
Date 0100-01-01 - 699-12-31
Rules Row of twelve, divided in half.
Content XII scripta board from the Catacombs of St. Callixtus in Rome. Broken, two words with six letters each, divided by an arch. INCIPE LUDERE. Ihm 1890: 236; de Rossi 1877: 350.
Confidence 100
Source de Rossi, G. 1877. La Roma sotteranea cristiana III. Rome: Saliucci., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1038
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°53'32.19"N, 12°30'7.44"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board on a column capital found in Rome. Six six-letter words, divided in two groups of three by three Xs in the center. PATRON USTHE FANUSC APITAN EUSREP ARAVET. Ihm 1890: 238; Gatti 1887: 326.
Confidence 100
Source Gatti, G. 1887. 'Trovamenti risguardanti la topografia e la epigrafia urbana. Bullettino della Commissione Archeologica Communale di Roma 15(11–12):325–335., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1039
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°51'38.85"N, 12°30'31.65"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules Row divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from Catacombs of Callixtus. Broken, two words with an arch and a circle to their left, one letter preserved to left of arch. PACATE .....E ROMANI. Ihm 1890: 238; de Rossi 1877: 719.
Confidence 100
Source de Rossi, G. 1877. La Roma sotteranea cristiana III. Rome: Saliucci., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1040
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°54'10.45"N, 12°29'46.38"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board now in the house of Count Rinuccini, Florence, but from Rome. Damaged, originally six six-letter words, divided into two groups of three words with a ship in the center. ..CTOR VINCAS NABICE FEELIX SALBUS REDIAS. Ihm 1890: 233; Bruzza 1881: 298–299.
Confidence 100
Source Bruzza, L. 1881. 'Sopra alcuni oggetti ritrovati in un sepolcro della Via Prenestina.' Annali dell'Instiututo di Corrispondenza Archeologica 53: 90–301., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1041
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°52'15.06"N, 12°28'13.36"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from Rome, from a cemetery where the Via Portuensis and Via Campana diverged. Damaged, originally six six-letter words divided into two groups of three with rosettes in the center. CIRCUS PLENUS CLAMOR INGENS IANUAE TEN... Ihm 1890: 237; Gatti 1887a: 190–191.
Confidence 100
Source Gatti, G. 1887a. 'Trovementi risgurdanti la topografia e la epigrafia urbana.' Bullettino della Commissione Archeologica Communale di Roma 15(6): 173–191.
Id DLP.Evidence.1042
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°53'9.93"N, 12°28'19.78"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from Trastevere. Broken, four words remain, divided into two groups. CLA.OR INGENS LIBERO AUREOS. Ihm 1890: 236; Detlefsen 1861: 179–180.
Confidence 100
Source Detlefsen, D. 1861. 'Inscrizioni di Trastevere III.'Bullettino dell'Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica: 177–180., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1043
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°52'50.39"N, 12°28'1.15"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from excavations of old railway station in Trastevere. Two six-letter words preserved, parts of two others, divided in half by an arch. CIRCUS PLENUS ...... ...NUS ...... ....US. Ihm 1890: 237; Fiorelli 1886: 364.
Confidence 100
Source Fiorelli. 1886. Notizie degli scavi di antichità 1886. Rome: Accademia dei Lincei., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1044
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°53'23.28"N, 12°29'26.70"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules Rows divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board found in excavations between the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine in Rome. Fragmentary, most of the words are gone, two of the dividing circles are preserved. ...... ...... .....R MAGNU. ...... ...... Ihm 1890: 237; Lanciani 1878: 265.
Confidence 100
Source Lanciani, R. 1878. Supplementi al Volume VI del Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum. Bullettino della Commissione Archeologica Communale di Roma 6(4):239–271.
Id DLP.Evidence.1045
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°54'13.41"N, 12°31'33.34"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board found in the Campo Verano cemetery. Broken, originally six six-letter words separated into two groups with circles. ...CUS PLENUS CLAMOR MANNUS .UCENI VINCAS. Ihm 1890: 236; Burzza 1877: 88.
Confidence 100
Source Bruzza, L. 1877. 'Tavole lusorie del Castro Pretorio.' Bullettino della Commissione Archeologica Comunale di Roma 5: 81–99., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1046
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°51'31.53"N, 12°30'55.23"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from the Praetextatus Catacombs in Rome. Six six-letter words, divided by arches and a circle. .IRCUS PLENUS CLAMOR MAGNUS FILORO MUMORTU. Ihm 1890: 237; Boldetti 1720: 443.
Confidence 100
Source Boldetti, M. 1720. Osservazioni sopra i cimiteri de'Santi Martiti, ed antichi cristiani di Roma. Rome: Salvioni., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1047
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 42°13'58.81"N, 12°51'33.52"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from Monteleone Sabino, now in the Museo Nazionale Romano in Rome. Five six-letter words, one now missing, divided into two groups of three with circles in the center. CIRCUS PLENUS CLAMOR POPULI .... CIVIUM. Ihm 1890: 236; Mommsen 1883: 468 (4907).
Confidence 100
Source Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann., Mommsen, T. 1883. Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum. IX. Inscriptiones Calbriae Apuliae Samnii Sabinorum Piceni Latinae. Berlin: George Reimer.
Id DLP.Evidence.1048
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°55'22.00"N, 12°31'7.00"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from the catacombs at Sant'Agnese fuori le mura in Rome. Six six-letter words, divided into two groups of three with arches and a rosette in the center. DOMINE FRATER ILARIS SEMPER LUDERE TABULA. Ihm 1890: 231; Boldetti 1720: 47.
Confidence 100
Source Boldetti, M. 1720. Osservazioni sopra i cimiteri de'Santi Martiti, ed antichi cristiani di Roma. Rome: Salvioni., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1049
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 36°52'50.15"N, 6°54'20.39"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta game board from Skikda (Roman Rusicade). Six six-letter words divided into two groups with an olive branch in the center. INVIDA PUNCT. IUBENT FELICE LUDERE DOCTUM. Ihm 1890: 232; Wilmanns 1881: 690(7998).
Confidence 100
Source Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann., Wilmanns, G. 1881. Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum. VIII. Inscriptiones Africae Latinae. Berlin: George Reimer.
Id DLP.Evidence.1050
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°55'22.00"N, 12°31'7.00"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta game board from the catacombs at Sant'Agnese fuori le mura in Rome. Broken, four six-letter words preserved divided into two groups with circles in the center. ...... ...... SUADET LUDERE SEMPER AMICO. Ihm 1890: 236; Armellini 1880: 309.
Confidence 100
Source Armellini, M. 1880. Il cimitero di S. Agnese sulla via Nomentana. Rome: Tipografia Poligliotta. , Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1051
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 35°51'11.78"N, 9°12'28.58"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta game board from the Forum at Maktar. Damaged, four complete six-letter words and partial remains of two others, divided into two groups of three by arches and a circle. APOLLO GENIUS LIBERO P..... CERERI CA.... Merlin 1954: 19.
Confidence 100
Source Merlin, A. 1954. L'Année épigraphique Année 1953. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.
Id DLP.Evidence.1052
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 40°40'56.08"N, 14°46'19.05"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules Rows of twelve, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from Salerno. Broken, two complete six-letter words and remains of two others, divided into two groups by a circle and an omega. TURDOS CAP... TABULA DOCT.. ...... ...... Ihm 1890: 232; Mommsen 1883a: 66 (546).
Confidence 100
Source Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann., Mommsen, T. 1883a. Corpus Inscriptonum Latinarum. X. Inscriptiones Bruttiorum Lucaniae Campaniae Siciliae Sardiniae Latinae. Berlin: George Reimer.
Id DLP.Evidence.1053
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37° 9'30.24"N, 29°29'52.55"E
Date 0400-01-01 - 0599-12-31
Rules At least two rows.
Content XII Scripta board from shops east of the agora of Kibyra. Damaged, portions of two rows preserved, divided in the center. Demirer 2013: fig. 2.
Confidence 100
Source Demirer, Ü. 2013. 'XII Scripta and two excavated game boards from Kibyra.' In S. Fazlullin and M. Antika (eds), Proceedings of the 17th Symposium on Mediterranean Archaeology. Oxford: Archaeopress: 74–82.
Id DLP.Evidence.1054
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 37° 9'30.24"N, 29°29'52.55"E
Date 0400-01-01 - 0599-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from Kibyra, reused in a pool of the Late Roman water system. Damaged, portions of all three rows remaining, divided into two groups of three lines of six by circles. Demirer 2013: fig. 4.
Confidence 100
Source Demirer, Ü. 2013. 'XII Scripta and two excavated game boards from Kibyra.' In S. Fazlullin and M. Antika (eds), Proceedings of the 17th Symposium on Mediterranean Archaeology. Oxford: Archaeopress: 74–82.
Id DLP.Evidence.1055
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°54'10.45"N, 12°29'46.38"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from Rome. Six six-letter words, divided into two groups of three with arches and a circle. SADPAI STAPIE MERALA CANTAT AUCEPS ACPTAT. Ihm 1890: 233; Marangoni 1744: 466.
Confidence 100
Source Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann., Marangoni, G. 1744. Delle cose gentilesche e profane trasportate ad uso, e adornamento delle chiese opera
Id DLP.Evidence.1056
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°54'17.45"N, 12°29'57.29"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from Rome. Six six-letter words, divided into two groups of three with a stalk of wheat, a wheel, and a leaf separating them. ABEMUS INCENA PULLUM PISCEM PERNAM PAONEM. Ihm 1890: 237; Lanciani 1876: 188.
Confidence 100
Source Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann., Lanciani, R. 1876. 'Ara di vermino 3.' Bullettino della Commissione Archeologica Comunale di Roma 4(4):165–210.
Id DLP.Evidence.1057
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°51'31.34"N, 12°30'20.19"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from the Catacombs of Domitilla. Hybrid board with holes making up the first two rows of playing spaces, and two six-letter words making up the last row, with decorated circles dividing the two sides. VICTUS SURGES. Ihm 1890: 234; Bruzza 1886: 773, fig. 457.
Confidence 100
Source Bruzza, L. 1886. 'Spieltische und Würfel.' In F. Kraus (ed), Realencyclopädie der christlichen Altertümer II. Freiburg im Breisgau: Herdersche Verlagshandlung: 771–774., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1058
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°55'46.64"N, 12°30'30.72"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from the catacombs of Priscilla, Rome. Broken, four six-letter words preserved, divided into two groups by two circles with inscriptions. IDIO LUDERE NESCIS VICTUS. Ihm 1890: 234; Marangoni 1744: 393.
Confidence 100
Source Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann., Marangoni, G. 1744. Delle cose gentilesche e profane trasportate ad uso, e adornamento delle chiese opera
Id DLP.Evidence.1059
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°45'18.29"N, 12°17'23.15"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules Rows of twelve, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board. Fragmentary board, parts of three words remain. ...... .....L ...... NESCIS ...... LEBATE. Ihm 1890: 234, Fiorelli 1886: 127; Dessau 1887: 479 (4125.3).
Confidence 100
Source Desssau, H. 1887. Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum XIV. Inscriptiones Latii Veteris Latinae. Berlin: George Reimer. , Fiorelli. 1886. Notizie degli scavi di antichità 1886. Rome: Accademia dei Lincei., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1060
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°54'17.45"N, 12°29'57.29"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules Rows of twelve, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta game board found at the Castro Pretorio in Rome. Broken, parts of three six-letter words remain an arc is preserved in the center, originally dividing the board into two. LEVADE ...... NESC.. ...... RI.... ......Ihm 1890: 234; Bruzza 1877:94.
Confidence 100
Source Bruzza, L. 1877. 'Tavole lusorie del Castro Pretorio.' Bullettino della Commissione Archeologica Comunale di Roma 5: 81–99., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1061
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°51'38.85"N, 12°30'31.65"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from the catacombs of Callixtus in Rome. Six six-letter words, divided into groups of three by two arches. SITIBI TESSEI LATAVE TECOTE STUDIO VINCAM. Ihm 1890: 232; Marangoni 1740: 140.
Confidence 100
Source Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann., Marangoni, G. 1740. Acta A. Victorini Episcopi Amiterni, et Martyris. Rome: Joannem Mariam Salvioni.
Id DLP.Evidence.1062
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°55'19.34"N, 12°29'24.94"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from the catacombs os Sant'Ermete (Basilla) in Rome. Six six-letter words, separated into two groups of three. VICTUS LEBATE LIUDERE NESCIS DALUSO RILOCU. Ihm 1890: 233.
Confidence 100
Source Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1063
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°54'13.41"N, 12°31'33.34"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from the Campo Verano, Rome. Broken, remains of five six-letter words divided into two groups of three with circles in the center. .....S RECEDO RIXARI NESCIO MELIUS ...... Ihnm 1890: 234; Gatti 1887b: 44
Confidence 100
Source Gatti, G. 1887b. 'Trovamenti risguardanti la topografia e la epigrafia urbana. Bullettino della Commissione Archeologica Communale di Roma 15(2):33–51., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1064
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°55'22.00"N, 12°31'7.00"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta game board from the catacombs of St. Agnese fuori le mura in Rome. Broken, two pieces, four six-letter words remain, divided in half by arches and a circle. VICTUS ...... LUDERE NESCES ...... RILOCU. Ihm 1890: 234; Armellini 1880: 308–309.
Confidence 100
Source Armellini, M. 1880. Il cimitero di S. Agnese sulla via Nomentana. Rome: Tipografia Poligliotta. , Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1065
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°51'38.85"N, 12°30'31.65"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules Rows of twelve, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from near the catcombs of Callixtus, Rome. Broken, remains of three six-letter words divided into two groups with arches and a circle. ...... ...... ...... PACATE .....E ROMANI. Ihm 1890: 238; de Rossi 1887: 719.
Confidence 100
Source de Rossi, G. 1877. La Roma sotteranea cristiana III. Rome: Saliucci., Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1066
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 36°22'0.45"N, 5°30'30.96"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from Ain el-Kebira, Algeria. Six six-letter words, divided into two groups of three by two arches. PATRIUS ETFILI SERVUS PLENUS EXIVIT ARATOR. Ihm 1890: 233, Wilmanns 1881a: 719 (8407).
Confidence 100
Source Ihm, M. 1890. 'Römische Spieltafeln.' Bonner Studien: Aufsätze aus der Altertumswissenschaft, Reinhard Kekulé zur Erinnerung an seine Lehrthätigkeit in Bonn gewidmet von seinen Schülern. Berlin: W. Spemann., Wilmanns, G. 1881a. Corpus Inscriptiunum Latinarum. VIII.2. Inscriptiones Africae Latinae. Inscriptiones Mauretaniarum. Berlin: George Reimer.
Id DLP.Evidence.1067
Type Artistic depiction
Game XII Scripta
Location 34°39'51.64"N, 32°53'19.90"E
Date 0200-01-01 - 0399-12-31
Rules Rows divided in half.
Content Depiction of a XII Scripta board on a moasic floor in the House of Eustolios, Kourion, Cyprus. Spaces represented as rectangles, with six in each row, divided into two groups with circles. Not an exact replica of an actual board, but the style is clearly imitating known boards. Swiny 1986: fig. 56g; Schädler 1995: 94–95.
Confidence 100
Source Schädler, U. 1995. XII scripta, alea, tabula: new evidence for the Roman history of “backgammon.” In A. de Voogt (ed.), New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: IIAS. 73–98.
, Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.1068
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 36°51'41.94"N, 10°19'52.62"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from the cemetery at at basilica of Damous el-Karita in Tunisia. Three rows of twelve spaces, divided in have by two circles and an arch. In the outer two rows the spaces are rendered as leaves, in the central as circles. Delattre 1911: 12–13; Schädler 1995: fig. 7b.
Confidence 100
Source Delattre, A. 1911. 'Deux tables de jeux trouvées à Carthage.' Revue Tunisienne: 12–19., Schädler, U. 1995. XII scripta, alea, tabula: new evidence for the Roman history of “backgammon.” In A. de Voogt (ed.), New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: IIAS. 73–98.
Id DLP.Evidence.1069
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 36°51'21.43"N, 10°18'53.63"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII scripta board from the amphitheater at Carthage. Three lines of twelve spaces, divided half with squares containing diagonals. The playing spaces are rendered as vertical lines. Schädler 1995: fig. 11.b; Delattre 1911: 12–13.
Confidence 100
Source Delattre, A. 1911. 'Deux tables de jeux trouvées à Carthage.' Revue Tunisienne: 12–19., Schädler, U. 1995. XII scripta, alea, tabula: new evidence for the Roman history of “backgammon.” In A. de Voogt (ed.), New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: IIAS. 73–98.
Id DLP.Evidence.1070
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 36°33'4.32"N, 9°26'31.02"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules Three rows.
Content Duodecim scripta board from the house of Amar bel Hadj at Testour, Tunisia. Broken, probably the left side preserved. Three six-letter words, with circles to their right. INFORO ...... INDOMO ...... INATRIO ...... Delattre 1911: 17; Carton 1895: 83–84 (114).
Confidence 100
Source Carton, L. 1895. Découvertes épigraphiques et archéologiques faites en Tunisie (région deDougga). Lilli: Imprimerie L. Danel. , Delattre, A. 1911. 'Deux tables de jeux trouvées à Carthage.' Revue Tunisienne: 12–19.
Id DLP.Evidence.1071
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 22°14'1.56"N, 31°36'53.11"E
Date 0400-01-01 - 0699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board divided in half, 15 pieces per player, up to five dice (D6).
Content XII Scripta board found outside Tomb 3 at Qustul. Wooden board ivory inlay and silver frame with three rows of 12 squares rendered, divided in half by circles. Found with a bag of fifteen ivory and fifteen ebony pieces, five cubic dice, and a dice tower. de Voogt 2019a: 94–95; Emery and Kirwan 1938: 345, pl. 87.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Source de Voogt, A. 2019a. 'Traces of appropriation: Roman board games in Egypt and Sudan.' Archimède 6:89–99.
, Emery, W. and L. Kirwan. 1938. Mission Archéologique de Nubie 1929–1934. The Royal Tombs of Ballana and Qustul. Cario: Government Press Boulaq.
Id DLP.Evidence.1072
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 36°32'3.24"N, 10° 4'14.67"E
Date 0300-01-01 - 0499-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta game board in a mosaic floor at the baths of Jebel Oust, Tunisia. Three rows of twelve spaces, divided in half by two squares and a circle. Spaces are rendered as vertical lines. ben Abed and Scheid 2005: 341–342, fig. 15–16.
Confidence 100
Source ben Abed, A and M. Scheid. 2005. 'Nouvelles recherches archéologiques à Jebel Oust (TUnisie). Comptes rendus des séances de l'Academie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres 149(1): 321–349.
Id DLP.Evidence.1073
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 35° 3'45.19"N, 24°56'48.98"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board found at Gortyn, Greece. Three rows of twelve squares, divided into two groups of eighteen by circles. Barresi 2000: 249–250, fig. 1.
Confidence 100
Source Barresi, P. 2000. 'Su una tabula lusoria da Gortyna.' Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente 76–78: 249–271.
Id DLP.Evidence.1074
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 36°26'21.56"N, 28°13'34.80"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules Row of twelve divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from Rhodes, Greece. Reused as a tub. central row of 12 squares preserved, divided in half with an X. Rhodes musem 16888. Barresi 2000:256-257, fig. 8.
Confidence 100
Source Barresi, P. 2000. 'Su una tabula lusoria da Gortyna.' Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente 76–78: 249–271.
Id DLP.Evidence.1075
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 36°21'21.80"N, 29°19'5.47"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from Xanthos, Turkey. Three lines of thirteen squares, the central squares in each marked with an X, therefore making three lines of twelve playing spaces. Barresi 2000: 256–258, fig. 10.
Confidence 100
Source Barresi, P. 2000. 'Su una tabula lusoria da Gortyna.' Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente 76–78: 249–271.
Id DLP.Evidence.1076
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 39°45'1.84"N, 29°30'8.01"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content Duodecim scripta board from Çarsamba, Turkey. Three rows of twelve squares, divided into two groups of eighteen by decorated circles. Levick et al. 1993: 107 (330).
Confidence 100
Source Levick, B, S. Mitchell, J. Potter, and M. Waelkens (eds). 1993. Monumenta Asiae Minoris Antiqua X. Monuments from the Upper Tembris Valley, Cotiaeum, Cadi, Synaus, Ancyra, and Tiberiopolis Recorded by C.W.M. Cox, A. Cameron, and J. Cullen. London: Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies.
Id DLP.Evidence.1077
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°51'38.85"N, 12°30'31.65"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules Rows of twelve, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta game board from the catacombs of Calixtus, Rome. Top row preserved, damaged. Six leaves, an arch, then four more leaves. de Rossi 1877: 374.
Confidence 100
Source de Rossi, G. 1877. La Roma sotteranea cristiana III. Rome: Saliucci.
Id DLP.Evidence.1078
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°51'38.85"N, 12°30'31.65"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules At least two rows of twelve, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta game board from the catacombs of Callixtus, Rome. Two rows of twelve, damaged, divided in half with an arch and a circle. de Rossi 1877: 383.
Confidence 100
Source de Rossi, G. 1877. La Roma sotteranea cristiana III. Rome: Saliucci.
Id DLP.Evidence.1079
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°51'38.85"N, 12°30'31.65"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules At least two rows of twelve, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta game board from the catacombs of Callixtus, Rome. Two rows of six, damaged, with a square and half circle to their left, indicating the original center of the board. de Rossi 1877: 391.
Confidence 100
Source de Rossi, G. 1877. La Roma sotteranea cristiana III. Rome: Saliucci.
Id DLP.Evidence.1080
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°51'38.85"N, 12°30'31.65"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules Rows divided in half.
Content XII Scripta game board from the cemetery of Santa Sotere. One row, damaged, with two holes, an arch, and six holes. de Rossi 1877: 170.
Confidence 100
Source de Rossi, G. 1877. La Roma sotteranea cristiana III. Rome: Saliucci.
Id DLP.Evidence.1081
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°53'48.68"N, 12°29'0.33"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules At least two rows of twelve, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from excavations at the Via Nazionale, Rome. Broken, parts of two rows preserved, divided by squares. Playing spaces are short vertical lines. Gatti 1904: 154, fig. 13.
Confidence 100
Source Gatti, G. 1904. 'V. Roma.' Notizie degli scavi di antichità: 153–158.
Id DLP.Evidence.1082
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 41°52'43.06"N, 12°32'54.53"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from the catacombs of San Marcellinus, Rome. Six six-letter words, divided into two groups of three. PARTHI OCCISI BR.TT. VICTUS LUDIT. .OMANI. Dessau 1892: 964 (8626a).
Confidence 100
Source Dessau, H. 1892. Inscriptiones Latinae Selectae II. Berlin: Weidmann.
Id DLP.Evidence.1083
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 50°42'47.38"N, 6°34'29.11"E
Date 0300-01-01 - 0399-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content Dice tower from Froitzheim, Germany. Tower contains as decoration six six-letter words; evoking the same subject and structure as XII Scripta boards. PICTOS VICTOS HOSTIS DELETA LUDITE SECURI. Horn 1989.
Confidence 100
Source Horn,H. 1989. 'Si per me misit, nil nisi vota foret. Ein römischer Spielturm aus Froitzheim. Bonner Jahrbücher 189: 139–160.
Id DLP.Evidence.1084
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 55°26'40.59"N, 10°18'34.37"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules Rows of twelve, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta game board from a bog deposit at Vimose, Denmark. Wooden board, broken, one line of six circles preserved, along with large half-circle dividing board in half. Krüger 1982: 162, 222.
Confidence 100
Source Krüger, T. 1982. Das Brett- und Würfelspiel der Spätlatènezeit und römischen Kaiserzeit im freien Germanien. Hildesheim.
Id DLP.Evidence.1085
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 26° 6'46.06"N, 34° 2'2.03"E
Date 0100-01-01 - 0199-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII scripta Board from the praesidium at Dawwi. Broken, parts of all three rows of holes. divided in half by a reverse "N" motif. 2, 6, 3, 6, 3, 6 preserved. Brun 2003: 135, fig. 174; de Voogt 2019: fig. 2.
Confidence 100
Spaces Military
Source Brun, J.-P. 2003. 'Dawwî.' In H. Cuvigny (ed.), La route de Myos Hormos: L'armée romaine dans le désert Oriental d'Égypte. Cairo: Institut français d'archéologie orientale 133–135., de Voogt, A. 2019a. 'Traces of appropriation: Roman board games in Egypt and Sudan.' Archimède 6:89–99.
Id DLP.Evidence.1086
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 54°59'28.12"N, 2°21'38.05"W
Date 0085-01-01 - 0370-12-31
Rules At least 7x9 board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum game board from Fortress of Vindolanda at Hadrian's Wall. Grid of at least 7x9 squares. Penn and Courts n.d.
Confidence 100
Source Penn, T. and S. Courts. n.d. 'Playing Games at Vindolanda.' Vindolanda Charitable Trust. https://www.vindolanda.com/blog/playing-games-at-vindolanda
Id DLP.Evidence.1087
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 54°59'28.12"N, 2°21'38.05"W
Date 0085-01-01 - 0370-12-31
Rules At least 5x5 board.
Content Ludus Latrunculorum game board from the Fortress of Vindolanda at Hadrian's Wall. Broken Ludus latrunculorum game board, with at least a grid of 5x5 squares. Penn and Courts n.d.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1088
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 36°25'8.53"N, 10°27'31.64"E
Date 0400-01-01 - 0499-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content Mosaic game board from the Salle de Nutrix at Sidi Jdidi, Tunisia. Six six-letter words, damaged but portions of each word preserved. POPINA FLORET ..BENS GAUDE O..PIE .TUTAR. ben Abed et al. 2004: 70–71.
Confidence 100
Spaces Communal
Source ben Abed, A., B. Khader anmd R. Hanoune. 2004. 'La salle de Nutrix à Sidi Jdidi.' In C. Balmelle, P. Chevalier and G. Ripoll (eds), Mélanges d'antiquité tardive: Studiola in honorem Noël Duval. Turnhout, Belgium: Brepols. 67–73.
Id DLP.Evidence.1089
Type Artistic depiction
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°58'43.34"N, 23°43'28.45"E
Date 0490-01-01BCE - 0490-12-31BCE
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Black-figure Attic Kyathos from Athens. Two male warriors playing a game of Pente Grammai showing the board, with five lines and nine pieces on the board. Interpreted to be Achilles and Ajax based on other examples. Musées royaux d'Art et d'Histoire, Brussels, R.2512. Massar 2019: 82; Schädler 2009: fig. 2.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Military
Genders Male
Source Massar, N. 2019. 'Jeux de pente grammai à Athènes.' In V. Dasen (ed), Ludique: Jouer dans l'antiquité.' Lyon: Lugdunum Musée et Théatres Romains. 82–83., Schädler, U. 2009. 'Pente grammai: The Ancient Greek board game Five lines.' In J. Nuno Silva (ed.), Proceedings of Board Game Studies Colloquium XI. Lisbon: Associacão Ludus, p. 173–196.
Id DLP.Evidence.1090
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 37°52'53.35"N, 23°57'18.45"E
Date 0600-01-01BCE - 0501-12-31BCE
Rules 2x11 board.
Content Double Pente Grammai board rendered on a painted terracotta gaming table. From a tomb at Merenda, Attika. around 600 BCE. Musée Suisse du Jeu 700. Schädler 2019: 98.
Confidence 100
Source Schädler, U. 2019. 'Une table de jeu en terre cuite au Musée Suisse du Jeu.' In V. Dasen (ed), Ludique: Jouer dans l'antiquité. Lyon: Lugdunum Musée et Théatre Romain. 98–99.
Id DLP.Evidence.1091
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 41° 0'30.19"N, 28°58'47.89"E
Date 0415-01-01 - 0532-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Graffiti Pente Grammai board in the first intercolumniation on the stylobate of the remains of the Theodosian basilica of Hagia Sophia. Schneider 1941: 5; Crist in press.
Confidence 100
Source Schneider, A. 1941. Die Grabung im Westhof der Sophienkirche zu Istanbul. Berlin: Deutsches Archäologisches Institut.
Id DLP.Evidence.1092
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 41° 0'30.19"N, 28°58'47.89"E
Date 0415-01-01 - 0532-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Graffiti game board in the first intercolumniation of the stylobate of the Theodosian Hagia Sophia. Not visible June 2016. Schneider 1941: 5; Crist in press.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public, Communal
Source Schneider, A. 1941. Die Grabung im Westhof der Sophienkirche zu Istanbul. Berlin: Deutsches Archäologisches Institut.
Id DLP.Evidence.1093
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 41° 0'30.19"N, 28°58'47.89"E
Date 0415-01-01 - 0523-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Graffiti Pente Grammai game board from the second intercolumniation of the stylobate of the Theodosian basilica of Hagia Sophia. Board is rendered as a 2x5 grid of squares. Schneider 1941: 5, p,. 9; Crist in press.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Schneider, A. 1941. Die Grabung im Westhof der Sophienkirche zu Istanbul. Berlin: Deutsches Archäologisches Institut.
Id DLP.Evidence.1094
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 41° 0'30.19"N, 28°58'47.89"E
Date 0415-01-01 - 0523-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Graffiti Pente Grammai board from the secon intercolumniation of the stylobate of the Theodosian basilica of Hagia Sophia. Board is rendered as two rows of five holes. Schneider 1941: 5, pl. 9; Crist in press.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Schneider, A. 1941. Die Grabung im Westhof der Sophienkirche zu Istanbul. Berlin: Deutsches Archäologisches Institut.
Id DLP.Evidence.1095
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 41° 0'30.19"N, 28°58'47.89"E
Date 0415-01-01 - 0532-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Graffiti Pente Grammai game board in the third intercolumniation of the stylobate of the Theodosian basilica of Hagia Sophia. Board is rendered as a 2x5 grid of squares. Schneider 1941: 5, pl. 9; Crist in press.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Schneider, A. 1941. Die Grabung im Westhof der Sophienkirche zu Istanbul. Berlin: Deutsches Archäologisches Institut.
Id DLP.Evidence.1096
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 41° 0'30.19"N, 28°58'47.89"E
Date 0415-01-01 - 0532-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Graffiti Pente Grammai board near the third intercolumniation of the stylobate, on the second step of the Theodosian basilica of Hagia Sophia. Board is rendered as a 2x5 grid of squares with a hole centered in each square. Schneider 1941: 5, pl. 9; Crist in press.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Schneider, A. 1941. Die Grabung im Westhof der Sophienkirche zu Istanbul. Berlin: Deutsches Archäologisches Institut.
Id DLP.Evidence.1097
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 41° 0'30.19"N, 28°58'47.89"E
Date 0415-01-01 - 0532-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Graffiti Pente Grammai game board in the fourth intercolumniation of the stylobate of the Theodosian basilica of Hagia Sophia. Schneider 1941: 5, pl. 9.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Schneider, A. 1941. Die Grabung im Westhof der Sophienkirche zu Istanbul. Berlin: Deutsches Archäologisches Institut.
Id DLP.Evidence.1098
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 41° 0'30.19"N, 28°58'47.89"E
Date 0415-01-01 - 0532-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Graffiti Pente Grammai game board from the first step in front of the fourth intercolumniation of the stylobate of the Theodian basilica of Hagia Sophia. Schneider 1941: 5, pl. 9.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Schneider, A. 1941. Die Grabung im Westhof der Sophienkirche zu Istanbul. Berlin: Deutsches Archäologisches Institut.
Id DLP.Evidence.1099
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 34°39'58.80"N, 32°53'1.50"E
Date 0400-01-01 - 0685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Graffiti Pente Grammai board on the paving of the north portico of the Episcopal Basilica at Kourion. Swiny 1986: 61.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public, Transitional
Source Megaw, A. ed. 2007. Kourion: Excavations at the Episcopal Precinct. Washington: Dumbarton Oaks.
Id DLP.Evidence.1100
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 34°32'50.47"N, 38°16'26.24"E
Date 0075-01-01 - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Graffiti Pente Grammai board from the Temple of Bel at Palmyra. 2x5 board on the east portico. de Voogt 2010: 1059.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public, Transitional
Source de Voogt, Alex. 2010. 'Mancala Players at Palmyra.' Antiquity 84(326): 1055–1066
Id DLP.Evidence.1101
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 34°32'50.47"N, 38°16'26.24"E
Date 0075-01-01 - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Graffiti Pente Grammai game board from the western part of the court at the Temple of Bel at Palmyra. de Voogt 2010: 1059.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source de Voogt, Alex. 2010. 'Mancala Players at Palmyra.' Antiquity 84(326): 1055–1066
Id DLP.Evidence.1102
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 34°32'50.47"N, 38°16'26.24"E
Date 0075-01-01 - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Graffiti Pente Grammai game board from near the base of the stairs at the Temple of Bel at Palmyra. de Voogt 2010: 1059
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source de Voogt, Alex. 2010. 'Mancala Players at Palmyra.' Antiquity 84(326): 1055–1066
Id DLP.Evidence.1103
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 34°32'50.47"N, 38°16'26.24"E
Date 0075-01-01 - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai graffiti game board from the base of the western stairs at the Temple of Bel at Palmyra. de Voogt 2010: 1059.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source de Voogt, Alex. 2010. 'Mancala Players at Palmyra.' Antiquity 84(326): 1055–1066
Id DLP.Evidence.1104
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 34°32'50.47"N, 38°16'26.24"E
Date 0075-01-01 - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Graffiti Pente Grammai game board in the court of the Temple of Bel at Palmyra,just north of the base of the stairs. de Voogt 2010: 1059.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source de Voogt, Alex. 2010. 'Mancala Players at Palmyra.' Antiquity 84(326): 1055–1066
Id DLP.Evidence.1105
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 34°32'50.47"N, 38°16'26.24"E
Date 0075-01-01 - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Graffiti Pente Grammai game board from the Temple of Bel at Palmyra. Located on a pavement just to the north of the western staircase. de Voogt 2010: 1059.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source de Voogt, Alex. 2010. 'Mancala Players at Palmyra.' Antiquity 84(326): 1055–1066
Id DLP.Evidence.1106
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 34°32'50.47"N, 38°16'26.24"E
Date 0075-01-01 - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content Pente Grammai game board from the Temple of Bel at Palmyra. Located on a pavement in the court, just south of the western staircase. de Voogt 2010: 1059.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source de Voogt, Alex. 2010. 'Mancala Players at Palmyra.' Antiquity 84(326): 1055–1066
Id DLP.Evidence.1107
Type Artifact
Game Hnefatafl
Location 59° 8'6.20"N, 3°19'23.84"W
Date 0800-01-01 - 0825-12-31
Rules 7x7 board, marked central space.
Content Hnefatafl game board from Bucquoy point, Orkney. Found in a settlement, in a context dated to the early ninth century. 7x7 grid, central intersection of the board marked with a circle. Steckx 1973: 677, fig. 1, pl. 1.
Confidence 100
Source Sterckx, C. 1973. 'Les trois damiers de Buckquoy (Orcades).' Annales de Bretagne et des pays de l'Ouest 80:675–689
Id DLP.Evidence.1108
Type Artifact
Game Hnefatafl
Location 59° 8'6.20"N, 3°19'23.84"W
Date 0825-01-01 - 0925-12-31
Rules 7x7 board, central space marked.
Content Hnefatafl stone game board from settlement at Buckquoy, Orkney. 7x7 grid of with the central intersection of lines marked with a circle. Sterckx 1973: 682, pl. 2.
Confidence 100
Source Sterckx, C. 1973. 'Les trois damiers de Buckquoy (Orcades).' Annales de Bretagne et des pays de l'Ouest 80:675–689
Id DLP.Evidence.1109
Type Artifact
Game Hnefatafl
Location 59° 8'6.20"N, 3°19'23.84"W
Date 0825-01-01 - 0925-12-31
Rules 7x7 board, central space marked.
Content Hnefatafl stone game board from a settlement at Buckquoy point, Orkney. 7x7 grid with central intersection of lines marked with a circle. Other circles and lines on the object may be an earlier or later addition and likely not related to the game. Sterckx 1973: 682, fig. 2, pl. 3.
Confidence 100
Source Sterckx, C. 1973. 'Les trois damiers de Buckquoy (Orcades).' Annales de Bretagne et des pays de l'Ouest 80:675–689
Id DLP.Evidence.1110
Type Artifact
Game Hnefatafl
Location 59°19'52.69"N, 17°33'10.06"E
Date 0900-01-01 - 0970-12-31
Rules One player with 8 pieces plus king piece, other player with 17 (16? 18?) pieces.
Content Set of glass Hnefatafl game pieces from grave 750 at Björkö. Eight dark green pieces with a dark green king, seventeen of light blue-green. Found with the fittings for a wooden board which did not survive. Arbman 1943: 268-271, fig.218.49; Arbman 1940: pl. 147.1 Date from Rundkvist and Williams 2008: 85.
Confidence 100
Source Arbman, H. 1940. Birka I. Die Gräber. Tafeln. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksells Boktryckeri-Aktiebolag., Arbman, H. 1943. Birka I. Die Gräber. Text. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksells Boktryckeri Aktiebolag.
Id DLP.Evidence.1111
Type Contemporary text
Game Hnefatafl
Location Iceland
Date 1000-01-01 - 1270-12-31
Rules Tafl name.
Content "Hittosk Æsir á Iða-velli, þeir -es haorg ok hof há-timbroðo; afla laogðo, auð smíðoðo; tangir skópo ok tól goerðo. Teflðo í túni teitir váro; vas þeim vettugis vant or golli: Unz þriar kvómo Þursa meyjar amatkar miaok or Iaotun-heimom.´Translation: The Anses met on Ida-plain, and raised high places and temples, setting forges, and fashioning treasures, shaping tongs and making tools. They played at tables in the court and were happy, they lacked not gold till there came three most loathsome Tittan maids from Giant-land." Vigfusson and Powell 1883: 194.
Confidence 100
Source Vigfusson, G and F. Powell. 1883. Corpus Poeticum Boreale. The Poetry of the Old Northern Tongue from the Earliest Times to the Thirteenth Century. Volume I. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1112
Type Contemporary text
Game Hnefatafl
Location Iceland
Date 1000-01-01 - 1270-12-31
Rules Tafl name.
Content "Þar numo eptir undrsamligar gollnar taoflor í grasi finnask þærs í ár-daga áttar haofðo." Translation: There shall be found in the grass wonderful tables (Murray 1951: 60 translates as 'table-men'; I.e., playing pieces), their own in days of yore." Vigfusson and Powell 1883: 201.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Vigfusson, G and F. Powell. 1883. Corpus Poeticum Boreale. The Poetry of the Old Northern Tongue from the Earliest Times to the Thirteenth Century. Volume I. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1113
Type Contemporary text
Game Hnefatafl
Location 58°58'45.93"N, 3° 0'2.88"W
Date 1100-01-01 - 1225-12-31
Rules Tafl name.
Content "Tafl em-ek aorr at efla." Translation: I am strong at tafl play." Text from Orkneyinga Saga: Vigfusson and Powell 1883a: 276.
Confidence 100
Social status Nobility
Genders Male
Source Vigfusson, G. and F. Powell. 1883a. Corpus Poeticum Boreale. The Poetry of the Old Northern Tongue from the Earliest Times to the Thirteenth Century. Volume II. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1114
Type Contemporary text
Game Hnefatafl
Location Iceland
Date 0900-01-01 - 1100-12-31
Rules Tafl name.
Content Text from Rígsþula: "sund ok tafl" Translation: "[They learned] swimming and tafl. Vigfusson and Powell 1883: 241.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Male
Source Vigfusson, G and F. Powell. 1883. Corpus Poeticum Boreale. The Poetry of the Old Northern Tongue from the Earliest Times to the Thirteenth Century. Volume I. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1115
Type Contemporary text
Game Hnefatafl
Location 59°21'17.77"N, 5°16'42.94"E
Date 0800-01-01 - 0899-12-31
Rules Pieces called hunns.
Content Text from Hrafnsmál by Þorbjörn Hornklofi: "Hrafn: Miaoko ero reyfðir róg-birtingar þeirs í Haraldz túni húnom verpa" Translation: "Raven: They are well cared for, the warriors who move the hunns in Harald's court (Murray 1951 translates as "move the hunns," Vigfusson and Powell translate as "cast the dice.") Murray 1951: 60; Vigfusson and Powell 1883: 257.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Vigfusson, G and F. Powell. 1883. Corpus Poeticum Boreale. The Poetry of the Old Northern Tongue from the Earliest Times to the Thirteenth Century. Volume I. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1116
Type Artifact
Game Hnefatafl
Location Viking Greenland
Date 1100-01-01 - 1199-12-31
Rules King piece, allied with other pieces, pieces can be taken.
Content Text from Atlamál: "Í kné gengr hnefi, ef húnar þverra." Translation "The king is mated if the pawns are taken." Vigfusson and Powell 1883: 342. Murray (1951: 60) interprets this as in the sense of "the hnefi is often beaten when the hunns are taken."
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Vigfusson, G and F. Powell. 1883. Corpus Poeticum Boreale. The Poetry of the Old Northern Tongue from the Earliest Times to the Thirteenth Century. Volume I. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1117
Type Contemporary text
Game Hnefatafl
Location Iceland
Date 790-01-01 - 1413-12-31
Rules Game name, king piece, allied pieces, other pieces attacking king and allies, brown and white pieces
Content Text from Riddles of Gestumblindi, askedof King Heidrek: "Hverjar ro drósir es um sínn dróttinn vápn-lausar vega: enar iaorpo hlífa alla daga, enn enar fegri fara? Hneftafl" Translation: " whoa re the maids that fight weaponless around their lord; the brown ever sheltering, the fair ever attacking him? hneftafl." Vigfusson and Powell 1883: 90.
Confidence 100
Social status Royalty
Source Vigfusson, G and F. Powell. 1883. Corpus Poeticum Boreale. The Poetry of the Old Northern Tongue from the Earliest Times to the Thirteenth Century. Volume I. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1118
Type Contemporary text
Game Hnefatafl
Location Iceland
Date 790-01-01 - 1413-12-31
Rules King piece, name of game.
Content Text from Riddles of gestumblindi, asked of King Heidrek: "Hvat es þat dyra es drepr fé manna, ok es iarni kringt: horn hefir átta en haofuðekki ok...?" Translation: "What is that beat, all girded with iron, which kills the flocks, it has eight horns, but no head, and... The húnn (bear) or head piece in the game of hneftafl (fox and geese)." Murray (1951: 61) gives the answer as "the hnefi or head-piece in hnefatafl.
Confidence 100
Social status Royalty
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Vigfusson, G and F. Powell. 1883. Corpus Poeticum Boreale. The Poetry of the Old Northern Tongue from the Earliest Times to the Thirteenth Century. Volume I. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1119
Type Artifact
Game Hnefatafl
Location 60°23'27.89"N, 5°19'20.86"E
Date 1332-01-01 - 1413-12-31
Rules 13x13 board, center space marked, markings in three central squares of fourth and tenth columns, marking in central square of fourth row.
Content Hnefatafl board from Bergen, Period 6 (1332-1413). Wooden board, broken in half but both pieces remain. 13x13 grid, central square is marked alon with the central three squares in the fourth and tenth columns and the central square in the fourth row. Lund 2010: 27, fig. 4.3.
Confidence 100
Source Lund, G. 2010. Spill I middelalderens bysamfunn. En arkeologisk analyse av spillmateriale fra Bergen. Våren: Universitetet I Bergen.
Id DLP.Evidence.1120
Type Artifact
Game Hnefatafl
Location 60°23'27.89"N, 5°19'20.86"E
Date 1198-01-01 - 1248-12-31
Rules 13x13 board.
Content Wooden Hnefatafl board from Bergen, Period 4 (1198-1248). Broken roughly in half, 13x6 preserved, portion of merels pattern on opposite side is consistent with a 13x13 board. No indication of markings in the squares. Lund 2010: 26-27, fig. 4.2.
Confidence 100
Source Lund, G. 2010. Spill I middelalderens bysamfunn. En arkeologisk analyse av spillmateriale fra Bergen. Våren: Universitetet I Bergen.
Id DLP.Evidence.1121
Type Artifact
Game Hnefatafl
Location 59° 8'26.88"N, 10°15'11.06"E
Date 0900-01-01 - 0900-12-31
Rules 13x13 board, markings in second, fifth, ninth, and twelfth squares in second and fourth rows.
Content Wooden Hnefatafl game board from the Gokstad Viking ship burial. Broken; four complete rows of 13 squares with markings in second, fifth, ninth, and twelfth squares in second and fourth rows. The portion of the Merels board on the opposite side that is preserved suggests that it was originally a 13x13 board. Nicolaysen 1882: pl. 8.1
Confidence 100
Source Nicolaysen, N. 1882. Langskibet fra Gokstad. Christiania: Alb. Cammermeyer.
Id DLP.Evidence.1122
Type Artifact
Game Hnefatafl
Location 58°31'15.10"N, 16°31'21.65"E
Date 0790-01-01 - 0900-12-31
Rules King piece.
Content Set of amber gaming pieces from a boat grave at Skamby. 23 amber gaming pieces, one is larger than the others. Rundkvist and Williams 2008: 93–97, fig. 11. Authors claim it is an undifferentiated set meant to be used by one player, but differences in color among the pieces could suggest they are differentiated.
Confidence 100
Source Rundkvist, M. and H. Williams. 2008. 'A Viking Boat Grave with Amber Gaming Pieces Excavated at Skamby, Östergötland, Sweden.' Medieval Archeology 52: 69–102.
Id DLP.Evidence.1123
Type Artifact
Game Hnefatafl
Location 59°19'52.69"N, 17°33'10.06"E
Date 0900-01-01 - 0970-12-31
Rules King piece, uneven sides, one with at least fourteen the other with at least four.
Content Set of glass game pieces from grave 523 at Björkö. One king piece and fourteen others which are blue glass with dark purple spirals, the other four are dark purple. Arbman 1943: 158; Arbman 1940: pl. 148.1; dates from Rundkvist and Williams 2008: 85.
Confidence 100
Source Arbman, H. 1940. Birka I. Die Gräber. Tafeln. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksells Boktryckeri-Aktiebolag., Arbman, H. 1943. Birka I. Die Gräber. Text. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksells Boktryckeri Aktiebolag., Rundkvist, M. and H. Williams. 2008. 'A Viking Boat Grave with Amber Gaming Pieces Excavated at Skamby, Östergötland, Sweden.' Medieval Archeology 52: 69–102.
Id DLP.Evidence.1124
Type Artifact
Game Hnefatafl
Location 59°19'52.69"N, 17°33'10.06"E
Date 0900-01-01 - 0970-12-31
Rules King piece.
Content Set of game pieces from grave 644 at Björkö. Two king pieces and nineteen smaller pieces. Arbman 1943: 225; Arbman 1940: pl. 148.2, date from Rundkvist and Williams 2008: 86.
Confidence 100
Source Arbman, H. 1940. Birka I. Die Gräber. Tafeln. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksells Boktryckeri-Aktiebolag., Arbman, H. 1943. Birka I. Die Gräber. Text. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksells Boktryckeri Aktiebolag., Rundkvist, M. and H. Williams. 2008. 'A Viking Boat Grave with Amber Gaming Pieces Excavated at Skamby, Östergötland, Sweden.' Medieval Archeology 52: 69–102.
Id DLP.Evidence.1125
Type Artifact
Game Hnefatafl
Location 59°19'52.69"N, 17°33'10.06"E
Date 0900-01-01 - 0970-12-31
Rules King piece, at least 26 other pieces.
Content Game piece set made from bone from grave 624 at Björkö. One king piece with 26 other pieces. Pieces may have once been painted to distinguish between them. Arbman 1943: 206; Arbman 1940: pl. 149.3; date from Rundkvist and Williams 2008: 86.
Confidence 100
Source Arbman, H. 1940. Birka I. Die Gräber. Tafeln. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksells Boktryckeri-Aktiebolag., Arbman, H. 1943. Birka I. Die Gräber. Text. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksells Boktryckeri Aktiebolag., Rundkvist, M. and H. Williams. 2008. 'A Viking Boat Grave with Amber Gaming Pieces Excavated at Skamby, Östergötland, Sweden.' Medieval Archeology 52: 69–102.
Id DLP.Evidence.1126
Type Artifact
Game Hnefatafl
Location 59°19'52.69"N, 17°33'10.06"E
Date 0900-01-01 - 0970-12-31
Rules King piece, at least fourteen other pieces.
Content Set of amber gaming pieces from grave 524 at Björkö. King piece, with fourteen other pieces, not differentiated. Arbman 1943: 161; Arbman 1940: pl. 149.1; date from Rundkvist and Williams 2008: 86.
Confidence 100
Source Arbman, H. 1940. Birka I. Die Gräber. Tafeln. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksells Boktryckeri-Aktiebolag., Arbman, H. 1943. Birka I. Die Gräber. Text. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksells Boktryckeri Aktiebolag., Rundkvist, M. and H. Williams. 2008. 'A Viking Boat Grave with Amber Gaming Pieces Excavated at Skamby, Östergötland, Sweden.' Medieval Archeology 52: 69–102.
Id DLP.Evidence.1127
Type Artifact
Game Hnefatafl
Location 59°19'52.69"N, 17°33'10.06"E
Date 0900-01-01 - 0970-12-31
Rules King piece, at least six pieces on the king's side, at least ten on the attacker's side.
Content Set of elk horn game pieces from grave 986 at Björkö. King piece, six other pieces with engraved lines like the king. Ten other pieces not engraved. Arbman 1943: 413; Arbman 1940: pl. 150.2; date from Rundkvist and Williams 2008: 85.
Confidence 100
Source Arbman, H. 1940. Birka I. Die Gräber. Tafeln. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksells Boktryckeri-Aktiebolag., Arbman, H. 1943. Birka I. Die Gräber. Text. Uppsala: Almquist & Wiksells Boktryckeri Aktiebolag., Rundkvist, M. and H. Williams. 2008. 'A Viking Boat Grave with Amber Gaming Pieces Excavated at Skamby, Östergötland, Sweden.' Medieval Archeology 52: 69–102.
Id DLP.Evidence.1131
Type Contemporary text
Game Frisian Draughts
Location 52°54'2.01"N, 5°23'56.03"E
Date 1725-01-01 - 1725-12-31
Content Text from De herboore oudheit, of Europa in ’t nieuw, 1725 by Willem van Swaanenburg: "Men mag nu een Pools of een Molquerents dammetje, in een Koffihuis...speelen." Translation: "You may now play Polish or Molkwerum draughts, in a coffeehouse." van Swaanenberg 1725: 415.
Confidence 100
Source van Swaanenburg, W. 1725. De herboore oudheit, of Europa in 't nieuw. Adam Lobe: Amsterdam.
Id DLP.Evidence.1135
Type Ethnography
Game Kaooa
Location 23°23'56.45"N, 80° 3'40.59"E
Date 1924-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules Played on star board, one player with one piece, other player with seven pieces. one piece captures the others by jumping, wins by capturing them all, other pieces. win by blocking the other piece.
Content "Kaooa (fig. 4)—This is a peculiar type of tiger play and, as the figure shows it, seven kaooas and one tiger are necessary for the game. Two players are required for the game; the player with the kaooas tries to checkmate the tiger, while the player with the tiger attempts at capturing all the kaooas by jumping over them according to the ordinary rules of the tiger play." Gupta 1924: 167.
Confidence 100
Source Gupta, H. 1924. 'A few types of sedentary games prevalent in the central provinces.' Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 20(5): 165–169.
Id DLP.Evidence.1136
Type Artifact
Game Shatranj
Location 36°12'50.71"N, 58°47'45.92"E
Date 0800-01-01 - 0825-12-31
Rules Knights, elephants, rooks, pawns, king and vizier pieces, green and white players.
Content Set of Shatranj pieces found at Nishapur. Each type of piece represented. Some pieces are green, others are white. Wilkinson and McNab Dennis 1968: 2.
Confidence 100
Source Wilkinson, C. and J. McNab Dennis. 1968. Chess: East and West, Past and Present. A Selection from the Gustavus A. Pfeiffer Collection. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Id DLP.Evidence.1137
Type Contemporary text
Game Shatranj
Location 33°19'16.16"N, 44°25'5.05"E
Date 0988-01-01 - 0988-12-31
Rules Name of Shatranj.
Content al-Fihrist bin Abu al-Faraj Muhammad bin Ishaq al-Nadim, Bibliography of chess writers. Murray 1913: 169.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1138
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj
Location 33°19'16.16"N, 44°25'5.05"E
Date 1140-01-01 - 1140-12-31
Rules Shatranj is played on an 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Fers (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rukh (chariot): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Pil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Pil. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. Stalemate results in win for player causing it. The player who checkmates the king wins.
Content Manuscript 560 'Abd al-Hamid I library, Istanbul. Written by Abu Ishaq Ibrahim bin al-Mubarak bin 'Ali al-Mudhahhab al Baghdadi in 1140. Contains portions of al-'Adli's Kitab ash-shatranj and as-Suli's Kitab ash-shtranj. With rules, openings, strategies, endings. Murray 1913: 171–172.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1139
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj
Location 29°35'47.21"N, 52°35'3.93"E
Date 0949-01-01 - 0970-12-31
Rules Shatranj is played on an 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Fers (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rukh (chariot): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Pil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Pil. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. Stalemate results in win for player causing it. The player who checkmates the king wins.
Content Manuscript 1858 As'ad Efendi, Istanbul. Risala al-Lajlaj fi bayan la'b ash-shatranj, "'Al-Lajlaj's Treatise on the Demonstration of the Game of Shatranj. From Kitab al-Fihrist, Al-Lajlaj went to Shiraz to King Adudaddaula and died in 970. Murray 1913: 169, 173–174.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1140
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj
Location 33°19'16.16"N, 44°25'5.05"E
Date 1257-06-21 - 1257-06-21
Rules Shatranj is played on an 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Fers (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rukh (chariot): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Pil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Pil. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. Stalemate results in win for player causing it. The player who checkmates the king wins.
Content British Library Manuscript Add MS 7515. Anonymous author, Kitab fi al-shatranj wa-wansubatihi wa-mulahih "Book of Shatranj, its Problems and Subtleties." Contains discussions of rules, opening, legality, origins, symbolism, classes of players, poetry, and strategy. Compilation of works by Al-Adli, as-Suli, and al-Lajlaj. Dedicated to a prince whose name has been erased. Unknown place of origin, acquired in Baghdad. Murray 1913: 173; British library: http://searcharchives.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do?tabs=detailsTab&ct=display&fn=search&doc=IAMS032-003310657&indx=1&recIds=IAMS032-003310657&recIdxs=0&elementId=0&renderMode=poppedOut&displayMode=full&frbrVersion=&fctN=facet_creationdate&fctN=facet_fmt&dscnt=0&rfnGrp=2&rfnGrp=1&scp.scps=scope%3A%28BL%29&fctV=%5B-999999999+TO+1929%5D&fctV=Archives+and+Manuscripts&frbg=&tab=local&dstmp=1584717304499&srt=rank&mode=Basic&dum=true&rfnGrpCounter=2&vl(freeText0)=chess&vid=IAMS_VU2
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1141
Type Contemporary text
Game Shatranj
Location 41° 0'25.38"N, 28°58'49.21"E
Date 1148-01-01 - 1148-12-31
Rules Name of Zatrikion.
Content Anna Comnena Alexiad II.6: "επι γαρ ο αθτοκρατωρ μετα το διυπνισθηται κατα δειλην εωαν την εκ των πολλων φροντιδων εγγινομενην αλμην καταγκυκαινειν αθελων ενιοτε συμπαιστορας ειχε των συγγενεων τινασ παιζων το ζατρικιον (παιδια δε τουτο εκ τησ των Ασσυριων τρυφης εξευρημενον και εισ ημασ εκειθεν εληλυθος." Translated in by Dawes 2000: 166: "For, on awakening from sleep in the early morning, in order to dissipate the humours engendered by his many anxieties the Emperor occasionally played at chess with one of his relations (this game was invented by the luxurious Assyrians, and brought thence to us)."
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Genders Male
Source Anna Comnena. Alexiad.
Id DLP.Evidence.1142
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Acedrex (Alfonso)
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Fers (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rukh (chariot): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Pil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Pil. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Pawn may move two spaces on its first turn. Pawns are promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. Stalemate results in win for player causing it. The player who checkmates the king wins.
Content Alfonso X, Libro de los Juegos, f. 2-10: "But among all the other games, they chose as best and most in common the one with the eight squares because it is not so slow as the one with ten or more nor is it as hurried as the one of six or fewer. And therefore men commonly use it in all lands, more than the other games. And the figure of the board is that it is to be square and it is to have eight horizontal ranks and in each flank eight squares which are in all sixty-four squares. And half of the squares are to be of one colour and the other half of another and likewise the pieces. Of how many colours all the chess pieces are to be.
There are to be thirty-two pieces. And the sixteen of one colour should be arranged on the first two horizontal ranks of the board. And the other sixteen of the other colour are to be arranged on the other end of the board in that same way, opposite the others.And of these sixteen pieces eight are lesser, because they were made to resemble the common people who go in the army.
And of the other pieces which are greater one resembles the king, who is the lord of the army and he should be in one of the two middle squares.2
And next to him in the other middle square, is another piece which resembles the fers (alfferez) who carries the standard of the king’s colours. And there are some men who do not know the name and call him “fersa” (alfferza).3 And these two pieces each one plays alone and does not have another in all the sixteen pieces that resembles them.
And in the two other squares beside these there are two other pieces which resemble each other and they call them fils (alffiles) in Arabic which means the same thing in our language as elephants, which the kings used to bring into battle and each one brought at least two so if one of them died, that the other one would remain.
And in the other two squares next to these there are two other pieces which resemble each other and everyone commonly calls them horses but their proper names are knights, which are placed as captains by order of the king, for the purpose of leading the ranks of the army.
And in the other two squares on the end [f. 3v] there are two other pieces which also resemble each other and they call them rooks and they are made wide and stretched because they resemble the ranks of the soldiers.
In the first rank are the major pieces that we said and in the second the pawns. And even though there are nine pieces in terms of squares, there are not more than six counting that they are doubled.
Because the fils and the knights and the rooks which are six, become three and with the king and the fers and the pawns, which each count as one, they make six. And they put them thus doubled so that when one of them is captured, that another of that type remains to give check and mate to the king or to shelter him.
Also they provided for the fers that when he should be lost, any one of the pawns managing to arrive at the furthest square on the opposite side of the board, where the major pieces begin, from then on they would be ferses and could play just like the former and move in that way. And this is because they rise from the status of the lesser pieces to that of the greater ones.
The king they made so that he could not be captured but that they could give him check in order that they could make him leave from that space which he held, as though dishonoured. And if they cornered him so that he did not have anywhere to go, they named it checkmate which is the same as dead and this they did in order to shorten the game. Because it would become verylengthy if all the pieces were to be captured until only the two kings remained alone or the one of them.
Chapter on the movement of the chess pieces
The movement of the pieces was established also for this reason that we will tell you, because just as the king should not rush into battles but go very slowly and gaining always from the enemies and fighting so as to beat them, likewise the king of the chessmen is not to move more than one square straight or diagonally as one who looks all around him meditating on what he is to do.
The fers moves one square diagonally and this is in order to guard the king and not leave his side and to shield him from the checks and checkmates when they are given to him and in order to go forward helping him to win when the game comes out well.
But he can also on his first move jump to the second4 straight or diagonal square and even if another piece is in between. And this is in the manner of a good captain who charges ahead in great feats and battles and rushes everywhere they need him. And in this movement he joins forces with his foot soldiers and becomes one with them as if forcing them not to leave his side and to be as one in order to do the best thing and thus he guards himself and them, having some before him and standing before the others. And therefore when the fers is thus joined with the pawns, they call it flanked.5
The fils jump to the second6 diagonal square like the elephants that the kings used to bring at that time because no one dared to stand in front of them and the ones who were on them made them move diagonally to wound the ranks of their enemies so that they were not able to guard themselves.
The knights jump three square counting one7 straight and taking the third diagonally in any direction. And this is like the good captains who lead the ranks turning their horses to the right and to the left in order to guard their men and conquer the enemies.
The rooks play straight as far as they can move before them or behind or to the right or to the left. And this is like the ranks of the soldiers which go forward as far as they can or in whichever direction they understand will be best in order to more quickly be able to conquer those with whom they are fighting.
[f. 4] The pawns do not go more than one square straight ahead of them like the foot soldiers of the army, they cannot move very far because they go on foot and they carry their weapons and the other things that they need on their backs.But there are also some that play the pawns to the second8 square on their first move and this is until they capture because afterwards they cannot do it. And this is like when the common people steal some things, that they carry them on their backs.
Chapter on how the chess pieces capture
The pieces’ capturing each other is in this manner.
The king captures in all the squares that we said he could go, any piece from the other side which is there unless there is some other piece from the other side of that piece which shelters it.
And the other major pieces do that same thing like the fils and the knights and the rooks but the fers cannot capture on the first move if it is played going to the second9 square but after it is played it will capture in the second diagonal square according to its movement.
The pawns also, even though they can move to the second10 square on the first move if they want, they cannot capture in it but rather they capture diagonally moving forward one square. And this is like the foot soldiers who cannot wound each other being faced off straight in front each other, but he wounds the other who is to his diagonal because he does not guard against him as much."
Confidence 100
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1143
Type Contemporary text
Game Chatrang (Sassanian)
Location Late Sasanian
Date 0610-01-01 - 0651-12-31
Rules Name of Chatrang, names of pieces, capturing of pieces.
Content WIZĀRIŠN Ī ČATRANG UD NIHIŠN Ī NĒW-ARDAXŠĪR: “The Explanation of Chess and the Arrangement of Backgammon.” Pahlavi manuscript of late Sasanian date. This tale recounts the meeting of Sasanian king Kosrow I and the probably mythical king of India Dewisharm, who played Chatrang and Nard together. It describes the names for the pieces (shah, farzin, rukh, pil, asp, piyadak). Panaino 2017; Murray 1913: 151–153.
Confidence 100
Social status Royalty
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Panaino, A. 2017. WIZĀRIŠN Ī ČATRANG UD NIHIŠN Ī NĒW-ARDAXŠĪR. Encyclopaedia Iranica. accessed 03/23/2020.
Id DLP.Evidence.1144
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Medieval Chess
Location 47° 7'36.16"N, 8°45'9.54"E
Date 0990-01-01 - 0990-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Fers (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rukh (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Pil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Pil. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. Stalemate results in win for player causing it. The player who checkmates the king wins.
Content Versus de Scachis: MS 365 from Einsiedeln, Switzerland. Verse describing the game of "Chess", with the rules of Shatranj, written in Einsiedeln Abbey. Gamer 1954: 740–744; Murray 1913: 512–514.
Confidence 100
Social status Clergy
Source Gamer, H. 1954. The Earliest Evidence of Chess in Western Literature: The Einsiedeln Verses. Speculum 29(4): 734–750., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1145
Type Contemporary text
Game Medieval Chess
Location 42°21'27.28"N, 1°27'19.99"E
Date 1008-07-28 - 1008-07-28
Rules Name of Chess.
Content Will of Ermengand I, Count of Urgell, dated 28 July, year 12 of Robert of France (1008). Translated in Murray: "I order you, my executors, to give...these my chessmen to the convent of St. Giles, for the work of the church." Murray 1913: 405–406; Eales 2007: 164.
Confidence 100
Social status Nobility
Genders Male
Source Eales, R. 2007. "Changing Cultures: The Reception of Chess into Western Europe in the Middle Ages." In I. Finkel ed Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press, 162–168., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1146
Type Artifact
Game Medieval Chess
Location 58°11'14.78"N, 7° 1'29.37"W
Date 1150-01-01 - 1200-12-31
Rules King, queen, bishop, knight, rook, and pawn pieces.
Content Lewis Chessmen. 94 figurative pieces made of walrus ivory found on a beach at Camas Uig, Isle of Lewis. Probably belonged to four sets, but some pieces are missing. It is thought that they were made in Scandinavia, probably Norway, though others suggest Iceland. Their destination was probably Ireland, but they were abandoned here for an unknown reason. Dalton 1909: 63–76, pl. 38–47. Now in the British Museum (1831,1101) and National Museum of Scotland (H.NS 19-29).
Confidence 100
Source Dalton, O. 1909. Catalogue of the Ivory Carvings of the Christian Era with Examples of Mohammedan Art and Carvings in Bone in the Department of British and Mediaeval Antiquities and Ethnography of the British Museum. London: The British Museum.
Id DLP.Evidence.1147
Type Contemporary text
Game Shatranj
Location 33°19'16.16"N, 44°25'5.05"E
Date 0720-01-01 - 0720-12-31
Rules Name of Shatranj.
Content Letter of Abd al-Hamid al-Khatib mentioning Shatranj, quoted in a volume by Wadad al-Qadi. Mark 2007: 18.
Confidence 100
Social status Nobility
Genders Male
Source Mark, M. 2007. "The Beginnings of Chess." In I. Finkel ed, Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press, p. 138–157.
Id DLP.Evidence.1148
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj
Location 33°19'16.16"N, 44°25'5.05"E
Date 0880-01-01 - 0946-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Fers (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rukh (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Pil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Pil. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. Stalemate results in win for player causing it. The player who checkmates the king wins.
Content Kitab ash-Shatranj by As-Suli, chess favorite of caliph al-Muktafi. Excerpts are known because theya re quoted in later manuscripts. Keene 2007:158–160; Murray 1913: 169ff.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Keene, R. 2007. "Grandmasters of Shatranj and the Dating of Chess." In I. Finkel ed, Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press. p. 158–161., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1149
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj
Location 33°19'16.16"N, 44°25'5.05"E
Date 0820-01-01 - 0860-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Fers (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rukh (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Pil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Pil. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. Stalemate results in win for player causing it. The player who checkmates the king wins.
Content Kitab ash-Shatranj by Al-Adli. Excerpts of this text are known from later manuscripts. Murray 1913: 169-170; Keene 2007: 158–159.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Keene, R. 2007. "Grandmasters of Shatranj and the Dating of Chess." In I. Finkel ed, Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press. p. 158–161., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1150
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj
Location 33°19'16.16"N, 44°25'5.05"E
Date 0847-01-01 - 0862-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Fers (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rukh (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Pil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Pil. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. Stalemate results in win for player causing it. The player who checkmates the king wins.
Content Latif fi'sh -Shatranj by ar-Razi, who played with Caliph Mutawakkil. Excerpts of this work are known from later manuscripts. Murray 1913: 169-171.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite, Royalty
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1151
Type Contemporary text
Game Chaturanga
Location Harsha Empire
Date 0621-01-01 - 0699-12-31
Rules Name of Chaturanga.
Content Excerpt from Harshacharita by Banabhatta, seventh century. "under this monarch...only bees (shtapada) quarrel collecting dews...only ashtapadas teach the positions of the chaturanga." Mark 2007: 140; Murray 1913: 52.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Mark, M. 2007. "The Beginnings of Chess." In I. Finkel ed, Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press, p. 138–157., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1152
Type Contemporary text
Game Chaturanga
Location 34° 9'30.61"N, 74°39'9.46"E
Date 0837-01-01 - 0884-12-31
Rules Soldiers, chariots, elephant, and horse pieces used on an ashtapada board.
Content Selection from Harajivaya (Victory of Shiva) by Ratnakara, whose patron was Chippatsa-Jayapida, King of Kashmir. "...who turned not into a chessboard (an-ashtapadam) the enemy who had a four-square (chaturashra) form, who abounded in foot-soldiers (patti), horses (ashwa), chariots (ratha), and elephants (dvipa), and who had the form (vigraha) of combination (sandhi). Murray 1913: 53; Mark 2007: 140.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Mark, M. 2007. "The Beginnings of Chess." In I. Finkel ed, Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press, p. 138–157., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1153
Type Contemporary text
Game Chaturanga
Location Kashmir
Date 0884-01-01 - 0903-12-31
Rules Name of Chaturanga, moves of the horse, rook, and elephant.
Content Excerpt from Kavyalankara by Rudrata, from Kashmir during the reign of Sankaravarman. Describes a knight's tour, a rook's tour, and an elehpant's tour on a half-Chaturanga board. Murray 1913: 54–55; Mark 2007: 140–141.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Mark, M. 2007. "The Beginnings of Chess." In I. Finkel ed, Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press, p. 138–157., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1154
Type Contemporary text
Game Chaturanga
Location 23°10'43.36"N, 75°47'7.77"E
Date 0900-01-01 - 0999-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, name of Chaturanga.
Content Passage from Mrtasanjivani by Halayudha, writing in Ujjain during the tenth century. "draw a table of 64 squares as in the game of chaturanga." Murray 1913: 55–56.
Confidence 100
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1155
Type Artifact
Game Chaturanga
Location 39°40'13.61"N, 66°59'15.98"E
Date 0600-01-01 - 0712-01-01
Rules Chariot, elephant, soldier, horse pieces.
Content Incomplete set of ivory Chess pieces from underneath a mosque built in 712 CE at Afrasiab. Eder 1994; Semenov 2007: 169.
Confidence 100
Source Eder, M. 1994. "Die Schachfiguren aus Afrasiab: Fragen an die Wissenschaft zur Deutubng, Zeitstellung und Ikonographie. ANtike Welt 25(1): 71–78.
Id DLP.Evidence.1156
Type Artifact
Game Shatranj
Location 37°48'14.43"N, 69°38'51.82"E
Date 0900-01-01 - 1099-12-31
Rules Pawns, elephant, horse pieces.
Content Incomplete ivory set of Shatranj pieces from Khulbuk, tenth or eleventh century CE. Semenov 2007: 170–171.
Confidence 100
Source Semenov, G. 2007. "Board Games in Central Asia and Iran." In I. Finkel, ed Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London:The British Museum Press. p. 169–176.
Id DLP.Evidence.1157
Type Artifact
Game Xiangqi
Location 34°37'15.80"N,112°27'7.78"E
Date 0960-02-04 - 1127-03-20
Rules Full set of Xiangqi pieces.
Content Set of Xiangqi pieces found in a Northern Song Dynasty Tomb at Luoyang, Henan Province, China. Lequan 2009:59, fig. 17.
Confidence 100
Source Lequan, Cui. 2009. "Archaeological Discoveies. and Tang-Song Period Sports and Games. Chinese Archaeology 9: 55–62.
Id DLP.Evidence.1158
Type Artifact
Game Xiangqi
Location 28°47'41.43"N,115°37'54.21"E
Date 0960-02-04 - 1127-03-20
Rules Full set of Xiangqi pieces.
Content Full set of bronze Xiangqi pieces found in a tomb from Changbu Commune, Jiangxi Province, China. Lequan 2009: 59, fig. 16.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1159
Type Ethnography
Game Ako Okwe
Location 5°31'29.30"N, 7°29'33.22"E
Ruleset Umuahia
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-01-01
Rules 2x5 board with two stores. Ten counters in each hole Play begins from any of a player's holes, and sowing proceeds in either direction, at the player's choice. The first counter is sown in the hole from which the counters were taken. When the last counter of a sowing falls into a hole, making the contents of that hole odd (but not more than nine), the counters are captured. The first capture must be of three, second must be of one counter.
Content Recorded by K.C. Murray, Surveyor of Antiquities of Nigeria
"7.5.56. Nigeria. Umuahia...At Umuahia, the first capture must be of three beans and the second of one bean. The game is compared with marketing and the captures are said to be placed in the bank (nkuru)." Murray 1951: 192.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1160
Type Ethnography
Game Kharbaga
Location Mauritania
Date 1952-01-01 - 1952-12-31
Rules 5x5 board with all diagonals. 20 pieces per player. Pieces move forward orthogonally or diagonally. Captures are made by hopping over an opponent's piece. When a piece reaches the furthest line from where it started, it is promoted and can move in any direction and at any distance.
Content "9. La Kharbaga: qui est une simplification du précédent; chaque joueur n'a que vingt pions (13) (fig. A)." Hamidoun 1952: 68.
Confidence 100
Source Hamidoun, M. 1952. Précis sur la Mauritanie. Saint-Louis: Centre IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1161
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Alquerque
Location Philip II
Date 1674-01-01 - 1674-12-31
Rules Played on a board with lines. Pieces move along the lines. Captures are made by hopping over an opponent's piece. Multiple captures are allowed. If a player does not capture when possible, their piece is immediately captured by the opponent.
Content "Alquerque es un juego de piedrecitas sobre un tablero rayado, que haze diversos quadros, y por las rayas van moviendose, y quando hallan tercera casa vacia del cótrario, passan à ella, ganandole la piedra que estava en medio, que algunas vezes acace ser dos, y tres, y si pudiedo tomar, no lo haze, pierde la suya, y por termino propio se la solpan." Covarrubias 1674: 41.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Source Covarrubias, S. 1674. Tesoro de la Lengua Castellana, o Española. Madrid: Melchor Sancjez.
Id DLP.Evidence.1163
Type Artifact
Game 20 Squares
Location 25°43'51.67"N, 32°35'49.20"E
Ruleset Marked 20 Squares
Date 1400-01-01BCE - 1301-12-31BCE
Rules 3x4 board with 8 square extension of central row, markings in squares 8, 12, 16.
Content 20 Squares game board from the tomb of Tutankhamun, Thebes. Carter and Mace 1933 130, pl. LXXV (b).
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1164
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Tavli (Zenon)
Location 41° 0'25.38"N, 28°58'49.21"E
Date 0530-01-01 - 0594-12-31
Rules Three dice, fifteen pieces per player, at least twenty spaces, two pieces on a space block an opponent from moving to that spot.
Content "Ουτιδανοι μεροπων ει και μεγα ρεξαμεν εργον, ουτινος εις μνημην δηρον επερχομενα οι δ'αγαθοι, κην μηδεν, αναπνευσωσι δε μουνον, ωσ Λιβυς ειπεν ανηρ, τουτ΄' αδαμαντι μενει. δηποτε γαρ Ζηνονα πολισσουχον Βασιληα, παιγνιον αφραστων εκτελεοντα κυβων, τοιη ποικιλοτευκτος ελεν θεσις, ευτ' απο λευκου, του και οπισθιδιην εις οδον ερχομενου, επτα μεν εκτοσ εχεν, μιαν εινατος αυταπ ο σουμμος δισσας αμφιετων ισος εην δεκατω ος τε πελει μετα σουμμον εχεν δθο, μουναδα δ' αλλην ψηφον την πθματην αμφιετεσκε διβοσ. αλλα μελας δισσας μεν εν ογδοατω λιπε χωρω και τοσσας ετερας ες θεσιν ενδεκατην αμφι δυωδεκατον δε διεπρεπον εικελοι αλλαι, και τρισκαιδεκατω ψηφος εκειτο μια ειζθγες Αντογονον διεκοσμεον αλλα και αυτο ισος εμιμνε τυπος πεντεπικαιδεκατω, οκτωκαιδεκατω πανομοιιος εισετι δ' αλλας ειχεν διχθαδιας τετπατος εκ πυματου. αυταρ αναξ λευκοιο λαχων σημηια πεσσου, και την εσσομενην ου νοεων παγιδα, τριχθαδιασ αδοκητα βαλων ψηφιδας, απ' ηθμου, πυργου δουρατεου κλιμακι κευθομενη, δοια και εξ και πεντε κατηγαγεν αυτικα δ' οκτω αζυγας ειχεν ολας προσθε μεριζομενας. ταβλην φευγετε παντεσ, επει και κοιρανος αθτος κεινης τας αλογουσ οθχ υπαλυξε τυχας." Agathias Scholasticus Epigram 9.482. Translated by W. Patron: "We Mortals of no account, even if we perform great deeds, do not survive long in the memory of anyone; but as for the great, if they do nothing, if they only breathe, as the Libyan said, it is engraved in adamant. For instance Zeno, the lord and emperor of our city, while in the middle of a game played with the capricious dice, found himself in this complicated postiion: when of the white men who were on their way back, the sixth line contained seven, the ninth one, and the tenth and summus two each, while the line after the summus had two, and the last piece was on the divus. Black had two on the eighth line, and as many on the eleventh; on the twelfth were two, and one on the thirteent, There were two on Antigonus and also on the fifteenth and eighteenth, and the fourth line from the last (the twentieth) also had two. It was the king's turn to play for White, and not seeing the trap in store for him, he cast the three dice from the wooden box with its hidden ladder, and threw two, six, and five, so that at once he had eight single pieces in all which had formerly been next others(?). Avoid tavli, as the king himself did not escape from its blind chance." Paton 1916: 268-269.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Genders Male
Source Agathias Scholasticus. Epigram 9.482.
Id DLP.Evidence.1165
Type Ethnography
Game Bao Kiswahili (DR Congo)
Location Maniema
Location 0°31'6.61"N, 25°12'2.78"E; 3°22'54.54"S, 29°21'34.57"E
Date 1977-01-01 - 1977-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. The fifth hole from the left in the inner row is rectangular, the rest are circular. 64 counters. Play begins with one counter in each hole in the inner row. Players take turns placing their remaining counters on the board in their inner rows. When they place a counter, they capture the hole facing it in the opponent's inner row, and sows the counters from either the leftmost or the rightmost hole of the player's inner row, sowing along the inner row. However, if the capture occurs from the rightmost, leftmost, or the next hole adjacent to each in the inner row, the captured pieces must be placed in the leftmost or rightmost hole, whichever is closer. The player may choose which hole to place captured counters in when captures are made from the central four holes in the inner row. If a player cannot capture in this way, they can place a counter into any of the holes in their inner row, pick up the contents of that hole, and sow in either direction. While sowing, if the final counter falls into an occupied hole and the opponent's hole opposite it has counters, the counters in the opponent's hole are captured. If the final counter falls into an occupied hole and the hole opposite it is empty, the counters are picked up and sowing continues in the same direction. If the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends. If during this phase, the opponent's inner row is cleared of counters, the player wins. If all of the counters have been introduced and both players still have counters in their inner row, play proceeds to a second phase. Second Phase: Counters are picked up from any hole on the player's side and sown in either direction. The same capture, sowing, and victory rules apply as before. Captures, however, can only be made on subsequent sowings if there was a capture in the first round of a sowing.
Content "Ce jeu est pratiqué au Zaïre surtout par les Bangubangu et Nonda des environs de Kasongo (Kivu-Maniema) mais aussi par les arabisés un peu partout où ils se trouvent; ainsi on y voit jouer dans les zone de Kisangani et Kabombdo (ville de Kisangani) et à Bujumbura. Au Maniema il est également appelé "lusole" et "busolo." continues to describe rules in detail. Townshend 1977a: 41–43.
Confidence 100
Source Townshend, P. 1977a. Les jeux de mankala au Zaïre, au Rwanda et au Burundi. Les cahiers du CEDAF 3: 3–76.
Id DLP.Evidence.1166
Type Ethnography
Game Bao Kiswahili (East Africa)
Location 2°16'5.43"S, 40°54'5.58"E
Date 1978-08-01 - 1980-03-01
Rules 4x8 board. The fourth hole from the right in the inner rows of each player is larger and square. Total of 64 counters. Starting position: in the inner row, the first four holes, number of counters from the right: 0; 2; 2; 6. Play begins with each player alternately introducing the remaining counters in their holes. Each is introduced in such a way as to capture an opponent's counters, by placing it into an occupied hole which is opposite one of the opponent's occupied inner-row holes. The opponent's counters are then captured and sown along the inner row from either the leftmost or rightmost hole. If the capture occurs in the rightmost or leftmost holes in the inner row, or the hole immediately adjacent to them in the inner row, the counters must be sown from the leftmost or rightmost hole (whichever is closest), and sown along the inner row. Captures on these subsequent sowings happen according to the same rules as in the second phase, with certain exceptions explained below. If no capture is available, a counter may be placed in any occupied hole in the inner hole except the square hole, and sows them in either direction. If the square hole is the only occupied hole in the inner row, the counter is placed there and the player sows only two seeds from it in either direction. If a loaded square hole is reduced to six counters, the player places a counter there and sows the entire contents, forfeiting the special status fo this hole for the rest of the game. Moves that start without a capture on the first sowing which end in the square hole stops there without further sowing. Sowing cannot start from a square hole except to capture, except as described above. If a sowing from an initial capturing move ends in an occupied square hole and no capture is possible, the player may choose to stop there or continue to sow. Once the contents of this hole have been relayed or captured the square hole loses its special status and the player may not introduce a counter into hole with one counter if there are other holes in the inner row containing multiple counters. One all of the counters are introduced, second phase starts. Players move by sowing seeds from a player's holes. Sowing can happen in any direction, but must continue in that direction throughout the turn except in the special cases below. When the final counter of a sowing lands in a hole in the inner row and there are counters in the opponent's hole in the inner row opposite, these are captured. The captured counters are placed in the leftmost or rightmost hole of the inner row and sown along the inner row. The leftmost or rightmost hole is chosen based on which continues the sowing direction of the move that made the capture. If the capture occurs in the rightmost or leftmost holes in the inner row, or the hole immediately adjacent to them in the inner row, the counters must be sown from the leftmost or rightmost hole (whichever is closest), and sown along the inner row, even if this incurs a change of direction. If the final counter lands in an occupied hole and a capture is not possible, the counters are picked up and sowing continues. If the final counter lands in an empty hole, the turn ends. A player must make a capturing move on their initial sowing if it is available. If a capturing move is not possible on the first sowing, no captures can be made on subsequent sowings in that turn. The game is won when the opponent's inner row is cleared of counters.
Content Extensive ethnography of Bao Kiswahili in Lamu, Kenya, including the rules, its social import, and relationship to other mancala games. Townshend 1986.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Social status All
Spaces Inside, Outside, Public, Private
Genders All
Source Townshend, P. 1986. Games in culture: A contextual analysis of the Swahili board game and its relevance to vaariation in African mankala. Unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Cambridge.
Id DLP.Evidence.1167
Type Ethnography
Game Bao Kiswahili (East Africa)
Location Grande Comore; Anjouan
Date 2018-06-01 - 2018-06-30
Content "Mraha wa tso is a popular game on Grande Comore...and Anjouan (Ian Tattersall, pers.comm 2019).Contrary to the other regions in which Bao is found, it is absent or at least uncommon in the main city, in this case Moroni. Instead, many villages were seen to have a board owned by the community. The board was often found near the local mosque or central square (see Photo 1a). On late afternoons, players would gather to play and take turns, the loser of a game usually giving up his seat. Teenage boys would only play when the men were absent. No women were seen to play and privately-owned boards were rare. In one village, Foumbouni, it was considered inappropriate to play on the public square during Ramadhan but some players of this village who happened to have a privately-owned board were happy to demonstrate a few games on a bench near their house (see Photo 1b). The wooden boards always showed four rows of holes but the characteristic square holes in the center of the board were not always present. Also, storage holes were only optionally found on the far end of the board (see Photo 1c). The players used Caesalpinia bon- duc seeds like the ones used by players of Bao elsewhere on the East African coast.
The rules of the game have been described in detail by de Villeneuve(2003:8–19) but they are notoriously complex to describe in full (see Town- shend 1986; de Voogt 1995:35–43). The rules on Grande Comore did not differ significantly from those attested, for instance, on Madagascar, Zanz- ibar, or those known for Tanzania and Kenya. Some specific variations can be attested that often have to do with the level of the player or the circum- stances of play. For instance, the complex rule known in Swahili as takasia (Townshend 1986:118, de Voogt 1995:41–43) was only vaguely familiar to most and did not have a name. Only one expert player was able to give some details about its application in the game. Endless moves (see Kro- nenburg, Donkers & de Voogt 2006) were a loss for the player who started one, according to one player, but this would be a difficult rule to enforce. In another instance, a player allowed the return of a takasa move (a move without capture) if a player still had one seed in hand, but only in friendly matches." de Voogt 2019: 2-3.
Confidence 100
Ages Adolescent, Adult
Spaces Outside
Genders Male
Source de Voogt, A. 2019. 'The Comoros: A confluence of board game histories.' Board Game Studies 13: 1–13.
Id DLP.Evidence.1168
Type Ethnography
Game Qelat
Location 15°46'45.68"N, 38°26'55.28"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Play begins with four counters in each hole. A player picks up the contents of any of their holes and sowing them in an anti-clockwise direction, picking up the contents of the last hole in which his counters fall, and continuing sowing. This continues until the last counter falls in an empty hole. Then it is the other player's turn. A hole is captured when the last ball is dropped into an opponent's hole containing three counters, making it four. A player cannot then take from one of these holes that they have captured. Therefore, the player cannot begin a turn from their own captured hole nor can they continue sowing from it if their last counter falls into it. If the last counter of a sowing falls into an opponent's captured hole, one of those counters are removed from the board and placed in the store, and the sowing continues with the contents of any of the player's holes. Ownership of a hole continues even if it becomes empty. When a player cannot move (i.e., there are no counters in their holes except any that are in captured holes), the opponent continues to move until the player is able to move. Play continues until all counters are either placed in the store or in captured holes and thus cannot be moved. Players then count their pieces by p[lacing four in each hole, and the player who has more than their original number takes ownership of one of the opponent's holes for every four counters more than the original number that have been taken. If no player took four more than the original, the player with three extra gets the hole, if each player has two extra they draw lots to see who gets an extra hole. Play then begins again as before. The game ends when one player owns all of the counters, and thus all of the holes. If toward then end of the game, when a player has been reduced to a single hole and it is captured by the opponent, the opponent captures the four counters involved in the capture. The hole remains in the possession of its owner, and is able to utilise any pieces falling into that hole on subsequent turns, but may also capture from this hole as though the hole had been captured by the opponent.
Content "This game played by Qala Ab is based on two rows of holes, with four balls or counters per hole, and is strikingly similar to the gabata of central Ethiopia...The game would begin by one of the players picking up the entire contents of any of his holes, known in Bilén as bét, literally "house." Moving always in an anti-clockwise direction he would then drop these balls one by one in the following holes, his own or his opponent's, and, on dropping the last counter he held in his hand, would pick up the contents of the hole in which it fell. He would continue in this manner, dropping and taking up balls, until he reached an empty hole. There he would stop, and it would be the other player's turn to play. The two players, moving alternately and invariably in an an anti-clockwise direction, would continue in this way, known in Bilén as ekwarna, literally "a child is born to me." Such a capture would be effected by dropping the last ball in any hand into an enemy hole containing three balls which would thus be increased to four. A player could not take from his own ekwarna with the result that balls would tend to accumulate in such holes. A player dropping the last counter of any hand into one of his own captured holes might say lagadi yekura in Bilén, literally "grow up, my child!", or sata waleya in Tigré, literally, "drink, my child!" When, on the other hand, a player alighted with the last ball of his hand on an ekwarna captured by his opponent he would take, or "eat," one of the counters in that hole, and put it, together with the ball effecting this capture, aside as his takings, usually by placing them in a larger hole at the end of the board. He would then continue with his move by picking up the contents of any of his holes, and moving them in the normal way. The process of capturing from an ekwarna is known as qunna in Bilén or bela'e in Tigré. A player's ownership of an ekwarna continued even if it became empty. Thus balls subsequently entering such a hole belonged to the player who captured it, while his opponent on dropping the last counter of any hand there would put this counter aside as his takings. A player left without counters in any of his holes other than those captures as ekwarna would be unable to move. In such case his opponent would effect one or more additional moves, but the incapacitated player would resume play if and when balls came into any of his free holes. The round would finally come to an end when all the counters were captured either by being put aside or accumulated in ekwarna. The players would then count out their total earnings by placing them back in their holes, four counters per hole. A player who had captured more than his original number of counters would gain one hole from his enemy for every four balls he captured. Should a player have won three extra counters his opponent, who had one extra counter, was obliged to cede to the player with three who thus acquired an additional hole. If, on the other hand, the two players were each left at the end of the round with two extra balls they would draw lots to decide to whom they should belong and who in consequence should gain the hole at issue. The game, often after a series of rounds, would eventually end with one of the players gaining a monopoly of all the balls and hence of all twelve holes....Towards the end of the game when a player had been reduced to the ownership of only a single hole which was then captured as ekwarna by his opponent the latter was obliged to put aside as his takings the four counters involved in the capture. The hole in question was thus left in the possession of its former owner who would be able to utilise all counters subsequently falling there and would moreover be entitled to "eat" from that hole, as would have been the case earlier in the game with any other ekwarna." Panhurst 1971: 167-168.
Confidence 100
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1169
Type Ethnography
Game Gabata (Shoa I)
Location Shoa Gojam Begemder
Date 1977-01-01 - 1977-12-31
Rules 2x6 board Four counters in each hole. Players draw lots to see who goes first. Players pick up the counters in any of the holes in their row and sow them in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last counter falls into a hole that is occupied, the player picks up the contents of this hole and continues to sow. When the last counter falls into an empty hole, the play ends. Capturing occurs when the last counter falls into a hole on the opponent's side of the board containing three counters, increasing it to four. This hole then belongs to the player who captured it. A player cannot pick up counters from this hole, and the opponent can only do so if the last counter of their sowing falls there, in which case the opponent takes one counter from it, along with the final counter. The captured hole remains in the ownership of the person who captured it. If it remains empty and the opponent drops their last counter into this hole, the last counter is removed. Play then continues by picking up the contents of another hole and continuing to sow. If a player cannot move, they pass, but the opponent may continue to make moves. The player could then resume play if the opponent's moves create a possibility for a move. Play ends when there are no more counters available to move. Each player owns the counters in their captured holes or which they have removed from the board. A second round is played, each player placing four counters into each hole starting from the rightmost hole in their row. The player with more counters gains a hole from their opponent for every four extra balls they've captured. If an opponent has three extra after counting in such a way, they also gain a hole, but not if there are one or two extra. Play continues in several rounds like this until one player takes all the counters.
Content Full discussion of rules and history in Pankhurst 1971: 174-176.
Confidence 100
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1170
Type Ethnography
Game Gabata (Shoa I)
Location 13°47'3.77"N, 39°36'19.25"E
Date 1977-01-01 - 1977-12-31
Rules 2x6 board Four counters in each hole. Players draw lots to see who goes first. Players pick up the counters in any of the holes in their row and sow them in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last counter falls into a hole that is occupied, the player picks up the contents of this hole and continues to sow. When the last counter falls into an empty hole, the play ends. Capturing occurs when the last counter falls into a hole on the opponent's side of the board containing three counters, increasing it to four. This hole then belongs to the player who captured it. A player cannot pick up counters from this hole, and the opponent can only do so if the last counter of their sowing falls there, in which case the opponent takes one counter from it, along with the final counter. The captured hole remains in the ownership of the person who captured it. If it remains empty and the opponent drops their last counter into this hole, the last counter is removed. Play then continues by picking up the contents of another hole and continuing to sow. If a player cannot move, they pass, but the opponent may continue to make moves. The player could then resume play if the opponent's moves create a possibility for a move. Play ends when there are no more counters available to move. Each player owns the counters in their captured holes or which they have removed from the board. A second round is played, each player placing four counters into each hole starting from the rightmost hole in their row. The player with more counters gains a hole from their opponent for every four extra balls they've captured. If an opponent has three extra after counting in such a way, they also gain a hole, but not if there are one or two extra. Play continues in several rounds like this until one player takes all the counters.
Content "Two types of game are played in the Wuqro area as reported by Baraki Gabru, another student of the Baeda Maryam School. Both games are played on two rows of six holes...while the other employs four as is more customary further in the south...Gabata II. This game is played on two rows of six holes with four balls per hole, and was based on the capture of a weg and therefore identical to Game 20 as described for Central Ethiopia." Pankhurst 1971: 173.
Confidence 100
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1171
Type Ethnography
Game ||Hus (Damara)
Location Namibia
Date 1916-01-01 - 1916-04-19
Rules 4x8-12 holes.Play begins with two counters in the outer row of each players' holes and two counter in each of the four holes on the right hand side of both players' inner row of holes. Play begins with a stylized move. Player picks up contents of any hole containing two or more counters and sows them anti-clockwise. If the final counter of the sowing falls into an empty hole, the turn is over. If the last counter falls into an occupied hole, sowing continues by picking up the counters in that hole and continuing in the same direction. If the last counter falls into an occupied hole in the player's inner row, and the opponent's two holes opposite it are occupied, these are captured and sowing continues using these counters beginning at the next hole after the one which caused the capture. Play ends when one player cannot move; i.e. when they have only single counters in holes or all their counters have been captured.
Content "The game of ||Hus or Otjitoto". The game of ||Hus (holes) is played under that name by the [Nama] and Berg Damaras of South-West Africa, and under the name Otjitoto (also meaning holes) by the Hereros or Cattle Damaras. The Berg Damaras and Hereros are said to have learned the game from the [Nama]. The writer has heard it stated that the same game is played by the Ovambos inhabiting the extreme northern portion of South-West Africa, but has not succeeded in obtaining any definite information on this
point. The rules of ||Hus are briefly described by Leonhard Schultze in his
admirable work Aus Namaland und Kalahari, but so far as the writer is aware no detailed account of the game has hitherto been published. It is played in four parallel rows of holes made in the ground or scooped out of sand, there being an even number of holes in each row. When only two players participate it is not customary to have more than twelve holes in a row, but when there are two or more players on each side, as is frequently the case, there may be twenty-four or more holes in a row. The players squat or kneel on opposite sides of the board facing one another. At the beginning of a game each player places two pieces—small stones, seeds, or fragments of dried dung—in each of the holes of his outer row, and the same number in each of the holes in the right half of his inner row as shown in Fig. 1, I.
The object of the game is to capture all the pieces of one’s adversary or to put him ill a position in which he is no longer able to move any of his pieces. The moves are made alternately. The mode of progression consists in each of the players in turn taking up the contents of any of the holes on his side of the hoard, in which there are two or more pieces, and distributing these one at a time in a counter-clockwise direction in the succeeding holes of the same row. If the last of the pieces thus taken up and distributed by one of the players is dropped into an empty hole, his move comes to an end and his opponent plays. If, on the other hand, it is dropped into an occupied hole, one of two things happens:
(a) If the hole in question is in his inner row and has opposite it in the inner row of his opponent an occupied hole he is entitled to capture ( ||am) the pieces in this hole, together with those in the corresponding hole of his opponent’s outer row; the “men” thus captured being distributed one at a time in the succeeding holes of his inner row.t Thus in Fig. 1, III 1, for example, the player Q has just finished a move by dropping a “last man” in hole c—7. As this hole was occupied—it now contains three( pieces—
and the hole b—7 in P’s inner row is also occupied, he is entitled to capture the single piece in b—7 and the two pieces in a—7. He does so, the appropriation being represented by a black rectangle, and drops the captured pieces one at a time into c—6, c—.5 and c—4 (Fig. 1, III 2) where his move comes to an end. (b) If the hole in his opponent’s inner row, opposite to the one in which his last piece was dropped, is not occupied; or if the last of the pieces he took up is dropped into one of the holes in his outer row contain ing one or more pieces, he has to continue his move by taking up all the pieces in the hole in question, including the one that he dropped, and distributing them as before. A number of instances of this occur in the game described on the following pages.
Under no circumstances may a move be inaugurated from a hole containing a single piece. When, therefore, a player has only one piece in each of his occupied holes, he can no longer move and loses the game. ||Hus differs in this respect from all the games to lie subsequently dealt with." Wagner 1918: 49-50.
Confidence 100
Source Wagner, P. 1918. "A Contribution to out Knowledge of the National Game of Skill of Africa." Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 6: 47-68., Wagner, P. 1918. "A Contribution to out Knowledge of the National Game of Skill of Africa." Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 6: 47-68.
Id DLP.Evidence.1172
Type Ethnography
Game Bagh Guti
Location 25°12'35.98"N, 80°55'11.08"E
Date 1906-01-01 - 1906-12-31
Rules 5x5 board, played on intersections, with lines forming a diamond shape connecting the midpoints of the edges of the board. One player plays with two tiger pieces, placed on the midpoints of two opposite sides. The other player plays with twenty goats, divided into four stacks of five, placed on the next adjacent spot to the tigers on the diamond. The goats move first. Goats may move one at a time to any adjacent vacant spot. The tiger may move in the same manner, but also may capture a piece by hopping over it. Multiple captures can be made on the same turn with subsequent hops, but only the top goat in a stack is captured when a tiger leaps over it. The goal of the goats is to surround the tigers so they cannot move; the goal of the tigers is to capture all the goats.
Content "Bagh ugtti. Yet another variant is that known as "Bagh Gutti." It is played by two players on a board of 25 spaces, arranged as in the annexed diagram. (Fig. 6.) On A and B are placed two large piecesm, usually of kankar or tiles. These are called bagh ("tigers"). The other player has 20 smaller pieces. These he places, five on each of the spaces numbered (1), (2), (3), and (4). his object is to surrounf the "baghs" as to prevent them from moving in any direction: while their object is to capture all his "men." The player with the 20 "men" has the first move. he takes one piece from any of the four heaps and moves it on to any contiguous space in the same rank, file or diagonal. He may move one space at a time in any direction, provided that the space to which he moves is vacant. The bagh then moves. He may move one space at a time in any direction, and captures, as in draughts, by leaping over the peice to be captured. He can, however, only take one "man" at each leap, no matter how many men there may be on the space over which he leaps. He may capture any number of "men" in succession." Humphries 1906: 123-124.
Confidence 100
Source Humphries, E. de M. 1906. Notes on "Pachesi" and similar games, as played in the Karwi Subdivision, United Provinces. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 2(4): 117–127.
Id DLP.Evidence.1173
Type Artifact
Game 12-Ring
Location 35° 4'55.05"N, 25°48'39.89"E
Date 2800-01-01BCE - 2300-12-31BCE
Rules Twelve spaces arranged in a circle.
Content 12-Ring graffiti from the West Court at the Vasiliki palace. 12 holes arranged in a circle. HIllbom number 163. Hillbom 2011: 171.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public, Communal
Source Hillbom, N. 2011. Minoan Games and Game Boards: an Archaeological Investigation of Game-Related Material from Bronze Age Crete. Saarbrucken: Dr. Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.1174
Type Artifact
Game 33 Circles
Location 29°34'22.95"N, 31°13'27.73"E
Date 1350-01-01BCE - 1186-12-31BCE
Rules 3x11 board, third square in central row marked.
Content 33 Circles board found in Tomb260 at Lisht. 3x11 board that is obscured by a Senet pattern incised over it. The third space in the central row is marked with an X. Metropolitan Museum of Art MMA 15.3.603. Hayes 1959: 404; Pusch 1979: 306; Piccione 1990: 428-429.
Confidence 100
Source Hayes, W.C. 1959. The Scepter of Egypt. Volume 2. New York.
, Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
, Pusch, E. 1979. Das Senet-Brettspiel im Alten Ägypten. Munich: Deutsche Kunstverlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.1175
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Acedrex de los Cuatros Tiempos
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 checkered board, with large diagonals drawn on the inner square 4x4 spaces. Four players, seated, from top left, anti-clockwise: red, black, white, green.Each player has four pawns, a knight, a bishop, a rook, and a king. The kings begin in the corner space, with the knight to the adjacent square in the row with the king, the rook in the square in the column adjacent to the king, and the fil in the remaining 2x2 square in the corner. the pawns are placed on the orthogonally adjacent squares to this formation. Pieces move as follows: King: One square in any direction. Knight: As a knight in Chess. Rook: Orthogonally any number of spaces. Fil: moves diagonally two spaces, jumping over any piece in the intervening square. Pawns: move forward along the direction of their nearest edge, but capture diagonally forward. Upon reaching the opposite edge of the board, pawns are immediately promoted to Fers, which moves diagonally one space in any direction. Pieces are taken by moving onto a space occupied by an enemy piece. Kings cannot be in check, if a king is checkmated that player loses. Each player makes an opening bet. Any time a player loses a piece or their king is placed in check, they must pay into the pot. When a player's king is checkmated, they must pay into the pot for their remaining pieces. Each player may capture only the pieces of the player to their right. As players are eliminated, the targeted player is change accordingly.
Content "Here begins another chess that was made after the four seasons of the year, which the ancient wise men divined...How the four-seasons board is made and how many colours the pieces are and how they are arranged on it
This board should be made in this way: square with eight spaces per side for a total of sixty-four. It is to have four lines in the shape of an “x” that goes from the second [inside corner] square [b2, b7, g2, or g7] and goes to the second [inside corner] square diagonally across. The other line does the same. The one that goes through white squares is to be black and the one that goes through black, white in order to divide between the types of pieces. And these lines that cut through the squares mark the direction in which the pawns are to move first – those to the right move to the right and likewise for those to the left. They capture forward and diagonally as pawns should capture.
And these pieces are thirty-two in total and are to be set up in the four corners of the board. Each arrangement is to have eight pieces that are a king, a rook, a knight, a fil, and four pawns. All pieces are to move wherever they want according to their movements in the other chess that is more common.
And this is their arrangement: the kings are placed in the corner most squares on the board. The rook is next to the king, the knight is on the other, and the fil in front of him. Two pawns face one side of the board and the other two face the other. In this chess there is no fers until one of the pawns is promoted.
And there are four kings and four men each with his pieces of his colour are to play on it.
And the colours are these four that we have said correspond to the seasons. Spring’s pieces are green; summer’s are red; autumn’s black, and winter’s white.
On how they are to begin to play with these pieces.
The player with the green pieces is to play first and he should move towards his right, towards the other player who has the red pieces. This is like spring moving towards summer. He who has the red pieces should also play towards the other player who has the white pieces at the same time defending himself from green. The one with the black pieces is to play also towards his right, against the player who has the white (The ms. says black in error. Black, whose move is being described, cannot play towards himself. However, it is interesting to note that the two words used for black are different. In the first chapter, the “Libro del acedrex”, the word used for black is always prieto whether describing the black pieces or the black squares on the board. In this fifth chapter of four-player games the word used to refer to the black chess pieces is always negro while the black squares are described with prieto. In four-player tables the word used for black’s pieces is once again prieto. In the seventh and final chapter on astrological games, the word used for Saturn’s black piece is negro in both the chess and the tables.) guarding always from attack from the player with the red pieces. He who has the white pieces should do the same, guarding against attack from black. After [the first move] each player may move according to his will.
And thus in playing these four players take from one another like the seasons of the year which also take from one another.
And each of these four players should make an opening wager. Thereafter for each piece that a player loses he should pay an amount as well as for each check given to a king.
And when a player is checkmated he pays the victor an amount for as many pieces as he has on the board and then removes his pieces. Of the three players that remain thereafter, the first to be defeated leaves on the board as much as he has won and an amount for each of his pieces that remain when he is checkmated. Of the two remaining players, the one who wins takes all the money on the board plus the loser gives him an amount for each of his remaining pieces.
And this is what the board and pieces look like as well as their arrangement, painted here." Golladay n.d.: f. 87-89
Confidence 100
Social status Elite, Nobility
Spaces Inside
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1176
Type Ethnography
Game Sáxun
Location Aleutian Islands
Date 1909-01-01 - 1910-12-31
Rules 8x8 checkered board. The pieces move as follows: Álix' ("old man"), x1: moves one space orthogonally or diagonally; Férsix ("fers"), x1: moves any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Lúdkax ("boat"), x2: moves orthogonally any number of spaces; Slúnax ("elephant"), x2: moves diagonally any number of spaces; Kúnax ("horse"), x2: moves like a Chess knight; Layakúcan ("little boys"), x8: move forward one space, capture diagonally forward. Captures are made when a piece moves onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. A player's Álix' is checked when it can be taken by the opponent on their next turn, and this possibility must be removed before the opponent plays. If a player's Álix' is checkmated, the opponent wins.
Content "Chess was without doubt adopted by the Aleut from the Russians. This is shown by the Russian names of the figures. Queen—férsix', Russian, fers (adopted from the Persian). Bishop—slúnax', Russian slon (elephant). KNight—kúnax', Russian kon' (horse). Castle—lúdkax', Russian, ladya or lodka (boat). The chess-board is called pislinicax, from Russian pesechnaya. Some of the names were given, however, by the Aleut as follows: The King (Russian korol) is called álix'—old man. The pawn (Russian pyeshka) is called layakúcan—little boys (plural from layakucax'). The chess figures in general are called sáxun, but this word may be derived from the Russian shakhmaty—chess game. The placement of the figures in the beginning of play is quite different from ours, as shown in figure 24. Perhaps professional chess players might understand the placement. The movements of figures are the same as with us, but they play with such speed that it was difficult for me to follow their moves. When I tried to play with them they found me a poor partner, as I ponder too much. The chess-board was put on the earth-floor of the hut and the players and bystanders were in a squatting position or lying on their bellies. In spite of the speed with which they played there occurred hot discussions over the regularity of some moves, after which one of the players stopped the game and indignantly abandoned his partner." Jochelson 1933: 65-66.
Confidence 100
Source Jochelson, W. 1933. History, Ethnography, and Anthropology of the Aleut. Washington: Carnegie Institution.
Id DLP.Evidence.1177
Type Ethnography
Game Andada
Location 15° 6'26.82"N, 37°35'26.68"E
Date 1977-01-01 - 1977-12-31
Rules 2x12, 15, 18, 21, or 24 board. Two counters per hole. Typically played by a team of players, who consult each other about the moves to be made. Sowing occurs most commonly in an anti-clockwise direction, but can be played clockwise if the players agree. Play begins with one player picking up the counters in one of the holes in in their row and sowing them, then picking up the counters in the hole following the one in which the last counter was sown, and continuing to sow in this way until there is a pattern of holes with three counters alternating with empty holes. The players then decide who gets to play first. Players sow counters from a hole in their row in the agreed-upon direction. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. When the last counter falls into an empty hole, the sowing ends. If the sowing ends in the player's own row, any counters in the opponent's hole opposite are captured. Once both players are reduced to only single counters in their holes, when a player reaches the end of their row with a counter, it is captured instead of continuing to sow it to the opponent's rows. The player who is the last in possession of counters wins.
Content "This game (Game 10), spoken of in Kunama as andada is based on two long rows each of from twelve to no less than twenty-four holes—a length of row unknown elsewhere in Ethiopia, but almost equalled by the 20-hole rows used in some games of Nigeria—with two balls per hole, and is mainly played by elders. More than two players often play in which case each side would be apportioned equally into two, three, or four portions, one for each player. The game would then become a contest between two groups of players, each of which would consult among itself how best to move, who on any side actually moved the counters being largely a matter as to who was nearest to the balls on the move. The game can be played by agreement either in an anti-clockwise or, less common, in a clockwise direction, the very possibility of clockwise play being itself unusual in the Ethiopian region. Play begins with an opening gambit whereby a player starting anywhere on his row would pick up two counters and drop them into the next two holes after which he would take up the next pair of balls and proceed in this way, thereby redistributing all the balls into a 3, 0, 3, 0 patter which would develop exactly provided the number of holes per row was twelve or other multiple of three. On the completion of this gambit the players would decide by agreement who should begin the game proper, this decision being once more unusual among Ethiopian board games in having apparently no relation to the question as to whom effected the pre-play gambit. The first player to move would pick up the entire contents of any of his holes and then drop the counters one by one in the following holes. If the last ball fell on an occupied hole he would, as in most Ethiopian board games, pick up its contents and continue to distribute them one by one, proceeding in this manner until he alighted on an empty hole whereupon he would stop. If this happened in one of his own holes he would take and put aside the contents, if any, of his opponent's opposite hole, whereupon the move came to an end. The players would thus move alternately, each attempting, especially towards the end of the game, to fill the hole towards the rear of his line of play and to empty the corresponding holes of his opponent. As soon as both sides were reduced to the possession of only single balls the game enteres its final and untypical phase, during which a player reaching the end of his row with any ball would put it with his takings instead of moving across on to his opponent's side, the player remaining last in possession of one or more counters being the winner of the game." Pankhurst 1971: 170.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1178
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Að Elta Stelpur
Location Iceland
Date 1888-01-01 - 1892-12-31
Rules Played on a standard Backgammon board. 6 pieces per player. Pieces begin the game, one on each point on the left half of the player's side of the board. Pieces move in an anti-clockwise direction for both players. Two six-sided die are rolled. When a 6 is rolled, the player moves two pieces six places. Is this is on the player's first turn it must be the two pieces furthest to the left. If a 1 is rolled, the player moves one piece one spot. If doubles are rolled, the player moves twice the normal roll, and plays again. When one player is reduced to a single piece, it moves only to a consecutive corner space with the roll of each 1, or two corner spaces with the roll of each 6, doubling still applies. The first player to capture all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Að elta stelpu. Tafl þetta eer lika leikið i kotruborði. Tveir tefla. Annar hefir til umraða 6 hvitar töflur en hinn 6 svartar, og er þeim skipað eins og i ofanfellingartafli nema her stendur að eins ein a hverjum reit. Her er lika kastað um það hvor eigi að byrja, og er það sa, sem fær hærri augnatölu i einu kasti. Hann kastar nu. Ef hann fær upp sex, þa flytur hann tvær yztu töfflurnar fram fyrir hinar til vinstri, og eins ef hann fær samvörp, nema tolfin, þvi þeim fylgir rettur til aæ flytja fjorar. Auk þess ma hann kasta aptur eptir öll onyt. Þvi næst kastar hinn, og fer alt a sömu laið, og svo koll af kolli. Þegar fremsta tafla annarshvors er komin ut a endann a taflhelmingnum, þa flytur hann öptustu töflu(r) sina(r) yfir þvert taflborðið, a næsta reit i hinum taflhemingnum, eptir þvi sem köstin segja til. Ef töflur annarshvors standa t. d. a reitunum g-l i vinstra kotru-taflborðinu (sja myndina bls. 309) og hann fær sex og as, þa flytur hann töflurnar af g, h og i a 1. 2 og 3 o. s. frv. Svona eltir hvor annan. Þegar töflur annars standa a reitum þeim sem hinn þarf að flytja töflur sina a, þa drepur hann þær. Ef töflur annars standa t. d. a 1-6, en töflur hins a 7ö12 sa fyrri fær tolfin, þa flytur hann töflurnar af 1ö4 a 7ö10, en trkur töflur motstöðumannsins a burt, og eru þær ur sögunni. Þegar annarhvor a að eins eina töflu eptir, breytir hun um gang sinn. Hun geingur að eins i hornin og er kölluð hornaskella. Eh hornaskella stendur t. d. a 4, sa sem hefir rað yfir henni fær sex og as, þa leikur hann henni a 6, 7 og 12. Það segir sig sjalft, að hornaskellan drepur að eins töflur þær, sem standa i hornunum. Ekki ,a heldur drepa hana ef hun stendur a milli taflna þeirra, sem motstoðumaðurinn styrir. Ef annar hefir t. d. töflur a 5, 6 og 7, en hinn hornaskellu a 1, og sa seinni fær as, þa leikur hann henni a sex, og drepur töflu þa sem stoð þar um leið. Ef hinn fær nu lika as, þa verður hann að leika töflunni af 5a 8 o. s. frv. Aptur er hornaskelleamn rettdræp, þegar hun stendur fyrir framan töflur motstöðumannsins. Seinast getur farið svo, að baðir hafio mist allar töflur sinar nema hornaskellurnar, og verður þa opt langur eltingaleikur með þeim, þangad til önnur getur drepið hina. Við það endar taflið. J. Ol. nefnir að elta stelpur, og er það alt og sumt sem eg hefi seð um tafl þetta, nema hornaskella er nefnd i Norðanfara. Þess er getið i annaler for nordisk Oldkyndighed. að viss tafla i vissu islenzku teningatafli se köllud nornaskækja. Eg þekki ekki nafnið, en þykir liklegast að her se att við hornaskellu. Hallgr. Pet. minnist a tafl þetta i taflvisu sinni. Pall Bjarnarson segir mer, að þar sem hann þekki til, se teflt um einhverja nafngreinda stulku, og sitji sa uppi með hana, sem geti drepið allar töflur hins. Af þessu er nafnið eflaust dregið." Arnasson and Daviðsson 1888-1892: 316-317.
Confidence 100
Source Arnarson, J and O. Daviðsson. 1888-1892. Islenzkar Gatur, Skemantir, Vikivakar og Þulur. Copenhagen: S. L. Möllers.
Id DLP.Evidence.1179
Type Contemporary text
Game Arb'ata 'Ashara
Location 33°30'40.06"N, 36°18'12.21"E
Date 1263-01-22 - 1328-09-06
Rules Game named "arb'ata 'ashara.
Content From ibn Taymiyyah's Qa'ida fi'l-li'b bi'sh-shatranj (Ms. Constantinople, Omoumi 1001, p. 7), as reported by Murray: "a game called arb'ata 'ashara, e.g. by b. Taimiya (died 1328) in his Qa'ida fi'l li'b bi-sh-shatranj...without any explanation of what the game of 'fourteen' was." Murray 1951: 205.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1180
Type Ethnography
Game Aringari
Location Fur
Date 1880-01-01 - 1880-12-31
Rules Unknown number of players. Holes are arranged in a circle, with five stores in the center-one for each player, arranged in a cross shape. Each player begins with a predetermined number of counters. They take turns sowing them around the circle. When a hole contains the given number of stones, the player who placed a counter in it captures these. The player with the most stones places these in the central store, and each of the other players forfeits one stone to them. The four players who have the next largest number place them in the four other stores. The winner gives each of these players one stone from their store. These five players then play against each other, the winner of this round being the winner.
Content "Another game. for boys is played as follows:—A large number of holes are made in the ground in a circle, in the middle of which there is a large hole with four other holes round it. The players are provided with a number of small stones, and they move round the outer circle in turns, dropping a stone into each hole, but taking one up whenever an equal number is found. The boy who has the most stones then puts them into the hole in the centre of the ring, and each of the other players forfeits a stone to him. The four boys who have the next largest number of stones place them in the four holes round the central one, and the best player gives them each a stone. Then the five most successful players play against each other until one remains a victor. he has to stand up in the middle and sing, turning round as if on a pivot, while the other boys dance round the outer circle of holes. This game is called arigari." Felkin 1885: 255-256.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Male
Source Felkin, R. 1885. "Notes on the For Tribe of Central Africa." Proceedings of the Royal Academy of Edinburgh 13:205-265.
Id DLP.Evidence.1181
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 36°57'41.04"N, 30°51'14.60"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content XII Scripta board from Pergamon. three rows of twelve squares, divided in half by leaf motifs arranges in circles. Bean 1968: 33-34.
Confidence 100
Source Bean, G. 1968. Turkey's Southern Shore.London: John Murray.
Id DLP.Evidence.1182
Type Ethnography
Game Unnee Tugalluulax
Location Mongolia
Date 1974-01-01 - 1974-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Six counters in each hole Sowing occurs from any of the holes in the player's row. If the final counter lands in a holes in the player's row containing three counters, four with the addition of the final counter, these are captured.
Content "Unee tugaluulax (faire veler les vaches) a) matériel: le tablier (xölög) comporte deux rangées de trous et 36 pions (xorgol, litt. "crotte"), soit six pions par trou. Tablier fabriqué. Pions: on trouve aussi des crottes de chameau. b)règles de fonctionnement: joueur X, A, B, C; joueur Y, a, b, c. Chacun des joueurs peut jouer son coup à partir de n'importe quelle case de son camp. Pour effectuer une prise, le joueur doit trouver dans l'un des trous de son camp, après que l'adversaire ait fini de jouer, un pion et accumuler dans cette même case quatre pions en trois passages successifs. La logique de cette op´´ration se justifie et s'explique par les termes qui désignent les ´´tapes de l'accumulation des pions pour la prise: 1 pion (crotte) = singleton: ünee, vache. 2 crottes = couple: bux ünee xojor, vache et taureau. 3 crottes: ünee delegnene, vache dont le pis est gonflé (prête à véler) 4 crottes: ünee tugalsan, vache ayant vélé (la mère et son petit) Ces quatre étapes d'accumulation de pions dénotent les quatre phases de la génération: la vache en rut, puis l'accouplement, puis la grossesse avancée, puis enfin la maternité. Lorsque la case dans laquelle s'effectue la prise (4e phase), la matrice, contient plus de quatre crottes, le joueur n'a le droit d'enlever que "la vache qui a vélé." Popova 1974: 17.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1183
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj at-Tamma
Location 34°10'2.08"N, 43°53'59.89"E
Date 0847-01-01 - 0862-12-31
Rules 10x10 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Fers (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rukh (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2x Dabbaba: move one space orthogonally or diagonally.2 x Pil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Pil. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 10 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Sarbaz begins in the third rankPromoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank, only if the Fers has been captured. Otherwise, the other player captures it. No castling. Stalemate results in win for player causing it. The player who checkmates the king wins.
Content Kitab an-nuzhat f'ish-shatranj ("Delight of the Intelligent in the Known Chess") by Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Ibrahim al-Hakim. Contains excerpts from al-Adli's Kitab ash-Shatranj, describing Shatranj at-Tamma. Gives the pieces, board, and their movements. al-Adli is known to have played in the court of Abbasid Caliph Mutawakkil. de Somogyi 1959: 434; Murray 1913:169, 341-342.
Confidence 100
Social status Nobility
Genders Male
Source de Somogyi, J. 1959. " The Arabic Chess Manuscripts in the Johbn Rylands Library." Bulletin of the John Rylands Library 41(2): 430-455., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1184
Type Ethnography
Game Awangdu
Location 6°29'36.46"N, 2°36'14.93"E; 6°30'54.12"N, 3°21'57.71"E
Date 1951-04-01 - 1951-04-30
Rules 5x12 board, played on the intersections of lines. Twelve pieces per player, arranged along the side of twelve closest to the player. Pieces move along a boustrophedon track, one player starting from left to right in their starting row and the other from right to left in their starting row. Moves are determined by the throw of six cowries: one mouth up = 1, two mouth up = 2, three mouths up = 3, four mouths up = 4, five mouths up = 1 (0 and 6 mouths up are not specified, but are between 10 and 20 and the move can be split to make captures). A player must roll 1 or (0 or 6) to begin. When a piece moves to a spot occupied by an opponent's piece, it is captured. The goal of the game is to reduce the other player to one or two pieces.
Content "4.10.6. Dahomey: Awa(ng)du (K.C. Murray, who watched fishermen from near Porto Novo, Dahomey, who were playing at Lagos in April 1951). Played on the points of a board of 4x11 cells, giving five rows of twelve points on which the men are placed and moved, the throws of six cowries giving the moves. Four people play, two throwing the cowries and two moving the men. Each side has twelve men which are arranged one on each point of the side's back row. Moves are given by the throws of the cowries: six backs up is called opoto; six backs down is ogo; all but one up or down is siki, counting 1; two backs up and four down is ano, counting 4; three up and three down is akrosan, counting 3; four up and two down is aviatu, counting 2. The values of ogo and opoto were not noted, but apparently were between 10 and 20 and could be divided to effect a number of captures in a turn of play. A throw of siki, ogo, or opoto is necessary to begin the game. One side moves left ot right along its back and odd rows, the other side right to left along its back and odd rows, so that both sides move in the same direction along the inner rows. If a throw brings a man to a point occupied by an opponent, the latter is taken. The game is won when one side is reduced to one or two men." Murray 1951: 97.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1185
Type Ethnography
Game Awari
Location Ndyuka
Date 1932-01-01 - 1932-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. The hole from which sowing begins must remain empty throughout the player's turn. Captures are made when the last counter of a sowing fall into the opponent's row in a hole containing one or two counters (thus making two or three), capturing all of the counters in that hole. A continuous series of holes holding two or three counters behind it are also captured, provided the player's sowing caused them to contain this number. If a player has no counters in their holes, the opponent must play to place seeds in their row, if possible. The game ends when players have holes with only empty and single counters. The player who captured the most counters wins.
Content "The other form of the Djuka game is called "langa-holo," and is the same, with a few changes here and there, as the form of the game found in most of the West Indies. This version resembled the Saramacca type of adji more than the lontu-holo, since in this each player occupies the holes along the length of the board nearest him, and each plays his seeds about the entire board. It nis also similar in that it is a game of capture, and the player who, at the end of a game, has more than half the seeds, wins. The same red and black adji-bean that is used by the Saramacca people is also used by the Djukas...However, with the points of resemblance mentioned, similarity to the Saramacca form of the game ends. The game is played with four seeds to a cup, and the player who "breaks tge holes" plays out of any cup on his side of the board, leaving no seeds in the one that has been played, and going in counter-clockwise direction about the board as far as the seeds he has taken in a given move permit. Thus, if player X start with cup "E," then he places one seed each in "D," "C," "B," and "A"; if player Y on the next move "breaks his holes" by playing from "e," he place one each in "f," "F," "E," and "D." Once a cup has been emptied for play, it must remain empty during the entire move, and this is important, later in the game, when a very full cup is being emptied, for in such a case, should it contain more than 12 seeds, it must be skipped in play. Thus player X, distributing 13 seeds from cup "C" would end in "A" rather than "B." If a player ends his play in an enemy cup containing one or two seeds (making a two or three) he captures these seeds and those in any continuous series of cups holding either two or three seeds, provided that he himself has filled them to the proper number. Capture can only be effected on the enemy's side of the board, so that to end on one's own side is not advantageous to a player, except where there are considerations of strategy to be taken into account. The game being of one capture, a player may find himself without any seeds to move. In this case, his opponent moves until he reaches the enemy row, when both resume play...the game is then over, and the contents of the two reserve cups are counted, the winner being the one who has the majority" Herskovits 1932: 28-30.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Spaces Ritual
Genders Female, Male
Source Herskovits, M. J. 1932. 'Wari in the New World.' The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 62: 23–37.
Id DLP.Evidence.1186
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Awithlaknakwe
Location Zuni
Date 1893-01-01 - 1893-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, with a line of six extra squares centered on each side. Diagonals in every square. Pieces are played on the intersections of lines. Played with two or four players; with four players, the top and left players play against the bottom and right players. Six pieces per player, with one larger piece. Each player's six pieces begin on the central intersection of the extra spaces. Pieces move one spot at a time diagonally. When a player surrounds an opponent's piece on two opposite sides, this piece is captured. The piece is then replaced by the larger piece, which may move diagonally or orthogonally. Pieces may not move backward.When all of the players' remaining pieces reach the starting squares of the opponent, the player with the most captured pieces wins.
Content "Zuñi. Zuñi, New Mexico...for the game of awithlaknakwe, or stone warriors,and twenty-six pieces, or men, consisting of disks made from shards of pottery, used in the game. The disks are in two sets, twelve plain and twelve perforated, with a hole in the center...In addition, there are two pieces, one plain and one perforated, somewhat larger than the others. These implements were made in 1893 by M. Frank Hamilton Cushing who furnished the following account of the game: Played by two or four persons upon a square board, each intersected by diagonal lines. At the opening of the game each player places six men in the center of the six squares at his side of the board. The latter usually consists of a slab of stone pecked with the diagram. The men consist of disks of pottery about 1 inch in diameter, made from broken vessels, those upon one side being distinguished by being perforated with a small hole, while those on the other side are plain. The object of the game is to cross over and take the opponent's place, capturing as many men as possible by the way. The moves are made one square at a time along the diagonal lines, the pieces being placed at the points of intersection. When a player gets one of his opponent's pieces between two of his own, it may be taken, and the first piece thus captured may be replaced by a seventh man, call the Priest of the Bow, which may move both on the diagonal lines and on those at right angles. A piece may not be moved backward. When four persons play, those on the north and west play against those on the south and east." Culin 1907: 799.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1187
Type Ethnography
Game Bày Khòm
Location Cambodia
Date 1940-01-01 - 1945-12-31
Rules 2x4 board with two stores on either end, the store on a player's right belonging to them. Four counters per hole, five in each store. Players sow in the direction of their choosing from one of the holes in their row, not from the stores, on each turn, sowing also into the stores. If the next hole has counters, these are picked up and sowing continues with these counters. When this next hole is empty, the counters in the next hole after that are captured and the turn ends. If there are a series of alternating empty holes and holes with counters, the counters in these holes are captured until two empty or full holes are reached. When the point of the game is reached that play cannot continue, the players claim the counters in their holes, and a new game begins. The players refill their holes, beginning with their store, which receives five counters, and four in each other. Holes are only filled with exactly four counters, any extra are set aside. If a player cannot fill any of their holes with counters, these holes are eliminated from play. Play continues in this way until one player captures all of the counters or the other player cannot fill any holes.
Content "Le Bày Khòm. ...On creuse dans le sol dix trous d'environ dix centimètres de diamètre, disposés en ovale. Cinq trous représentent un pays (srok). À l'extremité de l'ovale se trouve une "tête du pays", kbal srok ou kbal camuon, le second terme étant une dénomination administrative d'origine siamoise. Les trous, appelés aussi "maisons", forment donc deux arc opposés On dispose quatre coquillages dans chaque trou, sauf dans les "têtes" qui en ont cinq. A prend les quatre coquilles de l'une des cases de son "pays" et les distribue les trous suivants, que se soit dans le sens de l'aiguille d'une montre ou inversement. Il vide, par exemple, le tour no. 1 et me une coquille dans les trous 2, 3, 4 et 5 qui ont maintenant chacun cinq pions, sauf la "tête" qui en a six. Il vide alors le trou suivant (no. 6) et dépose, toujours dans le sens choisi, une coquille dans chaque creux; 7, 8 et 9 ont maintenant cinq unités; 10, qui est une "tête", en a si. Le trou suivant, no. 1, est vide: A "mange" le trou qui suit encore (no. 2). c'est-à-dire qu'il s'en approprie les coquillages. C'est au tour de B de jouer: il peut commencer par n'importe quelle case de son "pays," et choisir la direction de marche. Si la dernière coquille est placée dans un creux précédant toute une série de trous vide séparés de trous pleins, il "mange" la série. Si, par exemple, l'un des joueurs a vidé sa poignée en 9, et que les cases 10, 2, 4 sont vides, il s'appropriera les coquilles des cases 1, 3 5. Par contre, si le joueur finit sa poignée devant deux cases vides qui se succèdent, il doit passer le tour à son adversaire. Lorsqu'on "mange" plusieurs trous dont l'un contient un seul tandis que es autres ont plusieurs unités, on dit qu'on "mange la mère et les enfants", si mé kón. Il arrive un moment où, étant donné le nombre de pièces, il est impossible de continuer. On recommence une nouvelle série en remplissant les cases de son propre "pays" avec les coquilles gagnés. Si l'un des joueurs n'a plus assez de jetons pour remplir toutes ses cases, il devra d'abord garnir la "tête" de son "pays" et les cases vides seront éliminées du jeu. Si, par exemple, B n'a que quinze coquilles, il devra en mettre cinq dans le no. 10 et remplir deux autre cases, 6 et 7 par exemple, laissant de côté deux jetons inutiles; les creux 8 et 9 ne compteront pas. Comme il ne peut commencer un tour que par les cases do son "pays", moins il aura des cases, plus il sera désavantagé. Lorsqu'à la fin d'une série des coquilles n'ont pas été "mangées", elles appartiennent au possesseur du "pays." Le vainqueur est celui qui a "mangé" toutes les coquilles." Porée-Maspero 1962: 65-66.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female
Source Porée-Maspero, E. 1962. Étude sur les rites agraires des cambodgiens. Tome I. Paris: Mouton & Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1188
Type Ethnography
Game Béchi
Location 15° 6'26.82"N, 37°35'26.68"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x4/2x3 board. Six counters per hole. Sowing occurs in a clockwise direction from the left half of a player's row, and anti-clockwise when played from the player's right half of the row, player's choice when there is a central hole. The first seed of sowing is placed in the hole from which the sowing began. When the final counter of a sowing falls into an occupied hole, and it now contains an even number of counters, these are captured, provided the contents of that hole have already been moved. Should the following hole also contain an even number of counters, these are also captured, as well as the next one, until there is a hole with an odd number of counters. If a player cannot move, they must pass until the opponent plays in such a way that they may play. If neither player is able to move, they both capture the counters in their rows. Players then count their counters by placing them six per hols. The player who has more counters than necessary to fill their holes places them aside for use in successive rounds. The player who is unable to fill a hole with six counters leaves it empty, also placing the extra counters aside for later use. This hole is not to be sown into. The player chooses which hole to leave empty. The player may place captured counters in this hole, and if the opponent sows into it, the player may immediately capture the sown counter. Otherwise, play proceeds as normal. Players alternate being the starting player, and subsequent rounds continue until one player cannot fill a hole with six counters.
Content "This game, known as béchi...The Kunama game is based on two rows each of four or sometimes three holes with six balls per hole, and is generally played by boys and youths. One of several unusual features of the game is that play is clockwise when a move is begun from one set of holes and anti-clockwise when begun from another. Thus when played with four holes per row each of the two players would move in a clockwise direction when starting a move from one of his two left-hand holes, and in an anti-clockwise direction when starting from one of his two right-hand holes, the result being that at the beginning of any move each player would be advancing in the direction opposite to that followed by his opponent when starting from one or other of the opposite holes. The same principles apply when the game is played on a three-hole board, except that a player starting from his central hole would each time be free to choose in which direction he wished to proceed. Other unusual features of the game consist in the fact that players do not take up the entire contents of any of their holes, but always leave one ball behind, and that on dropping the last counter in his hand into an occupied hole the players move comes to an end without him picking up its contents for further distribution as in the case of most Ethiopian board games...They could thus under no circumstances pick up a single ball. Captures were effected in an unusual manner in so far as a player could capture balls on either row not only on his opponent's as is more generally the case. A player would effect a capture if he dropped the last ball in his hand into a hole, either on his own side or his opponent's, provided (a) the contents of that hole had already been moved and (b) the hole in consequence of his move contained an even number of balls...Should the immediately following hole or holes also contain even groups of balls, the player would capture them too, irrespective of the actual number of balls, provided only that it has an even number. On effecting any capture, either from one or more holes, the player's move ended. A player unable to move for lack of any group of two or more holes on his side would wait until his opponent's play once again created such a situation in which case he would resume play. When, however, neither player could move the round would come to an end, each player appropriating the counters, if any, remaining on his side. The players would then count out their counters six by six into the holes on their respective sides. A player having captured more balls than were necessary to fill his holes would place such counters aside for possible use in a later round, while a player unable to fill all his holes completely would leave the residue empty, and, if left with one or more extra balls would likewise put them aside for later use. The player thus unable to fill all his holes completely would be free to choose which too leave empty, and could indeed often fill holes on both halves of his row, thus enabling him to move in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction...Players were not allowed to drop counters into a hole which had thus been left empty at the beginning of a round. Any such hole was known by onomatopoeia as shuda ita or hole containing which one said shu, and a player with such a hole or holes on his row might place his takings in one or more of them to confuse his opponent, for if the latter dropped a ball there he forfeited it to the owner of the hole unless he removed it before the latter had the chance to say shu...The players could, however, make a prior agreement not to adopt any such tricks. The players would start each round of the game alternately, and play would continue until one of the players was left with insufficient balls with which to fill a hole; I.e. until he had less than six counters. His opponent, now victorious, would then probably say "toma natuka," literally "I put fire to all your houses." Townshend 1971: 169-170.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1189
Type Ethnography
Game Bul
Location 16°42'9.90"N, 88°25'24.33"W
Date 1993-01-01 - 1994-12-31
Rules Six or more players (even number), played on two teams. The games Aj Sayil, Aj T'iwil, Aj Sina'anil, Aj Sakakil, and A K'aak'il are played in succession.
Content Detailed account of Bul as played by Mopan and K'ekchi' farmers in Santa Cruz, Belize and the games that are played during it as an essential part of the "vigil of the maize." Verbeeck 1998.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Ritual
Genders Male
Source Verbeeck, L. 1998. "Bul: A Patolli Game in Maya Lowland." Board Games Studies 1: 82-100., Verbeeck, L. 1998. "Bul: A Patolli Game in Maya Lowland." Board Games Studies 1: 82-100.
Id DLP.Evidence.1190
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj ar-Rumiya
Location 33°19'16.16"N, 44°25'5.05"E
Date 1140-01-01 - 1140-12-31
Rules Circular board. Empty central circle, with four concentric rows of spaces, sixteen spaces per circle. Pieces are as follows: Rukh (x2), placed on two adjacent squares in the outer circle, move any number of spaces orthogonally; Asb (x2), placed in the two spaces adjacent to the Rukh in the next circle, move as Chess knights; Pil (x2): Placed in the two spaces adjacent to the Asb in the next circle in, move two spaces diagonally, jumping over the first space; Fres (x1): placed on the inner circle adjacent to the left Pil, moves one space diagonally; Shah (x1), placed to the right of the Fers, moves one space in any direction, Baidaq (x8), placed in each space flanking the other pieces, those on the left move clockwise, those on the right anti-clockwise, one space forward or one space diagonally to capture. No en passant, no promotion. When two Baidaq meet and neither can move, the opponent captures them. The opponent who can checkmate the opponent's Shah wins.
Content Text from Manuscript 560 'Abd al-Hamid I library, Istanbul. Written by Abu Ishaq Ibrahim bin al-Mubarak bin 'Ali al-Mudhahhab al Baghdadi in 1140. "This is the Byzantine Chess which Siwar al-Harrani gave to Dhu'l Yaminain Tahir b. al-Husain b. Mus'ab, when he resided in Mesopotamia. We see that its properties, the number of its squares, and its form resemble the Indian chess, except that the Indian Baidaq can queen because it has a limit, while the Byzantine Baidaq cannot queen because it has no limit. The squares of the Byzantine Rukh exceed those os the Indian Rukh, and the squares of the Indian Faras exceed those of the Byzantine Faras. The Indian game is longer than the Byzantine, and there is no difference between them except that the Indian plan is square and the Byzantine round. The Byzantine Fils are concordant while the Indian are not. It is agreed that the Byzantine game is more modern than the Indian: the original, as people agree, is the Indian. It is a rule that when 2 Baidaqs of one species meet, the player of the other species takes them for nothing." Murray 1913: 342-343.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1191
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj ar-Rumiya
Location 36°28'0.92"N, 52°21'4.04"E
Date 1352-01-01 - 1352-12-31
Rules Circular board. Empty central circle, with four concentric rows of spaces, sixteen spaces per circle. Four citadels in the center of the circle. Pieces are as follows: Rukh (x2), placed on two adjacent squares in the inner circle, move any number of spaces orthogonally; Asb (x2), placed in the two spaces adjacent to the Rukh in the next circle, move as Chess knights; Pil (x2): Placed in the two spaces adjacent to the Asb in the next circle out, move two spaces diagonally, jumping over the first space; Fres (x1): placed on the outer circle adjacent to the left Pil, moves one space diagonally; Shah (x1), placed to the right of the Fers, moves one space in any direction, Baidaq (x8), placed in each space flanking the other pieces, those on the left move clockwise, those on the right anti-clockwise, one space forward or one space diagonally to capture. No en passant, no promotion. When two Baidaq meet and neither can move, the opponent captures them. The opponent who can checkmate the opponent's Shah wins. If a player can move their Shah into one of the citadels, the game is a draw.
Content From Nafa'is al-funun ft 'ard'is al-'uyun ("Treasury of the sciences" by Muhammad ibn Mahmoud al-Amuli. "Most MSS. of [al-Amuli] reverse the arrangement of the earlier MSS entirely, placing the Shahs and Firzans on the outer ring, and also continue the diagonals bounding the quadrants in which the men are placed right across the central space, thus creating four additional squares, which al-Amuli calls husun, or citadels. If a player can play his Shah to one of these squares he cannot lose the game." Murray 1913: 342.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1193
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Chaupar
Location 27°10'36.25"N, 78° 0'27.72"E
Date 1590-01-01 - 1590-12-31
Rules Four 3x8 rectangles arranged in a cross with a large empty square in the center. Two teams of two players, or by two players playing with two sets of pieces. The pieces move along the outer track of the board according to the throw of three four-sided dice with values of 1, 2, 5 and 6. Each player has four pieces, which begin on the sixth and seventh space of the central row and the seventh and eight space in the right hand row of the arm of the board belonging to the player. If a piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent, the opponent's piece is sent back to the starting position. If two of a player's pieces are on the same space, they cannot be sent to the beginning. In addition, if the player rolls doubles when there are two pieces on the same spot, both pieces may be moved together a distance equaling twice the value of the roll that is doubled. When three pieces are on the same spaces, if triple sixes are thrown the pieces may move twelve spaces together. The same rule applies for threes and twos, moving six and four, respectively. If a one, five, and six are thrown, Certain marked squares indicate spaces where pieces are safe from being sent back. After completing a circuit of the board, the pieces then move into the central row of squares in the arm where the player began. The player must then move off all of their pieces by an exact roll. If a player has removed all of their pieces from the board and their partner is still playing, the player rolls on what would be their turn and the partner moves according to these rolls in addition to their own turn. The player or team to remove all of their pieces from the board first wins.
Content "The game of Chaupar. From time of old, the people of Hindustán have been fond of this game. It is played with sixteen pieces of the same shape; but every four of them must have the same colour. The pieces all move in the same direction. The players use three dice. Four of the six side of each dice are greater than the remaining two, the four long sides being marked with one, two, five, and six dots respectively. The players draw two sets of two parallel lines, of which one set bisects the other at right angles. These parallel lines are of equal length. The small square which is formed by the intersection of the two sets in the centre of the figure is left as it is; but the four rectangles adjoining the sides of the square are each divided into twenty-four equal spaces in three rows, each of eight equal spaces, as shown in figure (XVII). The game is generally played by four players, of which he puts two against the other two. Each player has four pieces, of which he puts two in the sixth and seventh spaces of the middle row of the parallelogram before him, and the other two in the seventh and eighth spaces of the right row. The left row remains empty. Each player moves his pieces, according to his throw, in the outer row, always keeping to the right, till he arrives at the outer left row of the parallelogram from which he started; and from there he moves to the middle row. When arrived at the latter place, he is puktah (ripe), and from here, he must throw for each of his pieces the exact number which will carry them to the empty square in the centre of the figure. he is now rasidah, or arrived. When a player is puktah or rasidah, he may commence to play from the beginning, which leads to amusing combinations. As long as a player keeps two of his pieces together, the adversary cannot throw them out. If a player throws a double six, he can move two pieces over twelve spaces, provided the two pieces stand together on one field; but he is allowed to move them only six fields onwards, should he prefer doing so. A similar rule holds for double fives, &c. A throw consisting of six, a five, and a one, is called khim (raw); and in this case, two pieces, provided they are together on the same field, may each be moved six fields forwards, and every single piece twelve fields,. If a player throws three sixes, and three of his four pieces happen to stand on one field, he may move each of them over twelve fields. A similar rule holds, if a player throws three twos, or three ones. There are many other rules for particular cases. If a player has brought his four pieces into the central square, he throws, when his turn comes, for his companion, to get him out too." Abu' Fazl 1590: 303-304.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Abu'l Fazl. 1590. Ain-i-Akbari. Trans. H. Blochman. (1878). Calcutta: Baptist Mission Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1194
Type Ethnography
Game Dam
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 12x12 checkered board. Thirty pieces per player, placed on the white spaces in the first three ranks on each player's side. Pieces move diagonally forward or backward. The opponent's pieces are captured by hopping over them. Multiple hops by one piece are allowed in one turn if they are possible. When they reach the opposite edge of the board from where they started, the become Kings. Kings may move diagonally any number of spaces. It may capture a piece any distance from it along a diagonal, as long as the next space beyond the piece to be captured is empty. It may not hop over any pieces which belong to the same player. Multiple captures for the King can only be made along the same diagonal, except when it makes a capture that brings it to the edge of the board, it can make another capture along the next available diagonal, if possible. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content " Dam, Draughts: or literally "The Net." This game, which is known in India also, is closely allied to Polish Draughts. The pieces move in the squares instead of going along the lines. It requires two players, who have a rectangular board of 144 squares, twelve beign on each side, alternately coloured red (or black) and white. Each player has thirty pieces called Itta (pl.Itto), which are placed on the white squares at each end of the board, as in Draughts, that is, in six out of each row of twelve squares, thus leaving only the two central rows vacant. The Itto move only diagonally, and capture or "chop" the opposing pieces by jumping over them, and taking several consecutively if possible. They can move backwards as well as forwards from the beginning, thus having the powers of Kings in the ordinary English game. Excepting when capturing the opposing Itto, the ordinary pieces move to the distance of only one square at a time. Every Itta which succeeds in reaching the last square on the opponent's side of the board is doubled, and is termed a "King." With this increase in rank it acquires additional powers, and it may proceed to the end of each diagonal at one move, if the end square be empty and the way be open, or to any intermediate square, as in Polish Draughts, jumping over and capturing any opponent's pieces on the way if there be any in suitable positions on that diagonal. If cannot pass over Itto or Kings of its own side, and only over opposing ones if the next square to them be empty. If any of the opponent's pieces be captured on this diagonal and the king can enter the end square, it may continue its course in the same manner, as part of the same move, to the end or to an intermediate square of the second diagonal, at a right angle from the last one, and so on over a third or more. To be permitted to do this, however, it must capture one or more pieces on each diagonal passed over, and there must always be an empty square for it to enter in the diagonal. If the King take no pieces whether Itto or Kings, on the first diagonal, he cannot proceed further than its end at one move. He has the option of remaining at any empty intermediate square before reaching the end of a diagonal. All pieces must jump over every opposing piece which they capture; they cannot stop in its square, or jump over it unless the next square be empty. In other respects the play is the same as in English Draughts, the game being won by the player who captures all the pieces of his opponent." Parker 1909: 584-585.
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.1195
Type Ethnography
Game Chukaray
Location Bolivian Gran Chaco
Date 1908-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules Twenty-three spaces are arranged in a line: the outer space on each side and the central space are a circular holes, the intervening spaces are vertically-oriented trenches. a stick is laid in each trench, and a stick is stuck into the ground in each end hole, one belonging to each player. They move their sticks toward the opposite end of the track and then back, according to the throw of four stick dice, with one flat and one convex side. The values of the throws are as follows: 4 convex sides up = 4, 3=0, 2=1, 1=0, 0=2.Players continue to throw and move until obtaining a result of 0. When the player passes the central hole, they remove the sticks from the trenches in which they land. If the player lands in the central hole, and throws a 0 on their next throw, they must then return to the space nearest to their home still containing a stick. If the player lands on the same place as the opponent, the opponent is sent back to the space nearest their home which still has a stick in it, thus eliminating this stick. The goal is to eliminate all of the sticks from the opponent's side of the board and then to land on the same space as the opponent's playing stick. If both players are in the end stage and trying to land on each other, and a player lands in the central space and then throws a 0, the game is a draw.
Content "Ice will hier beschreiben, wie es bei den Chané gespielt wird. Die Zahl der Spielhölzer ist stets vier, die eine Seite derselben ist stets konvex, die andere konkav oder flach. Am Spiele beteiligen sich zwei, vier, sechs oder acht Mann. Ein Unbeteiligter ist in der Regel Marqueur. Ich gebe hier eine Partie für Zwei wieder. Man macht 23 Löcher in die Erde, 1 un 23 heissen "ó" und sind die Häuser der beiden Gegepspieler. In diese werden beim Anfang des Spieles zwei spitze Stäbchen gesteckt. In 2-11 und 12-22 werden kleine Halme "ápo" gelegt. 12 ist leer und heisst ö=Fluss. A beginnt bei 1 und B bei 23. Sie Spielenden nehmen je zwei SPielhölzer in die rechte und linke Hand und schlagen sie so gegeneinander, dass sie aud die Erde fallen. Fängt A an und wirft z. B. 2, so steckt er das Stäbchen in 3, wirft er 1 dazu in 4 usw. A setzt so lange fort, bis er einmal 0 wirft, dann beginnt B, bis auch er 0 wirft usw. Kommt A über 12 und B unter 12, so schlagen sie die Halme auf die entgegengesetzte Seite hinaus in die Löcher, in die sie kommen. Es gilt zuerst alle Halme aud der Seite der Gegner zu schlagen. Man geht immer von der einer Seite bis zur anderen und kehrt in den Häusern um. Trifft man den Markierstock des anderen, so wird dieser herausgeschlagen und muss wieder von vorn anfangen, jedoch nicht in seinem Hause, sondern auf dem nächsten Platz, wo noch ein Halm liegt. Dieser wird dann herausgeschlagen. Hat man alle Halme auf der Seite des Gegners herausgeschlagen, so hat man den Markierstock des anderen herauszuschlagen. Gelingt einem das, so hat man gewonnen. Kommt jemand während des Spieles auf 12, d.h. fällt er ins Wasser und kann mit dem folgende Schlage nicht aus demselben herauskommen, sondern wirft 0, so muss er bei dem Halme, der seinem Hause am nächsten steht, anfangen. Sind nur die beiden Markierstöcke übrig und "fällt" der eine "ins Wasser", so ist das Spiel untentschieden." Nordenskiöld 1910: 428-429.
Confidence 100
Source Nordenskiöld, E. 1910."Spiele und Spielsachsen im Gran Chaco und in Nordamerika." Zeitschrift für Ethnologie 42: 427-433.
Id DLP.Evidence.1206
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Chuki
Location 1°28'30.67"N, 103°45'44.52"E
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules 12x12 squares on the board, played on the intersections of the lines, except those on the edge. The central intersection holds a bowl where the dice are rolled. Three dice. One player plays as black, the other as white, sixty pieces per player. Pieces begin on the board. White pieces are placed in two 7x7x7 triangles in opposite corners, along with the four spaces orthogonally adjacent to the dice bowl. The black pieces begin on the remaining spaces. Players remove pieces according to the throws of their dice.
Content "Chuki. Board. Johore, Malay Peninsula. Chuki is a game played upon a board (papan chuki) in the form of a small table, marked with squares, ten on a side. The four squares in the center of the board are in part occupied with a small raised square (tempat mangkok, "place of bowl"), leaving one hundred and twenty points of intersection exposed, on which sixty white and sixty black men (batu, "stones") are arranged. Two persons play alternately, letting three dice fall in a bowl, which is set on the raised square in the middle, and taking off the board the pieces of the thrower, according to the casts." Culin 1898: 872-873.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1207
Type Ethnography
Game Chungani
Location 12° 2'45.35"S, 77° 2'45.90"W; 12° 3'18.64"S, 77° 7'36.35"W; 13°42'53.56"S, 76°10'54.20"W; 13°31'54.97"S, 71°58'2.31"W; 16°24'32.62"S, 71°32'12.65"W; 16°12'51.40"S, 69°27'27.49"W; 16°29'25.73"S, 68° 7'7.49"W; 17°24'50.71"S, 66° 9'55.09"W; 17°58'12.49"S, 67° 5'26.08"W; 19°34'17.34"S, 65°45'21.22"W
Date 1595-01-01 - 1653-12-31
Rules Five holes dug on a table. Played with beans. Played with dice. Players moved the beans from one space to another according to the dice. The first space is worth ten, the second twenty, the third thirty, up to fifty.
Content "Chuncara era otro juego de cinco hoyos pequeños cavados en alguna piedra llana o en table: jugábanlo con frísoles de varios colores, echando el dado, y como caía la suerte, los mudaban por sus casas hasta llegar al término; la primera casa valía diez, y las otras iban creciendo un denario hasta la quinta, que valía cincuenta." Cobo 1653: 270.
Confidence 100
Source Cobo, Bernabé. 1653. Historia del Nuevo Mundo. Madrid: P. Francisco Mateos.
Id DLP.Evidence.1208
Type Ethnography
Game Fergen Gobale
Location 6°44'29.95"N, 44°15'43.61"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board, divided in half and joined in the center with a single row of two holes. From the left, Five, five, three, three, five, and five counters in each hold of the double-row holes, four counters in the single row holes. Each player owns the row closest to them, but neither player controls the holes in the single row. Sowing begins from one of the holes in the player's row, and continues in an anti-clockwise direction. If the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues, unless the hole is in the single row, in which case the turn comes to an end. When the final counter falls in an empty hole in the player's row, the contents of the hole in the opponent's row adjacent to it are captured, along with the final counter of the sowing. However, if the hole from which the capture would be made contained three counters, these plus the final counter of the sowing are divided between the last hole of the sowing and the hole from whcih the capture would be made, i.e. two counters per each hole. The player then owns both of these holes, but cannot sow from them. The player also chooses at this point one of the holes in the single row to own, but the player still cannot begin sowing from it. Play continues until one player cannot play, and the players collect all of the counters from the holes they own. If one or both holes in the single row have not been claimed, the counters remain in them for the next round. The next round begins with the losing player filling as many holes in their row as possible, beginning from their left, according to the original starting number, including one of the central holes, if necessary. Any holes which cannot be filled to the correct starting number are eliminated from play, and the opponent matches the arrangement in their own holes that are opposite the ones the other player can fill. Any leftover counters owned by the loser of the previous round are placed one-by-one into their holes, beginning from the left. Play continues like this until one player cannot fill any holes.
Content "Fergen Gobale This game, also played by Abdul Khadir Haji Abdulahi, is said to be a relatively modern form of play developed from leyla gobale only in the last 10 or 15 years, and would appear to be unique in its irregular arrangement of holes and balls. Play is based on two double rows of holes joined by a single row of two holes in the middle, with five, three, and four balls in each hole in the following pattern. Each player, as in other games, owned one of the tow main rows, but the two central holes, unless captured in the method described below belonged to neither player. Play is fairly similar to leya gobale in as far as the opening moves are concerned. Each player would thus start somewhere on his own row by picking up the entire contents of that hole, never of course from one of the central holes which were neutral, and moving in an anti-clockwise direction, would distribute the balls in his hand into ensuing holes, picking up the contents of the hole in which his last counter dropped, unless this happened to be one of the central holes in which case his move would come to an end. On stopping in an empty hole on his own side the player would capture the contents, if any, of his opponent's opposite hole, putting it, as well as his own last counter, aside as his takings, unless the opposite hole held three balls, in which case they would be called leyla gobale and belong to the player who would then re-arrange them into two pairs of two. Having done this the player would automatically become the owner of one of the central holes, and would choose the one with the largest number of holes as his capture. Neither player could pick up balls from either leyla gobale or the central holes which would thus increase in balls as the play proceeded. Should one or both of the central holes remain uncaptured at the end of a round of play, i.e. when one of the players was no longer able to play because he was left without counters on his side, the contents of that hole or holes would be left there, thus constituting a prize for possible capture in the following round. The count down, as in leyla gobale, would be effected by the weaker player arranging his balls in his holes, in this case as far as possible in the same numerical arrangement as at the beginning of the first round or in roughly the same proportion. The stronger player would the put back exactly the same number of balls in his opposite holes. Should the weaker player be left with insufficient balls to fill all his holes, he would start filling such holes from his left, one counter to each hole, the holes to his right being accordingly closed down." Pankhurst 1971: 181.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1209
Type Contemporary text
Game Fidchell
Location 52°30'55.62"N, 7°53'22.98"W
Date 0836-01-01 - 0908-12-31
Rules Square board, lines on board, two players, black and white pieces.
Content "Fithchill, I.e. cause-sense, I.e. cause and sense (are used) in playing it. Or sinew and sense. Or fuath-cell, I.e. shape of church, I.e. the fithchill (board) is four-sided in the first place, and its rows are straight, and (there are ) black and white on it, and it is a different person who wins (?) every other time." MacWhite 1945:26; Meyer 1912: 50.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty, Clergy
Genders Male
Source MacWhite, E. 1945. "Early Irish Board Games." Eigse: A Journal of Irish Studies. 5(1): 25–35.
, Meyer, K. ed. 1912. Sanas Cormaic and Old-Irish Glossary. Dublin: Hodges, Figgis & Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1210
Type Historical text
Game Fidchell
Location Ireland
Date 836-01-01 - 1401-12-31
Rules Two players, custodial capture.
Content From the medieval Irish tale of Mac da Cherda and Cummaine Fota, from the Yellow book of Lecan: "'Good,' says Guaire, 'Let's play fidchell.' 'How are the men slain?' says Cummaine. 'Not hard, a black pair of mine about one white man of yours on the same line, disputing the approach on the far side(?).' 'My conscience indeed!' said Cummaine, 'I cannot do the other thing (?), but I shall not slay (your men), you will not slay my men.' For a whole dat Guaire was pursuing him and he could not slay one of his men. 'That is champion-like, o cleric.' said Guaire." MacWhite 1945:26-27; O'Keefe 1911: 32.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Clergy
Genders Male
Source MacWhite, E. 1945. "Early Irish Board Games." Eigse: A Journal of Irish Studies. 5(1): 25–35.
, O'Keefe, G. 1911. "Mac dá Cherda and Cummaine Foda." Ériu 5: 18-44.
Id DLP.Evidence.1211
Type Historical text
Game Fidchell
Location 53°19'34.67"N, 7°59'3.11"W
Date 836-01-01 - 1106-12-31
Rules Pieces move orthogonally any distance
Content From Serglige Con Culainn, from the Book of the Dun Cow: "Behold his chariots, they climb the valley: behold their courses, (like) men in fidchell." Moving like chariots interpreted as moving in a continuous straight course. MacWhite 1945: 27; Dillon 1953.
Confidence 100
Source Dillon, M. 1953. Serglige Con Culainn. Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies., MacWhite, E. 1945. "Early Irish Board Games." Eigse: A Journal of Irish Studies. 5(1): 25–35.
Id DLP.Evidence.1212
Type Ethnography
Game Gabata (Adegrat)
Location 14°16'41.86"N, 39°27'38.21"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Three counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole, the played picks up the counters in the next hole and continues sowing from it. If that next hole is empty, the turn ends. If the final counter falls into an empty hole, the contents of the following hole are captured. Play continues until one player can no longer play because there are no counters left on their side. The opponent then takes the remainder of the counters on the board. For the next round, each player counts out the counters they captured, placing three each of the holes in their row. For every three in excess of the amount required to fill all of the holes in a row, the player claims one hole from the opponent's row. Play continues in this fashion until one player captures all of the holes on the board.
Content "In the Adegrat area of eastern Tigré, the following games were reported by Tetemké Mahari, a student of the Baeda Maryam School. Gabata I. This game is based on two rows each of six holes with three balls per hole, and is unusual in that a player picks up balls not from the hole in which he drops his last counter, but from the following hole...The first player would start anywhere by picking up the entire contents of any of his holes and moving in an anti-clockwise direction would distribute these balls one by one into the ensuing holes, picking up the contents of the hole immediately following the one in which the last ball in his hand fell and then would proceed in this way until he arrived at an empty hole and would then capture its contents, if any, of the following hole, irrespective as to whose side it was on, after which it would be his opponent's turn to move. Play would proceed in this fashion, the two players moving alternately. The game would come to an end when one of the players could no longer move for lack of counters on his side, whereupon his opponent would appropriate those on his side. The two players would then count down their capture by placing these balls back in their holes, three by three. A player increasing the number of his counters would capture one of his opponent's holes for every three balls he gained, a player with one additional counter surrendering it to his opponent with such balls. The game would come to an end when one player thus captured the entire board." Pankhurst 1971: 172.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1213
Type Ethnography
Game Gabata (Ansaba)
Location Ansaba
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Three counters in each hole. The players begin the game simultaneously sowing first from their rightmost hole, racing to be the first one to drop the last counter of a sowing into an empty hole. This player then begins the next phase where they alternate play. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole, the contents of this hole are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands into an empty hole in the row belonging to the player, the counters in the opposite hole belonging to the opponent are captured, and the counter that triggered the capture is moved to the following hole. This could trigger the further capture of more of the opponent's counters if the hole in which the counter is placed was empty and the opponent's opposite hole contains counters. If the hole is occupied, sowing continues. If the hole is empty and the opposite hole is unoccupied or it is one of the opponent's holes, sowing ends. When one player can no longer play because the holes on their side are empty, the opponent captures the remaining counters on the board. A new round begins. The losing player places three counters in each hole, beginning on the rightmost hole. If the player has remaining counters but cannot fill their holes with three, they must distribute the remainder to fill as many of the remaining holes as possible with at least one counter. The winning player from the previous round then matches this starting configuration, keeping any surplus for use in future rounds. Play continues until one player has one or zero counters, the opponent being the winner.
Content "This game based on two rows each of sic holes, with three balls per hole was reported by three Ansaba students of the Teachers' Training Institute at Asmara, Andom Takla Maryam, Isaq Habté and Yohannes Imar. This game, though played on two rows, follows the distinctive principles of Game 1. The two players, each starting from his extreme right hand hole this begin to play simultaneously, racing each other to be the first to reach an empty hole, the first to do so being the first to move in the ensuing stage of the game during which players move alternately. Captures, again as in Game 1, are effected whenever a player alights in one of his empty holes whereupon he captures the contents of his opponent's opposite hole, the piece effecting this capture being then moved on as part of the same move, and before the other player has a chance to play...When, in fact, at the end of the round, a player is left without counters in any of his holes the remaining counters, I.e. those on the opposite row, are appropriated by the owner of that row, a practice common in fact in most types of gabata. This game is, however, unusual in its procedure for starting the next or any subsequent round. The weaker player, I.e. the one with less counters, will start to refill his holes from the right. He will as far as he can place three balls in each hole, but being unable to do so in all, may place only two counters immediately to the left of his group or groups of three, and will if at all possible put single balls in one or more of the holes on the left, the objective being to have counters, if this can be done, in every hole. The more successful player will then refill his holes with an identical number of balls as his opponent, and will arrange them in the same manner, thus keeping aside the surplus balls in his possession for future use if needed, play continuing in this manner, round after round, until one of the players succeeds in monopolising at least all but one of the balls whereupon his opponent, unable to reoccupy a hole at the end of the round would be defeated." Pankhurst 1971: 169.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1214
Type Ethnography
Game Gabata (Oromo)
Location 8°58'34.27"N, 38°45'29.98"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. Play begins with a stylised move. One player takes the four counters in their leftmost hole and places them into the next hole, moving in an anti-clockwise direction. They then take the four counters in the next hole, and place them in the following holes. This continues until the entire board has an alternation pattern of a hole with eight counters followed by one with zero counters. The player then sows beginning from the final hole with eight counters they created. When the final counter of a sowing lands in a hole with counters, the player picks up these counters and sowing continues. When the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends. At any time during the sowing a hole is made to contain four counters, they are captured by the player who is sowing, except when it is the final hole of a sowing, in which case they are picked up and sowing continues. If a player cannot play, they must pass their turn and may resume play when they are next able. When all of the counters have been captured, the player who captured the most counters wins.
Content "Gabata IX This game, based on two rows of six holes with four balls per hole, has similarities with games 23 to 26, but has a distinctive opening gambit and a somewhat different mode of capture. The game was reported by Isaac Gabra Maryam, a student of the Addis Ababa Commercial School, who say it played by a [n Oromo] woman of the Bolé area of Addis Ababa. The first player begins on his extreme left by picking up the four balls in that hole which, always moving in an anti-clockwise direction, he places in the following hole. He then moves the contents of the next hole to the one following it, and proceeds in this way round the board, thereby arranging the balls in a 0, 8, 0, 8 pattern, but, dropping the last group of four balls (on his opponent's right hole) he picks up all eight balls and distributes them one by one, picking up the contents of the hole in which he drops his last ball and then sowing these balls one by one as in the games above referred to. Captures are effected by a player whenever a group of four balls forms in any of his holes, but on dropping the last ball in his hand he does not make any capture, as in some lam waladach games, but has merely to continue distributing the balls." Pankhurst 1971: 178.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1215
Type Ethnography
Game Gabata (Shoa and Adegrat)
Location 14°16'41.86"N, 39°27'38.21"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. The game begins with a stylised move. One player takes one counter from their rightmost hole, and holds in in their hand. They then take one counter from the next hole, moving in an anti-clockwise direction, and place it in the next hole. They then take a counter from the next hole after that, and placing it in the next hole, continuing until there is an alternating pattern of a hole with five counters followed by a hole with three counters. The original hole from which the first counter was taken will have four counters. The player will then place the first counter taken into the next hole in the opponent's row, causing it to hold four counters. This creates a weg, a hole captured by that player, which is involved in capturing (see below). Players alternate making this first move in subsequent rounds. The next phase begins once this stylised move is completed. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction.If the final counter of a sowing falls into a hole containing counters, these are piced up and sowing continues. A player's turn ends when the final counter falls into an empty hole. When the final counter of a sowing falls into a hole containing three counters, it creates a weg, and the turn ends. Players cannot sow from a weg they've captured. A player may capture counters from an opponent's weg when the final counter of a sowing falls into the opponent's weg on the player's turn. The final counter and one counter in the weg are captured. The player may then take the counters from any of their holes and sow from there. If a player cannot play, they must pass their turn, but may play again if this becomes possible in a subsequent turn. Play ends when there are no possible moves left on the board. Players then capture the counters in their wegs. A new round begins. The players fill as many of their holes with four counters as they are able. The player with more counters will capture as many holes from the opponent in which they can place four or more counters. If the player has three remaining counters after holes are filled with four, the opponent would cede their one remaining counter to the opponent to make four and the player captures one further hole. If there are two remaining, the players draw lots to determine which player owns the remaining hole. The player who played second in the previous round begins the new round with the same stylized move, and play continues as before after that. Play continues until one player owns no holes; the opponent wins.
Content "In the Adegrat area of eastern Tigré the following games were reported by Tetemké Mahari, a student of the Baeda Maryam School...Gabata II This game, which is basically similar to Games 5 and 6, is based on two rows each of six holes, with four balls per hole, is identical to Game 21 played in Central Ethiopia, to which the reader is referred. The special feature of this game which, as we shall see, is today perhaps the most widely diffused throughout the central provinces of Ethiopia, lies in the opening gambit whereby the first player to move would pick up and hold in his palm one of the balls in his extreme right hole, then, moving always in an anti-clockwise direction, he would pick up one ball from his opponent's opposite hole and place it in the next hole, and would proceed in this manner round the board, rearranging the counters in a 3, 5, 3, 5 pattern, until on reaching his opponent's right hand hole he would drop into it the ball in his hand, thereby increasing the contents of that hole from three to four balls. By this act he effected a capture, referred to in Tigrinya as wege'e whereupon his move would come to an end it would be his opponent's turn to play." Pankhurst 1971: 172-173.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1216
Type Ethnography
Game Gabata (Shoa and Adegrat)
Location Shoa Gojam Begemder
Location 9°18'0.36"N, 42° 7'26.51"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. The game begins with a stylised move. One player takes one counter from their rightmost hole, and holds in in their hand. They then take one counter from the next hole, moving in an anti-clockwise direction, and place it in the next hole. They then take a counter from the next hole after that, and placing it in the next hole, continuing until there is an alternating pattern of a hole with five counters followed by a hole with three counters. The original hole from which the first counter was taken will have four counters. The player will then place the first counter taken into the next hole in the opponent's row, causing it to hold four counters. This creates a weg, a hole captured by that player, which is involved in capturing (see below). Players alternate making this first move in subsequent rounds. The next phase begins once this stylised move is completed. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction.If the final counter of a sowing falls into a hole containing counters, these are piced up and sowing continues. A player's turn ends when the final counter falls into an empty hole. When the final counter of a sowing falls into a hole containing three counters, it creates a weg, and the turn ends. Players cannot sow from a weg they've captured. A player may capture counters from an opponent's weg when the final counter of a sowing falls into the opponent's weg on the player's turn. The final counter and one counter in the weg are captured. The player may then take the counters from any of their holes and sow from there. If a player cannot play, they must pass their turn, but may play again if this becomes possible in a subsequent turn. Play ends when there are no possible moves left on the board. Players then capture the counters in their wegs. A new round begins. The players fill as many of their holes with four counters as they are able. The player with more counters will capture as many holes from the opponent in which they can place four or more counters. If the player has three remaining counters after holes are filled with four, the opponent would cede their one remaining counter to the opponent to make four and the player captures one further hole. If there are two remaining, the players draw lots to determine which player owns the remaining hole. The player who played second in the previous round begins the new round with the same stylized move, and play continues as before after that. Play continues until one player owns no holes; the opponent wins.
Content "Gabata II...merely a variant of gabata I based on the addition of a single though by no means unimportant opening gambit...After four balls have been placed in each of the holes, as in Game 20 the player begins operations in an entirely different manner. Thus instead of picking up the entire contents of any of his holes he takes only one counter, preferably from the hole on his extreme right. Then...he places this ball in his palm, and, moving in an anti-clockwise direction, he takes up a ball from his opponent's immediately opposing hole, and places it in the adjacent hole, continuing in this way-so that the contents of each hole alternate between three and five balls-until he reaches the last of his opponent's holes into which he places the counter he had originally palmed, thereby making a weg by increasing its contents from three to four balls. The first player in this game thus automatically captures a weg in his first round, doing so moreover in the location which, as we have seen, was the best possible one for such a capture. This victory, however, makes little difference to the final outcome of the game, for the players usually take turns every round as to whom should play first. After this initial gambit it is the second player's turn to move, and the game proceeds in exactly the same manner as in Game 20." Pankhurst 1971: 176-177.
Confidence 100
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1217
Type Ethnography
Game Gabata (Wuqro)
Location 13°47'3.77"N, 39°36'19.25"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Three counters in each hole. Play begins with a stylized move. One player takes all of the counters from their leftmost hole, and proceeding in an anti-clockwise direction, takes all of the counters from the holes in their row. They then begin sowing these counters into the opponent's row, proceeding around the board in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the turn ends. The main phase of the game begins, in which sowing continues in the same manner, but the player may begin their turn from any hole in their row. At the end of sowing, any holes containing four counters are captured by the owner of the row in which the hole is located, unless it is the hole in which the final counter fell, in which case the player captures them and the turn ends. If at the end of the game there are not sufficient counters to cause a hole to contain four, the players decide how the counters are allocated, and a new round begins. The players fill as many of their holes with four counters as they are able. The player with more counters will capture as many holes from the opponent in which they can place four or more counters. If the player has three remaining counters after holes are filled with four, the opponent would cede their one remaining counter to the opponent to make four and the player captures one further hole. If there are two remaining, the players draw lots to determine which player owns the remaining hole. The player who played second in the previous round begins the new round with the same stylized move, and play continues as before after that. Play continues until one player owns no holes; the opponent wins.
Content "This game is played on two rows of six holes, with three balls per hole, an dhas obvious similarities with Game 7 and other lam waladach styles of play. The first player begins preferably on the extreme left of his row by picking up the entire contents of the hole; and, moving in an anti-clockwise manner, would proceed to take up the entire contents of his row which he then distributes in the following holes, picking up the contents of the hole in which his last counter fell, and proceeding in this manner and round the board until he reaches an empty hole whereupon he would stop. Thereafter the players could move from any of their holes by picking up its contents and distributing it in ensuing holes, taking up balls from the hole in which the last counter in their hand fell and stopping on an empty hole. All groups of four balls formed in this way, after the opening gambit, would belong to the owner of the row in which they were, unless they were made by the last ball in a player's hand in which case they belonged to that player. In this game, inlike many variants of it, a player effecting the later type of capture thereby ended his move, it then being his opponent's turn to move. When, towards the end of the game, there were insufficient balls to form a group of four the remaining counters would be allocated by agreement between the players. The captured counters would then be counted down into the board, three by three, the more successful player, as in other games of this type, capturing holes from his opponent, one hole for eery three balls gained." Pankhurst 1971: 173.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1218
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Grand Trictrac
Location 48°51'15.96"N, 2°20'54.79"E
Date 1766-01-01 - 1766-12-31
Rules The game is played on a board with twelve points on either side. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left).Each player has fifteen pieces, which all beginning on the first point of their track. Two dice are used. Players move according to the points on each particular die; they may move one piece according to the sum of the dice, or two separate pieces each using the value on one die. The maximum number of pieces per point is two, except for the starting point. Placing pieces on the twelfth point of a player's side is only allowed when it can be achieved by two pieces on the same dice roll. A player's pieces only actually move on the player's half of the board; points are awarded for any hypothetical move that would move a player's pieces along the imagined track onto the opponent's side of the board that would land on a point with a lone opposing piece (a "hit"). The player then moves pieces on their side of the board that are able to move. If the hypothetical hit is in the opponents' nearest half of the board according to the track, the player scores two points, four points if it was achieved by rolling doubles. If the hit is in the further half of the opponent's side of the board, the player scores four or six if made by doubles. There are other ways of scoring points. If a player can place a piece on each of the first six points after the starting point after their first three rows, they score four points. The player is nor required to move the pieces to this position on the third throw. If a roll brings two pieces to the sixth and seventh points before the opponent takes their twelfth point, and these are the only two pieces which have moved from the starting point, the player scores four points, or six points if the roll was doubles. In this same scenario there the opponent has moved two pieces to the twelfth point, the opponent is awarded these points. If the player has moved only two pieces from the starting position, both are on the twelfth point, the opponent has not moved their pieces to their twelfth point, and the player rolls a one, they score four points, six points if double ones are rolled. If this occurs and the opponent has occupied their twelfth points, the opponent scores the points. Players play until one scores twelve points. The winner may choose to return to the starting position or continue to play in the same configuration. However, if the winning score is achieved by the opponent's throw, the game continues in the current position. When a player chooses to continue in the current position, they may keep any points in excess of the twelve required to win, but the opponent loses any accumulated points. The first player to win twelve games wins. If a player scores twelve points in a row (i.e., twelve unanswered points), it counts as winning two games.
Content Treatise on Grand Trictrac by Bernard-Laurent Soumille, including turn-by-turn analysis of play. Soumille 1766.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Female, Male
Source Soumille, B.-L. 1766. Le Grand Trictracou methode facile pour apprendre sans maitre. Paris: P. F. Giffart.
Id DLP.Evidence.1219
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Grande Acedrex
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 12x12 checkered board. Each player begins with 24 pieces with special moves: King (x1): Moves one space orthogonally or diagonally or may jump over one space forward orthogonally or diagonally on its first move; Aanca (x2): Moves diagonally one and one space orthogonally in the same direction, and may continue moving in that same direction any distance; Crocodile (x2): moves diagonally any distance; Giraffe (x2): moves two spaces diagonally and then one orthogonally in the same direction, jumping over any intervening pieces; Rhinoceros (x2): moves diagonally one space and then one orthogonally in the same directions, jumping over any intervening pieces, and then may continue along the diagonal in the same direction; Lion (x2); jumps orthogonally three spaces away. Rook (x2): moves any distance orthogonally; Pawns (12): move forward orthogonally one pace or diagonally one space to capture. When they reach the opposite edge of the board, they are promoted to the piece which began in that space. If this is the King's space, it is promoted to Aanca. The opening position is for white: Rook, Lion, Rhinoceros, Giraffe, Crocodile, Aanca, King, Crocodile, Giraffe, Rhinoceros, Lion, Rook. This is mirrored for black so that the kings face each other. The pawns begin on the fourth row. Pieces are captured when a piece lands on a space occupied by the opposing player. The goal is to checkmnate the King. When the King can be captured on the opponent's next turn, it is in check. The player must remove the King from check on their next turn. If the King cannot move out of check, it is checkmated and the opponent wins.
Content "Here begins the game of great chess that was made in India...just as the common chessboard is 8x8 squares, this one is 12x12. As the other chess has 16 pieces of each colour for 32 total, this one has 24 for each side for a total of 48. Because there is a king who is head and lord of his whole army, he leaps like the fers to any square two steps forward on its file or the diagonals on which it stands, even if the intermediate squares are occupied, or moves to any adjoining square on the file, rank, or diagonal(s) on which he stands. He captures, is shielded and is safe from check unless there is another piece in between. Next to him is a bird greater than all other birds...it is called aanca...like the fers it makes one step of one single square to any adjoining square on the file or rank of that square, maintaining its movement in the same direction away from its starting square...to the right of the king is the crocodile...It moves to any square on the diagonal(s) on which it stands...The giraffe...leaps to any vacant square three steps on the diagonals on which it stands so that when it begins on a black square it moves to a white one...The rhinoceros...move consists of two steps. First, like leaps like a knight. It may remain on that square if it wishes or may also continue to any square on the diagonal(s) of that square, maintaining its movement in a forward direction from that square. The lion...leaps to any square three steps away on its file or on its rank. The rook is like the ranks of soldiers and it plays like the rook in the other chess. The pawns...play as we described before. When a pawn is promoted in this chess it then moves like the piece in whose square it was promoted. If it is promoted in the king's square, it becomes another aanca. Pawns are set up on the fourth rank...Because this great chess is very slow and long to play, we, King Alfonso, ordered dice to be made to speed its play and which show their hierarchy by the pips on the dice. on the first side there are eight pips, on the next seven, and so on down to one. And because the king is more important his is the 8, the aanca the 7, the rhinoceros the 6, the rook is 5, the lion is 4, the crocodile is 3, the giraffe is 2, the pawn is 1..." Libro de los Juegos 81-83, translation from Golladay n.d.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1220
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj al-Kabir
Location 41° 0'41.52"N, 28°58'58.84"E
Date 1609-01-01 - 1657-12-31
Rules 11x10 board, with a twelfth space on the right of the second row of eleven on each side. Each player starts with the following pieces, with their specialized moves: Shah (x1): moves orthogonally or diagonally one space; Wazir (x1): moves one space orthogonally; Firzan (x1) moves one space diagonally; Dabbaba (x2): jumps orthogonally to the third space; Tali'as (x2): moves diagonally two or more spaces; Jamal (x2): jumps diagonally one space then two orthogonally in the same direction; Zurafa (x2): moves diagonally one space then orthogonally three or more spaces; Pil (x2) jumps two spaces diagonally; Asb (x2): jumps one space diagonally and one space orthogonally in the same direction; Rukh(x2): moves any number of spaces orthogonally; Baidaq (x10); move orthogonally forward one space or diagonally forward one space to capture. Each pawn is assigned to one of the piece types and promotes to that piece; Baidaq al-Bayadiq (x1) moves like a Baidaq, but does not promote immediately when it reaches the opposite edge. Instead, it waits there, immune to capture, until a situation arises where two of the opponent's pieces could theoretically be taken by a pawn. The Baidaq al-Bayadiq is then moved to that spot, any piece (including the player's own) being moved from that spot, and then the capture being made on the next turn. It then proceeds as before, and if it is to be promoted again, it becomes a Shah's Baidaq, and is replaced on the appropriate starting position. If it is promoted a third time, it becomes Shah Masnu'a, and the original Shah's Baidaq becomes Shahzada, and both move like the Shah. If the Shah can be taken on the next turn, it is in Check and must not be in Check at the beginning of the next turn. If a Shah is not in Check but no legal moves are available, it is a Stalemate and the opponent wins. If the Shah is in Check and it is impossible to escape, Checkmate occurs and the opponent wins. Once per game, a player may swap a Shah which is in Check or Stalemate with another of the player's pieces. If the player can place the Shah in the extra space on the opponent's side of the board, the game is a draw. The Shah cannot enter the extra space if the opponent's Shah Masnu's occupies it.
Content Discussion and diagram of Shatranj Kamil in MS 211 of the Royal Asiatic Society, probably written by Hajji Khalifa. Murray 1913: 177, 344-345.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1221
Type Contemporary text
Game Shatranj al-Kabir
Location 39°39'12.42"N, 66°57'33.25"E
Date 1370-01-01 - 1405-12-31
Content Shatranj al-Kabir mentioned in Ahmad bin Arabshah's 'Aja'ib al-Maqdur fi nawa'ib Timur, with diagrams and describing it as Timur's favorite game. Murray 1913: 344.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Genders Male
Id DLP.Evidence.1222
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj al-Kabir
Location 36°28'0.92"N, 52°21'4.04"E
Date 1352-01-01 - 1352-12-31
Content From Nafa'is al-funun ft 'ard'is al-'uyun ("Treasury of the sciences" by Muhammad ibn Mahmoud al-Amuli. Murray 1913: 344-345.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Nobility
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1223
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Hindustani Chess
Location 25°19'3.52"N, 82°58'26.09"E
Date 1885-01-01 - 1885-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, marked as in Chaturanga. Pieces move according to specialized moves, as follows: Pawns (x8): can move one space forward; Elephant(or Chariot or Boat) (x2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Elephant (x2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Horse (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Vizier (x1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Raja (x1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally, but can also move like the horse on its first move, if it has not yet been checked. The pieces are arranged as in Chess, except the Vizier is place to the left of the Raja on both sides. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. When a Pawn reaches the opposite edge of the board from where it started, it may be promoted to the more powerful piece that begins the game in that position, but only if one of these belonging to the player has already been captured. If this has not happened, the pawn cannot move to the final row. When a player can capture the opponent's Raja on the next turn, the Raja is in Check, the opponent's next move must free the Raja from Check. If the opponent cannot, it is Checkmate and the player wins. If a player captures all of the opponent's pieces aside from the Raja and Pawns, it is declared a half-win, or Burd. When both players are left with only a Raja, it is a draw. Players are not allowed to stalemate the opponent. If Check is given 70 times in succession, the game is a draw.
Content Hindustani Chess, described in Risala I Shatranj by Syamakisora. From Murray 1913: 22, 79.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1224
Type Ethnography
Game Huairu
Location 3° 3'4.29"S, 78°47'42.62"W
Date 1964-01-01 - 1965-12-31
Rules Triangular board, ten spaces along the base, four on the two other sides, and larger holes at each angle. Nine holes connecting the apex to the central hole in the base. The central hole of the base, and the central hole in the central line are larger, like those making the angles. PLayed with a huairu die (long, hexagonal in cross-section, six sides marked with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Each player begins at the angle of the triangle close to them. There are two tracks: one player proceeds directly toward the apex from their angle, and from there tries to land on the central space in the central row. The other player proceeds along the base, up the central row to the apex, and then back to the central space in the central row. The player to reach the central row wins. The game is played multiple times in succession.
Content "Man faßt den Knochenwurfel an seinem schlanken Ende zwischen Daumen sowie Zeige- und Mittelfinger und schnippt ihn mit einer Kreisbewegung in die Luft. Fallt er so, daß die mit dem Kreuz bezeichnete Seite nach oben zu liegen kommt, so darf die betreffende Partei beginnen, und zwar uber den sog. kurzenWeg, in unserer Zeichnung (Abb. 3) mit (1) gekennzeichnet (Das Spiel wurde uns nur mit dem Würfel b vorgeführt. Der Wuurfel a konnte erst später erworben werden, so daß nicht bekannt ist, wir der spielenfang erfolgt, wenn keine besondere Kreuzmarkierung vorhanden ist. Möglicherwiese einigt man sich dann auf ein bestimmtes Zeichen, z. B. die mit nur einem Kreis verschene Seite.). Die andere Partei nickt hingegen auf dem langen Weg (2) vor. Den gewurfelten Augen entsprechend werden die Spielmarken vorgesetzt. Sieger ist die jenige Partei, die als erste ihre Marke in das mittlere Haus (x) legt. Die eigentliche Spielstrecke ist relativ kurz. Sie zahlt beim sog. kurzen Weg 10, beim langen Weg 20 "Schritte".
Das "Haus" an der Spitze muß immer passiert werden. Die "callai" beginnen das Spiel, dann erst folgen die übrigen Spieler. Ist eine Partie zu Ende, beginnt von neuem die Partei, die "huairu", d.h. die Eins mit dem Kreuz, wirft. Zwei Würfe sind von besonderer Bedeutung. Fällt die "lluchu"—also die blanke—Seite nach oben, dann müssen die Spieler der Gegenpartei den Würfel küssen; gelingt es hingegen, den Würfel so zu werfen, daß er auf seiner Grundfläche aufrecht zu stehen kommt, so heißt das, daß die betreffende Partei die Partie schon gewonnen hat, ohne das zentrale "Haus" überhaupt erreicht zu haben. Eine Redensart besagt denn auch "Huairu parado, partido ganado". Man spielt um Geld, wobei man sich, bevor eine Partie anfängt, auf eine bestimmte Summe einigt. Wird kein Geld gesetzt, dann sprechen die Verlierer Gebete für den bzw. die Verstorbene. Für die verssammelten Freunde und Nachbarn bedeutet dieses Spiel einen Zeitvertreib, gleichzeitig aber auch, indem man den Gewinn dem Veranstalter eines solchen "velorios" zur Verfügung stellt, einen finanziellen Beitrag zu den entstandenen Unkosten. Die dem Huairu-Spiel innewohnende "wirtschlaftliche" Funktion ist, enn auch in völlig anderem Sinn, von verschiedenen Autoren hersusgestellt worden, worauf in der nachstehenden Ubersicht über die diversen "Spielregeln" noch verwiesen wird. Am Spiel selbst können sich Männer und Frauen beteiligen. Das Spielbrett, von dem unser Informant bestätigte, daß man ohne es nicht pielen könne, da es fester Bestandteil des Huairu-Spieles sei, muß auf einem auf dem Boden ausgebreiten Poncho oder einer Binsenmatte liegen, niemals darf auf einem Tisch oder sonstigen Gegenstand gespielt werden. " Hartmann and Oberem 1968: 242-243.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female, Male
Source Hartmann, R and U. Oberem. 1968. 'Beiträge zum "Huairu-Spiel." Zeitschrift für Ethnologie 93(1/2):240-259.
Id DLP.Evidence.1225
Type Ethnography
Game Hufesay
Location 12°47'11.73"N, 39°32'31.03"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. Sowing proceeds in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole, the contents are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter falls in an empty hole, the turn ends. If the empty hole is in the player's row, any counters in the opponent's opposite hole are captured. If a player cannot play, they pass their turn until they are able. The player who captures all of the counters wins. Players then count their pieces by p[lacing four in each hole, and the player who has more than their original number takes ownership of one of the opponent's holes for every four counters more than the original number that have been taken. If no player took four more than the original, the player with three extra gets the hole, if each player has two extra they draw lots to see who gets an extra hole. Play then begins again as before. Play continues until one player owns all of the holes.
Content "Hufesay This game called hufesay, or "collecting," is based on two rows of six holes with four balls per hole, and has a system of capturing possibly more typical of the game of southern Ethiopia. The game begins with the first player picking up the contents of any of the holes on his row, after which, moving always in an anti-clockwise direction, he would drop them one by one on the ensuing holes, picking up the contents of the hole on which he dropped the last ball in his hand, and stopping on alighting on an empty hole. Should this happen on one of his holes, he captured the contents of his opponent's opposite hole, the ball effecting this capture being left on the board, and it was then his opponent's turn to move. Play would continue throughout in this way, a player always capturing the contents, if any, of his opponent's hole opposite one of his own empty holes in which he stopped with the last ball in his hand. A player unable to move for lack of counters in any of his holes would temporarily stop playing, whereupon his opponent would continue to move, but the first player would resume play as soon as any balls came back to his row. Tules for the count-down at the end of the round, and for the opening of later rounds are the same as those given above for Maqalé." Pankhurst 1971: 174.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1226
Type Ethnography
Game Ikibuguzo (Opening 1)
Location Ikibuguzo
Date 1952-01-01 - 1952-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. Two counters in each hole. Opening play: Players simultaneously arrange their counters in one of two ways, beginning from the bottom left and proceeding anti-clockwise: 0, 6, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 17, 0, 3, 0, 3, 0, 3, 0, 0; or four in each hole of the outer row. Players then move alternately. If they play with the first array, the first three turns are made by sowing from the holes with three holes, proceeding in order from the one furthest to the left, sowing two in the nest hole and one in the following. They then sow from the next hole to the right with three counters on the next turn in the same way. If they play with the second array, the take turns sowing from each of the holes with four counters, beginning with the rightmost hole, placing two in the first hole and one in each of the following. Main phase: Play begins from any hole on the player's side of the board with counters in it. Singletons cannot move. Sowing happens in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last counter lands in an empty hole, the turn is over. For capturing: Holes are in 'opposition' when one player has the front row hole occupied and the opponent has both of the holes opposite it occupied. If the last hole in a sowing is in opposition, the player takes the counters in both of the opponent's holes and places them in the empty hole from which the player lifted the counters. The player then sows the captured counters from this hole. Further captures in the sowing can occur in the same way. However, each player has two hole from which clockwise plays can be made: the leftmost hole in the outer row and the second from the left in the inner row. Clockwise moves can only be made from these holes if they immediately lead to a capture. When the captured counters are sown, starting from the same hole, they can also be sown clockwise if they lead to a capture. If they cannot lead to a capture, they are sown anti-clockwise. Another alternative the player has is that, if the player plays clockwise from one of these holes and therefore makes a capture, the captured counters may be placed in the hole and left there, and the player may play instead from the other hole from which clockwise captures are allowed in a clockwise direction, if it leads to a capture. The player may continue playing from this hole as above until the possibilities to move are exhausted, and then may move from any hole in an anti-clockwise direction. Multiple captures can only be made in a clockwise direction from these holes if it is made on the first sowing of the turn. Otherwise, only one clockwise capture can be made and sowing must proceed in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last counter lands on a hole that is occupied but not in opposition, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. Play ends when one player captures all the opponent's counters or one player cannot play. The player who cannot play loses. A player may also win by capturing the counters from both of the opponent's end holes in the inner row in a single turn.
Content "8.3.4. Tanganyika, Bugufi; belgian Mandate, Urundi: Ikibuguzo; Tanganyika, Kilaya tribe, Bukoba Province: uruheso or Uruheisho (R. de Z. Hall, CP.) 4x8 holes . Two beans in each hole. A, O, a, o are reverse holes. Only differs from 8.3.3. in its opening play and in the addition of a second method of winning by taking the beans in the opponent's two front-row end-holes (I an P, I and p) in a single turn of play. Opening play. The players simultaneously rearrange theirs beans in one of several conventional arrays, both adopting the same array. Only two are given, as placed on the lower half of the board. The players then move alternately. Thus, after starting from the first of these arrays, A lifts each group of three beans in turn, beginning from N and placing two beans in O and one in P, then lifting 3L and placing two beans in M and one in N, and so on. Or, starting from the second array, the groups of four beans are lifted in turn and placed anticlockwise, two in the next hole and one in each of the two holes beyond. If in these operations a bean falls in a hole already occupied and that hole is in opposition, captures are made as in 8.3.2 and 8.3.3." Murray 1951: 217.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1227
Type Ethnography
Game J'erin
Location Southern Nigeria
Date 1939-01-01 - 1939-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. Sowing proceeds in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole, the counters are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole in the player's own row causing it to contain four counters, these are captured and the turn ends. If the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends. If at any point in the sowing a hole in the player's own row is made to contain four counters, they are taken. When there are only eight counters left on the board, the first player to make four counters in a hole captures all the remaining counters. At the end of the game, players place their captured counters four by four into the remaining holes. Players may thus capture holes from the opponent's row, one for every four counters placed in a hole. They may capture from these holes in the next round. Play continues until one player owns no holes.
Content "J'erin. the seeds are laid out as for 'ayoyayo,' byt the opening move consists of taking the contents of two adjoining houses, four in each hand, from one's own side of the board, and dropping them one by one in the houses lying next in a counter-clockwise direction, as before. The rules for 'eating' are quite different from those in 'ayoyayo,' but apart from this the moves are as follows. When one hand is empty the player continues to move round the board from the point where he left off using the seeds in the other hand. On the last of his seeds being dropped, he takes up all the seeds now in the house in which this seed has fallen and continues to move round the board using his fresh supply of seeds. The gambit is continued as long as his last seed does not drop into an empty house. Totals of four made during this play are removed from the board and the player continues his circuit of the board unless the last seed in hand makes the number of seeds in the house reached up to four, in which case he removes them, but has nothing with which to continue his move. In "J'erin" a player cannot take seeds from his opponent's houses, as in ayoyayo, but only from his own side of the board, and if he omits to take any set of seeds to which, by the above rule, he is entitled, his opponent may take them. After the game the seeds are replaced in the houses, and in the event of a win (a draw is possible), the winner fills not only his own houses but also some of his opponent's. These extra hosues on the other side of the board are now added to his for the next game, in which he is allowed to take 'fours' from them. Thus in a second game, a player may have as many as ten houses. Eleven is a possible number, but such a state of affairs gives the opponent no sort of show as it leaves him only one house in which to 'eat'" Newberry 1939: 79-80.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders All
Source Newberry, R. 1939. 'Games and Pastimes of Southern Nigeria.' The Nigerian Field 8:75-80.
Id DLP.Evidence.1228
Type Ethnography
Game J'odu
Location Southern Nigeria
Location 5°54'11.25"N, 0°59'12.65"E
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 2x6 board, which two stores. Four counters in each hole. Sowing proceeds in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter of a sowing falls in to an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. When the final hole lands in an empty hole, if the hole is in the player's row, the contents of the opponent's opposite hole are captured. If the empty hole is in the opponent's row, the turn ends. A player must play so that the opponent is able to play on their next turn, if possible. The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content "7.5.9. Yorubas, Nigeria: J'odu; Keta, Gold Coast; Jodorakase (K.C. Murray). 2x6 holes and two stores, one t each end of the board; four beans in each hole; several laps to the move; one round; play anticlockwise. A player must leave his opponent a hole from which to play. A move may begin from any of the player's holes and ends when the last bean in hand falls in an empty hole. If this hole lies in the player's row, the move ends without capture." Murray 1951: 181.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1229
Type Ethnography
Game Jekab
Location 7° 5'29.06"N,171°22'55.40"E; 7° 3'52.11"N,171°33'17.98"E; 8°29'46.31"N,171°11'29.00"E; 4°34'49.66"N,168°41'54.15"E; 11° 9'38.24"N,166°53'31.43"E; 8°55'56.79"N,165°45'34.87"E; 8°43'13.67"N,167°43'56.52"E; 7°17'26.35"N,168°44'54.44"E
Date 2017-01-01 - 2018-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, twelve pieces per player. Pieces placed on the dark squares of the first three rows of each side, with the empty corner to the right of each player. Pieces move one space forward diagonally. The may capture pieces of the opponent by hopping over them. Captures may happen in any direction. Multiple captures are allowed in the same turn, but they may not hop over the same piece or a player's own piece. Captures are compulsory, but if more than one option exists the player may choose which capture to make. When a piece reaches the opposite edge of the board, it becomes a king, even if this is in the middle of a turn. Kings may move any number of spaces forward or backwards, and may capture by flying leap. Kings must take all possible pieces in a sequence. The player to capture all of the other player's pieces wins.
Content "The islands feature an active community of completitive players of checkers, known as jekab in Marshallese, who use a rule set that is particular to the region. The game and its players were part of a study conducted in 2017/2018 that included a detailed description of the playing rules as well as the cultural significance of the game in Marshallese society...The distinction between jekab and checkers outside of this region hinges on the rules for promoting a piece to a king, which is a significant element in the proceedings of the game...In Marshallese checkers, however, the piece transforms to a king mid-move and will continue as a "long" king as soon as it has passed the far row." Danilovic and de Voogt 2020: 6-7.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Danilovic, S. and A. de Voogt. 2020. 'Making Sense of Abstract Board Games: Toward a Cross-Ludic Theory.' Games and Culture: 1-20.
Id DLP.Evidence.1230
Type Ethnography
Game Shui Yen Ho-Shang
Location Sichuan
Date 1946-01-01 - 1946-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with the diagonals of every 2x2 square formed. On one side, a diamond intersects with the central point of that side, with diagonals drawn in the diamond. One player plays as the monk, placed at the intersection of the diamond and the main board. The other player plays as fifteen water pieces, placed on each point along the perimeter of the main board. Players take turns moving their pieces to one adjacent point following the lines on the board. The monk may capture two water pieces by moving to an empty space between two water pieces. The goal of the water pieces is to trap the monk on the far point of the diamond.
Content "Dieses Spiel hat Ähnlichkeit mit einem Spiel, das die Hirten von Szechwan spielen, nämlich mit dem "Das Wasser überschwemmt den Mönch". (shui yen ho-shang). Nur ist bei diesem Mönschsspiel ein Rhombus mehr im speilfeld. Sitzt der Mönch vor einem leeren Schnittpunkt und sitzen neben diesem Schnittpunkt zwei Wasserstaine, je einer rechts und links, dann kann der Mönch zwischen die beiden Wassersteine auf den leeren Schnittpunkt ziehen und die beiden Steine wegnehmen. Das nennt man "Wassertragen." Hat der so das ganze Wasser forgetragen, dann hat er gewonnen. Die Hürde beim Wolfspiel heisst hier "Kloster." Es ist eine Raute mit den Diagonalen und nicht ein Derieck. Hat das Wasser den Mönch in das Kloster getreiben, und zwar bis in die äusserste Spitze, dann hat das Wasser das Spiel gewonnen. Szechwan und Kham haben eine Granze. Die Hirten beider Gegenden spielen dieses Spiel leidenschaftlich gern. Da nun das Spiel auch noch so viel Ähnlichkeit aufweist, dürfte es wohl gemeinsamen Urspringes sein." Nai-ch'iang and Schröder 1946: 169.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Spaces Outside
Genders Male
Source Nai-ch'iang, J. and D. Schröder. 1946. 'Die Fandser, Ein Betrag zur Volkskunde von Kham.' Folklore Studies 5: 1-190.
Id DLP.Evidence.1231
Type Ethnography
Game Jimafesosh
Location 11° 5'6.65"N, 39°43'53.35"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. In the opening phase, the player takes all of the counters in their rightmost hole and places them in the opponent's opposite hole. The player then takes the contents of the next hole, placing all of them into the hole following it, until the entire board has alternating holes with eight and zero counters. When the final hole is made with eight counters, these are picked up and the player sows as normal in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter falls into an empty hole, the counters are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter falls into an empty hole, the player captures the counters in the opposite hole. If a player cannot play, they must pass their turn until there are counters available for them to play. Play continues until there is one piece or fewer on the board, the player to whom the row in which the single piece is located captures it. A second round is played, each player placing four counters into each hole starting from the rightmost hole in their row. The player with more counters gains a hole from their opponent for every four extra balls they've captured. If an opponent has three extra after counting in such a way, they also gain a hole, and if each player has two remaining counters ownership is determined by chance. Play continues in several rounds like this until one player takes all the counters.
Content "Jimafesosh. This game based on two rows each of six holes, with four balls per hole, is different...This Wallo game was played by Ibrahim Yusuf, a Baeda Maryam School student from Kombolcha who says it is known as jimafesosh. The game opens with a distinctive gambit, whereby the first player picks up the contents of his extreme right-hand hole and moves it to his opponent's opposite hole. Moving always in an anti-clockwise direction he moves the contents of his opponent's next hole into the following hole, and proceeds in this manner to redistribute all the balls in an 8, 0, 8, 0 pattern. On dropping the last group of four balls he picks up all eight balls from that hole and then drops them one by one into the following holes, and continues picking up and dropping in the usual manner until he drops his last ball in an empty hole. Captures are effected whenever a player drops the last ball in an empty hole, whereupon he takes the contents, if any, of the opposite row irrespectively as to the side on which this occurs. The ball effecting the capture is not itself taken and the move thereupon ends, it being the next player's turn to move. A characteristic aspect of the game occurs towards the end of a round, for when a player is unable to move for lack of counters, the game does not come to an end, as in some games, but he waits while his opponent plays, the counterless player resuming play whenever he finds himself with counters in any of his holes. Only when one ball is left does the game come to an end, with that ball being appropriated by the owner of the hole in which it is situated. At the end of the round the stronger player will capture holes from the weaker as for example in Game 20. If each player is left with two odd balls...his opponent then has to guess under which finger the grass is concealed, thus having a one in four or five chance of success." Pankhurst 1971: 179.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1232
Type Ethnography
Game Juroku Musashi
Location Japan
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with the diagonals of every 2x2 square formed. On one side, a triangle, with the apex intesecting with the midpoint of that side. There is a line from the apex to the midpoint of the triangle's base, and another interior triangle, connecting the base of the larger triangle with the midpoints of the sides of the larger triangle. One player plays as the Taisho ("general"), the other as sixteen musashi ("soliders"). The Taisho begins in the central point, the musashi on each point of the perimeter of the square board. Players take turns moving from one point to an adjacent point along the lines on the board. The Taisho may capture a musashi by hopping over it. The musashi win if they are able to immobilize the Taisho, or if they confine the Taisho to the triangle.
Content "57. MJuroku Musashi. "Sixteen Soldiers." The Japanese Game of fox and Gees. Japan. (a) Board and men. (b) Japanese picture of players. The board has 8 by 8 squares, each of which is divided into two parts by a diagonal line (fig. 177). In the games now current in Japan there is a triangle at the top of the board two squares wide, with its apex resting upon the middle of the upper side. Sixteen men (musashi, "soldiers") are arranged at the sixteen points of intersection at the sides of the square with the Taisho, or General, in the center. Two play, the "General" striving to capture the "Soldiers," and the latter to block him." Culin 1898: 874.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1233
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Juroku Musashi
Location Japan
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with the diagonals of every 2x2 square formed. On one side, a triangle, with the apex intesecting with the midpoint of that side. There is a line from the apex to the midpoint of the triangle's base, and another connecting the midpoints of the sides of the triangle. One player plays as the Taisho ("general"), the other as sixteen musashi ("soliders"). The Taisho begins in the central point, the musashi on each point of the perimeter of the square board. Players take turns moving from one point to an adjacent point along the lines on the board. Only the Taisho may enter the triangle. The Taisho may capture a musashi by hopping over it. The Taisho wins if it captures all the musashi. The musashi win if they are able to immobilize the Taisho, or if they confine the Taisho to the triangle.
Content "5.2.3. Japan: Juroku Musashi 'sixteen soldiers' (...Prof. Tsuboi). Played on board B, Fig. 45, which is copied from a board (no.7090) in the Museum of Archaeology, University of Pennsylvania. When Prof. Tsuboi drew the board for me, he omitted the two shorter lines in the triangle. One player has a general (taisho) and the other sixteen soldiers (musashi) which are arranged as in the diagram. All the pieces have the same move, one step along a marked line through the point on which the piece stands, but the general alone can enter the triangle, and if he is confined to it, he loses. The general alone can capture, and he does so by the short leap of the draughtsman. The general wins if he takes all the soldiers, and the soldiers win if they reduce the general to immobility or confine him to the triangle." Murray 1951: 101.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1234
Type Artistic depiction
Game Juroku Musashi
Location Japan
Date 1700-01-01 - 1894-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with the diagonals of every 2x2 square formed. On one side, a triangle, with the apex intersecting with the midpoint of that side. There is a line from the apex to the midpoint of the triangle's base, and another connecting the midpoints of the sides of the triangle. Three players possible?
Content Print from Japan showing women playing Juroku Musashi in a house. It appears that three women are playing, with three colors of pieces on the board. University of Pennsylvania Museum 17832. Culin 1898: 874.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Inside
Genders Female
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1235
Type Ethnography
Game Katra Boaoaka
Location Merina
Location 20°52'42.23"S, 47°35'30.78"E
Date 1926-01-01 - 1927-09-01
Rules 4x8 board. Two counters in each hole. Each player may sow in either direction on their first move, but must continue in the same direction for the remainder of the game. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole, the counters in that hole are picked up and sowing continues. If the final hole of a sowing is in the inner row, regardless of whether it is occupied or empty, the player then captures the counters in both of the opponent's holes opposite it, and continues sowing with these counters as well as the ones in the final hole of sowing. Captures cannot be made when the final hole of a sowing was empty, and the opponent's opposite holes have only a single counter. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the turn is over. The player who captures all the counters wins.
Content "One of these, katra, is known all over Madagascar, although the rules probably vary somewhat from tribe to tribe...Katra is played mainly by women and older children...Katra is played on a diagram...which are arranged in four parallel rows. Many tribes employ regular gaming boards with pits at the positions and a larger pit at one end for spare pieces, but the Tanala content themselves with marking the positions on the ground. The pieces used are everywhere large, round gray seeds about the size of marbles. These seeds do not grow in the plateau and the tribes there import them from the east coast. The Tanala normally employ thirty-two pits, arranged in four rows of eight each...Before beginning the game two seeds are placed at each pit...The first player selects a position at random, usually one in the back row, takes out the seeds and drops them one at a. time into the other pits along the row. He may start out either right or left, but this initial move determines the direction he must follow throughout the game....[describes sowing and captures]...the game is sometimes shortened by agreeing that the player shall capture the seeds in the antagonists' from t and back rows simultaneously...The Imerina call this Katra Boaoaka, but tht Tanala seem to have no name for this variation." Linton 1933: 261-264.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adult
Genders Female
Source Linton, R. 1933. The Tanala: A hill Tribe of Madagascar. Chicago: Field Museum.
Id DLP.Evidence.1236
Type Ethnography
Game Quechucague
Location Araucania
Date 1646-01-01 - 1646-12-31
Rules Semicircular board, ten spaces across the bottom, eight arcing, and three connecting the fifth and sixth in the bottom row to the fourth and fifth in the arc.
Content Plate in De Ovalle 1646 showing two men outside playing a game on a board, titled "Ludus Quechucague."
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Genders Male
Source de Ovalle, A. 1646. Historica Relacion del Reyno de Chile. Rome: Francisco Cauallo.
Id DLP.Evidence.1237
Type Ethnography
Game Quechucague
Location Araucania
Date 1758-01-01 - 1758-12-31
Rules Five-sided die with 1, 2, 3, 5, 0 as values. Captures are made when landing on a space occupied by the opponent. Race game.
Content "El quechuncague se juega con una planchita de piedra de la figura triangular que llaman los jéometras isóselas; en los dos lados mas largos del triangulo estan pintados unos puntos que son por todo cinco, tres a un lado, dos a otro, y por eso se llama este juego Quechu que en el idioma indio significa dicho número: en una de las dos superficies hai uno punto, en lad otra nada, y así arrojando este triángulo regularmente cae algun punto grande o pequeño. Segun el punto que cae van mudando los tantos al modo de la oca, y al mudarlos contando los puntos si cae el tato del uno donde tenia el tanto del otro, se lo come, y de este modo se van haciendo uno a otro su guerrilla al modo del ajedrez, y el que consumió ántes sus tantos, es el que pierde." de Oliveras 1758: 42-43.
Confidence 100
Source de Olivares, M. 1758. HIstoria Militar, Civil y Sagrada de la Acaecido en la Conquista y Pacificacion del Reino de Chile. Santiago: Imprenta del Ferrocarril.
Id DLP.Evidence.1238
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Kiôz
Location Palestine
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 4x22 board. 22 pieces per player, four kings and eighteen regular pieces. Kings have no difference in movement or power than regular pieces. Moves are determined by four two-sided sticks, black on one side and white on the other. The moves are determined by the number of white sides that land face up: 1=1 plus another turn, known as tab. 2=2, 3=2, 4=6 and another turn, 0=4 and another turn. To begin, a player must roll tab to move their first piece, and every tab after that must be used to move a piece which has not moved yet. Pieces move in a boustrophedon pattern, beginning from left to right in the origin row. The pieces may only enter the furthest row one time, and may not continue to move in it if there are still pieces in the player's home row. Otherwise, the player may move from row three to row two and continue to circulate there. Multiple pieces cannot occupy the same space. When a player's piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, that piece is captured. The player to capture all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "De ludo Kioz. His ludus dictus Lusus Al-Kioz, (i.e. Nucis, ut verbatim sonat,) ab Arabibes Palaestinae exercetur in Tachta seu Tabella feriatim perforata quadruplici serie Foraminum ad excipiendum erectos Paxillos Lusorios Capitibus fere rotundis ad instar Nucum, (unde forte Nomen) wui pro Regibus et Militibus habentur: sed ab Hierosolymitannis Arabibus vocantur kelb seu canes. In singulis quatuor ordinibus, Foiraminum numerus est 22 Pro Militibus movendis, loco tesserarum, jaciuntur (fere ut in Tabiludio) acuta Lignicula, quae propter sonum quem jactata et collisa edunt, vocantur Saphacat, i.e. Resonantia. Tabellae forma talis est. Luditur fere eodem modo ac in Tabiludo: fed inter Ludendum loco vocabuli Tab, exclamatur Kioz i.e. Nux juglans. In eo sunt 4 Reges nomine tenús: nam nullius sunt usus plus quam alii Milites: nodosis tamen capitibus Racemos seu Mori fructum aemulantibus distinguuntur a reliquis: Reges enim Nuci seu Globulo superadditum habent Trinodium seu Racemum; Militum autem Globulo unus Apex seu Nodulus superadditur. Inter ludendum vero nec Reges nec Milites cumulari possunt, cum sint ad formam Paxillorum in Tabellae foramina inferendorum, ut erecti consistant. Regum forma supra Tabellam, Militum infra Tabellam cernitur. " Hyde 1694: 223-224.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.1239
Type Artifact
Game Knossos Game
Location 35°17'52.36"N, 25° 9'47.28"E
Date 1700-01-01BCE - 1501-12-31BCE
Rules Board layout, at least four pieces.
Content Game board found in the "Temple Repository" of the Palace of Knossos on Crete. Four pieces were found a few meters away. Evans 1921: 470-485, Hillbom 2011: 201-272.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite, Royalty
Spaces Inside
Source Hillbom, N. 2011. Minoan Games and Game Boards: an Archaeological Investigation of Game-Related Material from Bronze Age Crete. Saarbrucken: Dr. Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.1240
Type Ethnography
Game Kolica Atárakua
Location 19°32'53.05"N, 102°13'34.92"W
Date 1944-01-01 - 1944-12-31
Rules Board layout. Two players. Four pieces per player, played with four stick dice. The are round on one side, flat on the other, and the round side of one has horizontal stripes, another has cross-hatching, the other two remaining blank. The throws are as follows: One flat side up = 1; two flat sides and at least one blank round side up = 2; two flat sides and both marked round sides up = 35; four flat sides up = 5; four round sides up = 10; three flat sides and one blank round side up = 3; three flat sides and cross-hatched round side up = 15; three flat sides and striped round side up = 20. The throw may only be applied to one piece. Pieces enter from the midpoint of the sides and proceed along the track in the middle, then back to the edge following that track and making a circuit of the board, returning back to the center when it has traveled along the entire perimeter. If a piece lands exactly on the points where the tracks cross in the center, the piece starts again from the beginning, but remains in the center of the board until it does so. The goal is for pieces to pass the points where the center tracks intersect after traveling all the way around the board with all four pieces. If a player lands on the same space as an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece must again start from the beginning.
Content "Kolica atárakua. This game is a version of quince or patolli. A course or track is drawn on the ground or on a board. Two players compete, each with four pieces called moskúkua. The players start at two opposing points called apórun. The course followed by one player is indicated in the figure. Each piece is advanced in accordance with the score made by throwing four stick dice. The players take turns throwing the dice and moving the pieces. A player may apply the score made in one throw to only one piece. If a piece comes to rest on the points marked B, it is said to be burned and must be started again at A, but until it is put in play again it must rest at point C, kurínckua or bonfire. While on the interior part of the course the pieces of the two players will never stop on the same spot, but on the outer part of the route this may happen. In this case the second arrival "kills" the first, which then must begin again at A. Until put in play again a "killed" piece must stay in circles D or E according to the player to whom it belongs,. Points F are called Anájcikun or summit. Once a piece makes the circuit of a loop at the corner of the board, it does not touch point G a second time, but goes instead to point H, unandándani. In this way there is no possibility of confusion as to whether a piece is entering or leaving the loop. To complete the course each piece enters the interior track a second time. If the piece safely reaches any spot past point B it is regarded as having finished the circuit. The player who first gets all four of this pieces past B wins the game. The dice are called kolicatarakua. Theya re half round on the side, flat on the other and are about a palm breadth in length. Usually two sticks are split in half to make the four dice. The round side of one die is painted with parallel lines, while a second is painted with crossed lines. Figure 5 shows the markings and methods of scoring. The game is played especially during the rainy season. On the eve of the feast of Assumption, August 15, it is played in the house of the caretakers of the saint or cargueros. On the day of the fifteenth it is played in the plaza. On this occasion money bets are often made." Beals and Carrasco 1944: 519-521.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Inside, Outside, Ritual
Source Beals, R. and P. Carrasco. 1944. 'Games of the Mountain Tarascans.' American Anthropologist 46: 516-522.
Id DLP.Evidence.1241
Type Ethnography
Game Kubuguza
Location Kubuguza
Date 1953-01-01 - 1953-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. Four pieces in each of the holes in the inner two rows. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. Single counters cannot be sown. When the final counter of a sowing falls into an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and the sowing continues. If this hole is in the player's inner row, the counters in the opponent's opposite holes in both rows are captured. Both the inner and outer opposite holes must contain counters for a capture to occur. Play continues with the captured counters, and the player sows these beginning with the next hole after the last one on the player's side from which they picked up holes. Captures cannot be made on the first move. Clockwise sowing can begin from the following holes only if it will allow a capture to occur: the rightmost and leftmost holes of the outer row, the second from the right and second from the left holes in the inner row. Direction can be changed in the middle of a turn if the final counter lands in one of these holes and a clockwise move will result in a capture. When no capture is available, the player must resume in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends.
Content Detailed description of game play from Merriam 1953, describing the game as played among the Abatutsi people of Rwanda.
Confidence 100
Source Merriam, A. 1953. 'The Game of Kubuguza among thr Abatutsi of North-East Ruanda. Man 261\262: 169-172.
Id DLP.Evidence.1242
Type Ethnography
Game Lahemay Waladat
Location 13°29'36.70"N, 39°27'56.70"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board, Four counters in each hole. Sowing proceeds in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter of a sowing falls into an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. During the sowing, when a hole is made to contain three counters, these counters are captured by the owner of the hole, unless it is the final hole of the sowing, in which case the player continues to sow from this hole.. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the turn ends. Players then count their pieces by placing four in each hole, and the player who has more than their original number takes ownership of one of the opponent's holes for every four counters more than the original number that have been taken. If no player took four more than the original, the player with three extra gets the hole, if each player has two extra they draw lots to see who gets an extra hole. Play then begins again as before. The game ends when one player owns all of the counters, and thus all of the holes. If toward then end of the game, when a player has been reduced to a single hole and it is captured by the opponent, the opponent captures the four counters involved in the capture. The hole remains in the possession of its owner, and is able to utilise any pieces falling into that hole on subsequent turns, but may also capture from this hole as though the hole had been captured by the opponent.
Content "Lahemay Waledat. This game known in Tigrinya as lahemay waledat, or "my cow has given birth," is played with two rows of six holes with four balls per hole, and is closely related to Games 7 and 16. Each player would move alternately, and in an anti-clockwise direction from one of his own holes preferably on his extreme left. Whenever, after the initial rearrangement of balls, a group of three balls (not four as in most other provinces) was formed in any hole those balls would be appropriated by the owner of the row, unless they were produced by the last counter in a player's hand in which case they would belong to that player irrespectively of the row on which they lay. A player forgetting the take his earnings would forfeit them, the hole in question not acquiring any special status as in Game 7 in Western Ertirea. Another variation in the Maqalé game is that a player capturing a group of three counters would not terminate his move, but would continue play until reaching an empty hole. At the end of a round the players would count down their winnings by placing them back into the holes, four to a hole, in the manner described for Western Eritrea, the only difference in the Maqalé game being that when each player was left with two extra balls they would determine their ownership by the above-describe system of hand-play." Pankhurst 1971: 173.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1243
Type Ethnography
Game Lahemay Walida
Location 12°47'11.73"N, 39°32'31.03"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board, Four counters in each hole. Sowing proceeds in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter of a sowing falls into an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. During the sowing, when a hole is made to contain four counters, these counters are captured by the owner of the hole, unless it is the final hole of the sowing, in which case the player captures these regardless of who the hole belongs to. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the turn ends. Players then count their pieces by placing four in each hole, and the player who has more than their original number takes ownership of one of the opponent's holes for every four counters more than the original number that have been taken. If no player took four more than the original, the player with three extra gets the hole, if each player has two extra they draw lots to see who gets an extra hole. Play then begins again as before. The game ends when one player owns all of the counters, and thus all of the holes. If toward then end of the game, when a player has been reduced to a single hole and it is captured by the opponent, the opponent captures the four counters involved in the capture. The hole remains in the possession of its owner, and is able to utilise any pieces falling into that hole on subsequent turns, but may also capture from this hole as though the hole had been captured by the opponent.
Content "Lahemay Walida. This game, spoken of as lahemay walida, or "my cow has given birth," is played on two rows of six holes, with four balls per hole, and is closely related to Games 7 and 16, and identical to lahemay waladat described for Maqalé except in two respects: 1. Captures occur when balls are formed in clusters of four, not three, the four-ball capture being indeed far more common in this type of gabata throughout Ethiopia. 2. A player capturing the said group of balls with the last ball in his hand thereby ends his move, and does not continue play until his opponent has had his turn." Pankhurst 1971: 174.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1244
Type Ethnography
Game Lam Waladach
Location 12° 1'51.24"N, 39° 2'51.47"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. The first player takes three counters from each of their holes, and sows them beginning in the opponent's first hole. Sowing proceeds in an anti-clockwise direction, and when the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. While sowing, if a hole is made to contain four counters, these are captured by the player. When the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends, unless the player was able to make a capture during the sowing, in which case they may play again. A player with no counters on their side must pass, and may continue playing when there are counters in their holes again. Play continues until all the counters are captured, and the player with the most counters wins. A second round is played, each player placing four counters into each hole starting from the rightmost hole in their row. The player with more counters gains a hole from their opponent for every four extra balls they've captured. If an opponent has three extra after counting in such a way, they also gain a hole, but not if there are one or two extra. Play continues in several rounds like this until one player captures all the holes.
Content "Gabata IV (Lam Waladach) This type of gabata, which is related to Games 7, 16, 17, and 18, is also popular in Shoa, though less frequently reported than games 20 or 21. It was played by Ehetalam Derso, a maid servant from Lalibala who referred to it as lam waladach. The game is based on two rows each of six holes with four balls per hole, play being conducted throughout in an anti-clockwise direction. The first player to move would begin from his extreme left hand hole by taking into his hand three balls from each of the holes on his side, i.e. leaving one ball in each. He would then distribute all the balls in his hand one by one into his opponent's holes and then his own, picking up new balls whenever the last counter of any hand fell in a hole with contents, but stopping whenever he reached an empty hole. The two players would play alternately, always starting from a hole in their own row. Whoever dropped a ball, on either side of the board, into one or more holes containing three counters, thus increasing them to four, would take the said counters as his winnings, this capture entitling him to continue playing, I.e. to take up another hand before it was his opponent's turn to move.A player with no counters on his side ceased playing, but resumed whenever one or more of his holes were filled. Victory would go to the player who at the end of the round had won the largest number of counters. Play might end with a single round, or continue round after round, in which case the rules for the re-allocation of holes would be the same as that described fro Game 20." Pankhurst 1971: 177.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Female
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1245
Type Ethnography
Game Lamlameta
Location 5°20'25.60"N, 37°26'19.65"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x12 board. Two counters in each hole. Play starts with an opening move. The first player takes all of the counters out of the rightmost hole or the one to its left, sowing them anti-clockwise in the next two holes, then taking the counters in the next hole and sowing them in the same manner, all around the board, making a pattern of 3, 3, 0, 3, 3. When reaching the hole before the one in which the sowing began, the three counters now in this hole are taken and sown into the next three holes, ending the turn. In the main phase, sowing continues in an anti-clockwise direction from any hole in the player's row, except any that contain two counters. A player likewise cannot sow into any holes in the opponent's row containing two holes, skipping any such holes and continuing sowing in the next available hole. If the last counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the player's row, if the opposite hole in the opponent's row contains two counters, these are captured as well as the counters from any other holes on the opponent's side which contain two counters. PLay continues until one player cannot move because there are no counters in their row. A new round begins. The players attempt to fill their holes with two counters each. Any hole which a player cannot fill with two counters is eliminated from play, elimination starting from the rightmost hole. The player with the lowest number of holes begins. Play continues until one player has no remaining holes.
Content "Tagega II: Lamlameta This game, is based on two rows each of 12 holes with two balls per hole, and is referred to as lamlaméta, literally "grouped in pairs," a word related to lama, the Gallinya numeral two. The first player would start by picking up the contents of the hole on his extreme right, or more preferably penultimate right, and would then, proceeding in an anti-clockwise direction, drop these balls in the two ensuing holes. He would then pick up the contents of the hole in which his last counter fell and distribute the three balls in his hand in the following three holes, and would continue in this manner thereby rearranging the balls in a 3, 3, 0, 3, 3, 0 pattern, and, on picking up his last three counters, I.e. from the hole immediately preceding the one from which he had begun his gambit, would drop them one by one into the following holes, thereby producing a 1, 4, 1 (sic) arrangement after which his opening move would come to an end. Play was thereafter subject to the following rules: 1. A player was not allowed to start a hand by picking up from one of his own holes containing two balls, though he could pick them up by alighting on them with the last ball in his hand. 2. a player was forbidden from dropping a counter into any of his opponent's holes containing two holes, and was therefore obliged to jump all holes containing such pairs of counters. 3. When a player alighted with the last ball in his hand on one of his empty holes facing an enemy hole containing two counters he captured those counters, as well as any other groups of two balls on his opponent's row. 4. Play came to an end when one of the players could no longer move because he had no more counters on his side. his opponent would thereupon appropriate such balls as remained in his own row and add them to his winnings. The players would then count out their takings by placing them back, two by two, into the gabata board. The more successful player would be able to re-fill his holes, whereas his opponent, if he has lost three or more balls, would be deprived of holes on his right side of the board, the area he had lost being marked off by placing some extraneous object in the first of the lost holes. If the players were each left with one extra ball lots would be drawn to determine their ownership. The ensuing round would be begun by the weaker of the two players." Pankhurst 1971: 187-188.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1246
Type Ethnography
Game Lamosh
Location 9°35'45.42"N, 39°44'2.99"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. Play begins with a stylized move. One player takes one counter from their rightmost hole, and holds it in their hand. They then take one counter from the next hole, moving in an anti-clockwise direction, and place it in the next hole. They then take a counter from the next hole after that, and placing it in the next hole, continuing until there is an alternating pattern of a hole with five counters followed by a hole with three counters. Upon reaching the original hole, one counter is dropping in it, and then one counter in the following hole, thus capturing the counters in this hole. Players then alternate turns, sowing in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and the sowing continues. During sowing, the contents of any hole made to contain four counters are captured by the player in whose row the hole is located, except when this is the final counter of a sowing, in which case the player who is sowing captures these counters. When the sowing ends in an empty hole, the turn ends. Play continues until one player cannot move, and the other player captures the remaining counters. A second round is played, each player placing four counters into each hole starting from the rightmost hole in their row. The player with more counters gains a hole from their opponent for every four extra balls they've captured. If an opponent has three extra after counting in such a way, they also gain a hole, but not if there are one or two extra. Play continues in several rounds like this until one player captures all the holes.
Content "Gabata VII (Lamosh II) This game, also reported by Berhanu Hayla Maryam of Ankabar, is identifal to Game 25, except that it begins with the initial palming and rearrangement of balls into a 3, 5, 3, 5 patter as described in Game 21. The first player would thus probably start in his right hand hole by picking up and palming one ball. Then, moving in an anti-clockwise direction he would pick up a ball from his opponent's opposite hole, and place it in the following hole. He would continue in this way until he had rearranged all but his right hand hole in a 3, 5, 3, 5 pattern. On reaching the latter hole, he would place one ball in it, so that it then held four counters, and would then drop the ball in his palm into his opponent's opposite hole, whereupon his move came to an end with the player appropriating the four balls in the latter hole. Thereafter play proceeds as in the other variety of lamosh." Pankhurst 1971: 178.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1247
Type Ethnography
Game Laomuzhu
Location 24° 0'33.82"N, 97°52'18.93"E
Date 1995-02-01 - 1995-02-28
Rules 2x5 board. Each player has a larger stone, which they place in any hole on their side of the board, and five counters in the remaining four holes. Sowing proceeds in either direction, the first player chooses which and all sowing for the rest of the game proceeds in that direction. players may sow from any hole on the board. If the last counter falls into a hole with counters, the counters in the next hole are picked up and sowing continues, and if this hole is empty, the counters in the hole following the empty hole are captured. If there is an unbroken sequence of alternating empty and occupied holes, the counters in the occupied holes are captured until there are two empty or two occupied holes. If the final counter falls into an empty hole the turn ends. Also, if a large stone is dropped into an occupied hole during sowing, the contents of that hole are captured by the owner of the large stone, even if it is not the current player. If a player captures the other player's large stone, it is kept by the capturing player in subsequent rounds until it is captured. The game ends when one player's holes are empty, the opponent claiming the remainder of the counters. The players then attempt to fill all of the holes on their side of the board with either five counters or the large stone. Both large stones must be used to fill holes. Any holes that cannot be filled with five counters or a large stone are left empty, but may be sown into and played from as normal. Play continues in this fashion until one player cannot fill any holes.
Content "2. Laomuzhu is played by Han Chinese from baoshan Prefecture, Longling County, Longxin Township, Mengmao Village. Principal Informant: Li Ying, female, 25, Han nationality. Interviewed February 1995. Configuration: 2x5, no stores. Each player has one large stone and 20 small stones. The two large stones are not identical, and must be distinguished during play. Players and sectors: Two players only. No sectors; a player may play from any side of the 10 holes on the board. To begin, he places a large stone in any of the holes on his side, and five small stones in each of the other holes. Terminology: The laomuzhu (old sow) is a large stone, which gives the game its name. While playing, the large stone is called laogu, an informal term...The zhuer (piglet) is a small stone. Play: Standard pussa kanawa relays and captures. Laogu: The laogu are sown, relayed and captured normally. Each laogu retains its identity and belongs to the player who possessed it at the beginning of the round. But when a laogu is sown into a hole containing zhuer, it captures them for its owner, whatever the hole. That is, it is the identity of the large stone, not the location of the hole, which determines who captures the stones. Just as in yucebao, the laogu is necessarily singleton. If a laogu is sown into a hole containing another laogu, the former captures the latter, no matter who is moving. Rounds: A player fills as many holes as he can on his own side, with five zhuer, or with one laogu. Holes which cannot be filled are let empty at the start of the round, but belong to no one, are sown into and captured from, and as soon as they are non-empty, may be played from by either player. If a player in one round captures both laogu, then they are both his for the succeeding round, and both capture for his benefit. He must, at the beginning of the round, use both of them to fill holes. The game ends when one player cannot fill a single hole: that is, he has no laogu,and has fewer than five zhuer." Eagle 1995:56.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female
Source Eagle, V. 1995. "Some Newly Described Mancala Games from Yunnan Province, China, and the Definition of a Genus in the Family of Mancala Games." In A. de Voogt, ed, New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: International Institute for Asian Studies, 48-63.
Id DLP.Evidence.1248
Type Ethnography
Game Len Choa
Location Thailand
Date 1836-01-01 - 1836-12-31
Rules Triangular board. Six pieces. The object is to hem in the opponent's piece(s) so they cannot move.
Content "Len choa is a game played with six counters placed within and on the lines of a triangle, or as may be agreed on the point, consists in hemming in the adversary's pieces so he cannot move." Low 1839: 380.
Confidence 100
Source Low, J. 1839. 'On Siamese Literature.' Asiatic Researches 20(2): 338-392.
Id DLP.Evidence.1249
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Les Pendus
Location France
Date 1948-01-01 - 1948-12-31
Rules 3x3 board with diagonals. Three pieces per player. Players take turns placing their pieces. Once all pieces have been placed, they may move a piece to any unoccupied spot. The first player to align their three pieces in a row along one of lines on the board is the winner. Larger version: Played on an Alquerque board. Five pieces per player. To win, a player must align their five pieces along one of the lines of the board.
Content "There are many variations of this game. n one, known in France as "les pendus" (literally, "the hanged", the pieces may be moved from any square directly to any other. The game may still be drawn. Another variation is played using 5 pieces of each color on the board obtained by forming a square from 4 ordinary hopscotch squares. In this game 5 pieces of one color must be aligned.
Confidence 100
Source Kraitchik, M. 1948. Mathematical Recreations. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1250
Type Ethnography
Game Leyla
Location 9°21'24.42"N, 42°47'43.87"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in a clockwise direction. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole, the contents of the hole are picked up and sowing continues. If this occupied hole is in the opponent's row and is made to contain four with the final counter, this hole and the one opposite it are captured, the counters remaining in the holes. Players may not sow from these holes. If on a subsequent turn the final counter of a sowing falls into an opponent's captured hole, one counter from the hole is captured, as well as the final counter of the sowing, and the turn ends. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an empty hole, the turn ends. Play continues until one of the players can no longer move, the opponent taking any remaining counters in free holes on their side of the board and each player taking the counters in their captured holes. A new round begins. Players attempt to fill their holes with four counters each. If a player has two extra counters, they may loan them to the other player, to be repaid when they can in a subsequent round. If a player has one extra counter, it is surrendered to the opponent. The player with more counter would only fill as many hole as the opponent is able to fill, retaining their extra counters for future rounds. Play continues until one player cannot fill any holes.
Content "Leyla or Wegi This game , known as leya or wegi, the latter presumably a corruption of the Amharic weg, has similarities with Game 37, but has significant differences from the game as described by Marin, and was played by Ba'alul Mohamed, a Radio Ethiopia announcer from the Habr Awal tribe from the Jigjiga area, and also by Hasan Omar Gad, another Habr Awal from around Jigjiga introduced by Yusuf Omar Abdi. The former described the game as played in a clockwise direction on two rows of six holes...Both authorities agree, however, that there are four balls per hole. The first player would begin by picking up all the balls from any of his holes and would drop them singly in ensuing holes, picking up the contents of the hole in which his last ball fell, and proceeding in this manner until he reached an empty hole when he would stop, it being then the second player's turn to move. A player dropping the last ball in his hand into one of his opponent's holes containing three balls would effect a capture, not only of that hole but of his own opposite hole, both holes being referred to as wegi. The player to indicate the status of these holes would probably make a mark next to them in the sand, and would equalise their contents by transferring balls from one hole to the other, and, according to Ba'alul, would continue to do this as needed from time to time during the play. Neither player was entitled to pick up balls from wegi as from other holes, though a player dropping the last ball in his hand into either of his opponent's pair of wegi captured one counter and put it aside, together with the ball effecting the capture, as his winnings. Such a capture would conclude his move, the player not being entitled, to continue it as in Central Ethiopia, for example. The round would come to an end when one of the players could no longer move, at which time his opponent would appropriate the balls remaining on his own side as his takings. At the end of the round the players would count down the balls they had captured. Ba'alul says they would do this by refilling their holes, the more successful player filling only as many as his opponent could fill, and holding over his surplus for a future round if needed, the remaining holes being covered in with sand. A player, generally the one with the larger number of counters, who had two balls beyond those necessary to fuill his hole or holes would lend them to his opponent, such a loan to be repaid in a later round. A player with one extra ball would however, surrender it to his opponent with three.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1251
Type Ethnography
Game Li'b al-'Aqil
Location Modern Egypt
Date 1836-01-01 - 1836-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. 72 counters are distributed unevenly into the holes with the only rule that corresponding holes on either side of the board must contain counters. The opponent moves first, but may flip the board around if they prefer that arrangement, sacrificing the first move. Counters are sowed in an anti-clockwise direction from a hole in the player's row. If the last counter falls into a hole making it odd, these are picked up and sowing continues. If it lands in a hole making it even, these counters are captured as are the ones in the opposite hole. If the previous hole also has an even number, these and the ones in the opposite hole are captured. If the last counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends. If a player has no counters in their holes, the opponent must give them one counter, to be placed in the leftmost hole and played from there. Play ends when the board is cleared of counters. Each player counts the number of counters they captured. The player with more counters is given a score equal to the difference in the number of counters. Another round begins again exactly as before. The game is won when a player accumulates sixty points.
Content "Others generally play ion a different manner,which is termed "the game of the wise, or intelligent" ("leab el-'akil"), and which now must be described. The hasa are distributed in one or more beyts on one side, and in the corresponding beyt or beyts on the other side; commonly in four beyts on each side, leaving the two extreme beyts of each side vacant: or they are distributed in any other conventional manner; as, for instance, about half into beyt A and the remainder in beyt a. The person who distributes the hasa does not count how may he places in a beyt; and it is at his option whether he places them only in one beyt on each sixe, or in all the beyts. Should the other person object to his distribution, he may turn the board round; but in that case he forfeits his right of playing first. The person who plays first may begin from any one of his beyts; judging by his eye which will bring him the best fortune. He proceeds in the same manner as before described; putting one hasweh in each beyt; and taking in the same cases as in the former mode; and then the other plays. After the first gain, he counts the hasa in each of his beytsl and plays from that which will bring him the greatest advantage...The gain of one party after finishing one board is counted, as in the former mode, by the excess of the number he has take above the number acquireed by the other; and the first who makes his successive gains to amount to sixty wins the game...it is commonly played at the coffeeshops." Lanes 1836: 346.
Confidence 100
Source Lane, E. W. 1836. An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians. London: John Murray.
Id DLP.Evidence.1252
Type Ethnography
Game Li'b el-Merafib
Location Kababish
Date 1925-01-01 - 1925-12-31
Rules The board is a square spiral of any number of spaces. Each player begins with one piece. Three casting sticks, each with a round and a flat side, are used as dice. The throws are as follows: One flat side up = 1; two flat sides up = 2; three flat sides up = 4, zero flat sides up = 6. The pieces begin on the outer end of the track, and must throw a 1 to begin play. Once a player has left the starting spot, they move according to the throws, except on throws of 1, which are tabulated for use later. Players continue to throw until they throw 2. Players must land on the last space of the track, I.e. at the center of the spiral, by an exact throw, and may use one of their accumulated throws of 1 if a 1 is required. The player must then roll 1 five times before leaving this space and proceeding back to the starting point. Accumulated rolls of 1 may be used for this. If the player must wait, they may accumulate individual throws of 2, 4, or 6 to use later. The first player to reach the starting space by an exact throw releases the hyena, which cannot move until 1 is thrown twice, or paid from the accumulated throws. The hyena proceeds along the track in the same manner, but moving twice the value of each throw. When the hyena reaches the end of the track, it must throw or pay 1 ten times. The hyena captures any piece it overtakes on the return to the starting space, eliminating that player from the game.
Content " Li'b El Merafib, or the Hyaena Game (Kababish) The hyaena game is both more ingenious and more amusing than any race game played with dice by English children which I have seen. The dice consist of three pieces of split stick, each about six inches long, on which the bark has been left, so that each stick has one rounded green surface and on flat white one. The three sticks are thrown up and may fall:— Two green and one which, which is called a tâba, Two white and one gree, which is called yômên, Three white, which is called rabî', Three green, which is called séta. The board is made by scooping a spiral groove in the sane and making a random number of hollows along its course. The bigger the spiral, of course, the longer the game will last. Fig. 11 shows a board set for four players. The middle hollow X is the well. the hollow Y at the other end of the spiral, is the village. The sticks 1, 2, 3, 4 represent the mothers of the players. The following are the rules of play :— 1. The players throw the dice in turn, each player throwing time after time, during his turn, until he is brought to standstill by a throw of yômên, when he hands the dice to the next player. 2. A player has to throw a tâba to enable his mother to leave the village at all, just as in race games played by English children one must throw a six to start. 3. After she has left the village, a tâba having been thrown by her son, she moves two "days" (I.e. hollows) for a throw of yômín, four "days" for a rabî' and six for a séta. She does not move for a tâba, which is, however, marked down on the sand to the credit of the player, for a use which will appear presently. 4. a mother must reach the well exactly. Thus if she is an odd number of "days" away from it she will arrive one day short of it, and may then use one of her son's credit of tâbas to complete the journey. 5. At the well, she required two tâbas to drink, one to wash her clothes and two to come away with. If a player has not this number of tâbas to his credit, his mother has to wait until he has scored them. If she has to wait there, however, the player is allowed to mark down for later use any other scores of two, four, or six, which he may throw in the meantime. 6. On coming down from the well, the women make their way back, in the same manner, to the village, from which the first to arrive lets loose the hyaena. 7. The hyaena (represented by the player whose mother first arrived at the village) is enabled to leave it on payment of two tâbas, after which he moves towards the well at double rates, I.e. four " days" for a yômên, eight for a rabî', twelve for a séta. 8. Arrived at the well he is held up, for it costs him ten tâbas to drink and come away again. 9. on leaving the well he still moves at double rates and eats any woman whom he overtakes. He cannot eat before drinking. In this game, the hyaena may be said to be the winner, but there are degrees of defeat. The player whose mother gets eaten by the hyaena is rudely mocked by the one who manages to get the old lady safely back to the village." Davies 1925: 145-146.
Confidence 100
Source Davies, R. 1925. 'Some Arab Games and Puzzles.' Sudan Notes and Records. 8: 137–152.
Id DLP.Evidence.1253
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 23° 7'44.51"N,113°15'51.35"E
Date 0122-01-01BCE - 0120-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board. six pieces per player.
Content Lacquered wood Liubo board from the Tomb of Zhao Mo, King of Nanyue, Guangzhou. Found with six jade and six rock crystal pieces. Selblitschka 2016:148.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1254
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 31°37'29.06"N,117°53'24.17"E
Date 0120-01-01BCE - 0002-12-31
Rules Liubo board
Content Lacquered wood Liubo board found in Fangwanggang Tomb M1. Dated to the Mid-Western Han Dynasty. Selblitschka 2016: 148.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1255
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 34°24'25.70"N,106° 6'19.18"E
Date 0202-01-01BCE - 0120-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board
Content Wooden Liubo board found in Tomb M14 at Fangmatan, Tianshui, Gansu, China. Selbitschka 2016: 148.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1256
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 23° 7'44.51"N,113°15'51.35"E
Date 0122-01-01BCE - 0120-12-31
Rules Liubo board, six pieces per player
Content Laquered wood Liubo board found in the Tomb of Zhao Mo, King of Nanyue, Guangzkou, China. Seblitschka 2016: 149.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Genders Male
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1257
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 23° 7'44.51"N,113°15'51.35"E
Date 0122-01-01BCE - 0120-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board, twelve pieces in total.
Content Laquered wood Liubo board found in the Tomb of Zhao Mo, King of Nanyue, Guangzhou. Twelve ivory pieces found with the board. Selbitschka 2016: 149.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Genders Male
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1258
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 23° 7'44.51"N,113°15'51.35"E
Date 0122-01-01BCE - 0120-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board, six pieces.
Content Laquered wood Liubo board from the Tomb of Zhao Mo, King of Nanyue, Guangzhou. Found with six ivory pieces. Selbitschka 2016: 149.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Genders Male
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1259
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 30°24'40.22"N,112°27'27.89"E
Date 0350-01-01BCE - 0330-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board, eighteen pieces.
Content Lacquered wood Liubo board from Tomb M2 at Tianxingguan, Jingzhou, Hubei, China. Found with six stone and twelve ivory pieces. Selbitschka 2016: 149.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1260
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 30°50'6.21"N,112°30'45.85"E
Date 0202-01-01BCE - 0157-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board.
Content Wooden Liubo board found in tomb M2 at Gaotai, Jingzhou, Hubei, China. Selbitschka 2016: 149.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1261
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 30°50'6.21"N,112°30'45.85"E
Date 0202-01-01BCE - 0157-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board
Content Wooden Liubo board found in Tomb M33 at Gaotai, Jingzhou, Hubei, China. Slebitschka 2016: 149.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1262
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 31° 1'4.66"N,113°44'57.59"E
Date 0202-01-01BCE - 0120-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board
Content Lacquered wood Liubo board found in Toimb M1 at Dafentou, Yunmeng, Hubei, China. Slebitschka 2016: 149.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1263
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 31° 1'4.66"N,113°44'57.59"E
Date 0217-01-01BCE - 0217-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board. Six throwing sticks. Twelve pieces.
Content Wooden Liubo board found in Tomb M11 at Shuihudi, Yunmeng, Hubei, China. Found with six lacquered wood sticks and twelve pieces. Slebitschka 2016: 149.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1265
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 28°21'14.08"N,112°50'1.81"E
Date 0180-01-01BCE - 220-12-31
Rules Liubo board, two dice.
Content Wooden Liubo board found in a tomb at Wangchengpo, Changsha, Hunan, China. Found with two dice. Slebitschka 2016: 149.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1266
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 34°14'58.77"N,117°10'59.42"E
Date 0325-01-01BCE - 0275-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board, two sets of sticks, two sets of six pieces.
Content Deteriorated Liubo board, only inlays, fittings, and accessories remain. two sets of sticks, and two sets of six pieces. From the Tomb of Liu Shen, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China. Selbitschka 2016: 149.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1267
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 32°41'29.10"N,119° 0'22.63"E
Date 0119-01-01BCE - 0033-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board, eighteen sticks.
Content Lacquered wood Liubo board found in Tomb M19 at Sanjiaowei, Tianchang, Anhui, China. Found with eighteen silver sticks. Selbitschka 2016: 150.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1268
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 39°48'19.61"N,116°17'44.87"E
Date 0080-01-01BCE - 0080-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board. eight ivory pieces.
Content Stone Liubo board found in the tomb of Liu Jang, King of Guangyang, at Dabaotai, Beijing. Found with eight ivory pieces. Selbitschka 2016: 150.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Genders Male
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1269
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 24°29'33.73"N,105° 5'35.62"E
Date 0202-01-01BCE - 0120-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board.
Content Bronze Liubo board from a tomb at Putuo. Xilin, Guangxi, China. Selbitschka 2016: 150.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1270
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 23° 4'18.99"N,109°38'10.50"E
Date 0202-01-01BCE - 0120-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board.
Content Wooden Liubo board found in Tomb M1 at Luobowan, Guixian, Guangxi, China. Selbitschka 2016: 150.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1271
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 38°14'36.63"N,114°11'57.55"E
Date 0310-01-01BCE - 0256-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board.
Content Stone Liubo board found in Tomb M3 at Zhongshan Guo, Pingshan, Hebei, Chiuna. Selbitschka 2016: 150.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1272
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 30° 2'5.57"N,112°25'8.54"E
Date 0180-01-01BCE - 0141-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board. Twelve pieces, six throwing sticks.
Content Wooden Liubo game board from Tomb M8 at Fenghuangshan, Jiangling, Hubei. Found with six bamboo throwing sticks and twelve bone pieces. Selbitschka 2016: 150.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1273
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 30° 2'5.57"N,112°25'8.54"E
Date 0392-01-01BCE - 0309-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board
Content Lacquered wood Liubo board fouind in Tomb M197 at Yuteishan, Jiangling, Hubei, China. 24 dice or tokens, as welll as nine red, nine black, and six white pebbles. Selbitschka 2016: 150.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1274
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 30° 2'5.57"N,112°25'8.54"E
Date 0392-01-01BCE - 0309-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board.
Content Lacquered wood Liubo board found in Tomb M314 at Yutaishan, Jiangling, Hubei, China. Selitschka 2016: 150.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1275
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 31°15'48.92"N,114°26'42.45"E
Date 0217-01-01BCE - 0217-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board. Six throwing sticks. Twelve pieces.
Content Wooden Liubo board found in Tomb M13 at Shuihudi, Yunmeng, Hubei, China. Found with six bamboo throwing sticks and twelve bone tokens. Selbitschka 2016: 150.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1276
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 30°47'46.46"N,119°38'40.34"E
Date 0325-01-01BCE - 0301-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board. Nine pieces.
Content Lacquered wood Liubo board found in Tomb M1 at Wufu, Anji, Zhejiang, China. Found with nine pieces. Selbitschka 2016: 150.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1277
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 34°18'17.59"N,108°51'17.09"E
Date 0202-01-01BCE - 0220-12-31
Rules Liubo board.
Content Fragment of a ceramic Liubo board found at the Han Dynasty Weiyang Palace at Chang'an, China. Selbitschka 2016: 151.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1278
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 34°18'17.59"N,108°51'17.09"E
Date 0202-01-01BCE - 0220-12-31
Rules Liubo board.
Content Fragmentary ceramic Liubo board found in the Han Dynasty Weiyang Palace, Chang'an, China. Selbitschka 2016: 151.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Id DLP.Evidence.1279
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 34°19'5.56"N,108°51'46.44"E
Date 0129-01-01BCE - 0052-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board.
Content Ceramic Liubo board found a the kiln site at the Northern Palace of Chang'an. Selbitschka 2016: 151.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1280
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 34°26'36.45"N,108°56'28.85"E
Date 0141-01-01BCE - 0141-12-31BCE
Rules Liubo board.
Content Ceramic Liubo board from the ritual complex at the tomb of Emperor Jing. Selbitschka 2016: 151.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Id DLP.Evidence.1281
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 35°15'52.77"N,117°58'35.19"E
Date 0202-00-01BCE - 0220-12-31
Rules Liubo board.
Content Stone Liubo board found in Feixian, Shandong, China. Selbitschka 2016: 151.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1282
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 23°13'28.09"N,103°10'54.72"E
Date 0025-01-01 - 0220-12-31
Rules Liubo board.
Content Bronze Liubo board found in a Tomb at Heimajing, Gejiu, Yunnan, China. Selbitschka 2016: 151.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1283
Type Artifact
Game Liubo
Location 34°41'36.56"N,110°41'39.50"E
Date 0025-01-01 - 0220-12-31
Rules Liubo board.
Content Liubo board found in a tomb at Ruicheng, Shanxi, China. Selbitschka 2016: 151.
Confidence 100
Source Selbitschka, A. 2016. 'A Tricky Game: A Re-evaluation of Liubo Based on Archaeological and Textual Evidence.' Oriens Extremus 55: 105-166.
Id DLP.Evidence.1284
Type Artistic depiction
Game Liubo
Location 34°20'34.76"N,111° 1'55.52"E
Date 0175-01-01 - 0199-12-31
Rules Six throwing sticks, six pieces per player, each player with an extra piece.
Content Terracotta model from Zhangwan, Lingbao, Henan, China, showing two players with six throwing sticks, six rectangular pieces per player, and each player with a round piece. Tseng 2004: 169-171.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Tseng, L. 2004. 'Representation and Appropriation: Rethinking the TLV Mirror in Han China." Early china 29: 162-215.
Id DLP.Evidence.1285
Type Artistic depiction
Game Liubo
Location 34°42'47.34"N,116°56'12.76"E
Date 0001-01-01 - 0199-12-31
Rules Six throwing sticks.
Content Stone relief found at Peixian, Jiangsu. Two players sit around a square board, with six throwing sticks on the board. Tseng 2004:171-172.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Id DLP.Evidence.1286
Type Contemporary text
Game Liubo
Location 31°43'11.08"N,112°15'28.02"E
Date 0298-01-01BCE - 0263-12-31BCE
Rules Sticks and pieces, pieces threaten each other, winning double a possibility.
Content Poem "Chao hun" by Sung Yu: "With bamboo sticks and ivory draughtsmen, There is the game liu-po. Dividing into groups and proceeding together, Forcefully they threaten each other. Having become hsiao (I.e., in the lead) and going to win double, One shouts for the 'five-white'... Translated in Yang 1947:203-204.
Confidence 100
Source Yang, L. 1947. 'A Note on the Co-Called TLV Mirrors and the Game Liu-po.' Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 9(3/4):202-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1287
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Los Escaques
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules Seven players. Seven concentric circles, divided into twelve equal sections, labeled after the twelve zodiac signs. The inner circle has one space per section, the next circle out has two per section, and so on, with the outer circle having seven spaces per section. Each player controls one piece, which travels in its circle only. Each piece begins in a different section, on the first space in that section: Saturn, beginning in Aquarius; Jupiter, beginning in Sagittarius; Mars, beginning in Scorpio; Sun, beginning in Leo; Venus, beginning in Taurus; Mercury, beginning in Virgo, and the Moon, beginning in Cancer. Each player rolls a seven-sided die, to determine which piece they play as, seven being Saturn and one being the Moon, and the others in order as already given. Movement is determined by the roll of this die, and proceeds in a clockwise direction. When a piece enters a new section, the player gains or loses points. Points are allocated based on how many sections away (either forward or behind) from the new section the other pieces are located. If a piece is two sections away, the player gains 24 points; if four sections away, 36; if three sections away, the player loses 36, if six sections away, loses 72; if the same section; 144.
Content Libro de los Juegos 95-96. Discussion of the rules of Los Escaques.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1288
Type Ethnography
Game Main Chator
Location Sarawak
Date 1849-01-01 - 1849-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Bidah (8): can move one space forward, or one space diagonally to capture; Tor (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Gajah (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Kudah (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Mautri (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Rajah (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. When first checked, the Rajah may move like a Kudah, or move two spaces in any direction. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Castling may occur in two separate moves: the Tor moves next to the Rajah, and if the Rajah is checked, it may move to the other side of the Tor. Promotion of Bidahs occur when they reach the opposite edge of the board, but only immediately if they reach the Tor's square. Pawns reaching any other square must make two moves along the before they can be promoted; the first must be a lateral move, the second may be lateral or diagonal. .Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content "I HAVE been engaged in watching some of the head men amusing them selves at Chess, which is a favorite game with them. They are really skilful in playing it after their own fashion. . It is called main chatur, or game of chequers. The King is the rajah ; the Queen mautri, or minister; the Bishop, gajah, or elephant; the Knight, kudah, or horseman; the Castle, tor, or chariot; and the Pawn, bidah, or foot-soldier. The check is ex pressed by asah, and checkmate, by mati. So far it resembles the nomenclature of other Malay countries. Crawford informs us that the Javanese are hardly acquainted with the game, save by report, which certainly §. far to shew that it was not introduced by the Hindoos ; whilst the alays are passionately attached to it, having in more recent times acquired it from the Telingas, who, from the evidence of language, must have taken it from the Persians, the names being in that language. For instance, “chatur,” the name of the game, is Persian, and not Indian ; “sah,” check, is the Persian word “shah,” and the only way in which the Indian Islanders can pronounce it; “bidah,” a Pawn, is but a corruption of “piadah,” a foot-soldier; and “mat,” is the true Persian word for checkmate, borrowed by ourselves, and more correctly by the French. These are Crawford's reasons, and very substantial ones, not only to prove that Chess was not introduced by the Hindoos into the Archipelago, but that they have no title to the invention of that noble game; and, as he adds, “Sir William Jones acknowledges that no account of such a game exists in the writings of the Brahmans.” I can see little to oppose to this reasoning; and I think it may be pronounced that Chess, having been invented in Persia, travelled thence to India, and, subsequently, from the Telinga country to the Archipelago. I am unacquainted with the game as played by the Persians; but, as neither Marsden nor Crawford describes the Malay method, which differs considerably from that of Europe, I shall here insert it. The board is placed in the same way, and the Queens stand to the right of their respective Kings, which brings each Queen opposite to her adverse King. This is the only difference in placing the pieces. The moves are precisely similar to our own, with the exception of the King's. The King, when checked for the first time, has the right of making the Knight's move, or to move two squares. After this sally, he is reduced to the same powers as a European King. This first move (in which he can of course take), on being checked, alters the game considerably, as one great object then becomes to prevent the check of your own King early in the game, and to gain a check of your adversary. The usual, and apparently the most approved, method amongst them, is to open the game from the Queen's Castles Pawn, and, pushing out the Queen's Knight's and the Queen's Bishop's Pawns, to manoeuvre the Queen behind them. It appears to me that all this greatly cramps the game, in some measure, renders it more tricky, and prevents the real strength of the various pieces from being fully developed, in order to guard against a check; for it will be evident, if the King be once checked, he is deprived of one great advantage which your adversary still holds, Castling is not allowed except in two moves, the first being the Castle's move up to the King, and on the King receiving a check, he can exercise his right of jumping to the inside of the Castle. The remaining difference in the game is the play of the Pawns: a Pawn, moved out, cannot pass an adversary's Pawn, his first move being restricted to one square in this case; and a Pawn having been pushed up into the adversary's game, he cannot call a piece except on the Castle's square, and the Pawn, arriving at the other squares, being obliged, before he gains a Queen or piece, to make two extra moves; for instance, should a Pawn have arrived at the Queen's Bishop's square, he may gain a Queen or other piece by moving to the Knight's square; and lastly, to the Castle's first square, or, at his option, to the Knight's first square, and then, optional, either to the Bishop's second or the Castle's second, or else to the Queen or King's first, or Queen's first and King's second. In fact, this is a delay rather than a prevention, as, from the number of squares which may be taken, it is extremely difficult to guard them all. I have played several games, and made many inquiries, but have not yet discovered any other difference in the Bornean and Euro pean games." Brooke 1849: 246-247.
Confidence 100
Source Brooke, R. 1849. 'Chess in Borneo.' The Chess Player's Chronicle 9: 246-247.
Id DLP.Evidence.1289
Type Ethnography
Game Mak Ruk
Location Thailand
Date 1839-01-01 - 1839-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Ech player begins with sixteen pieces with special moves: Khoon (x1): moves orthogonally in any direction; Met (x1): placed to the right of the Khoon, moves one square orthogonally or diagonally forward, or one square diagonally backward, may move two squares orthogonally forward on the first move; Khon (x2): moves one square forward orthogonally or diagonally, may move backward diagonally but not to capture; Maa (x2): moves as a chess knight; Rooa (x2): moves orthogonally any distance; Bea (x8): move forward one space, but capture diagonally. When they reach the opposite edge of the board, they are promoted to Met. They begin on the third row of the board with respect to each player. When the Khoon is threatened, it is in check and the player's next move must be to remove the check. If the player cannot, it is checkmate and the player loses. If there are no legal moves, the game is a draw. If one player has only a king left, the opponent must checkmate it within a set number of turns, based on the highest ranking piece left on the board, minus the total number of pieces on the board. The values are: two Rooa: eight; one Rooa, sixteen, two Khon, 22; one Khon, 44; two Maa, 33; one Maa, 66; Met and two Bea, 88; one each of Met, Rooa, Maa, Khon, sixteen. With nnly a Met, the game is a draw.
Content "Mak rook or Chess—The Khoon or king has with the other pieces (with the exception of the pawns), the same relative positions as in the English game. He goes one square in any direction,m and takes in any direction. He cannot castle. He is check-mated much in the same manner as in the British game, but a stale-mate makes a drawn game. The Met or minister. [the queen with us] stands on the right hand of the King, can move two squares straight-forward at the outset—but after the first move he can only go one square at a time, and that diagonally either for advance or retreat. The Khon, " post or supporter," is the bishop. His first move is either one square forward or diagonally, but at any period of the game he may take the adversary's piece on the square before him, but not that one which may stand in his rear. Maa or the horse, is the knight and moves in the same wau as the English one. The rooa or ship is the Castle and moves in the same way as the latter. Bea or "cowries" (shells) are the pawns. They are ranged on the third square and move one square at a time, and only one at the outset, and take diagonally. When they reach the adversary's line of pawns they become Met or ministers and move accordingly,..The following are established rules. If a king is left alone to contend, his aim is to get so placed as to prevent being check mated within a certain number of moves. In the first place, however, the number of pieces actually on the board is deducted from the prescribed number of moves in each case. Thus, if the king has opposed to him a king and two castles—the number of pieces on the board four—is deducted from the prescribed number eight. If the adversary has only a castle, the prescribed number is sixteen. If he has two bishops—it is twenty-two. If with one forty-four. If with thtree knights thirty-three. If with one knight sixty-six. If with a met, it is a drawn game. If with a queen or met and two pawns eighty-eight moves; with a queen, bishop, knight, and castle, sixteen moves are prescribed." Low 1839: 374-379.
Confidence 100
Source Low, J. 1839. 'On Siamese Literature.' Asiatic Researches 20(2): 338-392.
Id DLP.Evidence.1290
Type Ethnography
Game Maak Yék
Location Thailand
Date 1836-01-01 - 1836-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Sixteen pieces per player. The pieces begin on the first and third rank or squares with respect to each player. Pieces move orthogonally any distance. Pieces are captured when surrounded on both sides by an enemy piece. Enemy pieces may also be taken if a piece moves into a space such that the enemy pieces are on either side of it. The goal is to capture all of the enemy's pieces.
Content "Maak yék is a game somewhat resembling draughts. It is played with thirty-two men—sixteen on a side— and arranged respectively on their first and third lines. The pieces move in square in all directions, the number not being limited. The object is to get one or more of the adversaries' pieces betwixt two of the players' ones, which, if there be no intervals between any of the confined and confining pieces, are taken—or if the draft piece stands with one of the adversaries' on each side of him, or with htese and others in his rear, he takes the whole." Low 1836: 382-383.
Confidence 100
Source Low, J. 1839. 'On Siamese Literature.' Asiatic Researches 20(2): 338-392.
Id DLP.Evidence.1291
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Makvœr
Location 55°40'6.31"N, 12°33'13.19"E
Date 1802-01-01 - 1802-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, twelve pieces per player, arranged on the black spaces. Pieces move diagonally one space, or may hop an opponent's piece to capture it. Pieces may also capture orthogonally, but must remain on the black spaces. When a piece reaches the opponent's edge of the board, the piece becomes a "Dam," and may move diagonally or orthogonally any number of spaces, including to jump over one piece. The player who captures all the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Makvœr. Spilles som det forrige, med den Forskiel, at man her ogsaa slaaer paa langs, fra et sort Rum til et andet, og at Dammen ligeledes, men ikke Brikkerne, kan finntes paa langs, dette gjør dette Spil mere sammensat og vanskleigt end det foedvanlige Damspil, og der hører megen Opmœrksomhed og en hurtig Dømmekraft til at undgaae Iab eller tilvinde sig Fordele. Hovedsagen er at holde Brikkerne samlede, isœr ved Siderne, hvor Modparten altid føger at trœnge frem, da det er vanskeligt at faae ham bort derfra igjen, naar han een Gang her vundet et Rum, siden man ikke kan komme til at slaae ham paa tvers, men langs med Brœttet, hvor der fra huffen af maa tages Brikker, son svœkke Sturfen meget. " Jörgensen 1802: 339.
Confidence 100
Source Jörgensen, S. 1802. Nyeste Dansk Spillebog. Copenhagen: J. S. Schubothe's.
Id DLP.Evidence.1292
Type Ethnography
Game Manddiaré
Location 17°32'57.23"N, 14°41'44.57"W
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-01-01
Rules 2x3-10 board. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter of the sowing lands in a hole, making it contain an even number of counters, these are captured.
Content ""Le manddiaré maure de Boutilimit s'apparente à ces jeux; 6 à 20 trous en deux rangées égales, on joue avec des pions colorés, à deux joueurs ou deux groupes de joueurs, sens inverse des aiguilles d'une montre; le pot où tombe le dernier pion est acquis si avec ce pion le nombre total des pions du pot est pair; joué par les filles et les femmes. Quelquefois par de jeunes hommes pour approcher les jeunes filles, mais jamais en public dans ce cas." Béart 1955: 512.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent, Adult
Spaces Public, Private
Genders Female
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1293
Type Ethnography
Game Mapuche Game
Location Araucania
Date 1525-01-01 - 1558-12-31
Rules 21 holes, arranged in an arc, the central hole larger than the others. Ten pieces per player, each player's pieces beginning on one side of the board, one in each hole. Four beans used as dice, with a black side and a white side. The throws are as follows: Four white sides up = 4; four black sides up = 3; two white/two black up = 2; three white or three black = player loses their turn. Players continue to throw until they lose their turn. If a piece lands in the central hole, and it cannot move from it on its next opportunity, it is removed from the game. Pieces moving into the opponent's side of the board capture any of the opponent's pieces which occupy a space on which they land. When a piece reaches the end of the track, they proceed back in the other direction. The player who captures all ten of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Su manera de juego de estos indios es de esta manera que en el suelo hacen una placita pequeña, y por une parte de ella hacen una raya como una Ce al derecho y otra Ce en contra al revés. Y en medio de estas dos Ces, digo en las cabezas, está un hoyuelo pequeño, y por las dos Ces va por cada une de ellas diez hoyuelos más pequeños. Y ponen por ellos piedras o maíces o palos, de manera que difieren en la color los unos de los otros. Y desde fuera de este circuito hincan una varita de tres palmos y la cabeza de ella cae en medio de este circuito de las Ces. Hacen de una varita de mimbre una O atada allí, que será tan grande como una ajorca. Siéntose los que quieren jugar, que son dos o cuatro compañeros, y no pueden jugar más de cuatro. Y toman cuatro frísoles blancos, porque los hay de muchas colores y por la una parte los tornan negros, y échanlos por de dentro de la mimbre que está en alto, como ajorca que digo. Y echándolos y en dándose con las manos en el pecho y en el muslo derecho, es todo uno, hablando en alto. Y caen abajo en la placita. Y si caen todos blancos, sube aquel que las echa cuatro casas, subiendo de la casa del cabo, para arriba do está la otra casa que digo que es mayor que éstas. E si echa todos negros, sube tres casas con la misma piedra que anda. Y si eche dos blancos y dos negros, anda una casa. E si eche uno negro o [lire e] tres blancos, o tres negros e uno blanco, pierde la mano e juega el otro contrario, y sube de la misma manera conforme a lo que echa. Y esta piedra que va caminando por las casas en que están las otras piedras, y si acieta a entrar en a casa mayor que dije de la cabeza de las Ces, pierde la mano. Estando allí gana aquelle piedra al contrario. Y hecha ganancia, sale de allí hacia las piedras contrarias y prende a todas en cuantas casas entra con lo ha echado. Y si estando en la casa grande pierde la piedra, as porque dicen ellos as aquél el río y que se ahogó. Y torna a jugar con la otra del cabo que queda. Y si se la matan, con la sotra del cabo, y ansí jugan. Y el que antes mata y echa fuera de sus casas la diez piedras contrarias, gana el precio que ponen. Y eeste es su juego y no tienen otro. Y son muy grandes tahúres, tanto, que muchas veces juegan la mujeres e hijos. Y ellas son muy tahúras de este juego y juegan lo que tienen,
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female, Male
Source Depaulis, T. 2003. 'Un jeu de pions mapuche au XVIe siècle.' Board Game Studies 6: 67-94.
Id DLP.Evidence.1294
Type Ethnography
Game Gabata (Shoa and Adegrat)
Location 13°29'36.70"N, 39°27'56.70"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. The game begins with a stylised move. One player takes one counter from their rightmost hole, and holds in in their hand. They then take one counter from the next hole, moving in an anti-clockwise direction, and place it in the next hole. They then take a counter from the next hole after that, and placing it in the next hole, continuing until there is an alternating pattern of a hole with five counters followed by a hole with three counters. The original hole from which the first counter was taken will have four counters. The player will then place the first counter taken into the next hole in the opponent's row, causing it to hold four counters. This creates a weg, a hole captured by that player, which is involved in capturing (see below). Players alternate making this first move in subsequent rounds. The next phase begins once this stylised move is completed. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction.If the final counter of a sowing falls into a hole containing counters, these are picked up and sowing continues. A player's turn ends when the final counter falls into an empty hole. When the final counter of a sowing falls into a hole containing three counters, it creates a weg, and the turn ends. Players cannot sow from a weg they've captured. A player may capture counters from an opponent's weg when the final counter of a sowing falls into the opponent's weg on the player's turn. The final counter and one counter in the weg are captured. The player may then take the counters from any of their holes and sow from there. If a player cannot play, they must pass their turn, but may play again if this becomes possible in a subsequent turn. Play ends when there are no possible moves left on the board. Players then capture the counters in their wegs. A new round begins. The players fill as many of their holes with four counters as they are able. The player with more counters will capture as many holes from the opponent in which they can place four or more counters. If the player has three remaining counters after holes are filled with four, the opponent would cede their one remaining counter to the opponent to make four and the player captures one further hole. If there are two remaining, the players draw lots to determine which player owns the remaining hole. The player who played second in the previous round begins the new round with the same stylized move, and play continues as before after that. Play continues until one player owns no holes; the opponent wins.
Content "Mengas. This game, known as mengas, literally "to be king," is also played on two rows each with six holes, with four balls per hole, and is basically similar to Games 5 and 6, but the question of which player should move first is determined by the shekut hand-play described above. The most distinctive aspect of play is, however, the first player'sm initial redistribution of balls in a three, five, three, five pattern to achieve an automatic weg. This game, as already pointed out, is today perhaps the commonest type of play throughout the central provinces of Ethiopia, and is more exhaustively discussed as Game 21." Pankhurst 1971: 173.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1295
Type Ethnography
Game Mewegae
Location 15°32'57.40"N, 37°53'0.74"E; 15°46'45.68"N, 38°26'55.28"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Play begins with four counters in each hole. Players begin the game simultaneously, sowing according to the rules below, until one player drops their final counter into an empty hole. A player picks up the contents of any of their holes and sowing them in an anti-clockwise direction, picking up the contents of the last hole in which his counters fall, and continuing sowing. This continues until the last counter falls in an empty hole. Then it is the other player's turn. A hole is captured when the last ball is dropped into an opponent's hole containing three counters, making it four. A player cannot then take from one of these holes that they have captured. Therefore, the player cannot begin a turn from their own captured hole nor can they continue sowing from it. If the last counter of a sowing falls into an opponent's captured hole, nothing happens on the first instance, but every time after that, one of those counters are removed from the board and placed in the store, and the sowing continues with the contents of any of the player's holes. Ownership of a hole continues even if it becomes empty. When a player cannot move (i.e., there are no counters in their holes except any that are in captured holes), the opponent continues to move until the player is able to move. Play continues until all counters are either placed in the store or in captured holes and thus cannot be moved. Players then count their pieces by placing four in each hole, and the player who has more than their original number takes ownership of one of the opponent's holes for every four counters more than the original number that have been taken. If no player took four more than the original, the player with three extra gets the hole, if each player has two extra the weaker player is given the two extra counters. Play then begins again as before. The game ends when one player owns all of the counters, and thus all of the holes. If toward then end of the game, when a player has been reduced to a single hole and it is captured by the opponent, the opponent captures the four counters involved in the capture. The hole remains in the possession of its owner, and is able to utilise any pieces falling into that hole on subsequent turns, but may also capture from this hole as though the hole had been captured by the opponent.
Content "Mewegae. This type of game, known in Tigrinya as the mewegae, or "to pierce" variety of gabata, is played in Western Eritrea as reported by two Heile Sellassie I University students, Madhane Gabra Heywat of Magara near Keren and Sultan Yimesgen, who describes it as found also in Agordat. The game is again based on two rows of six holes, with four balls per hole, and is broadly similar to qelat II, but has the following special features: 1, The decision who should play first is often taken by a process of "racing" identical to that employed in the three-row game of the highlands of Eritrea and this seems to reflect some measure of cultural identity between the two areas. In the game under discussion the players may, however, agree as to who should move first in which case there is no need to resort to "racing." 2. After the capture of a mewegae, which was effected, as described in the previous game, by dropping the last ball of a player's hand into one of his opponent's holes containing three counters, the procedure is significantly different. Whenever such a hole is captured the opponent of its capturer cannot tax or "eat" from it until he has first dropped one last ball in that hole. On doing this he would say teseta, literally "let her drink" and would thereafter be free to tax from that hole in the normal way by dropping there the last ball of his hand. 3. When at the end of a round players were each left with two extra counters the player with the larger number of holes would usually cede them to his weaker opponent." Pankhurst 1971: 168.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1296
Type Ethnography
Game Awagagae
Location Ansaba
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Play begins with four counters in each hole. A player picks up the contents of any of their holes and sowing them in an anti-clockwise direction, picking up the contents of the last hole in which his counters fall, and continuing sowing. This continues until the last counter falls in an empty hole. Then it is the other player's turn. A hole is captured when the last ball is dropped into an opponent's hole containing three counters, making it four. A player cannot then take from one of these holes that they have captured. Therefore, the player cannot begin a turn from their own captured hole nor can they continue sowing from it. If the last counter of a sowing falls into an opponent's captured hole, nothing happens on the first instance, but every time after that, one of those counters are removed from the board and placed in the store, and the sowing ends. Ownership of a hole continues even if it becomes empty. When a player cannot move (i.e., there are no counters in their holes except any that are in captured holes), the opponent continues to move until the player is able to move. Play continues until all counters are either placed in the store or in captured holes and thus cannot be moved. Players then count their pieces by placing four in each hole, and the player who has more than their original number takes ownership of one of the opponent's holes for every four counters more than the original number that have been taken. If no player took four more than the original, the player with three extra gets the hole, if each player has two extra the weaker player is given the two extra counters. Play then begins again as before. The game ends when one player owns all of the counters, and thus all of the holes. If toward then end of the game, when a player has been reduced to a single hole and it is captured by the opponent, the opponent captures the four counters involved in the capture. The hole remains in the possession of its owner, and is able to utilise any pieces falling into that hole on subsequent turns, but may also capture from this hole as though the hole had been captured by the opponent.
Content "Gabata II. This game, based on two rows each of six rows(sic), with four balls per hole is known as awagagae, I.e. "method of piercing," was played by Yohannes Imar and Isaq Habté. It embodies most of the features of Game 6 described above for Western Eritrea, but is not based on racing. On the contrary the players move alternately from the beginning. As in Game 6 it is, however, impossible for a player to "eat," or tax, a captured hole until he had first dropped a counter there, and would on that occasion say teseta "let her eat." A player subsequently "eating" from that hole thereby ended his move, and was not entitled, as in other variants of this game, to continue to move. The rest of the game is identical to Game 6." pankhurst 1971: 169.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1297
Type Ethnography
Game Mewelad
Location 15°32'57.40"N, 37°53'0.74"E; 15°46'45.68"N, 38°26'55.28"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters per hole. Play begins with a simultaneous racing move, where players attempt to be the first to drop the final counter of their sowing into an empty hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. If the final counter falls into an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. If the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends. At any time during the sowing, if a hole is made to contain four counters, the owner of the hole in which the four counters are located captures them, unless it is the final hole of the sowing, in which case the player who is sowing captures them. The captures happen immediately. If a player does not capture when they should have, and a subsequent sowing causes this hole to contain five counters, it becomes a Jen. Players can no longer capture from a Jen in the same manner as before. Captures are made from it when the final counter of a sowing lands in it, in which case the final counter and one counter from the Jen are captured by the player who is sowing. Play continues until a player can no longer move because there are no counters in their row, and the opponent captures the remaining counters. Players then count their pieces by placing four in each hole, and the player who has more than their original number takes ownership of one of the opponent's holes for every four counters more than the original number that have been taken. If no player took four more than the original, the player with three extra gets the hole, if each player has two extra the weaker player is given the two extra counters. Play then begins again as before. The game ends when one player owns all of the counters, and thus all of the holes. If toward then end of the game, when a player has been reduced to a single hole and it is captured by the opponent, the opponent captures the four counters involved in the capture. The hole remains in the possession of its owner, and is able to utilise any pieces falling into that hole on subsequent turns, but may also capture from this hole as though the hole had been captured by the opponent.
Content "Mewelad. This game, known in Tigrinya as the mewelad or "to give birth" variety of gabata, was also reported by Madhanee Gabre Heywat and Sultan Yimesgan in the Keren-Agordat area. Played once more on a two-row board with six holes per row and four balls per hole...The Western Ertirean variant is, howeverm apparently unique in that it often begins, like mewegae, with "racing" which is unknown to the lam waladach games found further south. After this initial gambit, which is, however, optional, the first player would begin by picking up the entire contents of any of the holes in his row, and then, always proceeding in an anti-clockwise direction, would drop the balls in his hand one by one into the ensuing holes, his own or his opponent's, lifting up the contents of the hole on which his last ball fell and stopping on ending his hand on an empty hole, whereupon it was the second player's turn to move. Captures, as in the other lam waladach games, were thereafter effected whenever a group of four balls were formed in any hole. Such groups of four balls would belong to the owner of the row, unless created by the dropping of the last ball in any hand, in which case they became the property of the player who thus made the group, irrespectively of on whose row this happened. Such an act terminated the player's move, after which it was the opponent's turn to play. both types of capture has to be effected fairly immediately after the creation of the group or groups of four; if this was not done, and subsequent play resulted in the increase of a group of balls from four to five balls, special penalty procedure, not foiund in other parts of Ethiopia, became operative. Whenever such holes containing five holes, known in Tigrinya as jen, were formed, the previous right to appropriate their contents was forfeited. In such circumstances either player alighting with the last ball in his hand on such a hole, irrespective of whose row it belonged to, effected a capture by taking a ball from that hole and would then put it aside, with the ball making the capture, as his takings. This act of capture, which is clearly reminiscent of that practiced in mewegae, was referred to as mejemetat. Should such a hole become empty the players' takings were limited to the ball ending there, but the system of putting aside two balls would be resumed whenever the hole filled again. The round would come to an end as soon as a player was no longer able to move for lack of any counters in his holes, at which time his opponent would appropriate the remaining balls on his side as his takings. The subsequent procedure for the counting down of balls and the commencement of an ensuing round was in the mewegae game earlier described." Pankhurst 1971: 168.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1298
Type Ethnography
Game Mewelad
Location Ansaba
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters per hole. Play begins with a simultaneous racing move, where players attempt to be the first to drop the final counter of their sowing into an empty hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. If the final counter falls into an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. If the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends. At any time during the sowing, if a hole is made to contain four counters, the owner of the hole in which the four counters are located captures them, unless it is the final hole of the sowing, in which case the player who is sowing captures them. The captures happen immediately. If a player does not capture when they should have, and a subsequent sowing causes this hole to contain five counters, it becomes a Jen. Players can no longer capture from a Jen in the same manner as before. Captures are made from it when the final counter of a sowing lands in it, in which case the final counter and one counter from the Jen are captured by the player who is sowing. Play continues until a player can no longer move because there are no counters in their row, and the opponent captures the remaining counters. Players then count their pieces by placing four in each hole, and the player who has more than their original number takes ownership of one of the opponent's holes for every four counters more than the original number that have been taken. If no player took four more than the original, the player with three extra gets the hole, if each player has two extra the weaker player is given the two extra counters. Play then begins again as before. The game ends when one player owns all of the counters, and thus all of the holes. If toward then end of the game, when a player has been reduced to a single hole and it is captured by the opponent, the opponent captures the four counters involved in the capture. The hole remains in the possession of its owner, and is able to utilise any pieces falling into that hole on subsequent turns, but may also capture from this hole as though the hole had been captured by the opponent.
Content "Gabata III. This game, based on two rows each of six holes with four balls per hole, was played by Andom Takla Maryam is identical to Game 7, reported likewise for Western Eritrea." Pankhurst 1971: 169.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1299
Type Ethnography
Game Qelat
Location 15°36'28.30"N, 39°27'19.36"E; 15°19'49.29"N, 38°56'0.42"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Play begins with four counters in each hole. A player picks up the contents of any of their holes and sowing them in an anti-clockwise direction, picking up the contents of the last hole in which his counters fall, and continuing sowing. This continues until the last counter falls in an empty hole. Then it is the other player's turn. A hole is captured when the last ball is dropped into an opponent's hole containing three counters, making it four. A player cannot then take from one of these holes that they have captured. Therefore, the player cannot begin a turn from their own captured hole nor can they continue sowing from it if their last counter falls into it. If the last counter of a sowing falls into an opponent's captured hole, one of those counters are removed from the board and placed in the store, and the sowing continues with the contents of any of the player's holes. Ownership of a hole continues even if it becomes empty. When a player cannot move (i.e., there are no counters in their holes except any that are in captured holes), the opponent continues to move until the player is able to move. Play continues until all counters are either placed in the store or in captured holes and thus cannot be moved. Players then count their pieces by placing four in each hole, and the player who has more than their original number takes ownership of one of the opponent's holes for every four counters more than the original number that have been taken. If no player took four more than the original, the player with three extra gets the hole, if each player has two extra they draw lots to see who gets an extra hole. Play then begins again as before. The game ends when one player owns all of the counters, and thus all of the holes. If toward then end of the game, when a player has been reduced to a single hole and it is captured by the opponent, the opponent captures the four counters involved in the capture. The hole remains in the possession of its owner, and is able to utilise any pieces falling into that hole on subsequent turns, but may also capture from this hole as though the hole had been captured by the opponent.
Content "Magazeb II. This game based on two rows each of six holes with four balls per hole, is identical to Game 5 found in parts of Western Eritrea, and was played by Ibrahim Johar, a man of Masawa now resident in Asmara." Pankhurst 1971: 171.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1300
Type Ethnography
Game Gabata (Ghinda)
Location 15°26'48.60"N, 39° 5'49.61"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters per hole. Each player takes their first turn from their leftmost hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. If the final counter falls into an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. If the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends. At any time during the sowing, if a hole is made to contain four counters, the owner of the hole in which the four counters are located captures them, unless it is the final hole of the sowing, in which case the player who is sowing captures them. The captures happen immediately. If a player does not capture when they should have, and a subsequent sowing causes this hole to contain five counters, it becomes a Jen. Players can no longer capture from a Jen in the same manner as before. Captures are made from it when the final counter of a sowing lands in it, in which case the final counter and one counter from the Jen are captured by the player who is sowing. Play continues until a player can no longer move because there are no counters in their row, and the opponent captures the remaining counters. Players then count their pieces by placing four in each hole, and the player who has more than their original number takes ownership of one of the opponent's holes for every four counters more than the original number that have been taken. If no player took four more than the original, the player with three extra gets the hole, if each player has two extra the weaker player is given the two extra counters. Play then begins again as before. The game ends when one player owns all of the counters, and thus all of the holes. If toward then end of the game, when a player has been reduced to a single hole and it is captured by the opponent, the opponent captures the four counters involved in the capture. The hole remains in the possession of its owner, and is able to utilise any pieces falling into that hole on subsequent turns, but may also capture from this hole as though the hole had been captured by the opponent.
Content "Gabata in Ghina, as in the highlands of Eritrea, is often associated with post-wedding celebrations. The game in this area is usually based on two rows each of six holes with four balls per hole. A common game played by Abdelkader Husein, a student from Ghinda at the Prince Makonnen School at Asmara is identical to Game 7 except that each player begins his opening round from his extreme left-hand without racing, and on picking up as his winnings any group of four may say waachee waledat, I.e. "my cow gave birth." Pankhurst 1971: 172.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Ritual, Communal
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1301
Type Ethnography
Game Tshuba
Location Tsonga
Date 1912-01-01 - 1912-12-31
Rules 4x4, 8, 10, 16, or 22 board. Two counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole, the contents are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the player's inner row, the contents of the opponent's hole in the inner row opposite it are captured, and if there are counters also in the corresponding outer row hole, these are also captured. The player may also capture from another hole from the opponent's side of the board of their choosing. The turn ends. If the final counter lands in an empty hole in the player's outer row, the turn ends. Play continues until one player captures all of the opponent's counters, thus winning.
Content Detailed description of Tshuba, including step-by-step description of a game. Played by the Tsonga men. Junod 1912: 314-318.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Junod, H. 1912. The Life of a South African Tribe. Neuchatel: Imprimerie Attinger Frères.
Id DLP.Evidence.1302
Type Artifact
Game Ancient Merels
Location 38°53'13.21"N, 44°56'51.99"E
Date 0650-01-01BCE - 0585-12-31BCE
Rules Nine Men's Morris board.
Content Nine Men's Morris board carved into a pithos sherd. Found in the Uratian destruction layer of Room 3, Excavation unit 4 in the Upper city of Bastam. Kleiss 1979: 155, 170, Fig. 2.4.
Confidence 100
Social status Military
Spaces Military
Source Kleiss, W. 1979. Bastam I: Ausgrabungen in den urartäischen anlagen 1972-1975. Berlin: Bergn. Mann Verlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.1303
Type Ethnography
Game Mweiso
Location Kagera
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. Two counters in each hole. Opening play: Opening play: Two players play simultaneously, lifting and sowing counters from their outer rows. Rules for sowing and capturing are the same as in the main phase of the game. Sowing cannot begin from the fourth or fifth hole from the left in the player's outer hole. Players play until both drop the final counter in an empty hole, the first to do so plays first in the main phase. Players then move alternately. If they play with the first array, the first three turns are made by sowing from the holes with three holes, proceeding in order from the one furthest to the left, sowing two in the nest hole and one in the following. They then sow from the next hole to the right with three counters on the next turn in the same way. If they play with the second array, the take turns sowing from each of the holes with four counters, beginning with the rightmost hole, placing two in the first hole and one in each of the following. Main phase: Play begins from any hole on the player's side of the board with counters in it. Singletons cannot move. Sowing happens in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last counter lands in an empty hole, the turn is over. For capturing: Holes are in 'opposition' when one player has the front row hole occupied and the opponent has both of the holes opposite it occupied. If the last hole in a sowing is in opposition, the player takes the counters in both of the opponent's holes and places them in the empty hole from which the player lifted the counters. The player then sows the captured counters from this hole. Further captures in the sowing can occur in the same way. However, each player has two hole from which clockwise plays can be made: the leftmost hole in the outer row and the second from the left in the inner row. Clockwise moves can only be made from these holes if they immediately lead to a capture. When the captured counters are sown, starting from the same hole, they can also be sown clockwise if they lead to a capture. If they cannot lead to a capture, they are sown anti-clockwise. Another alternative the player has is that, if the player plays clockwise from one of these holes and therefore makes a capture, the captured counters may be placed in the hole and left there, and the player may play instead from the other hole from which clockwise captures are allowed in a clockwise direction, if it leads to a capture. The player may continue playing from this hole as above until the possibilities to move are exhausted, and then may move from any hole in an anti-clockwise direction. Multiple captures can only be made in a clockwise direction from these holes if it is made on the first sowing of the turn. Otherwise, only one clockwise capture can be made and sowing must proceed in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last counter lands on a hole that is occupied but not in opposition, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. Play ends when one player captures all the opponent's counters or one player cannot play. The player who cannot play loses. A player may also win by capturing the counters from both of the opponent's end holes in the inner row in a single turn.
Content "8.3.5. Tanganyika, Bukoba Pr., Buganda tribe: Mweiso; Baziba, Bayoza, Bahumba, Banyambo, Bakoba, Banyanangiro, Bazinza, Baha, Basumbwa, and Banwani tribes: Ruweisho or Bahendagabo (Unsigned note, CP.) 4x8 holes. Two beans in each hole. A, O, a, o are reverse holes. Opening play: As in 8.3.2, except that no captures may be made from a back-row hole. The simultaneous opening moves usually begin from H, G, or F (h, g, or f). It is forbidden to begin from D, d, or E, e because 'this would result in the capture of more than half the opponent's beans in one move.' The game proper is played in the same way as 8.3.4." Murray 1951: 217.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1304
Type Ethnography
Game Quendo
Location Chokwe
Date 1995-01-01 - 1995-12-31
Rules 4x8 board, played only along the perimeter. Alternatively, played on a circular board of between ten and thirty holes. One to four counters per hole. Any number of players, holes are distributed equally among the players. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. Each player owns the holes in which their counters are located at the beginning of their turn, and they must sow from the leftmost hole. When the final counter falls into a hole of the opponent's, this hole and the counters in it are captured by the player, but remain in play. When a player has a single counter and empty holes in from of it, this counter leaps to the next hole occupied by the opponent. The player who captures all of the opponent's holes wins.
Content "Joga-se sobre tabuleiros do Tchela, utilizando-s, somente, as linhas exteriores e as duas casas extremas das interiores, para fechar o circuito, ou então, em pequenas covas (mena) abertas no chão, dispotas em forma circular, em número geralmente compreendido entre 10 e 30. O sistema de jogo é idêntico, apesar de poder ser jogado, simultaneamente, por dois ou mais parceiros. As pedras existentes numa casa são, da mesma maneira que no Tchel, distribuídas no sentido directo uma a uma, pelas casas seguintes. O número de pedras (sache, ou dumbué) pode ser de 1 a 4 por casa (geralmente 2) e o número total destas é variável, mas sempre múltiplo do número de parceiros. O jogo resume-se num perseguição, a, como iremos ver, não deixa qualquer possibilidade de iniciativa ao jogador. Por este motivo o resultado do jogo só depende da posição da saída e do número de casas, de pedras e de jogadores, pelo que o vencedor é, teoricamente, conhecido de antemão. Ne prática, assim não acontece, em consequência de erros involuntários e da batota a que este jogo dá origem, quando jogado a sério. Começa-se por se distribuir as casas em número igual por cada jogador, ocupando estes zonas seguidas e contíguas em redor do contorno, e fixa-se o número de pedras. Algumas combinaações não são praticáveis por não permiterem que um jogador chegue a comer as pedras do adver sário, como, por exemplo, 2 jogadores, 18 casas e 1 pedra por casa. A paartida é iniciada por um dos participantes, que toma todas as pedras da sua primeira casa, a contar no sentido directo, e as distribui, como é regra nos jogos do tipo mancala, uma a uma, pelas casas que se seguem; o outro ou outros jogadroes, casda um por sua vez e pela sua ordem de posição, repetem esta jogada. Começam a aparecer casas livres à retaguarda de cada jogador, que vão deixando de lhes pertencer à medida quee as desocupam; estas casas passam, seguidamente, a ser de novo ocupadas pelos parceiros que os antecedem, à medida que vão perseguindo-se uns aos outros, ao longo do circuito de casas, mudando a posse destas à medida que o jogo decorre, no sentido directo em que se deslocam as pedras. Quando uma pedra dum jogador vai cair numa casa ocupada por outro parceiro, este perde a ocupação da casa e a pedra ou pedras nela contidas em beneficio daquele, pedras estas que, no entanto, continuam em jogo. O jogo terminará quando um dos parceiros ocupar todas as casas dos adversários. Dirá então guamutapa (matei). Todas as jogadas são movimentos simples, excepto quando: As pedras de uma mão não chegam para colocar uma pedra em cada uma das casas ocupadas pot esse jogador e houver casas vazias à sua frente; Se faz quendo, isto é, quando na frente do jogo se fica com uma sé casa com uma só pedra (o número de pedras de mão igual ao número de casas ocupadas mais uma). Quando um jogador fica com uma só pedra, esta salta (kuhumuca—voa) todas as casas vazias à sua frente e vai ocupar a primeira casa adversária; As pedras distribuidas num lanço comem (tchissaca) todas as pedras das casas adversárias que ocupam..." Silva 1995: 106-109.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Silva, E. R. S. 1995. Jogos do quadrícula do tipo mancala com especial incidência nos praticados em Angola. Lisbon: Instituto de investigação cientifica tropical.
Id DLP.Evidence.1305
Type Ethnography
Game Mwendo
Location Moxico
Date 1995-01-01 - 1995-12-31
Rules 4x4-16 board, played only along the perimeter. Three counters per hole. Any number of players. Holes are distributed equally among the players. Sowing occurs in a clockwise direction. Counters are sown one per occupied hole, two per empty hole. Each player owns the holes in which their counters are located at the beginning of their turn, and they must sow from the rightmost hole. If the final counter of a sowing falls into an empty hole, the player sows again from the rightmost hole. Alternatively, a player may place all of the counters from the rightmost counter into the next hole, but this cannot be done after a move . When the final counter falls into a hole of the opponent's, this hole and the counters in it are captured by the player, but remain in play. When a player has a single counter and empty holes in from of it, this counter leaps to the next hole occupied by the opponent. The player who captures all of the opponent's holes wins. However, if the player has one single counter remaining after capturing the opponent's last hole, this counter is placed in the next hole and it is appropriated by the player whose holes were captured, and it is sown into the the next available hole of the opponent. The player also wins when the opponent has a single hole with two counters.
Content "Este jogo desenvolve-se, nas suas linhas gerais, como o Quendo, razão por que o vamos descrever sem entrar em pormenores para não nos repetirmos. O Mwendo pratica-se em dois dispositivos diferentes: Conforme o sistema ensinado pelo velho e descrito na lenda de origem do Muvalaval, com a disposição de pedras então indicada; ou Utilizando as casas da periferia de qualquer das quadrículas utilizadas no Muvalavala, com três pedras por casa. As casas existentes são dividadas pelos jogadores, que podem ser mais de dois, e os lanços são sempre iniciados pela primeira casa de cada parceiro. Nos dois casos, a distribuiçao das pedras é sempre feita no sentido inverso, como também foi ensinado pelo velho, segunda a lenda, à razão de uma pedra por cada casa ocupada e de duas por cada casa vazia. Se a última pedra da distribuição de uma mão cair numa casa vazia, diz-se mwendo (continua) e o jogador executa novo lanço, distribuindo as pedras da sua primeira casa da sua nova posição, que é, como se disse, a última que está ocupada, contando-se no sentido contrário ao da distribuição da mão. Este novo lanço é feito da mesma forma que o anterior. Nos sucessivos lanços vai-se entrando no campo do adversário, ocupando-se as casas onde se distribuem as pedras. Neste caso, ao terminar o lanço, o jogador faz um risco à frente da última casa que ocupou para mostrar ao adversário o campo que lhe passa a pertencer, dizendo simultaneamente gunakuli (cortar). É tambem permitido um lanço de jogo em que, em vez de se distribuírem as pedras uma a uma pelas casas que se seguem, se deslocam em bloco as pedras da primeira para a segunda casa, jogada a que chamam kulumbakana (juntar), o que é contrário à regra geral dos jogos mancala e difere do Quendo. Esta jogada não pode ser feita a seguir a um mwendo porque, nesse caso, a última casa ficaria só com uma pedra, o que não e permitido. Notar que, devido à jogada kulumbakana, o desfecho da partida já depende da argúcia e habilidade dos jogadores. O jogo termina quando um dos jogadores, ao distribuir as suas pedras, ocupa todas as casas do adversário. Neste caso, pode deixar todas as pedras que lhe sobram na mão na última casa que ocupa. No caso de só lha sobrar uma pedra, não ganha o jogo e tem de depositar essa pedra na casa imediata à última que ocupou do adversário, sem poder fazer mwendo. Este apropria-se dessa pedra isolada e com ela salta todas as casas vazias que tiver à sua frente, a vai ocupar a primeria casa do adversário, dizendo gunatuki (saltei). Um jogador ganha também quando, sem ocupar todo o campo adversário, este só fica com uma casa com duas pedras. Neste caso, logo que o jogador dix gunakuli (cortei) acrescenta sakatanda (já não tenho parceiro). O Mwendo é praticado especialmente por crianças, por mero passatempo, embora, por vezes, façam apostas insignificantes." Silva 1995:111-112.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Silva, E. R. S. 1995. Jogos do quadrícula do tipo mancala com especial incidência nos praticados em Angola. Lisbon: Instituto de investigação cientifica tropical.
Id DLP.Evidence.1306
Type Ethnography
Game Mweso
Location Northern Teso; Southern Teso; Bunyoro
Date 1912-01-01 - 1912-12-31
Rules Four row board, pieces are sown, captures are made from opposite holes in the opponent's rows, a player wins by capturing all the opponent's pieces.
Content "If there is no work to be done and the charms of visiting are for the time palling, an unfailing resource is the game called in Luganda mweso, in Lunyoro okusora, and in Teso akileyisit. This game is almost universal in Africa in some form, and the board on which it is played gets but little rest in most villages. A smooth patch of ground, with the requisite holes dug, and with a surface of cow-dung to prevent crumbling, will answer the purpose as well as a board, except that it cannot be moved into the shade when the sun comes over the spot. The only other requisite the handful of black beans used as counters or men; these are distributed throughout the two rows of holes on each side of the board, and moved by gathering all in any one hole and dropping one into each of the succeeding holes until according to certain rather confusing rules the turn is ended. Under certain conditions the player can take all the men in the holes opposite to the one at which he conclides and distribute them on his own side of the board; the winner is the player who succeeds in capturing all his opponent's pieces." Kitching 1912: 227. Murray (1951: 199) incorrectly interprets this account as a two-row mancala game.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Kitching, A. 1912. On the Backwaters of the Nile. London: T. Fisher Urwin.
Id DLP.Evidence.1307
Type Historical rule description
Game Morabaraba
Location 30°37'56.32"S, 25°27'42.37"E; 30°15'31.07"S, 25°42'22.89"E; 30°30'58.45"S, 25°58'52.49"E
Date 1899-01-01 - 1902-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the squares with the center of the square and four lines connecting the corners of the outer two squares. Twelve pieces per player.
Content Account of S. B. Rascher, a woman who as a sixteen year old learned to play Morabaraba in the concentration camps of Norvalspont, Bethulie, and Springfontein in South Africa. Coertze 2002:65.
Confidence 100
Ages Adolescent
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Female
Source Coertze, R. 2002. 'Die bordspel Morabaraba—aard, verspreiding en herkoms.' Anthropology South Africa 25 (3/4): 55-70.
Id DLP.Evidence.1308
Type Ethnography
Game Morabaraba
Location 25°46'25.24"S, 28° 4'17.60"E
Date 1952-01-01 - 1953-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the squares with the center of the square and four lines connecting the corners of the outer two squares. Twelve pieces per player. In the first phase, players take turns placing pieces on an empty spot on the board. If they place three pieces so they are in a line, forming a "meul." they remove one of the opponent's pieces that is not in a "meul." Once all the pieces are placed, the second phase begins, in which players take turns moving one piece to an adjacent empty spot. When a "meul" is formed, the player removes one fo the opponent's pieces that is not in a "meul." When one player is reduced to three pieces, they may move their pieces to any empty spot on the board. The player who reduces their opponent to two pieces wins.
Content Morabaraba played played in Atteridgeville, South Africa, as described by the work or R. Coertze. Coertze 2002.
Confidence 100
Source Coertze, R. 2002. 'Die bordspel Morabaraba—aard, verspreiding en herkoms.' Anthropology South Africa 25 (3/4): 55-70.
Id DLP.Evidence.1309
Type Ethnography
Game Morabaraba
Location Lesotho
Date 1953-01-01 - 2002-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the squares with the center of the square and four lines connecting the corners of the outer two squares. Twelve pieces per player. In the first phase, players take turns placing pieces on an empty spot on the board. If they place three pieces so they are in a line, forming a "meul." they remove one of the opponent's pieces that is not in a "meul." Once all the pieces are placed, the second phase begins, in which players take turns moving one piece to an adjacent empty spot. When a "meul" is formed, the player removes one fo the opponent's pieces that is not in a "meul." When one player is reduced to three pieces, they may move their pieces to any empty spot on the board. The player who reduces their opponent to two pieces wins.
Content Rule description for the Sotho version of Morabaraba: "fase Een: Die spelers kry, om die beurt, die geleentheid om elk een pit op enige onbesette knooppunt van die lyne neer te sit. Die oogmerk is om jou pitte so te plaas dat hulle drie opeenvolgende knooppunte op enige reguit lyn bedek. Hiermee maak jy 'n meul. Sodra dit reggekry is, kan jy enige van jou opponent se pitte wat nie deel van 'n meul is nie, buit en van die bord verwyder. Sodra die spelers elk hulle 12 pitte geplaas het, en in die proses een of meer van die opponent se pitte gebuit het, begin die tweede fase van die spel.
Fase Twee: Die spelers kry nou om die beurt die geleentheid om elkeen een van sy pitte vanaf die knooppunt waarop die pit staan na 'n naasliggende onbesette knooppunt te skuif. Die beweging is direk van knooppunt na knooppunt sonder om oor enige pitte te spring. Die oogmerk is weer eens om drie pitte in 'n ry op drie opeenvolgende knooppunte ('n meul) te stoot. Sodra 'n meul gestootis,magdiespelereenvan sy opponent se pitte, wat nie deel van een van sy meule is nie, buit. 'n Speler is geregtig om 'n meul te vorm, te breek en soveel kere as hy wil, te hervorm. By elke hervorming kan hy 'n verdere pit van sy opponent buit. So gou een van die spelers slegs drie pitte oor het, breek die derde fase van die spel aan.
• Fase Drie: Die speler wat slegs drie pitte oor het, kan as dit sy beurt is, enige van sy pitte na enige oop knooppunt op die bord skuif of laat spring. Geroetineerde spelers bereik fase drie van die spel gewoonlik gelyk - so nie, moet die speler met meer as drie pitte aanhou met enkelvoudige skuiwe tot hy ook drie pitte oor het. Die speler wat dan eerste daarin slaag om drie pitte in 'n ry te plaas, wen die spel, want hy buit een van sy opponent se pitte, of dit deel is van 'n meul of nie, en laat hom met slegs twee.
• Algemeen: Naas die vorming van 'n meul mik elke speler ook na die vorming van 'n skuifmeul. Dit is die vorming en hervorming van 'n meul deur slegs een pit heen en weer te skuif. Op die Engelse borduitleg word die standaardtipes skuifmeul volgens diagramme 3, 4, en 5 aangedui. Die heen en weer verskuiwing van een van die omkringde pitte maak en breek die skuifmeul. As 'n speler daarin slaag om 'n skuifmeul te vorm en by elke hervorming nog een van sy opponent se pitte buit, gee die opponent gewoonlik baie vinnig die spel prys." Coertze 2002: 57.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Elder, Adolescent, Adult
Genders Male
Id DLP.Evidence.1310
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Nard
Location 52°31'11.10"N, 13°24'13.83"E
Date 1879-01-01 - 1879-12-31
Rules The game is played on a board with twelve points on either side. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left. Each player has 15 pieces. The starting position is as such, numbering the points from the origin of each player's track: Point six: five pieces. Point 8: three pieces. Point 13: five pieces. Point 24: two pieces. Play begins by each player rolling one die; the player who rolls the highest plays first, and then rolls again to begin play. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the number on one die and another the number on the other die, or by moving one piece twice (once for each die).Players cannot end their move on a point with multiple opposing pieces. If a player ends the turn on a point with one opposing piece, that piece is placed in the middle of the board (not on a point) and must reenter the board according the the next die roll, counting the origin point as a move of one. They cannot reenter on a point with two or more pieces. No other pieces can move until all of the pieces belonging to that player are removed from the center. When all of a player's pieces are on their final 6 points, they may start removing pieces from the board. They can do so by rolling a 6 to move from the 6th point, and so on down to 1. Players must use all available moves presented by the dice. The first player to remove all of their pieces wins. The winner gains one point, or two points if the opponent has pieces in their starting quadrant.
Himly 1879: 679-681.
Content Durch die Freundlichkeit eines in Berlin lebenden Persers bin ich in den Stad gesetzt, die Ansicht, dass das persische Nerd unserem Puff oder Trictrac ähnele, zu bestätigen und einige in der Beschreibung des Spieles im Sahnameh befindliche, ohne Kenntnissnahme der Sprache dunle Stellen aufzuhellen.Die Berechitgung der Ansicht Firdosis, dass das Nerd nicht aus Indien stamme, sondern ächt persisch sei, welche aus dem Zusammenhange im Sahnameh hervorgeht, da es als persischess Gegengeschenk fuur das indische Schach dargestellt wird, ist mindestens einem Zweifel unterworfen. Das indische pacisi—sogenannet von dem höchsten Wurfe der statt der Würfel gebrauchten Muscheln, hindustanisch pacis = 25, und das chapuar werden zwar auf einem kreuzweis gestalteten Brette gespielt, wie es Hyde in seiner historia nerdiludii richtig dargestellt hat; indessen es könnte hier zur Beschäftigung von vier Spielern eine dem indischen Vierschach entsprechende Arbänderung vorliegen; und fir Aehnlichkeit des chinesisch-japanischen swanliu oder Zweimal-Sechs mit dem persischen nerd lässt auf ein älteres derartiges indisches Spiel schliessen—wenn wir nicht den Ueberlandweg von Persien nach China anzunehmen vorziehen wollen. Da es auf die Gestalt der Steine, die alle von demselben Range sind, nicht ankommt, genügt es, hier ihre Stellung auf dem Brette kurz anzugeben, durch welche das Spie sich gleich Anfangs von dem unrigen unterscheidet, da letzteres keine vorherige Aufstellung zulässt. Hiernach wird man verstehn, was Hyde nach As-Safadi unf Ibn Khallikan anführt. Das Spiel nun ist folgender art. Man nimmt zwei Würfel und wirft, worauf can z.B. wenn 1 und 6 geworfen ist, von des Gegners SEite nach der eigenen zu beliebig einen Stein 7 Felder oder zwei Steine je 1 Feld und 6 Felder weiter setzt; hier kommt es darauf an, einzeln stehende feindliche Steine zu schlagen, mit denen der Gegner dann von Neuem anfangen muss, und selber sogenannte "Bänder" zu bilden, indem mehrere Stein sich gegen das Hinauswerfen schützen. Wer auf diese Weise zuerst mit allen Steinen die ganze Strecke von deren ursprünglichem Standorte bis zu dem rechts vom Spieler befindlichen Ausgange durchmessen hat, hat gewonnen. Ein Band machen heisst.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Himly, K. 1879.'Einige Worte über das persische Brettspiel Nard.' Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft 33: 679-681.
Id DLP.Evidence.1311
Type Contemporary text
Game Nardshir
Location Late Sasanian
Date 0531-01-01 - 0651-12-31
Rules Board with 24 points, board divided into four quadrants. 15 pieces per player. Two players. Two dice. Pieces move in opposite directions from one another. Three pieces start one line six, eight, and twelve; two on lines one, three, and seven. Single pieces are removed from the board and must reenter when an opposing piece lands on the same space.
Content WIZĀRIŠN Ī ČATRANG UD NIHIŠN Ī NĒW-ARDAXŠĪR: “The Explanation of Chess and the Arrangement of Backgammon.” Pahlavi manuscript of late Sasanian date. This tale recounts the meeting of Sasanian king Kosrow I and the probably mythical king of India Dewisharm, who played Chatrang and Nardshir together: "In his turn, according to this story, Wuzurgmihr invented a kind of backgammon, which was named nēw-ardaxšīr (“Noble-[is]-Ardaxšīr”) in the honor of the earliest Sasanian king. He made the board game like Spandarmad, i.e. the earth (20), the 30 counters like 30 nychtemera, 15 white like the day, 15 black like the night (21). The die was made like the revolution of the stars and the turning of the firmament (22). The number “1” on it was just as Ohrmazd is one (23), “2” like the mēnōg (the mental dimension) and the gētīg (the material and living dimension) (24), “3” like Good Thought, Good Speech and Good Deeds (25), “4” like the 4 elements of which humanity is composed and like the four directions of the world (26), “5” like the 5 lights (sun, moon, stars, fire and the lightning which comes from the sky; chap. 27), “6” like the completion of the creation during the 6 gāh (“periods”) of the gāhānbārs (the “year-divisions”; 28). Then, Wuzurgmihr described (29) the arrangement of the nēw-ardaxšīr upon the board, which was like that established by Ohrmazd, in the gētīg existence, while (30) the revolving and turning of the counters (in opposite directions?) according to the die was similar to the peoples, living in the gētīg, who are tied by a bond to the mēnōg and all of them turn and move according to the seven planets and the twelve zodiacal signs... When the counters hit and remove (the opponent’s ones by stacking up) one on the other, it happens just as the people in the gētīg hit one another; and when by one turning of the die the players continuously remove (the opponent’s counters), it will be just as the people who all pass out of the gētīg; when they set the counters up again, it will be in the likeness of the people who will all come again alive at the resurrection of the dead (31)." Panaino 2017.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Genders Male
Source Panaino, A. 2017. WIZĀRIŠN Ī ČATRANG UD NIHIŠN Ī NĒW-ARDAXŠĪR. Encyclopaedia Iranica. accessed 03/23/2020.
Id DLP.Evidence.1312
Type Contemporary text
Game Nardshir
Location 33°19'34.94"N, 43°46'46.04"E; 33°22'30.00"N, 43°43'0.00"E; 33°25'13.74"N, 43°18'57.64"E; 33° 5'57.42"N, 44°34'50.68"E
Date 0500-01-01 - 0600-12-31
Rules Name of the game, played with pieces called "dogs"
Content "The practical difference between them is in a case when she plays with small dogs [guriyyata kitanyata] or with games [nardashir] like chess. Since there is something occupying her she is not in danger of idiocy, but occupying oneself with diversions of this type may still lead to licentiousness." B. Kitubot 61b (Talmud Bavli).
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female
Source Talmud Bavli. The William Davidson Talmud Online. Sefaria. accessed 07/07/2020.
Id DLP.Evidence.1313
Type Ethnography
Game Nyout
Location Korea
Date 1895-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules Twenty small circles arranged in a large circle, with a cross of nine more circles in the center of the large circle. The central circle and the circles where the crosses meet the larger circle are larger than the others. Played with two to four players. Two players play with either one or four pieces. Four stick dice with a white and a black side, with the following values for the throws: four white sides up = 4; four black sides up = 5; three white sides up = 3, two white sides up = 2, one white side up = 1. Throws of 4 and 5 allow the player another throw, pieces being moved after all of the player's throws. Pieces enter the board on the spot to the left of the topmost position of the circle, and proceed around the circle in an anti-clockwise direction. If a piece lands on one of the spaces where the central cross meets the circle, the piece may proceed along the cross to the opposite side on the next turn. A piece may not turn and move along a cross if it does not land on the end of the cross at the end of a throw. Pieces proceed to the topmost space, and move off the board by throwing one or more than required to land on this space. When a player lands on the same spot as one of their own pieces, these may be moved together as one piece. When a player lands on an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to the start and the player receives another turn. the first player to remove all of their pieces from the board wins.
Content Extensive discussion of the rules and play of Nyout in Culin 1895: 66-77.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1895. Korean Games with Notes on the Corresponding Games of China and Japan. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.
Id DLP.Evidence.1314
Type Ethnography
Game Ouk Chatrang
Location Cambodia
Date 1883-01-01 - 1883-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, eight Trey, one Ang/Sdaach, one Neang, two Koul, two Ses, two Tuuk, Pieces capture one another, check, somewhat like Chess.
Content L'échiquier cambodgien est semblable au nôtre: c'est un tableau divisé en soixante-quatre cases. Chaque joueur a huit pièces et huit pions. Les pièces sont: 1 roi, 1 reine, 2 cavaliers, 2 geenéraux ayant le forme de tours, et, enfin, 2 barques au lieu de 2 fous. Les huit autres pièces sont simplement des pions que les Khmers désignent sous le nom de poissons. Le jeu consiste à empêcher l'adversaire à faire échec au sdach (roi)et il se joue à très peu près comme en Europe." Moura 1883: 391.
Confidence 100
Source Moura, J. 1883. Le royaume du Cambodge. Paris: E. Leroux.
Id DLP.Evidence.1315
Type Ethnography
Game Ouk Chatrang
Location Cambodia
Date 1883-01-01 - 1883-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, eight Trey, one Ang/Sdaach, one Neang, two Koul, two Ses, two Tuuk, Pieces capture one another, check, somewhat like Chess.
Content L'échiquier cambodgien est semblable au nôtre: c'est un tableau divisé en soixante-quatre cases. Chaque joueur a huit pièces et huit pions. Les pièces sont: 1 roi, 1 reine, 2 cavaliers, 2 geenéraux ayant le forme de tours, et, enfin, 2 barques au lieu de 2 fous. Les huit autres pièces sont simplement des pions que les Khmers désignent sous le nom de poissons. Le jeu consiste à empêcher l'adversaire à faire échec au sdach (roi)et il se joue à très peu près comme en Europe." Moura 1883: 391.
Confidence 100
Source Moura, J. 1883. Le royaume du Cambodge. Paris: E. Leroux.
Id DLP.Evidence.1316
Type Ethnography
Game Pancha Keliya
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules The board is a single track: nine squares along the bottom row. From the central space, a track of 25 spaces, which makes turns every five spaces. It begins vertically, then to the right, then vertical, then diagonallyup and to the left, then diagonallydown and to the left. The squares just before the track turns are marked with an "X." Three pieces per player. Moves are determined with six cowrie shells, the number of mouths which are face up determine the length of the move. 6, 5, and 1 give the player an additional throw. A player must throw a 6, 5, or 1 to enter a piece on the board. The players begin on opposite sides of the bottom row of squares. The score of each throw must be used in its entirety by one piece; it cannot be subdivided. When a player's piece lands on the same square as an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to the start. A piece resting on a marked square cannot be sent to start. To move off the board, a player must throw exactly one more than the number of spaces remaining in the track. The first player to remove all of their pieces from the board wins.
Content "Pancha Keliya, 'The Five Game.' This game is player on a peculiar bent diagram, only one compartment in width, which is cut on a board. The illustration shows its shape. The name may be derived from one of the numbers thrown by the shells, or from the five houses of safety on it in which the counters cannot be attacked...the main part of the diagram rises vertically from a horizontal base. At the point of junction there is a square marked by diagonals and termed a House (Ge); four others occur at bends in the diagram. In any of these squares the counters are safe from attack. Each of the other plain squares is a Room (Kamara) or Kattiya. The terminal square is known as Kenda-ge. The stations for counters not in play are marked by circles. The game may be played by two, four, six, or eight players, but there are only two opposing sides, half the players being on each side. Six counters termed Itta, pl. itto, are used, three for each side, whatever the number of players may be...Six yellow cowries, usually filled with lead, are used as dice...The counting is as follows:—When all the mouths are upward it counts 6; if five be upwar it counts 5, and is called Pancha; two, three, or four mouths count 2, 3, or 4, respectively; one mouth upward counts 1, called Onduwa; and when no mouths are upward it counts 0, and is called Bokka. For the other numbers the ordinary Sinhalese words are used. To admit each Itta into the board a player must throw 6, 5, or 1. After each of these numbers has been thrown the player has an additional throw, which is repeated as long as he continues to throw any one of them. The counter or Itta then moves up the line of squares to the full extent of the total throws; or the score of each throw may be used for each Itta of that player; it cannot be subdivided. To go out of the last square, termed to 'land' (goda-yanawa), exactly one more than the number of squares up to and including the Kenda-ge, must be thrown. An Itta is 'cut' out only when the opponent's Itta enters the same Kamara or blank square." Parker 1909:609-610.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.1317
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Parsi Chess
Location 19° 4'12.39"N, 72°52'26.43"E
Date 1814-01-01 - 1814-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, marked as in Chaturanga. Pieces move according to specialized moves, as follows: Pawns (x8): can move one space forward, or one space diagonally to capture. The pawns in front of the Raja, ; Chariot (or Boat) (x2): can move any Vizier, or Chariot may move two spaces on their first move, but only if the piece which began on the space behind them remains on that spot. number of spaces orthogonally; Elephant (x2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Horse (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Vizier (x1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Raja (x1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally, but can also move like the horse once in the game, if it has not yet been checked. It cannot take a piece with this move. The pieces are arranged as in Chess, except the Vizier is place to the left of the Raja on both sides. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. When a Pawn reaches the opposite edge of the board from where it started, it may be promoted to the more powerful piece that begins the game in that position, but only if one of these belonging to the player has already been captured. If this has not happened, the pawn cannot move to the final row. When promoted to a Horse, the piece may immediately make a Horse's move. When a player can capture the opponent's Raja on the next turn, the Raja is in Check, the opponent's next move must free the Raja from Check. If the opponent cannot, it is Checkmate and the player wins. If a player captures all of the opponent's pieces aside from the Raja, it is declared a half-win, or Boorj. When both players are left with only a Raja, it is a draw. Players are not allowed to stalemate the opponent. Perpetual check is not allowed, a player must make another move if such a state is entered.
Content "1st.—In the Hindoostannee game the king is place to the right hand so that the king of one party is opposite the queen of the other. 2.—There are three modes of winning the game—The first called Boorj, when the losing party has no piece left on the boarrd—The game is then discontinued—This mode of winning is reckoned the least creditable, and in many parts it is deemed a drawn game—The second is by checkmate with a piece when the losing party must have one or more pieces remaining.—The third is by checkmate with a Pawn (Piedmât) The losing party having one or more pieces remaining.—This last one shews the greatest superiority. 3d.—Stalemate is not known in the Hindoostannee game, if one party get into that position the adversary must make room for him to move.—In some part of India he that is put in this predicament has a right to remove from the board any one of the adversary's pieces he may choose. 4th.—No party can make a drawn game by an universal check, he that has the option must adopt some other move. 5th.—The pawns on reaching the last square of the board are transformed into the master piece of that file, except the king's pawn which becomes a queen.—If the pawn be on the knight's file, the knight, immediately, on being made, takes on move in addition to the last move of the pawn, unless some other piece command the square to which the pawn was advancing. 6th.—No pawn can be pushed up to the last square of the board nor take any piece on that line so long as the master piece of that file remains. 7th.—The king does not castle, but is allowed the move of a knight once in the game, not however to take any piece—nor can he exercise this privilege after having once been checked. 8th.—The two royal pawns and those of the two rooks are allowed to move two squares each at first, so long as their master pieces remain at their squares.—The other pawns move only one square at a time." Shastree 1817:vii-ix.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Id DLP.Evidence.1318
Type Ethnography
Game Pasa
Location Ecuador
Date 1735-01-01 - 1744-12-31
Rules The board is a double-headed eagle, with two lines of ten holes. One seven-sided die. Oe side has a special mark, one is blank, and the others are numbered 1-5. The special mark scores 10, the blank side scores -10. Players roll the die, and add up their scores as they go, placing a peg in a hole to mark ten points. The player who reaches 100 points first wins.
Content "Tanto quanto se abandonan los Indios al vicio de la embriaguez, son agenos de el del juego; siendo assi que estos dos se suelen notar casi siempre compañeros: tan poco dados son à èl, que no se les percibe aficion alguna; ni se conoce entre ellos mas de uno, que conservan desde el tiempo de la Gentilidad; à el qual dan el nombre de Pasa, quen significa Ciento; por ganar en èl el que primero llega à completar este numero. Para jugarlo, tienen dos instrumentos; el uno viene à ser un "Aguila de los Cabezas" de mandera con diez agugeros por cada parte; donde metiendo unas clavijas, sirven estas de apuntar por diezes los tantos, que cada uno hace; y el otro es un Huesso à manero de Dado dividido en siete caras; de las quales à la una, que tiene puesta cierta señal para distinguirse, llama Guayro: las otras cinco numeran por su orden, y la ultima queda en blanco: su invencion no es otra, que tirar el huesso por alto, y tantas quantas señala la cara, que queda superior se ganan; pero si car la que se llama Guayro, entonces se ganan diez, y se pierden otras tantas, quando queda àcia arriba la blanca. Aun siendo este juego propio de ellos, lo acostumbran muy poco, y por lo regular solo quando empiezan à beber." Juan and de Ulloa 1748: 549.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Juan, J. and de Ulloa, A. 1748. Relacion Historica del Viage a la America Meridional. Madrid: Antonio Marin.
Id DLP.Evidence.1319
Type Ethnography
Game Pasa
Location Tarapaca
Date 1853-01-01 - 1854-12-31
Rules The board is a double-headed eagle, with two lines of ten holes. One seven-sided die. Oe side has a special mark, one is blank, and the others are numbered 1-5. The special mark scores 10, the blank side scores -10. Players roll the die, and add up their scores as they go, placing a peg in a hole to mark ten points. The player who reaches 100 points first wins.
Content "At such times the Indian plays the game of pasa. It is one of great antiquity, and seems to be the only one of this sort. Pasa means a hundred, as he wins who first gets that number. They play at it with two instruments: one a spread eagle of wood with ten holes on each side, being tens, and are marked with pegs to denote every man's gettings; the other is a bone in the manner of a die, cut with seven faces, one of which has a particular mark, called guayaro (huyaru). The other five tell according to the number of them, and the last is a blank. The way of playing is to toss up the bone, and the marks on the upper surface are so many got. But the guayro goes for ten, and the like number is lost, if the blank side appears." Bollaert 1860: 168.
Confidence 100
Source Bollaert, W. 1860. Antiquarian, Ethnological and other Researches in New Granada, Equador, Peru and Chile. London: Trübner and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1320
Type Ethnography
Game Patolli (Aztec)
Location 19°25'59.06"N, 99° 7'56.32"W
Date 1552-01-01 - 1552-12-31
Rules Name of game, board played on ground, beans used as dice.
Content "Algunas vezes Moteczuma como jugauan al Patoliztli, que parece mucho al juego de las tablas. y que se juega con hauas, o frisoles raiados como dados de harinillas que dizen Patolli. Los quales menea entre ambas manos, y los echan sobre una estera, o en el suelo, dode an ciertas raias, como alquerque, en que señalan con piedras el punto que cayo arriba, quitando, o poniendo china. A esto juegan quato tienen, y aun muchas vezes los cuerpos para esclauos, los tabures y ombres baros." de Gomara 1552: 42.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Royalty
Genders Male
Source de Gomara, F. 1552. La Istoria de las Indias, y Conquista de Mexico. Saragossa: Miguel Capila.
Id DLP.Evidence.1321
Type Ethnography
Game Patolli (Aztec)
Location 19°27'9.16"N, 99° 8'17.83"W
Date 1609-01-01 - 1614-12-31
Rules Cross-shaped board, beans used as dice, one side of the bean marked, the number of marked faces determines the move.
Content "Habia otro juego, que llaman patolli, que en algo parece al juego de las tablas reales y juégase con habas y fríjoles, hechos puntos en ellos, a manera de dados de arenillas, y dicenle juego patolli, 'porque estos dados se llaman así; échanlos con ambas manos sobre una estera delgada, que se llama petate, hechas ciertas rayas. a manera de aspa y atravesando otras, señalando el punto que cayó hacía arriba (como se hace en los dados) quitando, o poniendo chinas de diferente color, como en el juego de las tablas. Era éste entre ot~os tan codicioso y de tanto gusto, que'no solamente perdían muchos su hacienda, pero su propia libertad, porque jugaban sus personas cuando no tenían otra cosa. " Torquemada 1615: 344-345.
Confidence 100
Source Torquemada, J. 1615. Monarquia Indiana. Sevilla.
Id DLP.Evidence.1322
Type Ethnography
Game Patolli (Aztec)
Location 19°27'9.16"N, 99° 8'17.83"W; 19°47'0.38"N, 98°33'10.37"W
Date 1545-01-01 - 1590-12-31
Rules Cross-shaped board, 2x10 in each cross. Four beans used as dice.
Content "Tambien los señores, por su pasatiempo, jugauan un juego, que se llama patolli, que es como el juego del castro, o alquerque o casi, o como el juego de los dados, y son quatro frisoles grandes: y cada une tiene un agujero, y arrjanlos con la mano, sobre un petate, como qujen juega los carnjcoles donde esta hecha une figura. A este juego solian jugar, y ganarse cosas preciosas, turquesas muy finas: y este juego, y el de la pelota an lo dexado por ses sospechoso, dealgunas supersticiones que enellos ay. Tambien solian jugaz, atirar con el arco al blanco, o con los dardos, y aesto tambien se ganauan cosas preciosas." Sahagún 1545-1590: Book 8, Chapter 10, Folio 18-19. With illustration of two men playing patolli.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Sahagún, B. 1545-1590. Historia General de las Cosas de la Nueva España. Florentine Codex.
Id DLP.Evidence.1323
Type Ethnography
Game Patolli (Aztec)
Location 18°53'9.71"N, 98°41'27.35"W
Date 1574-01-01 - 1579-12-31
Rules Name of game. Cross-shaped board, divided into squares, 2x9 in each arm. Six pieces per player, Five or ten beans as dice, with one side of each marked. The number of the marked sides up indicates the length of the move, with five = 10 and ten = 20.
Content "al
juego que sobre esta estera jugaban liamaban " patolly," que es el mismo vocablo que ahora llamamos naypes. Sobre esta estera tenian pintada una aspa grande la que tomaba el petate de esquina a esquina. Dentro del hueco de la aspa habia atravesadas unas rayas que servian de casas, la cual aspa y casas estaban senialadas
y rayadas con ulli derretido . . . para estas casas habia doce piedras pequefias las seis coloradas y las seis azules, las cuales pedrezuelas partian entre los que jugaban a tantas a' cada cual: si jugaban dos que era lo ordinario tomaba el uno las seis y el otro las otras seis; y aunque jugaban muchos jugaba uno por todos ateniendose a' la suerte de aquel, como entre los Españoles se juegan los albures ateniendose a la mejor suerte, asi se atenian aca al que mejor meneaba los dados, los cuales eran unos frisoles negros cinco ó diez ó como querian perder ó ganar, los cuales tenian unos ahugerillos (sic) blancos en cada frisol por donde pintaban el numero de las casas que se aventajaban en cada mano, donde se pintaban cinco eran diez y diez veinte, y si uno, uno, y si dos, dos, y si tres, tres, y si cuatro, cuatro; pero pintando cinco eran diez, y si diez veinte, y asi aquellas pintillas blancas eran suertes y cuenta de las rayas que se ganaban; y darmua para la piedras de unas casas en otras" Durán 1574-1579 (ch. 22) in Tylor 1879: 123-124. Depiction of players playing patolli: two players, cross-shaped board with 2x9 squares in each arm. Twelve pieces on the board, three near one player, the other player holding one piece, the other player appears to be holding beans.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Durán, D. 1574-1579. El Libro de los Ritos. Codex Duran. , Tylor, E. 1879. "On the Game of Patolli in Ancient Mexico, and its Probably Asian Origin." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 8: 116-131.
Id DLP.Evidence.1324
Type Artifact
Game Patolli (Aztec)
Location 19°20'37.54"N, 99° 9'22.35"W
Date 600-01-01 - 1614-12-31
Rules Cross-shaped board, divided in to squares, 2x9 in each arm.
Content Graffiti Patolli board found carved into bedrock near Coyoacán, Mexico. Cross-shaped board divided into squares, 2x9 in each arm. Oriented to the cardinal directions. Beyer 1921: 9.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Beyer, H. 1921. "Sobre Antigüedades del Pedregal de San Angel. Memorias y Revista de la Sociedad Científica Antiono Alzate 37(1): 1-16.
Id DLP.Evidence.1325
Type Ethnography
Game Patolli (Aztec)
Location Aztec Core
Date 1525-01-01 - 1575-12-31
Rules Up to four players. Cross-shaped board, divided into squares, 2x10 in each arm. Five beans used as dice. Four pieces on the board.
Content " Este es juego que los indios tenian y llamauanle patole. Que como juego de dadas encima de un petate pintado." Accompanied with a drawing of four men discussing around the board with the god Macuilxuchitl. Cross-shaped board divided into squares, with 2x10 in each arm. Five marked beans off to the side, likely indicate the dice. Four circles are arranged in the central four squares, probably represent playing pieces. Codex Magliabechiano F. 59-60.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Codex Magliabechiano.
Id DLP.Evidence.1326
Type Artifact
Game Patolli (Aztec)
Location 20°26'52.84"N, 97°22'41.65"W
Date 0600-01-01 - 1614-12-31
Rules Cross-shaped board, 2x9-10 in each arm.
Content Large graffiti Patolli board from the summit of the Pyramid of the Niches at El Tajín, Mexico. Duverger 1978: 61, fig. 4.c.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Ritual
Source Duverger, C. 1978. L'esprit du jeu chez les Aztèques. Paris: Mouton Éditeur.
Id DLP.Evidence.1327
Type Artistic depiction
Game Patolli (Aztec)
Location 19°19'0.13"N, 98°14'14.28"W
Date 1567-01-01 - 1600-12-31
Rules Cross-shaped board, divided into squares, 2x6 per arm. Four beans used as dice.
Content Drawing of a man being executed while his Patolli board and four beans are burned. Caption: I[n] nican quipilloque patolli. Disipación de los juegos y tahurerías de los jugadores, y fue justiciado uno dellos porwue hacía burla de n[uest]ra s[an]ta fe, por mandado de Cortés." Acuña 1984: Cuadro 11.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Acuña, E. (ed.) 1984. Relaciones Geográficas del Siglo XVI: Tlaxcala Tomo 1.
Id DLP.Evidence.1328
Type Ethnography
Game Patolli (Aztec)
Location 19°19'0.13"N, 98°14'14.28"W
Date 1567-01-01 - 1600-12-31
Rules name of game, race game, dice are used.
Content "Tenían otros juegos, como de dados, que llamaban el patol, a manera de juego de las tablas, al vencer, el que más presto se volvía a sus casas con sus tables, éste ganaba el juego. Ansí mismo, había otros juegos de diversos modos, que sería gastar mucho tiempo en tratarlos, y no se tratan, por se juegos de poco momento." Acuña 1984: Folio 142-143.
Confidence 100
Source Acuña, E. (ed.) 1984. Relaciones Geográficas del Siglo XVI: Tlaxcala Tomo 1.
Id DLP.Evidence.1329
Type Artistic depiction
Game Patolli
Location Mixtec
Ruleset Type 1
Date 1300-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules Square track, nine squares per side, nine in each crossed central track. Loops on the corners with three spaces in each loop.
Content Depiction of a game board in Codex Vindobonensis Mexicanus I. Square-type board with two central tracks that cross one another, and loops on the corners of the square. Nine squares on each side and each central track, three in each loop. Swezey and Bittman 1983: 377.
Confidence 100
Source Codex Vindobonensis Mexicanus I., Swezey, W. and B. Bittman. 1983. "El rectángulo de cintas y el patolli: nueva evidencia de la antiguuedad, distribucíon, variedad y formas de practicar este juego precolumbino." Mesoamérica 6:374-416.
Id DLP.Evidence.1330
Type Artistic depiction
Game Patolli
Location Mixtec
Ruleset Type 1
Date 1300-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules Square track, nine squares per side, nine in each crossed central track. Loops on the corners with three spaces in each loop.
Content Depiction of a game board in Codex Vindobonensis Mexicanus I. Square-type board with two central tracks that cross one another, and loops on the corners of the square. Nine squares on each side and each central track, three in each loop. Some of the squares are rendered as triangles. Swezey and Bittman 1983: 377.
Confidence 100
Source Codex Vindobonensis Mexicanus I., Swezey, W. and B. Bittman. 1983. "El rectángulo de cintas y el patolli: nueva evidencia de la antiguuedad, distribucíon, variedad y formas de practicar este juego precolumbino." Mesoamérica 6:374-416.
Id DLP.Evidence.1331
Type Artistic depiction
Game Patolli
Location Aztec Core
Ruleset Type 1
Date 1504-01-01 - 1521-12-31
Rules Square board with looped corners, crossed tracks in the center which also loop at their intersections with each other and the square track.
Content Drawing of a game board in the Codex Borbonicus. Square board with looping corners, crossed central tracks which also loop at their intersection and the square track. Tracks are marked with squares, but irregularly, approximately nine or ten in each track. Swezey and Bittman 1983: 380 give a poor drawing of the original.
Confidence 100
Source Codex Borbonicus., Swezey, W. and B. Bittman. 1983. "El rectángulo de cintas y el patolli: nueva evidencia de la antiguuedad, distribucíon, variedad y formas de practicar este juego precolumbino." Mesoamérica 6:374-416.
Id DLP.Evidence.1332
Type Artistic depiction
Game Patolli
Location Borgia
Ruleset Type 1
Date 1475-01-01 - 1499-12-31
Rules Square board with looping corners and central tracks. Four spaces on each side of the board, loops with three spaces each. Nine spaces in each central track. Four beans used as dice.
Content Depiction of two gods playing a game from the Codex Borgia (f. 62). The board is square with looping corners and central track, four spaces on each side of the square with three spaces in each loop and nine in each central track. Four beans are seen next to the board.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Codex Borgia.
Id DLP.Evidence.1333
Type Artistic depiction
Game Patolli
Location Mixtec
Ruleset Type 1
Date 1475-01-01 - 1499-12-31
Rules Square board with looped corners and crossed central tracks. Four or seven spaces per side, three per loop, eleven per crossed track.
Content Depiction of a game board in the Codex Vaticanus B (3773) (f. 67). Square board with looped corners and crossed central tracks, divided into squares. Four or seven per side of the square, eleven in the crossed tracks, three in each loop.
Confidence 100
Source Codex Vaticanus B.
Id DLP.Evidence.1334
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 16°30'48.70"N, 90° 3'40.94"W
Ruleset Type 2
Date 0830-01-01 - 1000-12-31
Rules Square board, eleven spaces per side, with two crossed internal tracks of eleven spaces each.
Content Type 2 Patolli board found on an altar in front of Stela 10 at Seibal, Guatemala. Eleven squares per side, and in each inner track. The central space is marked with an X. Smith 1977: 356, fig. 4-5.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Spaces Outside, Public, Ritual
Source Smith, A. 1977. "Patolli, at the Ruins of Seibal, Petèn, Guatemala." In N. Hammond (ed.), Social Process in Maya Prehistory: Studies in Honor of Sir Eric Thompson. London: Academic Press, 349-363.
Id DLP.Evidence.1335
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 16°30'48.70"N, 90° 3'40.94"W
Ruleset Type 2
Date 0830-01-01 - 1000-12-31
Rules Square board, eleven spaces per side, with two crossed internal tracks of eleven spaces each.
Content Type 2 Patolli board found on an altar in front of Stela 22 at Seibal, Guatemala. Eleven squares per side, and in each inner track. The central space is marked with an X. Smith 1977: 356.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Spaces Outside, Public, Ritual
Source Smith, A. 1977. "Patolli, at the Ruins of Seibal, Petèn, Guatemala." In N. Hammond (ed.), Social Process in Maya Prehistory: Studies in Honor of Sir Eric Thompson. London: Academic Press, 349-363.
Id DLP.Evidence.1336
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 20° 3'51.69"N, 99°20'26.43"W
Ruleset Type 2
Date 0900-01-01 - 1200-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven squares per side and inner track.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game from the Burned Palace at Tula. Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven squares per side and inner track. Acosta 1960: 43, 48-58, Pl. XXI.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Private, Monumental
Source Acosta, J. 1960. "La Doceava Temporada de Exploraciones en Tula, Hidalgo." Anales del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e HIstoria 42(13): 29-58.
Id DLP.Evidence.1337
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 20° 3'51.54"N, 99°20'26.48"W
Ruleset Type 2
Date 0900-01-01 - 1200-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven squares per side and inner track.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game from the Burned Palace at Tula. Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven squares per side and inner track. Acosta 1960: 43, 48-58, Pl. XXII.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Private, Monumental
Source Acosta, J. 1960. "La Doceava Temporada de Exploraciones en Tula, Hidalgo." Anales del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e HIstoria 42(13): 29-58.
Id DLP.Evidence.1338
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 20° 3'52.29"N, 99°20'28.66"W
Ruleset Type 2
Date 0900-01-01 - 1200-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven squares per side and inner track.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game from the Burned Palace at Tula. Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven squares per side and inner track. Acosta 1960: 43, 48-58, Pl. XXIII.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Private, Monumental
Source Acosta, J. 1960. "La Doceava Temporada de Exploraciones en Tula, Hidalgo." Anales del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e HIstoria 42(13): 29-58.
Id DLP.Evidence.1339
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 20° 3'52.04"N, 99°20'28.59"W
Ruleset Type 1
Date 0900-01-01 - 1200-12-31
Rules Square board with eleven spaces per side, and looped corners with three squares per loop. The central square on two opposite sides of the board has a short perpendicular track projecting out, of three spaces.
Content Graffiti Tula Type Patolli game from the Burned Palace at Tula. Square board with eleven spaces per side, and looped corners with three squares per loop. The central square on two opposite sides of the board has a short perpendicular track projecting out, of three spaces.. Acosta 1960: 43, 48-58, Pl. XXIV.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Private, Monumental
Source Acosta, J. 1960. "La Doceava Temporada de Exploraciones en Tula, Hidalgo." Anales del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e HIstoria 42(13): 29-58.
Id DLP.Evidence.1340
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 20° 3'51.44"N, 99°20'28.63"W
Ruleset Type 1
Date 0900-01-01 - 1200-12-31
Rules Square board with eleven spaces per side, and looped corners with three squares per loop. The central square on two adjacent sides of the board has a short perpendicular track, one projecting out, of five spaces, and one of seven, projecting in.
Content Graffiti Tula Type Patolli game from the Burned Palace at Tula. Square board with eleven spaces per side, and looped corners with three squares per loop. The central square on two adjacent sides of the board has a short perpendicular track, one projecting out, of five spaces, and one of seven, projecting in. Acosta 1960: 43, 48-58, Pl. XXV.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Private, Monumental
Source Acosta, J. 1960. "La Doceava Temporada de Exploraciones en Tula, Hidalgo." Anales del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e HIstoria 42(13): 29-58.
Id DLP.Evidence.1341
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 20° 3'51.59"N, 99°20'28.77"W
Ruleset Type 1
Date 0900-01-01 - 1200-12-31
Rules Square board with eleven spaces per side, and looped corners with three squares per loop. The central square on one sides of the board has a short perpendicular track projecting out, of four spaces.
Content Graffiti Tula Type Patolli game from the Burned Palace at Tula. Square board with eleven spaces per side, and looped corners with three squares per loop. The central square on one sides of the board has a short perpendicular track projecting out, of four spaces. Acosta 1960: 43, 48-58, Pl. XXVI.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Private, Monumental
Source Acosta, J. 1960. "La Doceava Temporada de Exploraciones en Tula, Hidalgo." Anales del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e HIstoria 42(13): 29-58.
Id DLP.Evidence.1342
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 16°29'17.84"N, 85°51'40.51"W
Ruleset Type 1
Date 1000-01-01 - 1525-12-31
Rules Square board with looped corners and crossed central tracks. Eleven spaces per side, three per loop, eleven per crossed track.
Content Graffiti game 3 from Plan Grande, Honduras. Founs on a rock on the surface. Square board with looped corners and crossed central tracks. Eleven spaces per side, three per loop, thirteen per crossed track with an extra space extending outside the edge of the square. Fecher 2019:626-627.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Fecher, F. 2019. "Patolli Petroglyphs in Northeast Honduras." Latin American Antiquity 30(3): 624-629.
Id DLP.Evidence.1343
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 16°29'17.84"N, 85°51'40.51"W
Ruleset Type 1
Date 1000-01-01 - 1525-12-31
Rules Square board with looped corners and crossed central tracks. Eleven spaces per side, three per loop, eleven per crossed track.
Content Graffiti game 1 from Plan Grande, Honduras. Found on a rock on the surface. Square board with looped corners and crossed central tracks. Eleven spaces per side, three per loop, eleven per crossed track with an extra space extending outside the edge of the square. Feachem 1940: 184-186; Fecher 2019:626-627.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Feachem, R. 1940. "The Bay Islands, Gulf of Honduras." The Geographical Journal 96(3): 181-189., Fecher, F. 2019. "Patolli Petroglyphs in Northeast Honduras." Latin American Antiquity 30(3): 624-629.
Id DLP.Evidence.1344
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 15°10'37.94"N, 85° 0'43.26"W
Ruleset Type 1
Date 250-01-01 - 1525-12-31
Rules Square board with looped corners and crossed central tracks. Eleven spaces per side, three per loop, eleven per crossed track.
Content Graffiti game from Sawacito, Honduras. Found on a rock on the surface. Square board with looped corners and crossed central tracks. Eleven spaces per side, three per loop, eleven per crossed track. Fecher 2019:627-628.
Confidence 100
Source Fecher, F. 2019. "Patolli Petroglyphs in Northeast Honduras." Latin American Antiquity 30(3): 624-629.
Id DLP.Evidence.1345
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17°29'0.86"N, 92° 2'49.32"W
Ruleset Type 2
Date 0683-01-01 - 1000-01-01
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven squares per side and inner track.
Content Type 2 graffiti Patolli board from the Templo de Inscripciones at Palenque. Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven squares per side and inner track.Ruz Lhuillier 1951: 27; Acosta 1960: 57-58; Smith 1977: 358.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public, Ritual, Monumental
Source Acosta, J. 1960. "La Doceava Temporada de Exploraciones en Tula, Hidalgo." Anales del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e HIstoria 42(13): 29-58., Ruz Lhuillier, A. 1951. "Exploraciones en Palenque: 19950." Anales del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia 33(5): 25-46., Smith, A. 1977. "Patolli, at the Ruins of Seibal, Petèn, Guatemala." In N. Hammond (ed.), Social Process in Maya Prehistory: Studies in Honor of Sir Eric Thompson. London: Academic Press, 349-363.
Id DLP.Evidence.1346
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17° 5'16.83"N, 89° 8'30.41"W
Ruleset Type 2
Date 0600-01-01 - 0775-12-31
Rules Square board, eleven spaces per side, with two crossed internal tracks of eleven spaces each. Markings in the four corners, central square, and middle square of each side of the square.
Content Graffiti game board from Building A-11 at Xunantunich, Belize. Square board, eleven spaces per side, with two crossed internal tracks of eleven spaces each.Square board, eleven spaces per side, with two crossed internal tracks of eleven spaces each. Four corners, central square, and middle square of each side of the square marked with an "X". Swezey and Bittman 1983: Fig. 10a; Smith 1977: 358.
Confidence 100
Source Smith, A. 1977. "Patolli, at the Ruins of Seibal, Petèn, Guatemala." In N. Hammond (ed.), Social Process in Maya Prehistory: Studies in Honor of Sir Eric Thompson. London: Academic Press, 349-363., Swezey, W. and B. Bittman. 1983. "El rectángulo de cintas y el patolli: nueva evidencia de la antiguuedad, distribucíon, variedad y formas de practicar este juego precolumbino." Mesoamérica 6:374-416.
Id DLP.Evidence.1347
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17° 5'16.83"N, 89° 8'30.41"W
Ruleset Type 2
Date 0600-01-01 - 0775-12-31
Rules Square board, eleven spaces per side, with two crossed internal tracks of eleven spaces each. Markings in the four corners, central square, and middle square of each side of the square.
Content Two graffiti game boards from Building A-11 at Xunantunich, Belize. Square board, eleven spaces per side, with two crossed internal tracks of eleven spaces each.Square board, eleven spaces per side, with two crossed internal tracks of eleven spaces each. Swezey and Bittman 1983: Fig. 11a; Smith 1977: 358.
Confidence 100
Source Smith, A. 1977. "Patolli, at the Ruins of Seibal, Petèn, Guatemala." In N. Hammond (ed.), Social Process in Maya Prehistory: Studies in Honor of Sir Eric Thompson. London: Academic Press, 349-363., Swezey, W. and B. Bittman. 1983. "El rectángulo de cintas y el patolli: nueva evidencia de la antiguuedad, distribucíon, variedad y formas de practicar este juego precolumbino." Mesoamérica 6:374-416.
Id DLP.Evidence.1348
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17° 5'16.83"N, 89° 8'30.41"W
Ruleset Type 2
Date 0600-01-01 - 0775-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven squares per side and inner track.
Content Two graffiti game boards from Building A-11 at Xunantunich, Belize. Square board, eleven spaces per side, with two crossed internal tracks of eleven spaces each.Square board, eleven spaces per side, with two crossed internal tracks of eleven spaces each. Swezey and Bittman 1983: Fig. 11b; Smith 1977: 358.
Confidence 100
Source Smith, A. 1977. "Patolli, at the Ruins of Seibal, Petèn, Guatemala." In N. Hammond (ed.), Social Process in Maya Prehistory: Studies in Honor of Sir Eric Thompson. London: Academic Press, 349-363., Swezey, W. and B. Bittman. 1983. "El rectángulo de cintas y el patolli: nueva evidencia de la antiguuedad, distribucíon, variedad y formas de practicar este juego precolumbino." Mesoamérica 6:374-416.
Id DLP.Evidence.1349
Type Artistic depiction
Game Patolli (Aztec)
Location 19°30'14.53"N, 98°52'53.29"W
Date 1530-01-01 - 1542-12-31
Rules Cross-shaped board, four beans used as dice.
Content Two depictions of patolli playing in the Codex Xólotl, p. 9 and 10. A man from Michoacán playing patolli, with the four beans clearly drawn. and another with three people around a board, two beans shown. Gallegos Gómora 1994:19.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Codex Xólotl., Gallegos Gómora, M. 1994. "Un patolli prehispánico en Calakmul, Campeche." Revista Española de Antropología Americana 29: 9-24.
Id DLP.Evidence.1350
Type Artistic depiction
Game Patolli
Location 19°19'0.13"N, 98°14'14.28"W
Ruleset Type 2
Date 1500-01-01 - 1550-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed central tracks, eleven by eight by fourteen by nine in the square, nine and thirteen in the crossed tracks.
Content Depiction of the god Xochiquetzal playing on a Patolli board. Square board with crossed central tracks, eleven by eight by fourteen by nine in the square, nine and thirteen in the crossed tracks.From the Codex Tonalámatl de Aubin, p. 19. Gallegos Gómora 1994:15.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Codex Tonalámatl de Aubin., Gallegos Gómora, M. 1994. "Un patolli prehispánico en Calakmul, Campeche." Revista Española de Antropología Americana 29: 9-24.
Id DLP.Evidence.1351
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 18° 6'19.06"N, 89°48'37.39"W
Ruleset Type 2
Date 0600-01-01 - 1500-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven spaces per side in the square and eleven in each crossed track.
Content Graffiti board from Structure VII at Calakmul. Mexico. Incised into the floor of a palace. Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven spaces per side in the square and eleven in each crossed track. Gallegos Gómora 1994: 9-11.
Confidence 100
Spaces Private, Monumental
Source Gallegos Gómora, M. 1994. "Un patolli prehispánico en Calakmul, Campeche." Revista Española de Antropología Americana 29: 9-24.
Id DLP.Evidence.1352
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 18°31'1.29"N, 89°27'59.71"W
Date 0600-01-02 - 0900-12-31
Rules Square board with central crossed tracks, eleven spaces per side and central track.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board from Structure IV at Becán, Mexico. Placed near the entrance of a private elite building. Hochmann 1987: 56-57; Gallegos Gómora 1994: 16.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Spaces Private, Ritual, Household, Transitional
Source Gallegos Gómora, M. 1994. "Un patolli prehispánico en Calakmul, Campeche." Revista Española de Antropología Americana 29: 9-24., Hohmann. H. 1987. "A Patolli Design at Becán, Campeche." Mexicon 9(3): 56-57.
Id DLP.Evidence.1353
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 16°56'10.85"N, 88°23'18.17"W
Date 0850-01-01 - 1200-12-31
Rules Square board with inner tracks, eleven spaces on one side, fourth and eighth spaces on each side marked, third in central track marked.
Content Type 2 Patolli slate game board found at Maintzunun, Belize. Broken, eleven spaces preserved on one complete side of square, and portion of two sides and one of the central tracks also preserved. The fourth and eight spaces in the complete side are marked, as is the fourth in the two broken sides and the third space in the central track. Found on the surface. Graham 1994: 289, Fig. 8.5a.
Confidence 100
Source Graham, E. 1994. The Highlands of the Lowlands: Environment and Archaeology in the Stann Creek District, Belize, Central America. Madison: Prehistory Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1354
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 16°48'6.62"N, 88°23'54.71"W
Date 0850-01-01 - 1200-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven spaces per side, fourth space on side marked, second, third, and fourth in inner track marked.
Content Slate game board from Kendal, Belize, found on the surface. Roughly one-quarter of the board preserved; with the intersections of the inner track with one side and the center intact, therefore able to infer eleven per side and inner track. The fourth space on side is marked, as are the second, third, and fourth in the inner track. Graham 1994: 290, Fig. 8.5b.
Confidence 100
Source Graham, E. 1994. The Highlands of the Lowlands: Environment and Archaeology in the Stann Creek District, Belize, Central America. Madison: Prehistory Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1355
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 16°59'39.40"N, 88°22'7.70"W
Date 250-01-01 - 1550-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven per side and crossed track.
Content Reused stone Type 2 Patolli game board covering a drain at the bottom of Mamie Hill in Pomona, Belize. Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven per side and crossed track, though some of the tracks are damaged. Currently in the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Date unknown. Smith 1977: 359; Gallego Gómora 1994: 17.
Confidence 100
Source Gallegos Gómora, M. 1994. "Un patolli prehispánico en Calakmul, Campeche." Revista Española de Antropología Americana 29: 9-24., Smith, A. 1977. "Patolli, at the Ruins of Seibal, Petèn, Guatemala." In N. Hammond (ed.), Social Process in Maya Prehistory: Studies in Honor of Sir Eric Thompson. London: Academic Press, 349-363.
Id DLP.Evidence.1356
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17°13'18.02"N, 89°37'25.02"W
Date 0250-01-01 - 0600-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven spaces per side and track.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board found in a plaster floor in the northeast corner of the North Acropolis at Tikal. Dated to the Early Classic Period. Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven spaces per side and track. Walden and Voorhies 2017: 209; Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes 2015.
Confidence 100
Source Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes.
2015. "Se realiza en Petén presentación de de hallazgo arqueológico Maya. Noticias, posted July 9, 2015. Gobierno de Guatemala. http://mcd.gob.gt/se-realiza-en-peten-presentacion-de-hallazgo-arqueologico-maya/. Accessed 13 July 2020., Walden, J. and B. Voorhies. 2017. "Ancient May Patolli." In B. Voorhies, (ed), Prehistoric Games of North American Indians. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 197-218/
Id DLP.Evidence.1358
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17°13'18.02"N, 89°37'25.02"W
Date 0600-01-02 - 1000-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven spaces per side and per track. Corner spaces, central space, and space where inner tracks intersect with the square are marked.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board on a bench in Structure 5D-38 at Tikal, Guatemala. Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven spaces per side and per track. Corner spaces, central space, and space where inner tracks intersect with the square are marked. Trik and Kampen 1983: Fig. 45d; Gallegos Gómora 1994:17.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Public, Monumental
Source Gallegos Gómora, M. 1994. "Un patolli prehispánico en Calakmul, Campeche." Revista Española de Antropología Americana 29: 9-24., Trik, H. and M. Kampen. 1983. The Graffiti of Tikal. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1359
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17°13'18.02"N, 89°37'25.02"W
Date 0600-01-01 - 1000-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks. Eleven spaces per side and per inner track.
Content Two graffiti Type 2 Patolli boards found on a bench in Rom 1b of Structure 5D-54 at Tikal, Guatemala. Both boards intended to be square with crossed inner tracks and eleven spaces per side and per inner track, but one has twelve on one side and the central tracks which do not line up as a result of this error. Trik and Kampen 1983: Fig. 61.c; Gallegos Gómora 1994: 17.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1360
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17°13'18.02"N, 89°37'25.02"W
Date 0600-01-01 - 1000-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven spaces per side and per track.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board from the Temple of the Inscriptions at Tikal, Guatemala. Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven spaces per side and per track. Trik and Kampen 1983: Fig. 98.b.
Confidence 100
Spaces Ritual, Monumental
Source Trik, H. and M. Kampen. 1983. The Graffiti of Tikal. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1361
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17°13'18.02"N, 89°37'25.02"W
Date 0600-01-01 - 1000-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven spaces per side and per track.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board from the Temple of the Inscriptions at Tikal, Guatemala. Square board with crossed inner tracks, eleven spaces per side and per track. Trik and Kampen 1983: Fig. 98.a.
Confidence 100
Spaces Ritual, Monumental
Source Trik, H. and M. Kampen. 1983. The Graffiti of Tikal. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1362
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17°10'32.85"N, 89°24'18.72"W
Date 0600-01-01 - 1000-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks. Eleven spaces per side and inner track; corner spaces and spaces where the innter tracks intersect with the square are marked.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board from Temple A at Nakum, Guatemala. Square board with crossed inner tracks. Eleven spaces per side and inner track; corner spaces and spaces where the innter tracks intersect with the square are marked with an "X". Tozzer 1913: 159-160; Gallegos Gómora 1994: 18.
Confidence 100
Spaces Ritual, Monumental
Source Gallegos Gómora, M. 1994. "Un patolli prehispánico en Calakmul, Campeche." Revista Española de Antropología Americana 29: 9-24., Tozzer, A. 1913. A Preliminary Study of the Prehistoric Ruins of Nakum, Guatemala. Cambridge: Peabody Museum.
Id DLP.Evidence.1363
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 16°38'44.77"N, 88°34'47.07"W
Date 0600-01-01 - 1000-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks. Eleven spaces per side and track, fourth and eighth space in each side marked, as well as the central space and third and ninth in one of the inner tracks.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board from Lagarto, Belize. Square board with crossed inner tracks; eleven spaces per side and track. The fourth and eighth space in each side are marked with a dot, as well as the central space and third and ninth in one of the inner tracks. Monument 12. Wanyerka 1999: 111.
Confidence 100
Source Wanyerka, P. 1999. "Pecked Cross and Patolli Petroglyphs of the Lagarto Ruins, Stann Creek District, Belize." Mexicon 21: 108-112.
Id DLP.Evidence.1364
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 16°38'44.77"N, 88°34'47.07"W
Date 0600-01-01 - 1000-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks. Eleven spaces per side and track, fourth space in one side marked, as well as the central space.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board from Lagarto, Belize. Some of the spaces are damaged, enough is preserved to determine the original layout. Eleven spaces per side and track, fourth space in one side is marked with a dot, as well as the central space. Monument 5. Wanyerka 1999: 110.
Confidence 100
Source Wanyerka, P. 1999. "Pecked Cross and Patolli Petroglyphs of the Lagarto Ruins, Stann Creek District, Belize." Mexicon 21: 108-112.
Id DLP.Evidence.1365
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 16°38'44.77"N, 88°34'47.07"W
Date 0600-01-01 - 1000-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks. Eleven spaces per side and inner track; each inner track has squares flanking either side of the square before the final square in the track that is also part of the square's side. Central square is marked.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board from Lagarto, Belize. Square board with crossed inner tracks. Eleven spaces per side and inner track; each inner track has squares flanking either side of the square before the final square in the track that is also part of the square's side. Central square is marked with a dot. Monument 10. Wanyerka 1999: 110-111.
Confidence 100
Source Wanyerka, P. 1999. "Pecked Cross and Patolli Petroglyphs of the Lagarto Ruins, Stann Creek District, Belize." Mexicon 21: 108-112.
Id DLP.Evidence.1366
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17°32'19.91"N, 89° 6'40.96"W
Date 0600-01-01 - 1000-12-31
Rules Square board with crossed inner tracks.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board found on a bench in Room 2 of Structure C-6 at Chan Chich, Belize. Square board with inner crossed tracks, board not drawn well enough to determine number of squares. Harrison 2000: 80-82.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Spaces Inside
Source Harrison, E. 2000. "Structure C-6: Excavation of an Elite Compound. In B. Houk (ed), The 1998 and 1999 Seasons of the Chan Chich Archaeological Project. Austin: University of Texas, 71-93.
Id DLP.Evidence.1367
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17° 5'16.83"N, 89° 8'30.41"W
Date 0700-01-01 - 0900-12-31
Rules Square board with inner crossed tracks.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board found in the entryway of Room 11 at Structure A13 at Xunantunich, Belize. Square board with inner crossed tracks. GR1. Watkins et al. 2020: 129.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Spaces Inside, Private
Source Watkins, T, C. Ebert, G. Saldaña, J. Can, and J. Awe. 2020. "Continued Investigation of Graffiti at Plaza A-III: The 2019 Excavations at Structure A13." In C. Ebert, J. Walden, J. Hoggarth and J. Awe (eds), The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2019 Field Season. Flagstaff: Northern Arizona University, 125-136.
Id DLP.Evidence.1368
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17° 5'16.83"N, 89° 8'30.41"W
Date 0700-01-01 - 0900-12-31
Rules Square board with inner crossed tracks.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board found in the bench of Room 11 at Structure A13 at Xunantunich, Belize. Square board with inner crossed tracks. GR2. Watkins et al. 2020: 129.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Spaces Inside, Private
Source Watkins, T, C. Ebert, G. Saldaña, J. Can, and J. Awe. 2020. "Continued Investigation of Graffiti at Plaza A-III: The 2019 Excavations at Structure A13." In C. Ebert, J. Walden, J. Hoggarth and J. Awe (eds), The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2019 Field Season. Flagstaff: Northern Arizona University, 125-136.
Id DLP.Evidence.1369
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17° 5'16.83"N, 89° 8'30.41"W
Date 0700-01-01 - 0900-12-31
Rules Square board with inner crossed tracks.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board found in the bench of Room 11 at Structure A13 at Xunantunich, Belize. Square board with inner crossed tracks. GR3. Watkins et al. 2020: 129.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Spaces Inside, Private
Source Watkins, T, C. Ebert, G. Saldaña, J. Can, and J. Awe. 2020. "Continued Investigation of Graffiti at Plaza A-III: The 2019 Excavations at Structure A13." In C. Ebert, J. Walden, J. Hoggarth and J. Awe (eds), The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2019 Field Season. Flagstaff: Northern Arizona University, 125-136.
Id DLP.Evidence.1370
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17° 5'16.83"N, 89° 8'30.41"W
Date 0700-01-01 - 0900-12-31
Rules Square board with inner crossed tracks.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board found in the bench of Room 11 at Structure A13 at Xunantunich, Belize. Square board with inner crossed tracks. GR4. Watkins et al. 2020: 129.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Spaces Inside, Private
Source Watkins, T, C. Ebert, G. Saldaña, J. Can, and J. Awe. 2020. "Continued Investigation of Graffiti at Plaza A-III: The 2019 Excavations at Structure A13." In C. Ebert, J. Walden, J. Hoggarth and J. Awe (eds), The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2019 Field Season. Flagstaff: Northern Arizona University, 125-136.
Id DLP.Evidence.1371
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17° 5'16.83"N, 89° 8'30.41"W
Date 0700-01-01 - 0900-12-31
Rules Square board with inner crossed tracks.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board found in the entrance of Room 12 at Structure A13 at Xunantunich, Belize. Square board with inner crossed tracks. GR3. Watkins et al. 2020: 130.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Spaces Inside, Private
Id DLP.Evidence.1372
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17° 5'16.83"N, 89° 8'30.41"W
Date 0700-01-01 - 0900-12-31
Rules Square board with inner crossed tracks.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board found in the bench of Room 12 at Structure A13 at Xunantunich, Belize. Square board with inner crossed tracks. GR1. Watkins et al. 2020: 130.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Spaces Inside, Private
Source Watkins, T, C. Ebert, G. Saldaña, J. Can, and J. Awe. 2020. "Continued Investigation of Graffiti at Plaza A-III: The 2019 Excavations at Structure A13." In C. Ebert, J. Walden, J. Hoggarth and J. Awe (eds), The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2019 Field Season. Flagstaff: Northern Arizona University, 125-136.
Id DLP.Evidence.1373
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17° 5'16.83"N, 89° 8'30.41"W
Date 0700-01-01 - 0900-12-31
Rules Square board with inner crossed tracks.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board found in the bench of Room 13 at Structure A13 at Xunantunich, Belize. Square board with inner crossed tracks. GR4. Watkins et al. 2020: 132.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Spaces Inside, Private
Source Watkins, T, C. Ebert, G. Saldaña, J. Can, and J. Awe. 2020. "Continued Investigation of Graffiti at Plaza A-III: The 2019 Excavations at Structure A13." In C. Ebert, J. Walden, J. Hoggarth and J. Awe (eds), The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2019 Field Season. Flagstaff: Northern Arizona University, 125-136.
Id DLP.Evidence.1374
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17° 5'16.83"N, 89° 8'30.41"W
Date 0700-01-01 - 0900-12-31
Rules Square board with inner crossed tracks. Eleven spaces per side and track Central square is marked, as well as one of the squares where an inner tack intersects with the side.
Content Graffiti Type 2 Patolli game board found in Room 7 at Structure A13 at Xunantunich, Belize. Square board with inner crossed tracks. Eleven spaces per side and track Central square is marked with an "X," as well as one of the squares where an inner tack intersects with the side. Watkins et al. 2018: 338-339.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Spaces Inside, Private
Source Watkins, T, J. Awe, C. Helmke, R. Fitzmaurice. 2018. "Classic Maya Palaces and the Roles within the Greater Ceremonial Center: Results from the 2017 Field Season Xunantunich, Belize." In C. Ebert, J. Hoggarth and J. Awe (eds.) The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2017 Field Season. Waco: Institute of Archaeology, 333-347.
Id DLP.Evidence.1375
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 17° 7'59.36"N, 89°15'41.82"W
Date 0600-01-01 - 0900-12-31
Rules Square board.
Content Graffiti Patolli game boards from Building B-18 at Naranjo, Guatemala. Six rectangular patolli boards in the central room of the building. Morales and Fialko 2010: 500; Walden and Voorhies 2017: 209.
Confidence 100
Spaces Private
Source Morales, P and V. Fialko. 2010. "Investigación arqueologica y consolidacion del edificio B-18 del sitio Naranjo: avances de la temporada 2009. In B. Arroyo, A. Linares and L. Paiz (eds), XIII Simposio de Investigaciones Arqeológicas en Guatemala, 2009. Guatemala: Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología, 497-509., Walden, J. and B. Voorhies. 2017. "Ancient May Patolli." In B. Voorhies, (ed), Prehistoric Games of North American Indians. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 197-218/
Id DLP.Evidence.1376
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 16°32'59.43"N, 92°49'6.05"W
Date 1000-01-01 - 1200-12-31
Rules Square board with looped corners.
Content Fragment of a Type 1 Patolli board painted on a plaster floor at Ruiz, Chiapas, Mexico. Square board with looped corner, only one corner preserved. Three spaces in the loop, divisions of other squares difficult to see. Lowe 1959: 31, fig. 45b.
Confidence 100
Source Lowe, G. 1959. Archaeological Exploration of the Upper Grijalva River, Chiapas, Mexico. Orinda, CA: New World Archaeological Foundation.
Id DLP.Evidence.1377
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 20°40'59.80"N, 88°34'8.14"W
Date 0600-01-01 - 1000-12-31
Rules Circular board with perpendicular diameters. Eleven to twelve spaces in each radius and each arc between the radii. Spaces marked where diameters intersect the circumference and also in the central space.
Content Graffiti Type 3 Patolli game board from Chichén Itzá, Mexico. Circular board with perpendicular diameters. Eleven to twelve spaces in each radius and each arc between the radii. The spaces where the diameters intersect the circumference are circled, as is the central space. Ruppert 1943: Fig. 4.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public
Source Ruppert, K. 1943. The Mercado. Chichén Itzá, Yucatán. Washington: Carnegie Institution.
Id DLP.Evidence.1378
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 19°56'6.16"N,105°14'59.92"W
Date 1000-01-01 - 1500-12-31
Rules Square board with looped corners and looped and crossed central tracks. Eleven spaces per side and central track, three spaces in each corner loop.
Content Graffiti Type 1 Patolli board found on a stone at Tomatlán, Jalisco, Mexico. Square board with looped corners and looped and crossed central tracks. Eleven spaces per side and central track, three spaces in each corner loop. Dated to the Postclassic by Mountjoy and Smith. Mountjoy and Smith 1985; Depaulis 2018: 45-47.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Depaulis, T. 2018. "Ancient American Board Games I: From Teotihuacan to the Great Plains." Board Game Studies 12: 29-55., Mountjoy, J. and J. Smith. 1985. "An Archaeological Patolli from Tomatlán, Jalisco, Mexico." In W. Folan (ed.), Contributions to the Archaeology and Ethnohistory of Greater Mesoamerica: Essays in Honor of Carroll L. Riley. CArbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 240-262.
Id DLP.Evidence.1379
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 19°37'25.91"N,101°34'24.94"W
Date 1450-01-01 - 1550-12-31
Rules Square board with looped corners and looped and crossed central tracks. Eleven spaces per side and central track, three spaces in each corner loop, an extra space outside the square where the inner tracks meet the square.
Content Graffiti Type 1 Patolli game board from Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán, Mexico. Square board with looped corners and looped and crossed central tracks. Eleven spaces per side and central track, three spaces in each corner loop, with an extra space outside the square where the inner tracks meet the square. IH-9. Olmos Curiel 2010: 122.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Olmos Curiel, A. G. 2010. Los petrograbdos de Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán: un sistema de comunicación gráfica. MA Thesis, El Colegio de Michoacán A.C.
Id DLP.Evidence.1380
Type Artifact
Game Patolli
Location 19°37'25.91"N,101°34'24.94"W
Date 1450-01-01 - 1550-12-31
Rules Square board with looped corners and looped and crossed central tracks. Eleven spaces per side and central track, three spaces in each corner loop, an extra space outside the square where the inner tracks meet the square.
Content Graffiti Type 1 Patolli game board from Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán, Mexico. Square board with looped corners and looped and crossed central tracks. Eleven spaces per side and central track, three spaces in each corner loop, with an extra space outside the square where the inner tracks meet the square. IIIA-10. Olmos Curiel 2010: 122.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Olmos Curiel, A. G. 2010. Los petrograbdos de Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán: un sistema de comunicación gráfica. MA Thesis, El Colegio de Michoacán A.C.
Id DLP.Evidence.1381
Type Ethnography
Game Petol
Location 20° 0'8.03"N, 97°42'48.59"W; 19°57'55.70"N, 97°41'36.70"W
Date 1924-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules Cross-shaped board, with two opposite arms bent at a right angle. Line cross each arm, creating 49 intersections where the pieces are placed. Two teams of one, two, or three people play, with each player controlling one piece or, if one person, controlling two or three pieces. Four longitudinally split reed are used as dice, two are unmarked on the concave side which count as 1, and the other two are marked, and count as 15 and 20. The throws are as follows: All convex faces up = 10; all concave sides up = 5; one concave side up = the value of that side; two concave sides up = 2, three concave sides up =3, A player must throw 10 or more to enter the board, and may continue to move any excess number. Once a piece is entered, the player throws three times consecutively. Each player owns one of the bent arms of the board, and the piece move anti-clockwise from the right hand end of the arm, to the exit at the left hand end of the arm, but not entering the opponent's arm. When a player lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to start. Pieces on the central spot (spot 25) are safe from being sent back. When a piece enters the player's arm again as they approach the goal, throws of 10, 15, and 20 count as 1. On the penultimate space, a throw of 2, 3, or 5 allows a piece to exit, but on the final space a throw of 1, 10, 15, or 20 is required. If playing on teams, a player who has reached the goal continues to throw and use those throws to move their teammates' pieces. The first team to remove all their pieces from the board wins.
Content Se juega siempre entre dos partidos formados, cada uno, por una dos o tres personas. El objeto del juego es recorrer sucessivamente las rayas de la cruz, siguiendo la numeración progresiva que indica el dibujo, y llegar al final antes que los contrarios. Los individiduos de los dos bandos, juegan alternándose, usando como dados unos trozos de caña hendidos longitudinalmente, y que llevan en la cara cóncava, ciertas indicaciones de su valor. La caña que no está marcada en su cara internsa, vale 1 (en el juego se emplean dos de estas cañas): la que tiene 2 cruces, vale 15, y 20 la que tiene 4. Estas ceñas o tejas; se colocan de modo que queden empalmadas dos y dos, y opuestos ambos pares por sus caras cóncavas (véase el dibujo) y tomndo por sus aristas las cuatro tejas así empalmadas se arrojan fuertemente contra el suelo y según el número de puntos que marquen, así se mueven los maíces o piedrecitas que sirven de fichas. Si todas las tejas caen con la cara cóncava hacia abajo, se cuentan 10, si todas hacia arriba, 5; si es una sola, se cuenta su valor y si son dos o tres, han de contarse 2 ó 3 puntos, respectivamente. Cada grupo principia a jugar por el punto llamado "Entrada,"en el dibujo, y termina cuando llega el punto llamada "Salida." Si juegan tres individuos an cada grupo, cada uno lleva al principiar una ficha; pero si juega uno solo, puede llevar, desde el principio dos o tres fichas y arrojar las tejas igual número de veces cuando le corresponda jugar. Cuando un jugador ha llegado al número 10 o en una tirada ha pasado de este número, jugará desde la vez próxima con una ficha mas que tiene por punto de partida el número 10. De aqui, hasta el fin del juego, tira tres veces consecutivas y mueve alternadas ambas fichas. Al encontrarse dos enemigosen cualquier punto que no sea el centro, el que llegó después come al que estaba, y el comido debe volver a empezar el juego. Si un jugador termina antes que sys compañeros de grupo, sigue acrojando las tejas cuando le llega su turno, y los puntos que saque sirven para ayudar a ganar a sus compañeros. Cuando se ha llegado al último brazo de la cruz (raya 42) si sale en las tejas 20, 15 ó 10, sólo se cuentan como 1, y si estando en la penúltima raya para salir (48) se tira 20, 15, 10, ó 1, no se sale; se necesita tirar 2, 3, ó 5. Como se ve en la figura 6, siguiendo el orden ahí indicado, los de un partido jamás recorren el brazo de la svástica por donde entran y salen los contrarios.
Confidence 100
Source Caso, A. 1924-1927. "Un antiguo juego mexicano: el patolli." El Mexico Antiguo 2: 201-211.
Id DLP.Evidence.1382
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Piç
Location 39°54'19.75"N, 41°15'59.88"E
Date 1979-01-01 - 1979-12-31
Rules Played by two to five players. Each player has three heaps of counters, with twelve counters per heap. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When a player creates a heap containing three counters in an opponent's heap, a circle is drawn around the heap and the player captures every counter placed in it. When there are no heaps left, the player with the most counters wins.
Content "In a village near Erzurum (eastern Anatolia) it is called Piç, there are no holes, and it is played either with corn or beans instead of stones. It can be played by two to five players, and each player has three heaps of beans or grains of corn, each heap with twelve (or nine) counters; these heaps are called kuy. If one player succeeds in making the number three in the other player's heaps, he owns that heap, and marks it by encircling it with chalk; every ear of corn or bean put in that heap then is his property. When there is no heap left, whichever player owns most of the beans or corn is the winner." and 1979: 52-53.
Confidence 100
Source And, M. 1979. 'Some notes on aspects and functions of Turkish folk games.' The Journal of American Folklore 92(363): 44–64.
Id DLP.Evidence.1383
Type Ethnography
Game Mereköçdü
Location Azerbaijan
Date 1968-01-01 - 1968-12-31
Rules Two or four players. Three holes per player, arranged in a circle. Seven counters per hole. When players sow, the first counter is sown into the hole from which the counters were taken. When the final counter falls into a hole, making it contain two or four holes, the counters are captured. Play continues until all the counters are captured. A new round begins. Any player which captured more than seven counters in excess of their original 21 captures a hole from their opponent. Play continues as before. A player wins when their opponent is unable to fill a hole with seven counters.
Content "Bu oyunnu iki veya dörd uşağ oynayır. Daire şeklinde her uşağa üç mere (çala) düzeldirler. Here 21 balaca daş götürür, daşları iki iki saymagla mere mere paylayıb yığır. Say aşağıgakı kimidir —Dana, dana, ğir dana, iki öküz, bir dana. Her mereye yéddi daş yığırlar. Gürre atıb oyuna başlayırlar. Gürre düsen uşag, daşlardan merenin içinde birini saxlayır, galanlarını paylayır. Adamın sayına göre daş udmag olar. Mügabil terefin merelerinde bir veya üç daş varsa, paylayan adamın daşı da bir veya üç daşlı merelerde gurtarır, démeli, daşlar cütleşirse o, hemin daşları udmuş olur. İlk udmuş daşa mértik déyirler. Hansı uşag başga bir uşagdan yéddi veya çox daş udşaç daşlar onun olurç o birinin meresi ve daşları azalır. Béle béle her kesin bütün mereleri boşaldıgda o, sıradan çıxır." Ahundov 1978: 201-202.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Ahundov, Ə. 1978. Azerbaycan Halk Yazını Örnekleri. Ankara: Ankara Üniversitesi Basimevi., And, M. 1979. 'Some notes on aspects and functions of Turkish folk games.' The Journal of American Folklore 92(363): 44–64.
Id DLP.Evidence.1384
Type Contemporary text
Game Polis
Location 37°58'43.34"N, 23°43'28.45"E
Date 0519-01-01BCE - 0422-12-31BCE
Rules Game named City, pieces named dogs.
Content "οθεν και Κρατινω πεπαικται, Πανδιονιδα πολεως βασιλεως, της επιβωλακος, οισθ' ην λεγομεν, και κυνα πολιν, ην παιζουσιν."
Son of Pandion King of the fertile city, you know the one that we mean, and the dog and the city, that they play.
Cratinus, Fragment 61 K.-A. (in Julius Pollux, Onomastikon, 9.99).
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Cratinus. Fragment 61 KA.
Id DLP.Evidence.1385
Type Contemporary text
Game Polis
Location 37°58'43.34"N, 23°43'28.45"E
Date 0100-01-01 - 0199-12-31
Rules Board with spaces.
The board is indicate by the greek term πλινθιον (plithion), which derives by πλίνθος (plinths), that was used to indicate building bricks or rectangular/squared battle formations.
The use of this terms indicate that the board or the cases were in quadrangular shape.
Two players. Pieces are captured by surrounding them on either side.
Content "η δε δια πολλων παιδια πλινθιον εστι, χωρας εν γραμμαισ εχον διακειμενας. και το μεν πλινθιον καλειται πολις των δε εκαστη κυων. διηρημενων δε εις δυο των ψηφων κατα τας χροας, η τεχνη παιδιας εστι περιληψει των δυο ψηφων ομοχποων την ετεροχροθν αναιρειν." Tanslation from Kurke 1999: "The game played through many pieces is a board that has spaces disposed between lines; and the board is called "polis" and each of the pieces a "dog." The pieces are divided in two by color and the art of the game is to capture the other-colored piece by surrounding it with two of the same color" (256).
Julius Pollux, Onomasticon, 9.98-99
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Pollux. Onomasticon.
Id DLP.Evidence.1386
Type Ethnography
Game Puhulmutu
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 2x7 board with two stores. Four counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction; the first player chooses the direction and all subsequent moves are made in that direction. Players sow beginning from holes in their row. In the course of sowing, a player cannot sow into a hole containing three counters; if one is encountered, it is skipped and the counter is sowed into the next hole without three. If the final counter falls into a hole containing three counters, the contents of the hole are captured and the contents of the next hole are picked up and sowing continues. Otherwise, if the last counter falls into a hole with counters, these are picked up and sowing continues, or if it falls into an empty hole the turn ends. The round ends when one player's holes are empty. Second round begins with the winner of the first round placing four counters in each of their holes, leaving any surplus in the store. The loser, starting from one end of the row, places four counters into as many holes as possible, leaving any extra in the store. The holes which cannot be filled are excluded from play for the round. A twig or piece of straw are often placed over it to indicate this. The losing player begins the round, moving in the direction of the excluded holes, and played in the same way as the first round. Rounds three and above: The winner of round two places four counters in as many of their holes as possible, and the remaining counters in the next hole. If it contains one, it is called puta, if two, naga, if three, wala. Holes with no counters are excluded from play for this round. If the loser has a puta hole, the opponent removes one counter from their hole opposite; if a naga, the opponent removes two from the opposite hole, if a wala, the opponent removes three. The removed counters go into their store. puta and naga holes are marked with a piece of paper or straw in them. Empty holes are excluded as before. The player with excluded holes begins play in the direction of the excluded hole. Counters cannot be captured or sowed from puta or naga holes. Play continues as before. When one player has fewer than twelve counters, they may arrange them differently at the beginning of a round. They may put one or two counters in one end hole and not more than four in the other end hole, and one or two counters in the intermediate holes, leaving some empty and, thus, excluded. The opponent then puts four counters in each of their holes. There are no puta, naga, or wala holes in this round. The player with more counters plays as before, but the one with less has captures that are determined by the number of counters placed in the first end hole. If there were two in the end hole, the player captures when dropping the final counter into a hole to make it three; or when it makes two if there was one counter in the first end hole. Otherwise, the player does not sow in holes with one or two counters. Throughout the game, singletons cannot be moved is a player has a hole with multiple counters, and a singleton in the front hole cannot be moved if there are other singletons in the player's row. Play continues until one player has no counters.
Content "Puhulmutu, ‘Ash-pumpkin Pearls.’
In this game the player takes the five seeds out of the hole into which the last one fell, and in the same way as before sows them one by one in the next and the following holes, going on round the board in this manner until the final seed falls into an empty hole, called puhuwala, or pussa, on which the player stops, or ‘sits down.’ His opponent then begins at any hole on his own side, and plays in exactly the same manner until the last seed of those which he is sowing also falls into an empty hole, after which the first player begins afresh
at any hole on his own side of the board, and repeats the sowing. When a hole has three seeds in it, it must be passed over without receiving any seeds, excepting, in its proper order,
the last seed of the set which a player is sowing. When this falls into such a hole he captures the four which are now in that hole (tun-indin kanawa, "eats (them) because of the three dates ’), and puts them aside in his separate enclosure provided for them at one end or side of the board. He then takes the seeds of the next hole, if there be any, and sows them
as before, and continues his play round the board ; but if the next hole to that at which he effected the capture be empty his turn is ended, and he ‘ sits down.' The opponent now
resumes his play, beginning at any hole on his own side, and plays in the same way. Towards the latter part of the round a single seed in the last hole on a player’s side cannot be taken as the starting-point if any other hole on his side of the board contain one, or more than one. When all the seeds on one player's side of the board have been captured, or more
correctly when a player is left without seeds in his row of holes on his turn’s coming to play, the round is ended. Each player then again arranges his seeds in fours in the cup-holes, taking for the purpose any that were left in the holes on his side of the board, together with those captured by him. Any surplus ones are left in the rectangular hole belonging to him. It will almost always be found that one player possesses fewer seeds than the other. If they have equal numbers (termed hari mutu, "equal pearls"), it is optional to consider the game ended in a 1 draw.’ But if one player have fewer than the other the game must be continued.
After they are replaced in the holes, in case a player be without seeds at only one hole he is said to be a ‘ person blind of one eye' ( ekas hand) ; if at two holes, a ‘ person blind of two
eyes 1 (daes hand) ; if at three holes, he has no special name, but his side of the board is described as ' four-eye,' referring to the four cups which alone contain seeds ; if there are only seeds for three holes it is * three-eye ’ ; if for two holes, ' two-eye 1 ; if for one hole, ' one-eye/ The player whose seeds are deficient is said to have 'become blind’ ( kana weld).
This nomenclature is applied in all the four games. The ' blind ’ person must now commence the play, sowing the seeds in the direction of his empty holes, which are left at one end of his row, and are marked by bits of twig or straw being placed across them to indicate that they are * blind. During the whole of the round no seeds can be placed in the ' blind ’ holes by either player. In other respects the procedure in this and subsequent rounds is exactly the same as in the first one, with the exceptions to be now noted. In all the four Kandian forms of the Olinda game, when the player whose seeds are deficient finds on placing the usual four seeds in the holes at a fresh 4 round ’ that he ends with only one seed for the last hole, this seed is termed his ' son ’ (puta) ; if he have two seeds for it they are called ' younger sister’ (naga) ; if three seeds they are his 'slave’ (mala). Although seeds are sown as usual, by both players, into these three holes those in the first two, containing a puta or naga. cannot be taken out and sown, and are also free from capture throughout all that round, and continue to accumulate for the benefit of their owner ; but those in the wala hole have not this privilege, and are sown and captured as usual. In its case the name is only a descriptive expression, and does not affect the play. To balance these privileged holes the opponent removes one, two, or three seeds respectively from his last hole before the play begins afresh, so as to make up the sum of four when those left in the hole are added to the seeds in the ‘ blind ’ person’s last hole. Thus, if the latter player have a puta, his opponent must end with a wala, or vice versa ; and if he have a naga the other must also have a naga. The same names and privileges apply to these holes on both sides of the board. The puta and naga holes are distinguished from the rest by having some mark, such as a bit of paper or straw, placed in them. As the seeds in these cups cannot be taken out and sown, the turn of the player whose last one falls into either of them comes to an end. When a player finds himself left with less than twelve seeds at the beginning of a round, he has the option of arranging them among the holes in his row in a different manner. He may place two seeds, or only one seed, in each hole, beginning from one end of the row of holes, the last hole on his side in that case receiving any surplus seeds, not exceeding four. For instance, if he have nine seeds, and if, as is usually the case, they be playing to the right, he will place two in each of the four holes on the left ; the next two holes will be left empty, and are 1 blind ' and cannot be played into ; and the ninth seed will be placed in the last hole on the right. The opponent’s distribution is unaffected by this, and he places the usual four seeds in the holes in his row. The game now becomes rather complicated, as the two persons play in different ways. The opponent plays and effects captures in the usual manner ; but the ' blind ’ player only makes a capture when his last seed falls into a hole containing two seeds, whether on his own or the opposite side of the board, in which case he takes the three. If he placed one seed in each hole at the commencement of the round he would make captures when his last seed fell into a hole which contained only one. Otherwise, excepting when playing his last seed, all such holes on both sides of the board with two seeds or one seed, respectively, are passed over by him and do not receive seeds from him when sowing, although his opponent sows into them. On the other hand, the * blind * player no longer passes over the holes with three seeds, but sows his seeds into each of them. As a general result of this mode of playing, the person who was 4 blind ’ often regains his lost seeds, even when he has been reduced to one seed at the beginning of a round, and the game becomes nearly interminable, and may last for hours. In order to bring it to an end quickly, a method termed 'Cutting Ash-pumpkins' ( puhul kapanawa) is sometimes adopted. According to it the player who is deficient borrows a seed out of each of the last two holes on his opponent's side, and places these in the adjoining two holes on his own side. He must then begin his play at the next or third hole ; and the borrowed seeds are returned when his opponent is about to commence sowing. There is another method of cutting short the game by a player's moving a seed, or two, on the opponent's side, and then commencing to sow from other holes than the first three on his own side." Parker 1909: 594.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.1387
Type Ethnography
Game Qelat (Beni Amir-Mensa)
Location 15°42'34.93"N, 38°37'39.11"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in a clockwise direction when starting from the three holes on the left of the board, and in an anti-clockwise direction when starting from the three holes on the right. Sowing ends when the final counter is dropped, regardless of whether the hole is occupied or not. When the final counter is dropped into a hole containing three counters, thus making it contain four, the hole is captured. This can only be done if the hole is one of the end holes on either side of either row, or the penultimate holes on either side of the opponent's row. Sowing is not allowed from a captured hole. When no player is able to move, the player with the most counters in their captured holes wins.
Content "...were played by Debesay Genda of the Mensa Bet Abraha people, and Fre Mikael Hajji from the Elabaret area, and Grazmach Merese Fekhakh...Qelat II This game is also based on two rows each of six holes, with four balls per hole, and, according to the above-mentioned players, was the variety generally played by the elders for large stakes, such as a hundred cows or a piece of land. The game resembles Game 8 in that players move in a clockwise direction when starting from any of their three left-hand holes and in an anti-clockwise direction from their three holes on the right. Each player starts his move by picking up the entire contents of any of his holes and then drops these balls one by one into the ensuing holes, his own or his opponent's. The move comes to an end when the last of these balls has been dropped, for one does not pick up balls to continue a move as is so common in Ethiopia as a whole. The object of the game is to capture holes, which is done, as in many games, by dropping the last ball in any hand into a hole containing three balls which are thus increased to four. Such captured holes, corresponding to the weg of other areas, are known as walda, but can only be captured in certain parts of the board. Each of the two players can thus only make a walda in one or other of his own end holes, or, on his opponent's side, in the two end holes and the two penultimate holes from either end. There is no "eating" or taxing, from such holes as in many games, the winner being the player to accumulate the largest number of balls in his walda(s)." Pankhurst 1971: 171.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1388
Type Ethnography
Game Ratti-Chitti-Bakri
Location 32°34'58.69"N, 71°32'16.52"E
Date 1925-10-01 - 1925-10-31
Rules 9x9 baord played on the intersections, with diagonals for each 3x3 square. Forty pieces per player, one playing as white, the other as red, arranged on opposite sides of the board, each player's pieces taking up the first through fourth ranks of spaces, plus their right half of the fifth rank. The central spot remains empty. Players alternate turns by moving a piece to an adjacent empty spot along the lines on the board. A player may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over one adjacent piece if there is an empty spot behind it along a line on the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Ratti-Chitti-Bakri (Red-White-Goats). As is shown in figure 5, there are 81 cross-points, and each of the two players is the possessor of 40 pieces, the central point being left vacant. The rules that are followed in playing this game are exactly the same as have been described in connection with the game of bara-guti. As is implied by the name, one of the players carries on the game with pieces of red stone, and the other with pieces of white stone, there being an abundant supply of both types of stone in the area round Mianwali." Gupta 1926a: 146-147.
Confidence 100
Source Gupta, H. 1926a. 'A Few Types of Sedentary Games Prevalent in the Punjab." Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 22(4): 143–148.
Id DLP.Evidence.1389
Type Ethnography
Game Queah Game
Location 6°37'1.90"N, 10°47'17.53"W
Date 1879-01-01 - 1882-12-31
Rules Played on a board with two rows of five spaces forming an "X," with an extra space diagonally adjacent to the central space. Ten sticks per player. Each player begins with one stick in each of the rightmost four spaces on the edge of the board closest to them. Players alternate turns moving a stick to an adjacent space. A player may capture one of the opponent's sticks by jumping over it to an empty space beyond it. The opponent replaces the captured stick with one of those remaining in their reserve, until there are no sticks remaining. The player who captures all of the opponent's sticks wins.
Content "Eine Art Damspiel, grebräuchlich bei den Queah, von Hill Town am Du-Queah River. Daselbe ist aus ineinendergefügten Holzstäbchen zusammengestellt, die 14 Fächer bilden. Die Spieler setzen sich einander gegenüber, mit dem Spiel in der Mitte. Jeder hat 10 flache handlange Holzstäbchen, die unten zugespitzt sind. Die Stäbchen des einen Spielers sind am obern Ende, um sie kenntlich zu machen, schief abgeschnitten (sog. Männchen), die andern zehn aber gerade (Weibchen). Jeder Spieler setzt 4 seiner Stäbchen, und in abwechsselnden Zügen trachtet einer dem andern durch Üeberspringen seine Stäbchen wegzunehmen. Derjenige, der ein Stäbchen verliert, ersetzt dasselbe durch ein anderes, bis sein Vorrath erschöpft ist. Es sind also nie mehr als acht Stäbchen zugleich im Spiel. Wer seine sämmtlichen Stäbchen verliert oder durch die Gegenpartie matt gesetzt wird, ist geschlagen. So sehr auch dieses Spiel an manche bei uns gebräuchliche Spiele erinnern mag, glaube ich doch nicht, dass dasselbe europäischen Ursprungs sei. Ausser diesem ist auch das bekannte Spiel mit dem Block mit den zwei Reihen Löchern allgemein verbreitet." Büttikofer 1888: 91; Pl. V.16.
Confidence 100
Source Büttikofer, J. 1888. "Einiges über die Eingebornen von Liberia." Internationales Archiv für Ethnographie 1: 77-91.
Id DLP.Evidence.1390
Type Ethnography
Game Ghingskoot
Location Pima County
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Played on a board with 36 holes arranged in a square, with a gap in the center of each side. There are arcs of five holes branching from opposite corners. Can be played with two to four players, who can also play on teams. One or two pieces per player. Four stick dice are used, with one marked side. Each die is marked differently for a different value: 4, 6, 14, 15. The throws are as follows: All marked sides up = 5; three marked sides up = 3; two marked sides up = 2, one marked side up = the value of the marked side; zero marked sides up = 10. Players’ pieces enter on the branching arcs. The second piece cannot enter before the first one leaves the arc. Each player can choose which direction they wish to move around the board, but they must continue in this direction for the rest of the game. If a player lands on the same spot as the opponent, the opponent’s piece is removed from the board and must re-enter. Player must make an exact throw to get a piece off the board. The player to get both of their pieces off the board first wins.
Content "The four marked face receive the following names: Old man, young man, old woman, young woman...Two backs and two fronts of any sticks up counts 2, three fronts and one back of any sticks up, 3; three backs and the young man up, 4; all fronts up, 5; three backs and the old woman up, 6; all backs, 10; three backs and the young woman up, 14; three backs and the old man up, 15...The counts are kept on a rectangle marked on the ground (figure 167), usually approximating 12 by 8 feet, having ten holes, or pockets, counting the corners each time along each side. At two alternate corners are two quadrants called houses (kee) of five holes each not counting the corner holes, called doors (jouta). The game is played by two, three, or four players for self or partner, with counters called horses. These usually number two for each player. They are put into play consecutively and by alternate throws of the players. A throw of less than 5, which does not carry the horses out of the door, prevents a player from entering another horse until his aggregate throws are 5+. thus putting his horse into the rectangle proper. After all the horses of a single contestant are in play he may move the same horse continuously. In counting, the pockets from A to either of the nearest corners is 15. It is optional with the player whether he turns to the left or right upon leaving the door, though he must move his horse round the rectangle in the same direction after once starting. If X throws 15, moveing to a, and W throws the same number, enabling him to move to the same point, he kills, or throws X's horse out of play, and he must start his piece over again; and again, if he should throw 14, he accomplishes the same result (there is no 1 in the stick count). However, if X should get to c and W throw 10 from house and get to d, he does not kill him. If on the next throw W throws 14 and X has not moved from c, he kills him. A horse must run entirely around the rectangle and back into the house pockets, where he is safe from being killed; but to make him a winning piece, the exact number to count to a must be thrown by the sticks. When a horse is on a pocket adjoining a, a 2 throw is considered out. The object of the game is to carry all the horses around the pockets and out again at a, the first player succeeding in this being declared the winner." Culin 1907: 146-148.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1391
Type Ethnography
Game Kints
Location Akimel Oodham
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Played on a board with 36 holes arranged in a square, with a gap in the center of each side. There are two semi circles of five holes on the outside of two opposite corners of the board. The central space of these semicircles if marked. One or two pieces per player. Four stick dice are used, with one marked side. Each die is marked differently for a different value. The throws are as follows: All marked sides up = 5; three marked sides up = 3; two marked sides up = 2, one marked side up = the value of the marked side; zero marked sides up = 10. Players’ pieces enter on the branching arcs. If a player lands on the same spot as the opponent, the opponent’s piece is removed from the board and must re-enter. Player must make an exact throw to get a piece off the board. The player to get both of their pieces around the board, and then to reach the marked space with an exact throw.
Content "Pima, Arizona...These were collected by Dr. Edward Palmer and described as men's sticks. Doctor Palmer states: A space of 10 square feet is inclosed by holes made in the ground [figure 173]. At opposite corners on the outside are two semicircular rows of five holes each. At the beginning a marking-stick is put into the center hole, A, of each semicircle, and the point is to play around the square, and back again to the center hole. Each pair of players moves the pegs in opposite directions, and whenever the count is made that would bring the stick to the thole occupied by that of the antagonist, he is sent back to his original starting place. The counts are as follows: Four round sides up, counts 10; four flat sides up, 5. When only one flat side is up, it counts whatever is marked on it; any three counts as 3, and any two, 2." Culin 1907: 149-150.
Confidence 100
Genders Male
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1392
Type Ethnography
Game Kints
Location Akimel Oodham
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Played on a board with 36 holes arranged in a square, with a gap in the center of each side. There are two semi circles of five holes on the outside of two opposite corners of the board. The central space of these semicircles if marked. One or two pieces per player. Four stick dice are used, with one marked side. Each die is marked differently for a different value: 4, 6, 14, 15. The throws are as follows: All marked sides up = 5; three marked sides up = 3; two marked sides up = 2, one marked side up = the value of the marked side; zero marked sides up = 10. If a player lands on the same spot as the opponent, the opponent’s piece is removed from the board and must re-enter. Player must make an exact throw to get a piece off the board. The player to get both of their pieces around the board, and then to reach the marked space with an exact throw (having to throw less than 14 if landed on the penultimate space).
Content "Pima, Arizona...Four sticks of mesquite wood...They were collected by the late Dr. Frank Russell, who gives the name of the game as kints and of the sticks as kints kut. The sticks [figure 176] are designated as follows: No. 1. ki-ik, four. No. 2, tco-otp', six. No. 3, si-ika, meaning of word unknown to informants. No. 4, kints, meaning also unknown. The players sit about 10 feet apart, and put the sticks in play by striking from below with a flat stone held in the left hand...so that they will fall in the center of the space between the players, who rake them back with a long stick after each throw. The count is similar to that described for the [Tohono O'odham] game, if we substitute the [Akimel O'odham] names for the pieces as follows: Two backs and 2 faces count 2; 1 back and 3 faces count 3; ki-ik facing up and others down count 4; all faces up count 5; tco-otp' facing up and others down count 6; all faces down count 10; si-ika facing up aand others down count 14; kints facing up and others down count 15. The counts are kept upon a rectangle marked upon the ground, usually approximating 12 by 8 feet, having 10 holes or pockets, counting the corners each time along each side. At two alternate corners are two quadrants, called houses (ki), of five holes each, not counting the corner holes, called doors (utpa). The stick used by each player or side to mark its throw is called rsaika, slave or horse. When a player is "coming home" and his count carries his "slave" only to the last hole of his house, it is said to be "in the fire," and remains "burnt" until he throws a less number than 14 or 15. " Culin 1907: 151-152.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1393
Type Ethnography
Game Romavóa
Location Tarahumara
Date 1791-01-01 - 1791-12-31
Rules Two players, played with dice, dice are marked, pieces are moved along the board.
Content "Pátolle ist ein einfältiges Weiberspiel, woben sie sich mit kleinen eingeschnittenen und gezeichneten holzlein unterhalten. Diese werden entweder aus einem in der luft hangenden Hut von unten auf mit der Faust herausgestocken, oder es sitzen bende Parthenen auf der Erde gegen einander, machen zwischen ihnen einen kleinen Zaun, auch von kleinen Holzlein, und treiben ihre gezeichnete Holzlein mit einer Peitsche aus der linken Hand über den Zaun. Wo nun die Holzlein niederfallen, und die eingeschnittenen Strichlein darzeigen, so wird eben so, wie ben dem Wurfelspiele, der Gewinn oder Berlust angerechnet. " Steffel 1791: 342-343.
Confidence 100
Source Steffel, M. 1791. Tarahumarisches Wörterbuch.
Id DLP.Evidence.1394
Type Ethnography
Game Rab'e
Location 15°36'28.30"N, 39°27'19.36"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 3x6 board. Four counters per hole. Each player controls one row of holes and the half of the central row to their right.Sowing occurs from left ro right in the player's full row, right to left in their holes in the central row, then right to left in the opponent's full row, then left to right in the opponent's holes in the central row, at that point continuing into the player's full row again. when the final counter is sown into an occupied hole, the counters are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends. At any point while the player sows, if a hole is made to contain four counters, these are captured, regardless of who the hole belongs to. When the final counter causes a capture, the turn ends. Play continues until a player has no counters in their holes. The opponent then captures the remaining counters. Players then redistribute their counters, four in each hole, starting from the leftmost hole in their row in the direction of play. The player with fewer counters distributes all of their counters on the board, even if they cannot place four in the final hole of the counting. The player with more counters then places four counters in the same number of holes as the other player, taking any remaining as their winnings. Play continues in this fashion until one player captures all of the counters.
Content "Gabata II This game, based on three rows each of six holes, with four balls per hole, has some similarities with Game 7 though the latter is played on a two-row board. This game was played by Sagaye Gabra Mikael who refers to it as rab'e because of its use of four balls per hole. Players, who play alternately, move from any of their holes, in the direction and method described for Game 1. Each player appropriates all groups of four balls made in the course of his move, irrespectively of on whose row they appear, and a player capturing four balls with the last ball in his hand thus terminates the move. On effecting any group of four counters he may say lahemay walidateliy, once more referring to his cow "giving birth." The procedure for the completion of the rouns and commencement of subsequent rounds is as for Game 1." Pankhurst 1971: 172.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1395
Type Ethnography
Game Rio Kadalis
Location 9°21'24.42"N, 42°47'43.87"E; 9°33'31.70"N, 44° 4'4.82"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters per hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and the sowing continues. During sowing, the contents of any hole made to contain four counters are captured by the player in whose row the hole is located, except when this is the final counter of a sowing, in which case the player who is sowing captures these counters. When the sowing ends in an empty hole, the turn ends. Play continues until one player cannot move, and the other player captures the remaining counters. A second round is played, each player placing four counters into each hole starting from the rightmost hole in their row. The player with more counters gains a hole from their opponent for every four extra balls they've captured. If an opponent has three extra after counting in such a way, they also gain a hole, but not if there are one or two extra. Play continues in several rounds like this until one player captures all the holes.
Content "Rio Kadalis or Rio Kadashi. This game, variously referred to as rio kadalis or rio kadashi, is of the lam waladach type...and has indeed a fairly similar literal meaning, viz. "helping a female goat to give birth."The game was played by...Hasan Omar Gad of the Jigjiga area, and by Musa Ali Gadid from Hargheisa...Hasan Omar Gad...says it is usually played on two rows of six holes and exclusively in an anti-clockwise direction. Rules are basically the same as in Game 25 so that all groups of four except those made by the last ball in a player's hand belong to the owner of the row, while groups of four made by the last hand belong to the player whose hand it was. There is, however, one special point to note: a player effecting a capture with the last ball in his hand, a situation referred to in Somali binikh or "wasting" the opponent, is not...entitled to continue his move as is the case in Central Ethiopia, though Musa Ali Gadid holds that this is not usual, and that it is on the contrary the opposite player's turn to move. The count down differs from wegi in that surplus holes are not closed down, the victorious player capturing holes from his opponent as in the games described for other areas." Pankhurst 1971: 182.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1396
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Rumi Shatranj
Location Deccan
Date 1796-01-01 - 1798-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: King (x1): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally; Counselor (x1): One square diagonally, but may move two spaces forward orthogonally on the first move, jumping over the SOldier in front of it on the first move of the game; Rook (x2): Any number of spaces orthogonally; Elephant (x2): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first, cannot capture another Elephant; Horse (x2): Moves as a chess knight. Soldier (x8): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. The Soldier in front of the Counselor may jump to the space in front of the Counselor when it has used its special move on the first turn, this must be done as the second move of the game, i.e. on the next turn after the Counselor had made its special move. No en passant. Soldiers promote to Counselor when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. Stalemate results in a win for player causing it. The player who checkmates the king wins.
Content "The eaarliest description of the Rumi chess that I have found is contained in a brief note whichhad been pasted in the cover of the Persian MS 'Oxf.' by a former owner, Rev. George Keene, in 1810. The first ma'raka or arena of this MS contains 99 problems, which are of the Rumi chess. MS. Bodleian Library Pers. e.10. A modern Persian MS...with the title Sardarnama, by Shir Muhammad-khan (takhallus Imam), who wrote it, 1211-2/1796/8 for a great lover of chess-playing, Husainaddin-khan Bahadur, who was in the service of the Nizam of Dakhan (Deccan), Nizam 'Ali-khan Bahadur Nizam-al-mulk Asafjah II (1175/1762-1217/1802)." Murray 1913: 181, 362.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Nobility
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1397
Type Artifact
Game XII Scripta
Location 32°38'17.32"N, 14°18'3.20"E
Date 100-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half.
Content Graffiti XII Scripta board from the steps of the East Quay near the "Tempietto" at Leptis Magna. 3x12 squares, divided in half by three "x"s. Bartoccini 1958: 122, PL. LXVI.2.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Bartoccini, R. 1958. Il Porto Romano di Leptis Magna. Rome: Centro Studi per la Storia dell'Archittetura.
Id DLP.Evidence.1398
Type Ethnography
Game San-Kwo-K'i
Location 19 Cent China
Date 1876-01-01 - 1876-12-31
Rules Played on a hexagonal board with the three camps divided by a "river. Pieces are placed on the intersections of the lines. Centered on opposite sides of the boards are two areas, known as the gong ("castle"). Pieces are double-sided, with different colors and names of the pieces indicating to which player they belong. Jiang("general")/shuai("marshal")(1): may move one space orthogonally and cannot leave the gong except when opposite the opponent's jiang/shuai, in which case the piece can capture the opponent's jiang/shuai. Shi("guard")(2): moves one space diagonally and cannot leave the gong. Xiang("elephant")/xiang("minister")(2): move two places diagonally and cannot cross the river. Ma("horse")(2): move orthogonally one and then diagonally one space. Can be blocked by a piece next to it orthogonally. Ju("chariot"(2): moves any number of spaces orthogonally. Pao("catapult")/pao("cannon") (2): can move orthogonally any number of spaces, captures by jumping one piece (of either player). Zu("private"/zu ("soldier")(5): can move one space forward. Once they cross the river, can also move one space horizontally. Chuo (red, "fire")/Ch'i (blue, "banner")/Feng (green, "wind")(2): moves two points orthogonally and one point diagonallyThe goal is to checkmate the opponents' jiang/shuai. When a player checkmates one of their opponent's jiang/shuai, it is removed from the board and any of that opponent's pieces are now controlled by the player making the checkmate.
Content "Schliesslich erwaaehne ich noch eine eigenyhuemliche Variataet des chinesischen Schachs, das Dreischach oder, wie es hier heisst, San-kwo-chih. Der letztere Name ist der Titel eines Geschichlichen Werks, "die Geschichte der Drei Reiche", welches die Kaempfe der drei Reiche Wei, Shu, und Wu, in welche China 221-264 n. Chr. getheilt war, erzaehlt. An diesen Krieg schliesst sich das Spiel genau an. Das Schachbrett, wie aus umstehender Abbildung ersichtlich, ist sechs seitig und ist durch den hier dreiarmigen Grenzfluss in drei Lager getheilt. Jedes Lager hat wie beim gewoehnlichen Schach 45 Aufstellungspunkte; die Linien, obwohl zum Theil gebrochen und schraeg, werden wie grade aufgefasst, aber anderseits entstehen zwei fronten, und gelten also als Fortstexungen von A, B, C, D die Linien a, b, c, d, von F, G, H, I die P, Q, R, S, waehrend die Fortsetzung von E theils e, theils O, sein kann. In aehnicher Weise setzen sich die Linien 5 und 6 theils nach V und VI, theils nach 15 und 16 fort. Die Figuren sind dieselben 16 nebst 2 neuen auf jeder Seite, die Parteien sind theils durch die Farben, theils durch verschiedene Zeichen unterschieden. Die drei Generaele (Koenige) heissen nach den Reichen Shu (roth), wie (blau) und wu (gruen). Die Zeichen der uebrigen Figuren sind bei Blau und Roth wie beim gewoehnlichen Spiel, bei Gruen haben Thuerme, Springer, Geschuetze und Minister ebenfalls dieselben Zeichen, fuer Elephant ist das homonyme (hsiang), fuer Soldaten das synonyme (yung "ein Tapferer") eingesetzt. Die beiden neu hinzukommenden Figuren sind bei Roth chuo, Feuer, bei Blau ch'i Banner, bei Gruen feng, Wind; sie nehmen die beiden oberen Eken der Burg (kung s. o.) ein und laufen in einem um ein Feld verlangerten Roesselsprung, d. h. 2 Punkte grade aus und einen schraeg rechts oder links. Die Chinesen erklaeren diese Bewegung durch das Zeichen mu (auge), welches aus 3 Quadraten bestehend gedacht wird; also in beistehendem Schema von a nach c; wie beim Springer macht eine in B befindliche Figure den Zug unmoeglich. Das Spiel ist complicirt und dadurch schwierig, ohne indessen an interessanten Combinationen dem Zweischach gleichzukommen. Ist eine Partei von einer andern Matt gesetzt, so nimmt die siegende Partei die noch uebrigen Offensiv-Figuren derselben quasi in ihr Heer auf und verwendet sie gegen die dritte Partei, ohne indessen die zum Matt noethigen Figuren stehen lassen zu muessen—der General der geschlangenen Partei wird als nicht mehr vorhanden betrachtet." von Möllendorf 1876: 17-18.
Confidence 100
Source von Möllendorf, O. 1876. "Das Schachspiel der Chinesen." Mittheilungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Natur- und Völkerkunde Ostasiens 2: 11-18.
Id DLP.Evidence.1399
Type Ethnography
Game Saturankam
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 9x9 board, with the central square of each side marked, as well as the central space of the board. Two to four players, each player with two pieces. Played with two four-sided dice, marked 1, 3, 4, 6. Throws may be divided as the players see fit between their pieces. Doubles allow another throw. Players start with their pieces on the marked square on their side of the board. Pieces move along a spiraling track, starting in an anti-clockwise direction around the outer edges of the board, then changing to a clockwise direction when reaching the 32nd space in the track, and continuing in this direction in a spiral pattern until reaching the central square. If a player lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board, and the player must throw a double 1 to enter it again on their starting square,. Pieces resting on a marked space are safe from being sent to the start. The goal is to reach the central square, which must be reached by an exact throw. If a piece is 1, 3, or 4 spaces from the center, the player must throw doubles of that number to reach the goal.
Content "Saturankam or Chaturanga. This game as played in Ceylon and Southern India is called Siga by the Indian Arabs and Muhammadans; but it is a totally different game from the Siga of Arabia. It is played by Sinhalese and Tamils on a board of 81 squares, 9 being ion each side. The middle square (katti) of each side, and the central square (tachi) are marked by two diagonal lines. The plain squares are called kodu in Tamil or gaeta in Sinhalese. Two enormous hollow brass dice termed Kemadi are used for it; they have rounded edges and are of a peculiar shape, being 2 1/4 inches long, 1 1/14 inches wide in the middle, and narrow at each end, where they are less than half an inch wide. They are rolled between the palms and then along the table or floor. Each is marked thus, by holes through the shell, on the four sides. Each player has two barrel-shaped counters, called Topparei, with round tops on which is a little knob, one pair being coloured red and the other black. The game ay be played by two, three, or four persons, each one playing for himself, and beginning at one of the Katti; if there be two they sit on opposite sides of the board. The aim of each player is to get his counters to the central square. At the commencement, each player's counters are placed in the Katti on his side of the board. the players then roll the dice in turn. The numbers uppermost are added together, and the sum may be used as the distance for moving one counter, or it may be divided in any way for securing suitable moves for both. When both dice show the same number uppermost the player has an additional roll. No one can refuse to move his counters; one or both must be moved to the extent regulated by the dice if there be room for them. The counting goes round to the right, excluding the Katti from which the counters start. The arrows on the diagram show the direction taken by the counters of one side; those on the other sides move in the same manner. While in the crossed squared they are safe from attack, but in the plain ones it is the aim of the opponent to 'chop' them, as it is termed. This is done by passing over of his counters into or over their square, upon which they must begin afresh from the first Katti. To permit them to do this their owner must obtain two ones on the dice, even when only one counter is required to enter. This puts them into the first Katti, ready for moving onward at his next throw. For getting into the central Tachi, the exact number of pips required must be obtained; therefore it is advisable to bring the two counters up to it together, and not to pass one out before the other is close to it. When both are near it any score on the dice can be divided, so as possibly to enable both counters to pass out together, or one can be passed out alone, if necessary. A further difficulty arises owing to a rule that if the number required be 1 this figure must be obtained on both the dice at one roll, even when there is only one counter left. In the same manner both dice must show threes or fours for passing out either a single counter or both if they be only three or four squares off the centre. Up to this distance both counters pass out as easily as one." Parker 1909: 605-607.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.1400
Type Ethnography
Game Selus
Location Wag
Location 8°58'34.27"N, 38°45'29.98"E; 14° 7'55.67"N, 38°43'8.99"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 3x6 board. Three counters per hole. Each player owns the row of holes closest to them, as well as the right half of the central row, with respect to their perspective. Sowing occurs from left to right in the player's complete row, right to left in the player's half of the central row, then continuing from right to left in the opponent's outer row, left to right in the opponent's holes in the central row, and then continuing as before into the player's outer row. In the opening phase, players play simultaneously. When the final counter of a sowing falls into an occupied hole, the contents are picked up and sowing continues. Each player plays until their final counter falls into an empty hole; the first player to do so begins the main phase. In the main phase, players alternate turns, and picking up the counters and continuing to sow when the final counter lands in an occupied hole, and stopping when the final counter lands in an empty hole. There are some restrictions with regard to sowing. Each of the player's three leftmost holes cannot be sown from to begin a turn if they contain three counters or less, unless there are no other options for play, in which case sowing must occur from a hole with one counter, and if none are available, then it must begin from a hole with two counters, or three counters if that is the only option. Separately, if the player's other holes only contain two or three counters, the player must play from a hole containing two counters, and these must be the option closest to the opponent's holes. Players must also play from holes containing more than three counters when available. During sowing, a player may not drop a counter into any of the opponent's holes which contain three counters (except when making a nedf, see below), skipping over them and sowing in the next available holes. When the final counter of a sowing lands in a hole in the opponent's row containing three counters, this hole becomes a "nedf." Any counters falling into the nedf cannot be sown. Only one nedf can exist at one time. After the first nedf is made, any others can only be made by placing the final two counters of a sowing into holes which contain three counters, the penultimate hole becoming the new nedf. The player then continues their turn with the counters from the final hole. The hole after the nedf becomes the yazab tabaqi, or "guardian." While the yazab tabaqi contains exactly three counters, the opponent cannot create a new nedf. Play continues until one player has no counters to move, or concedes they can no longer make a nedf.
Content "The Traditional Aristocratic Gabata: Selus...Current research indicates that this game, though now dying out, is still a monopoly of the higher classes. Present-day informants, notably Ato Sagé Alamé, a lawyer from Wag, refer to it as the gabata of the nobles, and emphasise that it is unknown to the peasants who will play a very different, and much simpler type of game. The importance of the aristocratic variety of the game is further underlined by Meto Alaqa Asefa Sabsebé, a dedicated friend of Ethiopian games, who considers selus gabata the sole type of gabata worthy of inclusion in his popular pamphlet Let's Play Popular Games...The discussion which follows if based partly on the written accounts of Montandon and Ansafa Sabsebé, and partly on games played by Ato Segé Alemé, Meto Alaqu Asefa Sabsebé and the latter's friend, Seyfu Akala heywat..." continues to describe rules in great detail. Pankhurst 1971: 165-167.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1401
Type Ethnography
Game Selus (Massawa)
Location 15°36'28.30"N, 39°27'19.36"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 3x6 board, three counters per hole. Each player owns the row of holes closest to them, as well as the right half of the central row, with respect to their perspective. Sowing occurs from left to right in the player's complete row, right to left in the player's half of the central row, then continuing from right to left in the opponent's outer row, left to right in the opponent's holes in the central row, and then continuing as before into the player's outer row. Players sow from any of their holes, and when the final counter lands in an occupied hole, they pick up the contents and continue sowing. When the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends. After the first turn, players may capture a hole when the final counter of a sowing falls into a hole containing three counters, increasing it to four. The counters in a captured hole cannot be sown, but when any player drops their final counter into it, two counters are captured from it. If the player captured counters from one of the holes that they had created, they begin sowing again from another of their turns, but if the capture was from a hole captured by the opponent, the turn ends. The leftmost holes in each player's row are special: a player may under no circumstance capture counters from this hole in their row, but may do so from the opponent's, gaining another turn when they do so. Play continues until all of the counters are captured or all of the counters are accumulated in captured holes. A new round begins. Players then collect the counters in their captured holes. They count their takings by filling their holes with three counters each as in the beginning, and the player would own every hole they could fill with three counters. If the player has two counters remaining, they also gain another hole and the opponent surrenders their extra counter. Play continues until one player cannot fill any holes.
Content "Gabata I. This game, based on three rows each of six rows (sic) with three balls per hole has similarities with Games 2 and 3 as reported from northern Tigre, and was played by Sagaye Gabra Michael, a student from Tigre brought up at Massawa now attending the Teachers' Training Institute at Asmara, who refers to it as selus. Players would move alternately, picking up the contents of any of their holes and distributing them in the manner described in Games 2 and 3. The procedure for capture was however entirely different. After the initial rearrangement of balls each player would be able to effect a capture, either on his own side of that of his opponent, by dropping the last ball in his hand into a hole containing three balls which were thus increased to four. A player could not pick up the contents of such a captured hole as from any ordinary hole, but could capture from it whenever he dropped the last ball there,, irrespectively of who had captured it or on whose side it lay. As long as such a hole contained balls the player would put aside two balls, the ball he dropped there and one he found there but should the hole become empty he would, as with weg hole in other games, take only one ball, I.e., the ball alighting there. A player thus "eating" from one of his holes he had captured was entitled to continue his move, but was not allowed to do so after taking from one of the holes captured by his opponent. The two left-hand corner holes, known as ayeni or "eye," had special significance (though not the same as in Games 2 and 3) for a player could not "eat" from the captured "eye" on his side, only from that of his opponent, after which he was entitled to continue his move. The round came to an end, as in Games 2 and 3, after which each player counted down the balls in the holes he had captured, as well as those he had "eatn."
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1402
Type Ethnography
Game Säntäräj
Location 8°58'34.27"N, 38°45'29.98"E
Date 1892-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Negus (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Ferz (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Der (castle): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Säbä (man): Three squares diagonally, jumping over the first two. 2 x Färäs (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Médéq: Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Ferz or any other piece that has already been captured by the opponent when reaching the eighth rank. No castling, except in the opening phase. In the opening phase, players play simultaneously at will, with no turn structure, until the first piece is captured, at which point turns alternate for the main phase of the game. Castling is allowed during the opening phase, and pawns may move any distance forward. If only a player's Negus remains, the opponent must checkmate it in ten moves or less, or the game is a stalemate. The player who checkmates the king wins.
Content Account of the rules of Säntäräj from historical sources and with clarifications by Ras Imru Haile Selassie, former Governor of Gojjam and Regent of Ethiopia. Pankhurst 1971a: 158-164.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder, Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971a. "History and Principles of Ethiopian Chess." Journal of Ethiopian Studies 9(2): 149-172.
Id DLP.Evidence.1403
Type Ethnography
Game Shi Liu Kan Tsiang Kün
Location 19 Cent China
Date 1876-01-01 - 1876-12-31
Rules board with 5x5 lines, diagonals drawn in the four quadrants of the board, and a triangle at the top, connecting the apex with the three central points at the top edge, and a line perpendicularly bisecting the height of the triangle. One player plays as the general, placed in the central position. The other player plays with sixteen pieces, arranged on the perimeter points of the square. Pieces move one spot along the lines on the board. The general may capture pieces when it moves into a space that is surrounded on two opposite sides, along the lines on the board, thus capturing the pieces on either side of it. Conversely, the general can be captured by surrounding it on two opposite sides with pieces. Only the general may enter the triangle. The goal of the general is to capture all of the opponent's pieces, the goal of the person playing with sixteen pieces is to capture the general. If the general becomes trapped in the triangle, the opponent wins.
Content " könnte wegen der Zugänglichkeit für die Verfolger. Anders liegt der Fall bei dem gleich zu erwahnenden, noch in China üblichen Spiele Shi Liu Kan Tsiang Kun, "die Sechszehn verfolgen den Feldherrn", da sich auf dem dazugehörigen Brette eigens für den Feldherrn bestimmte schräge Striche befinden und das Dreieck meines Wissens nur für ihn zugänglich ist. Das brett hat 5x5 Reihen (=4x4 Feldern), und die 16 "verfolgenden" Steine stehen nur auf den 16 Ecken der Ränder. Man sieht das "Brett" auf den Gassen, wo die Spieler, Tagelöhner, Kinder, u . s. w. dasselbe einfach auf den Erdboden gezeichnet haben und als Steine Scherben oder dergleichen gebrauchen; das Dreieck hat einen für den Feldherrn sehr unehrerbietigen Namen, da derselbe (maosse) einen Abort bezeichnet. Gleich zu Anfang kann der auf c stehende Feldherr zum Beispiel nach d gezogen werden, wodurch die Steine auf a und b ausser Gefecht gesetztz werden. Wenn aber der Feldherr nach wenigen weiteren Zügen wieder nach d gezogen würde, während der Stein auf f nach g gelangt wäre, so würde mit dem nächsten Zuge der Verfolger von g nach h gezogen werden und der Feldherr zwischen h und e gefangen werden können." Himly 1887: 469.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Spaces Outside
Source Himly, K. 1887. "Anmerkungen in Beziehung auf das Schach- und andere Brettspiele." Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländlischen Gesellschaft 41: 461-484.
Id DLP.Evidence.1404
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj al-Husun
Location 36°28'0.92"N, 52°21'4.04"E
Date 1352-01-01 - 1352-12-31
Rules 10x10 board, with an extra square placed behind each Rukh. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Fers (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rukh (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2x Dabbaba: any numbe r of squares diagonally.2 x Pil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Pil. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 12 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. Stalemate results in win for player causing it. The player who checkmates the king wins. If a player moves their king into one of the extra squares on the opposite side of the board, the game is a draw.
Content Content From Nafa'is al-funun ft 'ard'is al-'uyun ("Treasury of the sciences" by Muhammad ibn Mahmoud al-Amuli. Murray 1913: 343-344.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Nobility
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1405
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj al-Jawarhiya
Location 33°19'16.16"N, 44°25'5.05"E
Date 0947-01-01 - 0956-09-01
Rules 8x7 board. Six pieces per player: Mouth, Eye, Ear, Hand, Foot, Heart.
Content "Then there is another board, called that of the limbs (al-jawarhiya), which has been discovered in our time. It contains 7 by 8 squares. There are 12 pieces, on each side 6, and each of the 6 is called after a human limb, I.e., the limbs by which we speak, hear, see, grasp, and move—these are the (five) senses—and the universal sense belonging to the heart." From Al-Masudi's Murūj aḏ-Ḏahab wa-Maʿādin al-Jawhar, translated in Murray 1913: 343.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1406
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj al-Mustatila
Location 33°19'16.16"N, 44°25'5.05"E
Date 1140-01-01 - 1140-12-31
Rules 4x16 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Fers (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rukh (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Pil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Pil. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the sixteenth rank. Pieces are placed with the Shah and Fers in the center of the row closest to the player (Shah to the right), a Pil on either side of them, the Asb on the two center squares in the second row, flanked by the Rukh, and the Sarbaz on the fifth and sixth rows. Movement of the pieces is determined by one six-sided die, with the following throws: 6=Shah, 5= Fers, 4= Pil, 3= Asb, 2=Rukh, 1- Sarbaz. No castling. Stalemate results in win for player causing it. When the Shah is in check, the opponent must roll a 6 for it to escape. The player who checkmates the Shah wins.
Content Manuscript 560 'Abd al-Hamid I library, Istanbul. Written by Abu Ishaq Ibrahim bin al-Mubarak bin 'Ali al-Mudhahhab al Baghdadi in 1140. Contains portions of al-'Adli's Kitab ash-shatranj and as-Suli's Kitab ash-shtranj: "This is the chess which is lengthened from Indian chess. It contains 4 rows of 16 squares. It is played with the dice used for nard. It is a rule that the arrangement is according to the right hand, with the Fils in the corners. It is a rule that 6 mves thw Shah, 5 the Firzan, 4 the Fil, 3 the Faras, 2 the Rukh, and 1 the Baidaq. It is a rule that when check happens to either Shah, he must play by the die, and cannot play at all until the die gives a 6. VB this he rescues the Shah." Also with diagram of opening pieces. Murray 1913: 171–172.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Nobility
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1407
Type Ethnography
Game Shiva
Location 7°19'24.96"N, 9° 0'13.68"E; 12°20'31.42"N, 14°11'8.95"E
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 5x6 or 6x6 board. Twelve pieces per player. Players take turns placing pieces on the board. Once all the pieces are on the board, players may move one piece orthogonally one space during their turn. Players cannot create a line of more than three in an orthogonal direction, and cannot make a line of three during the placement phase. If three pieces are in an orthogonal line, they cannot be moved again. If a player makes three rows before the opponent makes one, it is an automatic win.
Content "3.6.2. Nigeria. Tiv tribe, Benue Province, Gboko: Shiva; Tiv tribe, Borniu Province, Ngala. Kare or karnun, 'three-in-a-row' (K.C. Murray). Board 5x6 or 6x6 cells. Two players, each with twelve men. Neither player may make a row until all the men have been entered. a player when entering his men may not aline more than three men in the orthogonal directions. Once a row has been made, no man of that row may be moved again. Moves can only be made in the orthogonal directions and only one step. If a player makes three rows before his opponent makes one, he wins the game outright." Murray 1951: 49.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1408
Type Ethnography
Game Shodra
Location Soyot
Date 1913-01-01 - 1913-12-31
Rules 8x8 checkered board, with the left corner black for each player. Pieces with specialized moves, as follows: Noyion (x1): moves one space in any direction; Merzé (x1, "dog"): moves one space diagonally; Taba (x2, "camel): move two spaces diagonally, jumping over the first square; Ot (x2, "horse"): move as a Chess knight; Targa (x2, "cart"); moves orthogonally over any distance; Oi (x8, "child"): moves one space forward orthogonally, one space forward diagonally to capture. May move two spaces on the first turn of the game. When it reaches the opposite edge of the board, it is promoted to Merzé. Pieces are captured when an opponent's piece moves to the square occupied by that piece. The goal is to checkmate the Noyion, and it must not be in check at the end of the playere's turn, if possible. If checkmate is made without capturing all of the Oi, the game is a draw.
Content "E.K. Yakovlef, who has also travelled beyond Sayan and in Mongolia, supplied the nomenclature that I have given above as no. 12 in the Table on p. 367 from the description of a Soyot lama named Soitken-kolen, and continued: Peculiarities in the rules of the game: the board was always so placed that the corner square to the left of each player was black, an entirely superfluous convention in view of the following: the K and Q do not occupy a fixed position but always stand side by side on the middle squares of the border line, yet invariably so that the K stood opposite K, and the Q opposite Q. The positions of the remainind pieces were as usual. The Q moves in a diagonal direction only to the next square. If a P gets to the border line it becomes a merzé. Even if the merzé is not yet taken the P becomes one only after a move in the diagonal direction only to the next square. Only at the beginning of the game is it possible for a P to miss a square. At the end of the game there must be no P left, otherwise it is khaem-boshé, I.e. a drawn game. There is no castling, nor taking a P en passant." Murray 1913: 372.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Clergy
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1409
Type Ethnography
Game Shuanglu
Location 19 Cent China; Korea; Japan
Date 1895-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules The game is played on a board with twelve points on either side. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left. Each player has 15 pieces. The starting position is as such, number the points from the origin of each player's track: Point six: five pieces Point 8: three pieces Point 13: five pieces Point 24: two pieces Play begins by each player rolling one die; the player with the highest roll plays first and plays the numbers on this first roll. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the number on one die and other the number on the other die, or by moving one piece the total number of both die. It is customary to move two pieces when doubles are thrown. Players cannot end their move on a point with multiple opposing pieces. If a player ends the turn on a point with one opposing piece, that piece is placed in the middle of the board (not on a point) and must reenter the board according the the next die roll, counting the origin point as a move of 1. They cannot reenter on a point with two or more pieces. No other pieces can move until all of the pieces belonging to that player are removed from the center. When all of a player's pieces are on their final 6 points, they may start removing pieces from the board. They can do so by rolling a 6 to move from the 6th point, and so on down to 1. Players must use all available moves presented by the dice. The first player to remove all of their pieces wins.
Content "LXXIII Ssang-ryouk—double sixes (backgammon). The game of backgammon is known in Korea under the name of Ssang-ryouk (Chinese, sheeung luk), "Double Sixes." It is played with wooden pins or men called mal (Chinese má), "horses," upon a hollowed wooden board caled Ssang-ryouk-hpan. The board has mortised sides, which extend above the surface. The divisions on either side, called pat (Chinese fin) "field," are outlines in black. The large ones in the middle are not counted in moving, and are used to throw the dice in. The men, Fig. 88, are about three and a half inches in height. Fifteen are employed on each side, one set being painted red and the other left the natural color of the wood. They are usually made of boxwood, but some softer wood is used in the cheaper sets. The moves are made according to the throws with two dice, and receive the same names as the corresponding pieces in the Domino game. A diagram of the board, as set at the opening of the game, is shown in Fig. 89. It will be seen to be the same as in the English game of Backgammon. The first player is determined by the highest throw with one die. The pieces are moved as in the English game, but it is customary to move two pieces when doublets are thrown, and doublets do not entitle the player to another throw, nor to an additional count. A player may take an opponent's place, called tjap-ta, "to catch," and the piece so taken must be re-entered again. When a player gets all his men around to his own place he bears them off according to his subsequent throws." Culin 1895: 79-81; 1895a: 499-504.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1895. 'Chinese Games with Dice and Dominoes.' Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution 1893 Including Report of the U.S. National Museum: 495–537., Culin, S. 1895. Korean Games with Notes on the Corresponding Games of China and Japan. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.
Id DLP.Evidence.1410
Type Ethnography
Game Sijat El Taba
Location Kababish
Date 1925-01-01 - 1925-12-31
Rules 4x6 board. Six pieces per player, with one piece places on each of the three spaces on either end of the long row closest to the player. Three casting sticks, each with a round and a flat side, are used as dice. The throws are as follows: One flat side up = 1; two flat sides up = 2; three flat sides up = 4, zero flat sides up = 6. A player must throw a 1 to move each piece for the first time. Players move according to the throws, except on throws of 1, which are tabulated for use later. Players continue to throw until they throw 2. Pieces move along a boustrophedon path, beginning from left to right in the row closest to them. Pieces are captured when an player's piece lands on a spot occupied by an opponent's piece. Players may used tabulated throws to supplement a throw in order to make a capture. The player who captured the most pieces wins.
Content "2. Sijat El Taba. The board for this game consiste of six rows of ten "houses", or of four rows if a shorter game is desired. The two players, A and B, each have six counters, disposed as shown in Fig. 12. Those of A (XX) move as indicated by the single-headed arrows and those of B (OO) as indicated by the double-headed arrows. It will be noticed that the counters of the two players, as they moves, never meet each other, but they may catch each other up. The dice are thrown, and score, as in the Hyena game, a throw of "yômên" stopping the player. Tâbas are marked up to a player's credit, and one is required to enable each of his counters to move from its original position. After the counters have begun their course, the player is free to move any one of them, with a view to overtaking the counters of his opponent. A counter is "eaten" when overtaken and removed from the board. Spare "tâbas" may be used to assist in overhauling an opponent's counter. The player who "eats" most, wins." Davies 1925: 146-147.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Davies, R. 1925. 'Some Arab Games and Puzzles.' Sudan Notes and Records. 8: 137–152.
Id DLP.Evidence.1411
Type Ethnography
Game Sittuyin
Location 16°50'27.39"N, 96°10'24.70"E
Date 1795-01-01 - 1795-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, Each player has a complement of pieces, with special moves : Min-gyi(x1, "Great King"); Sit-ké (x1, "Lieutenant-General); Sin (x2, "Elephant"); Myin (x2, "Horse"): ; Yattah (x2, "Chariot"); Nè (x8).
Content "I had an opportunity at Rangoon, of observing that the Birmans of distinction played at chess, a circumstance which, from our secluded situation at the capital, had escaped my notice. This game is held in high estimation among the superior ranks: the board they
use is exactly similar to ours, containing sixty-four squares, and their number of troops the same, sixteen on each side; but the names, the power and disposal of
them differ essentially: the king and his minister are mounted on elephants; these are defended by two castles or yettay, two knights on horseback, Mene, two officers on foot, one called Meem, the other Chekey, and eight Maundelayor foot soldiers: the forces of
each party are arranged on three lines, “by which eight squares remain unoccupied; none of the pieces possess equal force with our queen; and this restricted operation, renders the Birman mode of playing more complex and difficult than ours...the Birmans call it Chedreen, a word that bears some resemblance to the name which is given to the game, in most
other parts of the world." Symes 1800: 207.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Source Symes, M. 1800. Account of an Embassy to the Kingdom of Ava, Sent by the Governor-General of India, in the Year 1795. Reprinted in SOAS Bulletin 2006 4(1): 59-208.
Id DLP.Evidence.1412
Type Ethnography
Game Sittuyin
Location 21°54'11.87"N, 96° 2'54.91"E
Date 1796-01-01 - 1798-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, with one diagonal, from the top right corner to the bottom left. Each player has a complement of pieces, with special moves as follows: Min-gyi(x1, "Great King"): moves one space in any direction; Sit-ké (x1, "Lieutenant-General): moves on space diagonally; Sin (x2, "Elephant"): moves one space diagonally or orthogonally forward; Myin (x2, "Horse"): moves as a Chess knight; Yattah (x2, "Chariot"): moves orthogonally any distance; Nè (x8): moves one space orthogonally forward or one space forward diagonally to capture. Promotes to Sit-kè on the next turn after moving to a space with a diagonal. At the beginning of the game, the board is laid out with the four of the Nè in the left half of the third third row of squares, and four in the right half of the fourth row of squares. Players alternate turns placing the remaining pieces. The Min-gyi are placed in the second space from the right in the second row, and a Sin must be placed next to it. If a player wishes to place one of their pieces in a spot occupied by a Nè, they may do so and place the Nè elsewhere behind the rows of Nè. When all of the pieces are placed, players may continue alternating turns rearranging pieces, one at a time, as they see fit. When one player is satisfied with their pieces, they move a Nè forward and the rearrangement phase ends. Players alternate turns moving their pieces according to their assigned movements. Pieces are captured when an player's piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece. The Min-gyi is I ncheck when it can be taken on the opponent's next turn; it must not remain in check at the end of the player's subsequent turn. The goal is to checkmate the Min-gyi, where it cannot move out of check. A move which causes a stalemate is not allowed.
Content "The Burmha name for the game of chess is chit-tha-reen, a term applied by them either to a generalissimo, or warfare; an etymologist perhaps might trace it as a corruption of the Sanskrit Caturanga. The annexed drawing and diagram will best explain the form of the pieces, &c. and ordinary array of the battalia. No. 1. Ming, or the king, has the same moves and powers as in the English game, except that he cannot castle, neither do they admit of what we call a stale mate. No. 2. Chekoy, or sub-general; he moves diagonally either way in advance or retrograde, but limited to one check or step at a move. No. 3. 3. Rut'ha, war chariot; they have exactly the same moves and powers as the English castle or rook.No. 4. 4. Chein, elephants; they have five distinct moves; direct 1. diagonal in advance 2. diagonal retrograde 2. but limited to one check or step at a move; they slay diagonally only; the move direct in advance being only intended to alter the line of their operations, so that they may occasionally have the powers of our king's or queen's bishop. No. 5. 5. Mhee, cavalry; they have exactly the same moves as in the English game. No. 6. 6. 6. 6. 6. 6. 6. 6. Yein, or foot soldier; they have the same moves and powers as in the English game, except that they are limited to one check or step at a move, and that the right-hand pieces only are susceptible of promotion to the rank of checkoy (in the event of his being taken.) It is not necessary for this promotion that they should have advnced to the last row of the adversary's checks, but to that check which is in a diagonal line with the left-hand check in the last row of the adversary's section; consequently the right hand pawn or yein, according to the diagram, will have to advance four steps to obtain the rank of chekoy; the 2d yein 3 steps; the 3d yein, 2 steps; the 4th yein, 2 steps; and the 5th yein, 1 step. Although the array of the battalia is generally as in the diagram, yet the Burmhas admit of great variations; each party being allowed to arrange their pieces ad libitum; that is to say, they may strengthen either wing, or expose the king, according as they estimate each others abilities, or as caprice or judgement may influence them. In some respects this is tantamount to our giving a piece to an inferior player, but the variation is only to be understoof of the pieces, and not of the pawns." Cox 1803: 491-493.
Confidence 100
Source Cox, H. 1803. "Account of the Burmha Game of Chess." Asiatic Researches 7: 491-493.
Id DLP.Evidence.1413
Type Ethnography
Game Spreta
Location Malawi
Date 1913-01-01 - 1913-12-31
Rules 4x10-12 board (even numbers only). One counter in each hole, except for the third hole from the left of the inner row, which contains two, and the rightmost hole of the inner row, which is empty. Play must begin from the hole containing two counters. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole. these are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter falls in an empty hole, the contents of the hole in the opponent's inner row opposite this hole are captured; if there are also counters in the opponent's outer row, these are also captured, along with the contents of any other two holes on the opponent's side of the board. Single counters can be moved only when there are no holes with multiple counters and they may only be moved to an empty hole. The player who captures all of the opponent's counters wins.
Content "Spreta (Achikunda). One man in every hole of both rows, except the right-hand end hole of the front row, which is empty, and the third hole from the left in the front row, which contains two. The hole containing two must be spread first. Men are moved and taken as in Msuwa." Sanderson 1913: 736.
Confidence 100
Source Sanderson, M. 1913. "Native Games of Central Africa." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 43: 726-736.
Id DLP.Evidence.1414
Type Rules text
Game Pagade Kayi Ata (Sixteen-handed)
Location 12°17'44.92"N, 76°38'21.77"E
Date 1858-01-01 - 1858-12-31
Rules Sixteen 3x8 rectangles are arranged in a circle, each rectangle touching the corner of another on its left and right. The second, fifth, and eighth squares (counting from the top) in the outer rows, and the third and sixth squares in the central row of each rectangle are marked. Can be played with sixteen, eight, or four players. It can be played individually, or on two teams. Each rectangle has one set of four pieces. They enter the board from the center, proceeding down the central row or their respective rectangles, proceeding in the outer rows of the rectangles in an anti-clockwise direction. When a complete circuit of the board has been made, the pieces must travel down the central row again and exit the board with an exact throw. The game is played with two eight-sided die, containing the following values: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16 on one, 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16 on the other. It may also be played with four rectangular dice each with the values 1, 3, 4, 6. Pieces are entered on the throw of nine. Doubles allow a second roll.Spaces moved may be broken up between two pieces but each piece must move a number equal to that displayed on one of the dice. A player can pass, but only before the die is thrown. When two pieces of the same color occupy a space, no other pieces may pass them. These pieces may then move as a single pawn. If a piece lands on the same spot occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to the start. Two pieces moving as a single pawn can only be sent to start by two other pieces moving as a single pawn. Pieces on a marked space cannot be sent to start. A play which sends an opponent's piece to start allows another roll. A player may bypass the central row and circuit the board another time if they wish (i.e., in order to send another player back to start to prevent them from winning). The first player to remove all their pieces from the board wins, and the other platers continue playing until all but one player have moved their pieces into the center.
Content Text attributed to Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar II or Mysore: "Sixteen handed Pachisi. Played by 16, 8, 4 players - 384 houses - 64 pawns of 4 colors, yellow, green, red and black of 4 each - one group of four sets are plain and the other group are vertical lined; third group of four sets are with yellow on top and bottom and white in the middle and the fourth group of four sets are with white on top and bottom and yellow in the middle - 2 octagonal dice: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16 and 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16 as numbers (or four rectangular dice)." Detailed game play given in following pages, along with the name "Pagade kayi ata. Vasantha 2006: 34-37.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Vasantha, R. 2006. Maharaja's Games and Puzzles. Kelkheim: Foerderkreis Schach-Geschichtsforschung e. V.
Id DLP.Evidence.1415
Type Artifact
Game Senet
Location 30° 1'55.75"N, 31° 4'31.13"E
Date 2970-01-01BCE - 2930-12-31BCE
Rules At least 25 squares, with marked squares: 4 casting sticks, two casting sticks, palm tree.
Content Fragmentary Senet game board from Tomb M1 at Abu Rawash, Egypt. 25 ivory squares, three are marked: one with four casting sticks, one with two casting sticks, and one with a palm tree. Dated to the reign of Pharaoh Den. Montet 1938: pl. 15; Piccione 1990: 382-383.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Source Montet,P. 1938. "Tombeaux de la Ire et de la IVe Dynasties à Abou Rouach." Kemi 7: 11-69., Piccione, P. 1990. The Historical Development of the Game of Senet and its significance for Egyptian Religion. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of Chicago.
Id DLP.Evidence.1416
Type Artifact
Game Sugoroku
Location 34°41'21.36"N,135°50'18.00"E
Date 0724-01-01 - 0749-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half.
Content Wooden Sugoroku game board in the collection of the Shosoin Storehouse in Nara, Japan. Two rows of twelve circles, with two lunettes splitting the rows in half. Said to have belonged to the Emperor Shomu. Yuhara 2004: 37; Diag. 1.2.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Yuhara, A. 2004. "The Evolution of Sugoroku Boards." Board Game Studies 7: 35-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.1417
Type Artifact
Game Sugoroku
Location 34°41'21.36"N, 135°50'18.00"E
Date 0710-01-01 - 0784-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half.
Content Wooden Sugoroku game board in the collection of the Shosoin Storehouse in Nara, Japan. Two rows of twelve circles, with two lunettes splitting the rows in half. Nara Era. Yuhara 2004: 37; Diag. 1.3.1-2.
Confidence 100
Source Yuhara, A. 2004. "The Evolution of Sugoroku Boards." Board Game Studies 7: 35-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.1418
Type Artifact
Game Sugoroku
Location 34°41'21.36"N,135°50'18.00"E
Date 0710-01-01 - 0784-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half.
Content Wooden Sugoroku game board in the collection of the Shosoin Storehouse in Nara, Japan. Two rows of twelve squares, with a lone separating the board in half. Nara Era. Yuhara 2004: 37; Diag. 1.4.
Confidence 100
Source Yuhara, A. 2004. "The Evolution of Sugoroku Boards." Board Game Studies 7: 35-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.1419
Type Artifact
Game Sugoroku
Location 35°19'9.23"N,139°32'48.07"E
Date 1300-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules Twelve spaces on one half, board divided in centre.
Content Wooden Sugoroku board fragment from the Hojo Tokifusa/Akitoki residence in Kamakura City, Kanagawa. Half of the board preserved, with a line of spaces divided by parallel lines, the central of which is marked with an X and extends beyond the others. 14th century. Yuhara 2004: 38-39, Diag. 2.
Confidence 100
Spaces Household
Source Yuhara, A. 2004. "The Evolution of Sugoroku Boards." Board Game Studies 7: 35-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.1420
Type Artifact
Game Sugoroku
Location 36°41'45.16"N, 137°12'48.81"E
Date 1526-01-01 - 1599-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half.
Content Wooden Sugoroku board found in the Mizuhashi/Nakabanba ruin in Toyama, Japan. Two rows of twelve rectnagles, with a line, marked with two Xs, dividing the board in half. Mid to late sixteenth century. Yuhara 2004: 39, Diag. 3.8.
Confidence 100
Source Yuhara, A. 2004. "The Evolution of Sugoroku Boards." Board Game Studies 7: 35-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.1421
Type Artifact
Game Sugoroku
Location 40°12'46.64"N,141°17'45.66"E
Date 1575-01-01 - 1599-12-31
Rules 2x12 board.
Content Fragmentary wooden Sugoroku board from Ichinoe Castle, Japan. Two rows of rectangles, eleven in one row and nine in the other preserved. Late sixteenth century CE. Yuhara 2004: 39, Diag. 3.8.
Confidence 100
Source Yuhara, A. 2004. "The Evolution of Sugoroku Boards." Board Game Studies 7: 35-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.1422
Type Contemporary text
Game Sugoroku
Location Japan
Date 0754-01-01 - 0754-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content "Viele Beamte und Bürger gaben sich dem Sugoroku-Spiel hin. Das waren unge- setzliche Taten, denn sie achteten die Eltern nicht oder machten Bankrott. Spieler sol- len schwere Strafen bekommen" Masukawa 2000: 52.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite, Elite
Source Masukawa, K. 2000. "Kurze Geschichte des Tricktrack in Japan." Board Game Studies 3: 51-58.
Id DLP.Evidence.1423
Type Artifact
Game Tab
Location Modern Egypt
Date 1825-01-01 - 1833-12-31
Rules 4x7-15 (odd number only) board. One piece in each holes in the outer row. Four palm branches used as dice, with one side white and the other side yellow. The throws are equal to the number of white sides that fall up; when only yellow sides are up, the score is 6. When a player throws 1, 4, or 6, the player throws again. Players take turns throwing, until one throws 1, and that player begins to play. Play must begin with their rightmost piece. Each player moves in a boustrophedon path, from left to right in the row closest to them, right to left in the second row, and left to right in the third row. From there, the player may move again into the second row and continue as before, or move into the fourth row, proceeding from right to left, as long as at least one of the opponent's pieces remains there. The piece may enter the third row again upon reaching the end of the fourth row, but only when the player has either no pieces in their first row, or one group of pieces in the same spot (see below). When a piece has moved out of the fourth row, it may not enter it again during the game. When a player's piece lands in the same spot as another piece belonging to the player, the pieces may move as one piece. Upon throwing a 1, the player may use that 1 to separate the pieces again. If a move brings such a group into a row in which they have already passed through, they become single pieces again. When a player's piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's, piece, the opponent's piece is captured. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Detailed description of the rules of Tab as observed by E.W. Lane in An Ccount of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians, from his visits from 1825-1833. Lane 1836: 346-349.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Source Lane, E. W. 1836. An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians. London: John Murray.
Id DLP.Evidence.1424
Type Ethnography
Game Tamman
Location Somaliland Coast
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules 5x5 board; the central row and colum being slightly wider than the others. Two to four players. Four pieces per player. Pieces begin on one of the central squares around the perimeter of the squares; if there are two players, they begin from opposite sides. Four cowrie shells are used as dice, with the count of the throw determined by the number of mouths which land face-up, with none facing up equaling 8. A throw of 4 gives the player another throw, and a throw of 8 gives the player two extra throws, but if these both also result in 8, the score is 0. Only the first throw matters for winning extra throws. Pieces move anti-clockwise from their origin pojnt around the perimeter of the square, until they come to the final square before returning to the origin point. They then turn left and proceed around the inner perimeter of squares in a clockwise direction, until the space directly between the origin point and the central square, from which the pieces proceed to the center. When a piece overtakes a piece owned by the opponent, and the opponent's piece is not on one of the central squares of the perimeter, the opponent's pieces are sent back to the origin point, and the player is awarded an extra throw for each piece sent back. The first player to place their four pieces in the center wins.
Content "Tamman (coast). Related to Hindu Pacisi. A rough checker of 5x5 squares is drawn on the ground—usually on a firm stretch of sand on the beach. The middle rows are somewhat broader than the others, and their squares bear distinctive names: A = 'ayn, in Arabic, "spring," or "eye"; B= dafandaf; C = habarti, "the mother." Each player has four men of a distinctive kind (stones, shells, pieces of wood, etc), which he places on one of the 'ayn. If only two people are playing they choose two 'ayn opposite each other, but if there re four players all four 'ayn are occupied. Instead of dice, four cowire-shells are thrown, and the way they fall determines the number of squares each is entitled to move. The five possible combinations are called by corrupted for of Arabic numerals:— tamman, no aperture upwards—counts as 8 points. wahid, 1 aperture upwards— counts as 1 point. Tinteyn, 2 apertures upwards—counts as 2 points. talad, 3 apertures upwards—counts as 3 points. waraq, 4 apertures upwards—counts as 4 points. Each person throws the cowries once, in turn, but if a warbaq turns up, he is entitles to an extra throw; if a tamman, he makes two extra throws but should these bring two more tamman, the total of his points is brought down to 0 A second warbaq or tamman does not entitle to any extra throw. If a man passes over other men which are of a different colour from his own, and which are not in one of the 'ayn, it is called suldan ("sultan") and each overtaken stone is a qabid (Arabic, "slave"): the slve has to go back to his 'ayn of origin, and the owner of the suldan can make an extra throw for every slave he has made. Each man must travel anti-clockwise round the outer row of squares, then clockwise round the inner one before it reaches habarti. The one whose four men get to habarti first wins the game." Marin 1931: 510-511.
Confidence 100
Source Marin, G. 1931. Somali Games. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 61: 499-511.
Id DLP.Evidence.1425
Type Ethnography
Game Tapata
Location 5°20'25.60"N, 37°26'19.65"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x12 board. Beginning from the leftmost hole closest to a player and proceeding in an anti-clockwise direction, the opening arrangement of counters is an alternating pattern of one empty hole, followed by two holes with three counters each. The first move for each player must be from an occupied hole in the right half of their row. Players sow in an anti-clockwise direction, but if the final counter is about to fall in a hole in the player's own row, it is instead placed in the first hole in the opponent's row. After this, players may sow from any hole in their row, provided that the final counter does not fall into an occupied hole in their row. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole in the opponent's row, the counters there are picked up and sowing continues. When this happens, the player is allowed to drop the final counter into an occupied hole in their row, which would then be picked up and sowing would continue as before. When the final counter falls into an empty hole in the player's row, any counters in the opponent's hole opposite are captured. When the final counter falls into an empty hole in the opponent's row, the turn ends. Play continues until one player's row is empty of counters, and the opponent wins. Players typically play to achieve five consecutive wins.
Content "Konso. The Konso people refer to their board-games as tagéga and play them largely in areas det aside for their assemblies. The game a recreation of adult males, and to a lesser extent boys and youth, is played, usually on wooden boards with seeds as balls in the open air or, during rains, in houses or just outside them in the shelter of the roof. The following games were played by Shaka Oto of Olanta near Baqaele...Tagega I: Tapata. This game, based on two rows each of 12 holes is called tapata, perhaps after the Konso people of that name. Three balls are initially placed in each of four pairs of holes on either side and are arranged as follows:...The game is unusual in having not one opening move, as in Game 36, but two basically symmetrical opening moves, one for each player. The first player was thus obliged to begin play from an occupied hole on the right half of his row, and would usually do so from one ot other of those nearest the centre of the board. Having picked up the contents of one such hole he would proceed in an anti-clockwise direction, but should the last ball in his hand be about to fall in one of his own holes he would jump over it so as to alight on his opponent's side. his move would then come to an end, and his opponent would effect a similar gambit from a hole on the right half of his row, again preferable from one of the two holes nearest the centre of the board, and would likewise avoid terminating his hand in one of his own occupied holes. Play would then proceed more or less on the lines of Game 44 from Hadiyra or Games 47 and 48 from Walamo (Yado)...Players were now free to start anywhere on their side of the board provided that the last ball in their hand did not fall on one of their own occupied holes, and jumping, as in the two opening gambits was no longer permissible...Captures, as in the Hadiya and Walamo games just referred to, were effected by a player dropping the last ball in his hand into one of his own empty holes opposite an occupied hole belonging to his opponent, in which case the former player appropriated the contents of the latter's hole, and it was his opponent's turn to play. The player left with counters in his row won the game. Though victory was thus obtained in a single round players would usually play repeatedly with a view to gaining five consecutive wins which would be spoken of as a pidèta or victory." Pankhurst 1971: 187.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent, Adult
Spaces Inside, Outside, Public, Communal
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1426
Type Ethnography
Game Taptána
Location 12° 2'45.35"S, 77° 2'45.90"W
Date 1560-01-01 - 1560-01-01
Rules Name of game.
Content "Taptána—alquerque o trebejo. Taptána, o comina—axedrez, tablas, o alquerque." Santo Tomás 1560: 173.
Confidence 100
Source Santo Tomás, D. 1560. Lexicon o vocabulario de la lengua general del Perú. Cordoba: Valladolid.
Id DLP.Evidence.1427
Type Artistic depiction
Game Taptána
Location 7° 9'44.49"S, 78°30'45.43"W
Date 1532-11-01 - 1533-07-26
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines with diagonals.
Content Depiction of Atahualpa, last emperor of the Inka, during his imprisonment, playing Taptána with a guard. Caption reads: "De como estando preso conversaba Atagualpa Inga con don Francisco PIzzaro y don Diego de Almagro y con los demás españoles, y jugaba con ellos en el juego de ajedrez que ellos les llaman taptana, y era muy pasible principe y así se contentaba con los cristianos y daba su hacienda y no sabia con qué contentarlos y regularles." Guaman Pomo de Ayala 1615: 388(390).
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Spaces Inside
Genders Male
Source Guaman Poma de Ayala, F. 1615. Nueva coronica y buen gobierno.
Id DLP.Evidence.1428
Type Contemporary text
Game Fox and Geese
Location England
Date 1801-01-01 - 1801-12-31
Rules Seventeen Geese, in the same arrangement as with thirteen except the four extra appear start, two on the left and two on the right, in the next rank in front of the rest. Geese move orthogonally forward or to the side only. The fox moves orthogonally. The geese attempt to prevent the Fox from moving, the Fox captures the Geese by hopping over them.
Content "XIV.—Fox and Geese...To play this game there are seventeen pieces, called geese, which are placed as we see them upon the engraving, and the fox in the middle, distinguished either by his size or difference of colour, as here, for instance, he is black. The business of the game is to shut the fox up, so that he cannot move. All the pieces have the power to move from one spot to another, in the direction of the right lines, but cannot pass over two spots at one time...The geese are not permitted to take the fox if he stands close to them, but the fox may take a goose, in like case, if the spot behind it be unoccupied, or not guarded by another goose; and if all be taken, or the number so reduceed that the fox cannot be blocked, the game is won." Strutt 1801 (1846): 318-319.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Strutt, J. 1801 (1846). The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England: Including the Rural and Domestic Recreations, May Games, Mummeries, Shows, Processions, Pageants, and Pompous Spectacles, from the Earliest Period to the Present Time. London: Thomas Tegg.
Id DLP.Evidence.1429
Type Ethnography
Game Tawula
Location Anatolia
Date 1845-01-01 - 1845-12-31
Rules The game is played on a board with twelve points on either side. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; both players progress in an anti-clockwise direction. Fifteen pieces per player, two six-sided dice. Each player begins with two pieces on the rightmost point on the opposite side of the board. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the number on one die and other the number on the other die, or by moving one piece the total number of both die. Further pieces are entered based on the roll of the dice, the point after the one with the two pieces on it at the beginning being counted as the first point. When entering captured pieces, however, the point where the two pieces start is counted as the first point. The two pieces which start on the board cannot be moved until all of the remaining pieces have been entered on the board. No more than one piece may rest on a point on the first half of the board, except for the two which start and also on the leftmost point on the opposite side of the board from where the player sits. When a piece lands on a point occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must be entered again. Players must enter captured pieces before continuing to move the other pieces on the board. When a piece is captured in the opponent's starting quadrant, a point must be left open or with only one piece, thus allowing the opponent to enter their piece. The player to move all of their pieces off the board wins.
Content "Turkish Backgammon. The Author—as he played it in Asia Minor. 1845. The Entering divisions are the opposite right-hans divisions, and the Homes are the near right-hand divisions: consequently all the pieces move in the same direction, though they do not start from the same point: and such direction is, like their writing, from right to left, instead of from left to right. Two pieces are entered on opposite right-hand corner before commencing the game, and these pieces cannot be moved till all the other pieces are entered, and have left the opposite division. New men are entered on points 1 to 6, counting from, but not including, that of the two men in the corner, but the points for pieces taken up include this point: but as there may never be more than two men on this point, a piece taken up cannot enter with a 1 till one of the two pieces has been moved. It is not permitted to double the pieces on any of the points of the opposite division, either in entering or playing, except the left-hand corner, but they may be doubled in the home division. It is optional in beginning the game, either to enter new pieces, or to play those already entered: but pieces taken up must be re-entered before other pieces are played. When an adversary's piece is taken up in his entering division a blot or an open point must be left for any man so taken up: but his pieces may be taken up in any other part of the board, though he have no point to enter at." Falkener 1892: 255-256.
Confidence 100
Source Falkener, E. 1892. Games Ancient and Oriental and How to Play Them. London: Longmans, Green and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1430
Type Ethnography
Game Tawula
Location Modern Egypt
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules The game is played on a board with twelve points on either side. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; both players progress in an anti-clockwise direction. Fifteen pieces per player, two six-sided dice. Each player begins with two pieces on the rightmost point on the opposite side of the board. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the number on one die and other the number on the other die, or by moving one piece the total number of both die. Further pieces are entered based on the roll of the dice, the point after the one with the two pieces on it at the beginning being counted as the first point. When entering captured pieces, however, the point where the two pieces start is counted as the first point. The two pieces which start on the board cannot be moved until all of the remaining pieces have been entered on the board. No more than one piece may rest on a point on the first half of the board, except for the two which start and also on the leftmost point on the opposite side of the board from where the player sits. When a piece lands on a point occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must be entered again. Players must enter captured pieces before continuing to move the other pieces on the board. When a piece is captured in the opponent's starting quadrant, a point must be left open or with only one piece, thus allowing the opponent to enter their piece. The player to move all of their pieces off the board wins.
Content "6.1.8. Asia Minor, Egypt: Tawula (...M. S. Kadri)." Account of Tawula from Egypt given to H.J.R. Murray by M.S. Kadri. Murray 1951: 116-117.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1431
Type Ethnography
Game Tobi Shogi
Location Japan
Date 1913-01-01 - 1913-12-31
Rules 9x9 board. Played with the full complement of Shogi pieces, placed in the first and second rows. All pieces move only one space orthogonally forward or laterally. Pieces capture by hopping over an opponent's piece. The player to capture all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "The ordinary chessboard of 81 squares is used for two other games, each of which is named a variety of chess. In Tobi-shogi (jumping chess), each player arranges his eighteen men, now considered to be all of equal value, upon the first and second rows. Each man can move straight forward or laterally, and captures as in the English game of draughts." Murray 1913: 147.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1432
Type Ethnography
Game Totolóspi (War)
Location 35°52'35.01"N, 110°38'25.49"W
Date 1889-01-01 - 1890-12-31
Rules Rectangular board with a large number of squares and a diagonal from top left to bottom right. Pieces may move along the diagonal, but not across it. Two players. Players may move one or more pieces, based on certain positions the pieces are in. Opponent's pieces may be captured, and multiple captures are possible in one turn.. Pieces always move toward the bottom right corner.
Content "To-to-lós-pi (Game o "Fox and Geese").— Among the very interesting games played by the Hopi Indians is one of ethnological interest which is allied to a game described by the early Spanish historians of the Mexicans. This game, to-to-lós-pi, resembles somewhat the game of checkers, and can be played by two persons or by two parties. In playing the game a rectangular figure divided into a large number of squares is drawn upon the rock, either by scratching or by using a different colored stone as a crayon. A diagonal line, tûh-ki-o-ta, is drawn across the rectangle from northwest to southeast, and the players station themselves at each end of this line. When two parties play, a single person acts as player, and the other members of the party act as advisers. The first play is won by tossing up a leaf or corn husk with one side blackened. The pieces which are used are bean or corn kernels, stones and wood, or small fragments of any substance or marked color. The players were stationed at each end of the diagonal line, tûh-ki-o-ta. They move their pieces along this line, but never across it. The moves which are made are intricate, and the player may move one or more pieces successively. Certain positions entitle him to this privilege. He may capture or, as he terms it, kill one or more of his opponent's pieces at one play. In this respect the game is not unlike checkers, and to capture the pieces of the opponent seems to be the main object of the game. The checkers, however, must be concentrated and always moved towards the southeast corner. The game is now rarely played on the East Mesa but is still used at O-rai-be." Fewkes 1892: 159.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Fewkes, J. 1892. "A Few Summer Ceremonials at the Tusayan Pueblos." A Journal of American Ethnology and Archaeology 2: 1-160.
Id DLP.Evidence.1433
Type Artifact
Game Totolóspi (War)
Location 35°49'55.94"N, 110°23'52.63"W
Date 1889-01-01 - 1890-12-31
Rules 11x11 lines, with a diagonal from the top left corner to the bottom right corner. 55 pieces per player, arranged on either side of the diagonal on the intersections.
Content Graffiti Totolóspi board at Walpi, Arizona. 111x11 lines, with a diagonal from the top left corner to the bottom right corner, etched into a rock. 55 pieces per player, arranged on either side of the diagonal on the intersections, included in the sketch from Fewkes published in Culin 1898: Fig. 189. Fewkes 1892: 159.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
, Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
, Fewkes, J. 1892. "A Few Summer Ceremonials at the Tusayan Pueblos." A Journal of American Ethnology and Archaeology 2: 1-160.
Id DLP.Evidence.1434
Type Ethnography
Game Totolóspi (Race)
Location 35°52'35.01"N,110°38'25.49"W
Date 1899-01-01 - 1899-12-31
Rules Two or four players. When Four players play, they play on a team. Two or three sticks, with one blank side and one marked side. Moves are made only when the sticks all show the same face. Players continue to throw until the sticks show different faces. One piece per player. Pieces begin in the central track, on a space with a circle. Play occurs on the spaces with the circles. Play moves around the square track in an anti-clockwise direction. In certain instances the piece may move more than one space or return to the starting place.
Content "There are two opposing parties, each of which may consist of one or more persons. The diagram is made smaller or larger, according to the number of players. Each player has one piece, or animal as the Hopi call it, and before starting the pieces are placed on the circles in the space that is depicted running into the center of the diagram. The space is made either in a straight, winding, or coiled form. The number of sticks used varies: generally, however, either two tor three are used. These are dropped on the floor on end. All white or all figured sides up count. The players throw until the sticks do not all present the same side. The pieces are put into the outside circles and move from left to right. Under certain conditions, which have not yet been fully studied, they are put forward over more than one point or are returned to the place of starting." Account given by Rev. H. R. Voth from 1899. Culin 1907: 161.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1435
Type Artifact
Game Totolóspi (Race)
Location 35°52'35.01"N,110°38'25.49"W
Date 1901-01-01 - 1901-01-01
Rules Square board with a central track, joining the perimeter on the central space of one side. Five spaces in the central track, twenty around the perimeter of the square. Spaces alternate with patterns of a circle and five parallel lines marking the spaces on the perimeter; only circles in the central track.
Content Sandstone game board for Totolóspi from Oraibi, Arizona, collected in 1899. Square board with a central track, joining the perimeter on the central space of one side. Five spaces in the central track, twenty around the perimeter of the square. Spaces alternate with patterns of a circle and five parallel lines marking the spaces on the perimeter; only circles in the central track. Collected by Rev. H. R. Voth, who also described the rules. University of Pennsylvania Museum 38609A. Culin 1907: Fig. 191.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1436
Type Artifact
Game Totolóspi (Race)
Location 35°52'35.01"N,110°38'25.49"W
Date 1899-01-01 - 1899-12-31
Rules Square board with a central winding track, joining the square which has two concentric square tracks. Central track joins the perimeter on the central space of one side. Three spaces in the central track, twenty in each square track. Spaces alternate with patterns of a circle and five parallel lines marking the spaces on the perimeter; only circles in the central track.
Content Totolóspi stone game board from Oraibi, Arizona. Square board with a central winding track, joining the square which has two concentric square tracks. Central track joins the perimeter on the central space of one side. Three spaces in the central track, twenty in each square track. Spaces alternate with patterns of a circle and five parallel lines marking the spaces on the perimeter; only circles in the central track. Collected by Rev. H. R. Voth, who also described the rules. Culin 1907: 160-161, Fig. 191. Field Museum (?) 55353.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1437
Type Artifact
Game Totolóspi (Race)
Location 35°52'35.01"N,110°38'25.49"W
Date 1899-01-01 - 1899-12-31
Rules Square board with a central track, joining the perimeter on the corner of one side. Five spaces in the central track, twenty around the perimeter of the square. Two sticks used as dice, blank on one side and marked on the other.
Content Stone Totolóspi board with two stick dice from Oraibi, Arizona. Square board with a central track, joining the perimeter on the corner of one side. Five spaces in the central track, twenty around the perimeter of the square. Collected by Rev. H. R. Voth, who also reported the rules. Field Museum (?) 55354, 55356. Culin 1907: 161, Fig. 192.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1438
Type Rules text
Game Tourne-Case
Location France
Date 1792-01-01 - 1792-12-31
Rules Played on a Backgammon board. Three pieces per player. Two dice. Only the lower value of the dice is used. One player plays from their let toward their right, and the other player from their right to their left. Pieces begin on the outer edge of the board. Pieces move according to the throw of the dice toward the point on the opposite side of their side of the board. No more than one piece can be on a point (except the final point) at any time. Pieces cannot pass each other. When a piece lands on an empty point that is opposite an opponent's point with a piece on it, the opponent's piece is sent back to start. The first player to place all three of their pieces on the final point wins.
Content Description of the rules of Tournecase from the Encyclopédie Méthodique in 1792. Encyclopédie Méthodique 1792: 280.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Encyclopédie Méthodique. 1792. Dictionnaire des Jeux. Paris: Pancoucke.
Id DLP.Evidence.1439
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Trictrac
Location England
Date 1674-01-01 - 1674-12-31
Rules Backgammon board. Fifteen pieces per player. Pieces begin on the player's first point. Pieces may move to both sides of the board. A player gains a point when a move would in theory take land on a point with a single opponent's piece. Filling all of the points on the second quadrant of the board gives the player two points. If a player fails to score a point by "hitting" the opponent when they were able, the opponent may add that score to their total. Sometimes played with scoring options: A player places a piece on their eleventh point and on the opponent's eleventh point; when a player fills up their first quadrant, and by advancing a piece to the opponent's first quadrant before they have moved any pieces beyond it.
Content "Of TICK-TACK. ALL your men must stand on the Ace-point, and from thence play forward, but have a care of being too forward, or so at leastwise that Doublets reach you not. Secure your Sice and Cinque-point whatever you do, and break them not unless it be when you have the advantage of going in, which is the greatest advantage you can have next to a hit; for your Adversaries eleventh point standing open you have it may be the opportunity of going in with two of your men, and then you win a double Game. A hit is but one, and that is, when you throw such a cast that some one of your men will reach your Ad∣versaries
unbound, but sometimes though it hits it will not pass by reason of a stop in the way, and then it is no∣thing. Sometimes it is good going over into your Adversaries Tables, but it is best for an After-game...Here note, if you fill up all the points of your second Table with your
own men you win two, and that you may prevent your Adversary from do∣ing
so (if you are in danger thereof) if you can, make a vacant point in his Tables, and it is impossible for him to do it.This is the plain Game of Tick-Tack, which is called so from Touch, and take, for if you touch a man you must play him though to your loss; and if you
hit your Adversary and neglect the ad∣vantage, you are taken with a Why not,
which is the loss of one: likewise if you are in, and your cast is such that you may also go into your Adversaries eleventh point by two other men, and you see it not, either by carelesness or eager prosecution of a hit which is ap∣parent before your eyes, you lose two
irrecoverably. Besides, it is a very great oversight as your men may stand not to take a point when you may do it. Now some play this Game with Toots, Boveries, and Flyers; Toots
is, when you fill up your Table at home and then there is required small throws; for if you get over with a Sice you have no benefit of Toots. Boveries is when you have a man in the eleventh point of your own Tables, and another in the same point of your Adversaries directly answering. Flyers is, when you bring a man round the Tables before your Adversary
hath got over his first Table, to the effecting of which there is required very high throwing of your side, and very low throwing of his." Cotton 1674: 158-161.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Cotton, C. 1674. The Compleat Gamester, or, Instructions How to play at Billiards, Trucks, Bowls, and Chess Together with all Manner of Usual and Most Gentile Games either on Cards or Die: to which is Added the Arts and Mysteries of Riding, Racing, Archery, and Cock-Fighting. London: R. Cutler.
Id DLP.Evidence.1440
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Trictrac
Location France
Date 1696-01-01 - 1696-12-31
Rules Backgammon board, Two dice, single pieces may be placed on corner points, pieces may be played on the full board.
Content "Ayant parlé du grand jeu, il faut dire ce que c'est du petit, que les étrangers trouvent suffisant de satisfaire à leur recreation, & pourtant n'a pas de comparaison en beauté avec le nôtre. Ses règles sont toutes diferentes; il faut toujours se tenir couvert, et jamais ne rien hazarder. L'on peut mettre une seule Dame dans son coin, ou celuy de son homme. L'on joue en une, 2, 3, 4, 5, ou 6 parties, ou coups, ce que l'on veut chaque fois que l'on trouve son homme découvert: c'est un coup après lequel on se leve & s'en va, si on n'accorde ensemble la continuation; ce qui n'a ny sel ny sauce, ny activité, ny adresse. On n'y a point de Jan qui ne peut. Et toutes les simples marques & profit du grand Tricque-Trac sont autant de parties au petit; ce qui est fort importun, et ne merite pas ce dernier chapitre: car qui sçait bien jouer le grand, méprise le petit, & ne s'avise jamais de le jouer, si ce n'est par complaisance, avec ceux qui ne sçavent pas toutes les intrigues & rencontres du grand, qui est remply de gentillesses, &c. " Divertissemens innocens 1696: 431-433.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Female, Male
Source Anonymous. 1696. Divertissemens innocens, contenant les règles du jeu des echets, du billard, de la plume, du palle-mail, et du trictrac. The Hague: Adrian Moetjens.
Id DLP.Evidence.1441
Type Ethnography
Game Tsun K'i
Location 17 Cent Qing
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 2x8 board, with rectangular spaces. Sixteen pieces per player, eight each placed on the two rectangles to each player's left. Each player moves their pieces in an anti-clockwise direction. Two six-sided dice. When a player rolls two 1s, they lose a piece. When a player rolls doubles of another number, the player may move two pieces the full total of the roll, or one piece only moves half the total roll. When consecutive numbers are rolled, the player may move one piece the total of the two dice and the second piece the value of the lower die, or may move one piece the total of the die and another piece the total of the dice minus 1. When the roll is two non-consecutive numbers, the player moves the values of the individual dice. The first player to move their pieces around the board and back to the starting position wins.
Content Description of rules, with drawing of board and pieces, for Tsun K'i (Çoan Kî) from Hyde 1696: 65-68.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.1442
Type Ethnography
Game Tugi-Épfe
Location 32°46'38.50"N, 108° 9'11.06"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Stones are placed on the ground to make a square with ten spaces per side. One piece per player. Three sticks used as dice, one side flat, the other round. One of the sticks is marked on the round side. Throws are as follows: All flat sides up - 5; all round sides up = 10; one flat and two round, with no notches, up = 1, two flat and one round, with no notches, up = 3, two flat or two round, with notches up = 15. Pieces begin in one corner of the board. Players may move in opposite directions around the board, or in the same direction. When players move in the same direction, they may send the opponent's piece back to the beginning if they land on their spot. When the opponent is sent back to the beginning, they may then choose their direction of play. When players are moving in opposite directions, the opponent's piece may not be sent to start. The first player to travel around the board and land in the starting space wins.
Content "Tewa Santa Clara, New Mexico...Three blocks of wood...flat and painted on one side; the opposite side rounded...one stick has fifteen transverse notches painted green on the rounded side. The following account of the game, form a manuscript by the collector, Mr. T. S. Dozier, was kindly placed in my hands by Mr. F. W. Hodge: Grains of corn or pebbles are laid in the form of a square, in sections of ten each. The two players sit on either side. The sticks, called é-pfe, are thrown in turn on a stone placed in the square The counts are as follows: Two flat and notched sticks, notches up, count 15; three round side up, 10; three flat sides up, 5; two flat and one round side, not notched, up, 3; one flat and two round sides, not notched, up, 1. The players move their markers between the grains or pebbles according to their throw, going in opposite directions. This is the ordinary way. Sometimes, the markers being considered as horses, a player will attempt to kill his adversary's horses. In this case he so announces at the commencement of the game, and he then moves his marker in the same direction, and, by duplicating the first throw, or, if at any future stage of the game, always following, he succeeds in placing his marker where his adversary's is, by so doing he kills that horse (marker) and sends him back to the place of beginning. The latter may then elect to move in the same direction as before and kill and send back his adversary, but, if he wishes, he may go in the opposite direction, in which case he does no killing. The game is called tugi-é-pfe, meaning the thrown stick." Culin 1907: 193-194.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1443
Type Ethnography
Game Tuz
Location 11° 7'34.35"N, 39°38'8.03"E; 11° 5'3.59"N, 39°44'16.44"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. Players draw lots to see who goes first. There is a choice of stylised opening move. One player takes a counter from their rightmost hole, then another from the opposite hole in the opponent's row, then proceeding in this fashion in an anti-clockwise direction until the holes alternate with five and three counters, until reaching the final of the opponent's holes, placing the original counter in that hole, making four, thus creting a tuz, which behaves as explained below. Alternatively, the player may rearragne the counters in a similar manner, but creating an alternating pattern of holes with three and five counters, and not creating a tuz. After this, players pick up the counters in any of the holes in their row and sow them in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last counter falls into a hole that is occupied, the player picks up the contents of this hole and continues to sow. When the last counter falls into an empty hole, the play ends. A player may, when sowing begins from a hole which is preceded by a hole with a single counter, use that single counter at the end of the sowing. Similarly, two counters in a single hole preceding the hole from which sowing began, but with an empty hole in between them, may also be used at the end of sowing. Capturing occurs when the last counter falls into a hole on the opponent's side of the board containing three counters, increasing it to four. This hole, a tuz, then belongs to the player who captured it. A player cannot pick up counters from this hole, and the opponent can only do so if the last counter of their sowing falls in the tuz, in which case the opponent takes one counter from it, along with the final counter. The tuz remains in the ownership of the person who captured it. If it remains empty and the opponent drops their last counter into the tuz, the last counter is removed. Play then continues by picking up the contents of another hole and continuing to sow. If a player cannot move, they pass, but the opponent may continue to make moves. The player could then resume play if the opponent's moves create a possibility for a move. Play ends when there are no more counters available to move. Each player owns the counters in their tuz or which they have removed from the board. A second round is played, each player placing four counters into each hole starting from the rightmost hole in their row. The player with more counters gains a hole from their opponent for every four extra balls they've captured. If an opponent has three extra after counting in such a way, they also gain a hole, but not if there are one or two extra. Play continues in several rounds like this until one player takes all the counters.
Content "Tuz I This game, based on two rows each of six holes, with four balls per hole, is called tuz, and was played by Ibrahim Yusuf and another Baeda Mariam student, Said Hasan from Dessir. This game is identical to Game 21, the popular game of central Ethiopia, with its initial redistribution of balls in a 3, 5, 3, 5 pattern, except that the player is under no obligation of making a weg, here known as tuz, if he does not wish to do so. The rest of the play is as Game 20, though the procedure at the end of the round is as in Game 30 above. A player, as in Game 20, may reserve the right to use a single ball immediately preceding a group of balls he is about to lift, and the same principle may be applied to a group of two balls two holes behind the group to be moved, provided of couse the intervening hole is empty." Pankhurst 1971: 179.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1444
Type Ethnography
Game Wa'aché Waledat
Location 15°36'28.30"N, 39°27'19.36"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Three counters per hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction when starting from the right three holes of a player's row, or in a clockwise direction when starting from the player's left three holes. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues, except when this hole is made to contain four counters, in which case these counters are captured and the player takes another turn. These captures may not be made on the first turn. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the turn ends. When a player sows from one of their end holes containing a single counter into an empty hole in the opponent's row, the opponent cannot sow it back in the following move. Play continues until one player is without counters in their row. The opponent then captures the remaining counters in their row, and the player that has captured the most counters wins.
Content "Mazageb I This gane, based on two holes (sic) each of six holes with three balls per hole, was recalled with some difficulty by an old man of Massawa, Mohamed Sherif, now reisdent in ASmara, who spoke of it as waaché waledat I.e., "my cow gave birth," and says it was traditionally only played by males. The game is reminiscent of Games 9 and 11, found in western Eritrea, in that players move in an anti-clockwise direction when starting a move from the right of their row and in a clockwise direction when starting from the left. The method of capture is, however, entirely different, and resembles Game 7 in that players capture groups of four balls. Players, moving alternately, begin by picking up the contents of any of their holes, drop these balls on by one in the following holes, pick up the contents, if any, of any hole on which they drop the last ball in their hand, and stop when they do so on an empty hole. After the initial arrangement of balls has been disturbed a player dropping the last ball in his hand into one of his opponent's holes containing three balls captures all four balls, this gambit enabling him to continue his move. When a player moved a ball across the end of the board to his opponent's opposite hole the latter player was forbidden to shift the ball back in the following move, and when a player was left without counters his opponent appropriated those which remained on his row. The game would come to an end in a single round, the player with the largest number of counters being the victor." Pankhurst 1971: 171.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Elder, Adolescent, Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.1445
Type Ethnography
Game Yeung Luk Sz' Kon Tseung Kwan
Location 32° 3'18.88"N,118°46'24.32"E
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 5x9 intersecting lines; with a triangle formed by lines drawn from the second and fourth line of one of the short sides of the rectangle, with the base and a line bisecting the base of the triangle. One player plays as the General, placed on the central space of the rectangle, and the other player plays as 26 Rebels, places on the intersections of the second, third, and fourth of the long lines. Pieces move one space orthogonally. The General may capture one of the Rebels by hopping over it to an empty space. The General wins by capturing all the Rebels. The Rebels win by blocking the General from moving.
Content "Generalissimi locus est in medio, ubi Circellus reliquis major: & ille insigni quadam arte sigillatum omnes circumfusos & circumpositos Rebelles mira sagacitate vel domat vel ad suas partes allicit. Modus Ludendi talis est. In medio est Dux, contra quem rebellasse supponitur Yang-losu. Orbiculi seu calculi sunt 26, omnes ejusdem coloris, & Dux est alterius coloris, qui hoc ritu collocantur prout in apposito schemate cernitur. Dux utrinque habens unum, potest utrumque capere, quod & semper facit sive sint ante sive post, si modo sint in recta linea & ille sit in medio utriusque situs. Sed si sit tantum unus ei proximus, sive a dextra sive a sinistra, tum Dux non potest eum capere. Hoc modo, dato spatio, movet se; & miles unus aut alter subsequitur eum capturus: tum vero ille subducit se in alium locum commodiorem, & duos capit. Sed si tandem adductus sit in extremum angulum acutum superiorem, tum non potest amplius exire, sed ipse in angulo latere coactus capitur; quod alias nunquam sit, nisi in illo extremo angulo ubi ille non potest capere, quia non habet juxta se in linea recta aliquos capiendos, & ille sit coactus in angulum unde nullum est effugium. Et sic finitur Lusus." Hyde 1694: 215-216.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent, Adult
Genders Male
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.1446
Type Ethnography
Game Zohn Ahl
Location 34°43'14.35"N, 95°53'57.00"W
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules The board is roughly rectangular. there are six points on either side, with each side divided in half by two short parallel lines.There are four arcs in the corners of the "square". The spaces between the points and lines are the playing spaces. Players play on two teams. One stick, serving as the playing piece, per team, which start one each on the parallel lines on the bottom side. Each team has four scoring sticks. There are four throwing sticks, blank on one side and marked on the other. The number of marked sides is the value of the throw, except when all are face up, which scores 5, and when only blank sides are up, which scores 10. Throws of 5 or 10 give the player another throw. All of the players on team team throw before the players of the other team throw. Each team moves in an opposite direction around the board. If a team's stick lands in the space opposite the starting space, the team forfeits one of their scoring sticks to the other team, and begins again from start. If a player lands on the same space as the opposing team's stick, the opposing team's stick is sent back to start, and the playing team wins a scoring stick from the opposing team. When a team reaches the starting point, having completed a circuit of the board, the team wins a scoring stick from the opposing team. They then play the remaining count of their throw on the next turn. When one team captures all of the scoring sticks, they win.
Content "Zohn Ahl, commonly known as the "Awl Game." Kiowa Indians, Indian Territory, United States. (a) A cloth, called the "awl cloth." (b) Two awls. (c) Flat bowlder, called the "awl stone." (d) Four prepared staves, called ahl or "wood." (d) Eight other sticks, to be used as counters. The "awl cloth" (fig. 6) is divided into points by which the game is counted. The curved lines upon it are called "knees," because they are like the knees of the players. The space between the parallel lines 1 and 1 and 20 and 20 is called "the creek," and the correpsonding spaces between the parallel lines at right angles are called the "dry branches." Three of the "ahl sticks" (fig. 7) have a red stripe running down the middle and one has a blue stripe. They are held by the player in one hand and struck downward, so that their ends come on the "ahl stone" with considerable force. If all the sticks fall with the sides without groover uppermost, the play is called "white," and counts ten. If all the grooved sides come uppermost, it is called "red," abnd counts five. both of these throws entitle the player to another throw. If one grooved side is uppermost, it counts one; two grooved ssides, two, and three grooved sides, three. The game is played by any even number of girls or women (never by men or boys), half on one side the lines N S and half on the other. The flat ahl stone is placed in the middle of the cloth, and the players kneel on the edge. The two awls are stuck in the creek at 1 1. The player at A makes the first throw, and the throwing goes around the circle in the direction of the hands of a watch, each side counting the results of each throw on the "awl cloth" by sticking its awl just beyond the mark called for by the results of the throw. The moves are made in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows. If in counting any awl gets into the "creek" at N, that side must forfeit a counter to the other side and be set back to the "creek" at S. That side is then said to have fallen into the "creek," the object being to "jump over." If in their passage around the circle the two "awls" get in the same division, the last comer is said to whip or kill the former, who forfeits a counter, and is set back to the beginning. The counting continues until one gets back to the "creek" at S. The one first at S received a counter, and if there is more than enough to take it to the "creek," the surplus is added to the next round; that is, the "creek" is jumped, and the "awl" put beyond it as many points as may be over. When one side wins all the counters, it conquers." Reported to S. Culin by H. L. Scott. Culin 1898: 686-689.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders Female
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1447
Type Ethnography
Game Bagh Guti
Location 23°41'19.71"N, 86°57'58.11"E; 23°13'56.78"N, 87°51'41.20"E; 22°25'32.57"N, 87°19'11.70"E; 23°10'27.77"N, 88°33'37.61"E; 23°15'52.06"N, 88°26'17.53"E; 22°50'44.31"N, 89°32'25.16"E; 22°42'4.09"N, 90°21'9.73"E
Date 1933-01-01 - 1933-12-31
Rules 5x5 board, played on intersections, with lines forming a diamond shape connecting the midpoints of the edges of the board. One player plays with two tiger pieces, placed on the midpoints of two opposite sides. The other player plays with twenty goats, divided into four stacks of five, placed on the next adjacent spot to the tigers on the diamond.
Content "Bagh-bandi. The diagram used in playing the game of Bagh-bandi is shown in figure 4. As its name indicates, it is a kind of tiger-play.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder
Genders Male
Source Datta, J. 'A few types of sedentary games of Lower Bengal.' Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 29(1): 167–170.
Id DLP.Evidence.1448
Type Ethnography
Game Tre Guti
Location 32°34'58.69"N, 71°32'16.52"E
Date 1922-10-01 - 1922-10-31
Rules 3x3 crossed lines, pieces move on the intersections and along the lines. Three pieces per player. In the placement phase, players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on an empty spot. When all of the pieces are placed, Players attempt to capture their opponent's pieces by hopping over them. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Tre-Guti As is implied by the name, the game is carried on with three pieces for each of the two players, who have to place them on any of the cross-points alternately. The movement of the pieces begins after all the six pieces have been properly located. The pieces have to be moved along the lines as drawn in figure 2. The aim of each player is to capture the pieces of his adversary by making his own piece jump over that of the other whenever there is a vacant 'cross-point' in front of the latter and in the same line. The player who succeeds in capturing all the pieces of his adversary in this way is the winner of the Game." Das-Gupta 1923a: 143-144.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Social status All
Genders All
Source Gupta, H. 1926a. 'A Few Types of Sedentary Games Prevalent in the Punjab." Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 22(4): 143–148.
Id DLP.Evidence.1449
Type Ethnography
Game Sher Bakar
Location 32°34'58.69"N, 71°32'16.52"E
Date 1922-10-01 - 1922-10-31
Rules 5x5 board, played on intersections, with diagonals for each quadrant of the board. One player plays with two tiger pieces, placed on the midpoints of two opposite sides. The other player plays with nineteen goats, divided into three stacks of five and one stack of four, placed in the center of each quadrant. The goats move first. Goats may move one at a time to any adjacent vacant spot. More than one goat can be placed on the goats' starting spots, but not elsewhere. The tiger moves in the same manner, but also may capture a piece by hopping over it. Multiple captures can be made on the same turn with subsequent hops, but only the top goat in a stack is captured when a tiger leaps over it. The goal of the goats is to surround the tigers so they cannot move; when one tiger is blocked the other must be blocked on the next turn. The goal of the tigers is to capture all the goats.
Content "The game of sher-bakar (=tiger and goats) is a tiger-play. Of the two persons necessary for this game, one is in possession of two pieces representing the tigers and the other of nineteen pieces representing the goats. The latter pieces are placed within the circles marked in figure 4, 15 being equally divided among 3 circles while four are located in the fourth. The two tigers are located at the cross-points marked T. As in all types of tiger-play, the goats and the tigers may usually be moved from one cross-point to that lying next to it, except in the case where a tiger may jump over a cross-point with a goat on it and capture the goat, the cross-point next to the goat and in the same line being vacant. Not more than one goat may be located on a cross-point, but more than one goat may be kept within the circles indicated in the diagram. When the tiger-piece jumps over two or more goats within a circle and occupied the next vacant cross-point in the same line, not more than one goat may be captured. One of the players tried to capture all the goat-pieces, and the other to checkmate the tiger-pieces one of which has to be checkmated immediately after the checkmating of the other." Das-Gupta 1923a: 145-146.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders All
Source Gupta, H. 1926a. 'A Few Types of Sedentary Games Prevalent in the Punjab." Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 22(4): 143–148.
Id DLP.Evidence.1450
Type Ethnography
Game Khutka Boia
Location 32°34'58.69"N, 71°32'16.52"E
Date 1925-10-01 - 1925-10-31
Rules 2x5 board. Five counters in each hole. Players take turns sowing in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in a hole, the player picks up the contents of the next hole following this one, and continues sowing If the player cannot pick up any counters from this hole, the players captures any counters from the hole after the empty hole, and the turn ends. Whenever any holes in the player's row contain four counters, they are captured by the player. Play continues until all of the counters have been captured. A new round begins. The players count their captured counters. If the difference between the two players' captured counters is greater than five, for each multiple of five in the difference a hole on the player with fewer counters' side is eliminated from play, and the excess counters that equal a multiple of five are placed aside for use in further rounds if necessary. When the difference is less than five, and when dealing with the remaining pieces after the multiples of five are dealt with, The following scenarios apply. When one player has one counter and the other has four, the player with one will give their stone to the one with four, but the player who has one counter will receive one counter from the hole from which sowing begins at the beginning of each player's turn. When one player has two counters and the other has three, the player with two gives these counters to the other player. With these five, the player creates a "bha" from one of holes in their row. The bha must be either the leftmost or rightmost hole. Every counter dropped into this hole during the course of play is captured by the owner of the hole. At the end of the round, the player who created the bha must return the number of counters given to them at the beginning of the round back to the other player. The holes which remain in play are then filled with five counters each from each player's captured counters and play continues as before. until one player captures all of the counters.
Content "Kutka-boia (dug circles). Two persons are necessary for playing this game, and, as shown in figure 6, two rows of five circles are required, each row belonging to one player. As is implied in the appellation Khutka, I.e. dug or inscribed, the circles are usually scooped out in a slab of stone. At the beginning of the game five pieces are placed in each hole so that each player requires 25 pieces. The riles that are followed are generally like those already described in connection with Mawkar-katya and a few other similar games, the pieces being moved from left to right. Among the deviations from the rules previously described may be pointed out one, according to which each group of four pieces which may be found within any hole in the row belonging to a player falls to the share of that player. At the end of each game the players may have the same number of pieces or one of them may have pieces in excess of those obtained by the other. The difference between the number of pieces belonging to the two players may be less than five, or more than five. If it is more than five then all multiples of five belong to the winner, and the corresponding number of circles belonging to the other player will be supposed to be non-existent and no pieces are to be thrown in them. When the difference is less than five, or when the number of pieces belonging to the winner is in excess of a multiple of five, the sum of the excess pieces which are with the two players will be five, and these excess pieces may be distributed either in sucha. way that one player will have four pieces and the other only two. In case of the former alternative, the player with four pieces of stone will be styled the Bhadar, while the other one will be called the Kungidar, and in course of play the Kungidar will receive one piece at the commencement of each deal whether it is started by him or by his adversary; in the case of the latter alternative, the player who has got two pieces will return them to his adversary who will be styled the Bhadar and, as such, shall have the right to make one of his circles bha-, I.e. the pieces which are already in that circle, as also those which shall have to be dropped into that circle in the course of play, will all belong to him. The bha-, however, must be a circle at one extremity of the row belonging to the Bhadar, I.e. the player who has three pieces in excess of a multiple of five. At the end of the play the Bhadar shall have to return to his adversary the two pieces obtained from him at the beginning of thge play. the player who has the greater number of pieces with him without any restriction as to the time or the number of games is considered the winner." Das-Gupta 1926a: 147-148.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders All
Source Gupta, H. 1926a. 'A Few Types of Sedentary Games Prevalent in the Punjab." Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 22(4): 143–148.
Id DLP.Evidence.1451
Type Ethnography
Game Yucebao
Location 26°51'26.45"N,100°13'38.11"E
Date 1992-05-01 - 1992-05-31
Rules 2x5 board, with two stores. Five counters in each hole, with a large stone normally in each store, but which may be placed in any of the player's holes to start. The player owns the store to their right. Sowing proceeds in either direction, the first player chooses which and all sowing for the rest of the game proceeds in that direction. Sowing includes the stores. Players may sow from any hole on the board. If the last counter falls into a hole with counters, the counters in the next hole are picked up and sowing continues, and if this hole is empty, the counters in the hole following the empty hole are captured. If there is an unbroken sequence of alternating empty and occupied holes, the counters in the occupied holes are captured until there are two empty or two occupied holes. When the larger stone is sown into a hole with counters, those counters are taken by the player to whom the hole belongs. Likewise, any counters sown into a hole with a large stone are captured by the player to whom the hole belongs. When a player has no further counters, they may, if they wish, place one captured counter in each of their holes to continue playing, or may choose to end the round, and the opponent captures the remaining counters on the board. Another round begins: If a player is without a large stone, they must purchase one from the other player for five counters. Both players fill as many of their holes as they can with five counters. The player with more counters may continue filling holes, if possible, in a clockwise direction from the end of their row. Any remaining counters are lent to the player with fewer counters to fill their holes. Play continues until one player can no longer fill any holes.
Content "1. Yucebao is played by Bai people in Lijiang Prefecture, Lijiang County, Jinshan township, Shouxin village...Principal Informants: Hong Xuehua, 14, male, and Hong Caiyuan, 54, male, both Bai nationality. Interviewed May 1992. Configuration: 2x5, with stores. Five small stones in each regular hole, one large stone in each store (But see below for permissible variety). Players and their sectors: Two players only. Initially, a player's sector consists of the five holes on his side together with the store on his right. He may in fact place the large stone in any of the holes in his sector. Terminology: A deiqmo (sow) is one of the large stones. A deiqzi (piglet) is one of the small stones. Play: Play is in either direction, with standard relays and capture of pussa kanawa type. Deiqmo: The deiqmo are sown, relayed, and captured normally. They function as follows: Any hole containing a deiqmo is a sink for the player to whose sector the hole belongs. Hence the deiqmo are always singleton: a deiqzi sown into a hole containing a deiqmo is immediately captured by the owner of the hole; all the deiqzi lying in a hole into which a deiqmo is sown are likewise captured by the owner of that hole. Sowing a deiqmo also captures or relays in the normal way. It is not clear what results when a deiqmo is sown into a hole containing the other deiqmo...When a player whose turn it is has no stones in any of his holes, he may place one stone from his winnings in each of his holes and play. Otherwise, the opponent captures all remaining stones. Rounds: After the round ends. a player with no deiqmo must buy one from his opponent for 5 deiqzi. Both players then fill as many holes as they can. The leading player, if he has enough stones, merely expands his sector to contain as many holes as he can fill. Stones are lent, up to foiur, to permit a partially filled hole to be filled, but some details of this process remain to be checked." Eagle 1995: 55-56.
Confidence 100
Ages Adolescent, Adult
Genders Male
Source Eagle, V. 1995. "Some Newly Described Mancala Games from Yunnan Province, China, and the Definition of a Genus in the Family of Mancala Games." In A. de Voogt, ed, New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: International Institute for Asian Studies, 48-63.
Id DLP.Evidence.1452
Type Ethnography
Game Zigulzoqge
Location 23°25'52.63"N,101°41'4.76"E
Date 1992-05-01 - 1992-05-31
Rules Two to four players. Four to six holes per row; each player has one row. Five counters per hole. Sowing proceeds in either direction, the first player chooses which and all sowing for the rest of the game proceeds in that direction. Players may sow from any hole on the board. When reaching the end of a row, players may continue in the same direction to sow along any of the other rows of their choosing, as long as they reach that row through intervening holes. This rule also holds for capturing. If the last counter falls into a hole with counters, the counters in the next hole are picked up and sowing continues, and if this hole is empty, the counters in the hole following the empty hole are captured. If there is an unbroken sequence of alternating empty and occupied holes, the counters in the occupied holes are captured until there are two empty or two occupied holes. If the final counter falls into an empty hole the turn ends. The game ends when all of the counters have been captured, and the player with the most counters wins.
Content "1. The game ziguloqge is played by Hani of the Biyue branch of Simao prefecture, Mojiang county, Lianhe township. Principal Informant: Luo Kaiming, male, 28, Hani nationality, Biyue branch. Name: zi=stone, gul=hole, zoq=eat, zoqge= capture stones in a mancala game. Configuration: usually four holes per row, five and sixe are also permissable. Always five stones per hole. The game is played by two, three, or four players, each player having a row as his sector. Four players often play in two teams, with each team having two adjoining rows. There are no large stones. Play: Both directions of play, standard pussa kanawa relays and captures. In three- and four= player games, when a. branching point is reached, a player is completely free to capture, relay, or continue to sow along either possible path. I do not yet know the details of play in rounds." Eagle 1995: 57.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Eagle, V. 1995. "Some Newly Described Mancala Games from Yunnan Province, China, and the Definition of a Genus in the Family of Mancala Games." In A. de Voogt, ed, New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: International Institute for Asian Studies, 48-63.
Id DLP.Evidence.1453
Type Ethnography
Game Baghchal
Location Nepal
Date 1986-01-01 - 1986-12-31
Rules Played on 5x5 grid including diagonals and pieces are played on the intersections of the lines. One player has four tigers, placed on the corners, and the other has up to 20 goats, placed on the board on a free space. Tigers and goats can move to an adjacent intersection along the lines on the board. Tigers may capture goats by hopping over them. The game ends when tigers have captured five of the goats or the goats block the tigers from being able to move.
Content "II. Baghachal In 1986, I visited Nepal...baghachal is a local national board game no less popular in Nepal than chess...In the Nepali language it means "The tiger moving game". It is played on a board shown in figure 1. Two persons play. One has four tigers. They are placed at the four corners. The other player has twenty goats in hand which are entered one at a time in alternation with the moves of the tigers and cannot move until all are on the board. In one move a tiger may either move to the nearest point or, if this point is occupied by a goat and the next point behind it is free, may jump over this goat (as in checkers), mill it and land following the straight line on the free point. In this case the goat should be removed from the board. If tigers kill more than five goats the game is won by the tigers. The goats are not able to kill but they win if they succeed in reducing the tigers to immobility." Averbakh 1995: 17-18.
Confidence 100
Source Averbakh, Y. 1995. "Board Games and Real Events." In A. de Voogt (ed), New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: International Institute for Asian Studies, p. 17-23.
Id DLP.Evidence.1454
Type Ethnography
Game Bouge Shodra
Location Tuvinian
Date 1995-01-01 - 1995-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each 3x3 quadrant of the board. On one end, a square with diagonals, with one corner as the midpoint of one of the sides of the main board. On the opposite side, a triangle, witha line bisecting the base and another bisecting this line and intersecting with the other two sides of the triangle. The triangle's apex is the midpoint of the opposite side as the square. One player plays with two larger pieces, the Bulls, which start at the points where the triangle and square intersect with the main board. The other player plays with 24 smaller pieces. Eight of these begin on the points surrounding the central point of the board, the rest are in the hand. Players alternate turns. The Bulls move to an empty adjacent spot, the other player places one of the pieces from their hand onto the board. When all of these pieces are on the board, the player may move one of the pieces to an empty adjacent spot. The Bull may captured one of the smaller pieces my hopping over it onto an empty space. The goal of the Bulls is to capture all of the smaller pieces. The goal of the player with the smaller pieces is to corner the bulls so they cannot move. Doing so in the triangle and the square is a better win than cornering the Bulls on the main board.
Content "...a game they borrowed from the Mongols...'bouge-shodra, meaning 'bull's chess'...The board of this game is similar to the board from figure 2. Only, instead of the second triangle, it has a small square (figure 3). The first player has two big stones (bulls), the other has 24 small ones. The bulls are placed on the ends of the central axis. Eight small stones are placed on the points of the inner triangle (sic). The other stones the player keeps in hand. These stones are entered one at a time in alternation with the moves of the bulls. The aim of the bulls is to kill all the small stones. The aim of the opponent is to deprive the bulls of their mobility, but the victory is more honourable when the bulls are in the traps. "Averbakh 1995: 18-20.
Confidence 100
Source Averbakh, Y. 1995. "Board Games and Real Events." In A. de Voogt (ed), New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: International Institute for Asian Studies, p. 17-23.
Id DLP.Evidence.1455
Type Ethnography
Game Bouge Shodra
Location Tuvinian
Date 1905-01-01 - 1905-12-31
Rules Hunt game, two bulls, 24 smaller pieces.
Content "5, Буга шедра (порозинныя шашки), нѣчто въ родь игры въ волки и овцы. Дѣйотвующія фигуры: одной стороны два пороза, съ другой 24 теленка (буза)." Savenkov 1905: 25.
Confidence 100
Source Savenkov, E. 1905. K voprosu ob evolutsie shakhmatnoi igri. Etnograficheskoe Obozrtenie 64(1): 1-128.
Id DLP.Evidence.1456
Type Ethnography
Game Tugul Shodra
Location Tuvinian
Date 1995-01-01 - 1995-12-31
Rules Three vertical lines, and two horizontal lines intersecting them along their top end points and their midpoints. Three pieces per player, arranged on the intersections of opposite vertical lines. Players alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an adjacent spot. The object of the game is to block the opponent's pieces from moving.
Content "The driving character is found in another game of the Tuvinians played by children - Tugul shodra (calves' chess)...In this game, the players have three stones each. The first, the white stone, the other the black stone. The initial position of the stones is shown in figure 4. The aim of both players while moving their stones from one point to another is to divert the mobility of the opponent's stones, in other words, to drive them into the blind alely. The final position of the game can be the following (see figure 5).
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Averbakh, Y. 1995. "Board Games and Real Events." In A. de Voogt (ed), New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: International Institute for Asian Studies, p. 17-23.
Id DLP.Evidence.1457
Type Ethnography
Game Bára Guti
Location Punjab
Location 31° 3'8.77"N, 77°24'43.15"E
Date 1919-01-01 - 1919-12-31
Rules The board consists of 5x5 intersecting lines with diagonals of each quadrant. Pieces are placed on the intersections and can move along the lines. Each player has 12 pieces. Pieces can move to one adjacent point. Captures can be made by hopping over an opponent's piece. The goal is to capture all of the opponent's pieces.
Content "In the year 1919 I had an occasion to visit the Chor pek in the neighbourhood of SImla and in course of the march from Phagu to the bank of the rive Giri, I came across a square drawn on a rock surface, the square being divided into a number of smaller squares by means of lines as shown in the following figure...According to the rules of the game two persons are necessary for playing it and the players are to provide themselves with twenty-four pieces of small stones or gravels of two different descriptions so that they can be easily recognized. The diagram shows that there are twenty-five points where two or more straight lines have met. These points may be called cross-points. Each of these cross-points, with the exception of the central one, has got a playing piece set on it. The move begins after completion of this arrangement and when a player has one of his own playing pieces set next to one of his opponent's in such a way that the next cross-point in the same right line is vacant, the former's piece can jump over the latter's one, occupy the enemy cross-point and the former player takes away the piece belonging to the latter. The player who can, in this way, capture all the pieces belonging to his adversary is declared to be the winner of the game. The game is not confined to the hills, but, as I could gather through the kindness of my friend Mr. Shiva Raj, it is also found in the Punjab plains and goes by the name of bára guti (twelve ballets)." das-Gupta 1923: 510-511.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Das-Gupta, H.C. 1923. "Notes on a Type of Sedentary Game Prevalent in Many Parts of India." Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 19: 71-74.
Id DLP.Evidence.1458
Type Ethnography
Game Aiyawatstani
Location 34°53'47.08"N, 107°34'54.71"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each small square. Twenty-two pieces per player, one black and one white, arranged on the four rows (counting the points where diagonals cross as rows) closest to each player; the central point remains empty, the black player places two pieces on the outer points and the white player places two on the inner two points.
Content "Keres. Acoma, New Mexico. An Acoma Indian names James H. Miller, employed at Zuñi, described to the writer under the name of aiyawatstani, chuck away grains, the game illustrated in figure 1088. Twenty-two white and twenty-to black pieces are used on each side." Culin 1907: 792.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1459
Type Ethnography
Game Musinaykahwhanmetowaywin
Location 49°37'51.55"N, 105°59'36.22"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules One player plays with one larger piece, the Oke-mow, placed on the central point, and the other player with thirteen pieces situated on every point of one arm of the cross and along the line immediately perpendicular to that arm. Pieces move along the lines to an adjacent empty spot. The Oke-mow may jump over an adjacent piece to capture it. Multiple captures are allowed. The Oke-mow wins if it can capture all the opponent's pieces, the other player wins by blocking the Oke-mow from moving.
Content "Cree and Chippewa. Muskopetung Reserve. Qu'appelle, Assiniboia...collected by Mr. J. A. Mitchell, who describes the game under the name of musinaykahwhanmetowaywin: This game is played by two persons, one playing the king piece or oke-mow, against his opponent's thirteen pawns. Moves can be made in any direction by any of the pieces, provided the lines of the diagram are followed. The king has the power to take the king, but endeavor so to press it as finally to checkmate." Culin 1907: 791.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1460
Type Artifact
Game Musinaykahwhanmetowaywin
Location 49°37'51.55"N, 105°59'36.22"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Played on cross-shaped board, made of five squares, each divided into four squares and with the diagonals of the larger squares drawn. One player plays with one larger piece, the Oke-mow, placed on the central point, and the other player with thirteen pieces situated on every point of one arm of the cross and along the line immediately perpendicular to that arm.
Content Board from Assiniboia, Muskowpetung reserve, Saskatchewan, Canada. Played on cross-shaped board, made of five squares, each divided into four squares and with the diagonals of the larger squares drawn. One larger piece, placed on the central point, and the other thirteen pieces situated on every point of one arm of the cross and along the line immediately perpendicular to that arm. Field Museum Chicago (?) 61994. CUlin 1907: 791, fig. 1087.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1461
Type Ethnography
Game Ahtarah Guti
Location 25°12'35.98"N, 80°55'11.08"E
Date 1904-01-01 - 1905-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each quadrant. Two triangles, the apexes of which intersect with the square at the midpoint of opposite sides. one line bisecting the base of the triangle, and another bisecting this line. Eighteen pieces per player, each side arranged on one side of the board, with the central point empty and the player' pieces on the points to the right of it. Players alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an empty point. A piece may jump an opponent's piece to capture it. Multiple captures are allowed. The player who captures all of the opponent's men wins.
Content "Ahtarah Gutti. Far more common, however, even than Pachesi is the game known generally as "Ahtarah Gutti" and also as "Bazi Mar," "Tichha" or "Bangala." It is played on a board of 37 spaces arranged as in the accompanying diagram (Fig. 3). Each of the two players has 18 "men," represented, as usual, among the thrifty villagers, by pieces of kankar on the one, and of tiles on the other side. The middle space is left vacant, and the player having the first move must move a "man" on to that space. The moves are much the same as those of a king in draughts, I.e., a piece can be moved one space at a time in any direction, backwards or forwards, provided that the space to which it is sought to move it is vacant and is in the same rank, file or diagonal as that from which it starts. Captures are made, as in draughts, by leaping over the piece to be captured in any direction, provided that all three spaces are in the same straight line. Any number of pieces may be captured in succession in one move. In no part of the board is a piece safe from capture: not even in its own bungalow, as the triangular excrescences at either end of the board are called....The game is decided when one player has succeeded in capturing all his adversary's "men." Humphries 1906: 121-122.
Confidence 100
Spaces Communal
Source Humphries, E. de M. 1906. Notes on "Pachesi" and similar games, as played in the Karwi Subdivision, United Provinces. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 2(4): 117–127.
Id DLP.Evidence.1462
Type Ethnography
Game Sujjua
Location 25°12'35.98"N, 80°55'11.08"E
Date 1904-01-01 - 1905-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares with lines connecting their midpoints. Nine pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing pieces on the board or moving one piece on the board to an adjacent empty spot. The first player to get three of their pieces in a row wins.
Content "Sujjua. Another very popular game is that known as "Sujjua." It is played on a board of 24 spaces, as in the annexed diagram (Fig. 7). There are two players, each of whim has nine "men." The latter are usually represented, on the one side by pieces of kankar; on the other side by pieces of brick or tile. The object of each player is to get three of his own "men" in a row, before his adversary can succeed in doing so. When the game commences the board is clear and the players move alternately, each commencing by placing one of his own men on the board in any vacant place. After the first move, the player may either place another "man" on the board, or may move a piece already on it one space at a time in any direction, provided that the space to which he wishes to move it is vacant." Humphries 1906: 124.
Confidence 100
Spaces Communal
Source Humphries, E. de M. 1906. Notes on "Pachesi" and similar games, as played in the Karwi Subdivision, United Provinces. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 2(4): 117–127.
Id DLP.Evidence.1463
Type Rules text
Game Doblet
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of semi-circular sockets, into which the pieces fit. Twelve pieces per player. Pieces begin on one half of a player's side of the board (the half to the left of one player, and to the right of the other player), two per space, stacked on top of one another. Three dice. To begin, a player must first unstack their pieces, by rolling the number of the space on which the stack is located, and thus removing the stack, but keeping the piece on the same space. ONce complete, pieces move in a track the long way around the board toward the portion where the opponent begins. No more than two pieces can occupy a space at a time. When a piece lands on a space occupied by a single piece of the opponent, the opponent's piece is removed from the board. Players attempt to bear off their pieces by rolling the exact number of spaces left on the board, plus one. When unstacking the pieces in the beginning or when bearing off at the end, if the player cannot play their roll but the opponent is able, the opponent may use the roll. The first player to bear off all of their pieces wins.
Content "This game they call doblet.
And there is another game of tables that they call doblet which is played in this way. Each one of the players should have twelve pieces and put them doubled up, one on top of another, each one in his table of the board that is to be the one across from the other on the same side of the bar. The one who wins the battle will roll first.And they should unstack those twelve pieces that are on top of the others by the numbers of the pips of the dice.
And also they should bear off and the one who bears off first will win the game.
And if by chance either one of the players should make a roll that he does not have the pieces to play, either to unstack them or bear them off, the other player should do it. And in this way it happens many times that one player will win by the numbers that the other will roll.
And this is the explanation of this game and this is the diagram of its arrangement." Golladay's translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos f.74, with picture showing two men playing, having just removed one of the pieces from its stack with three dice on the board.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1464
Type Rules text
Game Los Doze Canes
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of semi-circular sockets, into which the pieces fit. Twelve pieces per player. Two dice. Each player enters their pieces into their home section of the board (to the left of one player, to the right of the other player, and move pieces along a horseshoe-shaped track around the board toward the other player's home space. At the beginning of play, the first player will choose one quadrant of the board, and the goal of the game will be for one player to move two of their pieces onto all six places in that quadrant. When a piece lands on a space occupied by a single piece of the opponent, the opponent's piece is removed from the board, and must be reentered.
Content "This game they call the doze canes or doze hermanos (twelve dogs or twelve brothers).
The second game is that the pieces are doubled up on the points and they call it twelve brothers or twelve dogs. And this is because it is played with twelve pieces so that they may be arranged doubled up two by two on the six-points in one of the tables of the board, chosen by the one who is to play first.
And the one who can place his pairs the fastest, of the two players, will win because the other will not be able to capture one of his pieces once the point is doubled up.
But each one of those that would play should hold their pieces in their hand or on the board apart from the points on which they are to play and they should not place them until the roll of the dice comes for them to be placed.
And this is the play of this game." Golladay translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos 73-74. Illustration depicts two children playing the game, and two dice on the table.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Social status Elite, Nobility
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1465
Type Rules text
Game Quinze Tablas
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of semi-circular sockets, into which the pieces fit. Fifteen pieces per player. Pieces begin on one half of a player's side of the board (the half to the left of one player, and to the right of the other player), two per space, then two on the next space and one on the space following that one. Three six-sided dice. Pieces move in a track the long way around the board toward the portion where the opponent begins. No more than two pieces can occupy a space at a time. When a piece lands on a space occupied by a single piece of the opponent, the opponent's piece is removed from the board. Players attempt to bear off their pieces by rolling the exact number of spaces left on the board, plus one. The first player to bear off all their pieces wins.
Content "This is the first game that they call the quinze tablas (fifteen pieces). The first game of tables is this one that they call fifteen pieces or six and however many they can place there from fifteen to one." Golladay's translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos 73-74. Accompanied by an illustration of two men playing with the pieces in the starting position and three dice on the table.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1466
Type Rules text
Game Fallas
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of semi-circular sockets, into which the pieces fit. Fifteen pieces per player. Play begins with thirteen pieces on the seventh point of the track, and two pieces on the twelfth point. Three six-sided dice. Play moves around the board through starting from the quadrant where the pieces begin, through the one where the opponent's pieces begin, and then through the remaining quadrant on the opponent's side of the board, where the pieces a borne off the board. When a piece lands on a spot occupied by a single piece of the opponent, the opponent's piece is sent back to its starting quadrant. If a player's piece is sent back to start, but all of the spaces in their starting quadrant are occupied by the opponent's pieces, the player loses automatically. Also, any roll that allows the player to only move to spaces occupied by the opponent results in an automatic loss for the player. Otherwise, the first player to bear off all their pieces wins.
Content "This is the game they call fallas (drop dead).
There is another game of tables that they call fallas and it is set up in this way: that thirteen of the fifteen pieces are placed on the six-point which is inside one of the quarters on the board. And the [other] two are placed on the first point that is against the outside edge of the table that is across from the other one on the same side of the bar. And he who has that table, sets up in this same way as the one in the other table as we described.
And when they are thus arranged each one of the two players should try to bring his pieces around through those two tables to his own table as fast as he can, because there he is to arrange them so that he can bear them off safely and in bearing off guard them so that the other does not hit them.Because if not, he would have to return them to the table where they first began. And if he should find that the other [player] has placed his pieces there where he must enter, he would die because he could not enter and he therefore would lose the game.
Also, he who should roll in such a way that he would not have anywhere to go except for the point that the other had occupied, he will lose the game because he dies. So for this reason, they call this game fallas.
But you can either lose or win and in another way. If by chance each one of the players should conduct his pieces safely to his inner table so that neither hits the other, the one who bears them off more quickly will win the game.
And this is the explanation of this game." Golladay translation of Libro de los Juegos 74-75 by Alfonso X. Accompanied by an illustration of two men playing, showing the starting position and three dice on the table.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1467
Type Rules text
Game Seys Dos y As
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of semi-circular sockets, into which the pieces fit. Fifteen pieces per player. Three six-sided dice. Both players begin in the same quadrant of the board. One player's pieces are arranged as follows: Eight on the first point of the quadrant to their left, four on the fifth, and three on the sixth. The other player places five on the second, third, and fourth space of the same quadrant. The track proceeds in a clockwise direction around the board. When a player's piece lands on a space occupied by a single piece of the opponent, it is sent back to the beginning of the quadrant to the right of the starting quadrant. Pieces bear off from the quadrant diagonal from the starting quadrant. The first player to bear off all their pieces wins.
Content "This is the game that they call seys dos & as
This is another game that they call seys dos & as.
And both players place their pieces in the same table of the board and he that wins the battle plays first and should put his fifteen pieces in this way on the six-point and on the inside of the board in the same table eight pieces and on the two-point in that same table four pieces and on the one-point three. And the other player should put his in that same table on the five-, four- and three-points with five pieces on each one.
And because the one who wins the battle has the six-, two- and one-points they call this game thus. And he should play first and take as many points as he can in the other table that is contiguous along the track.
And the other one that plays after him also will take as many points as he can in that same table.
And if in taking those points one should hit one or more of the other’s pieces, he must return them not to the table which is on the same side of the bar nor to the point which is next to it but to the one which is diagonally opposite. And once he places them in this table he must bring them around through all the tables to that table from where they must be borne off.
And he who should bear them off faster will win the game.
And this is the explanation of the game which we described above." Golladay translation of Alfonso X's Libro de lof Juegos 75. Accompanied by an illustration with two women (?) playing with the starting position and three dice.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Female
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1468
Type Rules text
Game Emperador
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of semi-circular sockets, into which the pieces fit. Fifteen pieces per player. Three six-sided dice.One player begins with all of their pieces on the space furthest to the left on their side, the other with their pieces on the point directly opposite it. Pieces move in opposite directions around the board, toward the point where the opponent's pieces begin, and bearing off the board from there. When a piece lands on the same space as an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to where it began. The first person to bear off all their pieces wins. If players move their pieces such that they fill up all the points in a quadrant, and the other fills up all of the points in an adjacent quadrant such that neither player can move, the game is a draw. It is a prime win when one player has twelve pieces arranged on consecutive points so that the other player cannot pass them. When the player sends four pieces back to the beginning while preserving this state, it is a prime win.
Content "This is the game that they call in Spain emperador (emperor), because he made it.
There is another game of tables that they call in Spain emperor because he made it and it is set up and played in this way. The one player should place his fifteen pieces on the one-point in one table. And the other [places] his fifteen pieces in the other [one-] point that is in the table next to it on the same side of the bar.
And he that should win the battle is to play first and bring his pieces by the rolls of the dice around through the tables of the board until he brings them into the table where the other had his [pieces]. And the other player should do this same thing towards him in the opposite direction.
And if in passing the ones should hit the others, they must return to the table where they first were placed. And from there they must be taken again as before until they come to the table where they should be set up. And in passing by each other and being hit and returning again as above in order to play he that bring them around to the table where he should and bears them off safely, he wins the game.
But there are two things that good players do.31 One is a tie and the other is a prime.
And the tie is made in order to defend the player whose game [position] is worse so that he does not lose. And the prime in order to win by even more the player whose game is better.
And the tie is like this, that each one has as many pieces that he cannot enter into the other’s table by the no matter what he rolls, all the points being held by his pieces or his opponent’s. And they should stop while even one piece remains on the points of the [f. 76] table or is to enter that they not put it on top of their other one even though it be alone nor on top of the others which are paired even though the roll of the dice says that they could do it if it were another game and in this way because neither one nor the other can enter, they call this game a tie; because the damage is equal on both sides. What is the prime of this game
A prime in when one player has an advantage over the other and has twelve pieces set up so that the other even if can enter he cannot escape and of the other pieces that he has he must bring them down or make one [able] to be hit there.
And when he hits four or more pieces the game is “primed” because he can bare his pieces off safely or hit him more if he wishes. And he wins the game in this case...And in this game no two pieces can occupy the same point until after they have passed the middle of the board as in the game of the emperor." Golladay translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos 75-76; 79. Accompanied by an illustration of two kings playing, with the starting position and three dice.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1469
Type Rules text
Game Medio Emperador
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of semi-circular sockets, into which the pieces fit. Fifteen pieces per player. Two or three six-sided dice. One player begins with all of their pieces on the space furthest to the left on their side, the other with their pieces on the point directly opposite it. Pieces move in opposite directions around the board, only on the half of the board where the pieces begin, toward the point where the opponent's pieces begin, and bearing off the board from there. When a piece lands on the same space as an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to where it began. The first person to bear off all their pieces wins. If players move their pieces such that they fill up all the points in a quadrant, and the other fills up all of the points in an adjacent quadrant such that neither player can move, the game is a draw.
Content "This game they call medio emperador (half emperor)
There is another game that they call medio emperador and it has this name because just as the other game that we described above is played on the four tables of the board, so this one is played on two tables. And it is played with two or three dice but there is no prime like the other one but there can be a tie.And because the game emperador is played on the whole board and this one only on half of it and with two dice, therefore they call it medio emperador.
And this is the explanation of this game." Golladay translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos 75-76, accompanied by an illustration of two men playing with the opening position and two dice on the board.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1470
Type Rules text
Game Cab e Quinal
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of semi-circular sockets, into which the pieces fit. Fifteen pieces per player. One player places all of their pieces on the sixth point of one of the quadrants of the board, and the other player places all of their pieces on the fifth point of the same quadrant. Three six-sided dice. Players move the pieces along the same track around the board, which ends on the quadrant on the other side of the board from the starting quadrant. When a piece is moved to a space occupied by a piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is sent back to the starting point. The first player to bear off all of their pieces from the board wins.
Content "This game they call cab e quinal (alongside fives)
There is another game of tables that they call cab e quinal and it has this name because all thirty pieces are put in one table of the four tables of the board. The fifteen that are of one colour on the six-point and the other fifteen on the five-point that is beside it.
And the player on five is to roll first because if the player on six which are one point ahead of him played first, they would have two advantages, the first one point which they are ahead and the other rolling first.
And they play in this way, they should bring themselves around through the other points of the tables of the board to the other table which is across from and on the same side of the bar as the one where they were set up and from there they should be borne off.
And if any of them are should be hit in bringing them around they should return and enter with them on the points of the table where they began, if they should find (those points) empty or with blots or on top of their own, as many as can be. And in this way the game of cab & quinal with three dice differs from the game of emperador." Gollday's translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos 77, accompanied by an illustration of two men playing with the starting position and three dice on the board.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1471
Type Ethnography
Game Cab e Quinal
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of semi-circular sockets, into which the pieces fit. Fifteen pieces per player.Two dice are throw on each turn. Players choose a value from one to six, which will be considered the value of a third die. One player places fourteen pieces on the sixth point of one quadrant, and one on the point directly opposite it on the other side of the board. The other player places fourteen pieces on the fifth point of the same quadrant as the fourteen of the other player, as well as one on the fourth point in that same quadrant.Players move the pieces along the same track around the board, which ends on the quadrant on the other side of the board from the starting quadrant. When a piece is moved to a space occupied by a piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is sent back to the starting point. The first player to bear off all of their pieces from the board wins.
Content "However if some wish to play it with two dice and count the other die as of whatever number they might agree upon and that they put as if the third die said six, it is set up in this way: they are to put the fourteen pieces on the six-point and the other one of that same colour ahead on the other six-point [of that table that is across from and on the same side of the bar as it]. And the other fifteen pieces they are to put fourteen of them on the five-point and the other one on the four-point that is next to it. And the movement and the capturing of these pieces is to bring themselves around just like the other game that we described above that is similar to this, that is played with three dice." Golladay's translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos 77, accompanied by an illustration with two men playing with the starting position and two dice on the board.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1472
Type Rules text
Game Todas Tablas
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of semi-circular sockets, into which the pieces fit. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left). Fifteen pieces per player. The starting position is as such, number the points from the origin of each player's track: point six: five pieces; point 8: three pieces; point 13: five pieces; point 24: two pieces. Two dice. When a player's piece lands on a spot occupied by a single piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is sent back to the quadrant in which that player started with two pieces. Players bear off their pieces at the end of their track. The first player to bear off all their pieces wins.
Content "This game they call todas tablas (all tables)
There is another game that they call todas tablas because it is set up spread out through all the four tables of the board.32
And in the two tables that are across from one another on the same side of the bar, one the first they place five pieces of one colour on the six-point. And of that same [colour] they place two on the one-point of the other table that is across from it on the same side of the bar, and in that same table [the other colour] also puts his pieces opposite it [the other colour] as we have said for this.
And in the other two tables that are across the bar from these, on the one-points they put five pieces of the colour that placed the other five on the sixth point. And on the five-points they put three pieces in each of these colours. And it is played like this: the one to roll first will play whichever side he wishes bringing the two pieces from the one-point towards the six-point where he has five pieces. But if some pieces are taken, they are to be returned to the table where the two pieces are on the one-point. And from there they are to bring them to the table where the five pieces are on the six-point and from there to bear them off.
And this game is played with two dice." Golladay's translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos 77-78. Accompanied by an illustration with two men playing, but the starting position is incorrect; the pieces are placed correctly in number, but the centrally located pieces on the board should be switched.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1473
Type Rules text
Game Pareia de Entrada
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of semi-circular sockets, into which the pieces fit. Fifteen pieces per player. Two or three dice. Both players enter their pieces into the same quadrant of the board, and move pieces along a horseshoe-shaped track around the board toward the quadrant on the opposite side of the board. When a piece lands on a space occupied by a single piece of the opponent, the opponent's piece is returned to the starting quadrant. When all of the dice present the same number, the player receives another turn. The player to bear off all of their pieces first wins.
Content "This game they call the pareia de entrada (paired entry)
There is another game that they call pareia de entrada that is played with three or two dice in this way. The players who play this game should have their pieces outside of the points and place them in one of the four tables of the board upon which they agree as in doce canes. And he who first places them there should bring them through the tables of the board to the other table that is across from it on the same side of the bar and there he is to place them if he can and bear them off.
And if each player in bringing his tables to the table where they are borne off, they hit one of them, it should return to that table where they were first placed. And he must strive to bring it as fast as he can to that table where they are to be borne off. And he that should bear them off the fastest will win the game.
And so much of an advantage has either one of the players who rolls the same number on the three or two dice, because he is to move the entire roll as soon as he rolls the doubles or triples. And in addition it is to be his turn to roll again. And because in the beginning of this game they enter their pieces as in doce canes and after when they roll a double they are to complete it all, therefore they call this game pareia de entrada." Golladay's translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos 76-77, accompanied by two men playing the game with three dice on the board.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1474
Type Rules text
Game Laquet
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of semi-circular sockets, into which the pieces fit. Fifteen pieces per player. One player places fourteen of their pieces on the first point of the table to their right closest to them, with the other piece on the point opposite it on the other side of the board. The Other player places three pieces on each of the four spots following the spot with the other player's fourteen, two on the spot following this, and one on the opposite end of the row of spots where the opponent's single piece is located. Two six-sided dice. Players move along the spaces of the board toward the spot where the first player's single piece is located, and from there they bear off. Pieces cannot be hit as in similar games. If a player cannot play a throw, the opponent may play it. The first player to bear off all of their pieces wins.
Content "This game they call laquet (the quest).33
There is another game of tables that they call laquet and it is played with two dice and set up in this way, fourteen pieces of one colour are placed in one table of the board on the one-point and the fifteenth is placed on the one-point of34 the other table which is across from it on the same side of the bar. And the other fifteen pieces are placed in this way, fourteen in the same table where the other fourteen are on the six-point, two on the five-, four-, three- and two-points each one of these points three pieces. And the fifteenth in the third table on the one-point and there they are arranged.
And in this game the pieces do not hit one another. And the roll that one player cannot use; the other player is to use it. And he who first should bear off from that table where they should be arranged wins the game. And this game is now newly found and it does not agree with [the game of] its [same] name according to the other ancients.
Note: ff. 79 – 79v are missing in the facsimile. Their illustrations will be added if they appear online." Golladay's translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos 78, accompanied by an illustration with two women playing the game with the starting position and two dice.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Female
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1475
Type Rules text
Game Nine Men's Morris
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules Played on a board of three concentric squares, with a line bisecting the perimeters of each square on each side, but not extending inside the perimeter of the central square. Play occurs on the intersections of the lines and the corners of the squares. Each player has nine pieces. Play begins with each player placing pieces on empty points The game is won when the opponent is reduced to two pieces.
Content "On how nine men’s morris is played without dice.
This nine men’s morris is played in another way, without dice but brains.
The players take all their pieces in their hands and they roll to see who plays first. And the first to play has the advantage because in placing the pieces he always takes the first space he likes, the quicker to make a mill as we said and take one piece from his opponent each time so as to trap him so that none of his pieces have anywhere to move.
And if perchance the first player should err in placing his pieces well, he is defeated because the other player retains a piece and puts it wherever it will bother the first. And make his pieces equal in number as we said and thereby wins the game. And this game is called nine men’s morris because the pieces that it is played with are nine of each colour.
This is the diagram of the millboard, pieces, and this is its explanation." Golladay's translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos 92, accompanied by an illustration with two men playing the game.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1476
Type Rules text
Game Alquerque de Tres
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines, with diagonal lines of the board. Three pieces per player. players alternate turns placing a piece on one of the empty spots. The player who places their pieces in a line wins. If no player can win, the game is a draw.
Content "This is another alquerque of three (three men’s morris).
There is another mill game and it is called three men’s morris. It is called that because it is played with six pieces, three of one colour and three of another. In this one dice do not have a part. And this game is this:
And the first one to put his pieces in a row wins.
And since the one who plays first should place his piece in the centre of the millboard, the second player will place his wherever he likes. The first player should place his second piece in such a manner that the other player is forced to place his piece in a row with his opponents’ [to block]. Since the first to play is forced to play the same on the first two turns and all his pieces are now placed.
And if in this way he placed them so that wherever the other player puts his remaining piece he loses. And if the first player does not play like that the other will be able to tie or to win.And because of the tied game and the board markings where the pieces are placed it has part of tables and part of chess because the pieces with which it is played resemble its pawns.
And this is the figure of the board and of the pieces." Gollday's translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos 93, accompanied by an illustration of two children playing the game.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1477
Type Rules text
Game Tablas Astronomias
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules Seven players. Heptagonal board, with seven semi-circular socket as spaces on each side. Seven pieces per player, which begin on the leftmost spot on their side. Players are as follows: Saturn = black; Jupiter = green; Mars = red; the sun = yellow; Venus = purple; Mercury = multi-colored; the moon is white. Pieces move in an anti-clockwise direction around the board. Three seven-sided die. When a piece lands on a space with a single piece belonging to an opponent, the opponent's piece is removed from the board. Play continues until one player remains, who becomes the winner.
Content "This is the board for tables, after the (same) nature of the checkers, which is played by astrology.
The board for these tables is to have seven sides, like the board for the checkers, both inside and out. And on the inner division it is to have seven spaces. And this should be on each one of the other divisions. And in between the one division and the other there is to be a divider that marks both sides. And from that divider there is to be a long line that goes to the middle of the board.
And each ones of the pieces of these sides, are to be of the colour of the planets. And the pieces are to be as many as the spaces. And over each side there is to be drawn the likeness of the planet to which it belongs, that side painted and coloured of that colour which suits. Saturn in black, Jupiter in green, Mars in red, the Sun in yellow, Venus in purple, Mercury in many different colours, the Moon white. And because the pieces belong to that planet, they are to be of its colour.
And the arrangement is to be in this manner: that all seven pieces be placed in the first and leftmost of the seven spaces and they are always to move to the right, according to the numbers that the seven-sided die show, as we said above. And neither is counted the space they occupy nor the space to their right which is the beginning space for the other seven pieces, unless there remains one lone piece which can be captured, leaving the space empty or occupying it according to astrology53.
And play is in this way: that each one of the players has seven amounts of whatever wager they agree upon of maravedí or whatever coin they like. And if one captures the piece of another, he is not to return it and he should take one amount from him for it and for as many as he captures. And so on around until the whole game belongs to one of those that play it, because that one who remains is the winner.
And this is the diagram of the board and of the pieces." Golladay's translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos 97, accompanied by an illustration with seven men player in the starting position and with three die.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1478
Type Ethnography
Game Nerenchi Keliya
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares with lines connecting the midpoints of the squares. Nine pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on an empty space. If a player places three of their pieces along one of the straight lines, they take another turn. Once all of the pieces are on the board, players take turns moving a piece to an empty space on the board. When a player creates a line of three in this phase, the player removes one of the opponent's pieces, and receives another turn. The player who reduces the opponent to two pieces wins.
Content "Nerenchi Keliya...The game requires two players who alternately lay dow a small counter-usually a stone or fragment of earthenware-at one of the angles, or the points where the arms of the cross meet the sides of the squares. While doing so, on each occasion when a player forms a row of three of his own pieces, which is termed 'Nerenchi,' he lays down an additional piece. When only two places remain unfilled the next player moves one of his pieces into one of the vacant points, and the play is continued by the two players, who move their pieces alternately, each one endeavouring to form a row of three of his own pieces, which the other tries to prevent. Whenever a row is so formed the player who has obtained the Nerenchi removes an opposition piece from the board and has an additional move. The play ends when one player has lost all his pieces." Parker 1909: 577, 580.
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.1479
Type Ethnography
Game Niranchy
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1873-01-01 - 1873-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints and diagonals of the squares. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, the pieces may be moved to an empty adjacent spot on the board. One player wins by placing three of their pieces in a row. The other player wins by blocking their opponent from being able to move.
Content "Niranchy which is the same as "Nine men's morrice", is a very common game, played by both young and old, in the intervals of business. The game is won when a player succeeds in laying down three pieces in a line, while the object of the opponent is to prevent this by giving check. Should the game not have been decided by the time one of the players has laid down his twelve men, the game proceeds by moves." Ludovisi 1873: 34, diagram C.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Source Ludovisi, L. 1873. 'The sports and games of the Singhalese.' The Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 17–41.
Id DLP.Evidence.1480
Type Ethnography
Game Koti Keliya
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 12x12 checkered board. One player plays with six "cattle" or "dogs," the other plays as the "leopard." The cattle start on the white spaces along one side of the board, the leopard may be placed on any white square. Cattle move one space forward diagonally. The leopard may move one or two spaces diagonally in any one direction. If the leopard moves past the line of cattle, the leopard wins. If the cattle block the leopard from being able to move, the cattle win.
Content "Koti Keliya, 'the Leopard Game.' This is played on the same board of 144 squares, and is a form of 'Fox and Geese.' It requires one piece called a 'Leopard,' and six others termed 'Cattle,' or 'Dogs,' which all move diagonally along the squares. The Cattle only move in a forward oblique direction and to the extent of one square at a time, and cannot be captured; but the Leopard has the option of going double the distance in any oblique direction if the course be unobstructed. He cannot pass over the Cattle. The Cattle are set on the white squares along one side of the board; while the Leopard may be placed anywhere on a square with the same colour. As in the English game, the Leopard wins if it can pass through or round the Cattle, whose aim is to enclose or 'imprison' him." Parker 1909: 585.
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.1481
Type Ethnography
Game Shatren
Location 6°55'33.58"N, 79°51'29.14"E
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 8x8 checkered board. Pieces move according to specialized moves, as follows: Piyatha (x8): can move one space forward, and one space forward diagonally to capture. When they reach the final rank, they may be promoted to the piece belonging to that rank, as long as it has already been captured by the opponent; Rukh (castle), (x2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Fil (elephant), (x2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Ghoda (horse), (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Farthir (x1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Shah (x1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally, and can also move like the horse if it has not yet been checked. The pieces are arranged as in Chess. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. When a player can capture the opponent's Shah on the next turn, the Shah is in Check, the opponent's next move must free the Shah from Check. If the opponent cannot, it is Checkmate and the player wins. Stalemate is allowed.
Content "Chess. The game is practically unknown to the Sinhalese...but some of the Tamil and other Indian residents in Colombo understand it well...The only form of it which I have seen is the one known in Upper India by the Arabic name Shatren...Shatren is played by two persons on a diagram of sixty-four squares, alternately red and white, embroidered on cloth or velvet. The pieces are cylindrical pieces, plain green and red in color, and of different heights and thicknesses...The only variations from the English game are, (1) the absence of 'Castling'; (2) the additional power of the King to jump at any time as a Knight, until he has once been in check; (3) the limitation of the first move of the Pawns to a single square; and (4) when any Pawns reach one of the last squares they can become only the piece that was in the same column or line of squares originally, provided such piece has been previously captured by the enemy, so as to be available for replacing on the board. The pieces and their Indian colloquiual names are as follows: - The King is Shah, the Queen is Farthir...; two Elephants, Fil; two Horses, Ghoda; two Castles, Rukh; and eight Pawns called Piatha...or Paithal, 'Footman.'" Parker 1909: 587.
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.1482
Type Ethnography
Game Chonka
Location 6°55'33.58"N, 79°51'29.14"E
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 2x7 board, with two stores. Seven counters per hole. The first player may choose the direction of sowing, which must be maintained throughout the game. Sowing includes the player's store, which is the store following the last hole in the player's row, according to the direction of sowing. When the final counter of a sowing falls into an occupied hole, the counters in that hole are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter of a sowing falls into an empty hole, that counter is captured along with any counters in the hole in the opponent's row opposite it. When the final counter falls into the player's store, the turn ends. The player who first captures half of the counters wins.
Content "Pallankuli or Chonka. This game, as played in Colombo by Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muhammadans is a very different one from those just described. Seven cowry shells, termed 'Dogs,' are placed in each hole as a preliminary, or 98 in all. Play may begin at any hole on a player's own side of the board, and may go round either to the right or left, the same direction being maintained throughout the game. The shells are 'sown' as usual, but the play differs from all the Kandian games in this-that each player after placing a shell in the last hole of his own row, puts the next one in his surplus hole for captured shells, called 'Tachi,' and then continues to 'sow' in the same manner as before, along the holes on his opponent's side of the board. He does not place any shells in the opponent's tachi. The shells in both the tachi cannot be captured. If his last shell fall in an empty hole, he captures both that shell and those in the opposite hole on the other side of the board. In this case, and also when the last one falls in his own tachi, his turn is ended, and the opponent then plays in the same way. When the last shell falls into a hole containing others, all, unless it be the tachi, are taken out and sown as before. The game ends in one round, and the winner is the person who first finishes his shells.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.1483
Type Ethnography
Game Siga (Sri Lanka)
Location 6°55'33.58"N, 79°51'29.14"E
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 5x5 board, with an X in the central square of each side of the board, as well as the central square of the board. Two pieces per player. Four cowrie shells used as dice. Throws have the value of the number of mouths that land face up, with no mouths up = 8. Players start on opposite sides of the board, the first point on their track being the marked square on that side. players move in an anti-clockwise direction around the board, until reaching the space before the starting space, at which point they move into the space above it, and proceed around the inner part of the board in a clockwise direction, until below the central square. Players enter a piece with a throw of 1. Throws of 1 or 8 give the player another turn. When a player's piece lands on the same space as a space with an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must enter again, and the player causing this receives another throw. Pieces resting on a marked square cannot be sent back to start. To reach the central space, the player must throw the exact number required, but may also divide the value of the throw between two pieces in order to move one or both into the centre. The first player to move both pieces to the central space first wins.
Content "The Indian Sige. As played in Colombo by two persons on a diagram marked on the ground, or worked on a piece of cloth which is laid on a mat placed on the ground, this is similar to the last; but only 25 squares are employed, 5 being on each dei. The middle square of each side and the central square are marked by two diagonals, and when in these positions the counters cannot be attacked. The arrows show the direction of the moves from one Katti...Instead of dice, four cowries are thrown. down on a mat or on the ground, after being shaken in the closed hands. They are counted as follows:- When all the mouths are upward they count 4; for three, two or one mouth upwards, 3, 2, or 1 is counted; and no mouth upward counts 8. No throw counts until the player has thrown 1: this permits one counter to be placed in the first Katti ready for moving forward at the next throw. The second counter may be put on the same square after another 1 has been thrown. In this game the numbers thrown are neither subdivided nor added together excepting as stated below; each throw gives the length of the move of one of the counters. Ech player has an additional throw and move of either counter on throwing 1 or 8, or on cutting out or 'chopping' an opponent's counter. When 'chopped,' the counters must begin afresh and cannot reenter until the player has again thrown 1. On coming up to the central square the exact number required to bring one or both counters into it must be thrown; and at this point, only, it is permissable to divide the amount of the throw, so as to bring one or both counters into the centre." Parker 1909: 607-608.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.1484
Type Ethnography
Game Sigue
Location Caillie
Date 1826-04-09 - 1826-05-08
Rules 3x24 board. Two, four, or six players, playing on two teams. Twenty-four sticks for each team, place one each in every hole of a team's row. The inner row is left empty. Six sticks, black on one side, white on the other, which serve as dice. One team chooses to be black, the other chooses to be white. When all of the same color, or all but one are of the same color, a player moves one piece from their row into the central row, or the throw counts as 1. Otherwise, the throw is scored based on the number of sticks with the team's color face up. The first throw is of five sticks, and subsequent throws are of all six, and players continue to throw until they do not throw a 1. When a team's stick arrives in the same spot as the opposing team's stick, the opposing team's stick is sent back to the outer row. Pieces cannot move into the opposing team's row until all of the pieces in the central row are occupied. The team that occupies the opponent's entire row first wins.
Content "To amuse themselves, and make the days seem less tedious during the Ramadan, the Moors have a game called sigue. It consists of six flat pieces of wood, rounded at the ends in an oval form, white on one side, and black on the other. The game is played by two, four, or six persons, but always divided into two parties. Three rows of holes are made in the ssand, twenty-four in each; the outside rows are taken by the different parties, who cover each of the holes with a straw, taking care that the straws of the two parties shall be of different colors, so as to be easily distinguished; the middle row of holes is left open. One of the players takes five bits of wood in his hand, shakes them and drops them on the ground; if all the pieces of wood are of the same colour, or all but one, this is called making the sigue, and counts for one: the played continues with six pieces until he fails to make the sigue; then another plays, and so on. Every time a player makes the sigue he puts a straw into one of the holes of the middle row, and moves it forward as many places as he has thrown pieces of wood of the colour adopted by his party. When a player has reached the last hole in the middle row, he leaves his straw there; if his adversary arrives at it also, the first straw is thrown out, and the player begins again as before. When all the holes in the middle row are taken, the player begins upon his adversary's, and they go on with the game, taking straws out of all the holes which they win from him; when either party has lost all its holes the game is over." Caillié 1830: 127-128.
Confidence 100
Source Caillié, R. 1830. Travels through Central Africa to Timbuctoo; and across the Great Desert, to Morocco, Performed in the Years 1824-1828. London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley.
Id DLP.Evidence.1485
Type Ethnography
Game Pahada Keliya
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules Four 3x8 rectangles, arranged in a cross shape with a large square space in the center. The outer corners of each square are marked with a cross, as are the third and sixth space from the same corner. Four players, playing on two teams. Four pieces per player. The pieces are red, green, yellow, and black. Players start with one piece on the sixth and seventh space of the central row in their arm, and two pieces on the third space in the outer row of their arm, to the right. Two rectangular four-sided dice, with the following throws: 1, 3, 4, 6. Players use the throw of a die to move a piece; they may therefore may move two pieces each the value of one of the dice, or one piece twice, using the value of each dice. Play moves down the central track of the player's arm, around the outer perimeter of the board in an anti-clockwise direction, and back up the central row of the player's arm, proceeding into the large central square. When a player's piece moves into a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent to the central square, from which it must begin again. A player cannot move into their central row, approaching the end of the track, unless two of their team member's pieces have moved past the player's own pieces. If two or more of the team member's pieces remain behind the player's own pieces, the player's pieces may not advance past the final three spaces in which they can be sent back to the beginning. Neither they, nor any of the team's pieces, can proceed until two of the team member's pieces are placed, by exact throws, on the left inner corner or the arm of the player wishing to advance. These two pieces must then proceed together; i.e., only on double throws of the dice, with the exception that a double 6 cannot be used if one of the pieces waiting to move occupies the relevant space. Once a double throw is successfully made and both pieces moved, the waiting pieces may proceed up the central row. When players cannot move the throws, they pass their turn. Players must move into the central square with an exact throw. The first team to place all of their pieces in the central square wins.
Content Detailed rules and explanation of Pahada Keliya from Sri Lanka in Parker 1909: 611-614.
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.1486
Type Artifact
Game Asi Keliya
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules Four 3x4 rectangles, arranged in a cross shape, with a large central square which has diagonals, and spaces in the four corners between each arm of the cross. Four players, played on two teams, with team members sitting on opposite sides of the board. Four pieces per player, with the colors red, black, yellow, and green. Six cowrie shells used as dice: five are white and one is yellow. The number of the mouths which are face-up determine the value of the throw, except for a throw of 3 when one of the cowries with the mouth down is the yellow one, in which case the throw is known as So-hatara, and counts as 4, but allows special moves because it is actually considered four individual throws of 1. When the player throws 1, 5, or So-hatara, the player receives an extra throw. The throws are added up at the end of each sequence of throws. and the total is played. A 1, 5, or So-hatara must be thrown to enter a piece on the board. The entirety of a throw must be used to move one piece, but separate throws in a turn can each be used individually to move a different piece. This does not apply when So-hatara is one of the throws; in this case, the total of the throw can be subdivided however the player sees fit. Pieces enter the board from the center, moving down the central track of their arm, then in an anti-clockwise direction around the board, and then back up the central row of their arm of the board to the central square. players may not move beyond a piece of the opposing team, unless they have thrown So-hatara. In this case, a piece moving beyond an opponent's piece sends the opponent's piece back to start. If a player lands on a space occupied by a piece of the opposing team, the opponent's piece is sent back to start. If two of the opponent's pieces are on this space, they both are sent back to start, but may both reenter with a throw ordinarily applied to reenter one piece. Pieces resting on the corner spaces between the arms of the cross cannot be sent to start in any circumstance. When pieces reach the central row of their arm, they may only proceed along it one space at a time, with a throw of 1 or So-hatara. They are placed on their side when moving up this row. The first team who places all of their pieces in the central square wins.
Content Detailed description of the rules of Asi Keliya as played in Sri Lanka by Parker 1909: 614-617.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.1487
Type Ethnography
Game Tayam Sonalu
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules Four 3x8 rectangles, arranged in a cross shape around large central square. Four players. Four pieces per player, which begin in the central square. Two rectangular four-sided die, each marked as follows: 0, 1, 2, 4. When the throw is 0 and 1, the throw is called Tayam, when it is 0 and 4 it is called Sonal. Pieces enter the board in the from the central square onto the central row of their arm of the board, proceed down the central row, and then in an anti-clockwise direction around the circumference of the board, and back up the central row of their arm of the board, having to enter the central square with an exact throw. The first counter of each player must be entered with a throw of Tayam. After this, pieces may be entered with a throw of 1, 5, or Sonal, each of which enter the piece on the first square of the central row of their arm. These three throws also grant the player another throw. The throws made after entering a piece are made at once, and then the pieces moved afterward, the undivided value of each throw being used to move a piece. When a piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to start. If the opponent has two pieces on such a space, they both are sent back to start, but both may reenter the board with a single throw of 1, 5, or Sonal. Pieces cannot move past the pieces of the opposing team, but can move past pieces of their own team. The first team to place all of their pieces in the central square wins.
Content Detailed description of the rules of Tayam Sonalu in Parker 1909: 617-618.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.1488
Type Ethnography
Game Pachih
Location Aceh
Date 1906-01-01 - 1906-12-31
Rules Four 3x8 rectangles, arranged in a cross shape around a large central square. The third space, counting from the outer corner, in the two outer rows of each arm of the board are marked with an "X." Two to four players. Four pieces per player. Seven cowrie shells used as dice, the throws as follows: Zero mouths up = 7; one = 10; two = 2; three = 3; four = 4; five = 25; six =30; seven = 14. Throws of 7, 25, 30, and 14 receive an extra throw. Three total throws is the maximum allowed. Pieces begin the game on the top square of the central row of the player's arm of the board. Pieces progress down the central row, then anti-clockwise around the circumference of the board, then up the central row again, to the central space. When a player's piece lands on a spot occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to the starting space. Pieces resting on a marked space cannot be sent back to start; in this case the player's piece as well as the opponent's piece may occupy this space. The first player to bring all four of their pieces to the central space wins.
Content Description of Pachih as played in Aceh in Snouck-Huronje 1906: 201-203. Said to be a favourite game among men.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Snouck Hurgronje, C. 1906. The Acehnese. trans. by A. W. S. O’Sullivan. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.1489
Type Ethnography
Game Merimuëng-rimuëng
Location Aceh
Date 1906-01-01 - 1906-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in the four quadrants of the board. Two triangles, their apices intersecting the main board at opposite midpoints. The bast of the triangle is bisected by a line drawn from the apex, and this line is bisected and intersects with the other two sides of the triangle. one player plays as two tigers, which start on the central point. The other player has 23 sheep, eight of which start on the board, on the points immediately adjacent to the tigers. Pieces move one space along the lines to an empty adjacent spot. The tigers may capture an unbroken line of sheep in one direction, provided there is an unoccupied space at the opposite end of the line. The player with the sheep replaces any captured sheep from those remaining in their hand. The tigers win when they capture all of the sheep; the sheep win when they block the tigers from being able to move.
Content "Certain other games...are known in Aceh until the generic name of merimuëng-rimuëng ("tiger game")...The ruiles of the Acehnese tiger-game are as follows. The two tigers are placed at A, and the eight sheep at B, C, etc. to I, while the player keeps fifteen more sheep one of which he puts on the board whenever one of those in play is killed. Each moves in turn along the lines of the figure. The tiger may take a sheep each time in any direction or even 3, 5, or 7 from one side of the figure to the other, as for example from K to L or from M to N." Snouck-Hurgronje 1906: 203-204.
Confidence 100
Source Snouck Hurgronje, C. 1906. The Acehnese. trans. by A. W. S. O’Sullivan. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.1490
Type Ethnography
Game Meurimuëng-rimuëng Peuët Ploh
Location Aceh
Date 1906-01-01 - 1906-12-31
Rules 9x9 intersecting lines, with diagonals darn in every 4x4 square formed.Forty pieces per player, palced on the board with the central space unoccupied. Players alternate turns moving one piece to an empty adjacent spot. They may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it. Multiple hops in one turn are allowed, but not required. The first person to capture all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "The third game is called "meurimuëng-rimuëng peuët ploh" ("tiger game played with forty") as each player puts forty pieces on the board and the pusat (navel) A remains unoccupied. The players may move and take in every direction and so eventually win, though no one is obliged to take if another move appears more advantageous." Snouck-Hurgronje 1906: 204.
Confidence 100
Source Snouck Hurgronje, C. 1906. The Acehnese. trans. by A. W. S. O’Sullivan. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.1491
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Daldøs
Location 56°58'3.93"N, 8°29'8.39"E
Date 1855-01-01 - 1927-12-31
Rules Three-row board, outer rows with sixteen holes and the central with seventeen. Sixteen pieces per player, which start the board in each of the holes in the outer row belonging to a player. Two four-sided dice. Players move their pieces according to the throws of the dice, moving one piece the value of one of the dice and another the value of the other die, or one piece the value of both dice. Players move from their row into the central row, and when reaching the end of the central row, proceed into the opponent's row. Opponent's pieces are taaken when a player's piece lands in the same spot as the opponent's piece. Players may not move one of their pieces past one of their other pieces.
Content Detailed account of the rules and board of Daldøs as played in Thisted, Denmark, by Marie Katrine Bille, an elderly woman who had played the game as a child. Jansen 1927: 98-100.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder
Genders Female
Source Jansen, H. 1927. "Daldøs." Danske Studier, 97-100.
Id DLP.Evidence.1492
Type Artifact
Game Daldøs
Location 56°53'20.71"N, 8°47'33.35"E
Date 1831-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules Three row board, sixteen in the outer rows and seventeen in the central. Sixteen pieces per player.
Content Wooden Daldøs board owned by school teacher Mads Christian Søndergaard (1831-1900), in the Danish National Museum (3806/1955) in Brede. Three row board, sixteen in the outer rows and seventeen in the central. Sixteen pieces per player. Michaelsen 2001: Fig. 2.
Confidence 100
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Michaelsen, P. 2001. "Daldøs: An almost Forgotten Dice Board Game." Board Game Studies 4: 19-31.
Id DLP.Evidence.1493
Type Artifact
Game Daldøs
Location 56°58'3.93"N, 8°29'8.39"E
Date 1850-01-01 - 1860-12-31
Rules Rules Three row board, sixteen in the outer rows and seventeen in the central. Sixteen pieces per player. Two four-sided dice, marked A, 2, 3, 4.
Content Wooden Daldøs board owned by Marie Katrine Bille, in the Thisted Museum; made in 1850-1860. Three row board, sixteen in the outer rows and seventeen in the central. Sixteen pieces per player. Two four-sided dice, marked A,2, 3, 4. Michaelsen 2001: Fig. 1.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder, Adult
Genders Female
Source Michaelsen, P. 2001. "Daldøs: An almost Forgotten Dice Board Game." Board Game Studies 4: 19-31.
Id DLP.Evidence.1494
Type Contemporary text
Game Daldøs
Location Bornholm
Date 1908-01-01 - 1908-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content "Daldos, kun i Talemaaden: spilla daldos, leve over Evne,
slaae stort paa" Espersen 1908: 46.
Confidence 100
Source Espersen, J. 1908. Bornholmsk Odbog. Copenhagen: Bianco Lunos Bogtrykkeri.
Id DLP.Evidence.1495
Type Contemporary text
Game Daldøs
Location Fano
Date 1886-01-01 - 1886-12-31
Rules Name of game. Two players. Played with dice. Pieces placed on the board in holes.
Content "daldøs, no. daldøs (Fanø) spilles på oen d--braet, med taerninger, mellem to partier, som har forskellig maerkede småpinde i huller på braettet." Feilberg 1886: 174.
Confidence 100
Source Feilberg, H. 1886. Bidrag til en Ordbog over Jyske Almuesmål. Copenhagen: Thieles Bogtrykkeri.
Id DLP.Evidence.1496
Type Ethnography
Game Sáhkku
Location 70°20'57.45"N, 26°31'22.78"E
Date 1950-01-01 - 2001-04-30
Rules 3x15 board, with the central spot marked. Fifteen pieces per player, arranged along the outer two rows of the board. Three four-sided dice, marked: X (=sáhkku; counts as 1), 2, 3, and blank, =0. To move, a player must throw three sáhkku with the three dice; they are given three throws to do so and may set aside any dice on which they throw sáhkku. Doing so activates a piece, which may then move according to the throws of the dice. The three throws of sáhkku may be used to activate up to three pieces, and use the remainder to move as normal. Dice throws can be used individually for different pieces, or all be used for one piece, but the values of single dice cannot be subdivided. Pieces move along the track, from left to right in their home row, right to left down the central row, left to right in the opponent's home row, right to left down the central row, and then back to the player's home row. When a piece lands on a spot occupied by the opponent's piece(s) which has been activated, the opponent's piece(s) are captured. The first player to reach the spot with the Gonagas controls it. The Gonagas may move orthogonally in any direction according to the throws of the dice. It cannot change direction while moving the value of one of the dice. If the opponent lands on the space with the Gonagas, the opponent then controls the Gonagas. There are two ways to win: by capturing all of the opponent's pieces, or by moving the king or another piece just to the right of the line of unactivated pieces in the opponent's home row. When all of the opponent's activated pieces have been captured, and the opponent's unactivated pieces remain blocked in this way, the player wins.
Content Detailed description of rules and Sáhkku boards as played by Edmund Johansen, a Sea Sámi man who had actively played the game since the 1950s. Borvo 2001: 49-56.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Elder, Adolescent, Adult
Genders Male
Source Borvo, A. 2001. "Sáhkku, The 'Devil's Game.'" Board Game Studies 4: 33-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.1497
Type Ethnography
Game Sáhkku
Location Finnmark
Date 1871-01-01 - 1871-12-31
Rules 3x15 board, 15 pieces per player, one king piece, three dice. Dice marked X=5, 2, 3, blank. Pieces move along the track, from left to right in their home row, right to left down the central row, left to right in the opponent's home row.When a piece lands on a spot occupied by the opponent's piece(s) which has been activated, the opponent's piece(s) are captured. The first player to reach the spot with the Gonagas controls it. The Gonagas may move orthogonally in any direction according to the throws of the dice. It cannot change direction while moving the value of one of the dice. If the opponent lands on the space with the Gonagas, the opponent then controls the Gonagas.
Content "Lapperne i Finmarken have i seldre Tider forn^iet
sig dels med forskjellige Lege, dels ogsaa med etSpil, som de endnu kjende, og kalde sakku. Det har nogen Lighed med Schak. Maaske endog Benaevnelserne ere beslaegtede. Det lappiske sakku spilles ved Hjselp af Terninger. Brikkerne eller Figurerne No. 1 kaldes olbmak, (Msend). Disse ere 15
i Tallet samt opstilles paa
Punkterne 1—15. Brikkerne No.
2 kaldes galgok, (Kjserringer),
og ere ligeledes 15 i Tallet samt
opstilles paa Punkterne 31—45.
Figuren No. 3 — eller den st0rste
af Brikkerne — kaldes gonagas,
(Konge), og opstilles paa 23. De øvrige Figurer ere
bircuk, Terninger, som kastes, hvorefter Brikkerne
flyttes saamange Nummere, som Terningernes Valeur
viser. Hver Ternings Valeur er f0lgende: Den Side
af Terningen, som er betegnet med et Kors, og som tillige
pleier at farves sort, kaldes sakku og udgj0r 5 Points,
samt bestemmer ikke alene ved f^rste Kast, hvilken
Part gonagas eller Kongen tilfalder, men er tillige
Betingelsen, uden hvilken ingen Brikke kan flyttes fra sin første Plads, saaledes at, naar ved Terningkastet
ingen sakku erholdes, kan ingen Brikke flyttes, men
er en Brikke først engang vedHjaelp af sakku flyttet
fra sin første Plads, kan den flyttes videre, selv om
sakku ikke kommerop. De øvrige Siders Valeur an-
gives ved de Streger, de have, saaledes at f. Ex. Siden
med 3 Streger bringer Brikken 3 Points frem, o. s. v. Den
Side af Terningerne, som ikkehar nogenStreg, gjselder
OPoint. Brikkerne flyttespaafølgendeMaade: Olbmak
gaa fra 1 til 16 og derfra henad Linien til 30, derfra
til 45 og vider.e til 31, herfra igjen til 16, fremdeles
til 30, herfra til 15, videre til 1, o. s. v. efter samme
Regel. Brikkerne galgok flyttes i modsat Retning
eller fra 45—30, videre i Linien til 16, derfra til 1
o. s. v. De af Modpartens Brikker, som staa saa-
ledes, at man ved de opkomne Terningers Point-Valeur
kan med sin Brikke „slaa" eller staa paa samme Punkt
som Modpartfcns Brikke, borttages, idet den Part, hvis
Brikker paa denne Maade f0rst blive slagne, taber
Spillet. Kongen tilfalder den, som ved Terningkast
f0rst faar sakku, og kan derefter flyttes baade frem
og tilbage eller til Høire og Venstre, dog at den ei
flyttes flere Punkter, end Terningerne udvise Points. Brikkerne kunne for0vrigt flyttes frem paa flere
Maader, enten saaledes, at alle 3 Terningers Valeur
lsegges sammen, og kun en enkelt Brikke flyttes saa-
mange Punkter, som Summen af Terningerne udgj0r y
eller ogsaa kan flere Brikker flyttes, med Iagttagelse
af, at der ei flyttes flere Points end Summen af de op-
slagne Terninger, og at aldrig nogen ny Brikke flyttes
fra sin f^rste Plads, medmindre man for hver saadan
har en sakku ved Terningkastet. Exempel :
Naar Brikkerne ere opstillede, som forud anført, kastes med 1 Terning om, hvilken af Parterne f0rst
faar sakku eller den medKors betegnede Side af Ternin-
gen, da det tilkommer denne at have Kongen og Turen
at kaste først. Siden kastes med alle 3Terninger, og om f.
Ex. da erholdes Siderne No. 6 paa en Tserning, No. 5 paa
den andenogatterNo. 6 paa dentredie,hvilke ( alle tilsam-
men udgjøre 13 Points, — flyttes enten Kongen alene til 43,
som er begge Sakkuernes tilsammenlagte Points 10, og
derefter for 3die Terning 3 Points til 40, idet de af
Modpartens Brikker, som stode paa 40 og 43, bortta-
ges som slagne, — eller ogsaa kan Brikken 1 fiyttes
for den ene Sakku og Brikken 2 for den anden Sakku,
og de resterende 11 Points flyttes enten med den ene
af disse Brikker eller med begge, kun at ingen af dem
flyttes mere end de to Sakkuers resterende 8 Points,
da den anden derhos kan flyttes for den 3die Ternings
3 Points. Derefter kaster den anden Part i sin Tur
og flytter efter Omgtsendighederne. Terningkastet sker
altid efter Tur; men har man ei nogen flyttet Brikke
og ved Kastet ikke faar Sakku paa nogen Terning,
kan man ei flytte nogen Brikke, hvorimod den anden
Part kaster sin Tur o. s. v.
Det er sandsynligt, at Sakkuspillet er meget gam-
melt iblandt Lapperne, uagtet ingen Forfatter hidtil
har beskrevet det; thi alle de Ord, som ved samme bru-
g$s, ere rent lappiske, (undtagen maaske selve Bensev-
nelsen), f. Ex. goddet, draebe, „slaa" eller „tage" en
Brikke; sirddet, flytte, vuoittet, vinde, etc. " Friis 1871: 164-167.
Confidence 100
Source Friis, J. 1871. Lappisk Mythologi, Eventyr og Folkesagn. Copenhagen: Forlagt Af Alb. Cammermeyer.
Id DLP.Evidence.1498
Type Artifact
Game Sáhkku
Location 70° 9'2.88"N, 28°51'55.17"E
Date 1906-01-01 - 1906-12-31
Rules 3x15 board, with the central spot marked. Fifteen pieces per player,plus one extra larger piece. Central spot is marked. Three four-sided dice, marked: X 2, 3, and blank, =0.
Content Wooden Sáhkku board given to the Ethnografisk Museum in Oslo by Isak Saba from Nesseby., 3x15 board, with the central spot marked. Fifteen pieces per player, plus one extra larger piece. Central spot is marked. Three four-sided dice, marked: X 2, 3, and blank, =0. Borvo 2001: Fig. 2.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Borvo, A. 2001. "Sáhkku, The 'Devil's Game.'" Board Game Studies 4: 33-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.1499
Type Ethnography
Game Daldøsa
Location Jaeren
Date 2001-01-01 - 2001-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, with the outer rows of holes slightly curved to form the appearance of an arc. Twelve pieces per player, which start the board in each of the holes in the outer row belonging to a player. Two four-sided dice, marked 2-4 and "X" for 1. The throw of double 1s gives the player an extra throw. Players move their pieces according to the throws of the dice, moving one piece the value of one of the dice and another the value of the other die, or one piece the value of both dice. A piece cannot be moved until it is "activated" with a throw of 1. When a piece is activated, it is rotated 90 degrees and moved one space. One player moves from left to right in their row into the central row, moving right to left down it and when reaching the end of the central row, proceed into the opponent's row, and move from left to right in it, returning to the central row upon reaching the end. The opponent follows the same track, except moving from right to left in their row. Opponent's pieces are taken when a player's piece lands in the same spot as the opponent's piece. When in the opponent's row, the player my captured as many pieces of the opponent as hypothetically allowed by the dice. Players may not move one of their pieces past one of their other pieces. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Description and discussion of Daldøsa and its history. Næsheim 2001.
Confidence 100
Source Næsheim, A. 2001. Daldøsa: An old Dice Game with an Obscure Origin. Board Game Studies 4: 9-14.
Id DLP.Evidence.1500
Type Ethnography
Game Daldøsa
Location 58°36'32.52"N, 5°38'31.51"E
Date 1900-01-01 - 1915-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, with the outer rows of holes slightly curved to form the appearance of an arc. Twelve pieces per player, which start the board in each of the holes in the outer row belonging to a player. Two four-sided dice, marked 2-4 and "X" for 1.
Content "Martin Reiestad, who was born in 1900, told us that in his childhood a very old daldøsa board was kept in the attic, and it looked exactly like a boat." With reconstruction drawing. Næsheim 2001: 12, Fig. 4.
Confidence 100
Genders Male
Source Næsheim, A. 2001. Daldøsa: An old Dice Game with an Obscure Origin. Board Game Studies 4: 9-14.
Id DLP.Evidence.1501
Type Ethnography
Game At-Tab wa-d-Dukk
Location Palestine; Arabia
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 4x13, 19, 21, or 29 board. The number of pieces per player equals the number of spaces in a row, which begin the game arrayed in the outer rows of the board. Four sticks, each with a white side and a yellow side. Throws equal the number of white sides which fall up; when only yellow sides are up the throw equals 6. A throw of 1, 4, or 6 grants another throw to the player. Players perform all of their throws first, and then move pieces according to the values of the throws without subdividing the value of a single throw. Players cannot move their pieces until the throw a 1. Pieces cannot move past one another in the home row. Each piece in the home row must individually be unlocked with a throw of 1 before it can move. In the central rows, when two of a player's pieces land on the same spot, they become a king and can be moved as one piece. There is no limit to the number of pieces in the king. They may be uncoupled with a throw of 1, or another throw which removes that number of pieces from the king. When a player's piece lands in a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board. Play progresses from left to right in the player's home row, and then from right to left in the second row, left to right in the third row, and then right to left in the opponent's row. When a piece enters the opponent's row, it cannot move if there are other pieces which can be moved. The player to capture the most of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Detailed description of Tab al-Qasab from Hyde's De Ludis Orientalibus.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.1502
Type Ethnography
Game At-Tab wa-d-Dukk
Location 30° 2'29.49"N, 31°13'56.00"E
Date 1762-01-01 - 1762-12-31
Rules 4x21 board. Each player with as many pieces as there are spaces in one row. Pieces begin in the outer rows of the board. Four sticks used as dice, black on one side, white on the other. Throws equal the number of black sides which fall up; when only white sides are up the throw equals 6. A throw of 1, 4, or 6 grants another throw to the player. Each piece in the home row must individually be unlocked with a throw of 1 before it can move. Play progresses from left to right in the player's home row, and then from right to left in the second row, left to right in the third row, and then right to left in the opponent's row.
Content Description of the rules of Tab wa Dukk, as played by a Maronite in Cairo. Nieburh 1774: 172-173.
Confidence 100
Source Niebuhr, C. 1774. Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern. Copenhagen: Nicolaus Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.1503
Type Contemporary text
Game At-Tab wa-d-Dukk
Location 30° 2'29.49"N, 31°13'56.00"E
Date 1523-01-01 - 1566-12-31
Rules Name of the game, four sticks as dice.
Content "Ibn Hajar al Haytami refers to at-tab wa-d-dukk in these words: "Forbidden is the game called by the common people at-tab wa-d-dukk, for it depends on what is brought out by the four rods (qasabat). there is some possible reservation (as to its being forbidden), if it is dree from gambling and foolishness, but it leads to them." Rosenthal 1975: 44-45.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Rosenthal, F. 1975. Gambling in Islam. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.1504
Type Contemporary text
Game At-Tab wa-d-Dukk
Location 30° 2'29.49"N, 31°13'56.00"E
Date 1248-01-01 - 1310-12-31
Rules Name of the game
Content "Apparently, the oldest preserved reference to it is to be found in a long poem by Ibn Daniyal (d. 710/1310): And I fell in love with the boys, then reverted/to being young, till I went back to grade school./ Every fawn intoxicates and thus kills his lover,/When he gives him the wine of spittle to drink./ I studied cheating, till I/ became the imam of dice (ki'ab) playing./ Then I gambled among them with date pits./ And with d-dukk at times and at-tab." Rosenthal 1975: 45.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Male
Source Rosenthal, F. 1975. Gambling in Islam. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.1505
Type Ethnography
Game Tablan
Location 12°17'44.92"N, 76°38'21.77"E
Date 1979-01-01 - 1979-12-31
Rules 4x12 board. Twelve pieces per player. Pieces begin in the outer rows of the board. Four sticks serve as dice, painted on one side and blank on the other. The throws are as follows: one black side up = 2; two blank sides up = 0; three bank sides up = 0; four blank sides up = 8; four painted sides up = 12. Throws of 2, 8, and 12 give the player another throw. Players must use each throw to move a piece. They may only subdivide a throw in half to move two pieces, otherwise they must use one full throw to move a piece. The first move for each piece must be a throw of 2. This can be divided into two throws of 1 to move two pieces. Play moves from left to right in the player's home row, from right to left in the second row, left to right in the third row, and right to left in the opponent's home row. When a piece enters the opponent's home row, it can no longer move. When a player's piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is captured. A player may not land on the same space as another of the player's pieces. Entering the opponent's home row must be done consecutively; I.e., the first piece which enters it must land on the rightmost space, the second piece on the next space to the left of the previous, and so on. The player which fills up the most of the opponent's home row wins.
Content Detailed description of Tablan rules in Bell 1979: 87-89. Said to still have been played in some of the villages in Mysore in south-west India.
Confidence 100
Source Bell, R.C. 1979. Board and Table Games from Many Civilizations. New York: Dover.
Id DLP.Evidence.1506
Type Ethnography
Game Sig (Rehamna)
Location Rehamna
Date 1905-01-01 - 1905-12-31
Rules 4x12 board. Twelve pieces per player, arranged on the outer rows of the board. Six sticks, round on one side and flat on the other, used as dice. Throw of one single side and five of the other side = 1. A throw of 1 is required for each piece's first move. Players may capture their opponent's pieces. Players win after capturing opponent's pieces and moving their own pieces into the opponent's row.
Content "Une d'entre eux, qui est particulièrement developpé chez les Rehâmna, est le sig: et il est bien remarquable que ce soit seulement pendant le Ramdan que l'on joue à ce jeu; nous ignorons la raison de cet exclusivisme. Chaque joueur a devant lui deux rangées de trous; douze pierres circulent dans ces trous, suivant des règles assez compliquées et qu'on nous dispensera d'expliquer; le jeu consiste à faire passer ses pions dans le camp de l'adversaire. Pour cela on les fait avancer d'un certain nombre de cases, suivant le nombre de points qu'on obtient en tirant au sort avant chaque coup avec des fragments fe roseau ou de "klekh." Ces morceaux de bois remplacent les dés; on en a six qu'on lance en l'air et on observe la façon dont ils retombent:...s'il y en a cinq sur la face convexe et une sur la face concave ou un sur la face convexe et cinq sur la face concave, c'est le sig;...Le meiileur coup est un sig, qui même de suite à la quatorzième case. Le jeu finit quand on a wenvalu toutes les cases de l'adversaire en lui prenant ses pièces." Doutté 1905: 326-327.
Confidence 100
Source Doutté, E. 1905. Merrâkech. Paris: Comité du Maroc.
Id DLP.Evidence.1507
Type Ethnography
Game Sig (Mzab)
Location Mzab
Date 1927-01-01 - 1927-12-31
Rules Four rows of holes, of any numnber. Each player has as many pieces as are in one row. The pieces start in the outer row of the board for each player. Dix sticks used as dice, with a green side and a white side. The throws are as follows: one white up = 0; two white up = 2; three white up = 1; four white up = 4; five white up = 0; zero white or six white up = 6. Each piece's first move must be with a throw of 1 or 6. This first throw moves the piece one space only. Play moves from left to right in the player's home row, from right to left in the second row, left to right in the third row, and right to left in the opponent's home row. When a player's piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Le sIg passionne les joueurs : il est l’occasion de. disputes interminables
et l’on ne s’en lasse pas. Il se joue en deux camps, qesm, pluriel qsüm, de
deux, quatre ou six joueurs ; l’un prenant pour pions, jrâ -, des cailloux, et l’autre de petits morceaux de bois ou de papier. Le matériel commun se
compose : de six bâtonnets, sIg (collectif sans pluriel), taillés dans la ner-
vure centrale d’une palme, jerld, de manière à présenter un côté vert et un
côté blanc ; d’un petit tas de sable rectangulaire séparé en compartiments,
les maisons, dâr pluriel diyâr Le nombre des maisons et celui des pions
varie au gré des joueurs. Le succès de ceux-ci repose sur les avantages concédés aux différentes figures que forment en tombant les bâtonnets jetés en
l’air :
Le sIg, trois blancs et trois verts, permet d’avancer d’une maison ;
Le ‘üd, deux blancs et quatre verts, permet d’avancer de deux maisons ;
Le tlâta, cinq blancs et un vert, n’avance pas ;
Le arba L a, quatre blancs et deux verts, de quatre maisons ;
Le sitta, tous blancs ou tous verts, de six maisons ;
Un bâtonnet tombé moitié blanc moitié vert est dit hâïf, il compte pour
blanc.
Chaque joueur a droit à un coup, sauf s’il amène sïg, qui lui en octroie un
nouveau. Celui qui n’amène aucune des cinq figures ci-dessus est dit hànes.
Le joueur désigné par le sort commence. Il n’a le droit d’avancer ses pions
que s’il amène sig ou sitta, en ce cas il place le premier pion de son camp
dans la première maison ; les autres, qui ne sont pas entrés et demeurent en
expectative sur le seuil des maisons, avancent tous d’une case. A mesure que
les deux camps avancent, il se produit des collisions ; un pion est mort
quand l’adversaire en place un autre dans la maison qu’il occupait. Lorsqu’un pion est sorti de la série des maisons, il continue son chemin à l’extérieur, sur les seuils de l’adversaire et tue les pions qui ne sont pas encore
entrés. Le camp qui a tué tous les pions de l’adversaire est vainqueur." Goichon 1927: 60-61
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Male
Source Goichon, A. 1927. La vie féminine au Mzab. Paris: Paul Geuthner.
Id DLP.Evidence.1508
Type Ethnography
Game Sig (Tozeur)
Location 33°55'6.66"N, 8° 7'22.42"E
Date 1988-01-01 - 1988-12-31
Rules 4x13 board. Thirteen pieces per player, arranged on the outer rows of the board. Played with six sticks which function as dice. Pieces move according to the throws of the dice. Play progresses from left to right in the player's home row, and then from right to left in the second row, left to right in the third row, and then right to left in the opponent's row. A throw of 1 is required for each piece to being moving it. When a player's piece lands on a space occupied by a piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is captured. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Le sig de Tozeur (fig 8) se présente de même, à quelques détails près: six bˆåtonnets au lieu de huit . La similitude avec le sig mauritanien est saisissante. Jai pu moi-même avoir une idée sur ce sujet lors d'un terrain effectué en 1988 avec l'équipe de l'INAA. Nos informateurs de Tozeur n'ont pas fait mention d'une autre version de sig. Il reste que la portée de ce silence serait à vérifier." Gana 1991: 191.
Confidence 100
Source Gana, K. 1991. "De la transculturalité des figures ludiques." IBLA: révue de l'Institut des Belles Lettres Arabes 54 (168): 179-202.
Id DLP.Evidence.1509
Type Ethnography
Game Bheri Bakhri
Location Garhwal
Date 1926-10-01 - 1926-10-31
Rules 3x8 board. Eight pieces per player, which start in the spaces of the outer rows of the board. Four cowrie shells used as dice, the number of mouths face up being the value of the throw. A throw of 1 grants the player another throw. A player must throw 1 for the first move of each of their pieces. Players may only play with one piece out of the home row at a time and cannot move the next of their pieces until the piece being played has been captured. Throws of 1 must be used to move a piece in the home row, if possible. Pieces move from left to right in the player's home row, then from right to left in the central row, left to right in the opponent's home row, and right to left in the central row. When a piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is captured. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Bheri-Bakri. The game of bheri-bakri (sheep and goat) is played two
persons with 16 pieces equally divided between them and 4
pieces of cowries for the purpose of throw. The 16 pieces re-
present the sheep and the goats and those representing the
goats are usually of a white colour and those representing the
sheep are usually of a black colour. By means of the vertical
and the horizontal lines the rectangular-diagram used for the
play is divided into 24 compartments and of them 8 belong to
each player as shown above. The pieces are arranged in the
order as indicated in the diagram and their movement is
regulated by the result of the throw of the cowries, the result
being described as poa, do, tin ot car — i,e., the number of
points gained— according as the number of , cowries which show
their mouths up after each throw is one, two, three, or four.
When no cowrie shows its mouth up after a throw, the player
gets no point to his credit. After the players have arranged
their, pieces in the way as indicated above, in the diagram, they
begin to throw the cowries and when a player gets a poa to his
credit, he is able to remove the piece- lying in the compartment
marked , 8 to the next one lying in the - middle row which
,ay. be distinguished as the neutral row. After, a piece
has been moved from its original compartment to that in the
neutral row, a player (say A) can move it from one compartment to another, the number of movements being regulated by
the number of points gained, i.e. if he has 3 points in his
favour, his piece will occupy the. third compartment unless it
is already occupied by a piece of his adversary E in which case
the latter piece will be captured by A whose piece will now
occupy the compartment thus made vacant. Whoever of the
two players succeeds in capturing all the pieces belonging to
his adversary is the winner. The rules that have to be observed while playing this game are the following: —
1. A player who has a poa to his credit is entitled to have
a second throw of the cowries.
2. When there is no point to the credit of a player, i.e.,
when the mouth of no cowrie is seen after a throw, the next
throw passes on to his adversary.
3. One player can play only with one piece at a time i.e.,
the piece occupying the compartment No. 8 has to be brought
out first and must be captured by the other player before the
former player can bring out the piece occupying the 7th compartment of Ms own row.
4. For all points of one, i.e., poa, the requirements of the
pieces lying within the player’s own row of compartments must
be satisfied first and before all the pieces have been shifted from
one compartment to another, the piece which is out of the
player’s row of compartments may not be moved for a throw
that gives to the player credit for one point only, i.e., poa.
5. No piece may be moved from its original compartment
unless the player to whom the compartment belongs has got
a pod to his credit. Thus if the piece No. 8 belonging to a
player foe captured and if the piece No 7 has not been
previously shifted by him owing to his not having secured
already a pod necessary for the purpose, it (the piece No. 7)
shall be moved only when he succeeds in getting a pod to his
credit and the other throws in the interval, canning other
values, are of no avail to him.
6. A player’s piece, when out of his own row of compartments, has to be moved from right to left in the neutral row
and from left to right in that of his adversary. It can never
be made to enter the player’s own row but must be moved
only in the other two rows spirally in the directions as mentioned above and also indicated in the diagram.
7. The pieces of the player are to be moved gradually
from a lower number to a higher one and to the neutral zone
only from the compartment marked 8. " Das Gupta 1927: 298-299.
Confidence 100
Source Das-Gupta, H. 1927. "Two Types of Sedentary Games Prevalent in British Garhwal." Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 23: 297-299.
Id DLP.Evidence.1510
Type Ethnography
Game Bagh Batti
Location Garhwal
Date 1926-10-01 - 1926-10-31
Rules 5x5 board, played on intersections, with diagonals for each quadrant of the board. One player plays with two tiger pieces, placed on the midpoints of two opposite sides. The other player plays with twenty goats, divided into four stacks of five, placed in the center of each quadrant. The goats move first. Goats may move one at a time to any adjacent vacant spot. More than one goat can be placed on the goats' starting spots, but not elsewhere. The tiger moves in the same manner, but also may capture a piece by hopping over it. Multiple captures can be made on the same turn with subsequent hops, but only the top goat in a stack is captured when a tiger leaps over it. The goal of the goats is to surround the tigers so they cannot move; when one tiger is blocked the other must be blocked on the next turn. The goal of the tigers is to capture all the goats.
Content "Bagh-Batti.
The game of bagh-batti (bagh= tiger and batti=guti=: piece)
is a type of tiger-play and two persons, one of whom is the possessor of two pieces representing two tigers and the other of
twenty pieces or battis, are necessary for playing it. The
twenty pieces are to be placed within the four circles and the
two baghs at the points T as shown in the diagram. The rules
of the game are very similar to those already described by me
in connection with the game known as sher-bakar with this
difference that, in the game of sher-bakar, the number of pieces
is not twenty but nineteen of which fifteen are equally distributed among 3 circles and only four are placed in the fourth.
In all other respects the rules of the two games are the same.
Thus, if the tiger jumps over a circle with more battis than one
and occupies the immediately next vacant cross-point in the-
same line,: only one batti may be captured and for the possessor of the battis to win the game he has to checkmate the two
tigers one immediately after the other." Da-Gupta 1927: 267-298.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1511
Type Ethnography
Game Dèleb
Location Darod
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules Board of intersecting lines: four horizontal and up to 100 vertical. Twenty is typical. Played on two teams with even-numbered players. One piece per vertical line, lined up on the outer rows. Four sticks, white on one side and black on the other, used as dice. The value of the throw is the number of white sides that land face up, when only black are face up, the value is 6. Each player must progress through the following three stages of throws to begin playing. In the first stage, they throw four sticks. A throw of 2 or 3 ends the turn, a throw of 4 or 6 gives another throw. A throw of 1 allows the player to progress to the next stage and to add 1 to their score. In the second stage, the player throws three sticks. If the player throws two or three black, they add 1 to their score and keep throwing, three white up allows the player to add 4 to their score and keep playing; one black face up allows the player to pass to the third stage. In the third stage, the player throws two sticks. If two black are thrown, all of the previously tabulated score is lost, the turn ends and the player must start again from the first stage in their next turn. If the player throws two white, the player scores 4 and reverts back to the second phase. When the player scores one white and one black, the player enters the game and plays the pieces according to their accumulated score. Each piece must be unlocked with a throw of 1 before being moved normally. From this point, players throw all four sticks. Throws of 2 or 3 end the turn, players continue to throw until they receive one of these values. Each throw must be assigned to move a piece and a single throw cannot be subdivided, though separate throws can be assigned to different pieces. Players may choose not to play a throw if they wish. Throws of 1 must be used to unlock a piece if there are any which are locked. Throws of 1 may also be accumulated and played on a later turn when a player so chooses.Pieces move from left to right in their home row, right to left in the second row, left to right in the third row, right to left in their opponent's home row, returning to the third row and progressing from left to right, then to the second row progressing from right to left, and then back into the home row, proceeding from left to right, and so in a loop. Pieces may not pass the pieces of the opposing team. When a piece lands on the same space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board. When a team's piece lands on a space occupied by another piece of that team, they may choose to move both pieces as one. They may decouple these pieces with a throw of 1. If a player has been unable to progress through the opening throws and all the pieces belonging to the team have been unlocked, they are no longer required to progress through those stages, but the only throws they use are those of 1. The team that captures all the pieces of the opposing team wins.
Content Deailed description of Dèleb in Marin 1931: 508-510.
Confidence 100
Source Marin, G. 1931. Somali Games. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 61: 499-511.
Id DLP.Evidence.1512
Type Ethnography
Game Sig (Western Sahara)
Location 26°44'30.68"N, 11°40'42.12"W
Date 1993-01-01 - 1993-12-31
Rules 4x20-25 board. Player on two teams of two players. Each team has a number of pieces which are equal to the number of holes in one of the rows. Pieces baring in the outer rows of the board. Eight sticks used as dice, painted red on one side. The throws are as follows: All sides of one color = 8; seven of one color = 1; six of one color = 6; five of one color = 5; four of one color= 4. Throws of 4 and 1 allow the player another throw. Pieces are moved after the throws are made. Each throw must be used to move a piece; the value of a throw cannot be subdivided between pieces. PIeces move from left to right in the team's home row, the right to left in the second row, left to right in the third row, and then right to left in the opposing team's home row. Pieces may not move past other pieces belonging to the team, but may move past the opponent's pieces. Then a piece lands in a spot occupied by a piece belonging to the opposing team, the opposing team's piece is captured. Once a player places their pieces in the opponent's home row, they cannot be taken. The team continue until all of the pieces are in the opponents' home rows, and the team with the most remaining pieces wins.
Content "sig du Sahara occidental (inédit)
Ces règles ont été recueillies à Ekaterinbourg (Russie) en 1993 par le Pr. Alexey Lobashev – que je remercie pour cette contribution – auprès d’un de ses élèves, Mohammed Lamin Salik, de Smara (Sahara occidental), alors âgé de 23 ans. Je livre ici cette description inédite (traduite en français):
“Le jeu est joué par des adultes (hommes et femmes) et parfois par des adolescents.
Il se joue avec 8 bâtonnets-dés. Un bâtonnet s’appelle siga, sig étant le pluriel de siga. Chaque bâtonnet fait environ 25 cm de long. L’épaisseur d’une baguette entière, avec laquelle on fait deux bâtonnets-dés, est à peu près celle d’un doigt. La baguette est fendue non pas par le milieu mais tout du long.
Le côté plat du bâtonnet est peint en rouge. Sur l’autre face, l’écorce est ôtée et le bâtonnet garde sa couleur naturelle. Le jeu est joué à quatre, deux contre deux. Il est fréquent qu’une équipe utilise des allumettes et l’autre, des cailloux.
Le tablier du jeu est fait de sable et a la forme d’une tuile canal à rebords [fig. 8]. Ce tablier a la largeur d’un bâtonnet-dé. Sur cette ‘tuile’, on trace des lignes parallèles avec deux doigts [voir photo fig. 3]. Malheureusement, ni mon informateur ni ses camarades étudiants à Moscou n’ont pu se rappeler le nombre exact de lignes – ils disent environ 20, ou entre 20 et 25. Le long de chaque ligne, 4 trous sont faits avec le doigt à égale distance – deux trous sont faits sur les rebords et deux autres sur le sommet de la ‘tuile’.
Des allumettes sont placées dans tous les trous de la rangée extérieure d’un rebord et des cailloux sont posés dans tous les trous de la rangée extérieure de l’autre côté. Les joueurs s’assoient l’un en face de l’autre de part et d’autre du tablier afin de laisser de la place pour lancer les bâtonnets. Le premier à jouer est n’importe quel joueur. Les partenaires d’une même équipe lancent les dés l’un après l’autre, puis vient le tour de la seconde équipe. Les points des dés sont les suivants:
1) Khadzh ou sig – 7 rouges et 1 côté naturel, ou un rouge et 7 côtés opposés;
2) Khmar (traduit par ‘âne’) – 6 rouges et 2 côtés naturels ou 2 rouges et 6 côtés opposés;
3) Bagra (traduit par ‘vache’) – 4 rouges et 4 côtés naturels;
4) Les autres points (3 rouges et 5 naturels ou 5 rouges et 3 naturels, 8 rouges ou 8 naturels) n’ont pas de noms.
Un khadzh permet de rejouer (autant de fois que le khadzh est répété) et donne le droit de déplacer une des pièces en position initiale. Pour différencier les pièces qui ont le droit de se déplacer, celles-ci sont mouillées avec de l’eau. Malheureusement, mon informateur ne peut se rappeler comment un khadzh est utilisé une fois que toutes les pièces d’un camp ont été libérées.
Un ‘âne’ annule le coup précédent et ne permet pas de déplacer des pions, mais per- met de rejouer autant de fois.
Un bagra donne le droit de déplacer une pièce mouillée de 4 cases et permet de rejouer. Les points 8-0 ou 0-8 donnent le droit de déplacer une pièce mouillée de 8 cases, les points 3-5 ou 5-3 donnent le droit de déplacer une pièce mouillée de 5 cases. Par exemple: khadzh, suivi de khmar, puis de bagra, et à nouveau khmar, khadzh, bagra, 3- 5. Le dernier khadzh donne le droit de déplacer une pièce, et si c’est la seule pièce mouillée elle peut être déplacée de 4 cases (grâce au dernier bagra) puis de 5 autres cases à cause du 3-5.
Les pièces se déplacent le long de la rangée où elles étaient initialement posées de la droite vers la gauche, puis elles tournent en zigzag. Si une pièce se pose sur une case déjà occupée par une pièce adverse, cette dernière est ‘tuée’.
Si le point permet de déplacer plusieurs pièces, dans ce cas, on ne peut dépasser ses propres pièces ou occuper des cases que l’on occupe déjà; mais les pièces adverses peu- vent être sautées. Une fois arrivées dans la rangée initiale de l’adversaire, ses propres pièces ne peuvent être capturées. Les pièces qui atteignent la dernière case inoccupée de la rangée adverse y restent. Le vainqueur est l’équipe à qui il reste plus de pièces que l’autre. Il peut y avoir match nul.” Depaulis 2001: 74-76.
Confidence 100
Ages Adolescent, Adult
Genders Female, Male
Source Depaulis, T. 2001. 'Jeux de parcours du monde arabo-musulman (Afrique du Nord et Proche-Orient). Board Games Studies 4: 53-76.
Id DLP.Evidence.1513
Type Ethnography
Game Had
Location Bordj Bou Arreridj
Date 1921-01-01 - 1921-12-31
Rules 3x14 board. Fourteen pieces per player, placed in the outer rows of the board. Two knucklebones used as dice. Players move their pieces according to the throws of the knucklebones. The first player to remove their pieces from the board wins.
Content "Le Had. Pour le jeu de Had, on trace sur une planche une ligne de 55 à 60 centimètres, coupée à distances égales de trois à quatre centimètres par quatorze traits perpendiculaires à la ligne, formant ainsi une arrête sur laquelle, de chaque côté sont placé quatorze jetons, par chacun des adversaires. Puis deux osselets sont lancés en l'air à tour de rôle par les joueurs. Selon les côtés où ils tombent, les osselets indiquent le nombre de points à démarquer de l'arête. Le joueur qui arrive à faire sortir le premier, les quatorze jetons est le vainqueur. " Robert 1921: 66.
Confidence 100
Source Robert, A. 1921. "Jeux et divertissements des indigènes d'Algerie (région de Bordj-bou-Arréridj)." Revue Africaine 306-307: 62-84.
Id DLP.Evidence.1514
Type Rules text
Game Hyvn ætter Hare
Location 55°19'51.07"N, 10° 3'17.28"E
Date 1860-01-01 - 1860-12-31
Rules Square board, divided into eight equal triangles, and a circle around the square, touching it at the corners, One player plays as the hare, the other player as three hounds. Players take turns placing one of their pieces on the board. When a player has placed all their pieces, they move to an adjacent empty spot. When the hounds block the hare from being able to move, the hounds win.
Content "En stor Figur som hosstaaende tegnes paa
Tavlen. For Hare og Hunde bruges Knapper
eller Brikker. Hvert Sted, hvor to eller flere
Linier støder sammen, er et Stade for Hund
eller Hare. Den ene fører Haren, og den
anden de tre Hunde, som skal fange den.
Først sættes Haren paa et Kryds, og for hver
Hund, der sættes ind, flyttes Haren. Saavel
Hare som Hunde maa kun flyttes langs Banen fra et Kryds til
det næste. Naar Haren er indesluttet — som vist paa Tegningen — har Hundene vundet, og de to Spillere bytter Rolle.
Fra Ørsted Sogn o. 1860. M. Kristiansen, 1933." Kristiansen 1937: 30.
Confidence 100
Source Kristiansen, M. 1937. "Gamle Sandsager." Fynsk Hjemstavn: 29-30.
Id DLP.Evidence.1515
Type Contemporary text
Game Haretavl
Location Denmark
Date 1886-01-01 - 1886-12-31
Rules Name of game. Three dogs attempt to trap one hare.
Content "haretavl, no hårtawl et tavlspil, hvor tre hunde skulle fange haren, a traek h; di trak tawl, hårtawl, naer trij hun sku fån aen hår" Feilberg 1886: 558.
Confidence 100
Source Feilberg, H. 1886. Bidrag til en Ordbog over Jyske Almuesmål. Copenhagen: Thieles Bogtrykkeri.
Id DLP.Evidence.1516
Type Contemporary text
Game Haretavl
Location Denmark
Date 1833-01-01 - 1833-12-31
Rules Name of game
Content "Haretavl, et. Ut Slags Spil, m. Brikker; harespil." Molbech 1833: 420.
Confidence 100
Source Molbech, C. 1833. Dansk Ordbog. Copenhagen: Gyldendal.
Id DLP.Evidence.1517
Type Artifact
Game Go
Location 34°30'8.60"N,135°48'24.94"E
Date 0694-01-01 - 0710-12-31
Rules At least 37 pieces.
Content Thirty-0seven Go pieces found. at Fujiwara, Japan. Koichi 2005: 203.
Confidence 100
Source Koichi, M. 2004. "Go: Japan's Siege Game." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel (eds.), Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York: Asia Society, 203-213.
Id DLP.Evidence.1518
Type Ethnography
Game T'uk T'uk
Location West Africa
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules Square grid of 36, 64, 100, or 144 squares. Each player has one piece lined up in each square on opposite sides of the square. Players may move their piece forward or backwards orthogonally any direction. The player who blocks the opponent from being able to move wins.
Content "argot peul = baiser, avec toutes les acceptions de l'argot français. Se joue avec des bâttonets et des crottes, des grains ou des cailloux, sur un damier dessiné dans le sable; ou fait de petites cuvettes, comprenant 6, 8, 10 ou 12 rangées dans chaque sens, les rangées devant être en nombre pair. Une seule rangée de pions pour chaque joueur, ceux-ci étant placés à l'avance sur la rangée de départ. C'est généralement un griot qui propose une partie à un berger, et généreusement il lui accorde le trait. De gros enjeux sont engagés, et tous les artifices d'un bon joueur de bonneteau employés. Cependant, le griot ne triche pas, ce n'est pas nécessaire, il est sûr de gagner, quand il voudra, s'il n'a pas le trait, et à peu près sûr de gagner s'il l'a. Chaque pion puet se déplacer en avant ou en arrière à volonté, et d'autant de cases qu;il lui plait, mais ne peut pas sauter par-dessus le pion du partenaire. A gagné qui arrive à bloquer tous les pions du partenaire. Entre deux joueurs non initiés, la partie durera très longtemps, et, après d'innombrables aller-retour des pièces, sera gagnée par le plus malin. Si le joueur initié n'as pas le trait, il est sûr de gagner, tous ses pions fussent-ils bloqués, sauf deux. Le jeu est très facile à suivre si, au lieu d'en considérer l'ensemble, on le suit seulement sur deux rangées. Au départ, les pièces opposées sont à égale distance. Celui qui joue le permier et qui, par conséquent rompt cet équilibre, perdra. Il suffira au second de rétablir l'égalite des distances en avançant sa pièce dans le deuxième colonne de telle sorte que les intervalles soient les mêmes dans les deux colonnes. Le second joueur continuera cette tactique jusqu'a fin de la partie en égalisant chaque fois sur le plus petit intervalle proposé par le premier joueur, qui, finalement, sera bloqué et perdra." Béart 1955: 470-471.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1519
Type Ethnography
Game Kharberg
Location West African Sahara
Date 1950-01-01 - 1950-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines with diagonals in the four quadrants. Twelve pieces per player, arranged on the intersections of the lines, on the first two ranks in front of each player and the two to the right of the player in the central rank. Pieces move in any direction one space. A piece may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty space in a straight line. Captures are obligatory. If a player does not capture when they are supposed to, the opponent may remove that piece immediately and then play as normal. Once pieces reach the opposite side of the board from their starting position at the end of their turn, they are promoted and can move in any direction and over any distance. The player who captures all of their opponent's pieces or blocks them from being able to move wins.
Content "Le kharberg comporte 5x5=25 cases (obtenues soit par quadrillage du sable, soit au moyen de fossettes marquées à la main) et 12 pions par chaque camp (fig. 10). Les règles du damma s'appliquent au kharberg à une seule différence près, à savoir la possibilité pour les pions de se déplacer d'une case à la fois dans tous les sens, la série des cases accessibles au pion en déplacement normal coïncidant ici avec celle des cases menacées par un pion prenant. " Monod 1950: 12.
Confidence 100
Source Monod, T. 1950. Sur quelques jeux africains à quadrillages. Notes Africains 45: 11–13.
Id DLP.Evidence.1520
Type Ethnography
Game Tauru
Location 10°36'22.46"N, 1°15'57.47"E; 10°13'5.43"N, 2°39'56.68"E; 11°45'18.10"N, 3°18'57.83"E
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules 5x6 board. Each player has twelve pieces. Players alternate placing their pieces until they are all placed on the board. The goal is to make a line of three, which allows the player to capture one of the opponent's pieces. Once the pieces are all on the board, they may be moved one space orthogonally. In the case that a move creates two lines of three, only one capture is made. The player who makes the last possible capture wins.
Content "Il se rencontre également chez les Baribas du Nord-Dahomey, sous le nom de taurou-tauru-ou de tabourou-taburu-,et de wali chez les Denis et les Bariba. Heu d'hommes adultes, mais de plus en plus joué par les jeunes, la contrainte sociale de relâchant. Il aurait même été jeu de princes, réservé aux Ouassangaris-wasangari-, futurs rois. Il n'est pas chez les Baribas jeu d'argent. Variante curieuse, et qui fait penser aux échecs: le gagnant n'est pas celui quià gagné le plus gran nombre de pions, mais celui qui aura gagné le dernier coup." Béart 1955: 456.
Confidence 100
Ages Adolescent, Adult
Social status Non-Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1521
Type Ethnography
Game Bolotudu
Location Bambara
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules 6x6 grid. Twelve pieces per player. In the first phase, playrs alternate turns placing their pieces on an empty space on the board. They are forbidden from placing two of their own pieces orthogonally adjacent to one another. Once all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving the pieces to an empty adjacent spot. When they place a piece so that two are in a row, they capture one of the opponent's pieces. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Le bolotoudou-bolotudu-, de bolo=main, et tudu = planter, bambara. C'est un wali, mais qui se joue avec 36 cases, 12 cailloux.... Les pions sont placés l'un après l'autre, sans que jamais deux pions soient placés ciot à côte, l'on frappe et l'on mange quand deux pions sont alignés orthogonalement (fig. 324,). Les figures de jeu sont beaucoup moins riches que celles du wali classique." Beeart 1955: 460.
Confidence 100
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1522
Type Ethnography
Game T'oki
Location 13°57'46.21"N, 5°21'35.78"W
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules 5x5 board. Twenty pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing pieces on the board, two at a time into the same square. At any time, a player may move one piece from a square one spot in an orthogonal direction. Pieces may capture opponent's pieces when either a single square or an unbroken line of squares with opponent's pieces has an empty space beyond it; the player's piece hops over the opponent's pieces and captures them all. When the unbroken line ends at the edge of the board, it is treated as though there were an empty square beyond the edge of the board, and the capturing piece is placed on the last space on the board in that line. Players may enter any reserved pieces on any turn as they see fit. The player to capture all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Le tioki - paul: t'oki- est imntermédiaire entre le wuli et les dames, c'est encor un jeu d'hommes, qui fut longtemps réservé aux chef peul et toucouleurs du Macina. Vingt-cinq cases. Chaque joueur a 20 pailles ou 20 cailloux. On plante comme au wali, mais deux pions à la fois, pailles ou cailloux dans le même case. Les pions marchent ensuite un par un orthagonalement, comme au wali. Mais, au lieu de frapper comme dans ce jeu en alignant, trois pions, on mange comme aux dames, et que nous étudierons dans l'exemple qui va suivre. Dernières complications: on peut commencer de manger avant d'avoir couché tous ses pions, on peut conserver un certain nombre de ceux-ci en réserve et les introduire au moment où ils paraissent le plus nécessaire. Enfin, pour prendre, on peut sauter hors du cadre, dans un trou supplementaire supposé au but du chaque rangée, trou d'où l'on peut prendre mais où on ne plante pas.C'est certainement le jeu le plus compliqué de tous les jeux africains. Nous en résumerons ici la règle d'après Koné Moussa: 1. Deux pions à la fois par case. 2. Chaque joueur occupe à tour de role une case à sa convenience. 3. On peut manger pendant la plantation. 4. Pour manger, il faut se coucher à côté d'une ou de plusieurs cases occupées par l'adversaire, le laisser jouer son coup, puis déplacer un de ses pions par-dessus les cases occupées jusqu'à ce que l'on trouve un case vide pout le mettre; tous les pions qui occupent les cases chevauchées sont pris. Entre les deux coups, les pions couchés sont pariculièrement vulnérables, puisque le partenaire peut lui-même les prendre avec un des pions qui seront pris s'il ne sont défendus de quelque manière. S (fig. 325) couche ses deuc bâtonnets en D2, sur la même ligne où N occupe B et C, et contre C2; N, au coup suivant, peut placer un de ses cailloux en E2 et prendre les deux bâtonnets qui sont en D2. S'il ne le fait pas, parce que le deeveloppement du jeu exige ailleurs un autre coup, S, au coup suivant, pourra placer un de ses bâtonnets en A2 et prendre les cailloux en B2 et C2. 5. Pour prendre, on peut sortire du jeu; sur la figure 325, S ayant le trait peut prendre E4 et E5 en plaçant un de ses bâtonnets en P. Ce bâtonnet rentrera dans le jeu comme si le damier avait 36 cases, mais il n'est pas possible de se coucher dans ces cases supplémentaires. 6. Chaque joueur peut conserver sans le coucher autant de pions qu;il lui convient et les introduire -toujours par deux dans la même case-quand cela lui parait le plusn judicieux. Quand le jeu est très occupé, les pions introduit sont évidemment particulièrement vulnérables. " Béart 1955: 460-461.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1523
Type Ethnography
Game Laram Wali
Location 15°13'56.58"N, 9°35'26.69"W; 15°55'51.37"N, 3°59'23.68"W
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules Cross-shaped board, with any number of squares in the arm with a central square, and a number of pieces per player equal to the number of spaces in two arms. Three squares in each arm with six pieces per player is common. Players alternate turns placing pieces on the board. Players may not place pieces in the central space. When the pieces are placed, players alternate turns hopping over an adjacent opponent's piece or an unbroken line of opponent's pieces with an empty space behind it. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Le laram wali, ou wali des Maures, de Niafunké, et le padikoré des Soninkés et Diawara de Nioro, sont un tioki simplifié. Le damier a la forme d'une croix (fig. 326), avec une certain nombre de cases qui varie selon les endroits et un nombre de cailloux et de bâtonnets en rapport avec le nombre de cases. On ne se couche pas dans le case centrale, mais on peut y prendre. Il n'y a pas de cases supplementaires." Béart 1955: 461-462.
Confidence 100
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1524
Type Ethnography
Game Yoté
Location Senegal
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules 5x5 board. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board or . Players may begin to moving a piece already on the board. Pieces move one space in any orthogonal direction. A player may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty space on the other side of it. When a capture is made in this fashion, the player chooses another piece belonging to the opponent to capture in addition. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Le yoté est un des jeux d'argent les plus répandus du Sénégal, si répandu qu'il est tout à fait francisé, qu'il donne la verbe "yoter."...Vingt-cinq cases, 12 cailloux, 12 bâtonnets, on se couche en plaçant un seul bâtonnet ou un seul caillou à la fois; on peut conserver des pions en réserve, (souvent on en conserve deux); on prend, comme aux dames ("dames de Saint Louis"), en sautant, mais adns tous les sens, orthogonalement; on prend en plus un pion au choix dans le jeu de l'adversaire." Béart 1955: 462-463.
Confidence 100
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1525
Type Ethnography
Game Wuré Duné
Location West Africa
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines, with diagonals. Three pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on the board. Once all of the pieces are placed, players take turns moving one of their pieces to an adjacent empty spot. The first player to make an orthogonal line with their pieces wins.
Content "Dans sa forme la plus simple, le jeu consiste: à tracer un carré, avec ses médianes et ses diagonales, aux points d'intesection sont creusées 9 cases; chaque joueur dispose de trois pions, qu'il place d'abord un par un à sa convenience, puis qu'ensuite il fait avancer dans n'importe quel sense, mais d'une seule case à la fois; il faut, pour gagner, que ces trois pions soit en ligne droite, en général sur les cotés du carré ou les médianes." Béart 1955: 453.
Confidence 100
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1526
Type Ethnography
Game Koro
Location 14°24'3.40"N, 3° 4'55.64"W
Date 1938-01-01 - 1938-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters per hole. Each player's rightmost hole is their "hogon," from which they cannot sow, except they must when it reaches fourteen counters. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. Sowing from a hole with a single counter is forbidden. When the older player has only single counters in their regular holes, they pass. When the younger player has only single counters in their regular holes, they sow from their hogon. When a player must sow from their hogon and the opponent's holes only contain single counters, the player picks these up and sows them along with the contents of the hogon. When one player only has single counters in their row, the opponent wins.
Content "Koro. Les joueurs creusent deux rangs parallèles de 4 à 6 trous et disposent 4 caillouix dans chacune. Le trou de droite, pour chacun des joueurs, est dit "hogon" et le jeu consiste à y entasser une réserve de 14 si les rangs ont 4 trous, de 15 pour les rangs de 5, de 16 pour les rangs de 6. Chacun prend les cailloux de l'un de ses trous et les répand vers sa droite un par un. Il est interdit de partir d'un trou à pierre unique. Quand la résevre fixée est atteinte, le joueur la prend et le répand dans les deux range. Quand l'aîné des deux joueur ne possède que des pierres uniques dans les trous ordinaire, il passe son tour. S'il agit de plus jeune, il prend le contenu du hogon et le répartit. Si les trous ordinaired de l'adversaire no contiennent que des pierres uniques au moment où un joueur va répartir la réserve du "hogon", ce dernier ramasse tous les pions adverses sauf ceux du "hogon", à condition toutefois qu'aucun des trous de jeu (sauf les "hogons") ne contiennent plus de 3 pièces. Si cette condition est réalisée, celui qui joue dit à l'autre: je t'ai engorgé. Et le jeu continue. Le perdant est celui qui finalement, n'a plus que des trous à pierre unique. Garçons. Madougou." Griaule 1938: 168-169.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Male
Source Griaule, M. 1938. Jeux dogons. Paris: Institute d'ethnologie.
Id DLP.Evidence.1527
Type Rules text
Game El Mundo
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules Four players. Circular board, with 24 semi-circular sockets along the circumference, divided into four sections of six. Twelve pieces per player; the player's colors are green ,red, black, and white, in that order anti-clockwise around the board. Three seven-sided dice. Play proceeds in an anti-clockwise fashion around the board, as is the order of player turns. Players enter their pieces on the board according to the throws of the dice. The player must enter all of their pieces, and then attempt to move all of their pieces in the section of the board belonging to the player sitting opposite them. Once the player achieves this, they begin bearing their pieces off the board. When a piece lands on a spot occupied by a single piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is returned to the place where it started. When a player bears off all their pieces, they beat the player to their right.
Content "This is the board of tables of the four seasons, called the world, which begins like this:
Since we have told about the board of the four seasons, as the ancient wise mean ordered it, now it is fitting that we show the tables board that is played after that some manner.
This board is squared and the points are placed in a circle. The circle is divided into four parts; each part has six spaces that are carved out in semi-circles in which the pieces fit.
And on this board four men are to play, each with his pieces of his colour according to the colours of the chess that we have named. And each one of these players is to have twelve pieces of the colours of the aforementioned chessmen which are these: green, red, white, and black – for a total of forty-eight. And they are played with the [7-sided] dice of this same chess and the players roll to see who plays first. And then the player to his right and so on around.
And the first to begin is to place his pieces according to the rolls of the dice as in doze canes and all the others do likewise.
And once they all have placed all their pieces each must bring his pieces to where the third player first entered which is across from his own, by playing around to his right according to the rolls of the dice. And when one makes a roll that he cannot use, let the player who to his right use it. And if he cannot, the third. And if he cannot, the fourth. And also in this game if a roll is made that allows the capture of an unguarded piece, it is to be captured. The one whose piece was captured must return it to where it was first placed.
And no pieces are to be borne off until each player has his pieces in the opposite quarter as is stated above.
And the player who first should bear off all his pieces will beat the player to his right and so on around.
And this is the explanation of this game. And this is the diagram of the board and of the pieces and of their colours and of the arrangement." Golladay's translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos 89-90.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1528
Type Historical text
Game Akṣadyūta
Location Mahabharata
Date 1000-01-01BCE - 0901-12-31BCE
Rules Two players. Players grasp beans and throw them onto a mat. Uneven numbers of beans force a win.
Content Story of the gambling game in the Mahabharata between Shakuni and Yudhishthira. It describes Shakuni cheating and winning as soon as he makes grasps, and the grasps of uneven numbers wins. Syed 2020.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Syed, R. 2020."The Akṣadyūta in the Mahabharata." In R. Gowri Raghavan and D. Vinayak Kamath (eds.) Playing with the Past: Proceedings of the National Conference on Ancient and Medieval Indian Games, 1 & 2 June, 2019. Mumbai: India Study Centre Trust, 223-230.
Id DLP.Evidence.1529
Type Ethnography
Game Shah
Location Somaliland
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules Three concentric circles, with the midpoints of their sides connected with lines. Twelve pieces per player. Players take turns placing one of their pieces on an empty point on the board. The first player to make three in a row obtains the privilege of starting the next phase after all of the stones are placed; if no one makes three in a row the last player to place a stone begins the next phase. Ones all of the stones are placed, the player who has the right to begin the next phase removes any one of the opponent's stones, and the opponent does the same with one of the player's pieces. Then, players alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an empty adjacent space. When a player place three of their pieces in a row, they remove one of the opponent's pieces. If a player moves in such a way that the opponent cannot move, the player must make an extra move to allow the opponent a place to play. A player cannot capture an opponent's piece when this extra move is made. The player who captures all but two of the opponent's pieces wins. Games are usually played in sequence, starting with the winner of the previous game, with the first player to win five games in a row being the winner.
Content "Shah. This game is related to the old English "Nine Men's Morris" which was introduced into Europe by the Moors. Shah might be termed the national game of the Somali; men as well as children are passionately fond of it. Three concentric squares are drawn on the groun, their sides being connected at their middle point by perpendicular (transversal) lines. Two distinctive sets of twelve stones are used instead of two sets of nine, as in the European variety. They are placed, one at a time, by the two players alternately. During this introductory staage there is no taking of pieces, but the one who is first able to place three of his stones in a straight connected line...secures the privilege of starting the game proper. If neither player manages to do this, it is the one who has placed the last stone who begins. He first removes one of his opponent's stones at his choice, and the opponent does likewise. After this, the game becomes very similar to the old English game; the stones are shifted along the lines from one angle or intersection to a neighbouring one which is vacant, and every time a dzare is formed, it gives the right to remove any one of the opponent's stones. Should one of the players make it impossible for his opponent to move... he must make an extra move to provide an opening, and cannot avail himself of any dzare he might be making by this second move. Jumping is unknown...Each subsequent game is started by the winner of the previous one." Marin 1931: 503-504.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adult
Genders Male
Source Marin, G. 1931. Somali Games. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 61: 499-511.
Id DLP.Evidence.1530
Type Ethnography
Game Koruböddo
Location Somaliland
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules 5x5 board. Twelve pieces per player, arranged in the two rows in front of each player, and in the right two squares in the central row (the central space is empty). Players alternate turns moving a piece to an adjacent orthogonal space. The player may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it in an orthogonal direction. Multiple hops are allowed in the same turn, but captures are not compulsory, The player who captures all of their opponent's pieces wins.
Content "4. krouböddo, "high jumo"=korkaböd, "jump over". Related to the Arabian dameh, and to the European draughts. It is played with two sets of twelve stones on a checker similar to that of shantarad. At the beginning of the game, the stones are disposed as shown in the accompanying figure. The stones move as in shantarad, but they take an opponent's piece by jumping over it (not diagonally). As in our own draughts they can take several pieces in succession. There are no "kings." Taking is not compulsory." Marin 1931: 506.
Confidence 100
Source Marin, G. 1931. Somali Games. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 61: 499-511.
Id DLP.Evidence.1531
Type Ethnography
Game Djara-Badakh
Location Somaliland
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines. Three pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty spot on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot. The first player to place their three pieces along one of the lines wins.
Content "2. Djara-badakh. A simple for of shah, played by children. Each of the two players has three stones of distinctive colour and kind. These are placed alternately by them on angles formed by three vertical and horizontal lines. When the six stones are placed, they are moved along the lines. The first who gets his stones in a straight connected line wins the game." Marin 1931: 505.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Marin, G. 1931. Somali Games. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 61: 499-511.
Id DLP.Evidence.1532
Type Ethnography
Game Um el Tuweisat
Location Sudan
Date 1925-01-01 - 1925-12-31
Rules 2x3 board. Three counters in each hole. Players sow from any one of their holes. Sowing can occur in the following directions: From the leftmost hole, clockwise; from the rightmost hole, anti-clockwise; from the center hole, the player may choose either direction. If the final counter falls into a hole in the opponent's row containing one counter, making it now contain two, these are taken. If the holes before them also contain two, in an unbroken sequence, they may all be captured. Single counters cannot be sown. When neither player can move, the single counters in each player's rows are taken by the player belonging to those rows. The player with the most counters wins.
Content "2. Um el Tuweisat, or The Little Goat Game. This is a children's version of Um El Bagara. Each player has three houses, and each house contains three counters. Single counters are "eaten" in the manner described for Um El Baraga and directions of movements of counters are on the same principle as for that game." Davies 1925: 141-142.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Davies, R. 1925. 'Some Arab Games and Puzzles.' Sudan Notes and Records. 8: 137–152.
Id DLP.Evidence.1533
Type Ethnography
Game La'b Akila
Location Syria
Date 1896-01-01 - 1896-12-31
Rules 2x7 board. Seven counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole, the contents of that hole are picked up and sowing continues. If the final counter falls into a hole containing one or three counters, the player captures those counters, plus any counters in the hole in the opposite row, as well as the contents of any holes in an unbroken sequence following the one in which the final counter which also contain two or four counters.When the final counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends. Play continues until all of the pieces are captured. The player who captured the most counters wins.
Content "La'b hakimi, the "Rational game," or La'b akila, the "Intelligent game," is so called in contrast to the preceding. Success in it depends largely upon the skill of the players. In this game it is customary in Syria to put seven pieces in each hole. The players, instead of first taking from the hole on their right, may select any hole on their side of the board as a starting place. They calculate the holle in which the last piece will fall, and the result depends largely upon this calculation." Culin 1896: 598.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1896. Mancala, the National Game of Africa. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1534
Type Rules text
Game Qi Guo Xiangxi
Location 34°47'43.74"N,114°18'28.65"E
Date 1039-01-01 - 1647-12-31
Rules 19x19 lines, pieces are played on the intersections of the lines. Seventeen pieces per player, each with special moves, as follows: Jiang (General) x1: moves orthogonally or diagonally any distance; Pian (Deputy General) x1: Moves orthogonally any distancel Bai (Officer) x1: moves diagonally any distance; Ren (Emissary) x1: moves orthogonally or diagonally any distance, but cannot capture or be captured; Pao (Catapult) x1: moves orthogonally any distance, but can only capture by jumping overone of the player's own pieces first; Gong (Bow) x1: moves orthogonally or diagonally four spaces; Nu (Crossbow) x1: moves orthogonally or diagonally five spaces; Dao (Knife) x2: moves one space diagonally; Jian (Sword) x4: moves one space orthogonally; Qi (Mounted riders) x4: moves one space in a straight line then three diagonally, does not jump. Seven players. Players play as seven states: Ch'in (white), Ch'u (red), Han (orange), Ch'i (dark blue), Wei (green), Chao (purple), and Yen (black). They play in that order. One piece, the Chou (which is yellow), is placed in the central spot and does not move and pieces cannot enter that space. Pieces capture an enemy piece by moving to the spot it occupies. A player is eliminated when their general or ten of their pieces are captured. Play continues until one player remains, or one player captures two generals. The player with the most captured pieces wins.
Content "There are one hundred and twenty pieces used in
the chess game symbolizing the seven (warring) states, Ch’i-kuo Hsiang Hsi.
The Chou (kingdom) has one pieces, and each of the seven (warring) states has
seventeen. The Chou (is colored) yellow; Ch’in is white; Ch’u is red; Ch’i is
indigo (dark blue); Yen is black; Han is cinnabar-colored (orange-red); Wei is
green; and Chao is purple. The Chou piece (symbolizing the powerless King
of the Warring States period) stands in the center and does not move. The
various feudal lords may not invade (this small territory).45 The Ch’in occupies
the west; Han and Ch ’u start in the south ; Wei and Ch ’i stand in the east; Yen
and Chao hold the north.
Each of the seven states has a General. These move vertically, horizontally, or
diagonally with no limit on distance (i.e., like the Queen in modern Western
Chess). Each army has one Deputy General (p’ien) which moves vertically or
horizontally with no limit on distance (i.e, like the western Rook). Each has
one Adjutant General (pi) which moves diagonally without limit (i.e, like the
western Bishop).
Even though the game’s title uses the term hsiang (which can mean
elephant), (among the various pieces) there are chariots, but no elephants.The Generals, deputy Generals, and Adjutant Generals are (viewed as being)
mounted on chariots because elephants could not have been used in China.
Each army has one Diplomat or Liason Officer (hsing-jen) which moves vertically, horizontally, or diagonally without limit. This piece may not engage in
combat, nor may it be killed. Each has one Catapult or Ballista (p’ao) which
moves vertically or horizontally without limit on distance of travel. (However),
there must be one intervening piece for it to be enabled to attack another unit.
If there is no intervening piece (between it and its desired target), or if there are
more than one intervening pieces, it may not attack.48 Each has (one unit of)
Archers (kung) which moves four spaces (on each move) vertically, horizontally,
or diagonally, and (one unit of) Crossbowmen (nu) which moves five spaces
vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. Each army has two units of Shortswordsmen (tao) which move one space diagonally. and four units of Broadswordsmen
(chien) which move one space vertically or horizontally. The four Cavalry (ch’i)units (in each army) move four spaces (on each move), following a crooked path
by first going one space in a straight line and then moving three diagonally.
Those who wish to play chess direct the army of the state (or states) they are
given. If seven people play, then each directs one state. If six people play, then
on player takes Ch’in and one other state in alliance with it. If only five play,
then (in addition to the Ch’in alliance) Ch’u is allied with one other state. If
only four play, (in addition to the Ch’in and Ch’u alliances) Ch’i is allied to
another state.
However, when each player takes possession of one state, leaving the other states
open (for other players to take), those states with which they are allied are
chosen by the players themselves. Both (of the allied states) are directed by the
choosing players, who first take an oath saying, “If either of the states under my
command is lost, it will be through my own carelessness.” If one orders an
ally to attack a very strongly defended state, then he must first penalize himself
by downing a glass of liquor.
The order of play is Ch’in, Ch’u, Han, Ch’i, Wei, Chao, and Yen (i.e., counterclockwise beginning with the state in the west). If a piece is placed in a
difficult position, it may not be taken back. If anyone moves a piece incorrectly,
he is penalized. If one attacks his own ally, then the entire army of that ally
is lost and removed (from the board).
One wins (over another state) by capturing that enemy’s general. But even if
the general is not taken, one can win by capturing more than ten other pieces
of the opposing state. If an enemy has not not yet lost ten pieces and one’s own
army loses more than ten, then one’s own side is lost. At the end of the game,
the one who has captured the most pieces is the ultimate winner. (First) the
victor takes a drink, then the loser take a drink, collect all the pieces, and put
up the board.
Should one player capture two generals, or take a total of thirty lesser pieces, he
is declared Dictator (pa). Once one player has become Dictator, all the other
states submit to him, and everyone drinks another round." Translation of T'ao Tsung-yi's Shuo Fu, 1647. quoting the rules from Sima Guang and containing annotations from 1206. Leventhal 1978: 24-28.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Leventhal, D. 1978. The Chess of China. Taipei: Mei Ya.
Id DLP.Evidence.1535
Type Rules text
Game Sanyou Qi
Location 29°51'42.80"N,118°24'57.47"E
Date 1697-01-01 - 1697-12-31
Rules Three players. Eighteen pieces per player. The pieces have special moves, as follows: Jiang(General) x1: may move one space orthogonally and cannot leave the 3x3 square in which it begins (the gong); Shi(Guard) x2: moves one space diagonally and cannot leave the gong; Xiang(Elephant/minister) x2: move two places diagonally. Ma(Horse) x2: move orthogonally one and then diagonally one space. Can be blocked by a piece next to it orthogonally. Ju(Chariot x2: moves any number of spaces orthogonally; Pao (Catapult/cannon) x2: can move orthogonally any number of spaces, captures by jumping one piece (of either player); Flag x2: moves orthogonally two spaces, but in an opponent's home rectangle can move orthogonally any distance. Fire x2: moves diagonally one space forward. Zu(Private/soldier) x3: can move one space forward. Once they move into an enemy's home rectangle, they can also move one space horizontally. Ma and Ju cannot cross the sea; Pao cannot cross. city wall or mountain. When a Jiang can be taken on the next turn, the player must move the Jiang so that it cannot be taken on the next turn. The goal is to checkmate the opponent's Jiang.
Content "1.5 Sanyou Qi (Three Friends' Chess) Invented by Zheng Jinde from Shexian, Anhui province around 1697, this is a game based on elephant chess but is played by three people. Each side has eighteen pieces. The pieces are similar to those of elephant chess, except that there are two extra 'flag' pieces and two of the five soldiers are replaced by 'fire' pieces. The slag moves straight for two steps, but once it is in enemy territory, it can move any number of steps horizontally or vertically. The fire moves diagonally for one step and cannot retreat. There are also obstacles of city-walls, mountains, and a sea. The horse and chariot cannot cross the sea, while the cannon cannot cross a mountain or city-wall." Summary of Zheng Jinde's 'Sanyou qipu' in Lo 2007: 126.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Lo, A. 2007. An introduction to board games in Late Imperial China. In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press. pp. 125–132.
Id DLP.Evidence.1536
Type Artistic depiction
Game Mn
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2592-01-01BCE - 2544-12-31BCE
Rules Rectangular board, with sixteen grooves. Two players. Five rectangular pieces per player.
Content Painting on on the tomb of Hesy-Re with a board for Mn and its pieces. Rectangular board crossed with sixteen parallel lines. Two sets of five rectangular pieces. Quibbell 1913: 18-21.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Quibbell, J. 1913. Excavations at Saqqara 1911–1912: The Mastaba of Hesy. Cairo: IFAO.
Id DLP.Evidence.1537
Type Contemporary text
Game Mn
Location 29°23'7.55"N, 31° 9'30.75"E
Date 2543-01-01BCE - 2436-12-31BCE
Rules Name of game.
Content Text from tomb of Rahotep at Medum mentioning the name of the game Mn in a list of tomb offerings. Petrie 1892: pl. XIII.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Petrie, W.M.F. et al. 1892. Medum. London: D. Nutt.
Id DLP.Evidence.1538
Type Artifact
Game Mn
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 2990-01-01BCE - 2970-01-01BCE
Rules Rectangular board, ten parallel lines.
Content Board from Tomb 3504 from Sakkara, dated to the reign of Djet. Rectangular slate board with ten parallel lines incised on it. Emery 1954: 66; pl. 30.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Emery, W. 1954. Excavations at Sakkara: Great Tombs of the First Dynasty II. London: Egypt Exploration Fund.
Id DLP.Evidence.1539
Type Artifact
Game Mn
Location 22°14'1.56"N, 31°36'53.11"E
Date 3300-01-01BCE - 3100-12-31BCE
Rules Rectangular board with sixteen parallel lines.
Content Rectangular board with sixteen parallel lines from Nubian A-Group Tomb L-23 at Qustul. Williams 1986: 130, pls. 66b, 67a.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Williams, B. 1986. The University of Chicago Oriental Institute Nubian Expedition Volume III: Excavations betweeen Abu Simbel and the Sudan Frontier. The A-Group Royal Cemetery at Qustul: Cemetery L. Chicago: Oriental Institute.
Id DLP.Evidence.1540
Type Artifact
Game Mn
Location 22°14'1.56"N, 31°36'53.11"E
Date 3300-01-01BCE - 3100-12-31BCE
Rules Rectangular board, at least 8 parallel lines. At least nine plaques used as pieces.
Content Broken rectangular board with eight parallel lines preserved from Nubian A-Group Tomb L-24. Nine rectangular plaques which may used as pieces. Williams 1986: 130; pls. 66a, 67b.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Williams, B. 1986. The University of Chicago Oriental Institute Nubian Expedition Volume III: Excavations betweeen Abu Simbel and the Sudan Frontier. The A-Group Royal Cemetery at Qustul: Cemetery L. Chicago: Oriental Institute.
Id DLP.Evidence.1541
Type Artifact
Game Mehen
Location 22°14'1.56"N, 31°36'53.11"E
Date 3300-01-01BCE - 3100-12-31BCE
Rules Four players, at least four pieces per player, two kinds of pieces.
Content Incomplete set of Mehen pieces from Tomb L-24 at the Nubian A-Group Cemetery at Qustul. One hippopotamus piece, eight faience balls, two carnelian, one amethyst, and two dark stone. Found along with equipment for the game Mn. WIlliams 1986: 130-131.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Williams, B. 1986. The University of Chicago Oriental Institute Nubian Expedition Volume III: Excavations betweeen Abu Simbel and the Sudan Frontier. The A-Group Royal Cemetery at Qustul: Cemetery L. Chicago: Oriental Institute.
Id DLP.Evidence.1542
Type Artistic depiction
Game Mn
Location 27°55'58.81"N, 30°52'54.43"E
Date 1991-01-01BCE - 1802-12-31BCE
Rules Rectangular board with eight parallel lines. Two players.
Content Ship model from Tomb of Nefwa at Beni Hasan. Military ship; two players sitting across from a board with eight parallel lines across it. Twelfth Dynasty. Ashmolean Museum E2301. May 1991: 141; Garstang 1907: 157-158.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Military
Spaces Outside, Military
Genders Male
Source Garstang, J. 1907. The Burial Customs of Ancient Egypt as Illustrated by Tombs of the Middle Kingdom; Being a Report of Excavations Made in the Necropolis of Beni Hassan during 1902-3-4. London: Archibald Constable & co. Ltd., May, R. (ed.) 1991. Jouer dans l’antiquité. Marseille: Musées de Marseille.
Id DLP.Evidence.1543
Type Artifact
Game Coptic Game
Location 27°49'0.02"N, 30°53'0.48"E
Date 0650-01-01 - 0699-12-31
Rules Three-stepped board. Top step: five rows of holes; four in the outer two rows, two in the next rows in, one in the central; second step: five holes in outer rows, central three rows with four holes; lower step: ten holes in outer rows; ten holes in next two rows; central row empty.
Content Ivory board found in a woman's burial at Antinoë, Egypt. C14 dating places the tomb in the late 6th century CE. Three-stepped board. Top step: five rows of holes; four in the outer two rows, two in the next rows in, one in the central; second step: five holes in outer rows, central three rows with four holes; lower step: ten holes in outer rows; ten holes in next two rows; central row empty.Gayet 1902: 47-48, 51; Crist et al 2016: 123-124.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female, Male
Source Crist, W., A.-E. Dunn-Vaturi and A. de Voogt. 2016. Ancient Egyptians at Play: Board Games Across Borders. London: Bloomsbury.
, Gayet, A. 1902. Antinoú et les sépultures de Thaïs et Sérapion. Paris: Société Française d'Éditions d'Art.
Id DLP.Evidence.1544
Type Artifact
Game Saqqara Game
Location 29°50'59.34"N, 31°13'0.04"E
Date 3100-01-01BCE - 2900-12-31BCE
Rules 2x13 board. Thirteen pieces per player, one with tall pieces and the other with short pieces.
Content 2x13 board and 26 pieces founs in Tomb 3504-16 at Saqqara, dating to the First Dynasty. The board was found placed along the spine of the man interred here, whose head was missing. A bag with the playing pieces replaced his head. Emery 1954: 31, pl. 29.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Emery, W. 1954. Excavations at Sakkara: Great Tombs of the First Dynasty II. London: Egypt Exploration Fund.
Id DLP.Evidence.1545
Type Contemporary text
Game Chu-Shogi
Location Japan
Date 1444-01-01 - 1444-12-31
Rules Name of Game
Content Diary entry of Nakahara Yasutomi, stating he played Chu-Shogi on the 24th day of the sixth month of 1444. Tasutomi-ki p. 69, discussed in Koichi 2005a: 182.
Confidence 100
Source Yasutomi, N. 1400-1457. Yasutomi-ki., Koichi, M. 2004. "Shogi: Japan's Game of Generals." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel (eds.), Asian Games: the Art of Contest. New York, Asia Society, 181-185.
Id DLP.Evidence.1546
Type Contemporary text
Game O-Shogi
Location Japan
Date 1210-01-01 - 1212-12-31
Rules Name of game, 13x13 board. 68 pieces. 13 types of pieces.
Content Entry for O-Shogi in the medieval encyclopedia Nichureki (p.240), referenced in Koichi 2005a: 182. 13x13 board. 68 pieces. 13 types of pieces.
Confidence 100
Source Koichi, M. 2004. "Shogi: Japan's Game of Generals." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel (eds.), Asian Games: the Art of Contest. New York, Asia Society, 181-185., Lecreuil, X. 1908. "Quelques jeux musulmans." Révue du monde musulman 6(9): 136-142.
Id DLP.Evidence.1547
Type Ethnography
Game Gala
Location Macassar
Date 1859-01-01 - 1859-12-31
Rules 5x5 board. Markings in the central square, each corner square, and the central square of each side. Black plays with thirteen pieces, white plays with ten. Black places the first piece on the central square, then players alternate turns placing a piece on their own half of the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving pieces on space orthogonally. A pieces is captured when it is surrounded on two opposite sides by opponent's pieces. Black wins if it can block white from being able to move. White wins if it is impossible for black to block them.
Content Fig. 12. bord voor het gala-spel. Vergelijk gala no. 1. Het wordt, even als het dambord, gespeeld door twee
personen op een bord met 49 vierkante vakken (Fig. 83)
waarvan de met een kruisje geteekende soelisangka (Boeg.)
heeten, en wel met 10 zwarte, en 13 witte schijven.
De schijven worden in een regte lijn en nooit in de dwarste geschoven. Ook het slaan heeft in dit spel plaats, doch op geheel andere wijze dan-bij het damspel. \Vanneer
een schijf tusschen twee schijven van de tegenpartij komt,
niet ten gevolge van het primitieve opzetten, maar van het
verschuiven der schijven, wordt die eene schijf ges1agen
(nigala). Bij het opzetten der schijven, begint altoos hij , die de zwarte schijven heeft; en deze moet dan voor de
eerste keer altoos in het middelste vak zetten. Voorts zet
men eerst al de steenen op aan de eene helft van het bord;
dan pas schuift men ze over naar de andere helft. Hij die de zwarte schijven heeft, moet trachten om aan die andere helft van het bord pole te krijgen, als wanneer hij het spel gewonnen heeft. - De taak van hem, die met de witte schijven speelt, is, om zulks te beletten. Ret Boeginesche pole nu, waarvoor de Makassar zich bedient van battoe-mi ndi
wordt genoemd, wanneer men de zwarte schijven zoo weet
te plaatsen, dat men den vijand afsluit, en toch nog een van zijn eigen schijven bewegen kan, zonder dat de tegenpartij
daardoor ge1egenheid krijgt om te slaan." Matthes 1859: 899.
Confidence 100
Source Matthes, B. 1859. Makassaarch-Hollandsch Woordenboek. Amsterdam: Frederik Muller.
Id DLP.Evidence.1548
Type Ethnography
Game Satoel
Location Simeulue
Date 1919-01-01 - 1919-12-31
Rules 9x9 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each 3x3 square. Two triangles on opposite sides, the apices of which intersect the central point on that side of the square. A line from the apex bisects the base, and this line is bisected with another line which intersects with the other two sides of the triangle. Forty pieces per player, which start on the four rows closest to the player, and on half of the central row. The central space remains empty. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. Pieces may capture the adjacent piece of an opponent by hopping over it to an empty space directly behind it in a straight line. Multiple hops can be made in one turn if possible, with direction changes allowed. The player who captures all of their opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Satoel, een spel van Maleis origine, heeft veel overeenkomst met bet damspel. Onderstaande schets geeft bet diagram daarvoor aan. Men speelt het met stukken van twee verschillende
kleuren of soorte, van elk 40. Biij het begin warden alle
kruispunten bezet, elke partij beslaat de helft van het bord:
op de middelste rij ,staan links 4 stukken van de eene en
rechts 4 stukken van de andere partij.
Men moet nu trachten, elk op zijn beurt, de tegenpartij
zoveel mogelik stukken at te nemen. Men slaat een vijandelijk stuk door er overheen te springen, indien het kruispunt in rechte lijn vlak daarachter onbezet is; ook mag meer dan een steen tegelijk genomen worden, als zich maar telkens tussen twee stukken een ledig kruispunt bevindt. Men mag zowel voor- als achteruit, zijwaarts,
in diagonaal of zigzag gewijze slaan. Bij bet trekken der
stukken mogen deze eveneens in dezelfde richtingen bewogen
worden, telkens van het ene kruispunt naar het andere.
Verloren heeft degene, die al zijn stukken kwijt is." Jacobsen 1919: 10-11.
Confidence 100
Source Jacobson, E. 1919. "Simaloerese sprookjes, overleveringen, raadsels en spelen." Indische Tall, Land- en Volkenkunde 58: 1-14.
Id DLP.Evidence.1549
Type Ethnography
Game Rimoe
Location Simeulue
Date 1919-01-01 - 1919-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in the four quadrants of the board. Two triangles, their apices intersecting the main board at opposite midpoints. The bast of the triangle is bisected by a line drawn from the apex, and this line is bisected and intersects with the other two sides of the triangle. one player plays as the Rimoe (king), which starts on the central point. The other player has 24 pieces, eight of which start on the board, on the points immediately adjacent to the Rimoe. The Rimoe plays first, and takes one of the opponent's pieces by hopping over it to an empty spot immediately behind it in a straight line. The Rimoe captures in this way any uninterrupted line of pieces with an odd number. The Rimoe cannot capture a line of pieces with an even number. When the Rimoe cannot capture, it moves one to an empty adjacent space along the lines of the board. The other player places on of their remaining pieces on the board on their turn. When there are no more pieces left to place, the player moves one of the pieces to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. The Rimoe wins by capturing all of the opponent's pieces; the opponent wins by blocking the Rimoe from being able to move.
Content "Een zeer geliekoosd tijdverdrijf is rimoe, het Maleise
rimau of tijgerspel, dat enige overeenkomst heeft met ons
molenspel. Het bovenstaande diagram vindt men in de planken vloer
van vein huiizen en van de meeste soeratoe's ingesneden.
Losse borden worden niet voor dit spel gebruikt. De twee
driehoekjes, die buiten diet vierkant uitsteken, heten alas,
wat in het Simaloerees wel is waar strand betekent, doch
hier blijkbaar de Maleise betekenis van bos gehad zal
hebben.
Het wordt gespeeld met 24 stukken (ana ) als de ene
partij en 1 of 2 koningen ( rimoe . ook radjo) als tegenpartij.
Als stukken dienen steentjes, pitten of iets dergelijks. Het
doel is de koning zodanig in te sluiten, dat liij geen trek meer kan doen.
Men begint een of beide koningen in het middelpunt van
het bord te plaatsen en 8 stukken op de kruispunten daar
omheen. De koning slaat eerst een van de hem omringende
stukken door bet daarachter gelegen kruispunt te bezetten,
er dus overheen te springen, en het stuk weg te nemen.
De tegenpartij plaatst vervolgens een van de 16 stukken.
die zij nog in de band heeft, op een van de kruispunten.
De koning mag wel over een on even aantal stukken heenspringen en ze wegnemen, doch niet over een even aantal.
Het is dus het streven van de tegenpartij de stukken zodanig te plaatsen en later te trekken, dat geen oneven
aantal op een rechte lijn achter elkaar komt te staan.
Zolang de tegenpartij nog stukken in de hand heeft, mag
zij hare stukken op het bord niet verschuiven; doch zijn
alle stukken geplaatst. dan mag telkens met een stuk langs
een lijn van het ene kruispunt naar het andere getrokken
worden. Is de koning ingesloten of zijn alle stukken van
de tegenpartij veroverd, dan is de partij geeindigd.
Speelt men met twee koningen, dan mogen deze slechts
over een stuk tegelijk springen en dat dan weguemen. De
koningspartij mag, als zij aan de beurt is, slechts met een
van de koningen tegelijk spelen. " Jacobson 1919: 8-10.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Ritual
Source Jacobson, E. 1919. "Simaloerese sprookjes, overleveringen, raadsels en spelen." Indische Tall, Land- en Volkenkunde 58: 1-14.
Id DLP.Evidence.1550
Type Ethnography
Game Sig wa Duqqan (Houmt al-Arbah)
Location 33°48'16.52"N, 10°50'52.69"E
Date 1990-01-01 - 1990-12-31
Rules 4x4 board, with an extension of four squares extending from the left of the bottom row. Two or more players, each with one piece. A piece of charcoal plays the part of the Ghoula. Four sticks, with one green side and one white side, used as dice. The throws are as follows: One white side up = 1, this throw is known as "sig"; two white sides up = 0; three white sides up = 3; four white sides up = 4; all green sides up = 6. Throws of sig, 6, and 4 grant the player another throw. All pieces begin on the top left square of the grid, proceed in a boustrophedon path down the grid, toward the space at the end of the extension, the Ka'aba. Players must throw a sig to move from the first space. When a player reaches the fifteenth space in the track, they must make seven throws of sig before moving on, moving to the sixteenth spot on the seventh throw. After reaching the sixteenth spot, only throws of sig and 3 are used; sig to move one space, and 3 to move the Ghoula three spaces. Upon reaching the Ka'aba, the player continues to throw, all throws used to control the Ghoula, but throws of 0 now counts as 2. Any pieces which have not moved from the starting space when the Ghoula is first moved are dragged with the Ghoula, and then may move normally on their next turn. The Ghoula, when reaching a space occupied by a player, continues their turn dragging the player back to the starting space. If the Ghoula succeeds in bringing the piece back to the starting space, that player loses. The Ghoula cannot move past the fifteenth space in the track.
Content "Au départ tous les pions "pères" choisis préalablement par chaque joueur sont groupés dans la première case, le bît al-ghoula, où la sorcière les tient prisonniers. A tour de rôle, chacun des joueurs prend les quatre bâtonnets, les jette en l'air et les laisse choir sur le sol. Leur position de chute (à l'avers donc en couleur verte, ou à l'envers donc en couleur blanche) détermine le nombre de points obtenus. Le joueur qui fait un sig (3 verts et 1 blanc) commence le jeu en faisait sortire son "père" du bît al-ghoula. C'est la condition sine qua non pour pouvoir commencer la parties sans l'aide de la "sorcière."(Le joueur qui ne parvient pas à faire un sig voit son "père" rester dans la case l'avec la "sorcière" jusqu'à ce que cette dernière soit admise (grâce à l'une des gagnants jouant pour elle) à quitter sa chambre, entrainant avec elle tous les pions qui jusque-là n'ont pu sortir. Voir plus loin la marche de la ghoula.) À chaque sig qu'il obtient, tout joueur avance son "père" d'une case. S'il tombe sur un tlata, il gagne trois points et passe le jeu au suivant. S'il tombe sur un duqqan il passe, sans gagners des points, le jeu au suivant. Donc: un duqqan: pas de point gagné et on passe le jeu; un stût: 6 points gagnés et on continue le jeu; un arba': 4 points gagnés et on continue le jeu; un tlata: 3 points gagnés et on passe le jeu. Nous avons deeja indiqué cindessus la manière de calcular les points. Tous les joueurs suivent le même itinéraire de la case 1 à la case B4 (le Ka'aba, temple saint de Dieu, ultime but du voyage). Mais il faut pour cela passer par la case 16 ou Bir zemzem; il faut aussi réussir la traversée de la case 15 dite al-raha (case du repos): tout "père" qui y parvient y reste obligatoirement tant que son joueur n'a pas obtenu sept sigs (donc 7 fois trois verts et un blanc); une fois les sept sigs gagnés, le joueur a le droit de faire passer son "père" de la case al-raha à la case de Bir Zemzem où, après un long et pénible voyage, notre "pelerin" assouvit sa soif avant de traverser paisiblement et sereinement, sans plus avoir à redouter la "sorcière", chaque fois grâce à un sig, les trois étapes (de la case B1 à la case B3) qui lui resetent avant d'atteindre le but de son périple: la case B4, al-Ka'aba. Le joueur prend alors son "père" devenu hagg, et l'embrasse tendrement en disant "haggit wa maggit". Tant que les sept sigs ne sont pas gagnés qui introduisent le père à la case du Bir Zemzem, la ghoula peut saisir tout "père" en route et le contraindre à la suivre et à rebrousser chemin dans la direction de la case départ. Au joueur donc de faire le nécessaire pour arracher une seconde fois son "père" aux griffes de la méchante ghoula en lui faisant gagner les points qui le porteront jusqu'au Bir Zemzem et si possible, de là, à l'objectif sacré final: la ka'aba. Lorsque deux pions ou davantage se trouvent dans une même case (sauf dans le case départ, donc dans les cases 2 à 15), le nouvel arrivant fait compagnie aux occupants antérieurs, mais la sorite de la case où plusieurs pions se trouvent ensemble appartient au pion du joueur qui a jusque-là le plus de points. 4. Marche de la ghoula. Il arrive que tel ou tel malchanceux ne parvienne point à gagner un sig, donc même le sig initial qui lui permettre de faire sortir son "père" du bît al-ghoula. Le "père" reste alors prisonnier de la méchante fée, jusqu'à ce que celle-ci l'emmène avec elle. Une fois sorti de bît al-ghoula, il peut progresser normalement selon les règles du jeu, mais bien entendu il reste toujours exposé aux mauvais procédés de la sorcière toute proche de lui. Mais comment donc la ghoula peut-elle sortire de sa case? C'est bien simple: dès qu'un "père" est parvenu triomphalement à Bir Zemzem, son joueur se voit contraint, selon les aléas du jeu, à oeuvrer soit en faveur de son "père", soit en faveur de la ghoula: lorsque de joueur tombe sur un sig, il peut faire avancer son "père" d'une case, mais dès qu'il tombe sur un tlata, il a oeuvré pour la sorcière qui peut sortir de son antre avec tous ses prisonniers. Les prisonniers ainsi libérés avancent, aux mêmes conditions que les autres pions, dans la direction de la ka'aba. La ghoula par contre circule dans les deux sens entraînant avec elle ceux des pions qu'elle parvient à atteindre. Si elle recule, elle leur fait perdre des cases, et leur joueur doit les arracher une seconde fois à la "sorcière", en leur faisant gagner des points. La ghoula ne peut jamais dépasser la case 15, al-raha. Dans sa marche, tout lui est compté: les stût, les arba', les tlata, le sig et même le duggan, lequel vaut exceptionnellement pour elle deux points, donc deux cases de gagnées. Lorsque un des "pères" a atteint le triomphe final, c'est-à-dire la ka'ba, son joueur continue à participer au jeu, mais désormais, puisqu'il ne peut plus travailler pour son père, il travaille pour la sorcière. Selon les points que font ce ou ces joueurs, la sorcière est mise en mesure de faire reculer les "pères" malheureux et encore à la portée do son atteinte jusqu'à la case départ, où ils sont enterrés. C'est la mise à mort: rien ne peut plus les faire sortir, et c'est donc la fin de la partie pour leurs joueurs. Ils sont perdants. Seuls sont gagnants, le ou les joueurs dont le "père" est devenu hagg." Akkari-Weriemmi 1990: 308-315.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Spaces Communal
Genders All
Source Akkari-Weriemmi, J. 1990. "Jeux traditionnels de Jerba (Tunisie). IBLA: revue de l'Institut des belles lettres arabes 53(156): 297-320.
Id DLP.Evidence.1551
Type Ethnography
Game Sig wa Duqqan (Houmt Taourit)
Location 33°52'34.40"N, 10°52'6.08"E
Date 1990-01-01 - 1990-12-31
Rules 86 spaces in a spiral track Any number of players, each having one piece, which starts on the first space in the outer ring of the spiral. A lump of charcoal, the Ghoula, also is placed on this space. Four sticks, with one green side and one white side, used as dice. The throws are as follows: One white side up = 1, this throw is known as "sig"; two white sides up = 0; three white sides up = 3; four white sides up = 4; all green sides up = 6. Throws of sig, 6, and 4 grant the player another throw. Players move their pieces along the track toward the central space. when they reach the sixth space from the end, they must make seven throws of sig before moving on, moving to the sixteenth spot on the seventh throw. After reaching the next spot, only throws of sig and 3 are used; sig to move one space, and 3 to move the Ghoula three spaces. When players reach the central space, Players choose if they will use their throws to control the Ghoula, or to use those throws to move opponents' pieces backwards, which they must continue until the end of the game. When controlling the Ghoula, throws of 0 count as 6. Any pieces which have not moved from the starting space when the Ghoula is first moved are dragged with the Ghoula, and then may move normally on their next turn. The Ghoula, when reaching a space occupied by a player, continues their turn dragging the player back to the starting space. A player that is forced back to the starting space by any means loses. All players reaching the central space of the board win.
Content "Sig et Duqqan à Houmt Taurit. Nous nous contenterons de mentionner les points où le jeu se déroule autrement qu'a Houmt al-Arbah. 1) Le quadrillage des cases se fait non pas en damier, mais en hélice. 2) Le compte des points pour la sorcière est le même qu'a Houmt al-Arbah, sauf pour le duqqan qui, à Taourit, èquivaut à 6 points, rendant cdonc la marche de la sorcière plus rapide. 3) Les joueurs gagnant peuvent s'entendre soit pour jouer séparément avec la sorcière, soit pour jouer ensemble contre le perdant. Dans le second cas, le pauvre perdant doit, indépendammant de la marche de la sorcière, faire reculer son "père" d'autant de cases que de points gagnés par chacun de ses adversaires. Une troisième possibilité existe: les gagnant (ceux dont les pères sont déjà en B4, donc pélerins, haggs), peuvent convenir entre eux de ceux qui joueront en faveur de la sorcière, et de ceux qui joueront contre le perdant. 4) Le père qui est rétrogradé jusqu'à la case départ A est déclaré magllub, vaincu. On le barbouille de noir, comme la sorcière dont le pion est de charbon. Son visage mhantas (sale, impur) symbolise le déshonneur du fils (le joueur) qui n'a pu aider son "père" à réaliser le voeu suprême: boire à la source divine et visiter le lieu saint de la Ka'ba. 5) les bâttonets sont appelés klab (chiens) et non plus bu (père). A part ces différences, la mise en route, le déroulement et la conclusion du jeu sont identiques à la pratique en vigueur à Houmt al-Arbah. " Akkari-Weriemmi 1990: 315-318.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Spaces Ritual, Communal
Genders All
Source Akkari-Weriemmi, J. 1990. "Jeux traditionnels de Jerba (Tunisie). IBLA: revue de l'Institut des belles lettres arabes 53(156): 297-320.
Id DLP.Evidence.1552
Type Ethnography
Game Siryu (Race)
Location 29°24'21.57"N, 3°15'23.33"W
Date 1969-01-01 - 1969-12-31
Rules 5x5 grid, with six extending from the central row; the final three of this extension rendered as rectangles rather than squares (Cairo, Medina, and Mecca, in that order). The central square of the grid is marked with a circle (the Minaret). Any number of players. Three pieces per player, a father, a mother, and an angel. Six sticks, black on one side and white on the other, used as dice. The throws are as follows: Five of any color plus one of the color color = 1, plus an extra throw (On the extra throw, the values are equal to the number of the color with the highest number face-up, except 4, which equals 0.); six white = an extra throw, and the player moves the number of white faces; six black = three extra throws, and the player moves the number of white faces up. The angel moves double the values of these throws. The father begins on the top left corner space, the angel on the next space below it, and the mother on the space below the angel. Players move vertically in a boustrophedon track in the main grid, and when reaching the bottom right corner they progress into the extended row. Players must throw sir or enter the Minaret, and then another sir to exit it. To progress into the first three spaces of the extended row, a player must throw a sir to move one space. To enter each of the three final spaces (Cairo, Medina, and Mecca), a player must throw sir three times. Upon entering the extended row, the angel no longer moves double. When a player passes the piece of an opponent, the opponent's piece is sent back to the space where it started. The first player to move their three pieces to Mecca wins.
Content "Chaque joueur possède trois pions, la père, la mère, et l'ange. Le père part le premier, l'ange en position 2, puis vient la mère. Le père, la mère avancent d'une case par point, l'ange de deux cases par point. Au départ, il faut faire sir (5+1). Le joueur avance d'une case et a le droit de rejouer. En cas de dépassement, le pion dépassé, quelle que soit sa nature, doit retourner au point de départ et refaire sir avant de pouvoir avancer à nouveau. Le joueur qui fait sir 5+1 avance d'une case, a le droit de rejouer et progresse d'autant de cases que de points amenés. Le joueur qui fait 6 blancs a le droit de rejouer et avance alors d'autant de cases qu'il aura fait de points blancs. Celui qui fait 6 noirs rejoue trois fois et avance d'un nombre de cases égal au nombre de blancs obtenus au cours de ces trois coups. Montée au minaret: pour accéder au minaret, il faut faire sir. Pour en descendre, il faut encore amener 5 et 1. Hors du damier, en 26, 27, 28, il faut faire sir. On passe jusqu'à ce que 5 et 1 soient obtenues et permettent d'accéder à ces cases proches du terme du pélerinage. Por franchir les trois dernières étapes, et pour chacun d'elles, il faut faire sir trois fois. Après la case 25, l'ange a le même rythme de progression que la père et la mère, c'est-à-dire qu'il faut trois siryu pour passer entre Le Caire et Médine et La Mekke. A gagné la partie celui qui, le premier, a conduit ses trois prion à La Mekke. Mais, en réalité, le temps nécessaire pour mener à bien une telle progression est si long que bien peu d'enfants ont la patience de terminer la partie engagée." Champault 1969: 353-355.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders Female
Source Champault, F. 1969. Une oasis du Sahara nord-occidental Tabelbala. Ph.D. These, Université de Paris.
Id DLP.Evidence.1553
Type Ethnography
Game Siryu (War)
Location 29°24'21.57"N, 3°15'23.33"W
Date 1969-01-01 - 1969-12-31
Rules 4x12 board. Twelve pieces per player, one playing as sticks and the other as stones. Pieces begin on the board, one each in every space of the outer rows. Six sticks, with one black side and one white side, used as dice. Players choose who will play as black and who will play as white, and the throws are as follows: six black or white up = 6, five black or white up (called sir)= 5 plus another throw; four black or white up = 0, three black and three white up = 3. A player must throw sir in their colour to unlock a piece before moving it. Pieces move from left to right in their home row, right to left in the next row, left to right in the row following that, and then return to the second row. When a player's piece lands on a spot occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is captured. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Alors commence le jeu de siryu proprement dit où les siryu tiennent en réalité le rôle de dés, sur un damier tracé dans le sable. Deux joueurs s'affrontent: l'un choisit des bâtonnets pour pions, l'autre des cailloux. Ils conviennent d'une couleur: l'un joue sur les blancs, l'autre sur les noirs. Les points se comptent ainsi: 6 blancs...6 noirs: comptent 6 et avancent d'autant de cases; 5 blancs, un noir...5 noirs, un blanc: sir, 5 points et donne droit à rejouer; 4 blancs, 2 noirs...4 noirs, 2 blancs: mus, faute, on passe un tour; 3 noirs, 3 blancs: 3 points. Pour démarrer, il faut faire sir dans sa couler. Le joueur qui a couvert le maximum de cases libres tue les pions de l'adversaire et poursuit son avance. Le gagnant est celui qui a tué le plus grand nombre de pions lorsqu'il a progressivement investi tout le damier." Champault 1969: 353-354.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Spaces Outside
Genders Female
Source Champault, F. 1969. Une oasis du Sahara nord-occidental Tabelbala. Ph.D. These, Université de Paris.
Id DLP.Evidence.1554
Type Ethnography
Game Natt Klab ash-Shawk
Location Palestine
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 5x5 board, the central square marked with an X. Twelve pieces per player. Pieces begin the game on the first two rows in front of the player, and in the two squares to the player's right in the central row. Players alternate turns moving a piece orthogonally to an adjacent empty space. Players may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "4.2.12. Palestine: Natt klab ash-shawk. (Hilmi Samara). PLayed on the cells of a 5x5 board with no slant lines, the central cell being cross cut. Twelve men arranged as in Fig. 27. The men can only move one step orthogonally, and captures are made by the short leap." Murray 1951: 66.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1555
Type Ethnography
Game Chátur
Location Java
Date 1817-01-01 - 1817-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. pieces have special moves, as follows: Rátu (king), moves one square in any direction, but on the first move, if it has not been checked, may move two spaces in any direction or like a Járan; Pateh (minister), moves orthogonally or diagonally any number of spaces; Mántri (x2); move diagonally any distance; Járan (horse) x2, moves orthogonally one space then diagonal one space from there, jumping over any intervening pieces; Práhu (vessel) x2, moves orthogonally any distance; Bídak (pawn) x8: moves one square forward or one square forward diagonally to capture. May move two spaces forward orthogonally if it is that piece's first move. Upon reaching the opposite edge of the board, the Bídak must move backward diagonally three spaces before being promoted to Pateh, unless it is in one of the corner spaces, in which case it is promoted immediately. There is no limit to the number of Patehs on the board. To castle, the Práhu moves next to the Rátu, and then at any turn in the future the Rátu may move to the space on the other side of it, provided the Rátu has not yet been checked and that the space to which it moves remains available. The Råtu begins on the space to the left of the Pateh. Pieces capture one another by moving to a spot occupied by an opponent's piece.The Rátu cannot be in check at the end of its turn. When this is unavoidable, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. If the Rátu is the only piece belonging to the player on the board, that player wins.
Content "In chess (chátur) the pieces are named, the rátu, or king; the pateh, or minister, corresponding with the queen; two práhu, or vessels, corresponding with castles; two mántri, corresponding with bishops; two járan, or horses, corresponding with knights; the bídak, or pawns; and are arranged as in the English game, except that the kings are placed on the left hand of the queens, and the opposite to the adversary's queen. The moves are also the same; except that the king, if he has not been checked, may move two squares the first time, either as a knight or otherwise; and that the pawn may move two squares the first move, even though it should pass the check of an adversary's pawn When a pawn reach the adversary's first line, it must retrograde three moves diagonally before it can become a queen, except it has reached the castle's square, in which case it is a queen at once. There may be any number of queens on the board at one. The king cannot castle after having been checked. Castling is performed by two moves; the castle must first be brought up to the king, after which the king may pass over the castle at any future move, provided he shall not have been checked, or that no piece has occupied the square he would move into. A piece or pawn must remain on the board till the last; if the king is left alone it is considered as stale mate, and he wins." Raffles 1817: 390.
Confidence 100
Source Raffles, T. 1817. The History of Java. London: John Murray.
Id DLP.Evidence.1556
Type Rules text
Game Paumecary
Location England
Date 1300-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules Played on a board with 12 points per side, divided in half. Play occurs only in the top right quadrant of the board. Fifteen pieces per player. Two six-sided dice. A double throw grants the player another throw. Players enter their pieces according to the throws of the dice, and they must use the entire value of a die to place or to move a piece. When all of a player's pieces are one the board, they may bear off their pieces with throws equal to the number of remaining spaces, plus one. If a piece lands on a point with a single piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must re-enter. The player who bears off all their pieces first wins.
Content "6.2.3. England (14th c.): Paumecary (K.158b). Two dice; doublets give a second throw. Played by two persons or sides of two or three persons when all of those on one side and then those on the other side play in succession. Play is confined to af. Men can be piled and blots can be taken and then must re-enter. When either side has entered all its men, it proceeds to bear them, and when it has borne all its men, it proceeds to help bear the other side's men, smacking the loser's hands once for each of their men os borne." Murray 1951: 120 relaying information from King's Manuscript 13 A XVIII, now in the British Library.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1557
Type Rules text
Game Fallas
Location England
Date 1300-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules Name of game
Content "6.2.18...Fails (K.159a)." Murray 1951: 123. Murray's attribution of game from Royal Manuscript 13 A XVIII now in the British Library.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1558
Type Rules text
Game Ofanfelling
Location Iceland
Date 1905-01-01 - 1905-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, with spaces as points, divided in two. Twelve pieces per player, which start stacked, two per point in the quadrant to the player's right. Two six-sided dice. Players unstack the pieces by moving pieces off of the stack, but remaining on the same point, according to the throws of the dice. Doubles thus allow players to only move one piece, but still grant the player another turn. When all of a player's pieces are unstacked, they must be restacked, in the same way. When they have been successfully restacked, the player then bears off the pieces. The first player to bear off all their pieces wins.
Content "Ofanfelling or ofanfellingartafl. This game is played on a backgammon board, the players being two. Each one sets two men on every point in that division of the board which faces him at his right hand. One has the black men, and the other the white. First of all the dice are thrown to decide who shall play first. He who has the greatest number of points, at one throw, casts the dice again and moves the uppermost lying men on the points down beside the lower man, nearer the small end of the point, in accordance with the dice-points thrown. If he throw, for example, six and deuce, then he moves down the uppermost men on the six and deuce points. If he throw doublets, then he can only move down one man, but he has the right to another throw, even if he cast several doublets one after the other. The other player now throws,and proceeds in the same way, after which they take turns. If a dice-point turn up corresponding to a point on the board on which the upper man has already been moved down, then the throw does not count. When either or both players have brought down all their men, they then move them up again, that is place each again on the lower, or underlying man, that is to say where they were originally placed, moving, of course, in accordance with the throws of the dice. When all the men have been again doubled up, then they are thrown off, an operation which takes place exactly as at backgammon." Fiske 1905: 353.
Confidence 100
Source Fiske, W. 1905. Chess in Iceland and in Icelandic Literature with Historical Notes on other Table-Games. Florence: The Florentine Typographical Society.
Id DLP.Evidence.1559
Type Contemporary text
Game Refskak
Location Iceland
Date 1862-01-01 - 1889-12-31
Rules Cross-shaped board,made of four 3x3 intersecting lines with diagonals. One player plays as the fox, which begins on the central space of the board. The other player plays as the lambs, who start in the spaces of one arm of the cross and the line of seven spots in front of that arm. Players alternate turns moving their pieces along the lines. The fox may capture one lamb by hopping over it in a straight line to an empty space on the opposite side of it. The fox wins by capturing seven lambs, the lambs win by blocking the fox so it cannot move.
Content "Refskák. Eg hefi aldrei séð sérstakt refskákartafiborð, og efa, að það sé til. Taflmyndin er optast krítuð á fjöl, eða þá strykuð
á bréf eða reikníngsspjald. Hún er svona: Tveir menn tefla refskák, eins og flest önnur töfl. Annar hefir tóu, en hinn hefir 13 lömb. Eg set að hornið A snui að lambamanninum. og skipar hann þeim á reitina 1—13. Hinn setur aptur tóuna á miðreitinn, x. Það er mark og mið lambamannsins að bræla tóuna inni, skipa lömbunum svo, að tóan geti ekk- ert komizt, en hinn reynir aptur til að varna því, og lætur tóu sína drepa sern flest lömb. Lambamaðurinn ver þau aptur
eptir mætti, því eptir því sem hann hefir fleiri lömb, eptir því veitir honum hægra að bræla tóunainni. Drápið fer þannig fram: Ef tóau stendur á einhverju lambi, þ. e. ef lamb stendur á reit þeim, sem er næstur tóunni, en ekkert á þeim, sem er annar reitur frá henni, í beina línu, þá má hún stökkva yfir lambið, og yfir á auða reitinu. Hún drepur þá lambið um leið. Það er tekið á burt, og er úr sögunni. Ef tóan stendur t, d. á 9 og lamb á 12, en ekkert á 5, þá má hún stökkva á 12 og drepa lambið. Gángur- inn er annars eðlilegur. Lömbin fara leiðar sinnar og tóan eltir þau. Bæði mega fara á alla reiti í tatiinu, eptir beinum línum. bæði aptur á bak og áfram. Hættast er tóunni. ef bún fer út í hornin ABCD og forðast hún það því eins og heitan eld. Aptur neyðist bún stundum til þess, ef lömbin reka hart á eptir. Þegar tóan getur ekki komizt neitt, er hún bræld .eða brend inni, en til þess verða lömb að standa á tveimur næstu reitum við hana, í allar áttir, því ef að eins væri lamb á naista reit, þá gæti tóan drepið það og sloppið svo. Ef tóan stendur t. d. á c, þá er hún því að eins bræld inni, að lömb standi á a, b, h, g, d og e. Miklu er auð- veldara að vera með lömbin en tóuna, og ef sá er góður taflmaður, sem hefir þau, þá á hann vinnínginn vísan.
Ekki eru neinir sérstakir taflmenn í refskák. Gler eða kaffiibaunir eru hafðar fyrir lömb, en eitthvað stærra, t. d. hnappur eða fíngurbjörg fyrir tóu.
Refskák er algeingasta tafl þar sem jeg þekki til. J. Ól. segir líka, að bvert mannsbarn kunni hana. Hún hefir verið eins á hans dögum og hún er nú, eða að minsta kosti er refskákarmynd sú, sem hann hefir dregið upp, alveg eins og sú sem hér er prentuð. Sigurður málari segir, að refskák tnuni vera sama sem hnottafl eða hnettafl það. sem tíðkaðist í gamla daga2, og drepur J. Ól. þegar á það.
í »SpilIebog for Börn<; Kmh. 1858; bls. 38—36 er lýsíng á tafli, sem á talsvert skylt við refskák. J>að heitir Beleiringsspil. Taflborðið er alveg eins og refskákartaflborð. Tveir tefla. Annar stýrir 24 töflum, en hinn tveimur. J>að segir sig sjálft, að þær verða að vera mislitar, þessar tvær t. d. hvítar, en hinar svartar. Einhver ferhyrníngurinn er kastali t. d. A, og verja hvítu töflurnar hann, en svörtu töflunum er skipað á hina reitina, °g sækja þær að kastalanura. Ef þær geta þokað varnartöflunum burt, og °áð undir sig öllum kastalareitunum, þ. e. 3—9 og 12—13, þá hefir sá oonið, sem stýrir þeim, en annars tapað. Varnartöflurnar mega drepa sóknar- töflurnar og fara aptur og fram um taflborðið eptir öllum línunum. Sóknar-töfiurnar mega aptur að eins drepa varnartöflurnar, þegar þær gleyma að
drepa, og auk þess mega þær ekki fara um sumar línurnar." Arnarson and Daviðsson 1888-1892: 298-300.
Confidence 100
Source Arnarson, J and O. Daviðsson. 1888-1892. Islenzkar Gatur, Skemantir, Vikivakar og Þulur. Copenhagen: S. L. Möllers.
Id DLP.Evidence.1560
Type Contemporary text
Game Mylna
Location Iceland
Date 1862-01-01 - 1889-12-31
Rules Played on a board of three concentric squares, with a line bisecting the perimeters of each square on each side, but not extending inside the perimeter of the central square. Play occurs on the intersections of the lines and the corners of the squares. Each player has nine pieces. Play begins with each player placing pieces on empty points. If they make three in a row along the lines, they can remove one of the opponent's pieces. They cannot remove an opponent's piece that is in a three-in-a-row formation. Once all pieces are placed, players take turns moving pieces one spot to an adjacent point along the lines. If a player makes three in a row, an opponent's piece is removed as in the first phase of the game. The game is won when the opponent is reduced to two pieces. A player may also win by blocking their opponent from being able to move.
Content "Mylna er teíld eptir þessari mynd. Tveir tefla. Hvor þeirra hefir nú töflur eða gler o. s. frv. til að tefla með, og verða þau að vera mislit, hvít t. d. öðrum meginn, en dökkleit hin- um meginn. Þeir kasta hlutkesti um hvor fyr skuli setja. Sá. sem á að byrja, setur tölu á einhvern reit í tafl- iuu. Þá setur hinn. og svo koll af kolli, þángað til hvortveggi hefir sett allar tölur sínar. Flestir leitast við að koma sér, upp mylnu, en það er mylna þegar annarhvor á tölur á þremur reitum, sem liggja í beinni línu hvor við annan. Sá sem hefir feingið mylnu, má drepa eina tölu fyrir hinum, og er hun þa ur sögunni. f>ó má hann ekki drepa úr lokaðri mylnu. Ef annarhvor á t. d. mylnu á n, m og l eða l, k og j, þá má hann drepa hverja tölu, sem hann vill fyrir hinum, nema þær sem standa í mylnu, en dræp er hver tafla annarshvors, ef mótstöðumaður hans getur leikið einhverri af töflum sínum á reit hennar. Annars er talsverður vandi að setja tölurnar í mylnutafli, og þykir góðum taflmönuum meira komið undir því, að tölurnar standi haganlega, þegar búið er að setja þær allar, en að fá mylnu meðan verið er að setja þær. Ekki er hægt að gefa reglur fyrir setníngunni, en þó má geta þess, að altaf er gott að eiga tölur á mið-
reitunum k, m, í og ó.
Þegar búið er að setja allar tölurnar, leikur sá, sem setti næst sein-
ast, svo hvor eptir annan. Tölurnar gánga á næsta reit við þær, eptir beinum línum. Báðir leitast við að leika þanuig, að þeir fái myinur, og geti notað sér þær, því það er til lítils gagns að eiga mylnu, sem ekki er hægt að [spenna upp og drepa með aptur. Ef annar á t. d. mylnu á
p, q og r en hinn tölur á í, v og s, þá verður mylnan að miklu leyti ónýt í bráð, en ef sá fyrri getur fært töluna, sem stendur á p til v, spent hana, og frá v aptur til p, lokað henni, þá hefir hann ýngt mylnu sína upp, og má drepa hverja tölu fyrir hinum sem hann vill, nema þær sem standa i lokaðri mylnu. f>að segir sig því sjálft, að hvor fyrir sig reynir til að færa tölu í kjaptinn á mylnum þeim, sem mótstöðumaður hans spennir, eða binda1 þær, því þær eru máttlausar á meðan. Ef annar hefir t. d. spenta
mylnu, b,j, q og hinn á tölu á i, þá færir hann hana á i, og ónýtir þannig mylnuna.
Auk einfaldrar mylnu er til smkamylna, krossmylna og rennihestur. Svikamylna er það. þegar annarhvor getur komið sér upp mylnu við hvern leik eða lokið mylnu og spent aðra í sama leiknum. Ef annarhvor á t. d. tölur á n, ó og i og b og q. en reiturinn í er auður, þá getur hann færti á í og í á i, og feineið þannig mylnu í hvert skipti sem hann leikur. Ef hinn á tölu á þá verður mylnumaðurinn að drepa hana, efmögulegt er, því annars getur mótstöðumaður hans bundið svikamylnuna. Krossmylna er þegar annarhvor á tölur á öllum reitum á einhverjum krossinum, nema miðreitnum, t. d. b, i, j og k. Aptur ber mönnum ekki saman um rennihest. J. Ól. segir, að sá, sem eigi rennihest, geti drepið margar tölur í einu. J. Ol. segir að rennihestur sé svikamylna og krossmylna sameinaðar t. d. tölur a, b, c, i,j og q. Aðrir segja, að rennihestur sé tölur á t. d. a, c, i,j, p og r, og á einhverjum reitanna b, i eða q. Rennihestur er eins og svikamylna að því leyti. að með honum er hægt að drepa tölu í hverjum leik, en þó er hann talsvert öðruvísi, eins og auðséð er. Eg þekki ekki rennihest að norðan.
J>egar annarhvor hefir svikamylnu eða rennihest, er svo að segja ómögulegt fyrir hinn að vinna, en þó er taflið ekki útkljáð fyrir fult og alt, fyr en annarhvor hefir mist svo margar tölur, að hann getur ekki feingið mylnu, eða sjö tölur með öðrum orðum. Sumir telja það líka fullan vinning í mylnu, ef annar getur fest svo tölur hins, að þeim verði ekki leikið, en aðrir telja slíkt að eins hálfan vinníng. þ>að þykir ekki alllítil frægð að setja tölur sínar svo vel í taflbyrjun, að tölur hins festist, áður en kemur til manndrápa." Arnarson and Daviðsson 1888-1892: 298-300.
Confidence 100
Source Arnarson, J and O. Daviðsson. 1888-1892. Islenzkar Gatur, Skemantir, Vikivakar og Þulur. Copenhagen: S. L. Möllers.
Id DLP.Evidence.1561
Type Contemporary text
Game Kotra
Location Iceland
Date 1862-01-01 - 1888-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, with the spaces rendered as points, divided into half. Fifteen pieces per player, which begin on the rightmost point, with respect to the player, on the opposite side of the board from which they sit. Two six-sided dice. Pieces move according to the throws of the dice, the value of a die being used to move a piece the entire value of the die. A throw of doubles forces the player to play the throw twice. More than two pieces of the same player may not occupy a point on the starting side of the board. The player cannot move past the penultimate point on the opposite side of the board until five pieces have been moved from the starting point. A single opponent's piece may be removed from the board when a player's piece lands on it, and the opponent's piece must reenter the board. Pieces cannot move to a point occupied by two opponent's piece, except when there are six opponent's pieces in a row, in which case the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must reenter. A piece cannot reenter then board on a point occupied by another piece, whether belonging to the player or the opponent, unless there are more captured pieces than points available, in which case the player may move to points with the opponent's pieces, removing them from the board to be reentered. When all of a player's pieces have reached the final quadrant of the board, the player may begin to remove them from the table. Removing all of the pieces from the board is the lowest-ranked method of winning; better wins are achieved by placing the pieces in a certain configuration before bearing off. These are valued as follows: Meistari (master): placing all the pieces on the final point, scoring 13 points; Stutti múkur (little monk): five pieces on each of the final three points, scoring seven points; Langi múkur (big monk): three pieces on the final five points, scoring five points; Langi hryggur (big back): three pieces on the first five points of the final quadrant, scoring three points. These count their full value if completed by using the values of both dice, or half if completed only using one die in a turn. Two points are added to the score if the opponent has a captured piece when the position is achieved. The player who bears off their pieces scores two points. When one player has borne off all of their pieces, the opponent is allowed five, seven, or thirteen extra throws to score, depending on how many points required to win. The game ends when it is clear the remaining player cannot achieve a scoring position. The game may also end immediately when the opponent has more captured pieces than they can enter, which scores the player fifteen points.
Content Detailed description of Kotra as played in Iceland in Arnarson and Daviðsson 1888-1892: 306-315.
Confidence 100
Source Arnarson, J and O. Daviðsson. 1888-1892. Islenzkar Gatur, Skemantir, Vikivakar og Þulur. Copenhagen: S. L. Möllers.
Id DLP.Evidence.1562
Type Rules text
Game Ketch-Dolt
Location England
Date 1674-01-01 - 1674-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half, where the spaces are rendered as points. Fifteen pieces per player. Two six-sided dice. The players enter their pieces on the board on the points corresponding to the throws of the dice. A player who rolls a number corresponding to a point on the opponent's side of the board that contains a piece should remove the piece from the opponent's point, which must be reentered. If the player fails to do so, they lose instantly. Otherwise, players continue to place their pieces until all are on the board, and they then bear the pieces off from the same quadrant of the board. The first player to bear off all their pieces wins.
Content "CHAP. XXXI. KETCH-DOLT. AT Ketch-Dolt the first throws and lays down from the heap of
men without the Tables, what is thrown at it may be Sice Deuce, if the other throw either Sice or Deuce, and draw them not from his Adversaries Tables to the same point in his own,
but takes them from the heap, and lays the Ace down, he is dolted & loseth the
Game, or if he but touch a man of the heap and then recall himself, the loss is the same. Some by frequent practice will never be Dolted, and then they strive who shall fill up their Tables first; which done, he that bears them off first hath won the game. And so much for play within the Tables." Cotton 1674: 163.
Confidence 100
Source Cotton, C. 1674. The Compleat Gamester, or, Instructions How to play at Billiards, Trucks, Bowls, and Chess Together with all Manner of Usual and Most Gentile Games either on Cards or Die: to which is Added the Arts and Mysteries of Riding, Racing, Archery, and Cock-Fighting. London: R. Cutler.
Id DLP.Evidence.1563
Type Rules text
Game Dubblets
Location England
Date 1674-01-01 - 1674-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half, where the spaces are rendered as points. Fifteen pieces per player. Two six-sided dice. Play occurs only in two quadrants of the board, opposite one another, a player's pieces only leaving their quadrant to bear off. Two pieces are stacked each on the first three points, and three are stacked in the second three points. Players use throws to unstack pieces on their points, unstacking one piece per die which corresponds to that point. If a player cannot use the value of a die, the opponent uses it. Doubles allow the player to unstack or bear off a number of pieces equal to the total number of the throw. When all of the pieces are unstacked, that player may begin bearing their pieces off. The first player to bear off all their pieces wins.
Content "CHAP. XXIX. DVBBLETS. AT Dubblets the fifteen men are thus placed; upon sice, Cinque and Quater there are three men apiece, upon Trey, Deuce, Ace, but two a∣piece. He that throws most hath the bene∣fit of throwing first, and what he throws he lays down; and so doth the other what the one throws and hath not the other lays down for him to
his own advantage; and thus they do till all the men are down, and then they bear, but not till they are down; he that is down first bears first, and will doubtlesly win the Game if the other
throws not Dubblets to overtake him; now he that throws Dubblets apace is certain to win, for as many as the Dubblets are, so many he lays down, or bears; for example, if two fours, he
lays down, or bears eight, and so for the other Dubblets; and therefore he that can either nap, top, or hath high runners about him hath a great advantage herein." Cotton 1674: 161-162.
Confidence 100
Source Cotton, C. 1674. The Compleat Gamester, or, Instructions How to play at Billiards, Trucks, Bowls, and Chess Together with all Manner of Usual and Most Gentile Games either on Cards or Die: to which is Added the Arts and Mysteries of Riding, Racing, Archery, and Cock-Fighting. London: R. Cutler.
Id DLP.Evidence.1564
Type Rules text
Game Backgammon
Location England
Date 1674-01-01 - 1674-12-31
Rules The game is played on a board with twelve points on either side. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left. Each player has 15 pieces. The starting position is as such, number the points from the origin of each player's track: Point six: five pieces Point 8: three pieces Point 13: five pieces Point 24: two pieces Play begins by each player rolling one die; the player with the highest roll plays first and plays the numbers on this first roll. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the number on one die and other the number on the other die, or by moving one piece the total number of both die. If doubles are rolled, the player must play the number on each die twice. Players cannot end their move on a point with multiple opposing pieces. If a player ends the turn on a point with one opposing piece, that piece is placed in the middle of the board (not on a point) and must reenter the board according the the next die roll, counting the origin point as a move of 1. They cannot reenter on a point with two or more pieces. No other pieces can move until all of the pieces belonging to that player are removed from the center. When all of a player's pieces are on their final 6 points, they may start removing pieces from the board. They can do so by rolling a 6 to move from the 6th point, and so on down to 1. Players must use all available moves presented by the dice. The first player to remove all of their pieces wins.
Content "CHAP. XXVII. Of Back-Gammon. YOur men are placed as at Irish, and Back-Gammon differs but very little from it, but in Doublets which at this Game is plaid fourfold, which
makes a quicker dispatch of the Game than Irish. Be sure to make good your Trey, Ace-points, hit boldly and come away as fast as you can, to which end if your Dice run high, you will make the quicker dispatch. When you come to bearing have a
care of making when you need not, and Doublets now will stand you most in stead. If both bear together he that is first off without Doublets wins one. If both bear and one goes off with
Doublets he wins two. If your Tables be clear before your Adversaries men be come in, that's a Back-Gammon, which is three; but if you thus go off with Doublets it is four." Cotton 1674: 156-157.
Confidence 100
Source Cotton, C. 1674. The Compleat Gamester, or, Instructions How to play at Billiards, Trucks, Bowls, and Chess Together with all Manner of Usual and Most Gentile Games either on Cards or Die: to which is Added the Arts and Mysteries of Riding, Racing, Archery, and Cock-Fighting. London: R. Cutler.
Id DLP.Evidence.1565
Type Rules text
Game Todas Tablas
Location England
Date 1674-01-01 - 1674-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of semi-circular sockets, into which the pieces fit. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left). Fifteen pieces per player. The starting position is as such, number the points from the origin of each player's track: point six: five pieces; point 8: three pieces; point 13: five pieces; point 24: two pieces. Two dice. When a player's piece lands on a spot occupied by a single piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is sent back to the quadrant in which that player started with two pieces. Players bear off their pieces at the end of their track. The first player to bear off all their pieces wins.
Content "Games within the Tables. CHAP. XXVI. Of IRISH. IRish is an ingenious Game, and re∣quires
a great deal of skill to play it well, especially the After-game. It is not to be learn'd otherwise than by observation and practice, however I shall lightly touch hereon. The men which are thirty in number are equally divided between you and your Adversary, and are thus places, two on the Ace point, and five on the sice of your left hand Table, and three on the cinque, and five on the Ace point of your right hand Table, answer'd on the like points by your Adversaries men with the same number; or thus, two of your men on the
Ace point, five on the double sice, or sice Cinque point, three on the Cinque point in your own Tables, and five on the sice point at home, and all these pointed alike by your Adversary. In your play have a care of being too forwards, and be not too rash in hitting every blot, but with discretion and consideration move slowly but se∣curely; by which means though your Adversary have fill'd his Tables, but withal blots, and you by hitting him
enter, you may win the Game; nay sometimes though he hath born his men all to a very few." Cotton 1674: 154-155.
Confidence 100
Source Cotton, C. 1674. The Compleat Gamester, or, Instructions How to play at Billiards, Trucks, Bowls, and Chess Together with all Manner of Usual and Most Gentile Games either on Cards or Die: to which is Added the Arts and Mysteries of Riding, Racing, Archery, and Cock-Fighting. London: R. Cutler.
Id DLP.Evidence.1566
Type Rules text
Game Currierspiel
Location 51°54'53.11"N, 10°56'38.76"E
Date 1616-01-01 - 1616-12-31
Rules 8x12 board. Each player begins with a complement of pieces, each withtheir own powers of movement as follows: King (x1): may move one space in any direction; Queen (x1): moves one space diagonally, may leap two spaces diagonally on its first move oer any intervening pieces; Man (x1): moves one space in any direction; Fool (x1): moves orthogonally one space; Courier (x2): moves diagonally any distance; Bishop (x2): moves diagonally two spaces, jumping over any intervening pieces; Knight (x2): moves orthogonally one space and then diagonally another space, jumping over any intervening pieces; Rook (x2): moves orthogonally any distance; Pawns (x12): move forward one space or diagonally forward one space to capture. Only the Rooks' and Queens' pawns may move forward two spaces for their first move. Each player must move the Rooks' Pawns and Queens' Pawn in this way in their first three moves. A piece is captured when an opponent's piece moves onto its space. The King is in check when it can be taken on the opponent's next turn; it must not remain in check at the end of the player's turn. When the king cannot move out of check, it is checkmated and the opponent wins.
Content Detailed description of Currierspiel as played in Ströbeck, Germany in 1616 from Selensu 1616: 425-432.
Confidence 100
Source Selenus, Gustavus. Das Schach- oder König Spiel. Leipzig.
Id DLP.Evidence.1567
Type Contemporary text
Game Currierspiel
Location Early Bavaria
Date 1202-01-01 - 1205-12-31
Rules Name of game.
Content "da lagen vor den frouwen fier/
wurfzabel und kurrier/
geworht von helfenbeine/
mit edelem gesteine/
spillten si: mit holze niht,/
als man nu frouwen spiln siht. /
Si heten kurzenwile vil /
von maneger hande seitenspil /
daz die frouwen kunden/" from Wigalois (10580-90) by Wirny von Gravenberg c. 1202-1205 in Bavaria. Pfeiffer 1847: 269-270.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Female
Source Pfeiffer, F. 1847. Wigalois, eine Erzählung. Leipzig: G. J. Göschen'sche Verlagshandlung.
Id DLP.Evidence.1568
Type Contemporary text
Game Currierspiel
Location 48°22'9.39"N, 10°53'51.86"E
Date 1282-01-01 - 1320-12-31
Rules Name of game.
Content "doch wizzet endelichen daz,/
daz sin niht mer von esrten was./
die kurrier sider sint erdaht /
und in das spil durch zierde braht/
wir sin con reht dannoch gemant. " Das Schachgedicht of Heinrich von Beringen (9700-9704). Zimmermann 1883: 321.
Confidence 100
Source Zimmermann, P. 1883. Das Schachgedicht, Heinrichs von Beringen. Tübingen: Litterarischen Verein.
Id DLP.Evidence.1569
Type Contemporary text
Game Currierspiel
Location 47°40'40.75"N, 9°10'23.61"E
Date 1337-01-01 - 1337-12-31
Rules Name of game, two Courier pieces, one "Troll" piece, one "Advisor" piece.
Content "Ouch wil ich zellen, die ich sach me,/ als ich hab gesprochen e: /ze ietweder site aht steine, vier grosse und vier kleine; die grossen wil ich nennen, so mugent ir si erkennen: es ist ein trulle und zwen currier und ein ratgeb, das wedernt vier. die son ze ietweder site stan der rocher; ieklicher han sol vor im ein vendelin : die zellent, so mugen ir sehsehen sin das wirt ietwedrent ahter me; die tuont zuo dien, die ich nand e: so wirt ir uf das bret ze vil. als ich uch bescheiden wil und ich sach an dem buoche stan, das bret sol niht me velde han wan vierundsechzig, une swenn es stat, als mans von erst gesezet hat, so sol als vol ist. das hab ich gelesen da ichs vand an dem buoche stan, darab ich es genomen han, und darumbe dunket mich, dis di gerehter sicherlich, das da hat minder steine; wan es ist ouch gemeine, swar ich ie kam in kein lant. doch ist mir ze guoter mas erkant in Provenz und in Frankrich und in Kurwalhen. doch gesach ich nie, das da me steine hat, wan ze Konstanz in der stat, da sach ich eins, kein anders nie wan das, swar ich reit oder gie. swas ieman anders hat gesehen, dem gan ichs wol, wil ers verjehen." from Konrad von Ammenhausen's Schachzabelbuch (2623-2660). Vetter 1892: 109-110.
Confidence 100
Source Vetter, F. 1892. Das Schachzabelbuch Kunrats von Ammenhausen, Mönchs und Leutpriesters zu Stein am Rhein. Frauenfeld: Verlag von J. Huber.
Id DLP.Evidence.1570
Type Ethnography
Game Nebäkuthana
Location N Arapaho; S Arapaho; Comanche; Apache; Kiowa
Date 1890-01-01 - 1890-12-31
Rules The board is rectangular, with six points on either side, with each side divided in half by two short parallel lines, which are the "rivers." There are four arcs in the corners of the "square". The points and lines are the playing spaces. Players play on two teams. One stick, serving as the playing piece, per team, which start one each on the parallel lines on the bottom side. Each team has a number or scoring sticks, determined at the beginning of the game. There are four throwing sticks, three are blank on one side and marked on the other, one stick, the sahe, is marked distinctively on two sides, marked with a green line on the flat side, while the others are marked red. The number of marked sides is the value of the throw, except when all are face up, which scores 6, and when only blank sides are up, which scores 10. Throws of 6 or 10 give the player another throw, as do throws of 1 and 3 if the sahe's marked side is up. All of the players on team team throw before the players of the other team throw. Play begins from the middle oft he river on one side. Each team moves in an opposite direction around the board. If a team's stick lands on the edge of the river opposite the starting position, the piece is sent back to start. If a player lands on the same space as the opposing team's stick, the opposing team's stick is sent back to start. When a team reaches the starting point, having completed a circuit of the board, the team wins a scoring stick. When one team captures all of the scoring sticks, they win.
Content The first is called nebakuthana by the Arapaho and tsona or "awl game" ( from tsoii, an awl) by the Kiowa, on account of an awl, the Indian woman's substitute for a needle, being used to keep record of the score. The game is becoming obsolete in the north, but is the everyday summer amusement of the women among the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache in the southern plains....
The players sit upon the ground around a blanket marked in charcoal with lines and dots, and quadrants in the corners, as shown in figure 95. In the center is a stone upon which the sticks are thrown. Each dot, excepting those between the parallels, counts a point, making twenty-four points for dots. Each of the parallel lines, and each end of the curved lines in the corners, also counts a point, making sixteen points for the lines or, forty points in all. The players start from the bottom, opposing players moving in opposite directions, and with each throw of the sticks the thrower moves her awl forward and sticks it into the blanket at
the dot or line to which her throw carries her. The parallels on each of the four sides are called "rivers," and the dots within these parallels do not count in the game. The rivers at the top and bottom are "dangerous" and can not be crossed, and when the player is so unlucky as to score a throw which brings her upon the edge of the river (i. e., upon the first line of either of these pairs of parallels), she "falls into the river" and must lose all she has hitherto gained, and begin again at the start. In the same way.
when a player moving around in one direction makes a throw which brings her awl to the place occupied by the awl of her opponent coming around from the other side, the said opponent is "whipped back" to the starting point and must begin all over again. Thus there is a constant succession of unforeseen accidents which furnish endless amusement to the players.
The game is played with four sticks, each from 6 to 10 inches long,
flat one side and round on the other (figure 96). One of these is the trump stick and is marked in a distinctive manner in the center on both sides, and is also distinguished by having a green line along the
flat side (figure 97), while the others have each a red line. The Kiowa call this trump stick sake, "green," on account of the green stripe, while the others are called guadal, "red." There are also a number of small green sticks, about the size of lead
pencils, for keeping tally. Each player in turn takes up the four sticks together in her hand and throws them down on end upon the stone in the center. The number of points depends on the number of flat or round sides which turn up. A lucky throw with the green or trump stick generally gives the thrower another tria in addition. The formulais:
One flat side up counts 1,
One llat side (if »a7ie) counts 1 and another throw
Two flat sides up, with or without sahe, count 2 Three flat Bides up count 3
Three flat sides up, including sahe, count 3 and another throw
All four flat sides up count 6 and another throw
All four round sides up count 10 and another throw.
Only the flat sides count except when all the sticks turn round side up. This is the best throw of all, as it counts ten points and another throw. On completing one round of forty points the player takes one of the.small green tally sticks from the pile and she who first gets the number of tally sticks previously agreed on wins the game. Two, four, or any even number of persons may play the game, half on each...When two or more play on a side, all the partners move up the same number of points at each throw, but only the lucky thrower gets a second trial in case of a trump throw.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female
Source Mooney, J. 1896. The Ghost-Dance Religion and the Sioux Outbreak of 1890. Fourteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution 2.
Id DLP.Evidence.1571
Type Ethnography
Game Tatsungin
Location Pyramid Lake
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Ten sticks stuck into the ground; the playing spaces are the spaces between the sticks. Eight sticks with one red and one white side, used as dice. The value of the throws equals the number of white sides up. One piece per player.
Content "Paiute Pyramid Lake, Nevada. (Cat no. 19045, United States National Museum.) Eight slips of split cane, painted red on the inside, 11 inches in length. Collected by Mr Stephen Powers, who describes them as follows: Tatsungin, gambling pieces. Then sticks are stuck into the ground, and two men play by throwing on end eight split pieces of reed, painted red on the inside; they count the pieces which fall white side up and there are two pieces serving as counters in addition to the pieces stuck in the ground, the latter representing the ten fingers." Culin 1907: 167.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1572
Type Ethnography
Game Tsiheki
Location Tule River Reservation
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules 25 sticks stuck in the ground, the spaces between the sticks being the playing spaces. Four sticks, convex on one side and concave on the other, used as dice. The value of the throws equals the number of concave sides up, except all concave sides up = 16. When the opponent throws the same amount as the player's last throw, the player moves their pieces backward the same amount.
Content "The game is called tsiheki, to hurdle. Twenty-five sticks are stuck in a row in the ground and receiev the same name as the game. The throws are counted around these sticks with four stick counters or horses called witchet. All concave sides up coiunt 16; one concave side up 1; two concave sides up, 2, and so on; but if an opponent ties your throw you go back as much." Account given by Dr. J. W. Hudson, Culin 1907: 141.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1573
Type Artifact
Game Tsiheki
Location Tule River Reservation
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules 25 sticks for the board. Four sticks per player as pieces. Four sticks used as dice.
Content Eight split reeds, other four split reeds marked with red stripes, 25 willow sticks, pointed on one end. From the Yocuts people of the Tule River Reservation in California, CAt. no. 70395, 70396, 70397, Field Museum Chicago(?). Culin 1907: 140.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1574
Type Artifact
Game Hopi Game
Location 35°52'35.01"N,110°38'25.49"W
Date 1901-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules Oval-shaped board. Three circular spaces, one on each end, and one in the center. Five vertical lines, intersecting with the edges of the oval, between the first and central and central and third circles.
Content Stone board from Oraibi, Arizona. Oval board with three circles, two on either end and one in the center, with five vertical lines separating the circles. Penn Museum 38611A. Culin 1907: 161-162.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1575
Type Ethnography
Game Totolóspi (Cross-Shaped)
Location 35°52'35.01"N,110°38'25.49"W
Date 1899-01-01 - 1899-12-31
Rules Four sticks, marked on one side, used as dice. A throw of all marked sides or all blank sides =1, any other throw = 0. Two or four players. One piece per player, which begin on the outer circles and move toward the center.
Content "These were collected in 1899 by Rev. H. R. Voth, and are described by him as implements for the game of totolospi: In this game either two or four participate. Each player has one piece, which is placed in the ring seen in the four semicircles. The sticks are then thrown by one party, and as long as either the plain or the figured sides of all the sticks lie upward he moves his piece forward over the cross lies toward the center. As soon as the sticks present different surfaces another player throws." Culin 1907: 160.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1576
Type Artifact
Game Totolóspi (Cross-Shaped)
Location 35°52'35.01"N,110°38'25.49"W
Date 1901-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules Two overlapping ovals, with five small circles; one at the end of each oval and one in the center. Five lines dividing the ovals in each arm between the outer and central circle.
Content Sandstone board collected from Oraibi, Arizona. Two overlapping ovals, with five small circles; one at the end of each oval and one in the center. Five lines dividing the ovals in each arm between the outer and central circle. Penn Museum 38610. Culin 1907: 162.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1577
Type Ethnography
Game Patol
Location 34°54'28.55"N,106°41'40.89"W
Date 1891-01-01 - 1891-12-31
Rules Forty stones are arranged in a circle, with a larger gap between every tenth and eleventh stone. One piece per player. Any number of players. Three sticks used as dice, marked on one side and blank on the other. Throws are as follows: One marked side up = 3, two marked sides up = 2, three marked sides up = 10; all blank sides up = 5. One piece per player. Players enter their pieces from one of the wider gaps in the board, and chooses to move either clockwise or anti-clockwise. Each player may enter on whichever large space they choose, and proceed in whichever direction they choose. When a player's piece lands on a space occupied by the opponent, the opponent's piece is sent back to the space in which they entered. The first player to complete the circuit wins.
Content "A NEW OLD GAME. The Teewah branch of the Pueblo Indians with
whom I live call it pa-tol. 1 Boys and gray-
haired men play it with equal zest ; and of a sum-
mer's evening, when work in the fields is done, I
seldom stroll through the village without finding
knots of old and young squatted in convenient
corners at the most popular of all their sedentary
games.
There is nothing complicated about the preparation of a pa-tol set. The boys gather forty smooth
stones the size of their fist, and arrange them in
a circle about three feet in diameter. Between
every tenth and eleventh stone is a gate of four
or five inches. These gates are called
" rivers." In the centre of the circle ( " pa-tol house " ) is placed a larger cobblestone, smooth and approximately flat on top, called
hyee-oh-tee-dy. There is your pa-tol ground.
The pa-tol sticks, which are the most important
part of the paraphernalia, are three in number.
Sometimes they are made by splitting from dry
branches, and sometimes by whittling from a solid
block. The chief essential is that the wood be
firm and hard. These sticks are four to five
inches long, about an inch wide, and a quarter of
an inch thick ; and must have their sides flat, so
that the three may be clasped together very much
as one holds a pen, but more nearly perpendicular,
with the thumb and first three fingers of the right
hand. Each stick is plain on one side and marked
on the other, generally with diagonal notches, as
shown in the illustration. The only other requisite is a Jcah-nid-deh (horse)
for each player, of whom there may be as many
as can seat themselves around the pa-tol house.
The " horse " is merely a twig or stick, used as
a marker. When the players have seated themselves, the
first takes the pa-tol sticks tightly in his right
hand, lifts them about as high as his chin, and,
bringing them down with a smart, vertical thrust,
as if to harpoon the centre stone, lets go of them
when they are within some six inches of it. The
three sticks strike the stone as one, hitting on
their ends squarely, and rebounding several inches,
fall back into the circle. The manner in which
they fall decides the " denomination " of the throw,
and the different values are shown in diagram
No. 2. Although at first flush this might seem to
make it a game of chance, nothing could be farther
from the truth. Indeed, no really aboriginal game
is a true game of chance the invention of that
dangerous and delusive plaything was reserved for
civilized ingenuity. An expert pa-tol player will
throw the number he desires with almost unfailing certainty by his arrangement of the sticks in
his hand and the manner and force with which he strikes
them down. It is a dexterity
which any one may acquire
by sufficient practice and
only thus. The five-throw is
deemed very much the hardest of all, and I have certainly found it so. It is to
this opportunity for skill in
throwing that the interest of
the game and its value are
due.
5 According to the number of
his throw the player moves his
marker an equal number of
stones ahead on the circle,
using one of the " rivers " as a starting-point. If the throw
is five, for instance, he lays his
" horse " between the fourth
and fifth stones, and hands
the pa-tol sticks to the next
man. If his throw be ten,
however as the first man's
first throw is very certain to be it lands his
" horse " in the second " river," and he has another
throw.
The second man may make his starting-point
the same or another "river," and may elect to run
his " horse " around the circle in the same direction that the first is going, or in the opposite. If
in the same direction, he will do his best to make
a throw which will bring his " horse " into the same
notch as that of the first man in which case the
first man is " killed," and has to take his " horse "
back to his starting-point to try over again when
he gets another turn. In case the second man
starts in the opposite direction which he will
not do unless an expert player he has to calculate with a good deal of skill for the meeting, to
"kill," and to avoid being "killed" by No. 1.
When he starts in the same direction as No. 1, he
is behind and runs no chance of being " killed,"
while he has just as good a chance to kill. But
if, even then, a high throw carries him ahead of
the first man for " jumping " does not count
either way, the only "killing" being when two
"horses" come in the same notch his rear is in
danger, and he will try to run on out of the way
of his pursuer as fast as possible.
The more players, the more complicated the
game, for each " horse " is threatened alike by foes
that chase from behind and charge from before,
and the most skilful player is liable to be sent
back to the starting-point several times before the
game is finished, which is as soon as one " horse "
has made the complete circuit. " Lummis 1891: 184-187.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Elder, Adolescent, Adult
Genders Male
Source Lummis, C. 1891. A New Mexico David, and other Stories and Sketches of the Southwest. New York: Scribner's and Sons.
Id DLP.Evidence.1578
Type Ethnography
Game Patol
Location 35° 4'5.87"N,108°50'57.25"W; 35°26'1.68"N, 106°26'48.06"W; 34°49'26.79"N,106°50'18.84"W; 35° 2'12.21"N, 107°22'58.08"W; 35°36'32.10"N,106°21'1.07"W; 34°53'47.08"N,107°34'54.71"W; 35°48'8.75"N,105°58'31.91"W; 36°24'21.72"N,105°34'25.29"W; 36°20'36.45"N,106°11'20.68"W; 35°53'31.10"N, 106° 7'6.06"W; 32°46'38.50"N,108° 9'11.06"W
Date 1891-01-01 - 1891-12-31
Content "n a reply to a letter of inquiry, Mr. Lummis writes me that he distinctly remembers having witnessed this game at Isleta, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, and Taos (Tewan(; at Acoma...(Acoma colonies), Cochité, Laguna, El Rito, Sandia, and San Felipe (Keresan), and Zuni." CUlin 1898: 734.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1579
Type Artifact
Game Chantuto Game
Location 15°11'36.34"N, 92°49'13.58"W
Date 2900-01-01BCE - 2800-12-31BCE
Rules 24 holes arranged in an arc around a stone.
Content An arc of holes, presumably for receiving sticks, 24 in number and arranged in an arc around a stone. Found in the lower floor of the Tlacuachero shell mound in Chiapas Mexico. The floor dates to 2900-2800 BCE. Voorhies 2013.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Voorhies, B. 2013. "The Deep Prehistory of Indian Gaming: Possible Late Archaic Period Game Boards at the Tlacuachero Shellmound, Chiapas, Mexico." Latin American Antiquity 24(1): 98-115.
Id DLP.Evidence.1580
Type Artifact
Game Chantuto Game
Location 15°11'36.34"N, 92°49'13.58"W
Date 2300-01-01BCE - 2270-12-31BCE
Rules 24 holes arranged in an arc around a stone.
Content An arc of holes, presumably for receiving sticks, 24 in number and arranged in an arc around a stone. Found in the upper floor of the Tlacuachero shell mound in Chiapas Mexico. The floor dates to 2300-2270 BCE. Voorhies 2013.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Voorhies, B. 2013. "The Deep Prehistory of Indian Gaming: Possible Late Archaic Period Game Boards at the Tlacuachero Shellmound, Chiapas, Mexico." Latin American Antiquity 24(1): 98-115.
Id DLP.Evidence.1581
Type Ethnography
Game Kawasukuts
Location 35° 2'11.93"N,107°22'57.77"W
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules Forty stones, arranged in a circle, with larger gaps (doors) between the stones after every ten. The gaps between the stones are the playing spaces. Any number of players. One stick per player. Three sticks used as dice, one marked with two notches, one marked with three notches, the other marked with ten notches. The value of the throw is the number of notches which land face up. Players move their sticks around the board, beginning at one of the doors. Players may choose in which direction to proceed around the board. When a player lands on the same space as an opponent, the opponent's piece is sent back to the starting door. The first player to complete the circuit of the board wins.
Content "Laguna. NewMexico.
Capt. George H. Pradt, of Laguna, writes as follows:
The game played with a circle of small stones is called, by the Keres pueblos, "Ka-wa-su-kuts." 3 The stones number forty, and arc divided into tens by openings called doors or gates called "Si-am-ma" the doors are placed north, south, cast, and west.
In the center of the circle is placed a flat stone, upon which arc thrown the three counters. These arc Hat pieces of wood about 4 inches long, 1/2 inch wide, and 1 inch thick; painted black on one side, and marked with 2, 3, and 10 marks, respectively. The counters are firmly grasped with the ends down, and forcibly thrown (ends down) on the stone in the center, in such a manner that they will rebound, and the marks, if any are uppermost, are counted, and the player lays his marker (a small stick like a pencil) between the stones the proper distance from the starting point to record the number. The starting point is one of the "doors," 'whichever is selected, and the game is played by any number that can assemble around the circle. A player can go around the circle in either direction, but if another player arrives at the same point he "kills"' the previous player and that one is obliged to go back to the starting point; the first one making the circuit successfully wins the game. which is generally played for a small stake." Culin 1898: 729.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1582
Type Ethnography
Game Kawasukuts
Location 35° 2'11.93"N,107°22'57.77"W
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules When a player lands on a door space, they must return to start, unless the next player throws the same number on their turn.
Content "The game is modified sometimes by ruling that if a player falls into one of the doors he must go back, but in this case the player is not obliged to go back it* another happens to mark as many points as he." Culin 1898: 729.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1583
Type Ethnography
Game Owasokotz
Location 35° 2'11.93"N,107°22'57.77"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Forty stones arranged in a circle, with a larger gap after every tenth stone. These gaps are known as doors. Any number of players, each player begins with one piece, which begins at the east door. Three sticks used as dice, black on one side, white on the other, with one stick notched on the white side. The throws are as follows: two black with one notched white side up = 15; three white sides up = 10; two black and one white, not notched = 3, two white and one black = 2, three black = 5. Throws of 10 and 15 grant the player another throw. Players may move in either direction around the circle. To win, the player must complete a circuit of the board and pass the east door. If they land exactly on the east door, they must complete another circuit.
Content "Laguna, New Mexico. ( Cat. no. 61819, Field Columbian Museum.) Three flat wooden blocks, 4 by If inches, with one side plain and one side painted red. One of The block has fifteen notches, ten of which are on one edge and five on the other, as shown in figure 127. Collected by Dr C. E. Lukens. The following detailed account of the game, under the name of
owasokotz, which was furnished by the collector, appears on the
museum label : The game is played with three billets of wood, painted black on one side, white on the other, one of the white sides having fifteen notches on it, the other plain. Each player has a small stick to use as a marker, formerly known as o-poia-nia-ma, but of late called a horse, " because it goes so fast ; " a flat stone, the size of the hand, used as a center stone, upon which the billets are dropped ; and forty small stones, the size of a hen's egg.
These forty stones are placed on the ground in the form of a circle, with four
openings, or doors, called si-am-ma, always facing the four cardinal points. The
play always begins at the east door, but after that they play whichever way they
choose. Bach player may go a different way if he chooses ; as many as wish can
play, or they may play partners. At the beginning of the play the horses are
placed at the east door. A player takes up the billets and, placing the ends even
with one hand, strikes them ends down on the center stone like dice ; the count
is determined by the manner of the fall, and he then moves his horses up 'as
many stones as he makes ; if he gets around to the starting point first, he wins.
There are two ways of playing one is called pass, the other enter. In pass,
if one makes a score which lands him exactly in the starting, or east, door, he
must go around again until he lauds in the proper place....The blocks may fall within or without the ring. If one block should fall on edge, not leaning, then the player lays it on the center stone and strikes it with another billet, but if the notched
billet is lying face down, it must not be used to strike with ; when the notched block stands on edge it must be picked up and thrown on the center stone. The count is as follows: Two black sides up, with one white notched, 15 stones ; three white sides up, 10 (when a player makes 10 or 15 he may strike again, and as many times as he makes these large numbers) ; two blacks up and one white, not notched, 3; two white and one black up, 2 ; three blacks up, 5." CUlin 1907: 121-122.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1584
Type Ethnography
Game Owasokotz
Location 35° 2'11.93"N,107°22'57.77"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules When a player's piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to the east door. The first player to reach the east door after making a circuit, whether passing it or landing exactly on it, the player wins.
Content "In enter, if A should
land his horse on the top of his opponent's horse, he kills him, and he goes back to the beginning, but if A reaches the starting point first, he falls in and wins, even if the number of stones made should carry him beyond. The count otherwise is just the same in both. " Culin 1907: 122.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1585
Type Ethnography
Game Tsaydithl
Location White Mountain Apache
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Forty stones, placed in a circle with a larger space after every tenth stone. The spaces between the stones are the playing spaces. Two to four players, each with one counter. Three sticks, round on one side and flat on the other, used as dice. The throws are as follows: three round sides = 10; three flat sides up = 5; one round and two flat = 3; two round and one flat = 1 or 2. Players move from one of the wider spaces around the board in opposite directions. When a player lands on the same spot as the opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to the beginning. The first player to complete a circuit of the board wins.
Content "White Mountain Apache, Arizona. These specimens were collected by Rev. Paul S. Mayerhoff, who gives the following account of the game under the name of tsaydithl, or throw-sticks: This is a woman's game and is played with great ardor. The staves are three in number, from 8 to 10 inches long and flat on one side. The playground is a circle (fig. 84) about 5 feet in diameter. The center of this circle is formed by a flat rock of any convenient size, generally from 8 to 10 inches in diameter. On the circumference forty stones are arranged in sets of ten, to be used as counters. Not less than two or more than four persons can participate in the game at one time. In playing, the sticks are grasped in the hand and thrown on end upon the rock in the center with force enough to make them rebound. As they fall, flat or round face upward, the throw counts from 1 to 10, as follows: Three round sides up counts 10 points, called yäh; two round sides up, one flat, 1 or 2 points, called tlay; one round side up, two flat, 3 points, called tah geé; three flat sides up, 5 points called dágay. Should one of the players, in making her count, continue from her set of counters to the adjoining set of her opponent's and strike the place marked by the opponent's tally marker, it throws the opponent's count out of the game, and she must start anew. Whoever first marks 40 points wins." CUlin 1907: 87.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1586
Type Ethnography
Game Sétichch
Location 33°47'23.86"N,109°59'19.42"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Forty stones arranged in a circle, with a larger gap after every tenth stones, the spaces between the stones are the playing spaces. Four or six players, played on two teams, with two sticks per team, starting in one of the gaps. Three sticks, round on one side and flat on the other, used as dice. The throws are as follows: three round sides = 10; two round sides = 2; one round side =3; three flat sides =5. A throw of 10 grants the player another throw. Pieces move according to the throws in opposite directions around the board. The team to get their pieces to the starting gap wins.
Content "White Mountain Apache...Fort Apache, Arizona...These were collected by Dr Edward Palmer, and were described by Captain C. N. B. Macauley, U.S. Army, as used in a game played by women in a circle of forty stones divided in four tens with a division to each ten, and having a large flat rock placed in the middle. Four or six can play. Two sides are formed of equal numbers, and two sets of sticks are used. The players kneel behind the rock circle. The first player takes the sticks in one hand, rounded sides out, and slams them end first on the rock. From this is derived the name of the game, sé-tich-ch, bounce-on-the-rock. The counts are as follows: Three round sides up counts 10; three flat sidesup, 5; two round sides up and one flat, 2; one round side up and two flat, 3. A throw of 10 gives another throw. Each side has two sticks which are used to mark the count. The two sides count from opposite directions." Culin 1907: 90-91.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1587
Type Ethnography
Game Set Dilth'
Location 33°50'13.19"N,109°57'51.10"W
Date 1901-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules Forty stones, arranged in a circle, with a larger gap after every tenth stone. The gaps between the stones are the playing spaces. Two to four players; players sitting across from one another play on a team. One stick per player. Three sticks, each with one flat and one blank side and one marked side, used as dice. The throws are as follows: one marked side up = 2; two marked sides up = 3; all marked sides up =5; no marked sides up =10. Throws of 10 grant the player another throw. Teams play in opposite directions, starting from one of the larger gaps. When a player's piece moves past or onto the space occupied by that of the opposing team, the opposing team's piece is sent back to the starting space. The first team to circle the board three times wins.
Content "WHITE MOUNTAIN APACHE. White river, Arizona. Mr Albert B. Reagan furnished the following account of the Apache stick dice game in a communication to the Bureau of Amer-
ican Ethnology in 1901 : This game is usually played by women only, occupying with it their leisure hours. They bet on it such things as beads, dress materials, and other objects of small value, sometimes even money. When money is bet it is put under the stone on which the sticks are cast. In preparing the field a spot of ground is leveled and a small flat stone is placed in the center. Other stones are then piled around this stone to form a circle 3 1/2 feet in diameter, with four openings, 10 stones being placed in each quarter of the circle, the openings corresponding with the northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest.
The stones, which are picked up in the immediate vicinity of the playground, are of various shapes and sizes. The stones being laid, a stick is placed in the opening at the northeast to indicate that this is the starting point. In counting,
a player moves his counting-stick as many stones from the starting point as he
has points to count, putting his marker in the space just beyond the last stone
counted, unless that count should end in one of the four openings, in which case
he puts it in the next preceding space. The stones in each section are numbered or named. Those in the two sections on the right of the starting point
are numbered from 1 on to the right, and those on the left of the starting
point in the same way toward the left.
The playing sticks are about a foot in length, and are the halves of green sticks
about 1 inch in diameter, the bark being left on the rounded side and the split
surface marked across its face with charcoal bands about 1 inch wide. In
throwing, the sticks are carefully held together in the hand, with the marked
faces either in or out. They are hurled, ends down, the hand being released
just before they strike, so that they are free to fall or bounce in any direction.
The counts are as follows : One marked face up counts 2 ; two marked faces
up, 3 ; three marked faces up, 5 ; three marked faces down, 10.
If the player scores 10, she throws again : otherwise she passes the sticks to
the next player. When a player makes 10, she always says yak ! and strikes the
center stone with the bunch of three play sticks sidewise before throwing them
again. The number of players may be two, three, or four, the last-named number being usual. When four play, one sits behind each section of stones, facing
the center. When more than two play, the two that face each other play as
partners. In moving their counting-sticks, partners always move them in the
same direction. The player of the east section and her partner, if she has one.
move around the circle toward the south, and the player of the north section
moves around toward the west.
If a player's count terminates at, or moves past, a place occupied by an
antagonist, she takes her opponent's counting-stick and throws it back, and the
latter must start again, losing all her counts.
A game consists of three circuits, or 120 points. Each time a player makes a
circuit she scores by placing a charcoal mark on a stone in her section.
Vocabulary : Set dilth', the stick game : set dilth' bed'-den-kak, let us play the
stick game; dSk, the sticks used in the stick game; gun-alsh'na, the game is
finished, won ; gun-alsh-na She, I have the game." Culin 1907: 88-89.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside
Genders Female
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1588
Type Artifact
Game Ancestral Apache Game
Location 31°51'51.53"N,110° 0'13.93"W
Date 1280-01-01 - 1580-12-31
Rules Twenty stones arranged in a circle, with four gaps at equal intervals. Arranged around a central stone.
Content Circle of roughly twenty stones around a central stone at the Three Sisters site in Arizona. Seymour 2017: 167-168.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Seymour, D. 2017. "Social Apects of an Apachean Stave-Dice Gaming Feature at Three Sisters." In B. Voorhies (ed.), Prehistoric Games of North American Indians. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 163-177.
Id DLP.Evidence.1589
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Owasakut
Location 34°53'47.08"N, 107°34'54.71"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Thirty stones placed in a circle, with a large gap after every tenth stone. The spaces between the stones are the playing spaces. One stick per player. Three stick dice, black on one side and white on the other. Throws re as follows: three black = 10; three white = 5; two white = 2; one white = 3.
Content "Keres. Acoma, New Mexico...made for the writer by James H. Miller. He gave the name as owasakut. The counts are as follows: Three black counts 10; three white, 5; two white, 2; one white, 3. The game is counted around a circle of thirty stones, yow-wu-ni [figure 125], with little sticks called horses. There are three openings in the stone circle, which are called tsi-a-ma, door." Culin 1907: 120.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1590
Type Ethnography
Game Sitih
Location Arizona Navajo
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Forty stones, arranged in a circle, the spaces between the stones are the playing spaces. Three sticks, each marked with three bands on one side and two one the other, used as dice. The throws are as follows: all three bands up = 5; all two bands up = 10; one with three bands and two with two bands = 2; two with three bands and one with two bands = 3; one with two bands and two with three bands = 3.
Content "Navho, Arizona...They were collected by Dr George A. Dorsey, who desribes the game under the name of sitih. The circle is senesti. The game is 40 and the counts are as follows: All with three bands up count 5; all with two bands up, 10; one with three bands and two with two bands, 2; two with three bands and one with two bands, 3; one with two bands and two with three bands, 3." Culin 1907: 95.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1591
Type Ethnography
Game Settilth
Location New Mexico Navajo
Date 1893-01-01 - 1893-12-31
Rules Forty stones placed in a circle, with a larger gap after every tenth stone. The gaps are the playing spaces. One stick per player, all of which begin in one of the larger gaps. Three sticks, one side round and the other flat, used as dice. Throws are as follows: three round sides up = 10; three flat sides up = 5; all others = 0.
Content "NAVAHO. New Mexico. ...As observed by the writer at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago,
the Navaho play on a circle of forty stones, throwing the staves ends down upon a flat stone placed in the center. Each player has a splint or twig to represent him upon the board, and these are all placed together at one of the four openings in the circle at the commencement of the game. The throws count as follows: Three round side up counts 10; three flat, 5; two rounds and one flat, 0; one round and two flat, 0. The following vocabulary of the game was furnished me by a Navaho at Chicago: The game, Set- tilth; the circle of stones, sen-asti ; the stone in the center, a-cle-sane." Culin 1907: 94.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1592
Type Ethnography
Game Tsi-Di'l
Location Navajo
Date 1897-01-01 - 1897-12-31
Rules A number of stones, arranged in a square. The sapces between the stones are the playing spaces. Players play with sticks, which moves through the playing spaces. Three sticks, used as dice.
Content "Tsi-di'l, or tin-di'l is a game played by Navaho women. the principal implements of the game are three sticks, which are thrown violently, ends down, on a flat stone, around which the gamblers sit. The sticks rebound so well that they would fly far away, were not a blanket stretched overhead to throw them back to the players. A number of small stones, in the form of a square, are used as counters; these are not moved, but sticks, whose positions are changed according to the fortunes of the game, are placed between them. The rules of the game have not been recorded." Matthews 1897: 219.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside
Genders Female
Source Matthews, W. 1897. Navaho Legends. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Id DLP.Evidence.1593
Type Ethnography
Game Sig (Tidikelt)
Location Tidikelt
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules Three rows of holes, arranged vertically, the outer two have twelve holes and the central one has thirteen. Twelve pieces per player, which begin in the outer rows. Four sticks, black on one side and white on the other, the number of white faces up is the value of the throw; all black faces up = 6. A player must throw a 1 (sig) to unlock a piece, which moves from the top hole in the player's row to the top hole of the central row. When a piece reaches the thirteenth space in the central row, they must throw a sig to enter the opponent's home row, at the bottom hole in that row, and proceed up that row to the top and then back into the central row. When entering the opponent's row, the opponent's piece in their bottom hole is sent to the next available hole in their row. In the central row, when a piece lands on a hole with an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to start in their home row. When a player throws a 4 or 6 in their opponent's row, all of the opponent's pieces are sent backwards. A player landing on a hole occupied by an opponent in the home row captures the opponent's piece. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Tou les jeux d'équipe chez les enfants se pratiquent pendant la périodde chaude à partir du mois de mai lorsque les Pléiades renaissent dans le ciel. Un des jeux les plus répandus dans tout le Sahara est le jeu qu'on appelle Sig dans le Tidikelt....Il se joue à deux. On confectionne quatre ou six bâtonnets styasiga en écorce de palmier, noirs d'un côté, blancs dans l'autre. On creuse dans le sable une rangée de douze trous C flanqués de part et d'autre d'une rangée de douze trous, les diar (maisons) a et b. Chaque joueur prend douze cailloux, chaque camp ayant sa couleur. On lance les bâtons en l'air et selon le côté duquel ils retombent, on obtient les valeurs suivantes: Si on joue avec quatre bâtons: 0 noir 4 blancs = a'rb'a (4) = 4; 1 noir 3 blancs = un cheval = 3; 2 noirs 2 blancs = un âne = 2; 3 noirs 1 blanc = (siga) = 1; 4 noirs 0 blanc = stya (6) = 6. Nous voyons que dans l'un et l'autre cas, le total des blancs vaut quatre, qu'ilsoit de six ou quatre bâtons, et le total des noirs vaut six qu'il soit de quatre ou de six bâtons conformément à la représentation numérique des graines (quatre pour les mâles et six ou trois pour les femelles). Le joueur A range ses pions en a et le joueur B en b. Pour entrer dans le jeu, il faut réussir un siga. Par exemple: le joueur A fait siga et place son pion en C1; si le joueur B fait à son tour siga, il souffle le pion et prend sa place. Le joueur A sort alors stya: il va en C6 et souffle au passage le pion de son adversaire . B joue et sort arb'a; il se place en C4 derrière le pion de A qui dit "Attention, il va me tuer." Dès qu'un joueur fait à nouveau siga, il peut sortir un autre pion. Quand un pion B arrive en C13, il doit faire un siga pour glisser dans la rangée a en 12; il souffle alors au passage le pion qui aurait pu rester an 12 a. Les pions A peuvent de même aller dans la rangée b. Mais en passant dans la rangée des "maisons" de l'adversaire, chaque pion risque "d'être tué" par un des pions de cette rangée qui remonte pour passer en C. Cependant, si le joueur fait un stya ou un arb'a, il souffle tous les pions qui se trouvent devant lui et revient dans le canal C. Le jeu continue en faisant circuler dans le même sens les pions jusqu'à ce qu'il n'y ait plus qu'in seul survivant. Les trous creusés dans le sables représentent les carreaux cultivés des jardins et les pierres qui circulent sont les eaux qui tournent suivant le grand mouvement cosmique que nous expliquerons plus loin. " Pâques 1964: 90-92.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Spaces Outside
Source Pâques, V. 1964. L'Arbre cosmique dans la pensée populaire et dans la vie quotidienne du nord-ouest africain. Paris: Institut d'Ethnologie.
Id DLP.Evidence.1594
Type Ethnography
Game Sig (Tidikelt)
Location Tidikelt
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules Six sticks, black on one side, white on the other, used as dice. The number of white faces up equals the value of the throw, with a maximum value of 4 (I.e., throws with four, five, or six white sides up = 4). All black sides up = 6.
Content "Si on joue avec six bâtons: 0 noir 6 blancs = 4; 1 noir et 5 blancs = 4; 2 noirs et 4 blancs = 4; 3 noirs et 3 blancs = 3 = un cheval; 4 noirs 2 blancs = 2 = un âne; 5 noirs 1 blanc = 1 sig; 6 noirs 0 blnc = 6 stya." Pâques 1964: 90.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Spaces Outside
Source Pâques, V. 1964. L'Arbre cosmique dans la pensée populaire et dans la vie quotidienne du nord-ouest africain. Paris: Institut d'Ethnologie.
Id DLP.Evidence.1595
Type Ethnography
Game Tasholiwe
Location Zuni
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules Forty stones, arranged in a circle, with a larger gap (called a door) after every tenth stone. Two or four players, each player playing with one piece. Each piece begins in one of the doors: north/winter is yellow, west/spring is blue, south/summer is red, east/autumn is white. North and west move anti-clockwise around the circle, south and east move clockwise. Three sticks, red on one side and black on the other, used as dice, the throws are as follows: three red = 10, three black = 5, two red and one black = 3, two black and one red =2. A throw of 10 grants the player another throw. When a player lands on a spot occupied by an opponent, the opponent's piece is sent back to start. The first player to complete four circuits of the board wins. Circuits are usually counted with beans or corn.
Content "They were all used, as I am informed, by Mr. Cushing, for the game of Ta'sho'-li-we, or "wooden canes ' (one of the seven sacred games of Zuni), which he described to me as follows: Ta -sho'-li-we- is played according to the throws of three wooden blocks, painted red on one side and black upon the other, around a circle of stones placed upon the sand. Two or four players engage, using two or four splints as markers, and advancing, according to their throws around the circle which is divided into forty parts by pebbles or fragments of pottery, and has four openings called "doorways" at its four quarters. At the commencement of the game four colored splints are arranged at these points: at the top (North) a yellow splint; at the left (West) a blue; at the bottom (South) a red, and at the right (East) a white splint. The blocks are tossed ends down on a disk of sandstone placed in the middle of the circle, and the counts are as follows:
3 red sides up =10 3 black sides up = 5 2 red and one black = 3 2 black and one red = 2
A count of ten gives another throw. When four play, the straws of the North and West move around from right to left, and those of the South and East from left to right. When a player's move terminates at a division of the circle occupied by an adversary's straw, he takes it up and sends it back to the beginning. It is customary to make the circuit of the stones four times, beans or corn of different colors being used to count the number of times a player has gone around. The colors on the wooden blocks or dice symbolize the two conditions of men:
Red, light or wakefulness; Black, darkness or sleep.The splints have the following symbolism: At top, yellow, north, air, Winter; At left, blue, west, water, Spring; At bottom, red, south, fire. Summer; At right, white, east, earth. Autumn." Culin 1898: 773-775.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1596
Type Ethnography
Game Hue-Ta-Quee-Che-Ka
Location Havasupai
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules A number of stones are arranged in a circle, with one larger gap. The gaps between the stones are the playing spaces. Any number of players, playing on two teams. Each team's sticks are moved in opposite directions around the circle. Three sticks, white on one side and red on the other, used as dice. The throws are as follows: three white sides = 10; two white and one red = 2, two red and one white = 3; three red = 5.
Content "Havasupat. Arizona. Mr. G. Wharton James has furnished the writer with the following
account: Squatted around a circle of small stones, the circle having an opening at a certain portion of its circumference called the yam-se-kyalb-ye-la, and a large flat stone in the centre called tau-be-clie-ka, the Havasupai play the game called Hite-ta-qiiee-dte- l.a. Any number of players can engage in the game. The players are chosen into sides. The first player begins the game by holding in his hand three pieces of short stick, white on one side and red on the other. These sticks are called iohbe-ya, and take the place of our dice. They are flung rapidly upon the central stone, tad-be- che-ka, and as they fall counts are made as follows :
3 whites up =10 2 whites, 1 red up= 2 2 reds, 1 white up= 3 3reds =5 tallies are kept by placing short sticks between the stones, hue, that compose the circle, one side counting in one direction from the opening and the other keeping tally in the opposite direction." Culin 1898: 768-769.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Female
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1597
Type Ethnography
Game Tawfa
Location Hualapai
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Fifty stones, arranged in two-thirds of a circle, with 25 on either side of a larger stone at the apex of this arc. These smaller stones are the counters. Another large stone in the center, on which three sticks, used as dice, are thrown. These sticks are flat on one side, round on the other. The throws are as follows: one flat side up = 1; two flat sides up =3; three flat sides up = 5; three round sides up = 10. Players move stones according to the throws. The first player to reach the large stone first wins.
Content "These were collected by Mr H. P. Ewing, who gave the following account of the game under the name of tawfa : The Walapai call this game taw-fa, from the manner of throwing the sticks against a stone. The play is as follows : Place fifty small stones in a circle about 4 feet in diameter, arranging them close together except at one point in the circle, which remains open. Opposite this open space a larger stone is placed. These stones are the counters, and the game is counted by moving the stones around the circle. An equal number of stones is placed on each side of the large stone, and whichever contestant gets to the large stone
first wins. In playing the game, one person takes the little billets of wood, which are three in number, rounded on one side and flat on the other, and holds them between the thumb and first two fingers so that they are parallel. She throws them so that the three ends will strike on a large stone in the center of the circle. The count is as follows : One flat side up counts 1 ; two flat sides up, 3; three flat sides up, 5; three flat sides down, 10. This game of taw-fa is little played now among the Walapai, cards having taken its place." Culin 1907: 208.
Confidence 100
Genders Female
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1598
Type Ethnography
Game Tugea
Location 35°53'33.04"N,105°58'58.67"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Forty stones arranged in a circle, with a larger gap ("gate") after every tenth stone. Two or more players. A flat stone is placed in the center on which the dice are thrown. One stick ("horse") per player, all of which start in on e of the gates. Three sticks used as dice, flat on one side and round on the other; one of the sticks is notched on the round side. The throws are as follows: One flat side and the notched side up = 1; two flat and the notched side up = 3; three flat sides up = 5; three round sides up = 10; two flat and notched stick up (?) = 15. Throws of 10 and 15 grant the player another throw. Players move in either direction around the circle. When a player lands on a space occupied by an opponent's horse, the opponent's horse is sent back to start. Horses resting in the gates are safe from being sent to start. The first person to complete a circuit of the board wins.
Content "TEWA. Nambe, New Mexico....The game is described under the name of tugea,
or patol : This game is played by two or more persons. Forty small stones are laid in
a circle with a space or gate between each group of ten. The players throw the billets perpendicularly upon a stone, the surfaces falling uppermost determining the count. One flat and one notched round side up count 1 ; two flat and one notched round side up, 3 ; three flat sides up, 5 ; three round sides up, 10; two flat and notched stick up, 15. When
the count is 10 or 15, the player is entitled to another throw. Each player is provided with a
small stick for a counter. This is called a horse. All players start from the same place and move their horses forward between the stones according to their score, in the same or opposite directions, as they choose. If one player scores so that his counter comes to a place occupied by the counter of a previous player, the first player must remove his counter or horse and start again, except it be in one of the spaces or gates which may be occupied by two or more horses at the same time. The one who first moves his counter completely round the circle is the winner. " Culin 1907: 192-193.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1599
Type Ethnography
Game Caseheapana
Location 36°26'18.73"N,105°32'40.25"W
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules Two dice are throw on each turn. Players choose a value from one to six, which will be considered the value of a third die. One player places fourteen pieces on the sixth point of one quadrant, and one on the point directly opposite it on the other side of the board. The other player places fourteen pieces on the fifth point of the same quadrant as the fourteen of the other player, as well as one on the fourth point in that same quadrant.
Content "Tewa. Taos,NewMexico...
Employed in the game Ca-se-he-a-pa-na (Spanish, Pastore), of which the collector, Dr. T. P. Martin, of Taos, has furnished the following account: A circle, from 2 to 3 feet in diameter (fig. 92), is marked on the ground with small stones. One hundred and sixty stones are used, with larger ones at each quarter, dividing the circle into four quarters of forty stones each. A line AB is marked out as a " river," and is usually marked from east to west: The line CD is designated as a ''trail." A large stone is placed in the center.
There are two players, each of whom takes one of the little twigs, which are known as"horses." A player takes the three stones, holds them together, and drops them vertically upon the large stone. He counts according to their fall, and moves his horse as many places around the circuit. They throw and move in turn, going in opposite directions, one starting from K and the other from M. If M passes point B before K reaches it, and meets K's horse anywhere around the circle, K's horse is said to
be killed," and has to go hack to A and start over again, and rice versa. A chief point in the game is to reach B before the other player, so as to kill him on the
second half of the circle. The counts are as follows: 2 flat and notched stick notches up
3 round sides up
3 flat sides up
2 flat and 1 round side not notched up = 1 1 flat and 2 round sides not notched up = 1 This game is usually played all night on the night of November 3d of each year. November 3d is known as "The Day of the Dead," and this game seems in some way to be connected with it, or rather with its celebration, but I can not find out any tradition connecting the two." Culin 1898: 765-767.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1600
Type Ethnography
Game Pasit
Location Burma
Date 1882-01-01 - 1882-12-31
Rules |Four 3x8 rectangles, arranged in a cross-shaped board. the fourth square, counting from the outer corners, in the outer rows of each arm are marked. Four pieces per player. Six cowrie shells are used as dice. The value of the throws is as follows: one mouth up = 10; two mouths up = 2, three mouths up = 3; four mouths up = 5; five mouths up = 25; six mouths up = 12; all mouths down = 6.On the first turn, players get three throws, and enter a piece for every throw of 10 or 25. on the top left square in their arm. If three 10s or three 25s are thrown, the turn is a loss and pieces are not entered. Players move their pieces around the board in an anti-clockwise direction. When a piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must enter again. Pieces resting on marked squares are safe from being removed from the board, and a player whose throw would bring them to this spot when it is occupied by an opponent loses their turn. When a piece completes a circuit of the board. it moves toward the central row in the player's arm, and progresses up the central row into the large square in the center of the board. The player who moves all of their pieces into the center first wine.
Content "Another game called pasit, or chuay pyit-thee, or ansali pyit-thee is a steeplechase kind of arrangement, and
is a favourite with children and simple country people.
It is played oh a board shaped and divided like that
in the figure : —
Cowries are used instead of dice, and the object is to
complete the tour of the board as fast as possible, and to
take as many opponents as you can on the way. Thus if
there were two playing, the first thrower -would enter at a,
and having reached h, would continue from a to c, from c
to d, and so on. The second would commence at a also,
but proceed first to c thence to d, and so on. A third
would start from e towards /, and a fourth in the remain-
ing arm. The method is as follows. Six cowries (cliuay) are taken
in the hand and thrown into a plate or cup ; if one falls
upside down it is called t’se, and counts ten; two, called pah,
score two ; three, thohn, is the same in value ; four, lay,
equals four ; five, upside down, called taseht, scores twenty-
five. When all are on their hacks, it is called hahyah, and
counts twelve. When all six fall on their faces, chouk,
and the value six.
You have three throws to start with, and can only enter
with a ten or a twenty-five ; after entering you can have
only one throw at a time. If you are lucky enough, you
may enter two or even three racers, but if you. throw three
tens running, or three twenty-fives consecutively the hand
is lost to you, you cannot enter even one. If you overtake
an opponent and come on to the same square with him,
you kill him and he has to go back to the starting post,
but only if you fall on the same square, and not if he is on
one of the shaded squares, called poh or kyah, which axe
coloured red or green on the board. In this latter case you
lose your throw. The game is won by returning home
first. Thus the first player having rounded g, comes down
the middle course and finishes at h ; the second player at
i ; the third at j, and so on. Any number can play, and
if there are four, or more, and even numbers, partnerships
are formed." Yoe 1882: 83-85.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Source Yoe, S. 1882. The Burman his Life and Notions. London: Macmillan and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1601
Type Ethnography
Game Barjis
Location Palestine
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules Frou 3x8 rectangles, arranged in a cross. The third square in the outer rows of each arm, counting from the outer corners, are marked. Four players, each with four pieces. Pieces enter the board from the center of the board, down the central row of the player's arm, around the board in an anti-clockwise direction, and then back up the central row to the central space. Six cowries used as dice, the throws are as follows: one mouth up = 10; two mouths up = 2; three mouths up = 3; four mouths up = 4; five mouths up = 25; six mouths up = 12; zero mouths up = 6. Throws of 10 and 25 allow a player to enter a piece onto the board. When a piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to start. Pieces on the same spot as another piece belonging to the player and pieces on marked squares are safe from being sent to start. The player who moves all of their pieces off the board first wins, If a player does this before any other player moves off any of their pieces, it counts as seven wins.
Content "6.4.11. Arabs of Palestine: Barjis (Hilmi Samara)...Played by women and children only. Crosscut cells are (S. 11, 73, and corresponding cells on the other arms; they are cells of safety. Four persons play, each with four men. Played with six cowries, the throws having the standard values. Throws of 10 and 25 carry a grace (khal), and men can only enter and re-enter by a grace. Men can be doubled on any cell and doubled men cannot be taken. If a player bears all her men before the opponents have borne one man, the game is won by mars, counting seven games." Murray 1951: 136.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders Female
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1602
Type Ethnography
Game Edris a Jin
Location Lebanon
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules Four 4x8 rectangles, arranged in a cross. The central space is divided into a 4x4 grid. The corners of the arms of the cross are connected by diagonal tracks of eight ssquares, forming a diagonal board. Four cowries, used as dice. Three pieces per player, one of which is the "chief," the other two are "soldiers."
Content "Edris a Jin. Edris of the Genii, a game like Pachisi. Druses of Lebanon, Syria. Cloth and cowrie shells used as dice and men. The board is much more complicated than the preceding, consisting of a large square cotton cloth marked with a parti-colored diagram with four arms each having four rows of eight squares, each connected at the ends by a diagonal row of eight squares, the whole forming an octagonal figure. The inner square, consisting of sixteen small squares, is called the serai. The moves are made according to the throws with four cowries. Each player has three men, other shells, one of which is called the "chief," and the others "soldiers." The former are filled with red sealing wax, to which colored paper is pasted, distinguishing them as red, green, yellow, and black." Culin 1898: 857.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1603
Type Ethnography
Game Barjiss
Location Lebanon
Date 1998-04-01 - 1998-04-30
Rules Four 3x8 rectangles, arranged into a cross-shaped board. Two players. Four pieces per player. Six cowrie shells, used as dice. The following throws are known: one mouth up alows a piece to enter the board, six mouths up grants the player another throw.
Content "2. The Lebanon
Barjiss was invariably recognised whenever men in the souqs were asked about the game. It was observed for sale in a children’s games shop (Tyre), a sportswear shop that also sold inlaid wooden backgammon boards (Tyre), a ladies’ dress shop (Tripoli, near Khan al-Misriyeen) and a dress and curio shop (Tripoli, “Tailors’ Khan”). One man in Tyre suggested that we try to find it in Beirut where they have “Syrian barjiss.” Mahmud Sha’aban, another gentleman in the souq at Tyre who ran a small shop selling childrens’ games, had one example (bought); he thought the cloths were made in Lebanon, but knew that the game was also played in Syria. He stated that the game was played by men and women alike – including himself – but that it was less popular now than it used to be; he also briefly explained the rules. The game is for two players only; a single upright cowry (dost) allows entry onto the board, whereas throws of 2-4 upright cowries are referred to by Arabic numbers and 5 is referred to as benj. A throw of 6 allows a double move; a throw where the cowries are upside down is referred to as shaki. Another shop- owner (Tripoli, “Tailors’ Khan”), who also sold and played the game, recalled that he only knew this type of cloth and that he had played the game at home since he was a child; these cloths he affirmed to be locally made in Tripoli, where we certainly observed a strong Ottoman influence on the embroidery styles on contemporary machine-embroidered dresses and gowns. Significantly, the cloth board purchased from Yazbek (Tyre) is iden- tical to examples observed for sale in Tripoli (“Tailors’ Khan”) that were said to be made in Tripoli itself; the brass gaming-pieces themselves are identical to pieces sold in Syria." Finkel 2002: 65-66.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Female, Male
Source Finkel, I. 2002. "Pachisi in Arab Garb." Board Game Studies 5: 65-78.
Id DLP.Evidence.1604
Type Rules text
Game Bargese
Location Modern Syria
Date 2002-01-01 - 2002-12-31
Rules Four 3x8 rectangles, arranged in a cross. In the outer rows of each arm, the third square from the outer corners is marked with an X. In two opposite arms, the bottom left corner is marked with "\", called bange. Four pieces per player. Six cowrie shells, used as dice. The throws are as follows: six mouths up (bara) = 12, and the player is granted another throw; five mouths up (bange) = 25 plus another throw, or 24 in addition to entering a piece on the first space of the track, or a piece can enter on the bange plus another throw; four mouths up (arba) = 4; three mouths up (t'laite) = 3; two mouths up (doi) = 2; one mouth up (dust) = 11 plus another throw, or 10 in addition to entering a piece on the first square of the track, or a piece can enter on the X in the right hand row of the player's arm and the player gets another throw; all mouths down (shaka) = 6 plus another throw. Players begin in opposite arms of the cross that do not contain the bange. Pieces entr the board on the top square of the ecntral row of their arm, proceed down that row, then continue in an anti-clockwise direction around the board, until returning to the central track in the player's arm and proceeding toward the central square of the board. To begin, players alternate throwing the cowries until one player throws a dust or bange. That player may then continue to throw until obtaining a throw that does not allow another. Then, the player moves the pieces according to the throws. A piece must move the full value of a single throw, unless one of the throws allows the entering of a piece. When a piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must re-enter from the beginning. Pieces resting on squares marked with X cannot be sent back to start in this way. Two opposing pieces cannot occupy the same safe space, but two pieces belonging to the same player may. Pieces entering the central row of the player's arm are placed on their side to indicate they are moving toward the goal, rather than just starting. Pieces enter the central space (the kitchen) by throwing a dust or bange from the final space in the central row. When this is thrown, and the player has other pieces on the board, the piece waiting to enter the kitchen uses the point normally used to enter pieces to exit, and the remaining value of the throw can be used by other pieces. The first player to remove all four pieces from the board wins.
Content "Fuller information about the modern Syrian game as played in contemporary Aleppo has subsequently been provided by Anna Tajeddin, who has furnished the following details and most kindly allowed me to quote them here:1. Background
Bargese is a traditional Syrian game played only by women. However, it seems the game originates from a non Arabic-speaking country as many of the names of the throws are not Arabic (e.g. dust, which allows a player to move eleven squares). The name of the game varies according to the locality; in Aleppo it is called bargese, while in Damascus it is barcese.
The game is played on an embroidered cloth board [see Fig. 1 and 2]. In earlier times the board was made at home and embroidered by the women themselves. The pieces are today usually made of metal but they were originally made of wood. They represent horses and soldiers. The players take turns to throw the six dice (wada), which are cowrie shells. The shells comprise two distinct sides, teeth and circles. Moves are determined by the combination of circles and teeth thrown. The object of the game is to move all one’s pieces round the board and into the kitchen (mutbakh) before the opponent.
2. The scores
The dice are thrown and the player moves according to the combination of teeth and circles:
6 teeth = bara
5 teeth and 1 circle = bange
moves 12 and another throw
moves 25 and another throw
or:
moves 24 plus a piece, hal, can enter the game on the square next to the kitchen in the player’s home column and another throw,or:
a piece can enter the game on the player’s
appointed square(marked with /) and another throw moves 4
moves 3
moves 2
moves 11 and another throw
or:
moves 10 and one piece, hal, enters the game on
the square next to the kitchen and another throw or:
a piece can enter the game on the X square and another throw
moves 6 and another throw
The game is for two players. They decide which columns are to be the home columns; these must be opposing one another and not contain a bange square (i.e. that marked with an oblique line: /). Each player’s bange square will thus be in the next col- umn to the right.
To start the game each player throws three dice, and the one scoring more teeth plays first. Players then take turns to throw the dice until one player throws either a dust or bange. This player continues to throw until he throws a combination which does not entitle him to a further throw. Only then should the player commence to move. If the initial throw was dust the player will place his first piece on the right-hand X square. If the initial throw was bange the player places his piece on the / square. If the player has thrown more than one dust or bange he may, if he wishes, enter and move more than one piece. The player can have all four pieces on the board at once if he chooses.
Let us look at an example:
A player throws dust, followed by another dust, followed by shaka and finally doi. He enters the first piece on the X square; this is the first dust. He may then choose to enter a second piece near the kitchen; this is the hal. He then moves the first piece 10 squares in an anti-clockwise direction to complete the second dust. He may then move the first piece 6 to complete the shaka. He can then move doi by moving the second piece 2 down his home column. This would complete his turn.
Alternatively, the player may enter one piece on the X square as the first dust. He may then enter a second piece on the same square as the second dust. He could then move either piece 6 and then 2 to complete the shaka and doi, and so the turn.
If a piece lands on the same square as an opposing piece the player should “hammer” (kasser) the top of the opponent’s piece and knock it down. The piece must then lie at the side of the board until the player throws either dust or bange for the piece to re-enter the game. The squares marked with an X act as safe squares and a piece on such a square cannot be “hammered”. Two opposing pieces cannot land on the same safe square but two pieces from the same side can.
Each piece must travel round the whole board in an anti-clockwise direction until it reaches the home column. The piece then moves up the centre column to reach the kitchen. Once the piece enters this column it must lie on its side, indicating that it can no longer be hammered. If a piece lands on the square next to the kitchen it becomes dodo.(4) The piece must then remain lying but with its top pointing towards the kitchen. The player must throw either a dust or bange to reach the kitchen from dodo. If the play- er has other pieces still on the board, the dodo will only take the hal (the 1 which allows the player to enter the game). Another piece can move the other 10 or 24 squares.
The winner of the game is the first to get all four pieces into the kitchen.
[Anna Tajeddin loquitur]" Finkel 2002: 67-69.
Confidence 100
Genders Female
Source Finkel, I. 2002. "Pachisi in Arab Garb." Board Game Studies 5: 65-78.
Id DLP.Evidence.1605
Type Ethnography
Game Pachiz
Location Khorezm
Date 1950-01-01 - 1959-12-31
Rules Four 3x8 rectangles, arranged in a cross-shaped board. Four pieces (ot, or horse) per player, which begin in the central squares, the talak. Seven cowrie shells, used as dice. The throws are as follows: one mouth up = 10; two mouths up = 2; three mouths up = 3; four mouths up = 4; five mouths up = 25; six mouths up = 30; seven mouths up = 12; zero mouths up = 6. Certain throws had a value of khal, which granted a player the right to enter a piece on the board and to another throw. Pieces enter the board from the central square onto the top square of the central row in their arm, and proceed down this row, then around the board in an anti-clockwise direction, and then back to the central row of the player's arm back to the central square. When a piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to the start and must enter again. The first player to return all four of their pieces to the central space wins.
Content "Attention in this regard should be drawn to an important but far from accessible article in Russian published in 1962 by G. P. Snesarev in Sovetskaya Etnografiya. The article itself is entitled “Concerning an ethnographic survival from the ancient Indo- Chorezmian cultural sphere.” (Snesarev 1962) (12) This report traces a highly-unusual and specific social use of a local form of Pachisi called pachiz in Khorezm in Uzbekhistan. The report grew out of investigations carried out in that area by Snesarev in the course of archaeological and anthropological field-work by a Russian team in the 1950’s. His article concluded with an English summary, which is quoted here:
“The men’s game ‘pachiz,’ which is similar to nard, was widely known among the still surviving male alliances which derive genetically from those of primitive society, with their periodic assemblages known as ‘ziyefats.’ The system of tests and fines for the youth, which are a characteristic feature of pachiz, resemble the old initiation rites connected with coming of age.
Pachiz was introduced into Khorezm from India. This is confirmed by the terminol- ogy of the game and the use of Cypraea moneta shells, which are unusual for Central Asia, as dice in playing the game. Pachiz was apparently peculiar to Khorezm since no evidence of the game has so far been discovered in other parts of Central Asia.”
Fig. 4 shows the distribution of marked or cross-cut squares on the Khorezmian pachiz board. Each arm has six cross-cut squares. There is, it might be pointed out, no attest- ed Indian parallel for this arrangement. Snesarev tells us:
“The game itself is not distinguished by great complexity. The game-board consists of 96 cells, grouped as in the diagram, so that it forms as a whole the figure of a cross. Pieces, called ‘OT,’ ‘horse,’ move through the cells. Each player has four such pieces, and all of them are equal. Each piece, after exiting from the central square, called ‘TALAK,’ has to proceed round the perimeter of the whole board and again return to the centre. Each move is clearly dictated by the number of dots which fall uppermost on throwing the cowrie dice.(14)
In proceeding around the game-board the pieces may be killed by the opponent, and in this event it is necessary to start the route over again from the talak. The winner is he who is the first to get all four pieces to the central square.”
The report does not go into great detail about the play of the game itself,(15) but in the present context Snesarev’s remarks concerning the cowrie shell dice, and the throws, require quotation in full:
“The dice, cowrie shells, which in Khorezm are called ‘ILON BASHI’ (that is ‘snake’s head’), were either bought in a form suitable for the game from market tradesmen dealing in small articles, or players themselves gave them the necessary shape and weight. The backs of the shells were broken, the edges smoothed over, and then lead or copper was poured through the resulting oval opening, and the metal secured with wax (mum). After that the shell became heavy enough to throw, and received its proper form. A shell could drop on either one or the other side. The side filled with the natural crack is named ‘PIKKA,’ and that filled with wax ‘CHIKKA.’ Combinations of pikka and chikka determined the score: each of the eight possible combinations had its individual score: 6 score: chakka; 10 score: dost; 2 score du; 3 score se; 4 score chor; 25 score pachiz; 30 score pachoz, and 12 score bora.
There was no number 1 that consisted of combinations of pikka and chikka, but in this game this single unit existed, as is precisely implied by its name ‘khal.’ Khal played a double role: in the first place it gave the right to enter the first piece on the game-board, and another throw of the dice.” Finkel 2002: 71-73.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Finkel, I. 2002. "Pachisi in Arab Garb." Board Game Studies 5: 65-78.
Id DLP.Evidence.1606
Type Artifact
Game Aasha
Location 9°55'51.42"N, 76°16'1.90"E
Date 1920-01-01 - 1985-12-31
Rules 3x5 rectangle, with an extension of five squares from the central row. The final square in the long row is marked with an X. Two players. Twelve cowrie shells per player, as pieces.
Content Wooden board dating to about 1920, given to the Israel Museum in 1985 by Mr. and Mrs. Sadoo Koder. 3x5 rectangle, with an extension of five squares from the central row. The final square in the long row is marked with an X. Two large oval holes on either side of the long row.. 24 cowrie shells.Brafman 1985: 98; Finkel 1999: 8-9.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1607
Type Artifact
Game Aasha
Location 9°55'51.42"N, 76°16'1.90"E
Date 1920-01-01 - 1985-12-31
Rules 3x5 rectangle, with an extension of five squares from the central row. The final square in the long row is marked with an X. Two players. Twelve cowrie shells per player, as pieces.
Content Wooden board dating to about 1920, given to the Israel Museum in 1985 by Mr. and Mrs. Sadoo Koder. 3x5 rectangle, with an extension of five squares from the central row. The final square in the long row is marked with an X. Two large oval holes on either side of the long row.. 24 cowrie shells.Brafman 1985: 98; Finkel 1999: 8-9.
Confidence 100
Source Brafman, O. 1985. "Field Work in India among the Jewish Communities: December 1982-February 1983." Israel Museum Journal 4: 93-98., Finkel, I. 1999. " The Sedentary Games of India: An Introduction. In R. Nirbed and A. Gosh (eds.), Sedentary Games of India." Kolkata: Asiatic Society, 1-21.
Id DLP.Evidence.1608
Type Ethnography
Game Main Tapak Empat
Location Negeri Sembilan
Date 1919-01-01 - 1919-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each 3x3 quadrant. One player plays with two tigers, which begin on the central spot. The other player plays as 24 goats. The goats play first, and may place a piece on any empty spot. The tigers move to an empty spot any distance along the lines on the board, or may hop over an adjacent goat to capture it, provided there is an empty spot immediately on the other side of the goat. Once all of the goats are placed, they may move along the lines to an empty adjacent spot. If the tigers cannot move, the goats win. The tigers win by capturing all the goats.
Content This is a type of ' fox-and-geese ? or ' main harimau kambing,' which so far as I know has not yet been recorded.
The pattern of board used is represented in diagrams 3 and 4 which show the usual opening move and the ' harimau ' beaten respectively.
The game is played by two players, one (A) taking the ' kambing ' (24 pieces), while the other (X) representing the ' harimau ' has two pieces.
The players move in turn, A commencing. A generally places his first piece as in diagram 3, it being considered worth while to separate the ' harimau ' at the sacrifice of a piece.
A is allowed to place his pieces one by one at any of the points on the board, endeavouring all the time to enclose the two 'harimau' completely.
In order to try and avoid being hemmed in, X is allowed to move either of his pieces any distance he pleases along any of the parallel or diagonal lines passing through that piece's position, provided that none of the intervening spaces are occupied.
e.g. in diagram 3, X may move one of his pieces from P to any one of Q, E, S, T, etc. : -
X is further allowed to take the ' kambing ' and this is done exactly as in draughts (English variety, not Malay). The dotted line in diagram 3, shows X ('harimau') capturing A (' kambing'). The ' kambing,' of course, is removed from the board.
If A's 24 pieces are exhausted and the 6 harimau ' are not hemmed in, then A has lost.
Diagram 4 shows a defeat of the 6 harimau.'" Dussek 1919: 71.
Confidence 100
Source Dussek, O. 1919. " Notes on Malay Indoor Games." Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 80: 68-71.
Id DLP.Evidence.1609
Type Ethnography
Game Main Pacheh
Location Penang
Date 1919-01-01 - 1919-12-31
Rules 5x5 board, with the central square on each side and the central square of the board marked with an X. Two to four players, each with four pieces, which start on one of the marked squares on the edge of the board. Four cowrie shells used as dice. The throws are as follows, with the value of the throws equaling the number of mouths which land up, all mouths down = 8, and grants the player another throw, as does a throw of 4. Pieces moves in a spiral track around the board in an anti-clockwise direction until they reach the space before the starting point, at which point they proceed around the inner circles in a clockwise direction, and then to the central space. When a player lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to their starting position. When a player reaches the central square by an exact throw, it is removed from the board. The first player to remove all four of their pieces from the board wins.
Content "Main Pacheh. The Penang Game.
This game can be played by 2, 3, or 4 persons, each player sitting at one of the four points A, B, C, D (see diagram 2).
Each player has four pieces which at the commencement of the game he places in the crossed square facing his position : these four squares opposite A, B, G, D, are the respective starting points.
The course to be taken by one of B's pieces is dotted in the diagram. It seems rather confusing in its twists and turns, but the Malays do not seem to find it so.
The players throw by turn with four cowrie shells and score as follows : -
4 shells opening upwards = 4*
3 shells opening upwards = 3
2 shells opening upwards = 2
1 shell opening upwards = 1
4 shells opening downwards = 8*
* Secures an extra throw.
The method of procedure is exactly the same as in the Achehnese variety, a square marked (X) has the same meaning, and a piece which is caught (pukul) must go back to its starting point." Dussek 1919: 70.
Confidence 100
Source Dussek, O. 1919. " Notes on Malay Indoor Games." Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 80: 68-71.
Id DLP.Evidence.1610
Type Ethnography
Game Dama (Philippines)
Location Philippines
Date 1892-01-01 - 1892-12-31
Rules 5x5 grid of points, four point in each row, each alternating position with an end point on the left or right edge. Points are connecting with diagonal lines. Twelve pieces per player, positioned on the first three rows closest to the player. Players alternate turns moving a piece forward to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. A player may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty spot on the opposite side of it along the lines. Multiple captures are allowed, if possible. When a player's piece reaches the opposite edge of the board from which it started, it becomes a king. It may move over any distance, in any direction along the lines, and may capture by leaping any distance over any number of opponent's pieces, capturing all of them along that line. The king cannot take in multiple directions in one turn. The first player to capture all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "8. Dama, Draughts—The board consists of a small wooden table, inscribed with a diagram as shown in figure 70. Mr. Webb states that the board is not necessary, the digram being drawn upon the ground, a table, or the doorstep or floor of a house. The pieces, or men, are twenty-four in number, twelve on a side, whcih are placed at the intersection of the lines as shown, consist of small sections of bamboo, half being colored red on both sides to distinguish them. The usual pieces are stones or colored tilles. The moves are the same as in ordinary draughts, except that a king has the power of passing over any number of squares in a straight line, taking all the men in its way. It cannot cross a square, however, nor can it return on another line until after the opponent has made another move. The game agrees in the king's move with the gaame of Polish draughts..." Culin 1900: 648-649.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Outside, Public, Private
Source Culin, S. 1900. "Philippine Games." American Anthropologist 2(4): 643-656.
Id DLP.Evidence.1611
Type Ethnography
Game Moo
Location 21°18'22.43"N,157°51'38.30"W
Date 1865-01-01 - 1865-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, every other square marked with an X in a checkered pattern. Twelve pieces per player, positioned on the first three rows closest to the player on the marked squares. Players alternate turns moving a piece forward to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. A player may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty spot on the opposite side of it along the lines. Multiple captures are allowed, if possible. When a player's piece reaches the opposite edge of the board from which it started, it becomes a king. It may move over any distance, in any direction along the lines, and may capture by leaping any distance over any number of opponent's pieces, capturing all of them along that line. The king cannot take in multiple directions in one turn. The first player to capture all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "...collected from four Hawaiian sailors, from Honolulu, named Aka (Kamehameha), Daviese Kahimoku, Welakahao, and Hale Paka (Harry Park)...86. Moo ; DRAUGHTS.-Played on a board or diagram (pa-pa ho-nu-ne)of 8 by8squares (plateXI, d)cut onaflat stone,the alternate squares on which the pieces are placed being marked with crossed diagonal lines. The men (i-Zi-i-Zi)t,welve on each side,consist of red pebbles (i-Zi-i-liu-la)and black pebbles (i-li-i-li e-Ze-e-Ze),which are placed on the marked squares. The play is identical with our game of draughts, except that a king (a-Zi-i,
I‘ chief ”) can move or jump any number of squares, like the queen in chess. There are little holes, Zu-a, in the center of the marked squares to hold the stones. A king, or a-Zi-i,is made by putting two stones in the hole. The squares are called ha&, ‘ I houses.”
The game above described, which was communicated to me by the four natives, is not mentioned by the name of moo in Andrews’ Dictionary." Culin 1899: 244.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Culin, S. 1899. "Hawaiian Games." American Anthropologist 1(2): 201-247.
Id DLP.Evidence.1612
Type Rules text
Game Jeu de Renard
Location France
Date 1668-01-01 - 1668-12-31
Rules 8x8 Draughts board. One player plays with a single fox, the other with twelve hens, played on the white squares. The hens begin on the first three rows; the fox may begin on whatever spot the player chooses. Hens move one space forward diagonally, the fox moves one space diagonally forward or backward. The fox may capture a hen by hopping over it to an empty space diagonally on the other side of it. The hens win by blocking the fox from being able to move; the fox wins by capturing all the hens.
Content "le renard est seul, les poules sont 12. rangées, comme pour jouer aux dames, à l'ordinaire; le renard se met sur quelle case il veut, de celles sur lequelles on joue, c'est à dire des blanches: si on joue sur les blanches, comme c'est l'ordinaire, il faut que les poules jouent de tele sorte que les renard ne les puisse prendre; car le contraire ne peut pas avenir, dautant qu'il serait contre nature, que les poules prisent le renard: il fut donc qu'elles se couvrent. et qu'elle se conduissent si bien, que le renard ne les puisse prendre, dautant que la perte de l'une des poules pourrait causer la perte de toutes les autres, et il fait qu'elles enferment le renard, et alors elles auront gagné la partie, toutes les poules sont à lui, et tout l'argent qui est au jeu. Il est constant qu'on enferme facilement le renard avec les douze poules, comme aussi avec dix, et même avec neuf, comme il est facile de voir par la pratique de ce jeu, il n'y a qu'a conduire les poules, de sorte qu'elles se couvrent l'une l'autre, afin que le renard ne puisse ne passer, ni prendre aucune poule. " Mallet 1668: 445-447.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Mallet, P. 1668. Le jeu des dames. Paris.
Id DLP.Evidence.1613
Type Rules text
Game Jeu de Renard (Two Foxes)
Location France
Date 1668-01-01 - 1668-12-31
Rules 8x8 Draughts board. One player plays with two foxes, the other with twelve or more hens, played on the white squares. The hens begin on the rows closest to the player; the foxes may begin on opposite ends of the row farthest from the hens. Hens move one space forward diagonally, the foxes move one space diagonally forward or backward. Foxes must alternate turns, i.e., when one fox moves, the other fox must move on the next turn, when possible. The foxes may capture a hen by hopping over it to an empty space diagonally on the other side of it. The hens win by blocking the foxes from being able to move; the foxes win by capturing all the hens.
Content "Quelques-uns jouent avec 2 renards placés au commencement du jeu, aux angles des dames couronnées, à condition que les renards joueront tour à tour, ou l'un après l'autre, les poules sont aussi augmantées à proportion comme de 13, 14, 15, 16, etc selon la forse des joueurs." Mallet 1668: 447.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Mallet, P. 1668. Le jeu des dames. Paris.
Id DLP.Evidence.1614
Type Contemporary text
Game Damas
Location 39°27'57.07"N, 0°22'42.37"W
Date 1547-01-01 - 1547-12-31
Rules Name of game.
Content 1547 book by Antonio de Torquemada, El ingenio à juego de marro, de punta, ò damas, Valencia. The only copy destroyed in a fire at Valencia Library, but mentioned in other sources. van der Stoep 1984: 80; Murray 1951: 78.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., van der Stoep, A. 1984. A History of Draughts: with a Diachronic Study of Words for Draughts, Chess, Backgammon, and Morris. trans. by Monique de Meijer. The Hague: CIP-Gegevens Koninklijke Bibliotheek.
Id DLP.Evidence.1615
Type Rules text
Game Shashki
Location 59°55'53.63"N, 30°19'46.62"E
Date 1827-01-01 - 1827-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with each player having twelve pieces. Pieces move diagonally one space forward, and can capture opponent's pieces by jumping them if they are adjacent. Capturing must happen if it is possible. Once pieces reach the opposite side of the board from their starting position, they become kings and can move diagonally either forwards or backwards. A piece may become a king in the midst of a sequence of captures, and then capture as a king in the same turn. Kings may capture over any distance, leaping over all opponent's pieces in a line. The goal is to capture all of the opponent's pieces.
Content "Russian draughts was first describred in 1827 (A.D> Petrov's draughts manual Roekowodstwo k osnowateljnomoe poznanioe sjasjetjnoj igry)" van der Stoep 1984: 154; "This is the rule in the first Russian work on draughts, Petroff's Rukovodsko ,1827, p.4." Murray 1951: 79.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., van der Stoep, A. 1984. A History of Draughts: with a Diachronic Study of Words for Draughts, Chess, Backgammon, and Morris. trans. by Monique de Meijer. The Hague: CIP-Gegevens Koninklijke Bibliotheek.
Id DLP.Evidence.1616
Type Contemporary text
Game The Babylonian
Location 48°51'15.96"N, 2°20'54.79"E
Date 1736-01-01 - 1736-12-31
Rules 10x10 checkered board. Twenty pieces per player, arranged on the four rows closest to the player. Pieces move orthogonally or diagonally in any direction, only on the white spaces. Multiple captures allowed. Pieces may capture by jumping over an enemy piece to an empty space on the other side of it. The player to capture all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "There was a game in fashion in Paris about the year 1736 , wherein the Pawns marched and took in all directions, backwards and forwards, in front, like theChess -Rook , as well as diagonally . This game, which was called The Babylonian ,( probably from some allusion to the confusion at the Tower of Babel) was susceptible of innumerable combinations, and presented singular and extraordinary strokes. This new game caused thePolish game to be neglected for sometime, and might perhaps have superseded it , if a board had been made answerable to the extent of its march . The field of battle is too small on the Polish boards, and the combatants are not sufficiently numerous. Besides, few persons were able to play at it ; much application was required, great order and connexion in the ideas, and precise calculation : nobody attempted it but those who were Masters of the Polish game, to which they returned , wearied out ; and the game is now disused except in Holland, where it is still played
Specimen of the moves.
Black. 13 , 18 , 24 , 33 , 27.
White in the middle; on 23, takes
them all five , passing on the squares
| 12, 14 , 34 , 32 and 21 ." Twiss 1805: 172-173.
Confidence 100
Source Twiss, R. 1805. Miscellanies in Two Volumes. London: Twiss.
Id DLP.Evidence.1617
Type Contemporary text
Game The Babylonian
Location Holland 1805
Date 1805-01-01 - 1805-12-31
Rules 10x10 checkered board. Twenty pieces per player, arranged on the four rows closest to the player. Pieces move orthogonally or diagonally in any direction, only on the white spaces. Pieces may capture by jumping over an enemy piece to an empty space on the other side of it. The player to capture all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content " the game is now disused except in Holland, where it is still played." Twiss 1805: 172-173.
Confidence 100
Source Twiss, R. 1805. Miscellanies in Two Volumes. London: Twiss.
Id DLP.Evidence.1618
Type Contemporary text
Game Diagonal Draughts
Location England
Date 1805-01-01 - 1805-12-31
Rules 10x10 board, 20 pieces per player, arranged on the dark squares, leaving the diagonal from bottom left to top right empty, with each player's pieces on opposite sides of it. Pieces move diagonally one or can jump an opponent's adjacent player to capture it. Pieces can move forward or backwards. When a piece reaches the opposite edge of the board from its starting position, it becomes a king and can may move and jump over any number of spaces diagonally. Captures are compulsory and the maximum number of jumps must be made. Winning is achieved by capturing all the opponent's pieces or by blocking them from moving.
Content "In the Diagonal game, the Pawns are so arranged that the middle line is vacant at the beginning, instead of the two parallel lines which are usually so." Twiss 1805: 173.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Twiss, R. 1805. Miscellanies in Two Volumes. London: Twiss.
Id DLP.Evidence.1619
Type Contemporary text
Game Ferses
Location 37°23'21.33"N, 5°59'1.50"W
Date 1020-01-01 - 1067-12-31
Rules Pieces move forward one space diagonally.
Content "ferses..the first being in an Arabic anthology of poems written by the Moors of Spain, the Kitab al-mutrib min ash'ar ahl al-Maghrib, compiled by the philologist, ibn Dihya...This work includes a list of the works of...ibn Sharaf, among which is his work on games, with the game farisia, which means the player's queen (malika, wherewith one plays as with the chess, which work belongs to the most remarkable productions of the period." Murray 1951: 74.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1620
Type Contemporary text
Game Ferses
Location 50°36'20.30"N, 3°23'16.55"E
Date 1242-01-01 - 1272-12-31
Rules Pieces may be promoted.
Content "Cis n'estoit mie rois de gas, Ne rois de fierges, ne d'escas, Ains iert à droit fins rois entirs, Rubins, esmeraude et safirs." 23617-20 in Chronique Rimée of Philippe Mouskes: de Reiffenberg 1838: 423.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source de Reiffenberg, B. 1838. Chronique rimée de Philippe Mouskes. Brussels: M. Hayez.
Id DLP.Evidence.1621
Type Contemporary text
Game Ferses
Location 51°29'54.44"N, 0° 7'35.38"W
Date 1369-01-01 - 1369-12-31
Rules Twelve pieces per player. Players lose when all of their pieces are taken.
Content "Alas! I couthe ne lenger pleye, But seyde, farwel, swete, y-wis, And farwel al that ever ther is...Thogh ye had lost the ferses twelve...But there is noon a-lyve here Wolde for a fers maken this wo!" Chaucer's Book of the Dutchess 617-748.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Chaucer, G. 1369. Book of the Dutchess.
Id DLP.Evidence.1622
Type Contemporary text
Game Maleys
Location Holland 1805
Date 1805-01-01 - 1805-12-31
Rules 10x10 board. Twenty pieces per player, which begin in the four rows closest to the players. Pieces move diagonally forward one space. Pieces capture orthogonally or diagonally, when there is one empty pace between the piece and the opponent's piece, and an empty space immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece. Pieces are promoted to Queen when they reach the edge of the board opposite from where they start. Queens may capture orthogonally or diagonally in any direction. They may also move orthogonally or diagonally any distance. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Two other games are played in Holland, likewise on the board with a hundred squares, and forty Men , one called the Maleys, Malayan, probably from its originating in some of the Dutch settlements in the East-Indies, although it appears to have been taken from the Babylonian game. The Pawns take straight on like the Chess-rook , and also Diagonally, in which last manner only they can move when not taking, but there must be an open square between the two Pawns as well as one behind the Pawn to be taken . Supposing nine Black Pawns to be placed on 26 , 7 , 4 , 25, 33, 23, 30, 44, and 38 , a White Pawn in 46 , might take them all successively in as many moves, going over them on the squares 16 , 2 , 5 , 35, 32, 19, 35, 49 and 32. If five Black were on 16, 44, 30 , 18 . and 8 , a White Queen would seize all ;
placing herself on the squares 6, 50 , 20 , 17 and 3 . So that if a Black Queen be placed on 41, and three of her Men on 13, 22 , 38 ; and a White Queen on 37 , with three Pawns 19, 23, 28 , none of these can take each other, because there is no vacant square between them . The Queen at all times may move as she takes, from 46 to 6 , or to any of the
three intermediate squares. The same from 46 to 50, or from 46 to 5 , or to any of the Eight on that line, & c. These situations are merely to exemplify the moves." Twiss 1805: 173-175.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Twiss, R. 1805. Miscellanies in Two Volumes. London: Twiss.
Id DLP.Evidence.1623
Type Artifact
Game Bhubaneswar Game
Location 20°14'31.93"N, 85°50'24.87"E
Date 1000-01-01 - 2020-12-31
Rules 3x6 grid, with the second space from the left in the central row marked. Extending from the central row are six further spaces.
Content Graffiti board found at the Kedaresvara temple at Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India. Found on the pavement of the forecourt of the temple. The temple was founded in the eleventh century. Finkel 1999: 11.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public, Ritual
Source Finkel, I. 1999. " The Sedentary Games of India: An Introduction. In R. Nirbed and A. Gosh (eds.), Sedentary Games of India." Kolkata: Asiatic Society, 1-21.
Id DLP.Evidence.1624
Type Contemporary text
Game Pleasant Draughts
Location England; France
Date 1605-01-01 - 1605-12-31
Rules Name of game
Content "They played at cardes...at pleasant/L'on a joué aux cartes...au plaisant..." Erondelle 1605: Thirteenth Dialogue.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Outside
Genders Female
Source Erondelle, P. 1605. The French Garden for English Ladyes and Gentlewomen to Walke In. London: Edward White.
Id DLP.Evidence.1625
Type Rules text
Game Dama (Italy)
Location 44°29'40.44"N, 11°20'33.18"E
Date 1570-01-01 - 1590-12-31
Rules 8x8 Draughts board. Twelve pieces per player, arranged on the three rows closest to the players. Players alternate turns moving a piece forward diagonally to an adjacent empty space. Pieces capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty space on the opposite side of it, in a forward direction only. Captures are mandatory, and the maximum number of captures is required. Kings are made when a piece reaches the opposite edge of the board from where it started. Kings may move one space diagonally in either direction, and capture rules are the same as for pieces, except when different capturing routes are available with the same number of captures, the one which takes the most kings must be taken. In addition, if a sequence of captures can be made by a king or a regular piece, it must be made with the king. Kings cannot be captured by regular pieces. When a piece does not capture the maximum number of captures and the opponent catches it, the opponent captures the opponent's piece. The first player to capture all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "the rules of Italian draughts were first described between 1570 and 1590 by the Italian biologist and physician Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522-1605), professor at Bologna (ms. Bologna, A21).
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source van der Stoep, A. 1984. A History of Draughts: with a Diachronic Study of Words for Draughts, Chess, Backgammon, and Morris. trans. by Monique de Meijer. The Hague: CIP-Gegevens Koninklijke Bibliotheek.
Id DLP.Evidence.1626
Type Contemporary text
Game Coc-Inbert
Location France
Date 1668-01-01 - 1668-12-31
Rules 8x8 Draughts board. Twelve pieces per player, arranged on the three rows closest to the players. Players alternate turns moving a piece forward diagonally to an adjacent empty space. Pieces capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty space on the opposite side of it, in a forward direction only. Captures are mandatory, and the maximum number of captures is required. Kings are made when a piece reaches the opposite edge of the board from where it started. Kings may move one space diagonally in either direction, and capture rules are the same as for pieces, except when different capturing routes are available with the same number of captures, the one which takes the most kings must be taken. In addition, if a sequence of captures can be made by a king or a regular piece, it must be made with the king. Kings cannot be captured by regular pieces. The first player to force the opponent to capture all of their pieces wins.
Content "Du jeu de dames, nommé Coc-inbert. C'est un proverbe qui est très commun au jeu des dames, qu'on nome Coc-inbert, par lequel on dit, que celui qui gagne est celui qui pert. De jeu est diamétralement proposé à tous les précédants, méthodes de jouer, il faut pour gagner détruire l'aversaire, et pour avoir gagné, il faut que l'aversaire soit antièremant détruit, il fat qu'il n'ait plus ni pions, ni dames, c'est à dire qu'il n'ait plus ni dames simples, ni dames damées, ou au moins il faut quelles soit toutes enfermées, de tele sorte, qu'ils ne puissent plus jouer, mais au jeu du Coc-inbert, il an est tout autremant, car il faut avoir tout perdu, pour avoir tout gagné. Si je saves l'etimologie de Coc-inbert, c'est à dire l'origine du mot, ou du nom de ce jeu, au cas qu'il doive être prononcé en un mot, ou qu'en effet Coc-Inbert soient deux noms, ou mots, liés, séparés coupés, ou comme il vour plêra, il ne m'importe, je vous la dirés aussi libremant, que je vous déclare en pure v´´rité que je ne la sais pas, car de vous dire que ce jeu ait pris son nom de nom inventeur, qu'on apeloit Coc-Inbert, ou qu'on nomé Coc fils d'Inbert, fut l'inventeur de ce jeu, cela pourrait être, plûtôt que d'en atribuer l'origine et invension à un Coc éfectif, qui était un oiseau qui apartenait a defunt Monsieur Inbert, i'un vaudrait bien l'autre, je pourres néanmoins tirer l'étimologie de ce nom tout autremant, mais je n'en ferrait rien, quelques-un s'en pouroient scandaliser, et je ne veux ofenser ni sâcher personne, je vour diré seulement quencore qu'il semble que les règles de ce jeu soient diemétralement oposées à celles de tous les précédents, à cause qu'ils sont tous diamétralement oposés à celui-ci, comme il est dit, néanmoins cela n;est pas universel, parce qu'au jeu du Coc-Inbert, aussi-bien qu'en tous les précédents, il est bon de tenir le milieu du damier, à cause qu'il faut faire jouer las dames pour les perdre, aussi bien qu'il les faut faire jouer pour gagner, et ainsi il ne les faut pas renir enfermées ou réferrées dans les coins, cela leur ôterét la liberté du jeu, et le moyen de se prendre, et par conséquant de gagner. Je vous avertis, que vous preniés bien garde de ne venir pas, à n'avoir plus qu'une dame, de reste, sans la pouvoir aussitôt perdre; parce que vous seriés en état de tout gagner, et par conséquant de tout perdre, dautant que viotre aversaire, quit aurait encore quelques dames de reste, jourait de tele sorte, que vous fairés en état de prendre toutes ses dames, avec vôtre restante, et non au contraire etc. La pratique vous fera, an peu de tans, devenir savant en ce jeu. " Mallet 1668: 438-442.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Mallet, P. 1668. Le jeu des dames. Paris.
Id DLP.Evidence.1627
Type Contemporary text
Game Unnamed Dutch Draughts Game
Location Holland 1805
Date 1805-01-01 - 1805-12-31
Rules 10x10 board. Twenty pieces per player, which begin on the four rows closest to the player. The row of pieces on the edge of the board closest to each player begins with the pieces already as Queens. Pieces move diagonally one space forward, or can jump an adjacent piece belonging to the opponent to capture it. Captures are mandatory, and the maximum number of captures possible must be taken. When pieces reach the opposite edge of the board from where they started, they are promoted to Queen. Queens move any number of spaces diagonally, and jump over any number of opponents' pieces over any distance. When a Queen reaches that edge of the board a second time (or, for the first time if one of those which began the game as a Queen), they are further promoted, gaining the power to move and take orthogonally over any distance. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "The other game (of which I know not the name,) is with five Queens on the back line 46 to 50 , and 'ten Pawns, against the adversary's similar forces. The rules are the same as in the Polish game, with the addition that all the original Queens who enter the line where the Pawns become Queens, have each another Pawn placed on their heads, and are immediately additionally empowered to move and take like the Chess -rook . And the same privilege is granted to those Queens who become so , from being Pawns, as soon as they, in the course of playing, rest a second time on that line." Twiss 1805: 175.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Twiss, R. 1805. Miscellanies in Two Volumes. London: Twiss.
Id DLP.Evidence.1628
Type Contemporary text
Game Da Ma (Song)
Location 36°40'41.56"N,117°31'37.19"E; 32° 3'18.88"N,118°46'24.32"E; 30°16'15.15"N,120° 9'3.78"E
Date 1083-01-01 - 1155-12-31
Rules 91 spaces, 56 pieces. Five two-sided dice, black on one side, red on the other. Pieces can be sent back to start. Certain spaces prevent players from moving forward. Pieces can move forward or backward.
Content "I am, by nature, fixated on board games. I can play morning and night
without any thought of food. When I traveled south to Jinhua, I put up
at the Chens’ house. Having spoken with my hosts about board games,
I subsequently wrote this “Rhapsody on a Handbook for ‘Capture the
Horse’. As the year draws to a close,
we seize the chance to shout “Black Eyes”!
A thousand gold is wagered on a single throw,
a million cash rides on ten fists of tallies." Dama Fu (Rhapsody on Capture the Horse) by Li Qingzhao. Shields 2019: 35-45.
Wine cups and plates have been set out,
the ceremonious greetings have been performed.
After the host and guests are tipsy with wine,
isn’t there, after all, such a thing as chess?2
Once Capture the Horse caught on,
chupu dice was no longer played.
This is, in fact, the most cultured of trivial pursuits,
an elegant amusement in the women’s apartments.
Powerful steeds like Ji and Lu are yoked together,
recalling the ten thousand mile rides of Duke Mu.
Black stallions and sorrels prance in tandem,
just like the Yang clan’s five teams of mounts.
The tinkling of gem pendants—
we marvel at jade stirrups struck together.
Arrayed like a constellation of stars—
we imagine bronze coins smashed to bits.
When the maples turn chill along the Wu River,
leaves blow off the trees on the nomad hills.
When the border is closed at Jade Gate,
grasses are plentiful at Sandy Plain.
Approaching the waves, one steed would not cross the ford,
for fear of staining its mud-guards.
Troops may be deployed with surprise,
as in the battle fought at Kunyang.
Or battlefield protocol may be scrupulously maintained,
as with the armies at Zhuolu.
There are famed riders long known as outstanding
who fall to the ground like Master Yu.
There are men with no reputation for horsemanship
who perform as brilliantly as Shu the Fool!
There are those who return home haltingly,
having set out brimming with confidence.
Some gallop over a steep trail fit only for crows,
while others trot gingerly around an ant hill.
Struggling to get through perilous terrain,
some horses have not met their Wang Liang.
Laboring to haul a salt cart,
others have yet to encounter their Zaofu.
Moreover, the plateaus and hills stretch distantly,
white clouds cover the sky.
One nag is thinking only of its beloved bin of beans,
while a fine steed yearns for the sting of the whip.
Hoofs come to rest on yellow leaves,
the gold coins are just as many.
The tiles that are used number fifty-six,
the routes that may be taken amount to ninety-one.
Rewards and punishments are meted out unambiguously,
the lowest and highest merit are properly tallied.
Battlefield commands originate in the recesses of one mind,
victory and defeat are decided in advance of the portents.
Besides, fondness for victory is part of human nature,
though these minor arts are a gentleman’s smallest skill.
Still, mention of the plum served to alleviate thirst,
so too this game may calm a mind obsessed with winning.
Drawing a pancake satisfied hunger,
this pursuit may relieve the ambition to vanquish others.
If you aspire to get real results,
you must face danger and not retreat.
But sometimes to repay high honors conferred on you
you must interpret subtle signs and withdraw for a time.
Some go forward slowly with gags in their mouths
to penetrate the obstacles at mountain passes;
Others peddle their valor and strive to be first
only to fall into a pit they never saw.
That comes from not knowing when to stop,
remorse was a result they gave themselves.
You must know the proper way to guide the chariot,
and not forget the warnings worn at the gentleman’s waist.
Is this not better than doing nothing at all,
as the classic itself teaches?
Each move must be rooted in utmost sincerity
the principles must accord with the way of Heaven.
The mare conforms to the constancy of earth,
the lady of Lu exemplified correct “returning.”
We learn from the fallen hair-knots of the Woman Liang,
we follow the curving riverbank in the state of Qi.
Therefore, when one fellow shouted out as he circled the couch,
all five sticks came up black.
When another cried out as he sprinkled wine on the ground,
all six dice showed red.
One man never lost at board games his whole life,
thus his victory at Jiange was assured.
Someone else had not gambled away his mountain estate
when invaders were already defeated at Huai and Fei.
Today how could we lack a commander like Yuanzi?
Our enlightened age is not short of leaders like Anshi.
Why must we imitate Tao Changsha, throwing the chessboard away?
We should emulate Yuan Yandao, who flung down his cap.
The concluding verse says:
Foli is sure to die in the mao year,
why are we all, high-ranking and lowly, still fleeing in chaos?
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Female
Source Shields, A. 2019. The Works of Li Qingzhao. Translate by R. Egan. Boston: De Greuyter.
Id DLP.Evidence.1629
Type Contemporary text
Game Yijing Ma
Location 29° 8'56.82"N,119°47'15.99"E
Date 1597-01-01 - 1597-12-31
Rules Board with 91 squares, proceeding in a single rectangular track, broken up after every eight square with a special square. Two to five players, each playing with twenty pieces. Three six-sided dice. Thee are eleven bonus combinations of dice, two penalty combinations, and 43 miscellaneous combinations. A player's first throw is their personal combination, which cannot be a bonus or penalty. Players are penalised for throwing another player's personal combination. All twenty horses must enter the board before proceeding around the board. There are special rules for crossing the nineteenth, 46th, and 82nd square. To pass the 46th square, a player must place ten pieces on the square before passing it. Individual pieces may pass, unless an opponent has more pieces ahead. To enter the 82nd square, a player must place all of their pieces on the 81st square.Certain combinations are required to continuing past square 82. Square 90 is a moat, and certain combinations must be thrown to exit it. Player may send opponent's pieces back to start by landing on the same space as them and being or equal or greater in number. Every ninth square is a safe spot, where pieces are safe from being sent back, but opponent's pieces may also rest there. Pieces may move backwards to send an opponent's piece back to start, to enter the same space as one of the player's own pieces, or to enter a safe space. There is a penalty for throwing the same throw that the previous player threw. The first player to get their horses to the end of the track wins.
Content Detailed summary of the rules reported in Zhou Lüjing's Maxi tupu (Manual with Diagrams of the Driving Horses Game) from the collection Yimen guangdu (General Books compiled by the Hermit of the Yi Gate), dated 1597. Lo 2007: 127-128.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Lo, A. 2007. An introduction to board games in Late Imperial China. In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press. pp. 125–132.
Id DLP.Evidence.1630
Type Artistic depiction
Game Panjikent Game
Location 39°29'32.16"N, 67°36'22.74"E
Date 0740-01-01 - 0740-12-31
Rules Three rows of twelve squares, which are divided in half by a large rectangle. Two players.
Content Fresco from the Sogdian city of Panjikent. Two players sit across from one another around a board. The board has three separated rows of twelve squares. the board is divided in half with a large rectangle perpendicular to the rows, such that each row has six spaces on either side of the rectangle. Bussagli 1963: 47-48
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Bussagli, M. 1963. Painting of Central Asia. Geneva: Editions d'Art Albert Skira.
Id DLP.Evidence.1631
Type Ethnography
Game Pachesi
Location 25°12'35.98"N, 80°55'11.08"E
Date 1904-01-01 - 1905-12-31
Rules Four 3x8 rectangles, arranged in a cross. The couting from the bottom of each arm, the spaces marked are the fourth square in the outer rows and the first in the central row. Four pieces per player; can be played with two to four players. Seven cowrie shells, used as dice. The throws are as follows: one mouth up = 10; two mouths up = 2; three mouth up = 3; four mouths up = 4; five mouths up. = 25; six mouths up = 20, seven mouths up = 12, zero mouths up = 7. Pieces begin in the large central space of the board, and then proceed down the central row of their arm, then clockwise around the board, back to the central row, and then to the central space again. Pieces may enter the board on throws of 10, 25, or 30. When a player's piece lands on a space that is occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to start. Pieces are safe from being sent to start when they rest on a marked space. A player may not move past an opponent's piece resting on a marked space. To move off the board, a player must make an exact throw to arrive in the central square. When resting on the final square before the central one, a throw of 10, 25, or 30 is required. The first player to place all of their pieces in the central square wins.
Content Detailed accounting of Pachesi in Humphries 1906: 117-119, as played in the Karwi subdivision of India at village matting places.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public, Communal
Source Humphries, E. de M. 1906. Notes on "Pachesi" and similar games, as played in the Karwi Subdivision, United Provinces. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 2(4): 117–127.
Id DLP.Evidence.1632
Type Ethnography
Game Sher Bakr
Location 31°13'36.77"N, 75°33'40.34"E
Date 1929-01-01 - 1929-12-31
Rules An isoceles triangle, with the height of the triangle and two lines, which bisect the sides of the triangle, but intersect the height at the same point, roughly central, such that they are at an angle but do not bisect it. One player plays as the tiger, which begins at the apex of the triangle, the other as four goats, which begin on the central point. The goats play first, removing one of the pieces from the stack to an adjacent empty spot. The tiger moves along the lines to an empty adjacent spot. The goats also move in this way. Goats may only be stacked on the central point. The tiger may capture a goat by jumping over it, and a jump from one side of the triangle to the opposite side, over the central point, is allowed. The goats win by blocking the tiger from being able to move, the tiger wins by capturing one goat.
Content "The game that is described in this note is a type of tiger-play prevalent in the district of Shahpur in the Punjab. It is known locally as the game of sher-bakr, I.e., tiger-goat. The details of the game were obtained from the sub-assistant surgeon in charge of the dispensary of Pail (Shahpur) in the Salt range, a locality I had an occasion to visit during the Puja vacation of 1929...The diagram that is used for playing this game is given below( Fig.1): Two persons are necessary for playing this game, one being in charge of one piece, the tiger, and the other in charge of four pieces, the goats. At the commencement of the game the four goat pieces are to be kept at A and the tiger piece at the apex of the triangle, I.e., at the point marked 1. The possessor of the goat pieces has to move one of his pieces first and then the usual rule is followed according to which a goat piece and the tiger piece can be moved only from one cross-point to another. But there are two rules of this game which are worthy of special notice.In all other types of tiger-play which have hitherto been recorded...the tiger piece may jump over a cross-point occupied by a goat piece provided the cross point next to it and in the same straight line is vacant and capture the goat piece. According to the rules of the game as prevalent in Shahpur, the tiger piece may capture the goat piece in this way, while it may also, for the purpose of capturing a goat piece, jump found the angle A either from 2 to 4 or from 4 to 2...It may also be pointed out that there cannot be more than one goat piece on one cross-point though at the angle A there may be more goat pieces than one. If, however, the tiger piece succeeds in jumping over A and if at that time there are goat pieces more than one only one piece may be captured...The goats try to checkmate the tiger and this attempt cannot succeed unless all four goats are in activity; hence if only one goat is captured the owner of the tiger piece is victorious." Das Gupta 1930: 411-412.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Das Gupta, H. 1930. "On a Type of Sedentary Game Prevalent in Shahpur, the Punjab." Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 26: 411-412.
Id DLP.Evidence.1633
Type Ethnography
Game Bagh Bandi
Location 22°35'23.45"N, 88°55'11.80"E; 22°39'24.91"N, 88°52'2.93"E
Date 1935-01-01 - 1935-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in the four quadrants of the board. Two triangles, their apices intersecting the main board at opposite midpoints. The bast of the triangle is bisected by a line drawn from the apex, and this line is bisected and intersects with the other two sides of the triangle. One player plays as two tigers, which can be placed anywhere on the board, and the other player plays as 32 goats, which begin on the four central points of the quadrants of the square board, eight per stack. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. The goats move one at a time from their stacks, and cannot be restacked once they have been moved. The tiger may capture a goat by hopping over it to an empty spot immediately on the opposite side of an adjacent goat. Multiple captures in one turn are allowed, but a tiger cannot hop over a stack of goats and hop over it again in the opposite direction. When tigers hop over a stack of goats, only one goat is captured. The goats win by blocking the tigers from being able to move; the tigers win by capturing all the goats.
Content "Basirhat town is the head-quarters of the Basirhat Sub-
division in the east of the district of 24-Parganas. It is some
35 miles east of Calcutta. Mr. Santosh Kumar Bay informs
me that the following type of BaghLandi or Tiger-play was
frequently played by him in his boyhood at Basirhat. In June
1935, 1 made personal enquiries at Taki from the chairman and
the vice-chairman of the local municipality and other gentlemen
and they all corroborated Mr. Ray. The diagram of the new variety of BaghJandi is shown in
the accompanying figure.
The game is played with 2 tigers and 32 goats. The goats
are placed in groups of 8 at the points enclosed by circles in the
diagram at the beginning of the game. The 2 tigers can be
placed anywhere on the board. The usual rules of capture by
Jumping over a piece to an empty point opposite apply. In this
form of the game two or more successive captures of goats
are permitted ; but not by jumping forward and backward over
the goats lying at the 4 points enclosed by circles. " Datta 1935: 407-408.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders Male
Source Datta, J. 1935. "A New Type of Bagh-Bandi or Tiger-Play Prevalent at Basirhat in Lower Bengal." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 1: 407-408.
Id DLP.Evidence.1634
Type Ethnography
Game Ram Tir
Location 25°36'39.65"N, 85° 8'44.34"E
Date 1934-01-01 - 1934-12-31
Rules 9x9 board played on the intersections, diagonals for the four quadrants of the board.. Forty pieces per player, one playing as white, the other as red, arranged on opposite sides of the board, each player's pieces taking up the first through fourth ranks of spaces, plus their right half of the fifth rank. The central spot remains empty. Players alternate turns by moving a piece to an adjacent empty spot along the lines on the board. A player may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over one adjacent piece if there is an empty spot behind it along a line on the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "4. Ram-tir. The information of this game was also obtained from the said bearer. In the diagram there are 81 cross-points of which the central cross-point remains vacant while each player places 40 ballets at 40 cross-points in each half of the board. Then the usual rules mentioned in the case of another similar game calle Ratti-Chitti-Bakri and noted below are followed." Das Gupta 1935: 413.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Das Gupta, C. 1935. "A Few Types of Sedentary Games from Bihar." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 1: 409-418.
Id DLP.Evidence.1635
Type Ethnography
Game Pam Pait
Location 25°27'3.35"N, 92°12'32.13"E
Date 1935-01-01 - 1935-12-31
Rules 3x5 lines, intersecting one another and forming a square. Diagonals are drawn in the four quadrants of the board. Two triangles, their apices intersecting the main board at opposite midpoints. The base of the triangle is bisected by a line drawn from the apex, and this line is bisected and intersects with the other two sides of the triangle. Fourteen pieces per player, which begin on the points in the triangle and the first two rows of the square closest to each player. The central line remains empty. Players alternate turns moving to an empty adjacent point along the lines. A player may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty space on the opposite side of the opponent's piece along the lines of the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "The game no. 2 which has been learnt at Jowai is played by two men, each holding 14 ballets marked X and O in his possession. The rule of this game is as follows. One player starts the game and moves one of his ballets from one cross-point to another and takes hold of the ballet of the other man if the cross-point next to it is vacant. In this way the player who can capture all the ballets of the opponent wins the game." Das Gupta 1935: 153.
Confidence 100
Source Das Gupta, C. 1935. "A Few Types of Sedentary Games Prevalent in the Khasi and Jaintia HIll District in Assam." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 7: 151-155.
Id DLP.Evidence.1636
Type Ethnography
Game Bam Blang Beh Khla
Location 25°27'3.35"N, 92°12'32.13"E
Date 1935-01-01 - 1935-12-31
Rules An isosceles triangle, with a line intersecting the two equal sides, another line drawn from the apex to the midpoint of this line. a line extending below the base, and another line perpendicular to this one. One player plays as the tiger, and another player as three goats. The tiger begins at the apex of the triangle, the goats on the three points on the bottom line (the two ends and the place where it intersects with the other line. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot. The tiger may capture a goat by hopping over it to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. The tiger wins by capturing all of the goats; the goats win by blocking the tier from being able to move.
Content "The game no. 3 is also learnt in Jowai. Its rule is as follows. It is played by two men, one having the ballet marked O and called khla (I.e., tiger) and the other having three ballets marked X and called blang (I.e., goat). Thus altogether four ballets are required in this game. At the beginning of the game one of the players moves his ballet. In this game the player holding the ballet marked O captures the ballets marked X of the opponent player or the player holding the ballets marked X imprisons the marked marked O. In other words, either the tiger eats the goats or the tiger is imprisoned by the goats. In this game tiger can capture the goats if the cross-point next to one cross-point occupied by a goat is vacant." Das Gupta 1935: 153-154.
Confidence 100
Source Das Gupta, C. 1935. "A Few Types of Sedentary Games Prevalent in the Khasi and Jaintia HIll District in Assam." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 7: 151-155.
Id DLP.Evidence.1637
Type Ethnography
Game Mawryngkneng Solitaire Game
Location 25°33'23.89"N, 92° 3'50.43"E
Date 1935-01-01 - 1935-12-31
Rules A vertical line, with seven lines perpendicularly crossing it at equal intervals. Six pieces, three of one color and three of another. The three of one color are placed on the top three intersections, the three of the other color on the bottom three intersections. In the first move, one piece is moved to the center line, from one of the two lines adjacent to it. All following moves require a piece to jump over another piece. The goal is to place the pieces on the spaces where the pieces of the opposite color started the game.
Content "The game No. 1 is learnt at Mawryngkneng, a place approximately sixteen miles away from Shillong. Its rule is as follows. It may be played, by one man or more than that number. If one
man plays it, then it forms a kind of solitaire. Jt is played by six ballets, three belonging to each type. Thus two types of ballets are required for playing it. At the beginning of the game three ballets of each type are placed in the cross-points marked X and 0 and the central cross-point marked P is kept vacant. Then one of the two ballets belonging to two different types and which are nearest to the central vacant cross-point marked P
is shifted to this vacant cross-point. In the movement one ballet belonging to one type is shifted to a cross-point by jumping over a cross-point occupied by one ballet of another type or may occupy the next cross-point if it is vacant. Ballets of two different types are alternately shifted. The whole idea of playing this game is to shift the ballets originally placed in the
cross-points marked X to the cross-points marked O and also the ballets originally placed in the cross-points marked O to the cross-points marked X . In this way the player who can
shift three ballets of one type originally placed in the cross- points marked X to the cross-points marked O and vice versa wins the game." Das Gupta 1935: 151-152.
Confidence 100
Source Das Gupta, C. 1935. "A Few Types of Sedentary Games Prevalent in the Khasi and Jaintia HIll District in Assam." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 7: 151-155.
Id DLP.Evidence.1638
Type Ethnography
Game Tule Paid
Location 25°27'3.35"N, 92°12'32.13"E
Date 1935-01-01 - 1935-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the diagonals and the midpoints of the sides. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty spot on the board. When a player places three pieces in a row along one of the lines on the board, they remove one of the pieces belonging to the opponent. When all of the pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. The first player to capture all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "The games no. 4 is played by two men, each having 12 ballets in his possession. It is also learnt at Jowai. Each player alternately puts one of his ballets on the cross-points, trying to get three pieces along one line while preventing his opponent from doing so. Whenever a player is successful in making three of his own pieces in one line, he captures one of the pieces belonging to his opponent. After all the pieces have been put on the cross-points, the players begin to move their pieces alternately and along the lines, having always in view the two-fold object outlines above. The player who captures all the pieces of his adversary wins the game." Das Gupta 1935: 154-155.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Das Gupta, C. 1935. "A Few Types of Sedentary Games Prevalent in the Khasi and Jaintia HIll District in Assam." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 7: 151-155.
Id DLP.Evidence.1639
Type Ethnography
Game Mughal Pathan
Location 22°39'24.74"N, 88°21'44.92"E; 22°40'0.56"N, 88°22'46.97"E
Date 1938-01-01 - 1938-12-31
Rules 7x7 lines, intersecting to form a square. Diagonals are drawn in the four quadrants of the board. Two triangles, their apices intersecting the main board at opposite midpoints. The base of the triangle is bisected by a line drawn from the apex, and this line is bisected and intersects with the other two sides of the triangle. Twenty pieces per player, which begin on the points in the triangles and the first two rows of points in the square on the side closest to the player. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. A piece may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty point on the opposite side of the opponent's piece along the lies of the board. Multiple captures are allowed. The player who captures all of the opponent's peices wins.
Content "The village of Dakhineswar, on the east bank of the Bhagirathi, is some 7 miles north of Calcutta. On the cemented floor of an old house there I saw the diagram of Mughal-Pathan,
given here, traced. In Belghurriah, another village some 3 miles to the north-east of Dakhineswar, some Muhammadan masons, who appear to be descendants of Hindu converts and mostly have Hindu names, play the game. This variety of Mughal-Pathan is almost exclusively confined to them. This diagram is used for playing the game of Mughal-Pathan. Two players are necessary for the game; and each one has 20 distinctive pieces. At the commencement each player arranges his pieces in his half of the board; and the 3 central horizontal lines are left vacant. It is played like draughts, and the usual rules of capture by jumping over a piece to an empty point opposite in a straight line apply; and two or more successive captures are permitted at a time." Datta 1938: 283-284.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite, Craftsperson
Spaces Inside, Private
Genders Male
Source Datta, J. 1938. "A New and Rare Type of Mughal-Pathan Found near Calcutta." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 4: 283-284.
Id DLP.Evidence.1640
Type Ethnography
Game Kaua Dorki
Location 25°21'39.82"N, 81°24'11.55"E
Date 1938-01-01 - 1938-12-31
Rules Two isosceles triangles, which meet at the apices with the height of each triangle drawn and a line perpendicular to it in each triangle at its midpoint intersecting with the sides. Another line, bisected by the point where the spices of the triangles meet, with a shot line extending down on either end of the line, and a matching short line next to it at either end. Eight pieces per player, lined up with six on the two rows of the triangle closest to the player and two on the ends of the short lines to the left of the player. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. A piece can capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty adjacent point immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece along the lines on the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "The object of this short note is to describe a type of sedentary
game called Kaua-dorki ^ which I have collected in the month
of January, 1938, at Kosam, a village situated in the district of
Allahabad in the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. The information about this game was obtained from a man called Bacchu Singh who belongs to this village. The diagram
used for this game is shown above. It is played by two men, each having eight ballets in his possession and placed on the points marked X and O ; the central cross-point marked P is
kept vacant at the beginning of the game. The game proceeds in the usual way of jumping over and capturing the ballet of the adversary lying on the next cross-point if there be an unoccupied cross-point just beyond the latter and in the same line. In this way the player who can take all the ballets of the opposite party wins the game. " Das Gupta 1938: 121-122.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Das Gupta, C. 1938. "A Type of Sedentary Game Prevalent in the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 4: 121-122.
Id DLP.Evidence.1641
Type Ethnography
Game Challis Ghutia
Location 22°35'39.17"N, 88°23'1.15"E; 25°44'44.25"N, 82°41'2.57"E
Date 1939-01-01 - 1939-12-31
Rules 9x9 intersecting lines forming a square. Forty pieces per player, lined up on the intersections on the rows closest to them, and the right half of the central line. Players alternate turns moving pieces to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. A piece may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to the empty spot immediately on the opposite side of it, following the lines of the board. Multiple captures are allowed. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "The present writer abserved the following game described as Challis-Gutia (the game of forty pieces) by the men playing them in the streets of Calcutta near Ultadanga. They all hail from Jaunpur in the United Provinces; and they told him that this game is also played in their home district. The diagram of the game is shown in Fig. 1. One player occupied the points marked with X's with his 40 pieces-tiny bits of coal; his opponent places his 40 pieces - tiny bits of potsherd at the points enclosed by O's. the pieces move one place at a time either vertically or horizontally, if it is vacant; and they capture the opponent's pieces by jumping over the same in a straight line to a vacant point opposite. Successive captures are allowed. The winner is to capture all the pieces of his opponent." Datta 1939: 257-258.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Datta, J. 1939. "Challis-Gutia and its Degenerate Variants." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 5: 257-258.
Id DLP.Evidence.1642
Type Ethnography
Game Tuk Tak
Location 23°41'19.71"N, 86°57'58.11"E; 23°47'25.86"N, 86°25'55.16"E
Date 1934-01-01 - 1934-12-31
Rules 3x3 board, without the outer edges of the square. Three pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing the pieces on an empty space on the board. When all of the pieces have been placed, players move pieces to an adjacent empty space on the board. the first player to place all three of their pieces in an orthogonal or diagonal line wins.
Content "The type of sedentary game described below is popularly
known as Tuk-tak and is usually played by children and young
boys and girls of Bengal, The diagrams used for the game are
shown below, but it may be noted, that the one without the
outer boundary line is more commonly used. The diagram
is drawn on a piece of slate or on a floor with charcoal, and
two players are needed to play the game. To start with,
each player has three distinctive pieces, such as cowries (shells)
and tamarind seeds, or distinctive marks, such as x and. 0,
are' chosen to play the game. The player, who begins,
places one of his pieces or mark on any. of the. areas marked
A, B, G, etc. and then the other player occupies any other area.
Playing thus alternately, all the six pieces are brought on the
board. When all . the six pieces are brought on the board,
then the pieces are moved to adjacent vacant places hut there
is no jumping over or catching the pieces of the adversary.
.Effort is made to get one’s three pieces in a straight line,
i.e. ABC, ADG, AEI, and so on. One, who achieves this
first, is the winner of the game," Datta 1934: 17-18.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Female, Male
Source Datta, J. 1934. "On a Type of Sedentary Game of Bengal." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 30: 17-18.
Id DLP.Evidence.1643
Type Ethnography
Game Bara Guti (Bihar)
Location 25°36'39.65"N, 85° 8'44.34"E
Date 1935-01-01 - 1935-12-31
Rules Three concentric circles, with four diameters dividing it into eight equal sections. Twelve pieces per player, placed on the points on one half of the circle, leaving the central point open. Players alternate turns Moving one of their pieces to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. A piece may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty spot immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece along the lines. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "1. Bara-guti.
The information about this game was gathered from a bearer attached to the Archeological Museum at Nalanda ; he belongs to the Patna district. The figure used for playing the game consists of three concentric circles which are divided into eight parts by four diameters ; these meet the concentric circles at 24 cross-points. Two persons are required to play this game, 12 cross-points on four contiguous radii belonging to each of them. Each player provides himself with twelve pieces of ballets which are placed at these twelve cross-points. The rule of the game is that, at the beginning, one of the two rival players shifts one of his ballets to the centre which is the only vacant point ; then his opponent shifts one of his ballets to the vacant cross-point. The usual rule of capturing a piece of the adversary by, jumping over it to the next cross-point, if it is vacant, is followed, quite irrespective of whether the piece is on the diameter or on the circumference, for the pieces may be moved not only
on the radii but also along the arcs of the circumference. In this way the player who can capture all the pieces of the opponent wins the game. " Das Gupta 1935: 409-410.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Das Gupta, C. 1935. "A Few Types of Sedentary Games from Bihar." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 1: 409-418.
Id DLP.Evidence.1644
Type Ethnography
Game Bagha Guti
Location 25°36'39.65"N, 85° 8'44.34"E
Date 1935-01-01 - 1935-12-31
Rules 5x5 board, played on intersections of the lines, with diagonals for each quadrant of the board. One player plays with a tiger piece, placed anywhere on the board. The other player plays with 21 goats, placed on the central point of the board. The goats move first. Goats may move one at a time to any adjacent vacant spot along the lines of the board. The tiger moves in the same manner, but also may capture a piece by hopping over it to an empty space immediate on the opposite side of a goat. The tiger may hop the stack of goats, but ay only capture one. The goal of the goats is to surround the tiger so it cannot move. The goal of the tiger is to capture all the goats.
Content "The information of this game was obtained from the said bearer. It is played by two men — one having 21 ballets placed together in the central point marked 0 and another having one
piece as the ‘ tiger ’ placed at any cross-point at the beginning of the game. In the first move one ballet is pushed to one cross-point and then the usual rule of capturing a piece of the
adversary by jumping over it, if the cross-point immediately next to it is vacant, is followed. In this way either the ballets may be captured by the " tiger " or the ‘ tiger ’ may be
‘ imprisoned ’ by the ballets. It is also important to note that in course of the game, if the "tiger" comes to a cross-point immediate to the central cross-point marked 0, then the ' tiger ’
can capture not more than one ballet out of many which may be in the central cross-point." Das gupta 1935: 412-413.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Das Gupta, C. 1935. "A Few Types of Sedentary Games from Bihar." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 1: 409-418.
Id DLP.Evidence.1645
Type Ethnography
Game Bis Gutiya
Location 25°35'33.69"N, 85°11'12.77"E
Date 1935-01-01 - 1935-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each square formed by the lines. Twenty pieces per player, which each player places on the points on their side of the board, as well as the two points to the left of the central space. The central spot remains empty. Players alternate turns by moving a piece to an adjacent empty spot along the lines on the board. A player may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over one adjacent piece if there is an empty spot behind it along a line on the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "5. Bis-Gutiya. The information of this game was obtained from an inhabitant of Kumrahar, a village near the modern city of Patna. The game is played by two players, each having 20 ballets. The central point marked O is left vacant. The method of playing this game is exactly similar to that of the game called Ram-tir mentioned above. The main point of interest regarding this game is that in each of the sixteen small square courts there is a cross-point in the centre which is occupied by a ballet. On each side there are such eight cross-points on which each player places eight of his 20 ballets." Das Gupta 1935: 413-414.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Das Gupta, C. 1935. "A Few Types of Sedentary Games from Bihar." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 1: 409-418.
Id DLP.Evidence.1647
Type Ethnography
Game Challis Ghutia (Titagarh)
Location 22°44'17.83"N, 88°22'25.30"E
Date 1939-01-01 - 1939-12-31
Rules 9x9 board played on the intersections, with diagonals for each 3x3 square. Typically played with 24 pieces, but any number up to 40 is possible. Pieces are arranged on the spots in the rows closest to the player, with those unable to fill a row placed on the right points of the next available row. Players alternate turns by moving a piece to an adjacent empty spot along the lines on the board. A player may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over one adjacent piece if there is an empty spot behind it along a line on the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "At Tittagarh, some 13 miles north of Calcutta, the popularion is heterogeneous and consists mainly of mill-hands coming from the United Provinces, Bihar, Orissa, and Madras. There we have found several degenerate forms of Challis-Ghuti played by men and boys, some of whom are born there and some come from their native districts in the U.P. and Madras. The diagram used is somewhat different from that shown in Fig. 1. It is shown in Fig. 2. Though the game is described by the players as Challis-Ghutia, it is generally played with pieces far less in number than 40. Sometimes 16, 18, 24, and 32 pieces are used by each player; 24 being the most frequent number. The pieces are arranged along the horizontal lines; and any excess over multiples of 9 are placed along the right-hand side of the next line. The usual rules of capture and successive captures are followed." Datta 1939: 258.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite, Craftsperson
Genders Male
Source Datta, J. 1939. "Challis-Gutia and its Degenerate Variants." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 5: 257-258.
Id DLP.Evidence.1648
Type Ethnography
Game Orissa Tiger Game (Four Tigers)
Location Orissa
Date 1926-01-01 - 1926-12-31
Rules 5x5 board, played on intersections of the lines, with diagonals for each quadrant of the board. One player plays as four tigers, the other as twenty goats. The tigers begin, two on the top two corners of the board, and two in thee centers of the two bottom quadrants. Four of the goats are placed on any available points. The tigers move first, to an empty adjacent spot along the lines on the board. The player playing as the goats places one of the remaining goats on any available point. The goats cannot move until all of the goats are placed. Once they are all placed, the goats move as the tigers do. The tigers alone may capture a goat by hopping over it to an empty spot immediately opposite a goat. The tigers win by capturing all the goats; the goats win by blocking the tigers from being able to move.
Content "The Orissa games are two types of tiger-play The diagram
used in one of the games is given below (see fig. 2). Two persons are necessary for playing this game, one in charge of the tigers and the other in charge of the goats. The tigers are 4 in number while the number of the goats is 20. Before the commencement of the game, the tigers are arranged at the places indicated in the figure by the circles and 4 goats are kept on any 4 cross-points according to the discretion of the player. The move begins with the man who has got the tigers, and the player who has the remaining 16 goats in his hand must place all of them on the cross-points one after another before he may move any goat on the diagram from one cross-point to another. The player with the tiger tries to capture as many goats as he can while the other player aims at checkmating his opponent. " Das Gupta 1926: 212.
Confidence 100
Source Gupta, H. 1926. A Few Types of Indian Sedentary Games. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 22(4): 211–213.
Id DLP.Evidence.1649
Type Ethnography
Game Orissa Tiger Game (One Tiger)
Location Orissa
Date 1926-01-01 - 1926-12-31
Rules 5x5 lines, intersecting to form a square. Diagonals are drawn in the four quadrants of the board. One triangle, its apex intersecting the main board at the midpoint of one side. The base of the triangle is bisected by a line drawn from the apex, and this line is bisected and intersects with the other two sides of the triangle. One player plays as the tiger, placed on the central point of the triangle, and the other plays as twelve goats, which begin on the first two rows of points opposite the triangle and on the outer two points in the third row. The tiger moves first. Pieces move to an empty adjacent spot along the lines on the board. The tiger alone may capture a goat by hopping over it to an empty spot immediately opposite a goat. The tiger wins by capturing all the goats; the goats win by blocking the tigers from being able to move.
Content "In Orissa there is another simpler type of tiger-play in which the game is carried on with 1 tiger and 12 goats. In this game the tiger and all the goats are placed on the cross-points first and the play is carried on under the usual rules. The diagram of the game is given below (see fig. 3)." Das Gupts 1926: 212.
Confidence 100
Source Gupta, H. 1926. A Few Types of Indian Sedentary Games. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 22(4): 211–213.
Id DLP.Evidence.1650
Type Ethnography
Game Kulaochal
Location Kolhan
Date 1925-01-01 - 1925-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in each quadrant. One player plays as four tigers, places on the four corners of the board. The other player plays as twenty goats, which are placed on the remaining points, leaving the central point open. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent point along the lines. The tigers may capture a goat by hopping over it to an empty adjacent spot immediately on the opposite side of the goat along the lines. The tigers win when they capture all of the goats; the goats win by blocking the tigers from being able to move.
Content "Kulaoochal : — This is an intelligent game played by persons;— it resembles the “Shola-guti bag-chal’* of Bengal. As its principle is a bit difficult, boys are seldom found playing the game; it is the elderly people who indulge in it. A
quadrilateral diagram is drawn with chalk on the ground The diagonal is intersected by three equidistant parallel, lines drawn within it perpendicularly and three horizontally. Two lines are then drawn diagonally so as to intersect each other at the centre of the diagram. Finally the middle points of each of the sides of the quadrilateral are joined by four straight lines. A ‘guti’ or small piece of stone or similar other substance is placed at each of the twenty points of junction of the three horizontal lines with the three perpendicular lines and with the four sides of the quadrilateral. Two persons sit face to face on two sides of the diagram. The units or ‘gutis’ as they are called are 24 in number of which 4 are called ‘Kulaos’ or tigers and 20 called ‘meroms’ or goats. One party takes the tigers, the other party the ‘meroms’, and the duty of the latter is to defend the ‘meroms’ against the depredations of the tigers.
The four ‘Kulaos’ are placed at the four corners of the diagram and the ‘meroms’ occupy the other 20 junction points excluding the central point. There are altogether 25 such points ; when all the units are placed in situ, only one junction-point namely, the central point remains vacant. The player who owns the ‘meroms’ has to shift them in Such a way that the other player may not find an opportunity of killing them, which is effected
if the 'Kulao’ gets a position after crossing one of the ‘meroms’. The game continues till
most of the ‘meroms’ are devoured by the kulaos, the credit is given to the player who can -cautiously move his ‘guti’ and an intelligent 'player takes hours before he is defeated." Majumdar 1925: 196-198.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder
Source Majumdar, D. 1925. "Some Outdoor and Sedentary Games of the Hos of Kolhan." Man in India 5: 193-202.
Id DLP.Evidence.1651
Type Ethnography
Game Lam Turki
Location Teesta Valley
Date 1933-01-01 - 1933-12-31
Rules The board is a five-pointed star. In the first phase, the player attempts to place all the pieces on the board. The player choses a point, then moves the piece two spaces in a direction along the lines. The piece may move through a spot occupied by another piece, but must land on an empty space. Once all of the pieces are placed in this way, the player captures a piece on the board by hopping over with with another one of the pieces to an empty space on the opposite side of the piece to be captured. The goal is to capture all of the pieces except one.
Content "Lam Turki ,
Description —The game is played by one person. so it is a kind of a Solitaire but usually a group of people sit together and play the game in turn. It is played on a board of ten crosspoints arranged as in the accompanying diagram.There are nine pieces of any hard substance with which the game is played. The actual play consists of two phases. In the
first phase, the person playing has to get all his nine pieces on the board, and then in the second phase, by the usual method of Jumping over, has to capture all except one. The pieces can be placed on the board in any way, except that when a piece is placed
on a crosspoint it has not to be shifted from its place. When removing the pieces from the board, they are taken as in draughts by leaping over the piece to be captured to a vacant
space in the same straight line." Hora 1933: 6-7.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder, Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Hora, S. 1933. Sedentary games of India. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 29: 5–12.
Id DLP.Evidence.1652
Type Ethnography
Game Pentalpha
Location Crete
Date 1938-01-01 - 1938-12-31
Rules The board is a five-pointed star. In the first phase, the player attempts to place all the pieces on the board. The player choses a point, then moves the piece two spaces in a straight line. The piece may move through a spot occupied by another piece, but must land on an empty space. Once all of the pieces are placed in this way, the player captures a piece on the board by hopping over with with another one of the pieces to an empty space on the opposite side of the piece to be captured. The goal is to capture all of the pieces except one.
Content "...a game on this board is still played in Crete, and Miss L. Sutherland, who saw it in 1938, gave me the following description: You have nine pebbles, and the aim is to get them each on one of the ten spots marked. You put your pebble on any unoccupied spot, saying 'one,' and then move it through another, 'two,' whether this spot is occupied or not, to a third, 'three,' which must be unoccupied when you reach it; these three spots must be in a straight line. If you know the trick, you can do this one-two-three trick for each of your nine pebbles and find it a berth, and then you can win your money. If you don't know the trick, it's extremely hard to do it. The game is called pentalpha." Murray 1951: 28.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1653
Type Ethnography
Game Nao Gutiya Baithaneka
Location 25°36'39.65"N, 85° 8'44.34"E
Date 1935-01-01 - 1935-12-31
Rules The board is a five-pointed star. In the first phase, the player attempts to place all the pieces on the board. The player choses a point, then moves the piece two spaces in a straight line. The piece may move through a spot occupied by another piece, but must land on an empty space. Once all of the pieces are placed in this way, the player captures a piece on the board by hopping over with with another one of the pieces to an empty space on the opposite side of the piece to be captured. The goal is to capture all of the pieces except one.
Content "7. Nao-Gutiya-Baithaneka. The information of this game was also obtained from the
said bearer of the Archaeological Museum at Nalanda, It is a kind of ' solitaire ’ because only one man is required to play it.
The process of the game is that the player shall have nine l)all 0 ts
and that he shall have to place one ballet at the cross-point third
from the cross-point whence the move ha-sS begun and that this
vacant cross-point will he filled up by the second ballet moved
from a cross-point third from the said vacant one. In this way
all cross-points except one will be filled up. For exa,mple, if the
first ballet is moved from the cross-point c, thou the move will,
be as follows edb, hfe, ajh, dba, gfd, jhg, cbj, fdc, ihf." This is the solution for the game, not the rules. Das Gupta 1935: 415-416.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Das Gupta, C. 1935. "A Few Types of Sedentary Games from Bihar." Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 1: 409-418.
Id DLP.Evidence.1654
Type Ethnography
Game Omangunta Peeta
Location Madras Presidency
Date 1923-01-01 - 1923-12-31
Rules 2x7 board. Six counters in each hole, except the central hole in each row, which contains one counter. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the last counter is sown, the player picks up the counters in the next hole in the direction of the sowing and continues sowing with those counters. When the hole after the hole in which the final counter is sown is empty, the counters in the next hole are captured, as well as the counters in the hole opposite this hole, and the turn ends. Sowing cannot begin from the central hole of ether row. When a capture would occur from one of these central holes, the counters are not captured until the end of the game. At the end of the game, if both players are eligible to capture from the hole, they split the counters, leaving one in a hole if it is an odd number, and one in each hole if it is an even number. If neither player made a capture from the hole, the counters remain in the hole. When the players can no longer play, a new round begins. Each player then fills up as many holes, not counting the central holes, on their side of the board with six counters if possible. Any holes that do not contain counters are out of play. Play continues until one player captures all the counters, and is the winner.
Content "A game of this type is also prevalent in the Madras Presidency. It is called Omangunta peefa (a plank with holes) in Telugu and Palanguli (a plank with holes) in Tamil and for
the detailed information about the rules that are followed I am thankful to Mr. V. V. Ra uof the Bengal Nagpur Railway, There are fourteen shallow depressions in two rows, seven being
in each row. In the central depression of each row only one piece is placed, while inside each of the rest are placed, six, twelve or twenty-four pieces. The usual rules of the game are followed and the special point to be noted is that like the Orissa game none will be able to play with the piece. lying in the central pair, and though they may be captured according to the ordinary rules of the game they will be removed only at the end of each game, and the pieces lying in a central depression are to ho shared equally between the players if each of them in course of his play dropped down his last piece in a depression separated from the central one by an empty one or the pieces lying in the central depression may belong to none, and in that case they will not be removed from their position. If the number of pieces lying in a central depression is odd, one will be left In it and the rest will be equally divided between the two players, but if it is even two will be placed in the central depression and the rest will be divided equally between the two players. It should also be noted that when a player succeeds in capturing pieces lying in a depression, he will also seize all
the pieces that may be in the depression opposite. At the end of one game each player will arrange the pieces he has been able to capture in the line of depressions next to him and those which may be vacant will be supposed to be non-existent in course of the succeeding game. The successful player will be he who will be able to capture. all the pieces. The pieces are moved from left to right." Das Gupta 1923: 73-74
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Das-Gupta. H. 1923. "Notes on a Type of Sedentary Game Prevalent in Many Parts of India." Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 19: 71-74.
Id DLP.Evidence.1655
Type Ethnography
Game Sat Gol
Location 23°23'56.45"N, 80° 3'40.59"E
Date 1924-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules Seven holes, arranged in a circle. Four counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in a hole, the contents of the next hole are picked up and sowing continues with those counters. When the hole from which this new sowing would occur is empty, the counters in the next hole are captured and the turn ends. The next player begins to sow from the next available hole with counters after the last one played by the opponent. Play continues until no further captures can be made, and the player with the most counters wins.
Content "sat-gol—As the accompanying figure shows it, the diagram required for this play consists of seven circles and two persons are necessary for playing it. Four pieces of stones are kept within each circle and, at the commencement of the play, one of the players takes out the 4 pieces of stones lying within one of the circles and begins dropping them successively within the different circles working anti-clockwise, only one being dropped within one of the circles, the pieces lying within the next circle would be taken out and dropped successively within the different circles as before. This continues until the player drops his last piece within a circle next to which there is an empty one, and then he will be in possession of the pieces lying within the circle immediately next to the latter. The play will now be begun by the other person who will take out the pieces lying within the circle next to the one from which the pieces had been removed by his adversary and proceed exactly like the previous player. Whenever a a player succeeds in capturing the pieces lying within a circle immediately next to an empty one, or comes to an empty circle with one or more empty circles next to it, he shall have to stop, and the play will be commenced by his adversary with the pieces lying within the first circle next to the one, the pieces from which have all been captured by the previous player, or within the circle lying immediately after the last empty circle, the movement being in all cases against the hands of the watch. The play will go on this way, and the player who captures the larger number of pieces will be considered to be victorious." Das Gupta 1924: 167-168.
Confidence 100
Source Gupta, H. 1924. 'A few types of sedentary games prevalent in the central provinces.' Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 20(5): 165–169.
Id DLP.Evidence.1656
Type Artifact
Game Nagarjunakonda Game
Location 16°31'29.76"N, 79°14'43.27"E
Date 0227-01-01 - 1599-01-01
Rules 3x5 grid, with a row of 10 spaces extending from the central row of the grid. The final space is a semi-circle, rather than a square.
Content Graffiti game board on the pavement of the pillared hall of the burning ghats area of Nagarjunakonda, dated to the Ikshvakua period (third to fourth century CE). Likely to be Ikshvakua in date, because it was found during excavation, but the large site was occupied until the sixteenth century, so the possibility exists that it was later. Krishna Murthy 1961: 4, sketch 3; 1977: 223, fig. XIV.14; Finkel 1999: 10-11.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public, Ritual, Communal
Source Finkel, I. 1999. " The Sedentary Games of India: An Introduction. In R. Nirbed and A. Gosh (eds.), Sedentary Games of India." Kolkata: Asiatic Society, 1-21., Krishna Murthy, K. 1961. "Dice Play and its Archaeological Corroboration at Nagajunakonda - Andhra Pradesh." The Orissa Historical Research Journal 10(1-2): 1-4., Krishna Murthy, K. 1977. Nagarjunakonda: A Cultural Study. Delhi: Concept Publishing Company.
Id DLP.Evidence.1657
Type Ethnography
Game Pachgarhwa
Location 25°12'35.98"N, 80°55'11.08"E
Date 1904-01-01 - 1905-12-31
Rules 2x5 board. Five counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counters of a sowing lands in a hole, the contents of the next hole are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in a hole, and the next hole, from which sowing would normally continue, is empty, the player captures any counters in the next hole after the empty one. and the turn ends. Play continues until all of the pieces have been removed from the board.
Content "Pachgarhwa. Another game, which appears to be more popular than its intrinsic interest would seem to merit, is known as "Pachgarhwa." It is played by two persons, who take opposite sides of a board of ten spaces, arranged as in the accompanying diagram (Fig. 8). The gaame commences by each player placing piece pieces of kankar or similar material on each of the five spaces on his side of the board. There is no distinction in size, colour, or material between the "men" of either player. When the board has been thus set out, the player whose turn it is to move takes up the five pieces from any one of his spaces and proceeds to work round the board from the space to the right of that which he has just taken the pieces. He drops a piece on each space, whether of his own or his adversary's, as he proceeds. When he has thus exhausted his five "men," he takes up the pieces on the sixth space and continues the process, until he happens to deposit his last "man" on a space, the next in order to which is vacant. When this occurs, he takes as many pieces as may be on the space immediately beyond the vacant one. His turn is then over, and his adversary proceeds to move in the same way, but in the opposite direction. Thus the game, which is well-night interminable, goes on until all the pieces on the board are exhausted." Humphries 1906: 125.
Confidence 100
Source Humphries, E. de M. 1906. Notes on "Pachesi" and similar games, as played in the Karwi Subdivision, United Provinces. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 2(4): 117–127.
Id DLP.Evidence.1658
Type Ethnography
Game Nao Guti
Location 32°34'58.69"N, 71°32'16.52"E
Date 1926-01-01 - 1926-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints. Nine pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board on an empty spot. When all of the pieces have been placed, the players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. During either phase, if a player places three of their pieces in a row along the lines on the board, the player removes one of the opponent's pieces. The player who removes all of the opponent's peices wins.
Content "Nao-guti. I nthe game of nao-guti (=nine pieces), each of the two players provides himself with nine pieces and alternately puts one of his pieces on the 'cross-points', endeavouring to get three pieces along one line, while preventing his adversary from doing so. Whenever a player succeeds in getting three of his own pieces in one line he captures one of the pieces belonging to his opponent. After all the pieces have been put on the 'cross-points', the players begin to move their pieces alternately and along the lines as indicated in figure 3, having always in view the two-fold object outlined above. The player who captures all the pieces of his adversary is the winner." Das Gupta 1926: 144-145.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Gupta, H. 1926a. 'A Few Types of Sedentary Games Prevalent in the Punjab." Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 22(4): 143–148.
Id DLP.Evidence.1659
Type Artifact
Game Vijayanagara Game
Location 15°19'29.65"N, 76°28'10.86"E
Date 1350-01-01 - 2020-12-31
Rules Triangular board, with a line from the apex to the base. A square is drawn, with the apex of the triangle at the center of the square, and one side of the square intersecting two sides of the triangle and the line in the triangle, two lines drawn from the top two corners of the square to the apex of the triangle, and a line drawn from the midpoint of the left side of the square to the midpoint of the right side, through the apex of the triangle.
Content Graffiti board from Vijayanagara, India. Triangular board, with a line from the apex to the base. A square is drawn, with the apex of the triangle at the center of the square, and one side of the square intersecting two sides of the triangle and the line in the triangle, two lines drawn from the top two corners of the square to the apex of the triangle, and a line drawn from the midpoint of the left side of the square to the midpoint of the right side, through the apex of the triangle. Unreported location in the city. Fritz and Gibson 2007: 113.
Confidence 100
Source Fritz, J. and D. Gibson. 2007. "Game Boards at Vijayanagara." In I. Finkel (ed.), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1660
Type Rules text
Game San-Noku-Narabe
Location Japan
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty spot on the board. Once all of the pieces are placed, players move a piece to any empty spot on the board. The first player to make an orthogonal row of three along the lines of the board wins.
Content "3.1.8. Japan: San-noku-narabe (Prof. Tsuboi). Board B. PLayed by children and adults in remote villages. The only game played by the Ainus, who name is chikkiri." Played with rules of Nine Holes. Murray 1951: 39.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adult
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1661
Type Contemporary text
Game Nine Holes
Location Isle of Man
Date 1699-01-01 - 1699-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines. Three pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing pieces on an empty spot on the board. When all pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to any empty spot on the board. The first player to place their pieces in an orthogonal row along the lines wins.
Content "the record of a Manx ecclesiastical court in 1699, punishing two men for 'Makeing Nine Holes with their Knives after Evening Prayers' (W. Cubbon, Times, 21 Nov. 1929)." Murray 1951: 39.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Inside, Public, Ritual
Genders Male
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1662
Type Ethnography
Game Epelle
Location 5°22'52.35"N, 5°59'24.37"E
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines with diagonals. Play occurs on the intersections of the lines. Players each have three pieces, initially placed on the sides closest to the player. Players move the pieces to an adjacent unoccupied intersection along the lines. The goal is to make three in a row which cannot be in the starting position. An alternate version requires the three in a row to be diagonal.
Content "3.3.18. Nigeria, Warri Province, Urhobo Tribe: Epelle (K.C. Murray, who saw two boys playing it at Owu). Played in the same way as 3.3.10" Murray 1951: 42.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Male
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1663
Type Contemporary text
Game Six-Penny Madell
Location Wiltshire
Date 1897-01-01 - 1897-12-31
Rules Three concentric triangles, with lines connecting their corners. Six pieces per player. Pieces can move or be placed where the lines intersect, or in the center of the sides of the triangles. Players alternate turns placing their pieces on an empty space on the board.When all the pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving their pieces to an empty adjacent space along the lines. During either phase, when a player places three pieces in a row along one of the sides of one of the lines, they remove one of the pieces belonging to the other player. The player who removes all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content ""'Six-penny Madell' has three triangles, instead of squares, the lines running from inner to outer angles." Follows description of Nine Men's Morris, with implication that the rules are adapted to this board. Dartnell 1897: 333.
Confidence 100
Source Dartnell, G. 1897. Untitled note. Notes and Queries (Series 8) 12: 333.
Id DLP.Evidence.1664
Type Ethnography
Game Tapatan
Location Philippines
Date 1892-01-01 - 1892-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines with diagonals. Play occurs on the intersections of the lines. Three pieces per player. Play begins with each player placing pieces on empty points. If they make three in a row along the lines, they win. Once all pieces are place, players take turns moving pieces one spot to an adjacent point along the lines trying to make three in a row.
Content "Tapatan
This game is played by two persons on a square diagram, divided into eight equal parts. Each player has three men, consisting of pebbles, or of pieces of bark or wood. The dark plays first by placing one of his pebbles in the center of the diagram where the lines intersect, or where one of the cross-lines touches the line of the square. The object of the game is to get three pebbles of the same color on a line in any direction. When all the pebbles are on the board, each player moves in turn. Diagrams for this game are frequently seen marked on the floors and doorsteps of native houses. The board collected by Mr. Webb (shown in figure 69) consists of a tablet of hardwood, 10½ inches square, and is accompanied with six round pieces of wood, three white and three dark. Many families, says the collector, have boards and pieces like them; he also states that Tapatan is played by the natives at all times and places when they have money with which to gamble. The game has the advantage of requiring no paraphernalia that cannot be picked up on the roadside." Culin 1900: 648.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1900. "Philippine Games." American Anthropologist 2(4): 643-656.
Id DLP.Evidence.1665
Type Rules text
Game Liu Tsi
Location 32° 3'18.88"N,118°46'24.32"E
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines, with diagonals. Three pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty spot on the board. Once all of the pieces are placed, the players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. The first player to place three pieces in a line wins.
Content "Hicce Ludus Chinensis in hoc minore diagrammate est prorsus idem qui aliquando hac forma simpliciore in plerisque Europea partibus exerceri solet, cuius itaque Europaea nomina adiiciuntur." Hyde 1694: 211.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.1666
Type Ethnography
Game Akidada
Location 5°25'22.24"N, 2°30'11.25"W
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines. Three sticks per player, the sticks angled toward the player to indicate ownership. Players alternate turns placing sticks on the board. Once all of the sticks are placed, players alternate turns moving a stick to any empty spot on the board. The first player to place three sticks in an orthogonal row along the lines wins.
Content "3.1.11. Gold Coast. Akuna Tribe; Nigeria, Yoruba tribe: Akidada (K.C. murray, who saw it at Nopa). Board B drawn on the ground. 'Sticks' made from the fibres of palm leaves are used as men, each player sloping his men towards himself to distinguish the sides." Murray 1951: 40.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1667
Type Ethnography
Game Fanorona Telo
Location Madagascar
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines with diagonals. Play occurs on the intersections of the lines. Each player has three pieces. Play begins with each player placing pieces on empty points. If they make three in a row along the lines, they win. Once all pieces are place, players take turns moving pieces one spot to an adjacent point along the lines trying to make three in a row.
Content "3.3.19. Madagascar: Fanorona telo (Mrs. Danielli). PLayed by Imerina children." Presented as Three Men's Morris. Murray 1951: 42.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1668
Type Ethnography
Game Driesticken
Location Holland 1805
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines. Three pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing pieces on an empty spot on the board. When all pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to any empty spot on the board. The first player to place their pieces in an orthogonal row along the lines wins.
Content "Alias autem Belgis est aliud nomen et duplex forma; minor dicta Driesticken" Hyde 1694: 204.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.1669
Type Ethnography
Game Triodi
Location Mainland Greece
Date 1900-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, the midpoints of the squares connected with lines. Nine pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty spot on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, the players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. During either phase, when a player places three of their pieces in a row along the lines, the player removes any one of the opponent's pieces. The player who reduces the opponent to two pieces wins.
Content "ONE of the favourite pastimes of the Macedonian peasantry is the game known by the name of " The Meeting of Three Roads " (to triodi). It is identical with our Nine Men's Morris
and is played in the following manner. A diagram consisting of three squares, one within the other, is drawn with a piece of chalk or charcoal upon a flat surface, a stone or board or table,
as the case may be. The squares are joined with lines drawn across from the middle of the inner to the middle of the outer sides (fig. 1) and sometimes with diagonals as well (fig. 2). The battle-field thus prepared, each of the two combatants is armed with nine pebbles, beans, grains, sticks, bits of paper or what not, of a colour different from that of the pieces of his opponent... opens the campaign by planting down one of his pieces at some point of intersection, and is followed by his opponent. This is done by the two players alternately
until all the pieces are placed. The end towards which each of them strives is to get three pieces in a row to make a trio and to prevent his adversary from attaining the same end. When all the pieces are disposed of, they are moved, one place at a time, by turns, with the same object in view. He who has made a trio is entitled to one of his opponent's pieces. The struggle goes on with varying fortune until one of the combatants is left with only two pieces. Then the battle is lost and won...The game is also popular in Southern Greece." Abbott 1903: 295-296.
Confidence 100
Source Abbott, G. 1903. Macedonian Folklore. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1670
Type Ethnography
Game Triodi (Diagonal)
Location Mainland Greece
Date 1900-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, the corners and midpoints of the squares connected with lines. Nine pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty spot on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, the players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. During either phase, when a player places three of their pieces in a row along the lines, the player removes any one of the opponent's pieces. The player who reduces the opponent to two pieces wins.
Content "...and sometimes with the diagonal as well (fig. 2)..." In discussion about Triodi (Abbott 1903: 295.
Confidence 100
Source Abbott, G. 1903. Macedonian Folklore. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1671
Type Rules text
Game Marelle Triple
Location France
Date 1840-01-01 - 1840-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, the corners and midpoints of the squares connected with lines. Nine pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty spot on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, the players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. During either phase, when a player places three of their pieces in a row along the orthogonal lines, the player removes any one of the opponent's pieces. When a player is reduced to four pieces, they may move a piece to any open spot on the board. The player who reduces the opponent to two pieces wins.
Content "Marelle triple. La marelle triple, autrefois si populaire, est tombée dans un état d'ou bli qu'elle ne mérite pas. On la dessine ordinairement sur le sol et quelquefois sur une table, sur une ardoise ou sur un carton. Elle se compose de trois carrés ayant un centre commun et les côtés parallèles (fig. 3). Des lignes réunissent les quatre angles et les quatre côtés des carrés. Chacun des deux joueurs a 9 pions d'une couleur ou d'une forme reconnaissable et les pose alternativement sur l'un des points de rencontre des lignes, comme à la marelle simple; après quoi, il les déplace un à un, en les portant sur une case immédiatement voisine et en suivant l'une des lignes. Son but est d'amener trois de ses pions sur une même ligne droite, quand il y est parvenu, il prend dans le jeu de son adversaire, un pion à son choix parmi ceux le gênent le plus. Quand un joueur n'a plus que quatre pions, il n'est plus astreint à marcher de case en case; il peut faire franchir à ses pions une ou plusieurs cases occupées, afin de se mettre sur une station quelconque. Le premier qui n'a plus que deux pions a perdu la partie." de Moulidars 1840: 99-100.
Confidence 100
Source de Moulidars, T. 1840. Grande encyclopédie méthodique, universelle, illustrée des jeus et des divertissements de l'esprit et du corps. Paris: Librairie illustrée.
Id DLP.Evidence.1672
Type Ethnography
Game Picaria (Large)
Location 34°54'28.55"N,106°41'40.89"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Two concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the squares, but which extend beyond the edge of the outer square.
Content "A boy from Isleta, names J. Crecencio Lucero, described the people of this pueblo as playing a board game which they call picaria (Spanish, pedreria), little stone. They use diagrams of two kinds, represented in figures 1099 and 1100. " Culin 1907: 798.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Male
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1673
Type Ethnography
Game Kuang
Location 32°46'38.50"N,108° 9'11.06"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in each quadrant. One player plays with a single piece, placed in the central point. The other player plays with twelve pieces, beginning on the first two rows and one piece on each end of the central row.
Content "A boy from Santa Clara...described...in addition, the game of kuang, or jack rabbit, played with twelve stones, ku, on a board (figure 1003)." Culin 1907: 797-798.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Male
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1674
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Ufuba wa Hulana
Location Anjouan
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 5x5 board. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. When the pieces are placed, pieces are captured.
Content "Apud Hanoanitas ast alius quidam ludus, qui, propterea quod eiusdem schema aliquam cun shahiludo similitudinem habet, eorum lingua vocatur Ufuba wa hulana: nam ufuba simpliciter, shahiludum notat. Schema autem sic se habet, ubi quinarius areolarum numerus in se ductus est hoc modo. In hoc ludo, uterque lusorum possidet 12 lapillos; quibus omnibus ordine suo collocatis, unicus tantum initio restat locus seu spatium in quo ludatur, donec tandem aliqui calculi perdantur ut maius detur spatium. Qui plura de hocce ludo feire cupit, consular vel Hanzoanitas ipsos, vel saltem aliquos qui inter illos vixerunt." Hydea 1694: 233.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.1675
Type Ethnography
Game Lam Pusri
Location Teesta Valley
Date 1933-01-01 - 1933-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each quadrant. Two triangles, the apexes of which intersect with the square at the midpoint of opposite sides. One line bisecting the base of the triangle, and another bisecting this line. Eighteen pieces per player, each side arranged on one side of the board, with the central point empty and the player's pieces on the points to the right of it. Players alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an empty point. A piece may jump an opponent's piece to capture it. Multiple captures are allowed. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Lam pusri or Sipahi Kat. Another game played in the Teesta Valley is the Lam Pusri. It is played by two people on a board of 37 points, each player has 18 distinctive 'men' which are arranged in such a way that the central crosspoint is left vaant. The game is identical in every respect to Ahtarah Guti..." Hora 1933: 10-11.
Confidence 100
Source Hora, S. 1933. Sedentary games of India. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 29: 5–12.
Id DLP.Evidence.1676
Type Contemporary text
Game Yasasukari Musashi
Location Japan
Date 1712-01-01 - 1712-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in the quadrants. One player plays as a single piece, which begins in the central spot of the board. The Other player plays as sixteen pieces, placed on the spots along the perimeter of the board.
Content Drawing of Yasasukari Musashi in the Sam sai dzu e, a translation of the Chinese encyclopedia San-t'sai-y'u-hwei. Murray 1951: 99-100; Culin 1895: 77; Himly 1887: 481.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1895. Korean Games with Notes on the Corresponding Games of China and Japan. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.
, Himly, K. 1887. "Anmerkungen in Beziehung auf das Schach- und andere Brettspiele." Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländlischen Gesellschaft 41: 461-484., Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1677
Type Ethnography
Game Lontu-Holo
Location Ndyuka
Date 1930-01-01 - 1930-12-31
Rules 2x6 board, with a store hole on either end. Four counters in each hole. Each player owns the six holes, three holes in each row, to their right. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction, and only in the holes belonging to the player. Play begins with a stylized opening move. The first player takes the counters from the holes in each of the row of holes closest to them, and places them in the central row of their holes in the further row. The counters from the hole next in the direction of sowing are then sown. The counters from the central hole in the further of the player's rows are then sown. When this is completed, the player takes the counters from the holes in the row closest to them, and holds them until the opponent performs the same sequence of moves on their side of the board. At this point, each player places the counters they are holding into any hole on the opponent's side of the board which contains counters. Players then alternate turns sowing pieces around their holes of the board. Sowing always skips the hole from which sowing began. When the final counter of a sowing causes a hole to contain four counters, these counters are placed on any hole on the opponent's side of the board that contains more than one counter. When a player has only single seeds in their holes, and the opponent is about to place counters in the player's holes, the opponent moves one of the player's counters into another hole containing one counter, thus making two, and places the counters from the opponent's side are placed there. The player who is able to place all of their counters on the opponent's side of the board wins.
Content "Instead of five cups in each of the two rows, the Djuka board has six in a row, although,
like the Saramacca board, there are storage-cups at either end. Instead of the play being carried on with ten seeds in a cup, only four are placed in each...One of these, "lontu holo," is a game of elimination, won when one player has succeeded in passing all his seeds to his opponent...In playing the first of the Djuka forms mentioned above, the board is divided along the short axis, each player playing with two rows of three cups each (Fig. 3). As in the game last described, the holes must be " broken " before free play can begin, and this is done by means of various series of rather complicated sets of moves. Four of these formulae were taught me, but I know that there are many other ways of breaking the holes preparatory to play which I did not learn. It is not quite clear whether the etiquette of play demands that the second player break according to the same formula as is employed by the one who plays first, but in playing with the Djuka men it so happened that the same opening was always employed by my opponent as the one with which I opened, and I followed his method of breaking the holes. When two Djukas played together, this was also the case; it may have been, however, that this was done in order the better to teach the beginner.
The first of these opening formulae is as follows: the designations will be those of the cups in Fig. 3. X takes the four seeds in cup 1, the four in 2, and the four in 3, and places them in 5, making sixteen seeds in this cup. The four seeds in 6 are then distributed one at a time, counter-clockwise, about the cups belonging to X, the cups being emptied. In this case, the seeds from 6 would go one each into 1, 2, 3 and 4. Cup 5 is next played, the sixteen seeds going about the portion of the board belonging to X two complete times and part of a third, ending at 3, so that 1, 2 and 3 have each four seeds. These are then lifted, and held until Y has played, when they are placed in one of Y's cups that contains one or more seeds-namely, c d," " e, or " f." The twelve seeds which player Y gives his opponent are then placed in cup 4, 5, or 6. After this, play is free, and will be discussed below...The principles of play which obtain, once the breaking of the holes is over and the players are free to play as they see fit, are simple. Each player in turn distributes his seeds about his
half of the board, moving them in a counter-clockwise direction, leaving none, as he makes a
play, in the cups from which the seeds for that move were taken, until all have been distributed. If the move ends in his depositing a counter in a cup in which there are three seeds-i.e. so that he makes a four-then these four seeds, and those in any continuous series of holes containing four seeds made in this play, are placed in one hole of the opponent's side of the board. The word for this is tapu (lit., to " stop " a hole), and as has been pointed out before, a cup that is empty, or that contains only one seed, cannot be topped-" no mu tapu wa," as the Bush-Negro phrases it. If a player has his remaining seeds distributed with no more than one in any one cup, then his opponent, if he is able to give him more counters, moves one seed into a cup in which there is already one seed, when those given are placed in this cup...The object of the game is to eliminate all seeds from one's own side of the board, and the game is won when a player's last four counters have been deposited in one of the cups belonging to his opponent." Herskovits 1932: 26-28.
Confidence 100
Source Herskovits, M. J. 1932. 'Wari in the New World.' The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 62: 23–37.
Id DLP.Evidence.1678
Type Rules text
Game Alquerque de Nueve
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules Three concentric circles, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides. Nine pieces per player. Three six-sided dice. Players place pieces on the board according to the throws of the dice. When a player places three pieces in a row, they capture one of the other pleyer's pieces.
Content "This is nine men’s morris that is played with dice and it is played like this:
There is another mill game that is played with eighteen pieces – nine of one colour and nine of another. And it is played both with and without dice like chess. And it has part of tables in it because of the lines where the pieces are placed are similar to those because they have six and five and four and three and two and one like the millboard but there are played on the markings. And in the pieces. And in the play. On the markings they are played by the marks where the tables pieces are played which are made around the board which are called points or in those which are scalloped. The millboard is all marks inside as well as around. And the pieces are different because in tables the pieces are round and flat like wheels or square. The others are round and tall like chess pawns and these are used in mill. The placement is different for this reason.The first to play rolls the dice first, if they should say 6+5+4, 3+3+6, 5+2+2, or 1+1+4 because he wants to roll these rolls, he will place three pieces in a row and he will remove each time one of the pieces of the other player. And if he rolls so that he makes two mills he will remove two pieces. This mill is making a row of three as we said and as many times as one is made that many pieces are removed.
And this same thing [f. 92v] the other player does each time he can make a mill. And in this way mill is different from tables.
This is the diagram of the board and of the pieces." f. 92 from Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos, translation be S. Golladay.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1679
Type Ethnography
Game Sümi Naga Game (Hunt)
Location Nagaland
Date 1921-01-01 - 1921-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in each quadrant. One player plays as four tigers, which begin on the four corners of the board. The other player plays as twenty goats, which begin off the board. Play begins by placing one of the goats on an empty spot. The other player then moves the tiger to an empty adjacent spot along the lines on the board. The tiger may hop over an adjacent goat, if the space immediately on the opposite side of it in a direction along the lines is empty. Play continues like this until all of the goats are placed, after which the goats also move to one adjacent spot along the lines. The tigers win by capturing all of the goats; the goats win by blocking the tigers from being able to move.
Content "The board is made by drawing a square and joining up the opposite corners diagonally. The sides are then bisected and the middle points joined to the middle points first of the opposite, then of the adjacent sides. In this way the square has been cut up into four smaller squares, each divided by intersecting diagonals. Through these points of intersection four more lines are drawn, two vertical and two horizontal, again bisecting the sides of the four inner squares.
This gives altogether 25 points of intersection, and the game is played with 24 pieces, which are placed on these points and move along the lines joining them to the adjacent
points. One player has four pieces (bits of stone, beans, anything will do), known as “ tigers,” and these are placed one at each corner of the board. His opponent has 20 similar pieces called ‘‘ goats,” and his object is to place them on the board, and to move them when there, in such a manner that the “ tigers ” are rounded up and prevented from moving
at all. The “ goats ” may only move in a direct line to the next point of intersection, and the ‘‘ tigers ” are similarly restricted unless there is a goat at an adjacent point and an empty point beyond it in the same straight line, when the “ tiger ” may “ eat ” the goat by jumping over it as in draughts. The player of the “ tigers ” must move one of his pieces for every “ goat ” placed on the board by his opponent, and when all the ‘‘ goats are out the parties
must make alternate moves...The above diagrams show the board used in both games,
the tigers being first placed on the four outer corners of the board shown in the first diagram, when the player of the goats starts introducing his pieces along the outer edges in such a manner as to avoid, as far as he can, giving an opening to the tigers to eat any of the goats. The game is a simple one, but affords considerable scope for the exercise of skill and foresight in playing it." Hutton 1921: 110-111.
Confidence 100
Source Hutton, J. 1921. The Sema Nagas. London: Macmillan.
Id DLP.Evidence.1680
Type Ethnography
Game Sümi Naga Game (War)
Location Nagaland
Date 1921-01-01 - 1921-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in each quadrant. Eleven pieces per player, which begin on the two rows closest to the player, with the eleventh on the outer spot of the middle of to the left of the player. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. A piece may capture an opponent's piece next to it by hopping over it to an empty spot immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece along the lines of the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "..a second game known as the war game is played on the same board, each side using eleven pieces which are represented by bits of black or whitish stone or anything of that sort.
Each player places ten men on the two back lines of his side of the board, and the two eleventh men occupy the outside places on the middle line. The moves are along the intersecting lines not further than one point at a time, unless an opportunity occurs to jump over one of the opposing pieces into a vacant place behind it, thus “ eating the opponents*
piece, which is removed from the board, as in draughts. The side which eats up the greater number of its “ enemies ’* wins...In the war game the pieces are set out as shown in the second diagram." Hutton 1921: 111.
Confidence 100
Source Hutton, J. 1921. The Sema Nagas. London: Macmillan.
Id DLP.Evidence.1681
Type Ethnography
Game Terhüchü (Small)
Location Nagaland
Date 1921-01-01 - 1921-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in each quadrant. Ten pieces per player, which begin on the two rows closes to the player. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. A piece may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it along the lines of the board to an empty spot immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "One such game is, however, known to them. It is a form of draughts known as terhüchuü— ‘‘ Fighting- eating/' because the pieces of the opposing side fight and eat one another up. The board is a square one of sixteen squares (Fig. I) joined by diagonal lines and usually scratched roughly on a large stone, cut into planking, or merely drawn in the earth. The pieces, which are bits of stone, move obliquely or straight along the lines, one going the distance of one square only at a time unless they are able to eat " one of their opponents by jumping over him into an empty station beyond. As a rule, there are ten pieces on each side." Hutton 1921: 101-102.
Confidence 100
Source Hutton, J. 1921. The Angami Nagas. London: Macmillan and Co, Ltd.
Id DLP.Evidence.1682
Type Ethnography
Game Terhüchü (Small)
Location Nagaland
Ruleset Eight pieces
Date 1921-01-01 - 1921-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in each quadrant. Eight pieces per player, five arranged on the row closest to the player and the remaining three in the central three spots of the second row. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. A piece may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it along the lines of the board to an empty spot immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "...the game is somtimes played with eight, in which case the two outside stations of the forward lines are left empty." Hutton 1921: 102.
Confidence 100
Source Hutton, J. 1921. The Angami Nagas. London: Macmillan and Co, Ltd.
Id DLP.Evidence.1683
Type Artifact
Game Badami Game
Location 15°55'6.18"N, 75°40'33.78"E
Date 0540-01-01 - 2020-12-31
Rules A series of holes. Eleven are in the bottom line, from the central hole, a line of an additional ten extend up. From the central hole of this vertical line (counting the central hole of the bottom line), a square with eleven holes per side.
Content Graffiti game board, rendered as a series of holes, from a site in Badami, India. Eleven holes are in the bottom line, from the central hole, a line of an additional ten extend up. From the central hole of this vertical line (counting the central hole of the bottom line), a square with eleven holes per side. Marin 1942: 114-116.
Confidence 100
Source Marin, G. 1942. "An Ancestor of the Game of 'Ludo.'" Man 42: 114-117.
Id DLP.Evidence.1684
Type Ethnography
Game Kawade Kelia
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules One horizontal row of eleven squares, the central square marked with an X. From this central square, extending vertically, eleven more squares, making a row of twelve in total. The fifth square and the final square in this row are marked with an X. An arc of five squares extend left and down from the final square of the vertical row. From the fifth row of the vertical row, a square with twelve squares per side. The corner squares are marked with an X, the central two squares of the left, right, and top side are marked with one X across both squares. Two or four players; when there are four players they play on two teams of two. Three cowrie shells per player, used as pieces. Six cowrie shells used as dice; the throws = the number of mouths that land face up. Players move their pieces onto the board and around the circuit according to the throws of the cowries. Teams start on opposite ends of the bottom row of squares, up the vertical line to the square, in opposite directions around the square, then up the remaining part of the vertical row and down the arc, and off the board. When a piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back and must enter the board again. Pieces are safe from being sent back if they rest on a marked square. The first team to remove all of their pieces from the board wins.
Content "37. Kawade Kelia. Cowrie game. Ceylon. ...From the exhibit of the Government of Ceylon at the Columbian Exposition, Chicago. Two or four persons play. In the latter case, two play as partners. Cowries o fdifferen kinds are used as men, each player having three. These are called bala,"dogs" (singular, balo). The moves are made, according to the throws, with six cowrie shells. The counts are as follows: 6 mouths up =6 5 mouths up =5 4 mouths up =4 3 mouths up =3 2 mouths up=2 1 mouth up=1The players stand at opposite sides of the bottom of the board and finish at the end of the interior diagram, making the circuit in opposite directions. A player may take and set back an opponent's piece, unless it be upon one of the squares crossed by diagonals, called cattya." Culin 1898: 851.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1685
Type Ethnography
Game Gavalata
Location South India
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules 5x5 square. Nine squares are marked: the four central squares of each side, the central square of the board, and the squares which are diagonally between them. Two or four players; each player begins on one of the marked outer squares, beginning on opposite sides if two are playing. Players use one or two cowries as pieces. Four or five cowries are used as dice, with the value of the throw equalling the number of mouths which land face up. Players proceed in a clockwise direction around the board, until they reach the space before the one in which they began, moving to the marked square to the right of the direction of play, and proceeding around the inner square of spaces in an anti-clockwise direction, until arriving at the central space. When a player's piece lands on a space occupied by the opposing player, the opponent's piece is sent back to the starting point. The first player to bring all their pieces to the central square wins.
Content "A similar game is played in southern India under the name of Gavalata, or "cowrie play," upon a square checkered board having an odd number of squares upon a side (fig. 158). Two or four persons play, each using one or two cowries as men, which they move according to the throws with four or five cowries. When two play, one starts at A and the other at B, moving in the direction of the arrows. The object is to traverse all the squares to the center. A player kills and sends back an opponent's piece when his own falls upon the same square, unless it rests in a protected square or u castle."" Culin 1898: 851.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1686
Type Ethnography
Game Kolowis Awithlaknannai
Location Zuni
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules A series of three parallel lines are drawn, with diagonals connecting the outer lines at intervals, crossing each other at the central line. Sixteen spaces in the outer rows, fifteen in the central row. Pieces begin on all of the points on the board, except the central point and the leftmost point of the central row. Pieces are moved along the intersections, and they are placed on the board on opposing sides, leaving the central spot empty. The first player moves to this spot along one of the lines, and the opponent jumps this pieces, thereby capturing it.
Content Zuni. Zuni, New Mexico. (Cat. no. 5049, Brooklyn Institute Museum.) Long stone slab, inscribed with the diagram shown in figure 111. This was found by the writer on a house top in Zuñi, and was explained by the natives as used in a game with white and black pieces, played like the preceding. The positions of the pieces at the beginning of the game are indicated by black and white circles. The name of the game was given as kolowis awithlaknannai, the kolowisi being a mythic serpent." Culin 1907: 801
Confidence 100
Ages Elder
Genders Male
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1687
Type Ethnography
Game Kolowis Awithlaknannai
Location Zuni
Date 1903-01-01 - 1903-12-31
Rules Stones are placed on intersections, on all except the center. The first player moves to the center, pieces are captured by jumping. Moves must be along the lines.
Content "AWE THLACNAWE. (" STONES KILL.") Implements. - A number of small stones (a different color for each side), and geometrical markings on a stone slab or on the ground. There is no specified size for the "board," it being larger or smaller according to the number of angles. The stones are placed on all the intersections of the geometrical drawing except the central one. The first player moves to the center, where his "man" is jumped by his opponent. The stones may be moved in any direction so long as the lines are followed." Stevenson 1903: 496-497.
Confidence 100
Source Stevenson, M. C. 1903. Zuñi Games. American Anthropologist 5(3): 468-497.
Id DLP.Evidence.1688
Type Rules text
Game Forçado
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x King: moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Queen : One square diagonally. 2 x Rook: Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Fil: Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Pil. 2 x Knight: Moves orthogonally one space and then diagonally another space, jumping over any intervening pieces; 8 x Pawns: Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Pawns are promoted to Queen when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. When a piece can be captured, it must be. The most powerful piece must be captured, and the least powerful piece must make the capture if several are able to capture the same piece. Stalemate results in win for player causing it. The player who checkmates the king wins.
Content "And we wish next to tell of the game which they call forçado. And this is because even though it may be played according to each player’s will, in it there is also to be an element of force because a man goes against his will losing his best piece to his opponent’s worst, willing or not by putting it on a square where the other is forced to capture it, according to the movement of the piece against which it is put. And this game is arranged just the same as the first and the pieces move and capture each other in that same way except that there is in addition the forced capture. And therefore those that play it are to be knowledgeable so that they do not put their best pieces in a position where they are to give them up to lesser and more lowly pieces. Because in this lies all the wisdom of this game and its play. And because of this force which we described, they call it the forced game. But because some tell that the damsels first invented it overseas, they call it the juego de las donzellas." Golladay's translation of Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos: 5.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Female
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1689
Type Ethnography
Game Rimau-Rimau (One Tiger)
Location Singapore
Date 1889-01-01 - 1889-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each quadrant. Two triangles, the apexes of which intersect with the square at the midpoint of opposite sides. One line bisecting the base of the triangle, and another bisecting this line. One player plays as the tiger, which is placed on the apex of either triangle. The other player plays as 24 people, nine of which begin on the nine central points of the board. To begin, the person playing as the tiger removes three of the people from their starting position and places them on any points on the board. The person playing as the people then places one of the remaining people on an empty spot on the board. The tiger then moves to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. Play continues like this until all of the people are placed, at which point the people move to an adjacent empty spot on the board as well. On its turn, the tiger may hop over a line of people to an empty spot on the other side of the line, following the lines of the board and only if the number of people in the line is odd. The tiger wins if it captures all the people; the people win when they block the tiger from being able to move.
Content Description of rules as given by Saman, a nineteen-year-old man from Singapore who played the game in his youth. Plitschke 1890: 189-190.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent, Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Plitschke, K. 1890. "Kurze Mittheilung ueber zwei malayische Spiele." Internationales Archive für Ethnographie 3: 189-194.
Id DLP.Evidence.1690
Type Ethnography
Game Rimau-Rimau (Two Tigers)
Location Singapore
Date 1889-01-01 - 1889-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each quadrant. Two triangles, the apexes of which intersect with the square at the midpoint of opposite sides. One line bisecting the base of the triangle, and another bisecting this line. One player plays as two tigers, the other as 23 people. The one tiger begins on any spot on the board. Eight of the people begin on the spots surrounding the central point of the board. The tiger player, on their first turn, removes one of the people and then places the second tiger anywhere on the board. The people then play, placing one of the remaining people on an empty spot on the board. On the tiger's turn, the player may move one of the tigers to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. The tiger may also capture a person by hopping over it to an empty adjacent spot immediately on the opposite side of it along the lines of the board. When all of the people are placed, they move to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board on their turn. The tigers win by capturing all the people; the people win by blocking both tigers from being able to move.
Content "Bei der zweiten Variation können die zwei Rimau auf irgend zwei beliebige Punkte (ausgenommen sind diejenigen, welche für das erste Setzen der Menschen bestimmt sind), eventuell auch beide zugleich auf e3 gesetzt werden. Der zweite Spiler setzt 8 Steine auf d2, d3, d4, e2, e4, f2, f3, und f4. Auch in dem Falle wenn kein Rimau den Centralpunkt e3 in Beschlag nimmt, darf bei dem ersten Setzen kein Orang diesen Punkt einnehmen. Der weitere Gang des Spieles ist derselbe, wie bei der ersten Variation, nur mit dem Unterschiede, dass hier der Rimau nur über einen feindlichen Stein und nicht wie früher über ganze engeraden Reihen setzen darf, auch zieht immer nur einer von den zwei Rimau, jedoch nach dem Belieben des Spielers entweder der eine oder der andere. Bei dem Anfangsschlagen durch den Rimau, darf nur ein einziger Stein gewählt werden, worauf sich beliebig der eine oder der andere Rimau auf einem beliebig gewählten Punkte niederlässt." Taught by Saman, a Singaporean man who played it in his youth. Plitschke 1890: 1889-191.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent, Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Plitschke, K. 1890. "Kurze Mittheilung ueber zwei malayische Spiele." Internationales Archive für Ethnographie 3: 189-194.
Id DLP.Evidence.1691
Type Ethnography
Game Romavóa
Location 27°10'7.14"N,107°45'51.30"W
Date 1930-10-01 - 1931-07-31
Rules Played on a board with 36 holes arranged in a square, with a gap in the center of each side. There are two semi circles of five holes on the outside of two opposite corners of the board. Two pieces per player. Four stick dice are used, each with one marked side. Each die is marked differently for a different value: 4, 6, 14, 15. The throws are as follows: All marked sides up = 5; three marked sides up = 3; two marked sides up = 2, one marked side up = the value of the marked side; zero marked sides up = 10. Throws of 14 may instead be played as a throw of 1, whenever the player chooses. Players’ pieces enter on the branching arcs. Players move in opposite directions around the board, and then back down the arc in which they started, moving their pieces off the board. If a player lands on the same spot as the opponent, the opponent’s piece is removed from the board and must re-enter. A player's piece is allowed to occupy the same space as that player's other piece. On the last side of the rectangle before completing a circuit of the board, only throws of 1, 2, or 3 are used. Players must make an exact throw to get a piece off the board. The player to get both of their pieces around the board, and then to reach the marked space with an exact throw. When a player's final piece is on the last space, a throw of 14 forces the piece off the board and it must start again from the beginning. The first player to remove their pieces from the board wins.
Content "Quince, a game on the order of parcheesi, is very common in some sections and utterly unknown in others. A rectangular court is marked off, and nine holes are made at each corner, names, one at the corner and four running along each side. At diagonally opposite corners is a tail, or goal, or five holes...Four sticks are used...these sticks are marked, on one side only, and valued at 4, 6, 14, and 15 points. Two players sit at opposite ends of the court in the game. Each one has two pebbles which he uses as counters. To play the game, a man takes all four sticks in his hand and bounces them, endwise, off a slanting rock at his feet (or a stone held in his hand) into the center of the court. On the basis of the resulting count, he moves one of his pebbles from the tip of the tail-goal around the figure. Then the other man bounces the sticks and starts his counters. Thus, throws are alternated and each player starts working his pebbles around the rectangle, the object of the game being to get both counters around the figure first. The sticks count according to the way they fall. They are marked on one side and count as follows (the "faces" refer to the marked sides): All four faces up...5; only three faces up...3; only two faces up...2; all four faces down...10; only face 4 up...4; only face 6 up...6; only face 14 up...14(or 1 point at times); only face 15 up...15. Either one of the two pawns may be moved. The players advance around the rectangle in opposite directions. When a player sees the points that his throw scores, he moves his first pawn that many holes, starting with the tip of the tail-goal. His opponent does likewise. Then he throws again. This time he had the choice of starting a new pawn or of continuing the same one. Thus the play continues. The winner must run his two pawns around the rectangle and completely out at the tip of the goal before the other accomplishes the same task. (Obviously, the opponent's tail-goal is not included in the course of a player.) There are a few setbacks and other rules: 1. The player and his opponent move around the course in opposite directions. When on a count, either pawn can be moved into the same hole that the opponent's pawn occupies and the opponent has to start his pawn over. (Both of a player's own pawns may be in the same hole, however.) 2. The 14 counter may value 14 or 1, as the player chooses. 3. On the home stretch, (I.e., the last side of the rectangle before the tail-goal, only counts of 3, 2, or 1 (the optional 14) may move the pawn. However, at the hole, just before the home stretch, a count can run as high as 15. 4. When a player's last pawn is in the last hole of the tail, a count of 14 (or 1) will cause the pawn to start over again. I could find no Tarahumara word that specifically referred to quince. Some say deétali, but this means "to play a game," and does not refer exclusively to quince. Lumholtz calls it domabóa, which , at the present time, means "let-us-play." Domaláka might well be the name for gaming-pieces...It is possible that this referred to the playing of quince at one time." Bennett and Zingg 1935:343-344.
Confidence 100
Source Bennett, W. and R. Zingg. 1935. The Tarahumara: An Indian Tribe of Northern Mexico. GLorieta, NM: The Rio Grande Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1692
Type Ethnography
Game Romavóa
Location Tarahumara
Date 1892-01-01 - 1893-08-30
Rules Played on a board with 36 holes arranged in a square, with a gap in the center of each side. There are two semi circles of five holes on the outside of two opposite corners of the board. Four sticks, marked, as dice. Players move pieces according to the throws. Pieces move in opposite directions around the board. When a player lands on a spot with the opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must re-enter.
Content "Their greatest gambling game, at which they may plav even when tipsy, is quinze ; in Tarahiimare, romavóa. It is played with
four sticks of equal length, called romálaka and inscribed with certain marks to indicate their value. Practically they serve the same purpose as dice, but they are thrown in a different way. The player grasps them in his left hand, levels their ends carefully, lifts his bundle, and
strikes the ends against a flat or square little stone in front of him, from which they rebound toward his opponent. The sticks count in accordance with the way they fall. The point of the game is to pass through a figure outlined by small holes in the ground between the two
players. The movements, of course, depend upon the points gained in throwing the sticks, and the count is kept by means of a little stone, which is placed in the respective hole after each throw. Many accidents may impede its progress ; for instance, it may happen to be
in the hole into which the adversary comes from the opposite direction. In this case he is "killed," and he has to begin again from the starting-point. The advance is regulated by a number of ingenious by-laws, which make the game highly intellectual and entertaining. If
he has the wherewithal to pay his losses, a Tarahumare may go on playing for a fortnight or a month, until he has lost everything he has in this world, except his wife and children ; he draws the line at that. He scrup-lously pays all his gambling debts. The northern Tepehuanes also know" this game, and play with sticks eighteen to twenty inches long. As these larger sticks fly quite a distance off when rebound- ing, the players sit rather far apart." Lumholtz 1902: 278-281.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside
Genders Male
Source Lumholtz, C. 1902. Unknown Mexico; A Record of Five years' Exploration among the Tribes of the Western Sierra Madre; in the Tierra Caliente of Tepic and Jalisco; and among the Tarascos of Michoacan. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
Id DLP.Evidence.1693
Type Ethnography
Game Dam (Singapore)
Location Singapore
Date 1889-01-01 - 1889-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each quadrant. Two triangles, the apexes of which intersect with the square at the midpoint of opposite sides. One line bisecting the base of the triangle, and another bisecting this line. Each player has sixteen pieces, which begin on the points of one triangle and the two rows of points in front of it, thus leaving the central row of points empty. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. A piece may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of the piece, along the lines of the board. The first player to capture all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Das zweite Spiele genannt "dam" wird auf derselben Grundfigur wie das Rimau-rimau gespielt. Jeder Partner hat 16 Steine, welche auf die Schnittpunkte in der Weise gesetzt werden, dass die Linie e1-e5 frei bleibe. Die Steine bewegen sich auf den Linien in allen Richtungen, immer bis zum nächsten Schnittpunkte und setzen über die feindlichen Steine in derselben Weise, wie es bei unserem Damenspiel geschieht. Da unsere Spielfigur Linien in vier Richtungen aufzuweisen hat, so erscheint das Spiel in dieser hinsicht etwas complicierter als unsere Dame." Plitschke 1890: 192.
Confidence 100
Ages Adolescent, Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Plitschke, K. 1890. "Kurze Mittheilung ueber zwei malayische Spiele." Internationales Archive für Ethnographie 3: 189-194.
Id DLP.Evidence.1694
Type Rules text
Game Jeu du Renard et de la Poule
Location France
Date 1668-01-01 - 1668-12-31
Rules Played on cross-shaped board, made of five squares, each divided into four squares and with the diagonals of the larger squares drawn.One player plays as thirteen hens, which begin on the points on one of the arms fo the cross and along the line immediately perpendicular to that arm.The other player plays as one fox, which can be placed on any empty point of the board. Players alternate turns moving to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. The hens, however, can only move in a forward direction. The fox may hop over an adjacent hen to an empty spot immediately on the opposite side of the hen along the lines of the board. The fox wins by capturing all the hens, the hens win by blocking the fox from being able to move.
Content "On y jouë avec des Dames ou jettons, à faute d'avoir des Poules de bois ei d'ivoire, comme celle que vous voyez en nombre de treize posées sur treize rosetees ou espaces dont cette table est composée: les poules sont en la partie d'enhaut, qui consiste en vingt rosettes ou espaces, et vous placez en l'une d'icelle le Renard à discretion, qui peut monter et descendre, aller et venir au haut et bas, à droit et à travers: les poules ne peuvent monter que de bas en haut, et ne doivent redescendre,: le joueur ne doit laisser les Poules découvertes, ou seules, non plus qu'au jeu de Dames. La finesse de ce jeu est de bien poursuivre le Renard, et l'enfermer en telle sorte, qu'il ne puisse aller de ça ni dela; et est à noter que le Renard prend toutes les Poules qui sont seules et découvertes: enfin il se faut donner garde de laisser cenir le Renard dans la partie d'embas parmi les poules, pour autan qu'il les pourroit plus facilement prendre: l'exercise peut beaucoup en ce jeu, et à forcé de jouer on s'y rend bon maistre. Les bon joueurs démarent les Poules premier que le Renard; celui qui à les poules, ne doit permettre, s'il peut, qu'on démare le renard le premier, car ce;a ne lui est avantageux. " La Maison des Jeux Académiques: 264-265.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source La Maison des Jeux Académiques. 1668. PAris: Estienne Loyson.
Id DLP.Evidence.1695
Type Ethnography
Game Len Cúa Kín Ngoa
Location Thailand
Date 1836-01-01 - 1836-12-31
Rules 4x4 board. One player plays as four tigers, which begin the board placed in the four corner spaces. The other player plays as twelve oxen. The first move is made by placing one of the oxen on an empty space, followed by a move by the tiger closest to the ox. Once all of the oxen are placed, the players alternate turns moving their pieces on the board. Pieces move to an empty adjacent spot orthogonally. Pieces may capture another piece by hopping over an adjacent piece to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it. Tigers capture orthogonally, oxen capture diagonally. Oxen may also capture a tiger by blocking it from being able to move. The oxen win by reducing the tigers to two.
Content "The Len cúa kín ngoa.-The game of "the tigers eating cattle." In this game there are four tigers and twelve oxen The board has sixteen squares. The tigers are placed at the four corners-an ox is placed on one square, and the nearest tiger moves first. The tigers take by leaping over the heads of the oxen to the open square behind them and not diagonally. The tigers are taken and put off the board when hemmed in so that they cannot move, or they are taken then by the oxen moving (only then) diagonally. If only two tigers are left on the board the oxen are victors." Low 1839: 379-380.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female, Male
Source Low, J. 1839. 'On Siamese Literature.' Asiatic Researches 20(2): 338-392.
Id DLP.Evidence.1696
Type Ethnography
Game Len Doat
Location Thailand
Date 1836-01-01 - 1836-12-31
Rules Four 3x5 grids, arranged in four corners of a rectangular board. Three pieces per player. Five cowrie shells used as dice; the value of the throw equaling the number of the mouths which land face up. Players begin by entering their pieces onto the board from the square in the central row of the grid to their right. A single piece may be entered with a throw of 1, or all of the player's pieces may be entered with a throw of 5.Throws of 1 and 5 grant the player another throw, and a pieces are moved only after all of the players throws are made. Play proceeds down the central row where the pieces entered, in an anti-clockwise direction until reaching the bottom right hand corner of the left grid, at which point the track continues on the opponent's side of the board from the top right corner of the left board (with respect to the current player), proceeding around the opponent's grids in an anti-clockwise direction until reaching the top left square of the opponent's right grid. At this point, the piece returns to the player's own right grid, on the bottom left corner, and proceeding in an anti-clockwise direction into the central row, and off the board once moving past the final space. When a player lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must re-enter as before. Pieces are safe from being sent back when resting on the left two corners of each grid on the left and the right two corners of each grid on the right. The first player to remove all of their pieces from the board wins.
Content "Len Doat resembles the Indian game of puchees. It is played with cowrie shells on a lacquered board thus. Two persons take each a side of the board. There are five cowrie shells for a dice, each of the players has three pieces-each throws in turn, and if No. 1 or No. 5, casts up, the thrower continues to throw and to play until another number turns up. The chief object is to pass through all one's own squares and those of the opposite party without interruption-taking his men if they can be overtaken by throwing a corresponding number and leaping over them if the number cast up exceeds. He whose pieces are thus first returned to the place whence they set out, wins the game. Nos. 6, 15, 17, and 26 in each side are castles, and the piece holding one of these cannot be taken. The pieces which have been taken are entered again by casting the dice-No. 1 enters one- No. 5 the whole which are out, but the intermediate numbers do not enter any." Low 1839: 379.
Confidence 100
Source Low, J. 1839. 'On Siamese Literature.' Asiatic Researches 20(2): 338-392.
Id DLP.Evidence.1697
Type Ethnography
Game Mak Yep
Location Thailand
Date 1836-01-01 - 1836-12-31
Rules Board with sixteen squares. Seven pieces per player. One player must remove five counters so that at no point can the other player capture one of the pieces by hopping over it.
Content "Mak Yep is a game played with fourteen counters on sixteen squares- one of the players must take off five counters, so that he shall not leave one on the board in a situation to be taken-for if one is so situated that it can go over the head of another to an empty square the first player loses." Low 1839: 380.
Confidence 100
Source Low, J. 1839. 'On Siamese Literature.' Asiatic Researches 20(2): 338-392.
Id DLP.Evidence.1698
Type Ethnography
Game Mak Khom
Location Thailand
Date 1836-01-01 - 1836-12-31
Rules 2x7 board. Seven counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. In the first move, each player takes the contents of the leftmost hole and sows them except for the last counter, which is set aside. When sowing, players may take the entire contents of a hole, or only part of them. The players agree on a number of counters which need to be captured in order to win.
Content "Mak khom is a trough with seven cups on each side. The players have each forty-nine counters distributed equally in the cups, i.e., seven each. Each takes out the contents of his first cup, and counts them out to the right hand to the last number,-setting aside the counter which remains. They then begin with the second number, and , when its contents have been told out, they respectively take out of the cups (amongst which the last told out counter falls) their contents, and proceed to count as before. They may take the whole of the number in any cup, or only part of it. The parties agree that after a certain number has been won by one of them the game shall cease-as it may be immoderately lengthened out." Low 1839: 380.
Confidence 100
Source Low, J. 1839. 'On Siamese Literature.' Asiatic Researches 20(2): 338-392.
Id DLP.Evidence.1699
Type Rules text
Game Renard et les Poules
Location France
Date 1840-01-01 - 1840-12-31
Rules Played on cross-shaped board, made of five squares, each divided into four squares and with the diagonals of the larger squares drawn. One player plays as seventeen hens, which begin on the points on one of the arms fo the cross and along the line immediately perpendicular to that arm, and on the two outermost points on the left and right arms. The other player plays as one fox, which starts on the central point of the board. Players alternate turns moving to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. The hens, however, can only move in a forward or horizontal direction. The fox hops over an adjacent hen to an empty spot immediately on the opposite side of the hen along the lines of the board. At the beginning of the game, the players choose whether to allow the fox the ability to make multiple captures in one turn. If the fox is able to capture but does not, the opponent adds another hen on an empty point in the rearmost row. The fox wins by capturing all of the hens or by moving to the furthest line on the hens' side of the board. The hens win by blocking the fox from being able to move.
Content "On a ainsi un jeu de 33 cases, qui set à une partie singulière nommée le Renard et les poules...Cette règle, où tous les avantages étaient en faveur du renard, a été modifiée. On a fortifié les poules, en portant leur nombre à 17, les quatre autres se plaçant en 7, 13, 14, et 20. Il leur devient ainsi beaucoup plus facile de se protèger. Quelquefois même on convient que le renard ne pourra ni prendre ni marcher en diagonale; mais alors on l'affaiblit au point qu;il ne lui reste guère d'espoir de gagner...Le renard se place sur la case du milieu et les poules jouent les premières. Il est juste que le renard a négligé de croquer une poule en prise on le dit blessé, et l'adversaire ajoute à son jeu une nouvelle fiche, qu'il place en arrière des autres, sur la même ligne horizontale que la dernière de ses poules; dans l'impossibilité d'agir ainsi, il attend pour prendre une nouvelle poule qu'il y ait une place vacante sur la dernière ligne horizontale occupée par ses fiches. On peut convenir que le renard aura le droit de prendre deux ou plusieurs poules à la fois, quand deux ou plusieurs fiches ont un intervale entre elles, comme cela se pratique aux dames; mais il est préférable de s'en tenir à une seule poule à l fois. Le renard a gagné quand il a croqué toutes les poules ou quand il est parvenu sur la dernière ligne de leur camp (cases 30, 31, et 33); il a perdu s'il se laisse envelopper au point de ne pouvoir plus jouer en avant, en arrière ou en diagonale. Ainsi réglée, la partie n'est pas sans intérêt." de Moulidars 1840: 100-102.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source de Moulidars, T. 1840. Grande encyclopédie méthodique, universelle, illustrée des jeus et des divertissements de l'esprit et du corps. Paris: Librairie illustrée.
Id DLP.Evidence.1700
Type Ethnography
Game Len Saké
Location Thailand
Date 1836-01-01 - 1836-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half as in Backgammon. Played with dice. Pieces enter the board according to the throws of the dice into the left hand side of the board. All pieces must be entered onto the board before they may begin moving. Movement occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. Once they can move, an opponent's piece which is alone on a point can be taken when one of the player's pieces lands on that point. The first player to have a piece captured loses.
Content "Len saké is played with counters like Backgammon-the moves being regulated by dice. The box has the same number of marks as the European one, and indeed the game bers such a close resemblance to our Backgammon, that it may be perhaps supposed to have been taught to them by European traders. The men are not placed in the box at the outset, but are kept in a heap in the chequers of the players, which first are to the left hand of each. The pieces are filled into the respective chequers according to the casts of the dice-and they range to the right when the whole numbers have been filled in. After this they may take up any uncovered counter of the adversary which generally terminates the game. The chief aim is to prevent a piece being uncovered." Low 1839: 380-381.
Confidence 100
Source Low, J. 1839. 'On Siamese Literature.' Asiatic Researches 20(2): 338-392.
Id DLP.Evidence.1701
Type Ethnography
Game Mudrunggum
Location Deccan
Date 1832-01-01 - 1832-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in the four quadrants of the board. Two triangles, their apices intersecting the main board at opposite midpoints. The base of the triangle is bisected by a line drawn from the apex, and this line is bisected and intersects with the other two sides of the triangle. One player plays as four tigers, the other as sixteen sheep.
Content "Mudrunggun-like mogol putthan (four tigers and sixteen sheep)." Herklots 1832: liii.
Confidence 100
Source Herklots, G. 1832. Qanoon-e-Islam, or the Customs of the Moosulmans of India. London: Parbury, Allen, and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1702
Type Ethnography
Game Bagh Bukree
Location Deccan
Date 1832-01-01 - 1832-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in the four quadrants of the board. Two triangles, their apices intersecting the main board at opposite midpoints. The base of the triangle is bisected by a line drawn from the apex, and this line is bisected and intersects with the other two sides of the triangle. One player plays as three tigers, the other as thirteen sheep.
Content "Bagh-bukree lit. Tiger and Sheep; Second var. 3 baghs (tigers), and 13 bukrees (sheep)." Herklots 1832: liv.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Herklots, G. 1832. Qanoon-e-Islam, or the Customs of the Moosulmans of India. London: Parbury, Allen, and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1703
Type Ethnography
Game Chuki (Java)
Location Java
Date 1817-01-01 - 1817-12-31
Rules Board made of crossed lines, with 120 intersections. Two players, sixty pieces per player. The pieces begin on the board. The player to take off the first piece is decided at random. Pieces move in all directions. Players capture one, three, or five of the opponent's pieces at a time, and continue their turn until they are unable to do so. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content " In Chúki, the board has one hundred and twenty angular points, formed by cross lines on a checkered board, and the same is played with sixty white and sixty black pieces. The object here is to lear the board of the adversary's pieces, and the victor is he who does so first. The parties toss up who shall take off the first piece or break the board. The moves are in all directions, and the person who commences goes on as long as he can take one, three, or five of his adversary's pieces. When he cannot do either, he stops, and the other goes on in the same way.' Raffles 1830: 391.
Confidence 100
Source Raffles, T. 1817. The History of Java. London: John Murray.
Id DLP.Evidence.1704
Type Ethnography
Game Machánan
Location Java
Date 1817-01-01 - 1817-12-31
Rules There are two tigers and 23 cows. Each player plays as one tiger. The player who captures the most cows wins.
Content "Machánan, is a game in which two chief pieces represent tigers, one conducted by each party, and twenty-three pieces representing cows: the tiger who destroys the most wins the game." Raffles 1817: 391.
Confidence 100
Source Raffles, T. 1817. The History of Java. London: John Murray.
Id DLP.Evidence.1705
Type Artistic depiction
Game Lupo e Pecore
Location 45°26'14.72"N, 12°19'34.56"E
Date 1500-01-01 - 1599-12-31
Rules Four 2x3 rectangles, arranged in the form of a cross, with 2x2 squares in the center. Diagonals drawn in every 2x2 square. Played on the intersections of the lines.
Content Drawing of a board from a sixteenth century manuscript in the Victoria and Albert Museum (cited as no. 154, 1900). A Fox and Geese pattern with an extra row on each arm, and the diagonals adjusted accordingly. Murray 1951: 104-105.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1706
Type Rules text
Game Piprjall
Location Iceland
Date 1888-01-01 - 1892-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, with the spaces rendered as points, divided into half. Fifteen pieces per player, which begin on the rightmost point, with respect to the player, on the opposite side of the board from which they sit. Two six-sided dice. Pieces move according to the throws of the dice, the value of a die being used to move a piece the entire value of the die. A throw of double sixes makes the player play six twice, then five twice, then four twice, and so on down to one. A throw of double fives forces the player to play five twice and then six twice. A throw of double our, three, or two forces the player to play two of that number, down to one. A play of double ones forces the player to play one twice, then two twice, up to six.. More than two pieces of the same player may not occupy a point on the starting side of the board. The player cannot move past the penultimate point on the opposite side of the board until five pieces have been moved from the starting point. A single opponent's piece may be removed from the board when a player's piece lands on it, and the opponent's piece must reenter the board. Pieces cannot move to a point occupied by two opponent's piece, except when there are six opponent's pieces in a row, in which case the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must reenter. A piece cannot reenter then board on a point occupied by another piece, whether belonging to the player or the opponent, unless there are more captured pieces than points available, in which case the player may move to points with the opponent's pieces, removing them from the board to be reentered. When all of a player's pieces have reached the final quadrant of the board, the player may begin to remove them from the table. Removing all of the pieces from the board is the lowest-ranked method of winning; better wins are achieved by placing the pieces in a certain configuration before bearing off. These are valued as follows: Meistari (master): placing all the pieces on the final point, scoring 13 points; Stutti múkur (little monk): five pieces on each of the final three points, scoring seven points; Langi múkur (big monk): three pieces on the final five points, scoring five points; Langi hryggur (big back): three pieces on the first five points of the final quadrant, scoring three points. These count their full value if completed by using the values of both dice, or half if completed only using one die in a turn. Two points are added to the score if the opponent has a captured piece when the position is achieved. The player who bears off their pieces scores two points. When one player has borne off all of their pieces, the opponent is allowed five, seven, or thirteen extra throws to score, depending on how many points required to win. The game ends when it is clear the remaining player cannot achieve a scoring position. The game may also end immediately when the opponent has more captured pieces than they can enter, which scores the player fifteen points.
Content Detailed description of Piprjall and Kotra as played in Iceland. Arnason and Davidsson 1888-1892: 348-352.
Confidence 100
Source Arnarson, J and O. Daviðsson. 1888-1892. Islenzkar Gatur, Skemantir, Vikivakar og Þulur. Copenhagen: S. L. Möllers.
Id DLP.Evidence.1707
Type Ethnography
Game Boolik
Location Qeqchi
Date 1899-01-01 - 1899-12-31
Rules Fifteen corn kernels are placed in a line; the playing spaces are the empty spaces between the kernels. Four corn kernels used as dice, marked on one side. The value of a throw is equal to the number of marked sides that land up, except when no marked sids are up, when the value is 5. Any number of players, who play on two teams, each starting from one side of the board. Five pieces per player. Players take turns moving pieces according to the throws of the corn, with two throws per turn. When a player reaches the opposite end of the board, they move to the start and continue moving in the same direction. If a piece lands on a space occupied by a piece occupied by the opponent, the player then moves toward the starting point, carry9ing the opponent's piece with it. Upon moving off the board, the opponent's piece is captured, and the player may enter that piece again. However, if the opponent lands on a piece carrying one of their pieces away, they then start carrying both of those pieces back to their starting point, freeing the captured piece and capturing the other player's piece. Players belonging to the same team may land on the same spot, but both are taken back to start if the opponent lands on them. Players cannot enter more than one of their pieces on the board at one time. When all five of a player's pieces are captured, they continue to use their throws to help their teammates. The first team to capture all of the opposing team's pieces wins.
Content Detaied description of Boolik as reported to Culin by Thomas J. Collins, as he observed the game as played by the Qeqchi people of northern Guatemala. CUlin 1907: 141-143.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Private
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1708
Type Ethnography
Game Puluc
Location Qeqchi
Date 1906-01-01 - 1906-12-31
Rules Ten corn kernals are placed in a line; the spaces between the kernels are the playing spaces. Four kernels of corn are used as dice, blackened on one side. The throws are as follows: Two of the same side up = 2, three of the same side up = 3; four black sides up = 4; four unblackened sides up = 5. Five pieces per player. Players take turns moving pieces according to the throws of the corn, with two throws per turn. When a player reaches the opposite end of the board, they move to the start and continue moving in the same direction. If a piece lands on a space occupied by a piece occupied by the opponent, the player then moves toward the starting point, carry9ing the opponent's piece with it. Upon moving off the board, the opponent's piece is captured, and the player may enter that piece again. However, if the opponent lands on a piece carrying one of their pieces away, they then start carrying both of those pieces back to their starting point, freeing the captured piece and capturing the other player's piece. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Draussen auf dem Lande aber kennt man europaische Splele
nicht, dagegen ist dort ein origlnales Wiirfelspiel, das Puluc,
noch oft in Ubung — ein Spiel, das in ahnlicher Weise auch
bei vielen andem Stammen des nordlichen Mittelamerika ge-
spielt wird. Die Wiirfel sind durch vier flache Maiskomer
(xsi rv} in Kekchi) dargestellt, die auf einer Flache mit dem
Nagel eingednickt und mit Kohle oder Russ angeschwarzt wer-
den ; die andere Seite bleibt, wie sie ist ; sie heisst xalirit. Zehn
gewohnliche Maisbohnen {ixim) werden in einer Linie hingelegt (xvue, ihr Weg) ; die beiden Spieler haben je fiinf Holzchen (xche) im Besitz. Es wird nun abwechselnd mit den vier Maiswiirfeln geworfen; zwei gleichartige Flachen nach oben bedeuten 2, drei gleichartige gelten 3, vier schwarze Flachen (xsi ru) gelten 4, vier weisse Flachen (xalirit) gelten 5. Die Spieler sitzen einander gegeniiber, den Maisweg zwischen sich, und beginnen nach dem Wiirfeln von ihrer Seite aus mit einem Holzchen, um die entsprechende Zahl Maiskomer vorzuriicken. Kommt der Indianer dabei glatt hinaus, so ist das betreifende Holzchen gerettet; geht die Zahl nicht auf, so muss mit dem betreffenden Rest wieder von vom angefangen werden. Trifft
der Indianer beim Vorriicken mit seinem Holzchen auf ein Holzchen des Gegners, so ist dasselbe gefangen genommen; er sagt nun: xinket („ich habe es geschlagen") oder: xincamsi („ich habe es getotet") und schleppt es beim Weiterwiirfeln allmahlich riickwarts zum Weg hinaus: sein Gegner hat das Holzchen verloren. Hat ein Indianer seine fiinf Holzchen verloren, so ist das Spiel aus. Xatinke se It tzalam („ich habe dich ins Gef angnis gesteckt" ) , sagt dann der Widersacher. " Sapper 1906: 284.
Confidence 100
Source Sapper, K. 1906. "Spiele der Kekchi-Indianer." In B. Laufer and H. Andrews (eds.) Boas Anniversary Volume: Anthropological Papers Written in Honor of Franz Boas. New York: G. E. Streichert, p. 283-289.
Id DLP.Evidence.1709
Type Artifact
Game Dhola
Location Maldives
Date 1883-01-01 - 1883-12-31
Rules Four 3x8 rectangles, arranged in a cross. The outermost square in the central row of each arm is marked, as is the fourth square from the top in all three rows of each arm. Four pieces per player. Five cowry shells, used as dice. Played with up to four players.
Content "Dhola (Pachisi). Maldivce Islands, CLoth, men, and cowrie shells, weighted with lead, used as dice. The cloth is made of blue cotton with the squares embroidered in white thread, with the date in the middle, A.H. 1301 (1883 AD). Five cowries are used." Four sets of four pieces, cross- shaped board with the outer square marked in the central row of each arm and the fourth square from the top in each row of each arm. Culin 1898: 856, Pl. 30.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1710
Type Ethnography
Game Chungcajon
Location Philippines
Date 1900-01-01 - 1900-12-31
Rules 2x7 board, with two stores. Seven counters in each hole. Players sow from any hole on their side of the board, in a clockwise direction, and sow into the store on their left, but not the one on the right. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole that is not the store, the player picks up these counters and continues sowing. When then final counter lands in an empty hole, the turn ends. When the final counter lands in the store, the turn ends. Play continues until all of the counters are in the stores, and the player with the most counters in their store wins.
Content "Chungcajon, Mancala.-PLayed with a boat-shape board with fourteen holes in two rows and a large hole at each end. Ninety-eight shells (of the same variety as those used in the game of capona) are employed, which, at the opening of the game, are evenly distributed in the fourteen cavities, seven in each. The two players sit on opposite sides of the board; either may begin, as may be agreed on. The first player takes the shells from any one of the holes in the row nearest to him and drops one in each hole, passing to the left, and also in the large hole at the left end, but not in the large one at the right, which is the depository of his opponent. When he has dropped the seven shells, he takes the shells from the cavity in which he dropped the last one. He continues in this way until he has dropped his last shell into his end cavity. Both players continue alternately until all the shells in the small cavities are exhausted, when the player having the larger number of shells in his home is the winner." Culin 1900: 653-654.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1900. "Philippine Games." American Anthropologist 2(4): 643-656.
Id DLP.Evidence.1711
Type Ethnography
Game Buga Nokhoi
Location Mongolia
Date 1988-01-01 - 1991-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each 3x3 quadrant of the board. On opposite sides, a square with diagonals, with one corner as the midpoint of one of the sides of the main board. One player plays as two deer, which begin on the points where the small squares intersect with the main board. The other player plays with twelve dogs, at least some of which begin in the main part of the board, but some may be introduced later. Pieces move to an adjacent empty spot along the lines of the board. The deer may capture an adjacent dog by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it along the lines of the board. the goal of the deer is to capture all of the dogs, the goal of the dogs is to block the deer from being able to move.
Content Description of some of the game rules and a drawing of the board in Kabzińska-Stawarz 1991:34-37, 121-122, Fig. 9.A.
Confidence 100
Source Kabzińska-Stawarz, I. 1991. Games of Mongolian Shepherds. Warsaw: Polish Academy of Sciences.
Id DLP.Evidence.1712
Type Ethnography
Game Ijil Buga
Location Mongolia
Date 1988-01-01 - 1991-12-31
Rules 5x9 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each 3x3 square of the board. On one short side, a square with diagonals, with one corner as the midpoint of one of the sides of the main board. on the other short side, a triangle, with a line bisecting the base and another bisecting this line and intersecting with the other two sides of the triangle. The triangle's apex is the midpoint of the opposite side as the square. On the long sides, two identical squares which intersect with the third and seventh horizontal line of the main part of the board, on the right hand side of the square on the short side. Opposite these are two triangles, identical to the one on the short side. One player plays as six deer, which begin on the points where the small squares intersect with the main board. The other player plays with a number of dogs ( between 12 and 80), at least some of which begin in the main part of the board, but some may be introduced later. Pieces move to an adjacent empty spot along the lines of the board. The deer may capture an adjacent dog by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it along the lines of the board. the goal of the deer is to capture all of the dogs, the goal of the dogs is to block the deer from being able to move.
Content Description of some of the game rules and a drawing of the board in Kabzińska-Stawarz 1991:34-37, 121-122, Fig. 9.B.
Confidence 100
Source Kabzińska-Stawarz, I. 1991. Games of Mongolian Shepherds. Warsaw: Polish Academy of Sciences.
Id DLP.Evidence.1713
Type Ethnography
Game Ikh Buga
Location Mongolia
Date 1988-01-01 - 1991-12-31
Rules 9x9 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in each 3x3 square. Intersecting with the third and seventh line on each side, a triangle, with a line bisecting the base and another bisecting this line and intersecting with the other two sides of the triangle. The apex intersects with the main board. One player plays as eight deer, which begin on the points where the small squares intersect with the main board. The other player plays with 80 dogs, at least some of which begin in the main part of the board, but some may be introduced later. Pieces move to an adjacent empty spot along the lines of the board. The deer may capture an adjacent dog by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it along the lines of the board. the goal of the deer is to capture all of the dogs, the goal of the dogs is to block the deer from being able to move.
Content Description of some of the game rules and a drawing of the board in Kabzińska-Stawarz 1991:34-37, 121-122, Fig. 9.C.
Confidence 100
Source Kabzińska-Stawarz, I. 1991. Games of Mongolian Shepherds. Warsaw: Polish Academy of Sciences.
Id DLP.Evidence.1714
Type Ethnography
Game Temeen Tavag
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules An X, with a rounded line connecting the four endpoints of the X, but leaving two unconnected. A circle is drawn between these two unconnected endpoints. Two pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on an empty point on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving one of the pieces to an empty adjacent point on the board, moving along the lines. The player who blocks their opponent from being able to move wins.
Content "les deux joueurs X et Y posent un par un leurs pions respectifs, alternativement et au choix, sur les m stations du tablier...Une fois les pions posés, les joueurs les déplacent coup par coup, sur une ligne, à l'intersection adjacente libre...1. temeen tavag (le sabot de chameau), II, fig. 1: ce jeu comporte 2x2 pions. Le tablier a cing intersections, dont une de 4e rang, deux de 3e et deux de 2ème rang. Pour gagner, il faut s'emparer de la station de 4e rang (A), centre stratégique du réseau du tablier." Popova 1974: 16-18, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1715
Type Ethnography
Game Temeen Tavag
Location Mongolia
Date 1988-01-01 - 1991-12-31
Rules An X, with a rounded line connecting the four endpoints of the X, but leaving two unconnected. A circle is drawn between these two unconnected endpoints. Two players. Two pieces per player. The goal of the game is to block the other player from being able to move.
Content "Temeen tawag (camel's paw). A board game. There are two players. Each has two pawns. The aim of the players is to block the rival and to keep him off the square designated as the well. The first player to reach the well wins" This is more a statement of strategy, the well being the central point. Kabzińska-Stawarz 1991: 37, 134, Fig. 11.A.
Confidence 100
Source Kabzińska-Stawarz, I. 1991. Games of Mongolian Shepherds. Warsaw: Polish Academy of Sciences.
Id DLP.Evidence.1716
Type Ethnography
Game Temeen Tavag
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules The board is a square, with diagonals drawn. One of the sides of the square is not drawn. Two pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on an empty point on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving one of the pieces to an empty adjacent point on the board, moving along the lines. The player who blocks their opponent from being able to move wins.
Content "2. dörvön bux (les quatre taureausx), II, fig. 2: ce jeu est strictement identique au preecédent du point de vue fonctionnel: 2x2 pions qui sont appelés taureaux, et 5 intersections (de 4e, 3e, et 2ème rang)." Popova 1974: 18, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1717
Type Ethnography
Game Temeen Tavag
Location Mongolia
Date 1988-01-01 - 1991-12-31
Rules The board is a square, with diagonals drawn. One of the sides of the square is not drawn. Two pieces per player.
Content "Dörvön buch has its variant based on a board game, similar to checkers, Each of the player has 2 pawns which are called buch (bulls) and the board is a sector of the square." Kabzińska-Stawarz 1991: 37, 124, Fig. 11.B.
Confidence 100
Source Kabzińska-Stawarz, I. 1991. Games of Mongolian Shepherds. Warsaw: Polish Academy of Sciences.
Id DLP.Evidence.1718
Type Ethnography
Game Dörvön Cag
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules A circle, with four points equally spaced along the circumference, as well as a point in the center. A diameter is drawn between two of the outer points and through the center. Two players. Two pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent point along the lines. The player who blocks the other player from being able to move wins.
Content "dörvön cag (les quatre saisons), II, fig. 3: 2x2 pions et 5 stations, mais cette fois deux au 3e rang et trois au 2ème." Popov 1974: 18-19, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1719
Type Ethnography
Game Dörvön Cag
Location Mongolia
Date 1988-01-01 - 1991-12-31
Rules A circle, with four points equally spaced along the circumference, as well as a point in the center. A diameter is drawn between two of the outer points and through the center. Two players. Two pieces per player. The player who blocks the other player from being able to move wins.
Content "Dörvön tsag (four seasons, four times). It is a game with playing board which has a circular shape. There are 5 marked places where the players put their pawns. Each of the two playerrs has two pawns. Their task is to block the opponent's movements." Kabzińska-Stawarz 1991: 37, 124, Fig. 11.C.
Confidence 100
Source Kabzińska-Stawarz, I. 1991. Games of Mongolian Shepherds. Warsaw: Polish Academy of Sciences.
Id DLP.Evidence.1720
Type Ethnography
Game Gurvan Xudag
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules Three vertical lines, and two horizontal lines intersecting them along their top end points and their midpoints. The ends of the lines which are not connected to one another are the calves' pens. Three pieces per player, one playing as calves (black), and the other as guardians (white), arranged on the intersections of opposite vertical lines. Players alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an adjacent spot. The guardians attempt to trap the calves into the three pens, the calves attempt to block the guardians from being able to move.
Content "tugul (le veau) ou gurvan xudag (les trois puits), II fig. 4: 2x3 pions, 9 stations (une au 4e rang, trois au 3e, deux au 2ème et trois au 1er rang). Position initiale: les pions blancs du joueur X se trouvent en a1, b1, c1; les pions noirs de Y en a3, b3, c3. Valeurs et positions initiales des pions de chaque équipe sont strictement équivalentes. Les pions noirs sont nommés "veaux" et les pions blancs "gardiens de veaux". Les stations c1, c2, c3 sont des encles où les gardiens cherchent à conduire les veaux. Les autres stations sont de pâturages." Popova 1974: 17, 19.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1721
Type Ethnography
Game Gurvan Xudag
Location Mongolia
Date 1988-01-01 - 1991-12-31
Rules Three vertical lines, and two horizontal lines intersecting them along their top end points and their midpoints. The ends of the lines which are not connected to one another are the calves' pens. Three pieces per player. The players attempt to block one another.
Content "Gurvan khudag( three wells). A board game. The board is a part of a square (see illustration no. 11). Two participants take part in the game. Each of them has 3 pawns. The players' task is to block the opponent's moves and to overthrow his pawns." Kabzińska-Stawarz 1991: 37, 126, Fig. 11.D.
Confidence 100
Source Kabzińska-Stawarz, I. 1991. Games of Mongolian Shepherds. Warsaw: Polish Academy of Sciences.
Id DLP.Evidence.1722
Type Ethnography
Game Üxrijn Ever
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules Two arcs which meet, in the shape of a horn, curving to the left. Nine points along the left side, and eight along the right, with one at the apex. Zig-zag lines connect points on either side of the board, connecting the first on the left to the first on the right, the first on the right to the second on the left, the second on the left to the second on the right, and so on. One player plays as the cow and the calf (black). The cow begins on the first point on the left, the calf on the second point on the right. The other player plays as two children (white), which begin on the second point on the left and the first point on the right. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines on the board. The cow never moves from its position. The calf plays first. The calf wins when it reaches the point at the apex; the children win when they force the calf onto the point with the cow.
Content "1. üxrijn ever (corne de boeuf), III, fig. 1: 2x2 pions soit deux xüü (blancs) contre une vache et un veau (noirs). Le rapport de force réel reste deux contre un puisque la vache restera immobile ((à la case 1) tout au long du jeu. Le tablier comporte 18 stations, soit 1 le point de départ et 18 le point d'arrivée (Dans d'autres variantes de ce jeu, la corne ne comporte que 9 stations.) Position initiale: la vache est à la case 1, le veau à la case 4 et les deux enfants aux cases 3 et 2. Le veau joue le premier. X (les blancs) cherche à conduire le veauau pâturage (case 18); Y (les noirs)cherche à empêcher qu'on éloigne le veau de sa mère." Popova 1974: 20-21.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1723
Type Ethnography
Game Üxrijn Ever
Location Mongolia
Date 1988-01-01 - 1991-12-31
Rules Board shaped like a horn. Two players, two pieces per player, two playing as children and two playing as the cow and calf. The calf attempts to reach a particular space, the children attempt to block the calf.
Content "The task of the playwers is also to block the animal's way to open space and lead it to the board's edge, which is shaped like a horn...Ükhrin ever (a cow's horn). the other name of the game is ever bukh (a bull's horn). Two white pawns called khüü (the children) are against two black ones (ükher and tugal - the cow and the calf)." Kabzińska-Stawarz 1991: 38, 136
Confidence 100
Source Kabzińska-Stawarz, I. 1991. Games of Mongolian Shepherds. Warsaw: Polish Academy of Sciences.
Id DLP.Evidence.1724
Type Ethnography
Game Neg Tugal Tuux
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules Rectangular board, with 64 points along each long side. Lines connect the points opposite each other, as well as a diagonal line connecting each point on the left to the nexxt highest point on the right (e.g., the first left point with the second right point, the second left point with the third right point, an so on). One player plays as the calf, which begins in the bottom right corner. The second player plays as two children, which begin in the bottom left corner and the second point on the right. Players alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an empty adjacent spot on the board along the lines. The children move first. The children win by forcing the calf to move to the top left corner of the board, the calf wins by returning to its starting point after first having left it.
Content "neg tugal tuux (conduire le veau), III, fig. 2: les pions de X sont des xüü à cheval, representés par des petites figurines en bois sculptés. Leur adversaire est un veau. Position initiale: le veau se trouve dans son eclos, tout en bas du diagramme, à droite, et les deux xüü de part et d'autre de l'enclos. X doit conduire le veau à la 128e station (en haut, à gauche); Y doit déjouer les projets de X en fuyant." Popova 1974: 21, 23, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1725
Type Ethnography
Game Neg Tugal Tuux
Location Mongolia
Date 1988-01-01 - 1991-12-31
Rules Rectangular board, with 64 points along each long side. Lines connect the points opposite each other, as well as a diagonal line connecting each point on the left to the next highest point on the right (e.g., the first left point with the second right point, the second left point with the third right point, an so on). One player plays as the calf, which begins in the bottom right corner. The second player plays as two children, which begin in the bottom left corner and the second point on the right. Players alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an empty adjacent spot on the board along the lines. The children move first, and cannot move backward during the game. The calf can move in any direction. A player wins by blocking the moves of the opponent.
Content "Neg tugal tuukh (driving a calf). a board game, A board is a rectangle with its longer sides linked by a zigzag line. One of the players has a white stone or an astragalus with the side of a "cow" facing up (it is a "calf"-tugal). The other player has two black stones or astragaluses with the side of a "horse" facing up. The "horses" (mor') may move onwards only. A "calf" (tugal) may also move backwards. The task of the players is to block the moves of the opponent. The participants move their pawns on the board from right to the left hand side." Kabzińska-Stawarz 1991: 37, 131, Fig. 11.E.
Confidence 100
Source Kabzińska-Stawarz, I. 1991. Games of Mongolian Shepherds. Warsaw: Polish Academy of Sciences.
Id DLP.Evidence.1726
Type Ethnography
Game Uulyn Buga
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each 3x3 quadrant of the board. On opposite sides, a square with diagonals, with one corner as the midpoint of one of the sides of the main board. One player plays as two deer, which begin in the smaller squares.. The other player plays with twenty or 22 childreb, half of which begin in the main part of the board. Pieces move to an adjacent empty spot along the lines of the board. The player playing as the children may place one of their remaining pieces onto the board on their turn, on an empty spot. The deer may capture an adjacent dog by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it along the lines of the board. the goal of the deer is to capture all of the dogs, the goal of the dogs is to block the deer from being able to move.
Content "Y, soit le joueur qui a les cerfs, les place dans leur repaire. X dépose alors la moitié de ses pions à des stations fixes. Les cerfs ont le trait. Ils se déplacent d'un seul pas et mangent au sautant par dessus les pions adverses quand l'occasion se présente. Le joueur X répond aux corps de Y soit en se déplacent les pions sur le tablier, soit en introduisant un nouveau chasseur dans le jeu, jusqu'à épuisement des pions. Le but des chasseurs est là aussi d'encercler le gibier pour le tuer. " Popova 1974: 25, with further discussion on 22-24, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1727
Type Ethnography
Game Talyn Buga
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 5x9 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each 3x3 square of the board. On one short side, a square with diagonals, with one corner as the midpoint of one of the sides of the main board. on the other short side, a triangle, with a line bisecting the base and another bisecting this line and intersecting with the other two sides of the triangle. The triangle's apex is the midpoint of the opposite side as the square. One player plays as two deer, on of which which begins on a point in the small square intersecting with the main board, the other in the triangle. The other player plays with 22, 24, or 26 hunters, half of which begin in the main part of the board. Pieces move to an adjacent empty spot along the lines of the board. The deer may capture an adjacent dog by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it along the lines of the board. The player playing as the hunters may place a remaining piece on an empty spot on the board as their turn. The goal of the deer is to capture all of the dogs, the goal of the dogs is to block the deer from being able to move.
Content "2. talyn buga (le cerf ded la paine), IV. fig. 2. 22 à 26 pions contre deux cerfs. Le tabllier comporte 55 intersections...Les règles sont les mêmes que pour la variante précédente" (uulyn buga). Popova 1974: 22, 26, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1728
Type Ethnography
Game Ix Buga
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 9x9 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in each 3x3 square. Intersecting with the third and seventh line on two opposite sides, a triangle, with a line bisecting the base and another bisecting this line and intersecting with the other two sides of the triangle. The apex intersects with the main board. One player plays as eight deer, which begin on points in the triangles. The other player plays with 80 hunters, half of which begin in the main part of the board. Pieces move to an adjacent empty spot along the lines of the board. The deer may capture an adjacent dog by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it along the lines of the board. The person playing as the hunters may place a remaining hunter on the board on any empty spot on their turn. The goal of the deer is to capture all of the dogs, the goal of the dogs is to block the deer from being able to move.
Content "3. ix buga (le grand cerf), IV, fig. 3. 80 pions contre 8 cerfs. 105 stations. Même règles que dans les variantes preeceedents." (uulyn buga, talyn buga). Popova 1974: 22, 26, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1729
Type Artifact
Game Lothal Game
Location 22°31'21.77"N, 72°14'55.65"E
Date 2125-01-01BCE - 1660-12-31BCE
Rules Sixteen squares arranged in a single square-shaped track, with five spaces on a side.
Content Terracotta game board found at Lothal. Sixteen squares arranged in a single square-shaped track, with five spaces on a side. Date, context not given. Rao 1973: 112, Pl. XXXIII D.
Confidence 100
Source Rao, S. 1973. Lothal and the Indus Civilization. London: Asia Publishing House.
Id DLP.Evidence.1730
Type Ethnography
Game Engijn Zirge
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines, with diagonals. Three pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing pieces on the board. Once all of the pieces have been placed, the players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot on the board. The first player to place their pieces in a row along one of the lines wins.
Content "1. engijn zirge (marelle simple), fig. 1. 2x3 pions. Le marellier a 9 intersections dont une de 8e rang et les autres de 3e." With a description of zirge games preceding as alignment games in which pieces are placed and then moved on the board. Popova 1974: 31, fig. Va.1, quoting quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1731
Type Ethnography
Game Altan Xaraacaj
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each quadrant. Six pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on an empty spot on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, they alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. During either phase, when a player places three of their pieces in a row, they may remove one of the opponent's pieces from the board. Pieces which are in a three-in-a-row arrangement cannot be removed from the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "2. altan xaraacaj (hirondelles d'or), fig. 2. Six hirondelles dorées contre six hirondelles bigarrées. Treize stations dont une de 8e rang, quatre de 43 rang et quatre de 3e rang." With a description of zirge games preceding as alignment games in which pieces are placed and then moved on the board. Popova 1974: 31, fig. Va.2, quoting quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1732
Type Ethnography
Game Altan Xaraacaj
Location Mongolia
Date 1988-01-01 - 1991-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each quadrant. Six pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on an empty spot on the board. Players attempt to place their pieces in a line.
Confidence 100
Source Kabzińska-Stawarz, I. 1991. Games of Mongolian Shepherds. Warsaw: Polish Academy of Sciences.
Id DLP.Evidence.1733
Type Ethnography
Game Xonin Shatar (Simple)
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the corners and the midpoints of the sides. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty spot on the board. When all of the pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. During either phase, when a player places three of their pieces in a row, they remove one of the opponent's pieces. Pieces which are in a three-in-a-row pattern cannot be removed from the board. The player who removes all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "3. xonin satar (échecs des moutons), fig. 3...2x12 pions et 24 stations. With a description of zirge games preceding as alignment games in which pieces are placed and then moved on the board. Popova 1974: 26-32, fig. Va.3, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1734
Type Ethnography
Game Xonin Shatar (Complex)
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the corners and the midpoints of the sides. Two diamonds drawn, one connecting the midpoints of the outer square and intersecting the corners of the second square; the second connecting the midpoints of the second square and intersecting the corners of the central square. Twelve pieces per plays. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty spot on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. During either phase, when a player places three of their pieces in a row, they remove one of the opponent's pieces. Pieces which are in a three-in-a-row pattern cannot be removed. The player who removes all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "3. xonin satar (échecs des moutons) fig 4. 2x12 pions et 24 stations." Popova 1974: 26-32, fig. Va.4, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1735
Type Ethnography
Game Gurgaldaj
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules Three concentric triangles, with lines connecting their midpoints and corners. Eight pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty spot on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. When a player places three of their pieces in a row, the remove one of the opponent's pieces from the board. A piece that is in a three-in-a-row pattern cannot be removed. The player who removes all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "4. gurgaldaj (le rossignol), fig. 5. 2x8 pions; huit rossingols jaunes contre huit rossignols gris. Le marellier triangulaire comporte 18 intersections, dont trois de 4e rang et quinze de 3e rang." Desrciption differs from the drawing, but the drawing does not produce a playable game. Popova 1974: 26-32, Fig. Vb.5. quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1736
Type Ethnography
Game Gurgaldaj
Location Mongolia
Date 1988-01-01 - 1991-12-31
Rules Three concentric triangles, with lines connecting their midpoints and corners. Eight pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty spot on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. When a player places three of their pieces in a row, the remove one of the opponent's pieces from the board. A piece that is in a three-in-a-row pattern cannot be removed. The player who removes all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Altan gurgaldai (golden nightingale). A board of the jireg type.There are 2 participants. The pawns of one of them are marked with light stones and classified as yellow nightingales, the pawns of the other player are marked with dark stones and classified as grey nightingales." Kabzińska-Stawarz 1991: 40-41, 119-120, Fig. 12.C.
Confidence 100
Source Kabzińska-Stawarz, I. 1991. Games of Mongolian Shepherds. Warsaw: Polish Academy of Sciences.
Id DLP.Evidence.1737
Type Ethnography
Game Xanan Zirge
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 9x9 intersecting lines. Forty pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty space on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot on the board. When a player places three of their pieces in an orthogonal or diagonal line, they remove one of the opponent's pieces. Players also remove one of the opponent's pieces when they place four pieces so that they are one the four corners of one of the squares on the board. Pieces which are in these alignments cannot be removed from the board. The player who removes all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "5. xanan zirge (marelle en forme de grille murale de yourte), Vb, fig. 6. 2x40 pions et 81 stations...Les joueurs cherchent des carrés, des "chausettes" ou des flèches (lignes orthogonales ou diagonales comme celles du diagramme." Popova 1974: 26-32, fig. Vb.6, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1738
Type Ethnography
Game Jesön Zam
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules Two triangles, which form a six-pointed star, with lines connecting the corner of one triangle with the corner of the other triangle which is opposite it. Nine pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty point on the board. Players cannot place a piece in the central point during this phase. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent point on the board. During either phase, when a player places three of their pieces in a row, they remove one of the opponent's pieces. When three pieces are in a three-in-a-row pattern, they cannot be removed. The player who removes all of the opponent's pieces from the board wins.
Content "6. jesön zam (les neuf routes), Vb, fig. 7. 2x9 pions et 19 stations...Dans le première phase du jeu, lorsque les joueur font entrer leurs pions, ils n'ont pas le droit d'occuper la station centrale." Popova 1974: 26-32, fig. Vb.7, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1739
Type Ethnography
Game Tavan Tal
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules Three concentric pentagons, with lines connecting the corners and the midpoints of each side. Fourteen pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on an empty spot on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, they alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. During either phase, when a player places three of their pieces in a row, they may remove one of the opponent's pieces from the board. Pieces which are in a three-in-a-row arrangement cannot be removed from the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "7. tavan tal...(les cind...côtés), fig. 8...La marelle pentagonale se joue avec 2x14 pions s'alignent par trois." Popova 1974: 26-32, fig. Vc.8, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1740
Type Ethnography
Game Zurgaan Tal
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules Three concentric hexagons, with lines connecting the corners and midpoints of the sides. Seventeen pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on an empty spot on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, they alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. During either phase, when a player places three of their pieces in a row, they may remove one of the opponent's pieces from the board. Pieces which are in a three-in-a-row arrangement cannot be removed from the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "7...zurgaan tal (les...six côtés), Fig. 9...la marelle hexagonale avec 2x17 pions...les pions s'alignent par trois." Popova 1974: 26-32, fig. Vc.9, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.1741
Type Ethnography
Game Davxar Zirge (Type 1)
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules Four concentric squares, with lines connecting the corners and the midpoints of the sides. Lines also connect the corners of a square with the midpoint of the next largest square. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on an empty spot on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, they alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. During either phase, when a player places three of their pieces in a row along a line that has only three spots, or four in a row along a line that has four spots, they may remove one of the opponent's pieces from the board. Pieces which are in a three- or four-in-a-row arrangement cannot be removed from the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "8. davxar zirge (marelles boubles ou étagées). Vd, fig. 10...Les pions sur ces deux marelliers s'alignent par trois et par quatre." Popova 1974: 26-32, fig. Vd.10, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1742
Type Ethnography
Game Davxar Zirge (Type 2)
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules Four concentric squares, with lines connecting the corners and the midpoints of the sides. Three diamonds are also drawn within the squares, connecting the midpoints of a square to the corners of the next smallest square.. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on an empty spot on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, they alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. During either phase, when a player places three of their pieces in a row along a line that has only three spots, or four in a row along a line that has four spots, they may remove one of the opponent's pieces from the board. Pieces which are in a three- or four-in-a-row arrangement cannot be removed from the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "8.davxar zirge...Vd, fig 11. Les pions sur ces deux marelliers s'alignent par trois et par quatre." Popova 1974: 26-32, fig. Vd.11, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1743
Type Ethnography
Game Aralzaa
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 3x3 board. Each player plays with three horse-shaped pieces, which begin on the row of squares closest to the player. Pieces move one space forward and one space diagonally, jumping over any intervening pieces. The first player to place their pieces in the squares where the opponent started wins.
Content "1. aralzaa (marche irregulière de cheval), VI, fig. 1 (21). 2x3 pions et 3x3 cases. Les pions sont des chevaux noirs et blancs en bois sculpté comme ceux des échecs. ils en ont également la marche. Le but de chaque joueur est d'arriver à la position initiale de l'adversaire." Popova 1974:32-35, Fig. VI.1, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1744
Type Ethnography
Game Jesön Mor'
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 9x9 board. Nine horse-shaped pieces per player. Pieces move orthogonally one space and then diagonally another, jumping over any intervening pieces. A player may capture one of the opponent's pieces by moving onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. The goal is to move to the central space on the board.
Content "2. jesön mor' (les neuf cevaux), Vi, fig. 2. 2x9 pions et 9x9 cases. Les pions sont des figurines de chevaux comme pour le jeu précédent. Ils marchent également comme les chevaliers des échecs. Mais de plus, il peuvent prendre des pions adverses. Le but de chaque joueur est d'atteindrela case centrale (e5). Pour y parvenir, le joueur cherche, dans la mesure du possible, à réduire les chances de l'adversaire en mangent ses chevaux. Puisqu'il y a des prises, je jesön mor' n'est pas un jeu de course "pur". cependant ici, l'opération d'élimination est secondaire par rapport à la course." Popova 1974: 32-35, Fig. VI.2, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1745
Type Ethnography
Game Bajr
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 6x6 board. Two or four players. Three pieces per player, which begin in opposite corners of the board. Players alternate turns moving one piece to an empty adjacent space, orthogonally or diagonally. The first player to place their pieces in the squares in the opposite corner where the opponent's pieces started wins.
Content "3. bajr (jeu de stations) (22), VI, fig. 3. On y joue à deux ou quatre; en conséquence ou utilise deux ou quatre sortes de pions de couleurs différentes. Suivant les dimensions des tabliers, on distingue trois types de bajr, c'est à dire le petit, le moyen et le grand. Le petit bajr a 36 (6x6) cases ou "yeux" et 4x3 pions...Les pions se déplacent d'un seul pas à la fois sur les cases voisines, en diagonale, en verticale ou en horizontale mais pas on arrière. On joue à partir des quatre coins de tablier. Chaque joueur dispose ses pions dans les cases de son coin. Le but de chacun des quatre participants est d'arriver avec tous ses pions à la position initiale de son vis-à-vis, Lorsqu'on joue à deux, on n'utilise que deux des coins, en opposition." Popova 1974: 32-36, Fig. VI.3, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1746
Type Ethnography
Game Bajr
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Two or four players. Six pieces per player, which begin in opposite corners of the board. Players alternate turns moving one piece to an empty adjacent space, orthogonally or diagonally. The first player to place their pieces in the squares in the opposite corner where the opponent's pieces started wins.
Content "le bajr moyen a 64 cases et 4x6 pions." Popova 1974: 32-36, Fig. VI.3, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1747
Type Ethnography
Game Bajr
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 10x10 board. Two or four players. Ten pieces per player, which begin in opposite corners of the board. Players alternate turns moving one piece to an empty adjacent space, orthogonally or diagonally. The first player to place their pieces in the squares in the opposite corner where the opponent's pieces started wins.
Content "Le grand bajr a 100 (10x10) cases et 4x10 pions." Popova 1974: 32-36, Fig. VI.3, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1748
Type Ethnography
Game Toono
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules Two concentric circles, With two perpendicular diameters intersecting both circles, and four other lines, positioned diagonally, connecting the circumferences of the two circles. Six pieces per player. which begin on opposite sides of the circle from the other player, three on each circle. Players alternate turns moving their pieces. Pieces move three spaces along the lines on the board, jumping over any pieces on the first and second places, and capturing any piece on the third. Pieces may change direction in a turn, as long as the lines are followed and there is no backtracking. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "1. toono (le toit de la yourte), VII, fig. 1. 2x6 pons. Tablier circulaire du genre des marelliers avec 17 stations dont 5 de 4e rang et 12 de 3e. La position initiale est indiquée à la figure 1. Les pions marchent en traversant deux cases pour se poser sur la troisième, occupée ou vide. En faisant ce coup, le jouer dit: un-deux-trois" ou bien "droit-courbé-tordu". La forme du tablier rappelle, bien sûr, la charpente du toit d'une yourt mongole. " Popova 1974: 34, 36-37, Fig. VII.1, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1749
Type Ethnography
Game Böxijn Barildaan
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules Four squares, arranged in a cross shape. The game is played along the lines. Four pieces per player, which begin on the corners of a square, opposite the square where the opponent's pieces are arranged. Players alternate turns moving their pieces. Pieces move three spaces along the lines on the board, capturing any piece on the third. The first two spaces in the move must be empty. Pieces may change direction in a turn, as long as the lines are followed and there is no backtracking. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "2. böxijn barildaan (la lutte), VII, fig. 2. 2x4 firgurines de lutteurs et un tablier en forme de croix à 12 intersections, dont 4 de 4e rang et 8 de 2ème rang. La position initiale des deux équipes est montrée sur la figure 2. Les pions se déplacent en traversant deux cases vides pour se poser sur la troisième. Ils mangent de la même façon." Popova 1974: 34, 36-37, Fig. VII.2, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1750
Type Ethnography
Game Xarajlt
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 3x5 intersecting lines. Six pieces per player, arranged on the two short rows on opposite sides of the board. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot. Pieces move orthogonally in a horizontal or forward direction only. A piece may jump over an adjacent opponent's piece to an empty spot immediately on the opposite side of the piece along the lines of the board. Pieces may capture in a backwards direction. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "3. xarajlt (le saut), VII, fig. 3. 2x6 pions; six agneaux blancs contre six chevreaux noirs. Le tablier rectangulaire a 12 intersections dont 3 de 4e rang, 8 de 3e et 4 de 2ème rang. La position initiale est montrée sur la figure 3. Les pions avancent d'un pas en avant ou de côté, mais ne peuvent pas reculer. Ils prennent par saut dans tous les sens, même en arrière." Popova 1974: 34, 36-37, Fig. VII.3, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1751
Type Ethnography
Game Buudal
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines, with diagonals in the four squares formed. Six pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on the board. when all of the pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving a piece by jumping over an adjacent spot to the next spot, along the lines of the board, which must be empty. If an opponent's piece is in the spot which was jumped, that piece is captured. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "4. buudal (la halte). 2x6 pions; des chiens tachetés et des chiens noirs. Le tablier est un marellier à 13 intersections. Les joueurs posent d'abord à tour de rôle leurs pions. Ensuite ils les déplacent en sautant la case voisine pour se poser sur la seconde station vide. Ils prennent de la même façon." Popova 1974: 34, 36-37, Fig. VII.4, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1752
Type Ethnography
Game Dööv
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Eight pieces per player, which begin on alternating squares in the first two rows on opposing sides of the board. Players alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an adjacent space. Pieces move diagonally forward only. A piece may capture one of the opponent's adjacent pieces by hopping over it to an empty adjacent space immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece. Multiple captures are not allowed. When a piece arrives at the opposite edge of the board from where it began, it is promoted and may move diagonally forward or backward. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "5. dööv (jeu de dames), VII, fig. 4. 2x8 pions sur un damier à 64 (8x8) cases. Les pions sont des figurines sculptées de chiens tachetees et de chiens noirs, ou bien, dans certaines variantes, de loups. Les règles sont les mêmes que celles des dame européennes à une seule différence près: on ne peut prendre qu'un seul pion ennemi à la fois." Popova 1974: 34, 36-37, Fig. VII.5, quoting quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1753
Type Ethnography
Game Dörvölz
Location Mongolia
Date 1963-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 17x17 intersecting lines, with alternating black and white points, four equally spaced along the third and fifteenth rank and two the . seventh and eleventh, forming a large square. Each player has two kinds of piece, six bull-shaped pieces and 144 round pieces. To begin, players place their bull-shaped pieces on the opposite-color marked points on the board. Then, players alternate turns placing one of their pieces in an adjacent space next to one of their bull pieces. Once all of the bull pieces have been surrounded, the main phase of play begins. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on the board. The player who encloses the greatest number of empty spaces wins.
Content "dörvölz (jeu de go) (VIII, fig. 1)...a) matériel: le tablier est un tapis gris ou jaune sur lequel est dessiné un quadrillage de 3 x 17 lignes rouges formant 289 stations...Six stations sont marqueees par des points noirs et six stations sont marquées par des points blancs. Deux sortes de pions: - 2x6 taureaux blancs et noirs: des pierres ou des pions en porcelaine ou en verre; - 144 gölög (chiens) blancs et 144 gölög noirs; des pierres ou des pions en verre ou porcelaine ronds, plus petits que les taureaux. Soit 300 pions au total. b) règle de fonctionnement: ce jeu se compose de deux phases. -La première manche est un tabia, c'est à dire un arrangement préliminaire fixe, qui n'existe pas dans la variante normalisée. Les deux joueurs doivent poser alternativement leurs taureaux, les taureaux blancs sur les points noirs et les taureaux noirs sur les points blancs. Ensuite, chaque joueur à son tour entourent ses taureaux par ses propres pions. Cet arrangement divise le tablier en 12 zones d'influence équipotentielles et simplifie beaucoup le jeu. -Pendant la seconde phase, les joueurs placent alternativement leurs chiens sur les intersections libres en cherchant à former des enclos ("yeux"), c'est-à-dire à entourer de leurs pions posés on ne peut plus les déplacer. Gagne celui qui a conquis le plus grand nombre d'intersections vides entourées par ses chiens." Popova 1974: 38-39, 45, quoting Namzildorz's Mongolyn Togloom.
Confidence 100
Source Popova, A. 1974. "Analyse formelle et classification des jeux de calculs mongole." Études mongoles 5: 1974: 7-60.
Id DLP.Evidence.1754
Type Ethnography
Game Ssang-Ryouk
Location Korea
Date 1895-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules The game is played on a board with twelve points on either side. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left. Each player has 15 pieces. The starting position is as such, number the points from the origin of each player's track: Point six: five pieces Point 8: three pieces Point 13: five pieces Point 24: two pieces Play begins by each player rolling one die; the player with the highest roll plays first and plays the numbers on this first roll. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the number on one die and other the number on the other die, or by moving one piece the total number of both die. It is customary to move two pieces when doubles are thrown. Players cannot end their move on a point with multiple opposing pieces. If a player ends the turn on a point with one opposing piece, that piece is placed in the middle of the board (not on a point) and must reenter the board according the the next die roll, counting the origin point as a move of 1. They cannot reenter on a point with two or more pieces. No other pieces can move until all of the pieces belonging to that player are removed from the center. When all of a player's pieces are on their final 6 points, they may start removing pieces from the board. They can do so by rolling a 6 to move from the 6th point, and so on down to 1. Players must use all available moves presented by the dice. The first player to remove all of their pieces wins.
Content ""LXXIII Ssang-ryouk—double sixes (backgammon). The game of backgammon is known in Korea under the name of Ssang-ryouk (Chinese, sheeung luk), "Double Sixes." It is played with wooden pins or men called mal (Chinese má), "horses," upon a hollowed wooden board caled Ssang-ryouk-hpan. The board has mortised sides, which extend above the surface. The divisions on either side, called pat (Chinese fin) "field," are outlines in black. The large ones in the middle are not counted in moving, and are used to throw the dice in. The men, Fig. 88, are about three and a half inches in height. Fifteen are employed on each side, one set being painted red and the other left the natural color of the wood. They are usually made of boxwood, but some softer wood is used in the cheaper sets. The moves are made according to the throws with two dice, and receive the same names as the corresponding pieces in the Domino game. A diagram of the board, as set at the opening of the game, is shown in Fig. 89. It will be seen to be the same as in the English game of Backgammon. The first player is determined by the highest throw with one die. The pieces are moved as in the English game, but it is customary to move two pieces when doublets are thrown, and doublets do not entitle the player to another throw, nor to an additional count. A player may take an opponent's place, called tjap-ta, "to catch," and the piece so taken must be re-entered again. When a player gets all his men around to his own place he bears them off according to his subsequent throws." Culin 1895: 79-81; 1895a: 499-504."
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1895. Korean Games with Notes on the Corresponding Games of China and Japan. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.
Id DLP.Evidence.1755
Type Ethnography
Game Patok
Location Korea
Date 1895-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules 19x19 intersecting lines. The central, as well as every third spot, in a square with the corners at the fourth point from the corners of the board. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board on one of the marked spaces. When all of the marked spaces have been occupied, players may place a piece on any empty spot on the board. If a player surrounds one or more of the opponent's pieces orthogonally, they capture the opponent's pieces. The edge of the board can be included in such an enclosure. A group of pieces which contain two empty enclosures cannot be captured by the opponent, When no further pieces can be placed, the players count the number of their pieces on the board and the number of empty spaces they enclose, and the player with the higher score wins.
Content Detailed description of the rules of Patok (in reference to Wei-ki an Go) in Culin 1895: 91-97.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1895. Korean Games with Notes on the Corresponding Games of China and Japan. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.
Id DLP.Evidence.1756
Type Ethnography
Game Sam K'i
Location 23° 7'44.51"N,113°15'51.35"E
Date 1895-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the corners and the midpoints of the sides. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. When a player places three pieces in a row along the lines of the board, the player places another of their pieces on top of one of the opponent's pieces; the opponent's piece is considered "dead." Once all of the pieces have been placed on the board, all "dead" pieces are removed from the board. Players then alternate moving pieces to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. When three are placed in a row, one of the opponent's pieces is taken. A player wins by capturing all of the opponent's pieces or by blocking them from being able to move.
Content "In China it is called Sam k'i, or " Three Chess," Fig. 108, and is played as follows : Each of the two players alternately puts down a piece upon one o fthe twenty-four points on the board. The object is to get three in a row, and when a player gets three pieces in a line he marks one of his opponent's men as dead by putting one of his own men on top of it. When all the twenty-four points- on the board are occupied, the " dead " pieces are removed and the players move in turn, one space at a time. When a player succeeds in getting three of his pieces in a line he takes one of his opponent's. The game continues until one
wins, either by taking the other's men or blocking them so that they cannot move." Culin 1895: 102.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Source Culin, S. 1895. Korean Games with Notes on the Corresponding Games of China and Japan. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.
Id DLP.Evidence.1757
Type Rules text
Game Tables Rabbatuées
Location France
Date 1792-01-01 - 1792-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half, where the spaces are rendered as points. Fifteen pieces per player. Two six-sided dice. Play occurs only in two quadrants of the board, opposite one another, a player's pieces only leaving their quadrant to bear off. Two pieces are stacked each on the first three points, and three are stacked in the second three points. Players use throws to unstack pieces on their points, unstacking one piece per die which corresponds to that point. If a player cannot use the value of a die, the opponent uses it. Doubles allow the player to unstack or bear off a number of pieces equal to the total number of the throw. When all of the pieces are unstacked, that player may begin bearing their pieces off. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. Once a player has borne off all of their pieces, they must re-enter them onto the points and replicate the starting position. The first player to bear off all their pieces and then place them in the starting position again wins.
Content Detailed description of the rules of Dames Rabbatuées in Encyclopédie Méthodique 1792: 64-65.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Encyclopédie Méthodique. 1792. Dictionnaire des Jeux. Paris: Pancoucke.
Id DLP.Evidence.1758
Type Historical text
Game Gwyddbwyll
Location Wales
Date 1050-01-01 - 1225-12-31
Rules Two players.
Content Two youths, playing gwydbwyll in a castle, with gold pieces on a silver board as described in the Mabinogion (Maxen's Dream). Rhys 1887: 86.
Confidence 100
Ages Adolescent
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Rhys, J. amd J. Evans. 1887. The Text of the Mabinogion and other Welsh Tales from the Red Book of Hergest. Oxford: J.G. Evans.
Id DLP.Evidence.1759
Type Ethnography
Game Main Dam
Location Malaya
Date 1915-01-01 - 1915-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Twelve pieces per player. Pieces move diagonally one space forward, and can capture opponent's pieces by jumping them if they are adjacent. Capturing must happen if it is possible. Once pieces reach the opposite side of the board from their starting position, they become kings and can move diagonally either forwards or backwards, and can capture by jumping over any number of pieces, any distance. The goal is to capture all of the opponent's pieces.
Content "The Western game od draughts has been introduced by the Dutch and bears the Dutch name of main dam. This main dam does not differ in any important detail from its European prototype (The only difference is that the crowned man (dam) can jump any distance along a line whether the intermediate spaces are occupied or not), but it is played on a native uncolored chess-board.
Confidence 100
Source Wilkinson, R. 1915. Malay Literature Part II. Kuala Lumpur: Government Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1760
Type Ethnography
Game Pancha Keliya (Complex)
Location Sri Lanka
Date 1942-01-01 - 1942-12-31
Rules Eleven squares are in the bottom line. From the central square, a line of an additional ten extend up. From the central hole of this vertical line (counting the central hole of the bottom line), a square with eleven holes per side. Extending to the left and right of this, five more squares on each side. Five squares extend upwards diagonally from the end of each of these lines, joining at an apex. Intersecting with the fifth square in the initial vertical line, a square with eleven spaces per side. Every fifth square is marked with an X. Players enter from opposite ends of the bottom horizontal track. Marked squares are safe spaces. Each player has multiple pieces. Pieces landing on an opponent's piece send them back to start. Knucklebones, cowries, or dice used to determine moves.
Content "e games referred to in this note owe their origin to the practice of keeping a record of the successive throws of knucklebones, cowries, or other natural prototypes of the dice, by means of counters shifted along a row of stones, or a scale of lines, the length of which corresponds to the winning score. In the course of time the record-keeping part became the more important one, and some of the following characteristics
were developed:
(1) The use, for each player, of more than one
counter which he can use alternately, at his own discretion: this feature introduces the element of discrimination in a game, otherwise, of pure chance.
(2) The rule that when one player's counter lands in a place already occupied by an opponent's piece, the latter is sent back.
(3) The marking out of places of safety where such 'sending back ' cannot take place.
(4) Other advantages and handicaps attached to special landing places...It was not until I reached Ceylon that I found it still known to the present generation. Here it was called panca (keliya), i.e. ' (game of) fives." Accompanied with a drawing of the board. Marin 1942: 114, 116.
Confidence 100
Source Marin, G. 1942. "An Ancestor of the Game of 'Ludo.'" Man 42: 114-117.
Id DLP.Evidence.1761
Type Artifact
Game Pancha (Mahabalipuram)
Location 12°37'16.02"N, 80°11'37.98"E
Date 0600-01-01 - 2020-12-31
Rules A horizontal line of eleven squares. From the central square, a further vertical extension of five squares, five more to the right of the fifth square in the vertical line, another vertical line of five from the rightmost square, five more extending left from the topmost square, and a final five extending up from the leftmost square.
Content Graffiti game boards (more than one; "usual type" according to Marin) found at temples at Mahabalipuram, India. A horizontal line of eleven squares. From the central square, a further vertical extension of five squares, five more to the right of the fifth square in the vertical line, another vertical line of five from the rightmost square, five more extending left from the topmost square, and a final five extending up from the leftmost square. Marin 1942: 116.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public
Source Marin, G. 1942. "An Ancestor of the Game of 'Ludo.'" Man 42: 114-117.
Id DLP.Evidence.1762
Type Artifact
Game Pancha (Mahabalipuram with Loop)
Location 12°37'16.02"N, 80°11'37.98"E
Date 0600-01-01 - 2020-12-31
Rules Bottom row with eleven squares. Ten squares extending vertically from the central square. A square track with five spaces per side extends up and to the left from the top square. The outer squares of the bottom track are marked, as are every fifth space from them along the board.
Content Graffiti game board from a temple at Mahabalipuram, India. Bottom row with eleven squares. Ten squares extending vertically from the central square. A square track with five spaces per side extends up and to the left from the top square. The outer squares of the bottom track are marked, as are every fifth space from them along the board. Marin 1942: 116.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public
Source Marin, G. 1942. "An Ancestor of the Game of 'Ludo.'" Man 42: 114-117.
Id DLP.Evidence.1763
Type Artifact
Game Pancha (Mahabalipuram with Double Loop)
Location 12°37'16.02"N, 80°11'37.98"E
Date 0600-01-01 - 2020-12-31
Rules Bottom row with eleven squares. Ten squares extending vertically from the central square. A square track with five spaces per side extends up and to the right from the top square. Immediately above this, another square, with its left side aligned with the left side of the other square, but with smaller squares (thus, the squares do not line up where they are adjacent. The outer squares of the bottom track are marked, as are every fifth space from them along the board, except in the smaller square which is marked in all but the bottom left corner with a single diagonal..
Content Graffiti board from a temple at Mahabalipuram, India. Bottom row with eleven squares. Ten squares extending vertically from the central square. A square track with five spaces per side extends up and to the right from the top square. Immediately above this, another square, with its left side aligned with the left side of the other square, but with smaller squares (thus, the squares do not line up where they are adjacent. The outer squares of the bottom track are marked, as are every fifth space from them along the board, except in the smaller square which is marked in all but the bottom left corner with a single diagonal. Marin 1942: 116.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public
Source Marin, G. 1942. "An Ancestor of the Game of 'Ludo.'" Man 42: 114-117.
Id DLP.Evidence.1764
Type Ethnography
Game Bajii
Location Mongolia
Date 1988-01-01 - 1991-12-31
Rules Four 3x8 rectangles, arranged in a square. Four players. Eight fields are marked with a cross, which gives the player an extra throw. Some fields are marked with diagonal lines, and when a piece lands on them the piece is sent back to start. Pieces must be entered onto the board. The player who brings their pieces around the board to the point where it entered the board wins.
Content "Bajii. Four players or 4 teams of 2-3 participants each take part in the game. the board is made of two slats nailed crosswise. It can also be dawn on aa piece of paper or cloth. Each arm of the cross is divided with vertical lines into three parts and with horizontal lines into 8 squares. In some fields there are marks-for example a swastika, a cross, a square, or a triangle. These are the so-called safe places giving the player the right for an extra throw if he stops his pawn in this field. Other fields marked with a black circle or diagonal lines are considered to be dangerous. If a player stops his pawn here, he has to take it back to the start or depending on the contract, quits the game. The winner is the one who first brings his pawns to the starting point after having gone around the whole cross. In the case of a team play, the winner is the team whose pawns will first be brought to the starting point." Kabzińska-Stawarz 1991: 120-121.
Confidence 100
Source Kabzińska-Stawarz, I. 1991. Games of Mongolian Shepherds. Warsaw: Polish Academy of Sciences.
Id DLP.Evidence.1765
Type Ethnography
Game Mankala
Location 30° 2'29.49"N, 31°13'56.00"E
Date 1762-01-01 - 1762-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Six counters in each hole. Players take the contents of one of their holes and sow in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter of a sowing lands in a hole, making it contain two, four, or six counters, these counters are taken. If the second to last hole also contains two, four, or six counters, these are also taken, continuing in an unbroken line until a hole with containing a number of counters other than two, four, or six. The player who captures all of the opponent's counters wins.
Content "Das Mankalebrett ist ben H. auf der Tabelle XXV abgebildet. Diese besteht aus zwen Brettern, jedes mit 6 löchern oder häusern. Jeder der beiden Spielenden legt in jedes seiner 6 häuser, sechs kleine Steine oder Schnecken. Alsdann nimmt einer aus einem beliebingen hause alle Steine, und legt nach der rechten hand herum in jedes haus einen Stein, nis ihm nichts mehn übrig bleibt. Kommen nun un das haus, wohinein er seinen letzen Stein gelegt hat, die Zahl 2, oder 4, oder 6, so hat er nicht nur diese gewonnen, sondern auch alle in den nächsten häusern rückwarts gerechnet, wenn sich die benannte Anzahl Steine darinn befindet. Wenn alle Stein e herausgenommen sind, so wird gezählt, und derhenige, welcher die größte Anzahl hat, het gewonnen." Niebuhr 1774: 173.
Confidence 100
Source Niebuhr, C. 1774. Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern. Copenhagen: Nicolaus Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.1766
Type Ethnography
Game Dris at-Talata
Location 30° 2'29.49"N, 31°13'56.00"E
Date 1762-01-01 - 1762-12-31
Rules 3x3 grid. Three pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent space on the board. The player who places three pieces in an orthogonal row wins.
Content "Das in Niedersachsen nicht unbekannte Spiel Trip, Trap, Trul. figur K. heißt bei den Arabern Dris et talata. Dieß spielet man gemeinglich mit Scherben von zwei verschiedenen Farben." Niebuhr 1774: 171-172; Pl. XXV.K.
Confidence 100
Source Niebuhr, C. 1774. Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern. Copenhagen: Nicolaus Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.1767
Type Ethnography
Game Dris et-Tessa
Location 30° 2'29.49"N, 31°13'56.00"E
Date 1762-01-01 - 1762-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides.
Content "Das Spiel L...nennet man Dris et tessa." Niebuhr 1774: 172, Pl. XXV.L.
Confidence 100
Source Niebuhr, C. 1774. Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern. Copenhagen: Nicolaus Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.1768
Type Ethnography
Game Dris et-Tessa (Diagonals)
Location 30° 2'29.49"N, 31°13'56.00"E
Date 1762-01-01 - 1762-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting their corners and the midpoints of each side.
Content "Das Spiel...M nennet man Dris et tessa." Niebuhr 1774: 172, Pl.XXV.M.
Confidence 100
Source Niebuhr, C. 1774. Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern. Copenhagen: Nicolaus Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.1769
Type Ethnography
Game Frangieh
Location Syria; Jordan; Modern Egypt
Date 1974-01-01 - 1974-12-31
Rules The game is played on a board with twelve points on either side. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left. Each player has 15 pieces. The starting position is as such, numbering the points from the origin of each player's track: Point six: five pieces. Point 8: three pieces. Point 13: five pieces. Point 24: two pieces. Play begins by each player rolling one die; the player who rolls the highest plays first, and then rolls again to begin play. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the number on one die and another the number on the other die, or by moving one piece twice (once for each die). If doubles are rolled, the player must play the number on each die twice. Players cannot end their move on a point with multiple opposing pieces. If a player ends the turn on a point with one opposing piece, that piece is placed in the middle of the board (not on a point) and must reenter the board according the the next die roll, counting the origin point as a move of one. They cannot reenter on a point with two or more pieces. No other pieces can move until all of the pieces belonging to that player are removed from the center. When all of a player's pieces are on their final six points, they may start removing pieces from the board. They can do so by rolling a 6 to move from the 6th point, and so on down to 1. Players must use all available moves presented by the dice. The first player to remove all of their pieces wins.
Content Detailed description of the rules of Frangieh aas played in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt in Barakat 1974: 12-16.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Spaces Inside, Public, Private, Communal
Genders Female, Male
Source Barakat, R. 1974. Tawula: Study in Arabic Folklore. Helsinki: Academia Scientiarum Fennica.
Id DLP.Evidence.1770
Type Ethnography
Game Mughrabieh
Location Syria
Date 1974-01-01 - 1974-12-31
Rules The game is played on a board with twelve points on either side. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left. Each player has 15 pieces. Each player's fifteen pieces begin on the first point of their track. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. If doubles are rolled, the player must play the number on each die twice. A piece cannot land on a space occupied by one of the opponent's pieces. A player must first move a single one of their pieces around the board and onto one of the final six points of their track before moving any of the other pieces. When all of the player's pieces are on the final six points, they may be borne off the board. The player who bears off all of their pieces wins. The winning player's score equals the number of the opponent's pieces which are left on the board. Play continues until one player's score reaches 31.
Content Detailed description of Mughrabieh in Barakat 1974: 16-18.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Social status Non-Elite, Elite
Spaces Inside, Public, Private, Communal
Genders Female, Male
Source Barakat, R. 1974. Tawula: Study in Arabic Folklore. Helsinki: Academia Scientiarum Fennica.
Id DLP.Evidence.1771
Type Ethnography
Game Mahbouseh
Location Syria
Date 1974-01-01 - 1974-12-31
Rules The game is played on a board with twelve points on either side. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left. Each player has 15 pieces. Each player's fifteen pieces begin on the first point of their track. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. If doubles are rolled, the player must play the number on each die twice. When a piece lands on a space occupied by one of the opponent's piece, the opponent's piece may not move from that spot until the player's piece is moved from that spot. Two or more of the opponent's pieces may land on this space, but another of the player's pieces may not. When all of the player's pieces are on the final six points, they may be borne off the board. The player who bears off all of their pieces wins. The winning player's score equals the number of the opponent's pieces which are left on the board. Play continues until one player's score reaches 31.
Content Detailed description of Mahbouseh in Barakat 1974: 18-19.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Social status Non-Elite, Elite
Spaces Inside, Public, Private, Communal
Genders Female, Male
Source Barakat, R. 1974. Tawula: Study in Arabic Folklore. Helsinki: Academia Scientiarum Fennica.
Id DLP.Evidence.1772
Type Ethnography
Game Yahoudieh
Location Syria
Date 1974-01-11 - 1974-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, with spaces as points, divided in two. Fifteen pieces per player, which start stacked, two on the players' first three points and three in the next three points, Two six-sided dice. Players unstack the pieces by moving pieces off of the stack, but remaining on the same point, according to the throws of the dice. The value of the throw indicates the number of the point which can be unstacked. For example, a throw of 1 and 4 allows the player to unstack the pieces on points 1 and 4. When all of a player's pieces are unstacked, they must be restacked, in the same way. When they have been successfully restacked, the player then bears off the pieces from this quadrant of the board. When bearing off, players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. The first player to bear off all their pieces wins.
Content Detailed description of Yahoudieh in Barakat 1974: 19-21.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Female, Male
Source Barakat, R. 1974. Tawula: Study in Arabic Folklore. Helsinki: Academia Scientiarum Fennica.
Id DLP.Evidence.1773
Type Ethnography
Game Julbahar
Location Syria; Modern Egypt
Date 1974-01-01 - 1974-12-31
Rules The game is played on a board with twelve points on either side. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left. Two six-sided die. Each player has 15 pieces. Each player's fifteen pieces begin on the first point of their track. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. If doubles are rolled, the player must play the number on each die twice. Play begins with each player throwing the dice. The player who obtains the higher number goes first, except when doubles are thrown, then the opponent must throw higher doubles. The player who wins the opening throw moves the opponent's pieces according to the value of this throw. Play then continues as usual. A piece cannot land on a space occupied by one of the opponent's pieces. Pieces move around the board to the opposite quadrants from the player's starting position. Players may bear a piece off the board once it reaches one of the final six points on the board. Until all of the player's remaining pieces are on the final six points, the player may only bear off a piece on one of the final six spaces by throwing exactly one more than the number of remaining points. The player who bears off all of their pieces wins. The winning player's score equals the number of the opponent's pieces which are left on the board. In addition, whenever a player is unable to move and the opponent is able to, the opponent gains five points. Play continues until one player's score reaches 31.
Content Detailed description of Julbahar in Barakat 1974: 21.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Social status Non-Elite, Elite
Spaces Inside, Public, Private, Communal
Genders Female, Male
Source Barakat, R. 1974. Tawula: Study in Arabic Folklore. Helsinki: Academia Scientiarum Fennica.
Id DLP.Evidence.1774
Type Contemporary text
Game Manqalah
Location 33°19'16.16"N, 44°25'5.05"E
Date 0870-01-01 - 0967-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content Comment in the Kitab al-Aghani by Abul Faraj that the statement "the qwq are even" "refers to a game like manqalah." Rosenthal 1975: 43-44.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Rosenthal, F. 1975. Gambling in Islam. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.1775
Type Contemporary text
Game Qirq
Location 21°25'18.18"N, 39°49'31.68"E; 30° 2'29.49"N, 31°13'56.00"E
Date 1503-01-01 - 1566-12-31
Rules Name of game. 3x3 intersecting lines. Pieces are placed on the lines.
Content Discussion of Qirq in Az-Zawajir an Iqtirafal-Kabayir by Ibn Hajar al-Haytami, mentioning Qirq and the description: "A square is drawn on the ground with two lines in the form of a cross in the midst of it. On top of the lines, small pebbles are placed to play with. Rosenthal 1975: 46.
Confidence 100
Source Rosenthal, F. 1975. Gambling in Islam. Leiden: Brill.
Id DLP.Evidence.1776
Type Ethnography
Game Ethiopian Capture Game
Location 9°35'45.42"N, 39°44'2.99"E
Date 1935-01-01 - 1935-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in the four quadrants. Twelve pieces per player, arranged on the two rows closest to the player and the two spots in the central row to the player's right, leaving the central space empty. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. A piece belonging to the opponent may be captured when a piece hops over it to an empty adjacent spot immediately on the opposite side of the piece, along the lines of the board. The player who reduces the opponent to five pieces wins.
Content "Dames. On figure sur le sol, à l'aide d'une pierre pointue, un carré de trente centimètres de côté aves ses médianes. On trace également les diagonales et les médianes des quatre compartiments ainsi obtenus (fig. 1 A, Pl. XII). Tous les points de rencontre des segments, sauf celui du milieu, sont occupés par des cailloux noirs ou blancs répartis comme l'indique la figure 1 B, Pl. XII. Les joueurs, placés vis-à-vis l'un de l'autre, avancent alternativement une pierre d'une intervalle, sauf si la place qui se trouve de l'autre côté d'un pion adverse est libre. Dans ce cas le pion de joueur dont c'est le tour passe per-dessus l'autre qui est retiré du jeu. Le joueur à qui ne reste que cinq pions a perdu.Toute l'anneé. Étudiants catholiques. Ankober." Griaule 1935: 177.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Clergy
Genders Male
Source Griaule, M. 1935. Jeux et divertissements Abyssins. Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux.
Id DLP.Evidence.1777
Type Ethnography
Game Véla
Location Madagascar
Date 1896-01-01 - 1896-12-31
Rules 9x5 intersecting lines with diagonals in each square formed by 3x3 intersecting lines. Each player has 22 pieces, starting on the intersections of the lines except in the centre position. Pieces move to an adjacent intersection along the lines. In the first phase of play, one player cannot capture until they have been reduced to five pieces. The opponent may only capture, according to the following rules, but only one piece at a time is captured, even when multiple would normally be allowed. When the one player is reduced to five pieces, play continues as follows. Players must capture pieces when possible. Capturing is accomplished by moving to an adjacent intersection to an opposing piece in the continuing direction of the capturing stones movement, or by moving away from an adjacent opposing pieces in such a direction. When an opponent's piece is captured, all other of the opponent's pieces in that line are also captured. Multiple captures can be made, but cannot be done by moving twice in the same direction. Multiple captures are optional. A player wins by capturing all of the other player's pieces.
Content "The new form of the game is called Véla...The véla game is opened by the victor, who puts forward such of his pieces as he chooses to surrender to his antagonist. These pieces may only be taken singly, and the generous conqueror refrains from taking any of his enemy's pieces, until he has parted with, one by one, 17 of his own pieces; then, with the remaining five., he begins his campaign against the undiminished forces of his antagonist...if the [player] is again defeated, he is only allowed to play the véla form of the game until he has redeemed himself by a victory." Montgomery 1896: 155.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Social status All
Genders All
Source Montgomery, W. 1896. The Malagasy game of Fanorona. The Antananarivo Annual and Madagascar Magazine 3: 148–157.
Id DLP.Evidence.1778
Type Ethnography
Game Choko
Location Gambia
Date 1909-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules Five rows of five holes. Each player has twelve sticks; one player's sticks are longer than the other player's. Players alternate turns placing one of their sticks in an empty hole on the board. A player may, on their turn, move a stick to an empty adjacent hole in an orthogonal direction instead of placing a stick. A player captures an opponent's stick by hopping over it in an orthogonal direction to an empty hole immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's stick. A player may, during their turn, place one of the remaining unplaced sticks on the board, in which case the opponent must also place one of their reserved sticks on their following turn. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Choko is the only form of the game found in the Gambia Valley. This game is played on sand or loose earth by the Mandinko and Fulas, on diagrams of 25 holes made with the finger;
bits of stick about five inches long called Kala , and others three inches long called Bond are used as counters. It differs slightly from the Egyptian game. The sticks are set upright in the loose soil of the holes, one at a time, by the two players alternately, and play usually
begins before the last two sticks have been put down. In that case either player may put this last stick into a hole at any stage of the game, the opponent putting down his own last
one immediately afterwards. Sometimes play is begun while each player has two or more sticks in his hand ; it may be commenced at any time. The players have only one move at a time, and capture the opponent’s sticks by jumping over them, and not by enclosing them. At each jump over the enemy’s stick they remove both that and a second stick belonging to him, selecting one that will most benefit their own play. This soon ends the game, which only lasts for a quarter of an hour or less. The winner is he who captures all his opponent’s sticks." Parker 1909: 604.
Confidence 100
Source Parker, H. 1909. Ancient Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Id DLP.Evidence.1779
Type Artifact
Game Yakamaido
Location 37°13'44.56"N,119°30'33.03"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the corners and the midpoints of the sides.
Content "Mono. Hooker cove and vicinity, Madera County, California. Board, 9 inches in length, with inscribed design (figure 1096), and holes for pegs at the intersection of lines; accompanied by pegs of two sizes. Collected by Dr J W Hudson, who designates it a yakamaido, square game" (Culin 1907: 796.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1780
Type Artifact
Game Poprad Game
Location 49° 3'4.05"N, 20°17'43.46"E
Date 0375-01-01 - 0375-12-31
Rules 17x17 or 17x18 board.
Content Game board found in an elite tomb at Poprad, Slovakia. Board with a pattern of squares, appears to be 17x17 or 17x18. The find has not been academically published yet. Tomb dates to 375 CE. Daley 2018.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Daley, J. 2018. "Researchers are Trying ot Figure out How to Play this Ancient Roman Board Game." Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/we-still-dont-really-know-how-play-ancient-roman-board-game-180967778/. Last Accessed 28 October 2020.
Id DLP.Evidence.1781
Type Rules text
Game Wolf und Schaaf
Location Germany 1850
Date 1853-01-01 - 1853-12-31
Rules 8x8 checkered board. One player plays as four sheep (white pieces), which begin on the four dark squares on one side of the board. The other player plays as one wolf (black piece), which can be placed on any dark space on the board. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent dark square on the board. The goal of the sheep is to block the wolf from being able to move, the goal of the wolf is to move beyond the line of sheep.
Content "Ein Brettspiel, das dem Anscheine nach höchst einfach ist, aber dennoch nicht ganz so leicht, wie es aussteht. Auf die vier schwarzen Felder der Reihe, welche der Spieler quer zunächst vor sich hat, werden vier weiße Steine gesetzt. Diese bedeuten die Schaafe. Davor, an eine beliebige Stelle, setzt man einen schwarzen Stein, welcher den Wolf vorstellt. Der, welcher mit den Schaafen spielt, zieht an, und seine Aufgabe ist, den Wolf in geschlossener Reihe bis zu der gegnüberliegenden Seite des Brettes zu drangen, so daß er zuletzt nicht mehr ziehen kann. Der Wolf dagegen muß versuchen, die Reihe der Schaafe zu durchdringen, und wenn ihm dies gelingt, hat er die Partie gewonnen." Alvensleben 1855: 645.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Alvensleben, C. 1855. Encyclopädie der Spiele. Leipzig: Verlag von Otto Wigand.
Id DLP.Evidence.1782
Type Rules text
Game Tokkadille
Location Germany 1850
Date 1853-01-01 - 1853-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, with spaces as points, divided in two. Fifteen or sixteen pieces per player, which begin on one of the points, the furthest to the right of one player and the furthest to the left of the other (they will be opposite each other. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left.Play begins by each player rolling one die; the player with the highest roll plays first and plays the numbers on this first roll. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. Doubles are only played once. Pieces may not land on a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Pieces may only move into the twelfth point on their side of the board (Hucke) with a throw that allows two pieces to move there at once. A player cannot move into or hit pieces in the opponent's Hucke, but if the player already has taken their own Hucke and their throw that would bring pieces to the opponent's Hucke, they may move these pieces to the players' Hucke. Players may move beyond their Hucke only on a throw that allows them, to move two pieces from the Hucke onto the opposite side of the board. Each player has another piece, placed at the tip of their point. The player moves this piece to mark the score they earn. Points are awarded as follows: When it is possible for a player to land on a space occupied by a single piece belonging to the opponent (a hit), a player gains one point. Hitting the opponent's Hucke is only possible by throwing two 1s with at least four pieces on the player's own Hucke. For a given throw, all possible hits made by any legal move are counted. Players move their pieces after the possible hits are calculated. If a player has two or more pieces on each of their sixth through twelfth points, they score two points, at the end of every turn for which this is true. If a player can hold this position, but chooses not to, they are penalized two points. A player gains two points by bringing all of their pieces into the final section of the board and bearing all of their pieces off by throwing more than the number of remaining spaces. Any points which a player forgets to add are taken by the opponent, but the opponent must claim these before their throw. The player who obtains twelve points wins. A win counts as double if the opponent has scored fewer than six points, triple if the opponent's score is two or one, and quadruple if the opponent has not scored.
Content "Die Tokkadille wird auf dem Puffbrett gespielt und nach den Grundregeln desselben, hat aber ungleich mehr Abwechselungen und zu beobchtende Regeln. Man spielt sie mit 30, aber auch mit 32 Steinen, 15 (16) weißen 15 (16) braunen, von denen jeder spieler eine Farbe erhalt. Das Spiel mit 16 Steinen ist dem mit 15 ganz gleich, nur gefährlicher wegen der Continuation (siehe diese). Die Steine werden gleich anfangs in das Brett geleßt und zwar auf die beiden einander gegenüberliegende ersten Felder, indem gegen ainnder gespielt wird, wie bei dem langen Buff. Man fängt von der zweiten Stelle mit 1 zu zählen an, so daß also die 6 schon bis auf die erste Stelle des zweiten Feldes reicht. Um zu bestimmen, wer anfangen soll, thut jeder Spieler einen Wurf; wer das Niedrigste wirft, fängt an und der Probewurf hat dabei gleich seine Gülitgkeit. Ein Pasch wird auch nur einfach gesetzt, wie jeder andere Wurf. Außer den Steinen bekömmt jeder Spieler noch eine Marke, mit welcher er markirt, so oft er dem Feinde einen Stein schlägt (siehe davon später). Diese Marke wird bei dem ersten Schlage auf die Spitze vor der Stelle gelegt, auf der die Steine eingesetzt sind und man rückt bei jedem Schlage um 1 vorwärts, bis auf die letzt Stelle verselben Reihe. Erreicht man diese zwölfte Stelle vor dem Feinde, so hat man die Partie gewonnen und zwar doppelt, wenn der Feind noch nicht über 6 markirt hat, dreifach, wenn er auf 1 oder 2 steht und viersach, wenn er seine Marke noch gar nicht im Brett hat. Die letzte Stelle auf dem zweiten Felde, also von der ganzen Reihe die zwölfte, wird die hucke genannt, und es ist für den Gewinn des Spieles von der grösten Wichtigkeit, sie zu genehmen, sobald man kann; dies darf nur mit einem Bande geschehen, denn einen einzelnen Stein darf man nie in die hucke setzen.
In die feindliche Hucke darf man weder mit 1 noch mit 2 Steinen gehen, hat man aber die eigene schon und thut einen Wurf, durch en man die feindliche Hucke nehmen sönnte, so darf man dafür mit eben den Steinen, welche bis in die feindliche Hucke gereicht haben würden, seine eigene nehmen; man setzt also mit jedem Steine ein Auge weniger, als man geworfen hat. Kann man bei einem solchen Wurfe mit andern Steinen auch die eigene Hucke nehmen, so muß man dies thun. Es kömmt bei diesen Spiele hauptfächlich darauf an, die 6 Stellen des Huckenfeldes so lange als möglich geschlossen zu behalten; für den Wurf, mit dem man die 6 Stellen in diesem Felde wieder zumacht, markirt man nämlich 2 Points und eben so für jeden folgenden Wurf, bei dem man die Brücke halt, ebenfalls 2. Diese Brücke kann mann auch in dem ersten Felde bilden, wenn man vom Hause aus nur niedrige Würfe thut, und ddas nennt man einen Schuster machen; dieser ist aber in der Regel nicht vortheilhaft, weil man dabei seine Hucke lange dem Schlagen des Feindes blosstellen und ihm in der Regel auch einzelne Steine zum Schlagen bieten muß. Was der Feind zu markiren vergißt, darf man dadurch strafen, daß man es selbst markirt; markiren muß man jederzeit gleich nach dem Wurfe; hat mann einen Stein angefaßt, um ihn zu setzen, so darf man nicht mehr markiren. Die vergessenen Marken muß man strafen, ehe man selbst wieder wirft. Für jeden Wurf, d. h. jeder einzelne Zahl, die der Feind nicht setzen kann, markirt man 1 Point. Könnte der Feind geschlossen bleiben, hält as aber and irgend einem Grunde für vortheilhafter, ein Band aufzuziehen, so straft man auch dafür 2 Points. Das Schlagen der Steine erfolgt nicht so, wir beim Puff, indem man des Feindes einzeln stehenden Stein herauswirft und seinen eigenen an dessen Stelle setzt, sondern blos durch das Markiren, wenn man ihn durch einen Wurf trifft und zwar sowohl mit jeder einzelnen Zahl des Wurfes, als mit beiden zusammengerechnet, wenn man nämlich dazwischen mit der einen oder der andern Zahl auf eine leere Stelle trifft. Jeder angefaßte Stein muß auch gesetzt werden. Das Schlagen erfordert eine ganz besondere Aufmerksamkeit, weil es nach dem eben Erwähnten auf mehrfache Weise Statt finden kann und namentlich nicht blos von einer Stelle aus, sondern von allen, mit denen man irgend einen einzelnen Stein des Feindes treffen könnte. Man hat z. B. die 5 und 6 geworfen; mit der 5 erreicht man einen einzeln stehenden Stein des Feindes, 6 Stellen weiter steht wieder ein einzelner und 6 Stellen rückwärts hat man selbst einen Stein zu stehen, so markirt man dafür 3; kann man außerdem den ersten bloßen stein des Feindes auch noch mit der 6 treffen und 5 Stellen weiter steht wieder ein einzelner, so markirt man noch 2 Points. Es ist daher klar, daß man die einzelnen Steine so viel als möglich zu vermeiden suchen muß. Einen einzelnen Stein darf man auf irgend eine Stelle des feindlichen Huckenfeldes bleiben zu können, so darf man fortgehen, d. h. man wirft in der augenblicklichen Lage des Spiele weiter, und dazu ist man gezwungen, wenn man nach Beendigung der partie einen Wurf thut, ohne vorher seine Steine aufgenommen zu haben. Rückt das Spiel so weit vor, daß man nicht mehr zuhalten kann, so muß man suchen, über die noch geschlossenen Felder des Feindes fortzugehen; deshalb ist es gut., sich möglichst so zu stellen, daß man eine 6 setzen kann, wenn man sie wirft. Auch in dem letzten Felde, in dem, wo der Feind angefangen hat, kann man wieder schließen und zumachen, und markirt dies ebenso wie das in dem Huckelfelde. Da man aus der eigenen Hucke nur mit den beiden letzten Steinen zugleich gehen darf, muß man darauf achten, dies nicht zu spät zu thun, denn würfte man eine 1 neben einer andere Zahl, so wäre man gezwungen, seine geschlossenen Bänder wieder aufzumachen. Mit beiden Einsen kann man die feindliche Hucke nur dann schlagen, wenn man auf der eigenen wenigsten 4 Steine zu stehen hat, denn die ersten beiden Steine der Hucke können zum Schlagen der feindlichen Hucke niemals benutzt werden, wohl aber zum Schlagen der Steine. Ist man ganz in das letzte Feld gekommen und wirft hier größer, als man noch setzten kann, so nimmt man eben so heraus, wie bei dem Puff, und wer seine Steine zuerft herausgenommen hat, gewinnt den Cours und markirt dafür 2 Points. Die Feinheiten des Spieles lassen sich hier unmöglich beschreiben, sondern können nur durch Uebung erlernt werden; eine Hauptregel aber ist, darauf zu achten, daß man immer jeden möglichen Wurf setzten kann." Alvensleben 1853: 582-585.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Alvensleben, C. 1855. Encyclopädie der Spiele. Leipzig: Verlag von Otto Wigand.
Id DLP.Evidence.1783
Type Rules text
Game Lange Puff
Location Germany 1850
Date 1853-01-01 - 1853-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, with spaces as points, divided in two. Fifteen pieces per player. Two six-sided die. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other.The lowest value of the dice must be played; if it cannot, the player does not move. When a player throws doubles, they play the values on each die, as well as the values on the opposite side of the dice (I.e., double 6 if double 1 is thrown, 5 if 2, 3 if 4). However, the values on the bottom can only be played if all of the top values are played. The first double throw is only played once, but every subsequent double throw is played twice, and the top values must be played twice before using the bottom values. Bottom values do not have to be played, or only some of the bottom values may be played if the player wishes. In addition, an extra throw is granted for the second and subsequent throws of doubles. Players enter their pieces onto the same section of the board, and proceed around the board to the point opposite the starting point, and then off the board. A player may not land on a point with two or more of the opponent's pieces. A player's piece may land on a point with a single opponent's piece. The opponent's piece is removed from the board and must enter again. The first player to remove all of their pieces from the board wins.
Content "Puff ist ein sehr beliebtes und weit verbreitetes Spiel, obgleich es weder großer und schwieriger Combinationen fähig ist, noch besonderes Nachdenken erfordert. Dem Namen nach zu urtheilen ist es deutschen Ursprungs, indeß können wir dies nicht mit Bestimmtheit angeben. Beschreiben fanden wir es bis jetzt noch in keinem der uns zu Gesicht gekommenen Spielbücher. Man spielt Puff auf dem bekannten Brett, das ihn benannt ist, und dessen man sich auch zu Trictrac, Toccadille und bedient. Dieses Brett hat vier Fächer oder Abteilhungen, und in jeder Abtheilung sechs lange Spitzen, die einander von beiden Seiten gleichmäßig gegenüber stehen. Von den zwei Spielern, die zu dem Puff gehören, hat jeder 15 Steine, der eine weiße, der andere schwarze. Es giebt zwei besonder Hauptarten des Puff, nämlich das lange und das conträre. Die 30 Steine beider Spiele sind zu nfang außer dem Brett unf werden dadurch allmälig hineingebracht, daß man die Wuurfte setzt, die man mit zwei Würfeln thut. Wer den höchsten Wurf thut, fängt an, und setzt seine Steine so, daß er in der außern Ecke mit 1 zu zählenm anfängt. Bei dem landen Puff setzen beide Spieler in demselben Felde ein, und führen ihre Steine in gleicher Richtung über alle 24 Spitzen, bis sie sie auf der antgegensetzten Seite wieder herausnehmen, wenn sie solche Würfe thun, zu deren Setzung in dem Brette der Raum nicht mehr vorhanden ist. Bei dem conträren Puff setzt jeder Spieler auf seiner Seite ein, und zwar so, daß er in dem Felde anfängt, wo der andere aushört, und die Steine werden in entgegensetzter Richtung geführt. Wer einen Pasch wirft, d. h. mit beiden Wuurfeln gleiche Augen, der setzt nicht nur die oben liegenden Augen, sondern auch die entgegenstehenden; bei den 6 also die 1, bei den 5 die 2, bei den 4 die 3. Den ersten Pasch, den man wirft, sett man nur einfach, jeden folgenden aber doppelt, d. h. vier Mal die obern und eben so oft die untern Augen. Außerdem hat der, welcher bereits mehr als einen Pasch warf, das Recht, nach jedem Pasche noch einen Wurf zu thun. Zwei Steine auf gleichem Felde bilden ein Band und können von dem gegner nicht herausgeworfen werden, wie jeder einzelne Stein, den er auf einem Felde trifft, auf welches er durch seinen Wurf kömmt.Es it Regel, daß die niedrigste Zahl immer zuerft gesetzt werden mus; wer sie nicht setzen kann, darf die höhere ebenfalls nicht setzen. Wenn man bei einem Pasche nicht alle vier der oben liegenden Augen seten kann, so darf man die entgegenstehenden gar nicht setzen, hat man aber die oberen gesetzt, so darf man von den unteren 1, 2 oder 3 setzen, auch wenn man zu dem vierten keine gelegenheit hat. Zuweilen spielt man s, daß der, welcher 1 und 2 wirft, außerdem auch noch 5 und 6 setzt unf mann irgend einen beliebigen Pasch, ganz nach seiner Wahl, wie er ihm am besten paßt. Dies ist indeß Ausnahme von der Regel und muß deshalb vor Beginn des Spieles eigens ausgemacht werden. Eben dies gilt auch von einer endern Abweichung, die man zuweilen macht, daß nämlich das, was der Werfende nicht setzen kann, von dem Gegner gesetzt wird. Bei dem langen Puff ist es Regel danach zu trachten, daß man eine Brücke macht, d. h. möglichst viele Bänder unmittelbar hintereinander, weil dadurch des Gegners steine, die noch zurück sind, verhindert werden, vorwuars zu gehen, was ihn oft so aufhält, daß er das Spiel nicht gewinnen kann, selbst wenn er eine Menge Päsche bekömmt. Bei dem conträren Puff muß man danach trachten, in dem Felde, in welches der Gegner einsetzt, einige Bänder zu bekommen, denn dadurch kann er leicht vergebliche Würfe thun, wenn ihm Steine herausgeworfen sind. Da die niedrigste Zahl immer zuerft gespielt werden muß, thut man gut, wo möglich die letzten Bänder auf der Seite, wo man herausnimmt, zu machen, also die ersten auf der Seite, wo der Feind einsetzt. Aus eben dem Grunde, weil es vortheilhaft ist, diese Bänder auf des Feindes Seite zu nehmen, ist es auch räthlich, sie auf der eigenen so lange also möglich zu halten, theils um wieder in das Brett kommen zu können, wenn man herausgeworfen ist, theils, um den Feind herauswerfen zu können, wenn er einzelne Steine bietet. Man gewinnt die Partie dadurch, daß man alle seine Steine eher heraus nimmt, als der Gegner. Es giebt zwar noch andere Arten, zu gewinnen, und zwar vierfach oder dreifach, ober diese müssen vorher ausgemacht sein. Vierfach gewinnt man dann, wenn man alle seine Steine auf einen Haufen bekömmt, und dreifach, wenn man seine sämmtlichen Steine einzeln in einer ununterbrochenen Reihenfolge von 15 Feldern stehen hat. Außerdem gewinnt man dreifach, wenn der Gegner noch einen Stein außer dem Brette hat, und doppelt, wenn er noch nicht seine sämmtlichen Steine aus dem Einfaßfelde entsternte, wenn man selbst den letzten Steine herausnimmt. " Alvensleben 1855: 406-408.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Alvensleben, C. 1855. Encyclopädie der Spiele. Leipzig: Verlag von Otto Wigand.
Id DLP.Evidence.1784
Type Rules text
Game Conträre Puff
Location Germany 1850
Date 1853-01-01 - 1853-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, with spaces as points, divided in two. Fifteen pieces per player. Two six-sided die. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other.The lowest value of the dice must be played; if it cannot, the player does not move. When a player throws doubles, they play the values on each die, as well as the values on the opposite side of the dice (I.e., double 6 if double 1 is thrown, 5 if 2, 3 if 4). However, the values on the bottom can only be played if all of the top values are played. The first double throw is only played once, but every subsequent double throw is played twice, and the top values must be played twice before using the bottom values. Bottom values do not have to be played, or only some of the bottom values may be played if the player wishes. In addition, an extra throw is granted for the second and subsequent throws of doubles. Players enter their pieces onto opposite sections of the board, and proceed around the board toward the section where the opponent enters the board, and then bearing pieces off the board. A player may not land on a point with two or more of the opponent's pieces. A player's piece may land on a point with a single opponent's piece. The opponent's piece is removed from the board and must enter again. The first player to remove all of their pieces from the board wins.
Content "Puff ist ein sehr beliebtes und weit verbreitetes Spiel, obgleich es weder großer und schwieriger Combinationen fähig ist, noch besonderes Nachdenken erfordert. Dem Namen nach zu urtheilen ist es deutschen Ursprungs, indeß können wir dies nicht mit Bestimmtheit angeben. Beschreiben fanden wir es bis jetzt noch in keinem der uns zu Gesicht gekommenen Spielbücher. Man spielt Puff auf dem bekannten Brett, das ihn benannt ist, und dessen man sich auch zu Trictrac, Toccadille und bedient. Dieses Brett hat vier Fächer oder Abteilhungen, und in jeder Abtheilung sechs lange Spitzen, die einander von beiden Seiten gleichmäßig gegenüber stehen. Von den zwei Spielern, die zu dem Puff gehören, hat jeder 15 Steine, der eine weiße, der andere schwarze. Es giebt zwei besonder Hauptarten des Puff, nämlich das lange und das conträre. Die 30 Steine beider Spiele sind zu nfang außer dem Brett unf werden dadurch allmälig hineingebracht, daß man die Wuurfte setzt, die man mit zwei Würfeln thut. Wer den höchsten Wurf thut, fängt an, und setzt seine Steine so, daß er in der außern Ecke mit 1 zu zählenm anfängt. Bei dem landen Puff setzen beide Spieler in demselben Felde ein, und führen ihre Steine in gleicher Richtung über alle 24 Spitzen, bis sie sie auf der antgegensetzten Seite wieder herausnehmen, wenn sie solche Würfe thun, zu deren Setzung in dem Brette der Raum nicht mehr vorhanden ist. Bei dem conträren Puff setzt jeder Spieler auf seiner Seite ein, und zwar so, daß er in dem Felde anfängt, wo der andere aushört, und die Steine werden in entgegensetzter Richtung geführt. Wer einen Pasch wirft, d. h. mit beiden Wuurfeln gleiche Augen, der setzt nicht nur die oben liegenden Augen, sondern auch die entgegenstehenden; bei den 6 also die 1, bei den 5 die 2, bei den 4 die 3. Den ersten Pasch, den man wirft, sett man nur einfach, jeden folgenden aber doppelt, d. h. vier Mal die obern und eben so oft die untern Augen. Außerdem hat der, welcher bereits mehr als einen Pasch warf, das Recht, nach jedem Pasche noch einen Wurf zu thun. Zwei Steine auf gleichem Felde bilden ein Band und können von dem gegner nicht herausgeworfen werden, wie jeder einzelne Stein, den er auf einem Felde trifft, auf welches er durch seinen Wurf kömmt.Es it Regel, daß die niedrigste Zahl immer zuerft gesetzt werden mus; wer sie nicht setzen kann, darf die höhere ebenfalls nicht setzen. Wenn man bei einem Pasche nicht alle vier der oben liegenden Augen seten kann, so darf man die entgegenstehenden gar nicht setzen, hat man aber die oberen gesetzt, so darf man von den unteren 1, 2 oder 3 setzen, auch wenn man zu dem vierten keine gelegenheit hat. Zuweilen spielt man s, daß der, welcher 1 und 2 wirft, außerdem auch noch 5 und 6 setzt unf mann irgend einen beliebigen Pasch, ganz nach seiner Wahl, wie er ihm am besten paßt. Dies ist indeß Ausnahme von der Regel und muß deshalb vor Beginn des Spieles eigens ausgemacht werden. Eben dies gilt auch von einer endern Abweichung, die man zuweilen macht, daß nämlich das, was der Werfende nicht setzen kann, von dem Gegner gesetzt wird. Bei dem langen Puff ist es Regel danach zu trachten, daß man eine Brücke macht, d. h. möglichst viele Bänder unmittelbar hintereinander, weil dadurch des Gegners steine, die noch zurück sind, verhindert werden, vorwuars zu gehen, was ihn oft so aufhält, daß er das Spiel nicht gewinnen kann, selbst wenn er eine Menge Päsche bekömmt. Bei dem conträren Puff muß man danach trachten, in dem Felde, in welches der Gegner einsetzt, einige Bänder zu bekommen, denn dadurch kann er leicht vergebliche Würfe thun, wenn ihm Steine herausgeworfen sind. Da die niedrigste Zahl immer zuerft gespielt werden muß, thut man gut, wo möglich die letzten Bänder auf der Seite, wo man herausnimmt, zu machen, also die ersten auf der Seite, wo der Feind einsetzt. Aus eben dem Grunde, weil es vortheilhaft ist, diese Bänder auf des Feindes Seite zu nehmen, ist es auch räthlich, sie auf der eigenen so lange also möglich zu halten, theils um wieder in das Brett kommen zu können, wenn man herausgeworfen ist, theils, um den Feind herauswerfen zu können, wenn er einzelne Steine bietet. Man gewinnt die Partie dadurch, daß man alle seine Steine eher heraus nimmt, als der Gegner. Es giebt zwar noch andere Arten, zu gewinnen, und zwar vierfach oder dreifach, ober diese müssen vorher ausgemacht sein. Vierfach gewinnt man dann, wenn man alle seine Steine auf einen Haufen bekömmt, und dreifach, wenn man seine sämmtlichen Steine einzeln in einer ununterbrochenen Reihenfolge von 15 Feldern stehen hat. Außerdem gewinnt man dreifach, wenn der Gegner noch einen Stein außer dem Brette hat, und doppelt, wenn er noch nicht seine sämmtlichen Steine aus dem Einfaßfelde entsternte, wenn man selbst den letzten Steine herausnimmt. " Alvensleben 1855: 406-408.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Alvensleben, C. 1855. Encyclopädie der Spiele. Leipzig: Verlag von Otto Wigand.
Id DLP.Evidence.1785
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Kız Tavlasi
Location Turkey
Date 1970-01-01 - 2020-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, with spaces as points, divided in two. Fifteen pieces per player, which start stacked, two on the players' first three points and three in the next three points. Two six-sided dice. Players unstack the pieces by moving pieces off of the stack, but remaining on the same point, according to the throws of the dice. The value of the throw indicates the number of the point which can be unstacked. For example, a throw of 1 and 4 allows the player to unstack the pieces on points 1 and 4. Doubles allow the player to unstack all pieces on that point. The player then bears off the pieces from this quadrant of the board. Players bear off the pieces in the same manner as they were unstacked. The first player to bear off all their pieces wins.
Content Description of Kız Tavlasi given by Dr. Fatih Parlak 2 November 2020, as played by elder family members who have known it since 50 years ago.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Male
Id DLP.Evidence.1786
Type Ethnography
Game Hund efter Hare (Thy)
Location 56°58'24.33"N, 8°36'59.50"E
Date 1948-01-01 - 1968-12-31
Rules 3x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in the four quadrants created. On either short end, an arc connects the two corner points, and the center line is extended to the arc. One player plays as four hounds, which begin on the four points to the left side of the board. The other player plays as one hare, which begins on the point where the center line and the second line cross. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. The hounds may only move forward. The hounds win when they block the hare from being able to move.
Content "Fra Thy kendes derimod en lidt mere detaljeret beskrivelse af spillet, som også rummer en interessant figur, der viser, hvordan spillet så ud. Læreren, arkivaren og dialektforskeren
Torsten Balle (1900-1979), som boede i Torsted, foretog i årene 1948-1968 en mængde båndoptagelser, som udgør en vigtig kilde til vores
viden om Torsted-dialekten og en række andre Thybomål. Af et kartotekskort hos redaktionen af Jysk Ordbog fremgår det, at man i Torsted spillede et brætspil ved navn hund efter hare. Torsten Balle bringer et diagram med udgangspositionen i spillet og forklarer, at 4 hunde skal fange en hare. Brikkerne må kun flyttes fra et kryds eller hjørne til et andet. Hundene må ikke gå baglæns. Det må haren." Michaelsen 2009: 151, quoting ethnography from Torsten Balle from 1948-1968 decribing the game from Torsted, Thy, Denmark.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Michaelsen, P. 2009. "Haretavl – hund efter hare som brætspil”. Historisk Årbog for Thy og Vester Han Herred. 149–163.
Id DLP.Evidence.1787
Type Ethnography
Game Hund efter Hare (Vendsyssel)
Location 57°21'47.52"N, 10° 6'21.54"E
Date 1898-01-01 - 1972-12-31
Rules Three diamonds in a row,the central one connecting to the others one opposite corners. A horizontal line connects the top corners of the diamonds, another horizontal line connects the bottom corners of the diamonds, and a longer horizontal line connects all the middle corners. The outer two diamonds have vertical lines connecting their top and bottom corners. One player plays as three hounds, which begin on the outer corner and top and bottom corner of one of the end diamonds. The other player plays as one hare, which begins on the central point of the same diamond. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. The Hare moves first. The hounds win by blocking the hare from being able to move.
Content "I Vendsysselsk Ordbog II og V (Hjørring 1972 og 1986) nævner dialektforskeren Arne Espegaard (1910-2006), spillet. Han bringer i bd. V et diagram, som viser udgangsstillingen i spillet, og forklarer, at »først flytter A haren en plads frem, B flytter en hund, A flytter igen haren osv, indtil haren er fanget i en af figurens ender«. Kilden til denne beskrivelse var Niels Uggerby, født i Ugilt sogn 1898." Michaelsen 2009: 151, quoting an ethnographic documentation of the game as played by Niels Uggerby from Vendsyssel, born in 1898.
Confidence 100
Source Michaelsen, P. 2009. "Haretavl – hund efter hare som brætspil”. Historisk Årbog for Thy og Vester Han Herred. 149–163.
Id DLP.Evidence.1788
Type Ethnography
Game Gåsetavl
Location Denmark
Date 1843-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules Twenty squares arranged in a cross shape, with diagonals in each square. The pieces are played on the intersections of the lines. Two foxes are placed on the outer corners of one of the arms of the cross, and twenty geese are placed on the points in the opposite arm, as well as the first two long lines in the perpendicular arms. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty spot along the lines on the board. The geese cannot move backward. The foxes may hop over a goose to an empty adjacent spot immediately on the opposite side of it along the lines on the board. The geese win by blocking the foxes from being able to move. The foxes win by capturing all the geese.
Content "Gåsetavl, hvor »atten gæs skulle binde en ræv midt på brættet«, har uden tvivl været et såkaldt jagtspil. Denne spiltype kan spores tilbage til middelalderen. I det meste af Europa har man som regel spillet det på et korsformet bræt af forskellig størrelse. Ræven er ofte placeret i midten og de 13 til 30 gæs i den ene side af brættet. Det gælder om for gæssene at spærre ræven inde, så den ikke kan flyttes, og evt. om at besætte et vist antal pladser i den modsatte side af brættet. Spilleren med ræven vinder, hvis dette ikke lykkes. Gæssene må kun flyttes fremad langs linjerne, mens ræven derimod må gå både frem og tilbage. Desuden har ræven det privilegium, at den må springe over en gås, når der er en tom plads bagved, hvorefter gåsen fjernes og er ude af spillet...Folkemindesamleren Evald Tang Kristensen (1843-1929) optegnede beskrivelser af tre forskellige varianter under disse navne med hhv. 30 gæs, 20 høns og 18 gæs som rævens modstandere." Michaelsen 2009: 150, Fig. 1d. Rules and discussion of Gåsetavl documented in ethnography in the nineteenth century in Denmark by E. Kristiansen.
Confidence 100
Source Michaelsen, P. 2009. "Haretavl – hund efter hare som brætspil”. Historisk Årbog for Thy og Vester Han Herred. 149–163.
Id DLP.Evidence.1789
Type Ethnography
Game Gåsetavl (Gedved)
Location 55°55'43.63"N, 9°50'43.58"E
Date 1848-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules 28 squares arranged in a cross-shaped board. Diagonals are drawn in each 2x2 square. Pieces are played on the lines of the board. One player plays as a single fox, placed on the center of the third line from the top of one arm of the cross. The other player plays as eighteen geese, placed on the points on the opposite arm of the cross and the first horizontal line of the horizontal arms of the cross. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. The geese may not move backward. The fox may capture a goose by hopping over it to an empty spot immediately on the opposite side of the goose along the lines of the board. The geese win by blocking the fox from being able to move. The fox wins by capturing all the geese.
Content "Gåsetavl, hvor »atten gæs skulle binde en ræv midt på brættet«, har uden tvivl været et såkaldt jagtspil. Denne spiltype kan spores tilbage til middelalderen. I det meste af Europa har man som regel spillet det på et korsformet bræt af forskellig størrelse. Ræven er ofte placeret i midten og de 13 til 30 gæs i den ene side af brættet. Det gælder om for gæssene at spærre ræven inde, så den ikke kan flyttes, og evt. om at besætte et vist antal pladser i den modsatte side af brættet. Spilleren med ræven vinder, hvis dette ikke lykkes. Gæssene må kun flyttes fremad langs linjerne, mens ræven derimod må gå både frem og tilbage. Desuden har ræven det privilegium, at den må springe over en gås, når der er en tom plads bagved, hvorefter gåsen fjernes og er ude af spillet. Vi ved desværre ikke meget om, hvad man har kaldt dette spil rundt omkring i Danmark. Dialektforskeren A. C. Skyum (1880-1961) fra Erslev på Mors kendte ligeledesordet gåsetavl, men andre steder i landet har man kaldt det ræv og gæs, at trække rævetavl eller at trække i gåsehave. Folkemindesamleren Evald Tang Kristensen (1843-1929) optegnede beskrivelser af tre forskellige varianter under disse navne med hhv. 30 gæs, 20 høns og 18 gæs som rævens modstandere. Sidstnævnte variant fra Gedved ved Horsens havde altså samme antal gæs som i Kvolsgaards gåsetavl." Michaelsen 2009: 150, Fig. 1.c. Description of rules of Gåsetavl from Gedved as documented in the nineteenth century by Kristensen.
Confidence 100
Source Michaelsen, P. 2009. "Haretavl – hund efter hare som brætspil”. Historisk Årbog for Thy og Vester Han Herred. 149–163.
Id DLP.Evidence.1790
Type Ethnography
Game Haretavl (Horsens)
Location 55°51'29.32"N, 9°50'51.32"E
Date 1848-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules Four rectangles arranged in a cross shaped board, with a square in the center and triangles on the end of each arm. Diagonals are drawn in each rectangle and the square. Lines are drawn from the apex of a triangle, through the intersections of the diagonals, to the opposite triangle's apex.
Content "Et upubliceret diagram i Tang Kristensensarkiv viser et kors-formet bræt med hele 29 punkter. Reglerne er ufuldstændige, men det er nærliggende at tro, at haren ved spillets begyndelse har været placeret i centrum og de fire hunde i enden af en korsarm" Michaelsen 2009: 152, Fig. 4. Describing the documentation of a board from the Horsens region of Denmark, in the context of blockade games played in Denmark and Scandinavia.
Confidence 100
Source Michaelsen, P. 2009. "Haretavl – hund efter hare som brætspil”. Historisk Årbog for Thy og Vester Han Herred. 149–163.
Id DLP.Evidence.1791
Type Ethnography
Game Solitario
Location Peru
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines. A triangle intersects with the midpoint of one of the sides. A line connects the apex with the base, and another line bisects this line and intersects with the two sides of the triangle. A hunt game.
Content "In Peru a similar game is played on a board (fig. 183) under the name of Solitario..: Culin 1898: 876. The game referenced is Mogol Putt'han.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1792
Type Ethnography
Game Dam Hariman
Location 1°28'30.67"N,103°45'44.52"E
Date 1886-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines and with a triangular appendage on either side. Each player has sixteen pieces, which are placed on the intersections and move along the lines to the next open intersection. Players can hop opponents pieces to capture them. Multiple captures in one turn are allowed. A player wins when they capture all of the opponent's pieces or block them from being able to move.
Content "Dam Hariman. Board for "Tiger Game," the Malaysian Game of Fox and Geese...Identical with the Hindu game...under the name Mogol Putt'han. From the collection of His Highness the late Sultan of Johore." Culin 1898: 875.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1793
Type Ethnography
Game Lay Gwet Kyah
Location Burma
Date 1882-01-01 - 1882-12-31
Rules One player plays as three tigers (larger pieces), while the other plays as eleven or twelve smaller pieces. The tigers may hop over a smaller piece to capture it. The goal of the tigers is to capture the little pieces, the goal of the little pieces is to block the tigers from being able to move.
Content "There is a game very much like the English one known as Fox and Geese. There are three big tigers, and eleven or sometimes twelve little ones. It is called lay gwet kyah, and the object is for the big tigers to hunt down on a draft board and eat the little ones. If, however, the cubs can corner the big ones, and prevent them from taking a leap, the latter have to succumb-starve to death in fact," Yoe 1882: 83.
Confidence 100
Source Yoe, S. 1882. The Burman his Life and Notions. London: Macmillan and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1794
Type Ethnography
Game Sua Ghin Gnua
Location Thailand
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines. Likely to be a hunt game.
Content "In Siam we find the game of Sua ghin gnua, or "Tiger and Oxen." Culin 1898: 876. Culin infers that it is the same game as Lay Gwet Kyah.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1795
Type Ethnography
Game Tabal
Location 1°28'30.67"N,103°45'44.52"E
Date 1886-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half, where the spaces are rendered as points. Two six-sided dice.
Content "Tabal. A backgammon board from Johore, exchibited by His Highness the Sultan...under the name tabal, is represented in fig. 10. It is played with 2 dice, dadu." Culin 1895: 502.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Culin, S. 1895. 'Chinese Games with Dice and Dominoes.' Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution 1893 Including Report of the U.S. National Museum: 495–537.
Id DLP.Evidence.1796
Type Ethnography
Game Moo (Hunt)
Location Samoa
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules Played with pebbles on a board with squares. One player plays with one black piece, the other plays with a number of white pieces. Pieces move to adjacent spots on the board. The black piece may hop over a white piece to capture it. The black piece wins by capturing all the white pieces, the white pieces win by blocking the black piece from being able to move.
Content "The Samoan men at the Columbian Exposition at Chicago described a native game to the writer uner the name of Moo. It was played with pebbles upon the squares of a mat by two persons. One had a number of white stones, the other a black piece. The rules appeared to be the same as Fox and Geese." Culin 1898: 876.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.1797
Type Ethnography
Game Mamatjang-Matjang
Location Macassar
Date 1874-01-01 - 1874-12-31
Rules Two players. one player plays as two tigers. The other plays as 24 people. The tigers capture the people by jumping over them. The goal of the tigers is to capture all the people, the goal of the people is to block the tigers from being able to move.
Content "Mamatjang-matjang, soort van spel, dat eenige overeenkomst heeft met ons jeu d'assaut. Het wordt insgelijks door twee personen gespeeld, waarvan de een twee, de ander vier en twintig steentjes of schijven heeft. De twee steenjtes of schijven moeten tijgers, de vier en twintig andere menschen voorstellen. De tijgers trachten de menschen te dooden, d.i. de schijven te slaan. De menschen moeten hun best doen, om de tijgers vast te zetten." Matthes 1874: 256.
Confidence 100
Source Matthes, B. 1874. Boegineesch-Hollandsch Woordenboek, met Hollandsch-Boeginesche Woordenlijst, en Verklaring van een tot Opheldering Bijgevoegden Ethnographischen Atlas. Amsterdam: C.A. Spin en Zoon.
Id DLP.Evidence.1798
Type Ethnography
Game Gala (Buginese)
Location Macassar
Date 1874-01-01 - 1874-12-31
Rules 7x7 board, with an X in each corner space, the middle space along each side, and the central space. Black plays with thirteen pieces, white plays with ten. Black places the first piece on the central square, then players alternate turns placing a piece on their own half of the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving pieces one space orthogonally. A piece is captured when it is surrounded on two opposite sides by opponent's pieces, or if it is in the corner and there are two opponent's pieces blocking it from moving. Capturing cannot happen in the placement phase. Black wins if it can block white from being able to move. White wins if it is impossible for black to block them.
Content "gala, soort van spel. Dit wordt, even als het damspel, gespeeld door twee personen op een bord met 49 vierkante vakken, waarwan 9 met een kruisje gemerkt, 4 hoekvakjes en een midden vakje heeten. Men bedient zich daarbij von 10 zwarte en 13 witte schijven. De schijven worden in een regte lijn en nooit in de dwarste geschoven. Ook het slaan heeft in dit spel plaats, doch op een geheel andere wijze als bij het damspel. Wanneer een schijf (batoe) tusschentwee schijven van de tegenpartij komt, of in een hoek can het bord staande, aan beide zijden een schijf can de egenpartij heeft, en zulks aldus plaats heeft, niet ten gevolge van het primitive opzetten, maar van heyt verschuiven der schijven, wordt die eene schijf genomen of geslagen. Dewijl die schijf niet genomen kan worden, wanneer zij bij het opzetten tusschen twee schijven van de tegenpartij komt, dient men een van die schijven eerst weg te schuiven, om die vervolgens weer bij te schuiven. Dit wegschuiven heet lese. Bij het opzetten begint altoos hij die de zwarte schijven heeft, en deze moet dan voor de eerste keer altoos in het middelste vak zetten. Voorts zet men eerst al de schijven op aan de eene helft van het bord, dan pas schuift men ze over naar de andere helft. Dit heet menre. Hij die de zwarte schijven heeft, moet trachten, om aan die andere helft van het bord pole galana to krijgen, als waneer hij het spel gewonnen heeft. De taak van hem die met de witte stenen speel, is om zulks te beletten, 'tgeen bitje heet, als waneer bij het spel gewonnen heeft." Matthes 1874: 71-72.
Confidence 100
Source Matthes, B. 1874. Boegineesch-Hollandsch Woordenboek, met Hollandsch-Boeginesche Woordenlijst, en Verklaring van een tot Opheldering Bijgevoegden Ethnographischen Atlas. Amsterdam: C.A. Spin en Zoon.
Id DLP.Evidence.1799
Type Ethnography
Game Rongmei Naga Alignment Game
Location Manipur
Date 1911-01-01 - 1911-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the corners and the midpoints of two opposite sides. Players alternate turns placing pieces on an empty point on the board. When all the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. When three of a player's pieces for a line, the player removes one of the opponent's pieces. Pieces which are in a line of three cannot be removed. The player who removes all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "They...in addition have the board marked "three" below. They dispose their pieces into lines of three, when they may take one of the opposite side if it is not one of a line." Hodson 1911: 32-63.
Confidence 100
Source Hodson, T. 1911. The Naga Tribes of Manipur. London: Macmillan and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1800
Type Ethnography
Game Mao Naga Tiger Game
Location Manipur
Date 1911-01-01 - 1911-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each quadrant. Two triangles, the apexes of which intersect with the square at the midpoint of opposite sides. One line bisecting two sides of the triangle. One player plays as twenty people, stacked five each in the four points where the diagonals cross in each quadrant. The other player plays as two tigers, which are placed on the midpoints of the sides without triangles. Players alternate turns moving one piece to an adjacent spot along the lines of the board. The tiger may hop over one of the people to an empty point on the opposite side immediately adjacent to it along the lines of the board. When the tiger hops over one of the stacks, it captures only one of the people. The tigers win by capturing all the people, the people win by blocking the tigers from being able to move.
Content "The game of the tiger and the men as I saw it played at Mao requires twenty-two pieces, two tigers and twenty men. the men are placed in groups of five, one the points marked A,B, C, D inthe diagram no. 2, while the two tigers are placed at E and F. A tiger kills a man each time he jumps over a pile with a clear square beyond. When a tiger is hemmed in by men with non-open squares behind them, he is killed." Hodson 1911: 62-63.
Confidence 100
Source Hodson, T. 1911. The Naga Tribes of Manipur. London: Macmillan and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1801
Type Ethnography
Game Manipur Capturing Game
Location Manipur
Date 1911-01-01 - 1911-12-31
Rules 5s5 intersecting lines, with the two diagonals of the full board. The player's pieces begin on opposite sides of the board. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. A piece may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty adjacent spot immediately on the opposite side of the piece along the lines of the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins. Pieces are not promoted when reaching the opposite side of the board from where they begin.
Content "The draughts game is played in much the same way as ours, with the exception that they have no rule "crowning" pieces that succeed in reaching the back line and permitting them to move either way." Hodson 1911: 62-63.
Confidence 100
Source Hodson, T. 1911. The Naga Tribes of Manipur. London: Macmillan and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1802
Type Ethnography
Game Rongmei Naga Capturing Game
Location Manipur
Date 1911-01-01 - 1911-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each quadrant. Two triangles, the apexes of which intersect with the square at the midpoint of opposite sides. One line bisecting two sides of the triangle.The player's pieces begin on opposite sides of the board. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. A piece may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty adjacent spot immediately on the opposite side of the piece along the lines of the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins. Pieces are not promoted when reaching the opposite side of the board from where they begin.
Content "They, however, use for draughts the same board as is used by the Mao folk for the game of tiger and the men." Hodson 1911: 62-63.
Confidence 100
Source Hodson, T. 1911. The Naga Tribes of Manipur. London: Macmillan and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1803
Type Ethnography
Game Rongmei Naga Hunt Game
Location Manipur
Date 1911-01-01 - 1911-12-31
Rules 5x3 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each quadrant. Hunt game.
Content Fig 4 on Hodson 1911: 63: "Tiger and Men."
Confidence 100
Source Hodson, T. 1911. The Naga Tribes of Manipur. London: Macmillan and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1804
Type Artifact
Game El-Mahasna Game
Location 26°16'32.52"N, 31°49'40.23"E
Date 3500-01-01BCE - 3500-12-31BCE
Rules 3x6 board. Two players, ten smaller pieces and two larger pieces.
Content Clay gaming table with 3x8 pattern on its surface. Ten smaller pieces, and two larger pieces found with it. From Tomn H41 at El-Mahasna, Predynastic. Found in a tomb with two adults and a child. Ayrton and Loat 1911: 30.
Confidence 100
Source Ayrton, E. and W. Loat. 1911. Pre-Dynastic Cemetery at El-Mahasna. London: William Clowes and Sons, Ltd.
Id DLP.Evidence.1805
Type Ethnography
Game Selayar Game
Location Selayar
Date 1884-01-01 - 1884-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each quadrant. Two triangles, the apexes of which intersect with the square at the midpoint of opposite sides. One line bisecting the base of the triangle, and another bisecting this line. Sixteen pieces per player, each side arranged on one side of the board.
Content "Even als dit is ook het inlandische damspel naar 't schijnt van de Europeanen overgenomen. Het wordt echter gespeeld met 16 steenen of schijven aan weerskanten en volgens het onderstaande figure. onder kinderen is het vlieger-oplaten" Englehards 1884: 315.
Confidence 100
Source Englehards, H. 1884. "Mededeelingen over het Eiland Saleijer." Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Tand, en Volkenkunde van Nederlandsch Indië 8: 263-510.
Id DLP.Evidence.1806
Type Ethnography
Game Damdaman
Location Java
Date 1817-01-01 - 1817-12-31
Rules More pieces than English Draughts. Similar to an Indian draughts game.
Content "Damdaman, or draughts, is not very unlike the Indian game, but has more pieces." Raffles 1817: 391.
Confidence 100
Source Raffles, T. 1817. The History of Java. London: John Murray.
Id DLP.Evidence.1807
Type Ethnography
Game Maling'an
Location Java
Date 1817-01-01 - 1817-12-31
Rules The board consists of squares. Eighteen pieces per player. The object of the game is to surround the opponent's pieces.
Content "Maling'an is played on squares with eighteen pieces, and the object is to surround your adversary's pieces." Raffles 1817: 391.
Confidence 100
Source Raffles, T. 1817. The History of Java. London: John Murray.
Id DLP.Evidence.1808
Type Ethnography
Game Paitariya
Location 35°36'32.11"N,106°21'1.09"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides, extending beyond the outer square.
Content "Keres. Cochiti, New Mexico. A Keres boy at St Michael, Arizona, named Francisco Chaves (Kogit), described the Indians at Cochiti as playing the game of paitariya on a board represented by the diagram here given." Culin 1907: 793.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Male
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1809
Type Ethnography
Game Manu
Location Hawaii
Date 1899-01-01 - 1899-12-31
Rules Played on cross-shaped board, made of five squares, each divided into four squares and with the diagonals of the larger squares drawn. one player plays with thirteen pieces situated on every point of one arm of the cross and along the line immediately perpendicular to that arm. The other plays as the Punipeki, which is placed on any empty spot on the first turn. Pieces move along the lines to an adjacent empty spot. The Punipeki may jump over an adjacent piece to capture it. Multiple captures are allowed. The Punipeki wins if it can capture all the opponent's pieces, the other player wins by blocking the Punipeki from moving.
Content "Manu: Fox and Geese-Played on a diagram cut on a stone, consisting of four rectangles placed around a square to form a cross, the square all being crossed with intersecting lines.Thirteen stones (pa-ka) are arranged as shown in plate XI,b. one of the two players, called pu-ni-pe-ki, points with a stick (la-au) to one of the unoccupied points. The stones move one square at a time and endeavor to pen up the pu-ni-pe-ki, who in turn tries to capture the stones. The stick moves one square and jumps over an adjacent piece when the next square beyond is vacant." Culin 1899: 244-245.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1899. "Hawaiian Games." American Anthropologist 1(2): 201-247.
Id DLP.Evidence.1810
Type Contemporary text
Game Double Fox and Geese
Location England
Date 1681-01-01 - 1681-12-31
Rules Played on a Fox and Geese board with twice as many holes as the standard game. One player plays as two foxes, the other as thirty geese.
Content "England: Double fox and geese (R. Holme 1681, 168). 'There is another sort of board called the double fox and geese, it has twice as many holes as this (Fig. 47), in which is played two foxes and thirty geese." Murray 1951: 104.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1811
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Treble Fox and Geese
Location England
Date 1681-01-01 - 1681-12-31
Rules Played on a Fox and Geese board with twice as many holes as the standard game, and with diagonals in each square. One player plays as three or four foxes, the other as fifty or sixty geese.
Content "England: Treble fox and geese (R. Holme 1681, 168). 'In which there is three or four foxes and fifty or sixty geese. Every square in the double board hath in this another crosse line made in it from corner to corner of the square." Murray 1951: 104.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1812
Type Rules text
Game Baralie
Location England
Date 1300-01-01 - 1350-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half, where the spaces are rendered as points. Fifteen pieces per player. Two six-sided dice. Both players begin on the same side of the board, one player with fifteen pieces on the rightmost point, the other player with fourteen pieces on the point behind it, and one on the point behind that. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. On each throw the player also plays a throw of 6 in addition to the throw presented by the dice. Pieces move in an anti-clockwise direction around the board. A piece cannot move to a point that is occupied by more than one of the opponent's pieces. If a piece lands on a point occupied by a single piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must enter again from the leftmost point in the row where the pieces began. A piece may be borne off the board when a throw is greater than the number of points left on the board. The first player to bear all of their pieces off the board wins.
Content "England: Baralie (K. 159a). Only differs from 6.2.13 in that it is played with two dice and an invariable throw of 6 instead of a third die." Murray 1951: 123 citing Royal Manuscript 13 A XVIII now in the British Library.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Royal Mamuscript 13 A XVIII. British Library.
Id DLP.Evidence.1813
Type Rules text
Game Imperial
Location England
Date 1300-01-01 - 1350-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half, where the spaces are rendered as points. Fifteen pieces per player. Three six-sided dice. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions, one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left. Pieces begin on the board, five each on the sixth, seventh, and eighth point in their track. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. Pieces move in an anti-clockwise direction around the board. A piece cannot move to a point that is occupied by more than one of the opponent's pieces. If a piece lands on a point occupied by a single piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must enter again from the beginning of the player's track. A piece may be borne off the board when a throw is greater than the number of points left on the board. The first player to bear all of their pieces off the board wins.
Content "England (14th c.): Imperial (K.159as) Three dice. C has E af; M amnz; B tz and five men on f, g, and h. D has E zt; M znma; B fa and five men on t, s, and p." Murray 1951: 123, quotinf Royal Manuscript 13 A XVIII now in the British Library.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Royal Mamuscript 13 A XVIII. British Library.
Id DLP.Evidence.1814
Type Rules text
Game Myles
Location England
Date 1300-01-01 - 1350-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half, where the spaces are rendered as points. Fifteen pieces per player. Two six-sided dice. Both players begin on the same side of the board, one player (who plays first) with five pieces on the rightmost point of the starting row, four on the fifth and sixth points and two in the eleventh point in the opposite row. The other player has three pieces each on the right five points in the second row.Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. On each throw the player also plays a throw of 6 in addition to the throw presented by the dice. Pieces move in an anti-clockwise direction around the board. A piece cannot move to a point that is occupied by more than one of the opponent's pieces. If a piece lands on a point occupied by a single piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must enter again from the leftmost point in the row where the pieces began. A piece may be borne off the board when a throw is greater than the number of points left on the board. The first player to bear all of their pieces off the board wins.
Content "England: name unrecorded but Strutt calls it Myles (K. 159b). Two dice and an invariable throw of 6 instead of the third die. Both players have E af; M amnz; B tz. C, who plays first, has five men on m, four on r and s, two on x; D has three on n, o, p, q, r." Murray 1951: 123 quoting Kings Manuscript 13 A XVIII now in the British Library.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Royal Mamuscript 13 A XVIII. British Library.
Id DLP.Evidence.1815
Type Rules text
Game Provincial
Location England
Date 1300-01-01 - 1350-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half, where the spaces are rendered as points. Fifteen pieces per player. Three six-sided dice. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions, one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left. Pieces begin on the board, each player with eight pieces on the sixth and seven on the eighth point of their track. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. Pieces move in an anti-clockwise direction around the board. A piece cannot move to a point that is occupied by more than one of the opponent's pieces. If a piece lands on a point occupied by a single piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must enter again from the beginning of the player's track. A piece may be borne off the board when a throw is greater than the number of points left on the board. The first player to bear all of their pieces off the board wins.
Content "England: Provincial (K. 159a). A variety of 6.2.20. Three dice. C has E af; M amnz; B tz and eight men on f and seven on g. D has E z; M znma; B fa and eight men on t and seven on s." Murray 1951: 123 quoting the fourteenth century Kings Manuscript 13 A XVIII now in the British Library.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Royal Mamuscript 13 A XVIII. British Library.
Id DLP.Evidence.1816
Type Rules text
Game Ludus Anglicorum
Location England
Date 1300-01-01 - 1300-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of semi-circular sockets, into which the pieces fit. Fifteen pieces per player. Three six-sided dice. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. One player begins with all of their pieces on the space furthest to the left on their side, the other with their pieces on the point directly opposite it. Pieces move in opposite directions around the board, toward the point where the opponent's pieces begin, and bearing off the board from there. A player cannot have two of their pieces on the same spot in the starting half of the board. When a piece lands on the same space as a single opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must enter again into the quadrant of the board from which it started. The first person to bear off all their pieces wins.
Content "England: Ludus Anglicorum (K. 158a)...Three dice. In England if only two dice are available, an invariable throw of 6, for the third die, or the player or his opponent chooses the third throw. Neither player can re-enter a man on a point already occupied by one of his own men or pile men in his half of the board." Murray 1951: 124, quoting the fourteenth century Kings Manuscript 13 A XVIII now in the British Library.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., Royal Mamuscript 13 A XVIII. British Library.
Id DLP.Evidence.1817
Type Rules text
Game Ludus Lombardorum
Location England
Date 1300-01-01 - 1350-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half. Spaces on each side take the form of points. Fifteen pieces per player. Two or three six-sided dice. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. One player begins with all of their pieces on the space furthest to the left on their side, the other with their pieces on the point directly opposite it. Pieces move in opposite directions around the board, only on the left half of the board where the pieces begin, toward the point where the opponent's pieces begin, and bearing off the board from there. A player cannot have two of their pieces on the same spot in the starting quadrant. When a piece lands on the same space as an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is sent back to where it began. The first person to bear off all their pieces wins.
Content "England: Ludus Lombardorum (K. 159a). The same as 6.2.25 but confined to the two tables af and tz." Murray 1951: 124, quoting the fourteenth century Kings Manuscript 13 A XVIII now in the British Library.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1818
Type Rules text
Game Jacquet de Versailles
Location France
Date 1840-01-01 - 1840-01-01
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half, where the spaces are rendered as points. Fifteen pieces per player. Two six-sided dice. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. When doubles are thrown, the player may move the value of one of the die (n), n times (e.g., double sixes allows a player to move 6 six times, double twos allow a player to move 2 twice). Each player begins by entering one piece onto the board according to their first throw. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left.This first piece must reach the opposite quadrant of the board from where it entered before the player may enter any other pieces. in the quadrant where the players enter their pieces, that player may only have two or more pieces on a point on a maximum of two points. When all of the player's pieces have entered the opposite quadrant from the one in which they entered, they may begin to bear off. The first player to bear off all their pieces wins. It is considered a double win if the player bears off all their pieces before the opponent bears off any.
Content "C'est un simple modification de jeu précédent, imaginée pour accélérer la partie. On multiplie les doublets on par 4, comme au jacquet ordinaire, mais par eux-mêmes. Ainsi la double as (1x1) ne donne droit qu'a jouer un point; le double deux (2x2), donne le droit d'en jouer 4; le doublt six (6x6) permet d'enb jouer 36. Aucun coup de dé ne doit être perdu, d'où résultent les conséquences suivantes: les deux joueurs débutent par tirer la primauté en jetant chacun de dé. Celui qui amène le point le plus élevé gagne la primauté et jour les deux points de ce premier coup; quand c'est un doublet, les deux joueurs font chacun ce doublet et recommencent à tirer; quand ils amènent encored un doublet, ils le font et retirent la primauté. Quand un joueur ne peut jouer la valeur de ses deux dès, il joue le plus fort, et l'adversaire fait l'autre. Quand le joueur ne peut faire aucun de ses dés, l'adversaire fait les deux dés/ Si l'adversaire lui-même ne peut faire le compte des deuc dees sans ouvrir une case au joueur, celui-ci reprend immédiatement la main et fait le second point. Le joueur qui a toutes ses dames entrées dans le gran jan de son adversaire, les retire d'après les points de dés qu'il amène. Le premier qui a sorti toutes ses dames, gagne la partie. La partie est double quand l'adversaire n'a sorti aucune dame. " Moulidars 1840: 145-146.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source de Moulidars, T. 1840. Grande encyclopédie méthodique, universelle, illustrée des jeus et des divertissements de l'esprit et du corps. Paris: Librairie illustrée.
Id DLP.Evidence.1819
Type Rules text
Game Jacquet
Location France
Date 1840-01-01 - 1840-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half, where the spaces are rendered as points. Fifteen pieces per player. Two six-sided dice. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. When doubles are thrown, the player plays the throw twice. Each player begins by entering one piece onto the board according to their first throw. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left). One piece must reach the opposite quadrant of the board from where it entered before the player may place more than one piece on a point. When a piece lands on a point occupied by a single opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must enter the board again. When all of the player's pieces have entered the opposite quadrant from the one in which they entered, they may begin to bear off. The first player to bear off all their pieces wins.
Content "Dans cette modification du trictrac, chacun des deux joueur empile ses dames, 5 par 5, dans le coins à gauche de son adversaire, comme au revertier. On tire au plus fort dé pour savoir qui jouera le premier. Celui que le sort a désigné agite les deux dés dans son cornet, les jette comme pour le trictrac, les nomme et joue. Le marche a pour but de conduire les dames tout le long des tables pour les amener dans le compartiment de droite de joueur. Au début, on ne peur accoupler les dames sur aucune flèche avant que l'une d'elles ne soit rentrée, c'est-à-dire arrivée à la 4e et dernière table; on commence donc par lancer en avant une dame nommée courrier, que l'on fait rentrer la première; pour cela, on profite du premier doublet. Les doublets comptent doubles; c'est-à-dire que si l'on amène quine, qui vaut 10 points, ou compte 20 points et l'on en profite pour faire franchir 20 flèches à une dame. Une dame étant rentrée, on peut à volonté rentre les autres ou accoupler les dames ou boucher le passage à l'adversaire.Si au premier coup on amenait sonnez, on ne pourrait jouer qu;un 6, le second étant occupé par les piles de l'adversaire et une seconde dame ne pouvant jouer avant que la première soit rentrée. Mais si l'on amène sonnez après avoir déjà rentré une dame et si l'on n'a pas, en ce moment, d'autre 6 que celui du coin correspondant aux piles de l'adversaire, on fait du bois, c'est à dire que l'on abat 4 dames pour marquer tous les 6. Si, ai premier coup on amène terne, on ne peut jouer que 9, parce que le second 6 est occupé par l'adversaire et que l'on ne peut sortir deux dames. Mais si l'on amène terne lorsque l'on a déjà rentré une dame, on joue 4 dames sur 3, ou bien on marque 12 avec une dame sur 3 et une dame sur 9; ou encore avec deux dames sur 6. Quand toures les dames sont échelonnées sur les flèches qui mènent à la quatrième table, on les rentre dans cette table, après quoi, on les sort, avec mesure et économie, en sortant seles que les dés font battre sur le bord. {Par exemple, so l'on amène 6 et 3, on sort, pour le 6, une dame placée sur la 1re flèche de gauche, et pour le 3, une dame placée sur la 4e flèche de gauche. Quand on n'a pas de dame correspondante au dé, on sort une dame d;un nombre inférieur. Supposons que l'on amène 6 et 3 et que l'on n'ait pas de 6; on sortira le 5 ou à son défaut le 4 et ainsi de suite; mais quand on n'a pas de dame inférieure, on est forcé de jouer une dame supérieure et de la faire avancer du nombre amené. Ayant amené 3, si l'on n'a ni 3, ni 2, ni as, on est tenu de faire marcher 4, 5, ou 6 et de les avancer de 3 flèches vers la sortie. Un joueur habile s'etend et occupe le plus grand nombre possible de flèches, l'adversaire ne pouvant se placer sur une flèche occuppée; on retarde ainsi sa marche. Les dames qui ne peuvent atteindre la 4e table reçoivent le nom de cochonnets. Le joueur a qui reste un cochonnet a perdu. Celui qui parveient le premier à faire sortir toutes ses dames a gagné. Les autres regles générales du jacquet sont les mêmes que celles du trictrac. Généralement on joue la partie simplel mais on peut convenir qu;elle serait double, so le perdant rentrait toutes ses dames dans la 4ed partie de la botte sans en sortir une seile avant que le gagnant eut sorti toutes les siennes; triple, s'il restait des dames dans le 3e partie; quadruple, s'il en restait dans le 2e; quintuple; s'il en restait dans la 1e, c'est à-dire dans celle qui a le talon." Moulidars 1840: 183-184.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source de Moulidars, T. 1840. Grande encyclopédie méthodique, universelle, illustrée des jeus et des divertissements de l'esprit et du corps. Paris: Librairie illustrée.
Id DLP.Evidence.1820
Type Rules text
Game Garanguet
Location France
Date 1840-01-01 - 1840-12-31
Rules The game is played on a board with twelve points on either side. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left). Each player has fifteen pieces, which all begin on the first point of their track. Three dice are used. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. When a player rolls triples, the throw is played three times. If a player throws a pair among the three dice, they play the dice as normal if the third die has a greater value than the value which appears twice. If the value of the third die is lower, the player plays the doubles twice and the single value once. When a piece lands on a point with a single piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must enter again from the quadrant of the board from which it began. When a piece reaches the end of the track, it may bear off the board with a throw greater than the number of points remaining in the track. The player who bears off all their pieces first wins.
Content "Le garanguet se joue avec trois dés. On place les talons comme au trictrac et l'on joue les dames de manière à les amener dans la région où se trouve le talon de l'adversaire. Celui qui a sorti le premier gagne le trou, ou deux trous, si la partie double a été convenue. Quand il se trouve un doublet dans les trois dés, on le joue double, pourvu que l'un des nombres qui le composent soit plus fort que le troisième dé; dans le cas contraire, on le joue comme un autre nombre. Ainsi lorsque nous anemons 2, 2 et 3, nous jouns 7 points, en une, deux, ou trois dames; mais si nous amenons 4, 4, et 3, nous jouons 16 points pour les carmes et 3 pour le 3e dé. Quand on amène trois nombres égaux, ce qui forme un triplet, les joue trois fois." Moulidars 1840: 180.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source de Moulidars, T. 1840. Grande encyclopédie méthodique, universelle, illustrée des jeus et des divertissements de l'esprit et du corps. Paris: Librairie illustrée.
Id DLP.Evidence.1821
Type Ethnography
Game Bakkis
Location Somaliland
Date 1856-01-01 - 1856-12-31
Rules Name of the game. Played similarly to Pachisi.
Content "Citizens and the more civilized are fond of "Bakkis," which, as its name denotes, is a corruption of the well-known Indian Pachisi." Burton 1856: 30.
Confidence 100
Source Burton, R. 1856. First footprints in East Africa. London: Tylston.
Id DLP.Evidence.1822
Type Rules text
Game Panchi
Location 12°17'44.92"N, 76°38'21.77"E
Date 1794-01-01 - 1868-12-31
Rules A track of eleven squares, with marks in the two outer and central squares. Ten further squares extending from the central square, with markings in the fifth and final squares. Including this fifth square, a square track with eleven squares per side, with a marked square in each corner and middle square of each side. Five pieces per player. Seven cowries used as dice. The number of mouths up equals the value of the throw; when no mouths are up the player loses their turn. Players begin from opposite ends of the bottom track, and proceed up the vertical track, around the square, and then up the remainder of the vertical track. A player must throw a 1, 5, or 5 to enter the board. Throws of 1, 5, or 7 grant the player another throw. If a piece lands on a space occupied by a piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must enter again. Pieces resting on a marked square are safe from begin sent back.The player who moves all five of their pieces beyond the final space in the vertical row with an exact throw wins.
Content "This game is called "Panchi", is played by two persons to mark out along the track starting from the opposing crosscut squares, the first player to complete the looped course and return home wins. The track is set out as a series of cells with right angle turns, square holes of 5x5 cells forms a looped circuit, cross-cut cells (representing safe squares) occur at the corners and at the junction of the right angle turns. The board has 60 squares. out of which 48 are looped circuit and 12 are safe squares. Players have 5 pawns each of red and black color and the game is played by 7 cowries. The action is controlled by throwing cowries, requiring 1, 5, or 7 to enter the game and the same number allows the player to play again. The other numbers 2, 3, 4, and 6 allow the player to normally move his pawn. When all the 7 cowries are thrown on their back, the player loses a chance. Landing on an opposing player's piece captures the piece, unless the piece is on a cross cur Safe Square. An exact throw is required to 'get out' and thereby win the game." Vasanth 2006: 32.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Vasantha, R. 2006. Maharaja's Games and Puzzles. Kelkheim: Foerderkreis Schach-Geschichtsforschung e. V.
Id DLP.Evidence.1823
Type Ethnography
Game Thaayam
Location Deccan
Date 1956-01-01 - 1956-12-31
Rules 5x5 board, marked with an X in the central square and the midpoints of the outer circuit of spaces. Four players. Four pieces per player. Four seeds, with one white side and one dark side, used as dice. The values of the throws are equal to the number of white sides up, except when no white sides are up the throw equals 8. Throws of 1, 4, and 8 grant the player another throw. Players make all of the throws in their turn first, and then move a the values of the throws individually. A player cannot subdivide the value of a single throw between pieces, but may move more than one piece in a turn if they have multiple throws, moving a piece the value of an entire throw. Pieces may only enter the board with a throw of 1. When beginning, throws made before a throw of 1 do not count and cannot be played. Pieces enter on the marked square on the outer track of the square in front of the player. Pieces move anticlockwise around the outer squares of the board until they reach the square just before the square from which they started, then moving to the inner track and moving clockwise, and then onto the central square. Multiple pieces may occupy the same square. If a player's piece lands on a spot occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and must be entered again. If the opponent has multiple pieces on this spot, they all are sent to the beginning. Sending an opponent's piece off the board grants the player another throw. Pieces on marked squares cannot be sent off the board. If a player has two pieces on the marked square on the opposite side of the board from the one in which they begin, the player may declare these as a twin which then play as one piece. Twins move half the value of a throw, rounding down. Twins may only be sent off the board by another twin. Twins may not send back to start a single piece belonging to an opponent. When sent off the board, the twins enter the board again as single pieces. When the twin reaches the central space, it becomes two single pieces again. When all of a player's pieces are in the central square, they may begin bearing them off. A throw of 1 is required to bear a piece off. The player who bears off all their pieces first wins.
Content Detailed description of Thaayam provided by Bell as described to him by Dr. M. Thillai-nayagam in 156. Bell 1979: 20.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Bell, R.C. 1979. Board and Table Games from Many Civilizations. New York: Dover.
Id DLP.Evidence.1824
Type Rules text
Game Mysore Tiger Game
Location 12°17'44.92"N, 76°38'21.77"E
Date 1794-01-01 - 1868-12-31
Rules A triangle, with a point in the center and lines connecting it to the apex and the midpoints of the two sides which meet at the apex. One person players as the tiger, which begins on the apex. The other person plays as three people. Players alternate turns, with the person playing as the people first placing a person on the board, and then the tiger moving to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. When all of the people have been placed, the people move on the board in the same fashion. The tiger may capture one of the people by jumping over it to an empty adjacent spot immediately on the opposite side of one of the peeople along the lines of the board. The tiger wins when it captures one person, the people win when they can block the tiger from being able to move.
Content "The game is one player has a tiger and the other many men with sword (hunters). The tiger is usually placed on the apex of the triangle and the second player enters his men, once at a time in alternative moves with the moves of the tiger. All the pieces move in the same way, one step along the marked line, but the men cannot be moved until all are entered. The tiger, which alone can capture, takes men by the short leap. The tiger wins if he eats so many men that they cannot confine him, the men if they succeed in reducing the tiger to immobility." Vasantha 2006: 31, with a diagram of this one in fig. 15.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Vasantha, R. 2006. Maharaja's Games and Puzzles. Kelkheim: Foerderkreis Schach-Geschichtsforschung e. V.
Id DLP.Evidence.1825
Type Rules text
Game Mysore Tiger Game (Three Tigers)
Location 12°17'44.92"N, 76°38'21.77"E
Date 1794-01-01 - 1868-12-31
Rules A triangle, with two lines drawn from the apex to the base. A rectangle is drawn across the triangle, and another line connecting the midpoints of the short sides of the rectangle. One player plays as three tigers, the other as seventeen people. One tiger begins on the apex of the triangle and the other two may be placed anywhere. Players alternate turns, with the person playing as the people first placing a person on the board, and then one of the tigers moving to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. When all of the people have been placed, the people move on the board in the same fashion. The tigers may capture one of the people by jumping over it to an empty adjacent spot immediately on the opposite side of one of the people along the lines of the board. The tigers win when they captures all of the people, the people win when they can block the tiger from being able to move.
Content ""The game is one player has a tiger and the other many men with sword (hunters). The tiger is usually placed on the apex of the triangle and the second player enters his men, once at a time in alternative moves with the moves of the tiger. All the pieces move in the same way, one step along the marked line, but the men cannot be moved until all are entered. The tiger, which alone can capture, takes men by the short leap. The tiger wins if he eats so many men that they cannot confine him, the men if they succeed in reducing the tiger to immobility." Vasantha 2006: 31, with a diagram of this one in fig. 16, with the caption stating that one tiger begins on the apex and the other two are placed anywhere. Seventeen people.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Vasantha, R. 2006. Maharaja's Games and Puzzles. Kelkheim: Foerderkreis Schach-Geschichtsforschung e. V.
Id DLP.Evidence.1826
Type Rules text
Game Mysore Tiger Game (Two Tigers)
Location 12°17'44.92"N, 76°38'21.77"E
Date 1794-01-01 - 1868-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each quadrant. At the midpoint of each side, the apex of a triangle. A line is drawn from the apex to the base of each triangle, and another line bisecting this one and the two opposite sides of the triangle. One player plays as two tigers, the other as 25 people. One tiger begins on the central point, and the other may be placed anywhere on the board. Players alternate turns, with the person playing as the people first placing a person on the board, and then one of the tigers moving to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. When all of the people have been placed, the people move on the board in the same fashion. The tigers may capture one of the people by jumping over it to an empty adjacent spot immediately on the opposite side of one of the people along the lines of the board. The tigers win when they captures all of the people, the people win when they can block the tiger from being able to move.
Content ""The game is one player has a tiger and the other many men with sword (hunters). The tiger is usually placed on the apex of the triangle and the second player enters his men, once at a time in alternative moves with the moves of the tiger. All the pieces move in the same way, one step along the marked line, but the men cannot be moved until all are entered. The tiger, which alone can capture, takes men by the short leap. The tiger wins if he eats so many men that they cannot confine him, the men if they succeed in reducing the tiger to immobility." Vasantha 2006: 31, with a diagram of this one in fig. 17, with the caption" 2 tiger-25 men moved in 49 points. One tiger at the centre and the other is free to be placed anywhere."
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Vasantha, R. 2006. Maharaja's Games and Puzzles. Kelkheim: Foerderkreis Schach-Geschichtsforschung e. V.
Id DLP.Evidence.1827
Type Ethnography
Game Padaivettu
Location Tamil Nadu
Date 2019-01-01 - 2019-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines. Triangles on each side, with the apex intersecting with the midpoint of the side of the square. A line is drawn from the apex to the base of each triangle, and a line bisecting it and the two opposite sides. A diamond is drawn within the square, the corners of which intersect with the apices of the triangles and the midpoint of each side is the center point of each quadrant of the square. 24 pieces per player, which begin on the points of the board closest to the player and in the triangle to their right and the right half of the central row. The central point is vacant. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot on the board. A piece may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty adjacent spot immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's pieces along the lines on the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content " The Paidavettu gameboard is drawn beautifully with forty-nine points(fig. 2)...Two players play this game with two different types of coins. In villages they use small stones and pieces of pottery. Each has 24 game pieces. There are 49 points to move the game pieces. It is also known as 48 Paidavettu. All the 48 game pieces are kept in 48 points in their respective places. The centre point has no coin and left vacant. The first player will move his game piece to the vacant centre point. Immediately it is cut by the other player and the game proceeds further. In the subsequent moves each player has to make strategic moves so that he could escape from getting cut and at the same time do the maximum cutting of opponent's game pieces." Balambal 2019: 6-7.
Confidence 100
Social status Non-Elite
Source Balambal, V. 2019. "Traditional Board Games, Women, and Society. In R. Gowri Raghavan and D. Kamath (eds.), Playing with the Past: National Conference on Ancient and Medieval Board Games. Mumbai: Instucen Trust, p. 2-19.
Id DLP.Evidence.1828
Type Ethnography
Game Apit
Location Malaya
Date 1915-01-01 - 1915-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. An opponent's piece may be captured when it is surrounded on opposite sides by two of the player's pieces. When a player moves a piece between two of the opponent's pieces, both of the opponent's pieces are taken.
Content "Apit is played on a draught-board. If a player can plae one of his pieces on each side of a hostile piece he takes it, or if he can move one of his own between two of the enemy's he takes both." Wilkinson 1915: 57.
Confidence 100
Source Wilkinson, R. 1915. Malay Literature Part II. Kuala Lumpur: Government Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1829
Type Artistic depiction
Game Borobodur Game
Location 7°36'28.78"S,110°12'13.88"E
Date 0900-01-01 - 0999-12-31
Rules 2x12 board. The center of the board is either decorated with a floral motif or with five pieces on the same spot. Either eleven or sixteen pieces. Two cubic dice. Not all pieces are on the board at the same time. More than one piece can occupy a space.
Content Game playing scene shown on the Borobodur Stupa in Java. Tenth Century. Two people are playing a game with 2x12 rectangles, with incurved sides. The central point either has five pieces on it ot a floral decorative motif. Five pieces are on the board (two in one space, three in another), and two are off the board in front of one player, four are off the board in front of the other. Two six-sided dice. Soar 2007: 195-196.
Confidence 100
Source Soar, M. "2007. Board Games and Backgammon in Ancient Indian Sculpture. In I. Finkel (ed.), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press, p. 177-231.
Id DLP.Evidence.1830
Type Ethnography
Game Sig (Dguache)
Location 33°59'35.44"N, 8°13'41.27"E
Date 1990-01-01 - 1990-12-31
Rules 6x6 grid of holes, with the central row extended another six holes.
Content "N'oublions pas de noter que le sig est aussi très connu sur le continent dans les oasis du Sud-Ouest telles que Tozeur, Degache, Nefta etc. A Degache, le tracé se présente sous forme de creux alignés dans le sable en trois rangées de 6, puis de 12, puis de 16 trous (cf. fig. 13). Ses trois rangées, qu'elles soient disposées en forme d'hélice, en damier, ou parallèles, évoquent les trous effectués, à diverses époques archéologiues et historiques..." Akkari-Weriemmi 1190: 318.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Akkari-Weriemmi, J. 1990. "Jeux traditionnels de Jerba (Tunisie). IBLA: revue de l'Institut des belles lettres arabes 53(156): 297-320.
Id DLP.Evidence.1831
Type Ethnography
Game Fang
Location Xinjiang
Location 43°21'40.85"N, 88°18'38.30"E
Date 1992-09-01 - 1997-12-31
Rules 7x7 board, with diagonals in the square formed by the central 3x3 lines. 24 pieces per player. Black plays first. Players alternate turns placing a piece on one of the empty spots on the board. They attempt to orthogonally surround an empty point with four of their pieces, making a square. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns removing one of their opponent's pieces from the board. They then move one of their pieces along the lines of the board to the place left vacant by the piece they removed. When a player makes a new square, they may remove another of the opponent's pieces from the board. Pieces that are in a square around an empty point may not be captured, and captures are not made in the placement phase. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Detailed description of the rules of Feng, documented while observing young men workers playing in Dabanchen in early September 1992 and from a Uighur man in 1997. The game was taught to the second man by his grandfather, who said it was a traditional Uighur game. Masukawa 2002: 33-36.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder, Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Masukawa, K. 2002. "Appendix: "Fang-An Unrecognised Chinese Board Game." Board Game Studies 5: 33-37.
Id DLP.Evidence.1832
Type Artifact
Game Four-Fang
Location 34°33'33.07"N,112°28'4.43"E
Date 0680-01-01 - 1999-07-31
Rules 4x4 intersecting lines.
Content Graffiti board with 4x4 intersecting lines from Wan fu Cave at Longmen, China. The cave was made during the Tang Dynasty, but the board was found in July 1999. Found in the back room of the cave. Shimizu and Miyahara 2002: 25, 29, fig. 6.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public, Ritual
Source Shimizu, Y. and S. Miyahara. 2002. "Game Boards in the Longmen Caves and the Game of Fang." Board Game Studies 5: 25-33.
Id DLP.Evidence.1833
Type Ethnography
Game Four-Fang
Location Shaanxi; Qinghai
Location 30°36'5.61"N, 114°17'39.33"E; 39°44'56.81"N,116° 8'35.74"E; 34°44'47.80"N,113°37'31.18"E
Date 1999-07-01 - 1999-12-31
Rules 4x4 board.
Content Account describing the presence of Fang games in Shaanxi province, China, from people from Wuhan, Fangshan, Zhengzhou, and Qinghai province. Shimizu and Miyahara 2002: 31-32.
Confidence 100
Source Shimizu, Y. and S. Miyahara. 2002. "Game Boards in the Longmen Caves and the Game of Fang." Board Game Studies 5: 25-33.
Id DLP.Evidence.1834
Type Ethnography
Game Cheng Fang Cheng Long
Location Shaanxi; Qinghai
Location 30°36'5.61"N, 114°17'39.33"E;39°44'56.81"N,116° 8'35.74"E; 34°44'47.80"N,113°37'31.18"E
Date 1997-07-01 - 1999-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines. Forming squares on the board with a player's pieces is considered beneficial.
Content Account describing the presence of Fang games in Shaanxi province, China, from people from Wuhan, Fangshan, Zhengzhou, and Qinghai province. "Furthermore, we could get a lot of information about "fang" from a person from Hubei province, whom we met in Shaanxi province. This person was from Fangshan prefecture...Five-line "fang" is commonly played there also. He said that there fang is called cheng fang cheng long (with fang meaning "square" and long meaning "drgon" this term indicates, that the player who creates a square will be lucky). Shimizu and Miyahara 2002: 31-32.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder, Adolescent, Adult
Genders Male
Source Shimizu, Y. and S. Miyahara. 2002. "Game Boards in the Longmen Caves and the Game of Fang." Board Game Studies 5: 25-33.
Id DLP.Evidence.1835
Type Ethnography
Game Seven-Fang
Location Shaanxi; Qinghai
Location 30°36'5.61"N, 114°17'39.33"E; 39°44'56.81"N,116° 8'35.74"E; 34°44'47.80"N,113°37'31.18"E
Date 1997-07-01 - 1999-12-31
Rules 7x7 intersecting lines.
Content Account describing the presence of Fang games in Shaanxi province, China, from people from Wuhan, Fangshan, Zhengzhou, and Qinghai province. Shimizu and Miyahara 2002: 31-32.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder, Adolescent, Adult
Genders Male
Source Shimizu, Y. and S. Miyahara. 2002. "Game Boards in the Longmen Caves and the Game of Fang." Board Game Studies 5: 25-33.
Id DLP.Evidence.1836
Type Artifact
Game Eleven-Fang
Location 34°33'33.07"N,112°28'4.43"E
Date 0680-01-01 - 1936-12-31
Rules 11x11 intersecting lines.
Content Graffiti game board from Wan fu Cave at Longshen, China. Cave was built during the Tang Dynasty, and the game is in a photograph from 1936. Chimizu and Miyahara 2002: 25, 29, Figs. 3, 5.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public, Ritual
Source Shimizu, Y. and S. Miyahara. 2002. "Game Boards in the Longmen Caves and the Game of Fang." Board Game Studies 5: 25-33.
Id DLP.Evidence.1837
Type Ethnography
Game Eleven-Fang
Location Shaanxi; Qinghai
Location 30°36'5.61"N, 114°17'39.33"E; 39°44'56.81"N,116° 8'35.74"E; 34°44'47.80"N,113°37'31.18"E
Date 1997-07-01 - 1999-12-31
Rules 11x11 intersecting lines.
Content Account describing the presence of Fang games in Shaanxi province, China, from people from Wuhan, Fangshan, Zhengzhou, and Qinghai province. Shimizu and Miyahara 2002: 31-32.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder, Adolescent, Adult
Genders Male
Source Shimizu, Y. and S. Miyahara. 2002. "Game Boards in the Longmen Caves and the Game of Fang." Board Game Studies 5: 25-33.
Id DLP.Evidence.1838
Type Ethnography
Game Huli-Mane Ata
Location 15°19'29.65"N, 76°28'10.86"E
Date 2003-01-01 - 2003-12-31
Rules A triangle, with a line drawn from the apex to the base, and two lines drawn through the height connecting the opposite two sides. one player pays as one tiger, the other as five lambs. The tiger begins on the apex of the triangle. The tiger moves to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. The player who plays as the lambs plays first, placing a lamb on an empty spot on the board, and then the tiger player moves. When all of the lambs are placed, the lambs move in the same manner as the tiger. The tiger may capture a lamb by hopping over it to an empty space on the opposite adjacent side of the lamb along the lines on the board. The lambs win when they block the tiger from being able to move, the tiger wins by capturing enough lambs so that it cannot be blocked.
Content "This hunt game is played only by children with one tiger and five lambs, played on ten points, keeping tiger on the vertex and is termed the simplest game." Vasantha 2003: 27-28, fig. 4.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Social status Non-Elite
Source Vasantha, R. 2003. "Board Games from the City of Vijayanagara (Hampi), 1336-1565: a survey and a study." Board Game Studies 6: 25-36.
Id DLP.Evidence.1839
Type Artifact
Game Huli-Mane Ata
Location 15°19'29.65"N, 76°28'10.86"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 2003-12-31
Rules A triangle, with a line drawn from the apex to the base, and two lines drawn through the height connecting the opposite two sides.
Content Graffiti game board from Vijayanagara, in the form of the game Huli-Mane Ata as is still played in the region. Vasantha 2003: Fig. 4.
Confidence 100
Spaces Ritual
Source Vasantha, R. 2003. "Board Games from the City of Vijayanagara (Hampi), 1336-1565: a survey and a study." Board Game Studies 6: 25-36.
Id DLP.Evidence.1840
Type Ethnography
Game Pulijudamu
Location 15°19'29.65"N, 76°28'10.86"E
Date 2003-01-01 - 2003-12-31
Rules A triangle, with a line drawn from the apex to the base. A rectangle intersects with the triangle, and has a line connecting the midpoints of the short sides. One player plays as the tiger(s), one to four in number. The other player plays as five to 23 goats (or dogs, or lambs). The tiger is placed on the apex of the triangle, and any additional tigers on the spots adjacent to the apex. The tiger player moves by moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. The goat player begins by placing a goat on an empty point on the board, and then the tiger player moves. When all of the goats are placed, they move like the tiger. The tier may capture a goat by hopping over it to an empty spot on the opposite adjacent side of the goat along the lines of the board. The goats win by blocking the tiger(s) from being able to move; the tiger(s) win by capturing enough goats to prevent them from blocking it/them.
Content "Three tigers and fifteen lambs, played on 19 points. One player has 3 tigers and the
other 15 lambs which are commonly called as “dogs”; the tiger is usually placed on the
apex of the triangle and the second player enters his lambs. All the pieces move in the
same way, one step along a marked line, but the lambs cannot be moved until all are
entered. The tiger, which alone can capture, takes lambs by the short leap. The tiger
wins if he takes so many lambs that they cannot confine him; the lambs win if they succeed in reducing the tiger to immobility.General rule: the number of tigers varies from 1 to 4, and the number of goats from
5 to 23. General notion in the region is that the Grand Master is one who plays with
more number of tigers and less number of lambs. Locally this game is also termed a gambling game." Vasantha 2003: 28.
Confidence 100
Social status Non-Elite
Source Vasantha, R. 2003. "Board Games from the City of Vijayanagara (Hampi), 1336-1565: a survey and a study." Board Game Studies 6: 25-36.
Id DLP.Evidence.1841
Type Contemporary text
Game Pulijudamu
Location 15°19'29.65"N, 76°28'10.86"E
Date 1500-01-01 - 1500-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content "Nanjunda, in his Ramanatha charite (1500), has devoted a chapter on games played
at Vijayanagara, and narrates how princess Hariyaladevi advised his son Rama not to
play the ball game, the hunt game (pulijudam) and the game played with cowry shells,
which were meant only to ordinary people and not to royalty" Vasantha 2003: 28.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Source Vasantha, R. 2003. "Board Games from the City of Vijayanagara (Hampi), 1336-1565: a survey and a study." Board Game Studies 6: 25-36.
Id DLP.Evidence.1842
Type Artifact
Game Pulijudamu
Location 15°19'29.65"N, 76°28'10.86"E
Date 1200-12-31 - 2003-12-31
Rules A triangle, with a line drawn from the apex to the base. A rectangle intersects with the triangle, and has a line connecting the midpoints of the short sides.
Content Graffiti Pulijudamu board from the ruins of Vijayanagara. Vasantha 2003: Fig. 5.
Confidence 100
Spaces Ritual
Source Vasantha, R. 2003. "Board Games from the City of Vijayanagara (Hampi), 1336-1565: a survey and a study." Board Game Studies 6: 25-36.
Id DLP.Evidence.1843
Type Artifact
Game Wan Fu Cave Game
Location 34°33'33.07"N,112°28'4.43"E
Date 0680-01-01 - 2002-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each quadrant.
Content Graffiti game board found in the Wan Fu cave at Longmen, China. 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in each quadrant. The cave dates to the Tang Dynasty, but it is uncertain when the game was carved. Shimizu and Miyahara 2002: 25, 29, fig. 4.
Confidence 100
Spaces Ritual
Source Shimizu, Y. and S. Miyahara. 2002. "Game Boards in the Longmen Caves and the Game of Fang." Board Game Studies 5: 25-33.
Id DLP.Evidence.1844
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Aasha
Location 9°55'51.42"N, 76°16'1.90"E
Date 1912-12-01 - 1995-12-31
Rules Twelve pieces per player. Five cowrie shells, one of which is broken on one side, used as dice. pieces "kill" one anther.
Content "The ladies and girls usually played a game called aasha during that season. We made circles on a piece of plank, something like the game of danka. Aasha is played with twelve small shells for each of the two players. You throw five larger cowrie shells with one of them broken on the back, and you move the shells according to the number you get from the throw...this game of twelve killing each other..." Daniel and Johnson 1995: 162.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adult
Genders Female
Source Daniel, R. and B. Johnson. 1995. Ruby of Cochin: An Indian Jewish Woman Remembers. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society.
Id DLP.Evidence.1845
Type Ethnography
Game Aasha
Location 9°55'51.42"N, 76°16'1.90"E
Date 1912-12-01 - 1995-12-31
Rules 3x5 board with a 5 square extension of the central track. The final track of the central row is marked with an X. Two oval depressions on either side of the long track. Twelve pieces per player. Pieces are entered into the oval depressions first, then onto the grid, each player from opposite corners and proceeding down the outer row and to the central track, and then off the board.
Content "For the moment is may be noted that the name of the game is "aasha," and that these rules do indeed dovetail closely with those recovered from Babylonian antiquity. Play follows the projected route assumed above, and involves a two-part strategy, that requires first getting the pieces into a special oval place on the board before they can be entered onto the track. The pieces, now cowrie shells twelve in number, are all identical to one another, while larger cowries function as dice to move the pieces." Finkel 1999: 10, fig. III.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adult
Genders Female
Source Finkel, I. 1999. " The Sedentary Games of India: An Introduction. In R. Nirbed and A. Gosh (eds.), Sedentary Games of India." Kolkata: Asiatic Society, 1-21.
Id DLP.Evidence.1846
Type Ethnography
Game Gioco dell'Orso
Location 45°40'20.32"N, 7°59'27.03"E
Date 1910-01-01 - 1994-12-31
Rules Two concentric circles, with four radii from the outer circle to in the center, dividing the circles into four equal parts. There are four arcs, each of which bisects a radius between where each radius intersects the circumference of each circle, the arc also intersecting with the outer circle's circumference. One player plays as a bear, which begins on the central point, the other as three hunters, which begin on any three points on the inner circle. The bear plays first. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. When the bear is unable to move, the game ends and the players play again, switching sides. The player who lasts longest while playing as the bear wins.
Content "Le regole del gioco ci sono state illustrate da un anziano forgnenghese che ricorda di averlo molto praticado in giovaentu: Elmiro Jacazio, che all'epoca aveva ottantaquattro anni. Si parte con l'orso (un pezzo di mattone o un sasso abbastanza grande) al centro e i cacciatori (tre sassolini) su tre delle quattro intersezioni del cerchio interno. La belva muove per prima; i giocatori spostano a turno una pedina da un'inersexione all'altra finché l'orso è impossibilitato a muoversi. Un gioco assyimetrico non di cattura né di allineamento, dunque, ma di immobilizzazione. E poiché i cacciatoi prima o poi riescono nel loro intento, la partita si disputa in due manches: tra gli avversari vince chi nei panni dell'orso resiste più a lungo. " Depaulis and Gavazzi 1999: 47.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Depaulis, T. and C. Gavazzi. 1999. "L'orso e i suoi fratelli." Rivista Biellese 3/3: 46-50.
Id DLP.Evidence.1847
Type Ethnography
Game Ishighän
Location Agadez
Date 1976-01-01 - 1976-12-31
Rules The board is drawn in the sand, with any large number of holes in a spiral pattern. The starting point is before the first hole in the outer rign of the spiral, and is made as a mound of sand; the goal is another mound of sand at the center of the spiral. Each player has one piece, which they place on the starting mound. Another piece, the hyena, also begins on the starting mound. Four throwing sticks, with a black side and a white side, used as dice. The values of the throws are as follows: four white sides = 20; three white sides = 5; two white sides = 0; one white sides = 9; all black sides = 80. Players throw, move, and throw again until they throw a 0. When a player reaches the goal, they then play as the hyena on their turn. When the hyena catches up to another player's piece, it drags the piece with it, until throwing a 0. When a 0 is thrown, the player moves back to the place where they were before the hyena dragged them, and must overtake the hyena in this turn. If the player cannot, they are removed from the game. If the player is overtaken by the hyena a second time, they are removed from the game.
Content "Le jeu qui suit est un jeu de veillée, auxquels s'adonnent surtout les jeunes gens. Mais il arrive que tous les membres d'un campement, quel que soit leur âge, y jouent tous ensemble. C'est totalement un jeu de hasard et
on doit pour le pratiquer utiliser un ingénieux artifice destiné à faire
apparaître un nombre indéterminé parmi six, l'équivalent en quelque sorte d'un dé. Il ressemble par certains côtés à notre jeu de l'Oie, par d'autres à notre jeu des Petits Chevaux. Chaque joueur fait avancer son pion sur un circuit en
forme de spirale, jusqu'à en atteindre le centre. Ce circuit est tracé dans le sable, chaque case étant marquée par une petite dépression formée à l'aide du doigt. La case centrale, appelée « Agadez », est placée sur un petit
monticule de sable. La case de départ est également installée sur un petit monticule simplement appelé « dune » (egif). Tous les joueurs placent d'abord au départ des pions constitués par de petites brindilles assez dissemblables pour que chacun puisse reconnaître la sienne. Il existe également une brindille appelée « l'hyène » (tdzorï), qui doit jouer un rôle plus tard au cours de la partie.
Le rôle des dés est tenu par quatre baguettes ďabszgin (Salvadora per- sica), fendues en deux après avoir été écorcées et noircies au feu. Une fois qu'elles sont fendues, leur côté convexe est noir et leur côté plan est blanc.
Le joueur lance ses baguettes et, selon le nombre de côtés blancs et de côtés noirs qu'elles présentent une fois retombées, il marque un certain nombre de points....Il y a cinq combinaisons possibles de côtés noirs et blancs, qu'on représentera avec les lettres N et B. Chaque combinaison a un nom et rapporte un certain nombre de points.Lorsqu'une des baguettes retombe sur l'une de ses extrémités et que le joueur a le temps de la rattraper avant qu'elle se couche sur le côté, il obtient 30 points. Cette configuration est appelée eshigh ightàn « baguette dressée ». Lorsque l'une des baguettes est non pas dressée mais posée sur la tranche (configuration appelée teshàq, forme féminine du mot eshigh), on lui donne une pichenette pour la ramener à une position qui puisse être prise en compte.
Chaque joueur lance à tour de rôle les baguettes et fait avancer son pion du nombre de cases correspondant aux points obtenus et rejoue jusqu'à obtenir la configuration 2N + 2B. Dans la partie observée, les joueurs, disposés en cercle, se succédaient dans l'ordre correspondant au sens direct, mais ce n'est peut-être pas toujours le cas. Le joueur ayant obtenu un « chameau » a de fortes chances d'atteindre aussitôt Agadez, mais une clause
supplémentaire vient compliquer les choses. En effet, lorsque ses adversaires voient le résultat, ils cherchent à s'emparer des baguettes. Quiconque a réussi à saisir une baguette gagne 20 points par baguette et fait aussitôt avancer son pion
du nombre de cases correspondant.Lorsqu'un joueur atteint Agadez, il retire son pion du jeu, même si
le nombre de points obtenus est supérieur à ce qui était strictement nécessaire
(contrairement au jeu de l'Oie où il reculerait d'autant). Lorsque son tour reviendra, il fera avancer le pion appelé « l'hyène ». Tout joueur ayant atteint Agadez fait avancer l'hyène lorsque vient son tour, de sorte que l'hyène n'est pas attribuée à un joueur en particulier.
L'hyène avance selon les mêmes modalités qu'un autre pion. Lorsqu'elle a rattrapé le pion d'un autre joueur, elle l'entraîne avec elle jusqu'à ce que le joueur qui la fait avancer obtienne la configuration 2N + 2B. Lorsque le joueur dont le pion avait été rattrapé par l'hyène doit jouer à son tour, il fait repartir son pion de la case où il se trouvait quand l'hyène l'a rattrapé, et tâche de la doubler avant d'être arrêté par l'obtention de la configuration 2N + 2B. S'il n'y parvient pas, on dit qu'il a été mangé par l'hyène et il se retire du jeu. S'il a pu doubler l'hyène mais est rattrapé plus tard par elle, il est alors éliminé séance tenante. Bien entendu, plus le nombre de joueurs habilités à faire avancer l'hyène est important et plus la situation des joueurs restants est difficile." Casajus 1989: 35-37.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Spaces Outside
Source Casajus, M. 1988. "Jeux touaregs de la région d'Agadez." Journal des africanistes 58:1, 23-49.
Id DLP.Evidence.1848
Type Ethnography
Game Los Palos
Location Chinantla
Date 1943-01-01 - 1953-12-31
Rules The main track of the board is a row of elevent squares, with both end squares and the central square marked with an X. on the left side, a row of four squares runs under and adjacent to the first four squares of the central row. Perpendicular to the left end square of the central row, there is a square and then three triangles. On the opposite end, below and perpendicular to the right end of the central track is a row of four squares, curving slightly to the right. Above the end square of the central row, a triangular space, adjacent to an oval divided into three. Two teams with two players on each team. Players each start from a different point: one from the right square in the bottom left row, one from one of the triangle spaces on the left, one from the end of the curving track on the right, and the other from one of the spaces in the oval. Three pieces per player. Five sticks, with a flat side and a curved sides, used as dice. The value of a throw is equal to the number of flat sides that land face up; five curved sides up = 5. Players move their pieces from their entry points onto the central track of the board and progressing to the opposite end of the board from where they started. Pieces may move backward along the track when they pass the central marked square, and must move backward when they reach the end of the central track. When a player's piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is taken. A piece resting on a space marked with an X is safe from capture. If all of a player's pieces are captured, but their team member still has at least one piece at the start of the player's next turn, the player starts again with three pieces. The team to successfully capture all of their opponent's pieces wins.
Content Ethnography of Chinanteco people in Oaxaca from 1943-1953: "Los palos. a) Se realiza conforme a un dibujo que se hace, con un machete, en la tierra. Quizá el diseño pretenda recrear la forma de un camarón. Su tamaño es, aproximadamente, de 1.10 m. de largo por 40 cm. de ancho.
b) Cado partido se efectúa entre 4 jugadores, en 2 conjuntos contratios. Los miembros de cada pareja son "compañeros" entre sí y "enemigos" de los otros 2 jugadores. Se colocan alrededor de la figura, sentados en bancos de madera, muy bajos, o simplemente en cuclillas.
c) Para hacer las tiradas se emplean, a manera de dados, 4 medias cañas, que miden aproximadamente, 8 cm de largo. El valor de la tirada queda determinado por la posición de los 4 palos al caer en el suelo. Cada vara plana vale un punto; las caras curvas om tienen valor, salvo cuando los 4 palos caen con sus caras curvas hacia arriba, tirada que marca un valor de 5. De est manera, se debe conatr así: 1 cala plana vale 1 punto; 2 caras planas, 2 puntos; 3 caras planas, 3 puntos; 4 caras planas, 4 puntos; 5 caras planas, 5 puntos.
d) Los puntos obtenidos en cada tirada se marcan sobre el dibujo; cada jugador usa 3 piedracillas del río.
e) Para empezar el juego se hace une tirada previa; el jugador que obtiene el valor más alto es el que realiza la primera tirada. La segunda, la hace el jugador contrario que está colocado junto al que tiró inicialmente: esto marca el sentido en que se efectúuan las tiradas.
f) Cada jugador inicia su juego en un extremo del dibujo (a, b, c, d,), collocando cada una de sus piedrecillas en cuadros adjacentes y corriéndolas hacia el extremo contrario, según lo marque el valor de sus tiradas.
g) Cuando la piedra de un jugador llega a un cuadro donde está la piedra de un contrario, se "come" la piedra de su "enemigo." Los cuadros marcados con X son los únicos donde las piedras no pueden "comerse."
h) Cuando un jugador llega al extremo contrario al punto de partida de su contrincante, tiene que iniciar el regreso. Las piedrecillas pueden ganarse sólo durante el trayecto y no a la salida del contrario. (En cierta variante del patolli se puede "comer" no sólo los guijarros del antagonista, sino también los de la línea paralela.) Casi siempre los jugadores llegan al extremo opuesto con una o 2 piedras; pero puede suceder que alguien llegue con las 3 piedras si sus enemigos no le han "comido" ninguna en el trayecto.
i) No es obligatorio llegar al extremo opuesto, pues, una vez rebasada la cruz del centro, si al jugador le conviene, puede regresar las piedras.
j) Si un jugador se queda sin guijarros pueded volver a empezar con otras 3 piedritas, siempre que su compañero tenga todavía, por los menos, una piedra.
k) El juego termina cuando alguno de los miembros de una pareja se queda sin piedras. " Weitlaner and Castro 1973: 191-192.
Confidence 100
Source Weitlaner, R. and C. Castro. 1973. Papeles de la Chinantla VII: Usila Morada de Colibríes. Meciso City: Museo Nacional de Antropología.
Id DLP.Evidence.1849
Type Ethnography
Game Sik
Location Tidikelt
Date 1899-01-01 - 1906-12-31
Rules Spiral board of any number of spaces, rendered as holes in the sand. The first space is a mound. Any number of players. One piece per player, and one piece, the "bankor," all of which begin on the first space on the outer ring of the spiral. Four sticks, with one green and one white side, used as dice. The throws are as follows: One white side up = 1; two white sides up = 0, or 8 when playing as the bankor; three white sides up = 3; four white sides up = 4; four green sides up = 6. A player must throw a 1 to begin moving their piece. Pieces proceed along the spiral toward the central spot. The first player to reach the spot allows the other players three turns, and then begins playing as the bankor. When the bankor overtakes another player's piece, it drags them with it. When the bankor reaches the penultimate spot, the players it is dragging with them loses.
Content Account of Sik as played in Tidikelt by Loui Voinot: "Les enfants et les femmes jouent un jeu ayant beaucoup d'analogie avec notre jeu de l'oie, c'est le sik. On fait sur le sol un petit monticule de sable surmonté d'une brindille de bois nommée bankor, puis de trous à volonté em colimaçon; au centtre se trouvent le jardin et le fou, ce dernier est répresenté par un crottin de mouton. On appelle sik les quatres petits baguette en branche de palmier, qui servent à jouer. Un des côtés a gardé son écorce, l'autre a été blanchi au couteau. Les baguettes jetées à terre peuvent occuper les positions suivantes: Au commencement de la partie chaque joueur dépose un jeton au bankor; pour en sortir il faut faire 1 exactement, ensuite on s'avance sans règle d'arrêt jusqu'au jardin. Le premier arrivé laisse les autres jouer trois coups, et au quatrième il joue tout seul en prenant le bankor comme jeton. A partir de ce moment s'il amène 0 (hasane) il prononce les paroles,son cheval, son fils, le dîner de sa jument et la maison où il couche", en sautant deux cases à chaque membre de phase. Au fur et à mesure qu'il rencontre ceux restés en route, il emmène leur jetons avec lui et les met dans le feu.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adult
Spaces Outside
Genders Female
Source Voinot, L. 1909. Le Tidikelt: étude sur la géographie, l'histoire, les moeurs du pays. Paris: Jacques Gandini.
Id DLP.Evidence.1850
Type Ethnography
Game Boukerourou
Location Tidikelt
Date 1899-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 2x4 board, rendered as holes in the sand. Six counters per hole. A player picks up all of the counters in one of the holes in their row and sows them in am anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the contents of the following hole are picked up and the sowing continues. When the final counter lands in a hole in the opponent's row causing it to contain six counters, these counters are captured. Play continues until one player has no counters in their holes, and the opponent wins.
Content Account by Louis Voinot: "Pour jouer le boukerourou on creuse dans le sable huit trous (quatre par joueur) disposés sur deux rangs, dans chaque trou on dépose six petits pierres. Les partenaires vont en sens inverse, ils partent d'une case quelconque, dont ils enlèvent tous les jetons, et en déposent un dans chacune des cases suivantes. Chaque fois qu'on rencontre un jeton isolé on l'enlève, et on bouche une case de son adversaire dès qu'on lui on a pris six. Le perdant est celui qui se fait boucher le premier ses quatre cases. " Voinot 1909: 133.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Voinot, L. 1909. Le Tidikelt: étude sur la géographie, l'histoire, les moeurs du pays. Paris: Jacques Gandini.
Id DLP.Evidence.1851
Type Ethnography
Game Sig (Mauritania)
Location Tagant
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules The board consists of four rows of any number of holes. Two to twelve players, who play on two equal teams. The number of pieces per team is equal to the number of holes in one row. one team plays as pieces of camel dung, the other as sticks. The pieces begin, one in each hole, in the outer rows of the board. Eight sticks, used as dice, with a marked side and a blank side. The values of the throws are equal to the number of marked sides which land face up. A throw of 4 grants the player another throw. Pieces can only be moved for the first time with a throw of 1 or 8. One piece may move one space on a throw of 1, or eight pieces may each move one space on a throw of 8. Once a piece has made its initial move, it may move according to the throws of the sticks. The bottom team's pieces move from right to left in the home row, left to right in the next row, right to left in the third row, and then into the opponent's home row. The top team moves left to right (from their perspective) in their home row, right to left in the next row, left to right in the next row, and into the bottom player's home row. When a team's piece lands on a space in the central two rows occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is captured. Pieces cannot be captured in the home rows. When a piece moves into the opponent's home row, they move back into the central two rows, moving in the opposite direction as before. After moving into the home row a piece can no longer be captured, even when it is in the central two rows. Play continues until both team's pieces have moved out of their home row and can no longer be captured. Players then alternate turns throwing the sticks, removing one of the opponent's pieces every time a 4 is thrown. A team wins when only their pieces are left on the board.
Content Description by Béart, after Lenoble: "Dans le sig (Mauritanie), les dès seront quelquefois, des bâtonnets fendus en deux longitudinalement, la partie courbe étant pyrogravée, plus souvent ce seront des crottes et des pailles. Les joueurs sont de 2 à 12 partagés en deux camps (N. et S) égaux, un des camps possède comme jetons de marque des crottes des chameau, l'autre des pailles en nombre convenu à l'avance. Une petite dune rectangulaire est élevée, sur laquelle sont tracées deux pistes. Le jeu comprend deux parties, une course et un combat. Au départ, les pions des deux camps sont aus bas de la dune, près des oglats, abreuvoirs, où ils doivent boire avant le départ. S. laance les dès. Si un des bâtonnets montre sa face gravée, un de ses jetons peut s'abreuver et prendre le départ en B, si les huit bâtonnets montrent leur face gravée, huit jetons s'abreuveront et prendront le départ. Pour toute valeur, entre 1 et 8 les jetons ne peuvent s'abreuver. N. lance à son tour, etc..., les jetons ne quittant les oglats que sur un coup de 1 ou de 8. Les autres coups permettent aux jetons en course d'avancer. Un coup de 4 donne le droit de rejouer. Si un jeton de S. tombe sur un jeton de N., celui-ci est tué et éliminé, et inversement. Si tous les pions de S. sont arrivés au but, N. ayant encore quelques pions sur la dune, ces pions sont considérés comme arrivés, puis-que les pions de N. ne peuvent plus les tuer. Si N. a encore des jetons qui n'ont pas gravi la dune pour prendre le départ, il faut attendre pour combattre qu'ils aient réussi à s'abreuver et à partir. S. lance alors ses jetons en prenant la piste à l'envers, dans l'espoir de tuer encore quelques jetons de N. Le combat: Quand tous les jetons non éliminés sont arrivés au but, c'est le combat. Chaque fois qu;un joueur fait 4, un jeton de son adversaire est tué. Le combat se termine, et la partie, quand tous les jetons d'un parti sont éliminés." Béart 1955: 429-430.
Confidence 100
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1852
Type Ethnography
Game Dimraw
Location Trarza
Date 1952-01-01 - 1952-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares. One player plays with twelve pieces, the other as sixteen or more. The player with fewer pieces plays first. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the corners of the squares, or the midpoints of the outer two squares. When a player places three pieces in a row, either along the lines, diagonally along the corners of the squares, or with two in the midpoints of the outer squares and the third in one of the two nearby corners of the central square, they remove one of their opponent's pieces.
Content Account of Hamidoun: "le premier arrivé au jardin laisse les autres pour trois coups, puis joue seul. A mesure qu;il rencontre ceux qui sont restés en arrière, il les met dans le feu. Or, ces jeux se jouent jusqu'a la côte du golfe de Guinée, jusqu'au Benin. La pénétration par le Nord n'est pas exclue, car le jeu est facile, mais il ne serait pas impossible que ces jeux aient une souche commune, un jeu d l'Oie de ;'Orient, d'où il serait parvenu par des voies très diverses jusqu'au centre de l'Afrique, la Méditerranée antique n'étant qu'une de ced voies." Hamidoun 1952: 66.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Hamidoun, M. 1952. Précis sur la Mauritanie. Saint-Louis: Centre IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1853
Type Ethnography
Game Uturu Uturu Kaida
Location 16° 1'57.36"N, 16°28'54.60"W
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules The board is a rectilinear track with two rows, of any number. Six or seven players, seven are preferred. One piece per player. Two seashells, used as dice. The throws are as follows: two backs = 20; two hollow sides = 10, one of each = 0. The player to reach the end of the track wins.
Content Account of Béart: L'outourou outourou kaïda, w. uturu uturu kaida, de Saint-Louis, s'apparente au jeu précédente, mais est beaucoup plus simple. Deux dès simplement, qui sont deux coquillages, et pour chaque joueur un morceau de bois ou de fer qui est son Cheval. En principe, sept joueurs, tous des garçons, mais quelquefois six seulement. Deux pistes sont tracées, sur lesquelles le Cheval avance proportionellement aux gains: 20 pour deux dos, 10 pour deux creux, 0 pour un creux et un dos. La piste, généralement rectiligne, est circulaire à Sor, quartier de Saint Louis, sur la rive gauche du fleuve, peut-être à cause du voisinage du Champ de courses." Béart 1955: 430.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1854
Type Ethnography
Game Nama
Location 13°25'53.98"N, 6°14'53.72"W
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules The board is a track of any number of pieces, made in the sand. Any number of players, playing with one piece. One piece is the hyena. Four nut shells are used as dice, with the following throws: four of all the same side = 20; two of the same side = 2; any other throw = 0. The first player to reach the end of the track then plays as the hyena. The hyena moves twice the value of the throw. When the hyena overtakes a player's piece, it is removed from the board and the player loses.
Content Account of Béart: "Nama, bambara de Ségou (Soudan): Hyène. C'est un jeu d'hivernage, semblable au précédent, mais les dès sont quatre demi-coques d'arachides; la piste est une petite plate-bande de sable, avec deux petites murettes aux extremités, une pour le départ, une pour l'arrivée. Des trous équidistants marquent les distances parcourues en fonction des gains: ++++=20, ----=20, ++--=2, +++-=0, ----+=0. Quand un des bâtonnets a terminé, il devient Hyène, repart en jouant deux fois par coup d'un autre joueur, afin de manger les bâtonnets qui ne sont pas arrivés." Béart 1955: 430.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1855
Type Ethnography
Game Piaf
Location 14° 8'22.03"N, 5° 1'1.02"W
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules 3x30 board, one end being the start and the other the end. Unknown dice. Multiple players. Each player plays as one piece, their mother, and there is a hyena piece. Before moving along the track, the mother must get up, use the toilet, get dressed, take her bags, and go before moving. These tasks are made by throws which are agreed upon before the game. After moving through the track, the mother must drink water, rest, wash, eat, hide, and sleep, according to the same throws. When a mother has done this, that player may then move the hyena, which moves twice the throws of the mothers. When the hyena catches a mother, it must seize her, cut off her head, her legs, her arms, eat her, break her bones, and give back her bones, and then continue. Players whose mothers are devoured before reaching the end lose.
Content Account of Béart: "Dans la même région, Diafarabé (Soudan), les seules filles jouent le piaf, bambara: piaf, qui s'apparente aux jeux précédents...Sur un tas de sable rectangulaire...on pratique trois rangées paralleles de 30 trous; aux deux extremités, on ménage une salle de départ et une salle d'arrivée. Course comme dans les jeux précédents, mais: a) Formalités de départ, comme dans le sig, comptées sur les actions suivantes: 1. Mère lève-toi, 2. Mère fais la toilette, 3. Mère habille-toi, 4. Mère prends tes bagages, 5. Mère va, et à l'arrivée: 1. Qu'elle boive de l'eau, 2. Qu'elle se repose un peu, 3. Qu'elle se lave, 4. Qu'elle mange, 5. Qu'elle se couvre, 6. Qu'elle dorme. b) ces formalités remplies, à un nombre de points fixé à l'avance, la mère devient Hyène, commme dans nama, et va deux fois plus vite que les autres. Quand l'Hyène mange une mère, elle doit: 1. S'emparer d'elle, 2. Lui couper la tête, 3. Lui couper les jambes, 4. Lui couper les bras, 5. Le dévorer, 6. Briser ses os, 7. Rendre ses os à la fille." Béart 1955: 431-432.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent
Spaces Outside
Genders Female
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1856
Type Ethnography
Game Paradis
Location 14° 8'22.03"N, 5° 1'1.02"W
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules Nine or ten concentric circles. Any number of players. Each player plays as one piece. Two nut shells, used as dice. The values are as follows: two round sides = 2; two hollow sides = 1; one of each side = 0. Players move their pieces from outside the circles into progressive rings until the reach Paradise at the center, at which point the piece goes back to the outside of the board. The first player to reach Paradise three times wins.
Content Account of Béart: "A Diafarabé, les frères de ces jeunes filles et leurs amoureux jouent au paradis, jeu analogue, mais avec deux coques d'arachide seulement, et sur une diagramme à 9 ou 10 cercles concentriques. Pour ++, le joueur franchit deux rangs, por -- un seul rang, pour +- reste en place. Les bâtonnets sont les pères des joueurs...A ce moment il repart. Le jeu ne s'arrêtera que quand un joueur aura gagné trois fois le Paradis, où nul ne doit plus venir interrompre sa contemplation." Béart 1955: 432.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders Female, Male
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1857
Type Ethnography
Game Uril
Location 16°53'9.04"N, 24°59'18.78"W
Date 2006-01-01 - 2017-12-31
Rules 2x6 board with a store on either end. Four counters in each holes. Players take turns sowing in an anti-clockwise direction from one of the holes in their row. Counters are captured when the final counter of a sowing is dropped into a hole in the opponent's row containing one or two counters, making it contain two or three counters. If the previous hole also contains two or three counters, they are also captured, in an unbroken line until a hole with a different number of counters is reached. If, while sowing, the hole from which the sowing originated is reached, this hole is skipped and sowing continues. If a player has no counters in their holes, the opponent must play so as to place counters in their row. The player who captures 25 coutners first wins.
Content Account by Braz Dias and Braz Dias: "Uril is played by two players on a board with two rows of six pits and 48 seeds (Figure 4). At the beginning of the game, each player has four seeds in each pit. At their turn players choose one of the pits in their side of the board which to play. They then play by sowing the contents of the pit: getting all the seeds in the pit of choice and distributing its contents, one seed per pit, counterclockwise. The objective of the game is to be the first to capture 25 or more seeds. A capture happens when the last seed in a move is dropped into a pit on the opponent’s side which had either one or two seeds. The resulting two or three seeds in that pit are then captured. If immediately previous pits also end up having two or three seeds, those are also captured...Finally, there are two other main rules in Uril:
(a) If one plays a pit that has enough seeds to go completely around the board (12 or
more), the original pit is skipped and left empty.
(b) If a player does not have any seeds left, the opponent must make a move which
will give him/her seeds. If it is the opponent’s turn to play, but no such move can
be made, the game is over and the opponent gets all the remaining seeds." Braz Dias and Braz Dias 2020: 9-12.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Public, Private
Genders Female, Male
Source Braz Dias, A. and Braz Dias, J. 2020. "An Understanding of Socially-Constructed Knowledge in the Context of Traditional Game-Playing as Theorems-in-Action." Revista Baiana de Educação Matemática 1: 1-25.
Id DLP.Evidence.1858
Type Rules text
Game Buffa de Baldrac
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules Played on a Tables board with sockets for the pieces instead of points. Fifteen pieces per player. Three six-sided dice. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die, another piece the value on another die, and another piece the value on the final die, by moving one piece the value of two of the die subsequently, and a second piece the value of the remaining die, or one piece the value of each die subsequently. Pieces begin off the board. Players must enter all of their pieces onto one half of the board (on player entering in the quadrant to their right and the other player's entering into the quadrant on their left), according to the throws of the dice. Once a player has entered all of their pieces, they move through all of the quadrants of the board toward the quadrant where the opponent entered their pieces. A piece landing on a space with a single opponent's piece sends the opponent's piece back to start, and it must be reentered. once players enter all of their pieces into the final quadrant, they may bear off their pieces. They can do so by rolling a 6 to move from the sixth point, and so on down to 1. Throughout the game, a player must use the maximum number of moves presented by the dice. The first player to remove all of their pieces wins.
Content Golladay's translation from the Libro de los Juegos f.79: "This game they call the buffa de baldrac (common puff)
There is another game that they call the buffa de baldrac and it is played with three dice. And the roll battle and he who wins the battle plays first. And both players are first to set up the pieces in the pair of tables on one half of the board, according to the rolls of the dice. And afterwards each one has places his pieces in the tables as we said, they bring them around according to the rolls of the dice, the one towards the other through all the tables of the board.
And if they meet and they are found unprotected they can hit each other if the wish. And the piece that is hit is to return to the table where it was first placed.
And in this way, the players bring their pieces towards each other until they pass each other to the other table of the board across from where they were first placed.
And if they throw rolls on the dice that they cannot entirely taken, they take the largest number they can.
And this game is played with three dice and both players are to hold their pieces in their hands and according to the rolls of the dice, thus place the pieces." Golladay n.d. f. 79
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1859
Type Ethnography
Game Tap Urdy
Location Turkmenistan
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. PLayers sow counters in a clockwise directions from one of the holes in their opponent's row. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, the contents of that hole are picked up and sowing continues, unless the next hole is empty, in which case the contents of the next hole after the empty hole are captured. When the final counter falls in an empty hole, the turn ends. Play continues until all of the holes are empty in one of the rows. The player who captured the most counters wins.
Content Delediqc and Popova quoting from S. Parolov 1931 Turkmenskie Igry: "Le tablier du jeu turkmen est creusé dans le sol. Les pions sont des crottes de mouton. Il y a deux rangées de 6 cases chacun. A la position initiale, on pose 4 pions par case (48 pions en tout). Le trait est adjugé par un tirage au sort. Coups à semis enchaînés. Départ d'un coup: chez l'adversaire. Arrêt d'un coup: lorsque le dernier pion d'un semis tombe dans un case vide. Sens du movement: trigonometrique. Prise: Lorsque le dernier pion en main tombe dans une case pleine suivie d'une vide, on prend le contenu de la case qui suit la case vide. Fin de la partie: lorsque l'un des camps est complètement dégarni. Ensuite on compte les captures. Gagne celui qui a plus de pions que l'autre." Deledicq and Popova 1977: 90.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Deledicq, A. and A. Popova. 1977. Wari et Solo: le jeu de calculs africain. Paris: CEDIC.
Id DLP.Evidence.1860
Type Ethnography
Game Warra
Location Mississippi
Location 29°57'22.54"N, 90° 4'6.47"W
Date 1918-01-01 - 1918-12-31
Rules Two-row mancala game.
Content Account from Luschan: "...und als warra in...der Union; ich sah das Spiel mehrfach am Mississippi und ehfuht in New-Orleans..." Luschan 1918: 52.
Confidence 100
Source Luschan, F. 1918. Zusammenhänge und Konvergenz. Wien: Selbstverlage der Anthropologischen Gesellscaft.
Id DLP.Evidence.1861
Type Ethnography
Game Nuktagaq
Location 68°59'4.49"N, 81°35'22.39"W
Date 1937-03-06 - 1937-03-30
Rules Cross-shaped board made of five squares. The four squares of the arms have diagonals and lines connecting the midpoints of opposite sides. The central square has diagonals and a line connecting the central point with the midpoint of the lower side. One player plays with nineteen pieces, which begin on the uppermost nineteen points. The other player plays with two pieces, which begin on the central space and the one immediately below it. The player with two pieces goes first. Pieces move along the lines of the board to an empty adjacent spot. The player with two pieces may capture an adjacent opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty spot immediately on the opposite side of it. The player with two pieces wins by capturing all of the opponent's pieces; the player with nineteen pieces wins by blocking the opponent from being able to move.
Content Account of the game from Rowley: "We had noticed that Kutjek had a strange pattern marked with little holes on the lid of one of his boxes. He now produced some pegs and started to play a game with Mino. It was a variant of Fox and Geese, called by the Inuit Nuktagaq. Reynold and I watched carefully and then we played...A has 19 men placed as shown-X. he is the attacker. B has 2 men placed as shown- O. He is the defender. Moves are made along the lines. Only B can take men and does so as in checkers or draughts - by jumping over an opponent's man into an unoccupied space. A tries to confine B's men so they cannot move./ B starts." Rowley 2007: 99, Appendix B.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Genders Male
Source Rowley, G. 2007. Cold Comfort: My Love Affair with the Arctic. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1862
Type Ethnography
Game Dablot Prejjesne
Location 64°30'7.83"N, 14° 8'49.87"E
Date 1921-01-01 - 1921-12-31
Rules 6x7 lines forming a grid. Diagonals in each small square, with a point where the diagonals cross. 26 pieces, which begin on opposite sides of the board. Each player has a Prince piece, which begins on the rightmost point immediately in front of the other pieces, and a King piece, which begins on the rightmost point in the line in front of the Prince. All pieces move one space to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. A piece may capture an adjacent opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty adjacent spot on the opposite side of it. Multiple captures are allowed. Captures are not compulsory and neither are the maximum number of captures. Pieces may only capture other pieces of the same rank or lower. A player wins when they capture all of the opponent's pieces, or by blocking a higher ranking piece from being able to move if it is the only remaining piece belonging to the opponent. If players are left with only one piece each of the same rank, one player may declare single combat, and both pieces must move toward one another until one captures the other. If only the Kings are left on the board the game is a draw.
Content Accounting of the rules by Michaelsen, quoting them from Keyland: "The board seen by Keyland in Frostviken...divided into 30 squares with with diagonals, creating 72 points. The contestants in this game are a tribe of Sáit and settled people farming the land. The pieces were of carved wood. One player had 28 Sámit, painted yellow and standing about one inch high, with pointed tops. In addition he had a Sámi prince, slightly larger than the soldiers and marked with two rings, and a Sámi king, larger still, and with three rings. The Sámi king and his son were uncolored.The other player had 28 peasants an inch high, painted red and with two small points in the top. The larger peasant prince was distinguished by two bands and his father the peasant king was larger still and was marked with three bands. The peasant king and his son were colored brown exept for their tops and rings which were picked out in red. The diagram above shows the opening position, with the Sámi soldiers on rows 1-5, the Sámi prince on j6, and the Sámi king on k7. The peasants are on rows 13-9, with the peasant prince on b8 and the peasant king on a7. 1. Every piece may move to the nearest unoccupied point, orthogonally or diagonally, forwards or backwards. A short leap may be made over an enemy piece to a vacant point beyond. The piece jumped over is removed from the board. 2. Players are not compelled to make a capture, nor to complete the maximum number of captures possible in one turn of play. 3. Peasant soldiers and Sámi soldiers are of equal power and may capture each other, but not one of the major pieces. 4. The Sámi prince may capture the peasant prince, or vice versa; they can both capture minor pieces, but cannot attack the Sámi king or peasant king. 5. The Sámi king and the peasant king can capture each other, and any other piece on the board. Their powers of movement, however, are the same as the other pieces-one vacant point in any direction, or a short leap over an enemy piece onto an empty point beyond. 6. The game ends when one player is defenseless and resigns. 7. If one player has only a major piece left, and the other has several minor pieces, the latter can win the game by surrounding the former and depriving him of the power to move. This is winning by immobilization.8. If the players are left with only one piece each of equal power, either a Sámi soldier and a peasant or the Sámi prince and the peasant prince, one of the players can call for a single combat, when the pieces are moved towards each other in direct confrontation when one piece with the move will capture the other. This avoids a draw through an endless and futile chase. 9. If only the Sámi king and the peasant king are left on the board the game is declared drawn." Michaelsen 2010: 218-219.
Confidence 100
Source Michaelsen, P. 2010. "Dablo-A Sámi Game." Variant Chess Magazine 8:64: 218-221.
Id DLP.Evidence.1863
Type Ethnography
Game Ohohla
Location Pima County
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Five-pointed star-shaped board.
Content "Papago, Pima County, Arizona. Mr. S.C. Simms described the Papago as playing a game (figure 1092) on a star-shaped diagram which they called ohola (Spanish, jeoda)." Culin 1907: 794.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1864
Type Ethnography
Game Manmadöangn
Location 44°45'54.22"N, 69°52'59.22"W
Date 1657-01-20 - 1723-08-23
Rules Board of interconnected lozenges. Pieces are placed on the board.
Content Account of Sébastien Rale, reported from the people of Norridgewock, now in Maine: "Un autre jeu où l'on place des grains sur des espèce de lozanges entrelassées, di'r (dicitur) manmadöangn," Culin 1907: 792.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1865
Type Ethnography
Game Wakanpamungthae
Location Omaha
Date 1873-01-01 - 1893-12-31
Rules Checkers-like game.
Content "Omaha. Nebraska. Mr Francis La Flesche told the writer in 1893 that the Omaha learned the game of checkers from the whites about twenty years before and that they called it wakanpamungthae, gambling bowed head, or bowed-head game." Culin 1907: 797.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1866
Type Ethnography
Game Yup'ik Checkers
Location 60°34'49.10"N,165°15'28.83"W
Date 1973-01-01 - 1974-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with each player having twelve pieces. Pieces move diagonally any number of spaces forward. Capturing must happen if it is possible. Multiple captures are allowed. Once pieces reach the opposite side of the board from their starting position, they are promoted and can move diagonally either forwards or backwards. The goal is to capture all of the opponent's pieces.
Content "Checkers: This Game is played often indoors during recess at school by students of the upper grades. The rules are standard with one exception. Pieces may be moved any number of spaces on the diagonal, in the same manner as the bishop in a chess game. This usually means the games are over quickly." Ethnography of L. Ager in Tununak, Alaska. Ager 1975: 117.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Ager, L. 1975. "Alaskan Children's Games and their Relationship to Cultural Values and Role Structure in a Nelson Island Community." Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Columbus: The Ohio State University.
Id DLP.Evidence.1867
Type Ethnography
Game Katro
Location 21°26'12.38"S, 47° 5'8.45"E
Date 1998-08-13 - 1998-08-13
Rules 6x3 or 6 board. Two counters in each hole. Sowing occurs from one of the holes in the player's outermost row which contains counters, in any direction, which must be maintained throughout the game. Sowing moves in a boustrophedon path along the holes, moving from the last hole in the innermost row to the beginning of the outer row. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, the contents of this hole are picked up and sowing continues. If this hole is in the player's inner row, the contents of the opponent's hole opposite it are captured, and these counters are also used along with the hole in which the last counter fell for the sowing to continue. If the opponent's inner row hole is empty, counters may be captured from their central row, and if both the inner and central rows are empty, captures may be made from the outer hole. Sowing ends when the final counter lands in an empty hole. When a player has only one counter on their side of the board, it may capture by moving from the central row directly to the inner row hole above it to make a capture (I.e., without following the normal track). Play continues until one player has captured all of the counters.
Content "B. Katro
Players group: 4 persons, part of total group of ca. 20
Name of players: Helène Ravaoarisoa, Symphrose Rakalaba, Jules Ranaivozandry,
Laurent Rakotosona
Age(s) of players (Gender): 45 (F), 45 (F), 46 (M), ? (M) Location: Ianjanina, Fianarantsoa (Betsileo people)Date: 13-8-1998
Name of the game: Katro
Configuration of holes: 4 x 4, 4 x 6, 6 x 3, 6 x 6
The 4x4 and 4x6 games are identical to those described above although it was said that players were obliged to start their moves from the back row if possible. The 6 x 3 and 6 x6 games also have the same rules with the following additions:
Two counters in each and each player occupies three rows. The players are obliged to start the move from the back row, unless it is empty in which case the inner or if this row is also empty the front row is allowed. The moves proceed in a boustrophedon way, meaning from the back into the inner and into the front row. Once they pass the front row the move returns to the back row crossing but not entering the inner row.
The front row of the opponent can be captured unless it is completely empty in which case the inner row can be captured. If the inner row is empty too then the back row can be captured. If there is only one counter on one side of the board then it is allowed to capture by stepping from the inner to the front row (and previous to that: from the back to the inner row) without going boustrophedon. The counter that reaches the front row this way adds the captured counters and proceeds with the move as usual." de Voogt 1999: 112-113.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female, Male
Source De Voogt, A. 1999. "Distribution of Mancala Board Games: A Methdological Inquiry." Board Games Studies 2: 104-114.
Id DLP.Evidence.1868
Type Ethnography
Game Alkarhat
Location Air
Date 1922-01-01 - 1922-12-31
Rules 6x6 board. Thirteen pieces per player. Players attempt to surround another player's piece.
Content Account of Rodd, from the Air mountains of Niger: "Divination is resorted...by playing that curious game resembling draughts which is so widespread all over the world. In Air the game takes the form of a "board" of thirty-six holes marked in the sand. Each player has thirteen counters made of date stones, or bits of wood, or pebbles, or camel droppings. The object of the game is to surround a pawn belonging to one's adversary, somewhat on the principle of "Noughts and Crosses." The game is called Alkarhat and the a Holy Man presides, the winner of three successive games carries the alternative submitted for divine decision." Rodd 1926: 281.
Confidence 100
Source Rodd, R. 1926. People of the Veil: Being an Account of the Habits, Organisation and History of the Wandering Tuareg Tribes which Inhabit the Mountains of Air or Asben in the Central Sahara. London: Macmillan.
Id DLP.Evidence.1869
Type Ethnography
Game Abanga
Location Zande
Date 1868-01-01 - 1871-12-31
Rules 2x9 board. About 24 counters per player. Pieces are sown around the board.
Content "Le mangala consiste en une longue pièce de bois portant deux
rangées parallèles de petites cavités. Chez les Nubiens la table
a seize fossettes; chez les Niams-Niams elle en a dix-huit'. Cha-
cun des joueurs est pourvu d'environ deux douzaines de petits
cailloux qu'il faut adroitement faire passer d'une pochette dans
une autre. A défaut de tablé, le jeu s'établit par terre, où il est
facile de creuser les trous." Schweinfurth 1875: 28.
Confidence 100
Source Schweinfurth. G. 1875. Au coeur de l'Afrique: 1868-1871, voyages et découvertes dans les régions inexplorées de l'Afrique centrale Tome 2. Paris: Hachette.
Id DLP.Evidence.1870
Type Ethnography
Game Érhérhé
Location 0°23'13.77"N, 9°27'14.66"E
Date 1906-01-01 - 1906-12-31
Rules 2x6 board, with stores on either end. The store to a player's left belongs to them. Four counters in each hole. Players sow in an anti-clockwise direction from any hole in their row. When the final counter lands in a hole in the opponent's row, causing it to contain two or four counters, these are captured and put in the store. The player also captures the contents of any adjacent holes in the opponent's row if they also contain two or four counters. Play continues until one player has no counters in their row, their opponent capturing the remaining counters. A new round begins. Players fill up their holes with four counters, beginning from the left. Any excess counters are placed in that player's store; the final hole of the player with fewer counters may contain fewer than four counters. Any empty holes are out of play. Play continues as before. The game repeats in this fashion until one player has no counters remaining, their opponent is the winner.
Content Account from Avelot: "Par les Mpongwé du Gabon, qui l'appellent érhérhé, et y jouent avec les tchongé, petits fruits verts semblables à des olives; chez euz le jeu a toujours douze cases. Règle du jeu gabonais. Je donne cette règle telle qu'elle m'a été enseignée par mon hôtesse de Libreville, Miss Kate Lutterhold, mais comme Miss Kate est originaire d'Accra, il se peut qur j'aie appris en réalité le jeu de la Côte d'Or; je ne le crois cependant pas. L'érhéré est placé entre les deux joueurs. chacun ayant à sa gauche la case dans laquelle in placera son gain, et chacun ne devant jouer qu'avec les thongé placés dans la rangée de son côté. La partie se dispute en plusieurs manches. 1re manche: Après avoir placé quatre tchongé dans chaque trou, on tire au sort à qui commencera; le joueur désigné prend les tchongé placés dans un godet quelconque de son côté, et les dépose une à un, sans sauter de case, dans chaque godet, en allant de la gauche à la droite dans la rangée de son côté, puis, s'il y a lieu, de la droite à la gauche dans la rangée de son adversaire (en d'autres termes, en sens invers des aiguilles d'une montre). A chaque coup, quand le dernier tchongé placé complète à deux ou quatre les nombre des tchongé qui se trouvent déjà dans le godet, le joueur les ramasse; il ramasse également les thongé des godets immédiatement voisins, si ces tchongé sont au nombre de deux ou quatre; ces gains ne peuvent se faire que dans la rangée de l'adversaire. La partie se continue jusqu'à ce que l'un des joueurs n'ait plus un seul tchongé dans sa rangée.
2e Manche. Le joueur gagnant place dans sa rangé vingt-quatre tchongé, quatre par quatre, les tchongé gagnés en surplus restant dans la case à ce destinée. Le joueur perdant place les tchongé qui lui restent, également quatre par quatre, dans les godets de sa rangé. en commençant par la gauche, le dernier godet pouvant ne contenir que un, deux, ou trois jetons; les cases restées vides sont "brûlées" , c'est-à-dire qu'on les saute pour jouer. On joue alors de la même façon que précédemment jusqu'à ce qu'un joueur n'ait plus un seul tchongé dans sa rangée. La partie se continue ensuite, s'il y a lieu, par une troisième, une quatrième manche, jusqu'à ce qu'un joueur n'ait plus un seul tchongé." Avelot 1906: 268, 270.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female
Source Avelot, M. 1906. "Le jeu des godets: un jeu africain à combinaisons mathématiques." Bulletins et mémoires de la société d'anthropologie de Paris 7: 267-271.
Id DLP.Evidence.1871
Type Ethnography
Game Adjito
Location Dahomey
Date 1891-01-01 - 1894-12-31
Rules 2x8-10 board. Three counters in each hole. The direction of sowing is not given. When the final counter is dropped in an empty hole in the player's own row, the contents of the opposite hole in the opponent's row are captured. The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content "Un autre jeu est celui des godets. On creuse par terre ou dans un morceau de bois he huit à dix trous alignés par deus et assez grands pour y mettre la main fermée; les joueurs, au nombre de deux, ont chacun une rangée. Au début, on met dans chacun des trous trois graines fort dures. Le jeu consiste, en changeant successivement les graines de place, d'arriver à mettre la dernière seule dans un trou vide en face d'un de ceux de l'adversaire bien plein; on a ainsi le droit de tour prender. On ne doit pas sautre de trou; c'est celui qui a pris le plus de graines à l'autre qui gagne la partie. Il y a ainsi un grand nombre d'autrees jeux peu variés." Foa 1895: 249-250.
Confidence 100
Source Foa, E. 1895. Le Dahomey. Paris: A. Hennuyer.
Id DLP.Evidence.1872
Type Ethnography
Game Mandinka Game
Location Gambia
Date 1620-01-01 - 1621-12-31
Rules Board with large holes. Around thirty counters. Counters are captured. the player who captures the most counters wins.
Content "In the heat of the day, the men will come forth, and sit themselues in companies, vnder the shady trees, to receiue the fresh aire, and there passe the time in communication, hauing on∣ly one kind of game to recreate themselues withall, and that is in a peece of wood, certaine great holes cut, which they set vpon the ground betwixt two of them, and with a number of some thirtie pibble stones, after a manner of counting, they take one from the other, vntill one is possessed of all, where∣at some of them are wondrous nimble" Jobson 1623: 38.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside
Genders Male
Source Jobson, R. 1623. The Golden Trade. London: Nicholas Okes.
Id DLP.Evidence.1873
Type Ethnography
Game Worra
Location Nineteenth Century Ashanti
Date 1817-01-01 - 1817-12-31
Rules 2x7 board.
Content "...the King is always seated in public, with his golden worra board before him, playing with some dignitary; and thus receives the news, to impress the people with confidence by his affected indifference to victory or defeat...Their principal game are Worra, which I could not understand...The two men are playing at Worra." Worra board depicted in Drawing 10, on a 2x7 board. Bowditch 1819: 299, 303, 309.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Spaces Outside, Public, Private, Household, Administrative
Genders Male
Source Bowditch, T. 1819. Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee, with a Statistical Account of that Kingdom, and Geographical Notices of other Parts of the Interior of Africa. London: J. Murray.
Id DLP.Evidence.1874
Type Ethnography
Game Ashanti Draughts
Location Nineteenth Century Ashanti
Date 1817-01-01 - 1817-12-31
Rules Similar to Polish Draughts. Pieces move forwards and backwards, and also capture forwards and backwards. Promoted pieces moves diagonally any number of spaces.
Content "...we walked out in the town, and conversed and played drafts with (them), who were reclining under trees...Their principal games are...Drafts, which (they) play well and constantly. Their method resembles the Polish, they take and move backwards and forwards, and a king has the bishop's move in chess." Bowditch 1819: 114, 303.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Bowditch, T. 1819. Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee, with a Statistical Account of that Kingdom, and Geographical Notices of other Parts of the Interior of Africa. London: J. Murray.
Id DLP.Evidence.1875
Type Ethnography
Game Ashanti Alignment Game
Location Nineteenth Century Ashanti
Date 1817-01-01 - 1817-12-31
Rules The board is a series of intersecting lines in many directions, each line with three points. Players have equal numbers of pegs, and place their pieces at the same time. Players who place three of their pieces in a row remove one of the opponent's pieces. The player who removes all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "They have another game, for which a board is perforated like a cribbage board, but in numerous oblique lines, traversing each other in all directions, and each composed of three holes for pegs; the players begin at the same instant, with an equal number of pegs, and he who inserts or completes a line first, in spite of the baulks of his adversary, takes a peg from him, until the stock of either is exhausted." Bowdtich 1819: 303.
Confidence 100
Source Bowditch, T. 1819. Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee, with a Statistical Account of that Kingdom, and Geographical Notices of other Parts of the Interior of Africa. London: J. Murray.
Id DLP.Evidence.1876
Type Ethnography
Game Tami
Location 5°32'53.34"N, 0°12'1.76"W
Date 1805-01-01 - 1809-12-31
Rules Played on an elongated board with large holes. Seeds are used in the holes as counters. Counters are moved from hole to hole.
Content "Ein längliches Brett mit großen Löchern versehen, worauf man mehrere kleine Nüffe (Am häufligsten gebraucht man, wie ich gesehen habe, kleine graue und geflammte Nüffe dazu, welche man hier in Gold faßt und am Uhrketten hängt.) oder Steine von Loch zu Loch zieht, gewährt besonders den Frauenzimmern Unterhaltung." Account from Monrad about a game observed in Accra in 1805-1809. Monrad 1824: 255.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder
Spaces Outside
Genders Female
Source Monrad, H.-C. 1824. Gemälde der Küste von Guinea. Weimar: Verlage des Gr. S. priv. Landes-Industrie-Comptoirs.
Id DLP.Evidence.1877
Type Ethnography
Game Isafuba
Location 20°16'3.52"S, 30°56'1.82"E
Date 1891-08-01 - 1891-08-30
Rules 4x6-15 board. Mancala-style game. Can be played with up to ten people.
Content Account. of Bent, who records the game from the village of Barazimba in Zimbabwe, nearby Great Zimbabwe where he excavated: "A
relation of Umgabe's rules over a fantastic kraal,
called Baramazimba, hard by this rock ; its huts are
situated in such inaccessible corners that you wonder
how the inhabitants ever get to them. Huge trees
sheltered the entrance to this village, beneath which
men were seated on the ground playing isafuba,
the mysterious game of the Makalangas, with sixty
holes in rows in the ground. Ten men can play at
this game, and it consists in removing bits of pot-
tery or stones from one hole to the other in an un-
accountable manner....This game is played in different places
with different numbers of holes — sometimes only
thirty-two holes dug in the ground — always in rows
of four. It has a close family relationship to the
game called pidlangooly of India, played in a fish —
the sisoo fish, made of wood — which opens like a
chess-board, and has fourteen holes in two rows of
seven, small beans being employed as counters. The
same game hails also from Singapore and from the
West Coast of Africa, where it is played with twelve
holes and is called wary." Bent 1895: 85-86.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Bent, J. 1895. The Ruined Cities of Mashonaland; Being a Record of Excavation and Exploration in 1891. London: Longman, Green, and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1878
Type Ethnography
Game Andot
Location Eastern Desert
Date 1938-01-01 - 1938-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters per hole. Players sow in a clockwise direction from their left three holes or anti-clockwise from their right two holes. When the final counter of a sowing falls into a hole containing three counters, making it now contain four, this hole is marked and counters cannot be sown from this hole. Such holes cannot be made by sowing a single counter into an opponent's hole with three counters. A player cannot sow a lone counter that was sown into their row by the opponent on the previous turn back into the hole from which it was just moved. If a player is unable to sow from their row, the opponent may continue to play until the player is able to move. Play continues until all of the counters are in marked holes. The player with the most counters in their marked holes wins.
Content Detailed account of Andot as played by the Beja people of the Eastern Desert in Sudan given in Owen 1938.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Social status All
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Owen, T. 1938. "A Bega Game:-'Andot.'" Sudan Notes and Records 21(1): 201-205.
Id DLP.Evidence.1879
Type Ethnography
Game Ryakati
Location Bari
Date 1939-01-01 - 1939-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. Two counters in each hole. Sowing proceeds in an anti-0clockwise direction. The first move must begin from the second hole from the right in the player's outer row, and proceed as follows, and is played simultaneously by both players: sow the two counters from that first hole, capture the counters in the opponent's two opposite holes and sow them, starting in the rightmost hole in the outer row, capture from the opposite two holes on the opponent's side and sow them again from the same hole. When the final counter falls in an occupied hole, those counters are picked up and sowing continues. The opening move ends when the final counter falls in an empty hole. The main phase then begins. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole in the player's inner row and both of the opposite holes on the opponent's side of the board are occupied, the counters in the opposite holes are captured and sown beginning in the first hole that was sown into to begin the sowing that caused the capture. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole and a capture is not possible, the contents of the hole are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the turn ends. Players cannot sow from a hole containing a single counter. The player who captures all of their opponent's counters wins.
Content Detailed account of the rules of Ryakati as played by the Bari people of South Sudanin Beaton 1939: 1339-141.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Beaton, A. "A Bari Game- Soro." Sudan Notes and Records 22(1): 133-143.
Id DLP.Evidence.1880
Type Ethnography
Game Otep
Location Bari
Date 1939-01-01 - 1939-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. Two counters in each hole. Sowing proceeds in an anti-0clockwise direction. The first move must begin from the second hole from the right in the player's outer row, and proceed as follows, and is played simultaneously by both players: sow the two counters from that first hole, capture the counters in the opponent's two opposite holes and sow them, starting in the rightmost hole in the outer row, capture from the opposite two holes on the opponent's side and sow them again from the same hole. When the final counter falls in an occupied hole, those counters are picked up and sowing continues. The opening move ends when the final counter falls in an empty hole. The main phase then begins. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole in the player's inner row and both of the opposite holes on the opponent's side of the board are occupied, the counters in the opposite holes are captured and sown beginning in the first hole that was sown into to begin the sowing that caused the capture. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole and a capture is not possible, the contents of the hole are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the turn ends. Players may sow in a clockwise direction if the first sowing of the turn ends in one of the two leftmost or rightmost holes in either row, and only if a capture can be made in that turn. Players cannot sow from a hole containing a single counter. The player who captures all of their opponent's counters wins.
Content "For Otep the board is set out in the same way as for Ryakati and the opening gambit is the same. The only difference is that holes 1,2,15 and 16 aand holes 7, 8, 9, and 10 are privileged in that each player may move into them in a clockwise direction with the opening portion of his move, but only if this enables him to make a capture." Beaton 1939: 141.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Beaton, A. "A Bari Game- Soro." Sudan Notes and Records 22(1): 133-143.
Id DLP.Evidence.1881
Type Ethnography
Game Lobudök
Location Bari
Date 1939-01-01 - 1939-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. The counters begin in the following arrangement, starting from a player's left most hole in the outer row and proceeding anticlockwise: 0,0,1,0,0,1,6,0,8,0,1,0,0,1,6,8. To start, players may not sow into or sow from the leftmost and rightmost holes in both of their rows. When it is no longer possible for the player to make a legal move using only these twelve holes, they may then play using all of the holes. The opponent must continue using only twelve holes until they also cannot make a legal move with them. Sowing proceeds in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole in the player's inner row and both of the opposite holes on the opponent's side of the board are occupied, the counters in the opposite holes are captured and sown beginning in the first hole that was sown into to begin the sowing that caused the capture. When the final counter falls into an occupied hole and a capture is not possible, the contents of the hole are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the turn ends. Players cannot sow from a hole containing a single counter. The player who captures all of their opponent's counters wins.
Content "The board for Lobudök is the same as that for Ryakati, but the layout is different. The game starts directly from the following position. The rules are the same as for Ryakati without the opening gambit and play is confined to holes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and holes 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 on both sides of the board. s soon as one player's cows are so reduced that he can no longer move within his limit, he plays from either hole 9 or hole 16 using his full half of the board and can only of course capture from the holes his opponent is using. His opponent continues to play on the restricted part of his half of the board and may win without having to use his reserves. If however he too is unable to move, he in his turn will call his reserves into play and the game proceeds on the full board." Beaton 1939: 141-142.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Beaton, A. "A Bari Game- Soro." Sudan Notes and Records 22(1): 133-143.
Id DLP.Evidence.1882
Type Ethnography
Game Tsoro
Location Zimbabwe
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 4x6-21 board; 8 is most common, 12, 15, and 18 are also popular. Two counters in each hole in the players' outer rows. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction, only in the two rows belonging to the player. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, any counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's inner row are captured. If there also are counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's outer row, these are also captured, but only if there was first a capture from the inner row hole. Players cannot sow from a hole with a single counter unless there are no holes with multiple counters. Single counters can only be sown into an empty hole. Play continues until one player has captured all of the opponent's counters, thus winning the game.
Content "Tsoro...the board for the game demands four parallel rows of holes (magomba) about three inches in diameter, hollowed in the ground. There can be any number of holes horizontally. Eight is probably the most common, but vriations between six and 21 are commonly to be met with. 12, 15, and 18 are quite usual. The men are once again small pebbles ()matombo). The way in which they are set out in the variation which I shall take as basic is as follows: (a) The game starts when A picks up two stones from any of his holes. The basic principle is that after picking up he drops one stone into each successive hole, and if his last stone drops into a hole which is already occupied, he picks up all the stones in that hole and carries on until his last stone drops into a vacant hole. He moves in an anti-clockwise direction only around his own two horizontal rows, never into his opponent's. (b) If the last stone (falling into a vacant hole) finishes in a hole in the inner row and both holes vertically opposite him are occupied by his opponent's stones, he removes all those stones from the board. He can only take thus, however, if his opponent has a stone vertically opposite in the inner row. Thus if A is playing and his final stone drops into row II, hole 3, and B has stones in Row iii, hole 3, and Row iv, hole 3, B will lose all these stones. He cannot lose his stones from iv, 3, however, if iii, 3 is not occupied. (c) The object of the game is to take all one's opponent's stones. (d) Until all his holes are occupied by a single stones a player may only commence a move at a hole containing more than one stone. (e) When he reaches the stge wheere all his occupied holes have not more than one stone in them, he may move any of these single stones, provided that it has an empty hole in front of it to move into. At this final stage a stone may never be moved into an occupied hole." Matthews 1964: 64-65.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Matthews, J. 1964. "Notes on Some African Stone Games." NADA: The Southern Rhodesia Native Affairs Department Annual 9(1): 64-66.
Id DLP.Evidence.1883
Type Ethnography
Game Tsoro (Additional Capture)
Location Zimbabwe
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 4x6-21 board; 8 is most common, 12, 15, and 18 are also popular. Two counters in each hole in the players' outer rows. Before the game starts, players choose to make additional captures from one, two, or three holes. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction, only in the two rows belonging to the player. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, any counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's inner row are captured. If there also are counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's outer row, these are also captured, but only if there was first a capture from the inner row hole. The player then captures again, from the agreed-upon number of extra holes, chosen from any of the opponent's holes. Players cannot sow from a hole with a single counter unless there are no holes with multiple counters. Single counters can only be sown into an empty hole. Play continues until one player has captured all of the opponent's counters, thus winning the game.
Content "After a take a player is entitled to make "additional takes" of further stones from any one, two, three...of his opponent's holes, number to be specified before the game starts." Matthews 1964: 66.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Matthews, J. 1964. "Notes on Some African Stone Games." NADA: The Southern Rhodesia Native Affairs Department Annual 9(1): 64-66.
Id DLP.Evidence.1884
Type Ethnography
Game Misoro Tsoro
Location Zimbabwe
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 4x6-21 board; 8 is most common, 12, 15, and 18 are also popular. Two counters in each hole in the players' outer rows. Two holes in each player's outer row are selected as misoro. Typically, the left two holes are chosen. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction, only in the two rows belonging to the player. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. If this final hole is one of the misoro, the player may choose to end their turn instead of continuing to sow. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, any counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's inner row are captured. If there also are counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's outer row, these are also captured, but only if there was first a capture from the inner row hole. Players cannot sow from a hole with a single counter unless there are no holes with multiple counters. Single counters can only be sown into an empty hole. Play continues until one player has captured all of the opponent's counters, thus winning the game.
Content "Two of the back-row (I and iv) holes are nominated as "heads" (musoro, pl. misoro). The ones usually chosen are I, 1 and 2 for A, and iv, 7 and 8 for B. If a player's final stone drops into one of his misoro, he need not pick up all the stones in it and move on as usual unless he chooses. It is thus possible to accumulate a tactical stock-pile ready for a lightning swoop along the front row at the right moment." Matthews 1964: 65.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Matthews, J. 1964. "Notes on Some African Stone Games." NADA: The Southern Rhodesia Native Affairs Department Annual 9(1): 64-66.
Id DLP.Evidence.1885
Type Ethnography
Game Misoro Tsoro
Location Zimbabwe
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules The leftmost and rightmost holes are misoro. Play starts with two counters in each hole in the outer row for each player, except their rightmost hole which contains three.
Content "If playing Variant 1, and the two misoro chosen are holes 1 and 8 for both players, it is customary to have three stones at the beginning in No. 8 for A and no. 1 for B, as in Variant 2 " (Musero Tsoro in Ludii). Matthews 1964: 66.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Matthews, J. 1964. "Notes on Some African Stone Games." NADA: The Southern Rhodesia Native Affairs Department Annual 9(1): 64-66.
Id DLP.Evidence.1886
Type Ethnography
Game Misoro Tsoro (Additional Capture)
Location Zimbabwe
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 4x6-21 board; 8 is most common, 12, 15, and 18 are also popular. Two counters in each hole in the players' outer rows. Two holes in each player's outer row are selected as misoro. Typically, the left two holes are chosen.At the beginning of the game, players choose whether to capture from one, two, or three extra holes. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction, only in the two rows belonging to the player. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. If this final hole is one of the misoro, the player may choose to end their turn instead of continuing to sow. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, any counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's inner row are captured. If there also are counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's outer row, these are also captured, but only if there was first a capture from the inner row hole. The player also captures the counters from the agreed-upon number of holes on the opponent's side of the board. Counters in misoro cannot be captured with one of these additional captures. Players cannot sow from a hole with a single counter unless there are no holes with multiple counters. Single counters can only be sown into an empty hole. Play continues until one player has captured all of the opponent's counters, thus winning the game.
Content "If playing with a misoro, stones in the misoro cannot be removed in any privileged additional takes described above and are therefore in a position of considerable safety, being exposed only to the normal take." Matthews 1964: 66.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Matthews, J. 1964. "Notes on Some African Stone Games." NADA: The Southern Rhodesia Native Affairs Department Annual 9(1): 64-66.
Id DLP.Evidence.1887
Type Ethnography
Game Musoro Tsoro
Location Zimbabwe
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 4x6-21 board; 8 is most common, 12, 15, and 18 are also popular. Each player's rightmost hole is the musoro. Two counters in each hole in the players' outer rows, except each musoro which has three. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. If this final hole is one of the musoro, the player may choose to end their turn instead of continuing to sow. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, any counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's inner row are captured. If there also are counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's outer row, these are also captured, but only if there was first a capture from the inner row hole. Players cannot sow from a hole with a single counter unless there are no holes with multiple counters. Single counters can only be sown into an empty hole. Play continues until one player has captured all of the opponent's counters, thus winning the game.
Content "Sometimes only one musoro is nominated. In this variation it is obligatorily hole 8 for A, and hole 1 for B. Three stones are put in this hole at the beginning instead of only two. The game then continues as before." Matthews 1964: 65.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Matthews, J. 1964. "Notes on Some African Stone Games." NADA: The Southern Rhodesia Native Affairs Department Annual 9(1): 64-66.
Id DLP.Evidence.1888
Type Ethnography
Game Tsoro (Reentered Captures)
Location Zimbabwe
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 4x6-21 board; 8 is most common, 12, 15, and 18 are also popular. Two counters in each hole in the players' outer rows. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction, only in the two rows belonging to the player. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, any counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's inner row are captured. If there also are counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's outer row, these are also captured, but only if there was first a capture from the inner row hole. Captured counters are then sown on the player's own side of the board, starting with the hole following the one from which the capture was triggered. Players cannot sow from a hole with a single counter unless there are no holes with multiple counters. Single counters can only be sown into an empty hole. Play continues until one player has captured all of the opponent's counters, thus winning the game.
Content "After taking any of his opponent's stones the player drops them singly into his next holes and continues as before. Here the stones do not leave the board as is normal but are gradually amassed by one player until his opponent has none left. This is a long and complicated game." Matthews 1964: 66.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Matthews, J. 1964. "Notes on Some African Stone Games." NADA: The Southern Rhodesia Native Affairs Department Annual 9(1): 64-66.
Id DLP.Evidence.1889
Type Ethnography
Game Serup
Location 33° 5'18.63"N, 116°45'7.46"W
Date 1907-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules Four stick dice, each of which is marked differently. The board is rendered as a series of holes. They are in the form of a trapezoid: 11 holes on the bottom side, and ten in the remaining four. From the left of the bottom side and the right of the top side are four extra holes extending out.
Content "Mission Indians, Mesa Grande California...Cat. no. 62536. Four wooden sticks, 3 1/4 inches in length and seven-eights of an inch wide, round on one side and flat o nthe other, the latter being marked with burnt cross lines as shown in figure 270; accompanied by a qwooden tablet, 7 by 9 inches, marked with holes counting 10 on a side. These were collected by Mr. C.B. Watkins, who describes the game under the name of serup. Each stick has a value known by the narks. The tablet serves to keep count of the throws." Culin 1907: 204-205. The figure shows ten on three sides and eleven on the fourth.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1890
Type Ethnography
Game Adi
Location Ewe
Date 1906-01-01 - 1906-12-31
Rules 2x6 board with two stores. Four counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction from a hole in the player's row. If the final counter falls into a hole in the opponent's row containing two counters, making it contain three, they are captured. Any holes containing three counters in an unbroken line behind it in the opponent's row are also captured. A player cannot sow into a hole from which they sowed until it has been sown into by the opponent. Play continues until no more captures are possible, and the players win the counters they captured and the counters on their side of the board. A new round begins. The player with fewer counters fills up their holes from right to left with four counters. If their final hole has two counters, they add two counters to fill it. The opponent fills the same number of holes, and continues to play, holding any remaining counters for future rounds, if necessary. Play proceeds as before with the present number of holes in play. Play continues until one player cannot fill any holes.
Content "Ein sinnreiches und sehr amüsantes Spiel, ähnlich underem Damenspiel, ist weit an der westafrikanischen Küste, speziell in Togo bei den Evbe unter dem Namen adi verbreitet, aber auch den Hausa ist es nicht unbekannt. Meist wird dazu ein schön geschnitztes Spielbrett benutzt, das fuur jeden Spieler eine Reihe Fächer aufweist, während an den Seiten sich noch besondere Behälter für die geschlangenen Spielsteine befinden. In Ermangelung eines solches Brettes werden aber auch kleine Löcher in die Erde gemacht und statt der Kauris einfache Steinchen genommen. Das Spiel beginnt, in dem man alle Fächer mit 4 steinen besetzt und dann aus einem Fach alle Steine herausnimmt und je einen Stein in das nächste eigene Fach, auch in die Fächer seines Gegners legt. Diese Steine schlagen nun in dem Fache des Gegners alle Steine desselben, falls sich darin nicht mehr als 2 Steine befinden, so daß im ganzen 3 Steine mit dem eigenen für den Gewinner aus dem Spiele scheiden. Stehen jedoch 3 Steine in dem zu besetzenden Fache des Gegners, so bleibt der hinzukommende Stein in diesem Fache und zählt mit den übrig bleibenden Steiner für den Gegner. Gewonnen hat, wer mit den geschlagenen Steinen, zusammen mit den in seinen Fächern verbleibenen, die Mehrzahl übrig hat. Das Spiel ist meist beendet, wenn keiner der Spieler mehr schlagen kann. Spielregel ist ferner dabei, daß nur die Steine geschlagen werden können, die durch kein volles Fach des Gegners unterbrochen werden. Ebenso kann kein Stein des Gegners geschlagen werden, wenn das letzte zu besetzende Fach des Gegners keinen Stein oder drei Steine aufweist. Die Steine dürfen ferner nur in fortlaufender Reihe gesetzt werden, so daß, falls man fünf Steine aus dem vierten Fach, von rechts nach links gerechnet, herausnimmt, die eigenen Fächer 5 und 6, ferner I, II, und III besetzt werden. Das eigene, zuletzt entleerte Fach darf erst dann wieder besetzt werden, wenn es von dem Gegner belegt wird. Ich beginne z. B. von Fach 4 das Spiel mit 7 Steinen und besetze damit die Fächer 5, 6, I, II, III, IV, und V. Ich schlage also nur IV und V, da bei III 4 Steine stehen und dadurch die schlagende Reihe unterbrochen wird; ebenso kann ich keinen Stein des Gegners schlagen, falls der letzte Stein, den ich setze, in ein leeres oder in ein mit drei Steinen besetztes Fach des Gegners kommt. Wenn man vom Fach 5 aus z.B. mit 10 Steinen spielt, so muß man auch noch die eigenen Fächer 1, 2, und 3 besetzen und kann infolgedessen auch nichts schlagen. Anders ist es, wenn ich von Fach 4 mit 18 Steinen ausgehe. Dann reichen die Steine zun zweitmal bis Fach V, wuahrend Fach 4 leer bleibt. Hierbei würden auch nur mit meinen eigenen Steinen zusammen aus Fach V und IV sieben Steine für mich aus dem Spiele ausschieden. Jeder Spieler erhält bei deisem Spiel zu Anfang meist 24 Steine, so daß er suamtliche sechs Fächer mit vier Steinen besetzen kann. Gewöhnlich werden mehrere Spiele hintereinander gespielt, und beim Beginn eines jeden weiteren Spieles besetzt jeder mit de gewonnen Steinen auch noch von links nach rechts mit je 4 Steinen so viel Fächer des Gegners, wie es ihm mit seinen Steinen möglich ist, so daß also eventuell noch die Fächer I und II des Gegners dem Spieler beim nächsten Spiel mit gehören. Reichen die Steine für das letzte zu besetzende Fach nicht mehr aus und kann der Spieler diese nur mit 2 Steinen besetzen, so legt der schwächere Gegner noch 2 Steine hinzu und ist dann im Besitze dieses faches. " Klose 1906: 75.
Confidence 100
Source Klose, H. 1906. "Musik, Tanz, und Spiel in Togo." Globus: Illustrierte Zeitschrift für Länder- und Völkerkunde 89: 69-75.
Id DLP.Evidence.1891
Type Ethnography
Game Atidada
Location Ewe
Date 1908-01-01 - 1908-12-31
Rules Similar to Merels games. The board is square in shape.Played with three, six, or twenty pieces per player.
Content "Ein Spiel-Atidada-das unserm "Muhlefahren " sehr üahnlich ist, wird sehr häufig gespielt. Die Figure (Quadrate) zeichnen sie in den Sand und als Marken dienen ihnen Hölzchen, die sie in die Erde steden; sie spielen es mit 3, 6, oder 20 Hölzchen." Schönhärl 1909: 143-144.
Confidence 100
Source Schönhärl, J. 1909. Volkskundliches aus Togo. Dresden and Leipzig: C. U. Kochs Verlagsbuchhandlung.
Id DLP.Evidence.1892
Type Ethnography
Game Adidada
Location Ewe
Date 1908-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 2x6 board with two stores. Four counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in a hole containing one or two counters, thus making it contain two or three counters, these are captured. When this capture is made, other holes with two or three counters in them, in an uninterrupted sequence behind the hole from which the first capture was made, are captured. The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content Account from the Ewe people of Togoland by Schönhärl: "Adidada-Spiel: "adi" eine harte runde Frucht einer Liane, gleicht einer kleinen Kastanie. Manche nehmen auch Steinchen, Brechnüsse oder Kaurimuscheln. Es wird zu zweien gespielt und gleicht unserm Marmelspiel oder Schussern. Jeder der Spieler erhält 24 früchte (oder Steinchen usw.) Borher macht man in die Erde bzw. i nden and 2 Reihen mit je 6 Löchern oder man schneidet in weiches Holz (oder in fir Blattrippe einer Kokospalme) in 2 Reihen je 6 Öffnungen (siehe Zeichnung). Einer der Spieler nimmt links, der andere rechts Platz. Nun legts jeder derselben in jede Öffnung 4 Nüsse und legts nach rechts herum in he ein Loch nut 1 Nuß. Der andere macht es ebenso auf seiner Seite; wenn es nun so abwechselnd, dem einen durch vorherige fluge Berechnung gelingt, die Nüsse (ohne eine Zelle zu überspringen) so zu verteilen, daß seine letzte gerade in die Zelle kommt, in der nur 1 Nuß ruht, so darf er diese beiden herausnehmen, er hat also 2 gewonnen; ebenso wenn im Loch 2 Kugeln übrig sind und er hat noch eine zu verteilen, er gewinnt also in diesem Falle 3 Kugeln oder Nuusse usw. Diese Regel gilt fuur alle Zellen. Gewinnen kann also einer nur 1+1=2 oder 2+1=3 Nuusse oder Muscheln. Wie aus vorstehender Zeichnung ersichtlich ist, hat das Spiel eben begonnen; der rechts sitzende Spieler hat aud Loch II seine Kugeln herausgenommen und in jede der nächsten Öffnungen nach rechts herum 1 Kugel gelegt, also 4+1=5; nun kommt Spieler II daran und macht es ebenso. Wie schon bemerkt, ist es gleichgültig, wo man anfängt, ob bei Zelle 1, 2 oder 6 usw., aber auf des Spielers eigener Seite muß begonnen werden. In der folgenden Zeichnung ist zu ersehen wann einer z.B. 2+1=3 Kugeln gewinnt und auch zugleich 1+1=2 Kugeln. SPieler I nommt als Zelle 6 die 5 Nüsse und verteilt nach rechts je 1 in die feindlichen Zellen: er gewinnt nun bei Zelle IV 1+2=3 Kugeln und bei Zelle 5 1+1=2 Kugeln. Summa 5 Kugeln. NB. Nur wenn in den feindlichen Zellen der Fall verkommt, daß 1+1=2 oder 2+1=3 zu liegen kommen, het man diese (2 oder 3) gewonnen. " Schönhärl 1909: 144-147.
Confidence 100
Source Schönhärl, J. 1909. Volkskundliches aus Togo. Dresden and Leipzig: C. U. Kochs Verlagsbuchhandlung.
Id DLP.Evidence.1893
Type Ethnography
Game Duene
Location Ewe
Date 1908-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 2x6 board with two stores. Four counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole the counters are picked up and sowing continues, unless the hole contained three counters, causing it to contain four, in which case the counters are captured. An unbroken sequence of holes with four counters in them behind the hole from which the first capture was made are also captured. In addition, any holes which were sown into during the course of the turn which now contain four counters are captured by the owner of the row. Play continues until there are only eight counters left. The first player to make a capture with these eight counters captures them all. The player with the most counters wins.
Content Account of Duene among the Ewe of Togoland: "Duene = gewinne 4. Man legt wieder in jedes Loch 4 Kugeln. Spieler 1 fängtan, und nimmt ebenfalls wieder auf seiner (rechten) Seite (ganz gleichgültig wo) aus irgend einem Loch (Zelle) die 4 Kugeln heraus und legt nach rechts herum in jedes Loch 1 Kugel (also auch in die fiendlichen Zellen wie bei I). Wo er nun die letzte Kugel hineinlegt, von derselben Zelle nimmt er alle Kugeln heraus und legt wieder je 1 Kugel in 1 Zelle (weiterfahrend) rechts herum. Dies wiederholt er, bis er mit seiner letzten Kugel eine leere Zelle antrifft, in die er diese letzte Kugel legt. Nun macht Spieler II dasselbe, auf seiner (linken) Seite beginnend. Wenn es nun workommt, daß der Verteiler der Kugeln die letzte Kugel in eine solche Zelle zu legen hat, worin schon 3 Kugeln sind, so gewinnt er diese und seine zu verteilende Kugel, also 3+1=4 Kugeln, wenn sie sich auf seiner Seite befanden, andernfalls gehören sie dem Gegner. Auch während des Berteilens kommt es vor, daß oft eine Kugel in eine solche Zelle gelegt wird, in der schon 3 Kugeln sind; der Spieler hat jedoch noch übrige Kugeln zu verteilen. In diesen Fällen gewinnt ebenfalls die 3+1=4 Kugeln: der Spieler I, wenn dies (3+1) auf der rechten Seite verkommt; im andern Fall der Spieler II, ganz gleichgültig, wer der Berteiler ist. Da von den sämtlichen 48 Kugeln immer nur 4 kugeln (oft auch 2X hintereinanderz.B. in Zelle 5 und Zelle 6 liegen 3 Kugeln= 3+1=4; und 3+1=4) gewonnen werden können, so bleiben zum Schluß je 4 Kugeln übrig. Diese 8 Kugeln gewinnt der Spieler, der zuerft in seine Zelle 4 Kugeln zusammenbringt. " Schönhärl 1909: 147.
Confidence 100
Source Schönhärl, J. 1909. Volkskundliches aus Togo. Dresden and Leipzig: C. U. Kochs Verlagsbuchhandlung.
Id DLP.Evidence.1894
Type Ethnography
Game Yovodi
Location Ewe
Date 1908-01-01 - 1909-12-31
Rules 2x6 board with two stores. Four counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in a clockwise direction. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the player's own row, the contents of the hole opposite it in the opponent's row are captured. If the final counter lands in an empty hole in the opponent's row, the opponent captures the counters in the hole opposite it in the player's row. The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content Account of Yovodi among the Ewe people of Togoland: "Yovodi (dzedodekase). Der Spieler I nimmt wie bei Duene auf seiner Seite irgendwo die 4 Kugeln heraus und legt rechts herum in je 1 Zeele = 1 Kugel. Von der Zelle, in die er diese letzte Kugel legte, nimmt r alle heraus und fährt fort, wie anfangs bemerkt, so lange, bis er mit seiner letzten Kugel eine leere Zelle antrifft. Nun darf er alle dieser Zelle gegenüberliegenden Kugeln nehmen, wenn diese auf Seite des Spielers II sind, im anderen Falle würde sie der passive Spieler II gewinnen." Schönhärl 1909: 147-148.
Confidence 100
Source Schönhärl, J. 1909. Volkskundliches aus Togo. Dresden and Leipzig: C. U. Kochs Verlagsbuchhandlung.
Id DLP.Evidence.1895
Type Ethnography
Game Ti
Location Mende
Date 1924-12-01 - 1925-03-31
Rules 2x6 board with two stores. Four counters per hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-0clockwise direction. In the first and second moves, players may choose to drop as many counters as they wish into the holes they are sowing into. From the third turn on, the players must sow one counter at a time. The hole from which a sowing began is skipped if the sowing goes all the way around the board. When the final counter lands in a hole containing one or two people, thus causing it to contain two or three, these are captured. Any previous holes, in an unbroken sequence, also containing two or three counters, are captured. A move of a single counter cannot capture. When a player's row is empty, the opponent must sow into their row if it is possible to do so. Play ends when one player's row is empty, and the opponent claims all of the remaining counters. If there are no more legal moves and neither player's rows are empty, the players split the remaining counters. The player with the most counters wins.
Content "For adults there is the game called " Ti *' in Monde, or " Warri ”
in Creole -English, which with variations is spread all through
Africa, though where it originated, or to trace its possible lines of
migration, in my present state of knowledge I hesitate to do.
Tl.
There are two players, and the game is played on a board
with twelve holes, six on a side. The boards are commonly on
pedestals nine inches or a foot high, and are often ornamented.
Usually but not invariably there is an additional bole at each end
for captured pieces.
In default of a board the game may be played in holes dug in
the ground, and in one Temne town I saw the holes had been made
in a smooth rock. Evidently in that town there were some
ardent devotees of the game.
1 Each hole represents a " town,” and in each four seeds or
pebbles are placed.
2 Moves are from left to right on the player’s side.
3 The player begins on his own side taking all the men from
one town and dropping them into his own and his opponent’s
towns in strict succession.
4 In his first and second move the player has a certain liberty
of action. He can drop the men into successive town singly or
more as he pleases.
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MENDE GAMES
5 In subsequent moves all the men must be taken from the
town he elects to play from, which must be his side, and must
be dropped one by one into successive towns without missing
any. If he is moving more than eleven men he misses his starting
town on coming round to it,
6 When the move ends and there are two or three men in the
last town men were deposited at, or in each of the last towns
occupied in the move, the player looks back to see what men he
can take. The player captures all men in each of the last towns
moved into back to but not induding the nearest town in which
there are not either two or three men. Such town acts as a stop
if it contains more than three men, only one, or, none at all.
He cannot take out a man lidng by himself because he has himself
just played it into an empty town which he found empty on the
way. This acts as a stop.
7 It is not permitted to take out the men and count them
before beginning to play (so as to be sure how far they will
reach).
8 A single man moving cannot capture.
9 Captured men are removed from the board.
10 The game ends when the player has cleared his opponent’s
side of the board. He wins all the men remaining on his side of
the board.
11 If the player moves in such a way as to leave no men on
his side of ^e board his opponent is compelled if possible to
play so as to put a man across. If the opponent is in such a
position that he cannot do this that opponent clears the
board. " Migeod 1926: 281-283.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Migeod, F. 1926. A View of Sierra Leone. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co., Ltd.
Id DLP.Evidence.1896
Type Ethnography
Game Shono
Location Fang
Date 1912-01-01 - 1912-12-31
Rules 2x6 board with two stores. Five counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in a hole in the opponent's row containing one or two counters, thus making it contain two or three counters, they are captured. Any other holes in the opponent's row which also contain two or three counters, in an unbroken sequence preceding the hole where the first capture was made, are captured. When a player sows around the board, the hole from which the coutners were taken is left empty and the remaining counters are sown in the opponent's row, maintaining the direction of play. If there are still counters to be sown upon reaching the end of the opponent's row, sowing continues again from the beginning of the opponent's row. Play ends when one player cannot play from their row, and players capture any remaining counters in their holes. The player with the most counters wins.
Content Account of Shono among the Fang people of Central Africa: "Das Steinspiel der Kinder ist eine einfachere From des weitverbreiteten Steinspieles der Erwachsenen. Es heißt sono und besteht aus einem halben Raphiastengel, dessen Mark zu zwölf Fächern, die in zwei Reihen angeordnet sind, ausgehölt ist. Rechts und links an den Enden befindet sich ein doppelt so großes Fach fuur Gefangene. Das verfahren beim Spiel entspricht genau dem der Erwachsenen und unterscheidet sich nur dadurch, daß in jedem Fach vier Cannasamen als Spielsteine, nicht fünf Palmnüsse oder andere größere Fruchtkerne wie beim Steinspiel der Erwachsenen liegen. Zum Spiel setzen sich zwei Jungen (A und B) gegenüber und nehmen das Brett zwischen sich. Dem A gehören die Fuacher 1-6, dem B die von I-VI. Nun nimmt jeder Spieler Zug um Zug aus einem seiner Fächer die darin befindlichen Steine auf und legt, in der Richtung des Uhrzeigers vorschreitend, in jedes folgende Fach, sei es sein eigenes oder das des Gegners, einen Stein. Wenn im Anfang also Z.B. der Spieler A die vier Steine aus Fach 5 aufnimmt, so muß er sie auf Fach 6, I, II, und III verteilen, nimmt der Gegner B dann die fünf Steine, die sich jetzt in Fach III befinden, auf, so muß er sie in Fach IV, V, VI, 1 und 2 legen usw. Sind nun soviel Steine in einem Fach, nehmen wir an des A, daß sie beim Verteilen über die Reihe des Gegners hinausreichen, so werden sie wieder in die eigenen Fächer, von 1 ausgehend, zurückgelegt, aber nur bis an das Fach, aus dem sie entnommen sind, nicht mehr in dasselbe hinein. Vielmehr muß man dann, also bei zwölf oder mehr Steinen, den zwölften in Fach I des Gegners legen und dann bei mehr Steinen weiter nach rechts bis Fach VI fortfahren. Hat A auch dann noch Steine zu verteilen, hatte er also 18 oder mehr aufgenommen, so darf er nicht wieder in die eigenen Fächer zurücklegen, sondern hat den achtzehnten in Fach I zu legen, um dann wie gewöhnlich weiter zu verteilen. Das Ziel jedes Spielers ist nun, aus den Fächern des anderen möglichst viele Gefangene herauszuziehen, wobei derjenige gewinnt, der am meisten Gefangene gemacht hat. Die Entschiedung fällt dann, wenn ein Spieler keine Steine mehr in seinen Fächern liegen hat. In diesem Falle zählt der Spieler, welcher in seinen Fächern noch Steine hat, diese zu den Gefangenen hinzu und die höchste Zahl der Steine bedeutet sen Sieg. Der Spielende kann alle Steine eines gegnerischen Faches zu Gefangenen machen, wenn die Zahl der teine zwei nicht überschreitet. Er muß dazu den Zug so führen, daß sein letzter zu verteilender STein in ein solches Fach trifft, darin also der zweite oder dritte Stein ist. Diese drei Steine zählen dann als als Gefangene. Da also nut "Häuser" mit wenigen Steinen oder, wie der Neger sagt, Leuten dem Gegner zum Opfer fallen, so wollen wir ein solches Fach ein scwaches Fach nennen, alla anderen, also ein Fach, in dem keinStein ist oder drei und mehr Steine sich befinden, heiße ein starkes Fach. Nun kann der Spieler, wenn sein letzter Stein ein schwaches Fach trifft, nicht nur dies, sondern auch alle unmittelbar vorhergehenden schwachen Fächer plündern. Ein Beispiel möge das verdeutlichen: Angenommen bei B liegen, was er natürlich hätte verhindern müssen, in Fach I ein Stein, in Fach II drei, in III ein, in IV zwei, in V zwei und in VI acht Steine, und A hätte in Fach 5 sechs Steine, so legt er diese in Fach 6, I, II, II, IV, und V und nimmt als Gefangene die in Fach V liegenden zwei Steine, dazu seinen eigenen hinzugelegten, die in Fach IV liegenden zwei mit seinem Treffstein und den in Fach III liegenden einen mit seinem Treffstein, zusammen acht Gefangene. Es hat also jeder Spieler darauf zu achten, daß sein Gegner mit seinem letzten Stein in kein schwaches Fach kommt oder, falls dieser Fall nicht zu vermeiden ist, daß das vorgehende Fach stark ist. " Tessmann 1912: 269-270.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Tessmann, G. 1912. "Der Kinderspiele der Pangwe." Baessker-Archive: Beiträger zur Völkerkunde Band II. Leipzig and Berling: Druck und Verlag von B. G. Teubner.
Id DLP.Evidence.1897
Type Ethnography
Game Njombwa
Location Yao
Date 1913-01-01 - 1913-12-31
Rules 4x8 board, occasionally 4x9 or 10. 29 counters in each player's leftmost hole in their outer row, two in the hole to the right of it and one in the hole to the right of that one. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction in the player's two rows. Each player begins with a stylised move, by sowing the contents of the hole with two counters. Players alternate turns sowing only from their hole with two counters. When finally a single counter is sown into an inner-row hole that is opposite a hole with a single counter in the opponent's inner row, this counter is captured. The opponent then sows their two remaining counters, capturing two from the opponent. Then, the players sow from their hole with 29 counters, picking up the contents of a hole when the final counter lands in an occupied hole, ending the turn when the final counter lands in an empty hole. When both players have completed this phase, the main phase of the game begins. Players sow from any hole in their two rows. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, and counters in the opponent's opposite hole in their inner row are captured. If there are also counters in the opponent's opposite hole in the outer row, these are also captured, but only when a capture from the inner row was also made. Players cannot sow single counters, unless there are no holes with multiple counters left, in which case single counters may be sown into an empty hole. Play continues until one player has captured all of the opponent's counters, thus winning the game.
Content NJOMBWA (YAO).
There are several different gambits for this game, which was played in every Yao
village till ousted by " Bau."
The arrangement and numbers of the holes are the same as in Bau, i.e., 4 rows of 8
(occasionally 9 or 10). In one game all the men are numbers. They are then removed and it into the hole at the end of the left-hand end of the back row. Two of them are then put into the second hole from the left of the back row and one
in the third. The position is then: The first player then spreads the two men in the second hole from the left to the
right (along the back row), arriving at the fourth hole from the left. His opponent does the same and they continue spreading in like manner, in turn along the back row and
back along the front row (from right to left). When one player in spreading arrives at
an empty hole opposite to one in which his opponent has a man, he takes the latter and removes it from the board. His move then ends. His opponent then spreads the two
men he has left, and, arriving at the hole opposite to that in which the first player has two, he takes them and also removes them from the board.
The first player then spreads the 29 men remaining in the end hole of the back row, starting at the next hole and putting one in each hole along the back row and back along the front and so on, till he has placed all the 29 men in the holes, arriving at the sixth hole from the right in the front row. The contents of this hole are then spread and the spreading continues as in Bau till the player arrives at an empty hole. His opponent
then does the same and on arriving at an empty .hole his move also ends. This completes the gambit. The position is then:...Men are taken from the opponent by spreading and arriving at an empty hole in the front row, not necessarily in one spread. The contents of the holes opposite to that arrived at, both in front and back, row, are taken, and are removed from the board. The move then ends.
The spreading must always proceed from right to left in the front rows and from left to right in the back.
The move ends without taking if the player arrives at an empty hole not in "opposition." When a player is left with no hole containing more than one man he may
move a " singleton " into the next hole, if empty, and, if such hole be in the front row and in oppositioli, he takes his opponent's man or men and removes it or them from the board.
At no period of the game can a man be taken from a hole in the back row if the corresponding hole in the front row be empty, though a man or men may be taken from a hole in the front row even if there be no man in its corresponding hole of the back
row.
The game is won by taking all the opponent's men." Sanderson 1913: 732-733.
Confidence 100
Source Sanderson, M. 1913. "Native Games of Central Africa." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 43: 726-736.
Id DLP.Evidence.1898
Type Ethnography
Game Njombwa (One Counter)
Location Yao
Date 1913-01-01 - 1913-12-31
Rules 4x8 board, occasionally 4x9 or 10. One counter in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. The players start by each making a stylised move. Sowing begins from the rightmost hole in the outer row. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. When the sowing reaches the hole immediately before the one from which the sowing began (I.e,, the second-to-right hole in the outer row), these two counters are picked up and both placed in the rightmost hole in the outer row. The player then removes the two counters in the second-to-right hole in the inner row from the board. When both players complete this move, the main phase of the game begins.When both players have completed this phase, the main phase of the game begins. Players sow from any hole in their two rows. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, and counters in the opponent's opposite hole in their inner row are captured. If there are also counters in the opponent's opposite hole in the outer row, these are also captured, but only when a capture from the inner row was also made. Players cannot sow single counters, unless there are no holes with multiple counters left, in which case single counters may be sown into an empty hole. Play continues until one player has captured all of the opponent's counters, thus winning the game.
Content "The game may also be played by putting one man in each hole to start with. The player then takes up the man in the right-hand end hole of the back row, adds it to the end hole of the front row, and spreads along the front row and along the back till he arrives at the last hole but one in the back row. He takes up both the men now in it and transfers them to the end hole (right-hand end). He then takes up the two men in the second hole from the right of his front row and removes them from the board, and his move ends." Sanderson 1913: 732-733.
Confidence 100
Source Sanderson, M. 1913. "Native Games of Central Africa." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 43: 726-736.
Id DLP.Evidence.1899
Type Ethnography
Game Njombwa (Two Counters)
Location Yao
Date 1913-01-01 - 1913-12-31
Rules 4x8 board, occasionally 4x9 or 10. Two counters in each hole, except the leftmost hole in the inner row, which has zero, and the hole to its right, which has one. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When both players have completed this phase, the main phase of the game begins. Players sow from any hole in their two rows. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, and counters in the opponent's opposite hole in their inner row are captured. If there are also counters in the opponent's opposite hole in the outer row, these are also captured, but only when a capture from the inner row was also made. Players cannot sow single counters, unless there are no holes with multiple counters left, in which case single counters may be sown into an empty hole. Play continues until one player has captured all of the opponent's counters, thus winning the game.
Content "A third way of starting the game is to put two men in each hole except the left-hand end hole of the front row, which is empty, and the next hole in the front row, which has only one. Sanderson 1913: 733.
Confidence 100
Source Sanderson, M. 1913. "Native Games of Central Africa." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 43: 726-736.
Id DLP.Evidence.1900
Type Ethnography
Game Nsolo
Location Ngoni
Date 1913-01-01 - 1913-12-31
Rules 4x10-20 board, with even numbers. Two counters in each hole, except the rightmost hole in the inner row of each player, which has zero. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, the counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's inner row are captured. If counters are captured from the inner row, and there are also counters in the outer row, the counters in the outer row are also captured. If counters in the inner and outer row are captured, the player may also capture counters from one other hole on the opponent's side of the board. Single counters cannot be sown until there are no holes with multiple counters on the player's side of the board, and then single counters may only be sown into empty holes. Play continues until one player captures all of their opponent's counters, thus winnign the game.
Content "NCHOMBWA OR NSOLO (ANGONI).
Nsolo is played with a "board" consisting of ten, twelve, up to twenty holes, arranged in four rows. In consequence of the large number of holes, a "boards" is always made by scooping them out in the ground on a convenient spot.
The number of " men " (usually pebbles) varies directly with the number of holes employed (76, 92, up to 156).
Two men are puit in every hole except the (player's) right-hand end holes of the front row. As in njombwa, all moves must be in one direction only, i.e., from right to left in the front row and from left to right in the back, and men are taken by spreading
the contents of any hole or series of holes and arriving at an empty hole. The men in
the opposite holes (froiit and back rows) are then taken as in the Yao game, but the player can also take the contents of any one other hole (back or front row). No men can be taken unless a hole in the front row is first attacked. If there are no men in the hole of the back row corresponding to that attacked in the front row, the contents of the latter, and one other only, may be taken. All men taken are removed from the board.
" Singletons " may be moved as in Njomwba, i.e., only to an adjacent empty hole and when no holes contain more than one man.
A move ends either on taking or on arriving at an empty hole not "in opposition." The object is to take all the opponent's men." Sanderson 1913: 733-734.
Confidence 100
Source Sanderson, M. 1913. "Native Games of Central Africa." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 43: 726-736.
Id DLP.Evidence.1901
Type Ethnography
Game Chiana wa Kunja
Location Nyanja
Date 1913-01-01 - 1913-12-31
Rules 4 row board, of any number of holes. Only the outer rows are used. Four counters in each hole in the outer row. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. Players do not own rows, instead, over the course of their sowing, their counters are always grouped together, and sowing must occur from the rearmost counter in the player's series. If, after sowing, a player's series has one counter in the foremost hole and two in the next hole behind it, the player sows again from the rearmost hole. If the player overtakes the opponent's series, the player captures any counters in the opponent's series and places all of them in the hole immediately behind the player's series, now becoming the rearmost hole. If the rearmost hole contains a single counter, it is moved into the next hole which then becomes the rearmost hole for the next turn. If a player is reduced to a single counter, it can be moved two holes on the player's turn. The player who successfully captures all of the opponent's counters wins.
Content "CHIANA (MANYANJA).
This is the most primitive of all the games, and is usually played by children. It
is of interest in that it is, probably, the common ancestor of the more elaborate forms.
A "board," consisting of any number of holes, may be used. The play moves roumd and round the board, only the outside holes being used, always in the same direction, i.e., from left to right along the side nearest the player, and from right to left along that nearest his opponent. There is thus no distinction of ownership between the sides of the board, only those holes actually occupied by his men belonging to a player.
The holes occupied by a player are always in series, and therefore only the last hole of such series can be moved. A move consists in spreading the contents of the last hole of the series as far as it will go, adding one maii to each hole seriatim. Only one hole can be so spread each move, unless the move results in the two front holes of the series containing one and two men, respectively. It is evident that to do this it is necessary that there be a singleton in the front hole of the series, before the move, and a number of men in the last hole equal to that of the holes constituting the whole series. In this event, the player must continue to spread the last hole of the series until he fails to attain this arrangement of the two front holes of his series. If, in moving, he overtakes his opponent's series, he captures all those holes to which he has added a man; the hole next to (i.e., in front of) the hole or series of holes, so captured, then becomes the last hole of the opponent's series, and is spread at his move.
In commencing the game, four men are put into every hole in the back row of each player.
A singleton forming one of a series, and occupying the last hole of such series, is added to the contents of the next hole, which, becoming the last hole of the series, is spread at the next move in the ordinary way.
If, however, the player be left with only one man, he may move it two holes each move, so as to enable him to overtake his opponent.
No men are removed from the board, in which particuilar Chiana differs from all other games, except Bau.
The game is won by capturing all the holes occupied by the opponent.
The game above described is called Chiana wa Kunja Sanderson 1913: 734-735.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Sanderson, M. 1913. "Native Games of Central Africa." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 43: 726-736.
Id DLP.Evidence.1902
Type Ethnography
Game Chiana wa Bwalo
Location Nyanja
Date 1913-01-01 - 1913-12-31
Rules 4 row board, of any number of holes. Four counters in each player's outer row. Sowing occurs from the player's rearmost hole. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, any counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's inner row are captured. The player who captures all of the opponent's counters wins.
Content "another form, known as Chiana wa Bwalo, in which the players have each their own side of the board, a front and a back row, as in the other games.
The play is the same, except that men are taken from the opponent by occupying holes in the front row opposite to those in which the opponent has men, and that men so taken are removed from the board." Sanderson 1913: 735.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Sanderson, M. 1913. "Native Games of Central Africa." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 43: 726-736.
Id DLP.Evidence.1903
Type Ethnography
Game Tsoro (Baia)
Location Zimbabwe
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules 4x13-19 board. Two counters in every hole, except the leftmost in both of a player's rows, which are empty, and the second from the left in the inner row, which has one. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. Captures are made when the final counters lands in an empty hole in the inner row, capturing the contents of the opponent's opposite inner row hole, as well as the contents of the outer row hole only if there was a capture from the inner row hole. Captures from extra holes are also made, which are graduated based on the number of captures the player has made. On their first turn, players sow from the third hole from the left in the front row. This triggers a capture of the counters in the opposite holes in the opponent's inner and outer rows, plus the contents of any other five holes on the opponent's side of the board. In subsequent turns, sowing must occur from a hole which follows an empty hole according to the circuit of the holes. On their second capture, the player captures three extra holes. All other subsequent captures capture from two extra holes. Sowing a single counter cannot result in a capture. The player who captures all of their opponent's counters wins.
Content Detailed account of Tsoro as played in Zimbabwe by Tracey 1931: 33-34.
Confidence 100
Source Tracey, H. 1931. "The Rules of the Native Game Tsoro." NADA: The Southern Shodesia Native Affairs Department Annual 9: 33-34.
Id DLP.Evidence.1904
Type Ethnography
Game Msuwa
Location Nyanja
Date 1913-01-01 - 1913-12-31
Rules 4x10-20 holes, with even numbers. Two counters in each hole, except the rightmost hole in the inner row of each player, which has zero, and the hole to its left, which has one.Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, the counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's inner row are captured. If counters are captured from the inner row, and there are also counters in the outer row, the counters in the outer row are also captured. If counters in the inner and outer row are captured, the player may also capture counters from two other holes on the opponent's side of the board. Single counters cannot be sown until there are no holes with multiple counters on the player's side of the board, and then single counters may only be sown into empty holes. Play continues until one player captures all of their opponent's counters, thus winning the game.
Content "Msuwa (Manyanja). This game is very similar to the Nsolo of the Angoni ; it is played with a similar number of holes. It differs in two particulars: in the first place there is only one man in the hole next to the empty right-hand end hole, at the commencement of the game; all others contain two as in Nsolo. The other point of difference is in the taking: thus, the contents of two other holes, either back or front row, are taken in addition to those in
the two holes opposite to the hole arrived at." Sanderson 1913: 735.
Confidence 100
Source Sanderson, M. 1913. "Native Games of Central Africa." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 43: 726-736.
Id DLP.Evidence.1905
Type Ethnography
Game Msuwa wa Kunja
Location Nyanja
Date 1913-01-01 - 1913-12-31
Rules 4x10-20 holes, with even numbers. Two counters in each hole in the outer row. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, the counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's inner row are captured. If counters are captured from the inner row, and there are also counters in the outer row, the counters in the outer row are also captured. If counters in the inner and outer row are captured, the player may also capture counters from two other holes on the opponent's side of the board. Single counters cannot be sown until there are no holes with multiple counters on the player's side of the board, and then single counters may only be sown into empty holes. Play continues until one player captures all of their opponent's counters, thus winning the game.
Content "Msuwa wa Kunja. This is a variation of Msuwa, and differs only in that no men are put in the front row at the commencement of the game. Two are put in every hole of the back row." Sanderson 1913: 735.
Confidence 100
Source Sanderson, M. 1913. "Native Games of Central Africa." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 43: 726-736.
Id DLP.Evidence.1906
Type Ethnography
Game Sute
Location Malawi
Date 1913-01-01 - 1913-12-31
Rules 4x8=20 holes, with an even number per row. One counter in each hole, except the right-hand end row of the inner row. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction, only into an empty hole. When a counter lands in a hole in the inner row and the opponent's opposite inner row hole is empty, the contents of the opponent's opposite outer row hole are captured. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Sute (Achikunda). As in above games, there are four rows of eight, ten, up to twenty holes.
One man is put in every hole, both rows, except the rigbt-hand end hole of the front row.
Singletons are moved into an empty hole only, always, as in all these games, from left to right along the back row and from right to left along the front.
Men can be taken only from the back row hole opposite to the hole arrived at, and only if the corresponding hole of the opponent's front row be empty. Thus a player cannot take unless he is moving into an empty hole of his own front row facing an empty one in his opponent's; in which evelnt he can only take the contents of the corresponding hole in the back row.
A player may move or take only once each turn." Sanderson 1913: 736.
Confidence 100
Source Sanderson, M. 1913. "Native Games of Central Africa." Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 43: 726-736.
Id DLP.Evidence.1907
Type Ethnography
Game Morahha
Location Anjouan
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 4x8 board.
Content Account from Hyde, who learned about the game from the ambassador from Anjoan to England, the son of the king: "Apud Hanzoanitas Ludus eorum lingua dictus Morahha (ut mihi dixit Abdallah Shah Regis Hanzoan filius Regem Angliae Legatus), est Ludus quidam huic praecedenti non absimilis, qui lapillis itidem luditur. At in schemate ejus est quadruplex ordo cellularum, quae per longitudinem sunt octonae, 16 in utraque pyxidis valvula. "
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.1908
Type Ethnography
Game Samantsy
Location Tanala
Date 1912-01-01 - 1912-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Pieces with the following movement, for each player: Hova (x1): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally, is not taken by other pieces and does not take other pieces; Anakova (x1): moves one space diagonally; Farasy (x2): moves one space orthogonally and one space diagonally, jumping over any intervening pieces; Basy (x2): moves diagonally to the second space, but does not jump over the first; Vorona (2): moves orthogonally any number of spaces; Zaza (x8): move one space forward orthogonally, captures one space forward diagonally to capture. When a Zaza reaches the opposite edge of the board, they are promoted to Anakova. The pieces are set up on the last row of the player's side of the board, from left to right, as follows: Vorona, Farasy, Basy, Hova, Anakova, Basy, Farasy, Vorona, except the Hova and Anakova are swapped for the opponent. The Zaza are placed in the row in front of these pieces.
Content "Le Samantsy se joue sur une plance carrée divisée en 64 petit carrés. Chaque camp dispose de 16 pièces, à savoir: 8 zaza, 2 vorona, 2 farasy, 2 basy, 1 anakova, et 1 hova. Ces pièces sont représentées ci-contre en projection horizontale et verticale. Au début du jeu elles sont placées comme il est indiqué sur la planche. Elles sont en bois blanc dans un camp, en bois noir dans l'autre. Gègle générale du jeu. La partie est gagnée, quand le Hove du camp adverse est bloquee, une pieèce, qui prend une autre, prend sa place. Aucune pièce, à l'exception des Farasy, ne peut sauter par dessus les autres. 1. Les Zaza marchent de A en B, droit devant eux, en sautant ou sans sauterun nombre quelconque de carrés. Ils prennent les pièces voiine sur les diagonales, dans les sens (1) et (2). Une fois arrivés en B (en dame), ils acquierrent toutes les propriétés de l'Anakova au point de vue de la marche et des prises. (Voir plus loin). 2. Les Vorona marchent rectangulairement dans tous les sens, en sautant ou non un nombre quelconque de carrés. Ils prennent de la même façon. 3. Un farasy, placé par exemple en (3), peut se déplacer en 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, ou 11. Il prend de la même façon. Il est la seule pièce qui puisse sautre par dessus les autres. 4. Les Basy marche diagonalement en sautant un carré et prennent de même. 5. L'Ankova marche diagonalement carré par carré et prend de même. 6. Les Hova marchent carré par carré rectangulairement ou diagonalement et prennent de même. Ils ne sont pris par aucune autre pièce et ne se prennent pas entre eux. " du Picq 1912: 267-2068.
Confidence 100
Source du Picq, A. 1912. "Le Samantsy (Jeu d'échecs des Tanala de l'Ikongo." Bulletin de l'Académie Malgache 10-11: 267-268.
Id DLP.Evidence.1909
Type Ethnography
Game Owana
Location 2°45'3.01"S, 13°54'59.71"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-01-01
Rules 2x4 holes board with two stores. Four counters per hole. Players sow in an anti-clockwise direction. The player who captures all of the opponent's counters wins.
Content Description from P. Ongoto of Etono, Republic of Congo: ""Owana" der Mbamba (Kota): Ein Setzspiel mit der Palmnuß ist den Jungen bekannt. Jedem Spieler stehen in zwei Reihen je vier Löcher zur Verfügung. Zwischen diesen Reihen sind zwei Reihen je vier Löcher zur Verfügung. Zwischen diesen Reihen sind zwei besondere Grübchen. Die Kinder spielen zu zweit, und jedes achtet auf sein Feld. Zu Beginn des Spiels sett jeder Teilnehmer vier Mandeln in die Löcher seines Spielfeldes. Das Kind, das als erstes an der REihe ist, nimmt die Nüsse aus einem der Löcher und verteilt sie in den rechts folgenden. Die beiden Partner wechseln einander ab. Der Spieler, der alle Mandeln des Gegners erobert hat, gewinnt die Partie. " Klepzig 1972:186-187.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Male
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1910
Type Ethnography
Game Ga
Location 4°10'7.38"S, 13°33'8.28"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules Pits are created in a circle or rectangle. Two or more players. A player takes counters from their first hole and sowing them toward their last hole. When counters are placed in an opponent's hole, they are captured. When one player can circuit the entire board, they win.
Content Account from G. Bilayi of Madingou, Republic of Congo: ""Ga" der Kamba und Bembe: Bei diesem Spiel legen die Mädchen dir Gruben in Form eines Kreises oder Rechtecks im Sand an. Es können sich zwei oder auch mehrere Spielerinnen beteiligen. Die Mitspieler erhalten die gleiche Anzahl Gruben. Das Mädchen, das zuerst an der Reihe ist, nimmt von den nach rechts folgenden Löchern Besitz, indem es sie Nüsse aus dem erssten Loch dort hinein legt. Dies geschieht abwechselnd. Nach mehreren Runden sind einige Gruben schon von einer Partnerin belegt, die ale Steine nehmen kann und deshalb das Spiel gewinnt. Dieses Setzspiel erfordert einige Überlegungen, da sich jede marken muß, in welche Grube die Gespielin den letzten Stein eingesetzt hat, um dort die Steine für die nächste Runde zu entnehmen. Die kleineren Kinder spiele dieses Spiel in einer vereinfachten Form, indem sie an der Stelle weiter setzen, wo der Partner aufgehört hat. Sie nehmen das Spielsteinchen aus dem folgenden Loch und spielen solange, bis einer der Partner den anderen überrundet hat." Klepzig 1972: 186-187.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Female
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1911
Type Ethnography
Game Ngaya
Location 3°50'49.04"S, 14°53'20.78"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules The board is a series of holes in the ground. Two or more players, five holes per player to start. Three counters per hole. Players sow from their first hole into the holes to its right. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the player moves again. A player's holes are the first hole with their counters to the last hole in which they sowed a counter. A player who no longer owns holes is eliminated. The player who eliminates the last opponent wins.
Content Account of F. Samba, of Mayama, Republic of Congo: ""Ngaya" der Ladi" Dies ist eines der beliebtesten Setzspiele. In einem Kreis legt man kleiner Löcher an, deren Zahl von der Mitspieler abhuangt, da jeder Teilnehmer die gleiche Anzahl Gruben erhält. Die Anzahl der Nüsse muß dreimal so groß sein wie die der Fächer, denn in jedes Loch kommen drei Nüsse. Die Spieler grenzen ihr Feld ab. Einer beginnt mit der ersten Runde, indem er die Nüsse aus dem ersten Loch nimmt und sie einzeln auf die zu seiner Rechten liegenden Gruben verteilt. Nun kommt der nächste Spieler, der rechts von ihm sitzt, an die Reihe und beginnt, seine Nüse auszulegen. Beim Verteilen der Spielobjekte - sei es nun in leere oder besetzte Löcher - kommt es darauf an, daß die letzte Nuß in einer der leeren Löcher zu liegen kommt. Der Spieler darf dann ein zweites Mal setzen. Nach der Regel kann nur der gewinnen, der die Gruben eines anderen Spielers besetzt. Der Besitz eines Spielers erstreckt sich von ersten Loch, in dem die eigenen Nüsse liegen, bis zu dem Fach, in das er seine letzte Nuß legt. Wenn z.B der nächste Spieler zur linken bereits Nüsse in vier Löcher gesetzt hat, kann der reits seine Nüsse deponiert hat. Wenn der Freund vier Gruben besetzt hält, beginnt der nächste Teilnehmer mit der fünften und spielt wie üblich weiter. Wenn nur noch zwei Partner im Rennen sind, wird derjenige Sieger, der den Gegner überrundet." Klepzig 1972: 187-188.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1912
Type Ethnography
Game Kitende
Location 3°59'37.23"S, 13°55'36.45"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 24 holes in a circle. Two or three players. Three counters in each hole. Players sow from their first hole into the holes to the right. Sowing into the fifth hole with the final coutner grants the player another turn. A player captures another player's empty hole by sowing into it. The winner is the player who captures all of the opponents' counters.
Content Account from A. Biango from Muyondzi, Republic of Congo: ""Kitende" der Bembe: Die Kinder von sechs bis neun Jahren spioelen "kitende." Sie graben in einem kreis vierundzwanzig kleine Gruben, in die je drei Palmnüsse gelegt werden. Ein Spieler eruoffnet die Runde, indem er das erste Kästschen leert und je eine Nüss ins zweite, dritte, und vierte Loch rechts daneben deponiert. Der nächste tut das gleiche und ebenso der dritte - sofern sich drei Partner am Spiel beteiligen. Sobald die erste Runde beendet ist, beginnen die Teilnehmer von neuem. Oft kommt es vor, daß vier Spieler über je fünf Palmnüsse verfügen. Sobald ein Spieler die letzte Nuß ins fünfte Fach gelegt hat, beginnt er wieder von vorn. Wenn ein Kind seine Nuß in das Fach eines Mitspieler legen kann - was voraussetzt, daß dieses vorübergehend leersteht - geht es in seinen Besitz über. Gewinner ist derjenige, dem es scließlich gelingt, alle Nüsse seiner Spielfreunde zu erobern." Klepzig 1972: 188-189.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1913
Type Ethnography
Game Nzengué (Small)
Location 4°16'8.19"S, 15°17'33.14"E; 2°51'18.18"S, 13°49'7.38"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules A square with diagonals. Three pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. When a player forms a line with their three pieces, they win.
Content Account from P. Ongoto of Zanaga and N. Loukongolo of Brazzaville, Republic of Congo: ""Nzengue" der Teke: In Mikatu ist das Mühleziehen unter dem Namen "ngengué" bekannt. Im Sand wird ein Vier- oder Rechteck mit Diagonalen gezeichnet. Jeder der beiden SPieler nimmt drei verschiedene Gegenstände, der eine benutzt z.B. drei Kohlestücke, der andere drei Erdbocken als Spielsteine. Sien versuchen, ihre Spielobjekte auf eine Linie zu setzen; entweder auf einer Diagonalen oder auf einer Seite." Klepzig 1972: 181.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Spaces Outside
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1914
Type Ethnography
Game Nzengué (Large)
Location 4°10'7.38"S, 13°33'8.28"E; 4°46'46.91"S, 14°37'46.92"E; 4°21'36.30"S, 14°45'38.97"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules Square-shaped board. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. Players attempt to line up three of their pieces in a row. Players also move pieces along the lines of the board.
Content Account of Nzengué by M. Bikindou of Madingu, G. Batina of Boko, and J. Bemba of Kinkala in Republic of Congo: ""Nzengue" der Dondo: Wenn die Jungen spielen, zeichnen sie uf den Erdboden ein quadratisches Feld, das unserer Mühle gleicht. Zuweilen spielt man mit den Männern. Die beiden Partner verfügen über je zwuolf Spielsteine. Sie besetzen abwechselnd die PLätze und bemühen sich, mit drei Steinen eine Reihe zu bilden. Der Gegner, der die Absicht durchschaut, besetzt rasch dieselbe Linie mit einem eigenen schieben und hoffen, das Spiel für sich zu gewinnen. " Klepzig 1972: 181-182.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adult
Genders Male
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1915
Type Ethnography
Game Banyarwanda Mill Game
Location 1°56'54.43"S, 30° 3'39.37"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules A square, with diagonals and "two vertical lines." Six pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on an empty spot on the board. When all of the pieces have been placed, they may jump to another spot. The first person to place three of their pieces in a row wins.
Content Account from J. Schifflers, from Kigali: "Mühle der Nya-Rwanda: Für das Mühle-Spiel wird eine Figur in den Sand gezeichnet. Sie besteht aus einem Quadrat, in das die Diagonalen und die beiden Mittels enkrechten einzegeichnet sind. Am Spiel beteiligen sich zwei Spieler mit je sechs verschiedenfarbigen Spielmarken. Es gilt, drei Steine auf eine Linie zu bringen. Sind alle Steine gesetzt, so darf gesprungen werden. Wem es zuerst gelingt, eine Mühle zu erreichen, hat gewonnen." Klepzig 1972: 305.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1916
Type Ethnography
Game Dintja le Nmutla
Location 27°17'3.18"S, 27°58'12.99"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules The board is a grid of vertical and horizontal lines. One player plays as four hounds, the other as one rabbit. The hounds are only able to move forward, the rabbit can move forward and backward. The hounds win by blocking the rabbit so it cannot move; the rabbit wins by moving behind the line of dogs so they are unable to block it.
Content Account from J. M. Quzman of Heilbron, South Africa: ""Dintja le nmutla" der Sotho: Gespielt wird "Hund und Hase" von etwa sechs- bis elfjährigen Jungen. Das Spielfeld besteht aus in den Sand gezogenen waargerechten und senkrechten Linien. Die Hundepartei verfügt über vier schwarze Steine, die Gegenpartei des Hasen setzt mit einem andersfarbigen Stein. Die Hunde dürfen nur vorwärts, der Hase hingegen darf vorwärts und rückwärts ziehen. Die Hunde, die möglichst in gerader Front vorgehen sollten, müssen versuchen, den Hansen zurückzudrängen und einzuschließen, bis er schließlich- in eine Ecke gedrängt- keinen Ausweg mehr findet. Der Hase muß sich bemühen, die Hunde auseinanderzubringen und sich hinter dem Rücken der Meute abzusetzen, damit ist er frei und hat gewonnen. " Klepzig 1972: 517.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1917
Type Ethnography
Game Rwandan Hunt Game
Location 1°56'54.43"S, 30° 3'39.37"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules Two players. Hunt game. Four pieces.
Content Information from J. Gaumbiro and J.B. Hatégekinawa of Kigali: "Hutu, Tutsi, Wolf/Schafe im Sand, 2 Spieler, 4 Steine, Kinder ab. 6 J. Kienji (Kigali) Ruanda). Klepzig 1972: 305.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1918
Type Ethnography
Game Rwandan Alignment Game
Location 1°56'54.43"S, 30° 3'39.37"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules "Mill" game. Two players. Three pieces per player.
Content Account from J. Schifflers from Kigali: "Hutu, Tusi, Mühlespiel im Sand, auch mit Brett. 2 Spieler, je 3 Steine, auch mehr; Kinder, Schuljugend. Kisenji (Kigali) Ruanda" Klepzig 1972: 305.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent
Spaces Outside
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1919
Type Ethnography
Game Umrabaraba
Location 33°55'35.71"S, 18°25'24.29"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules Square board. Ten pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. Players also move pieces along the lines on the board. When a player is reduced to three pieces, they may jump to an empty spot on the board. The last player who has three or more pieces remaining is the winner.
Content Account from S. Batyi of Sigwelo, South Africa: ""Umrabaraba," Mühlespiel der Xhosa: Die Kinder vertreiben sich am Kral und außerhalb der Wohnung gern die Zeit mit Setzspielen, vor allem in der heißen Jahreszeit. Sie sitzen im Schatten und zeichnen Längs-und Querlinien einer Quadtraischen Figur in den Sand. Jeder Teilnehmer bekommt zehn Spielsteine, die sich in der Farbe voneinander unterscheiden. Sie werden auf dem Spielfeld verteilt und den Regeln entsprechend weitergeschoben. Einer greift an, der andere versperren. Haben beiden Spieler nur noch drei Steine, dann darf gesprungen werden. Wer als lketzter noch drei besitzt, ist Gewinner. Das Wort "morabaraba" stammt aus der Sotho-sprache und wurde in neurerer Zeit vo nden Minenarbeitern aus den Sotho-Wohngebieten in das Kapland eingeführt." Klepzig 1972: 517-518.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1920
Type Ethnography
Game Raeo
Location 27°17'3.18"S, 27°58'12.99"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 4x6 board. Six counters in each hole. Players sow counters from a hole on their side of the board. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an empty hole, the contents of the opponent's opposite holes are captured, and then sowing continues with these counters. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole, the turn ends. When one player has captured all of the opponent's counters, or the opponent has only a single counter remaining, the player wins.
Content Account from J.M. Quzman from Heilbron, South Africa: ""Raeo" (sprich: rayo) der Sotho: An diesem Spiel nehmen gewuohnlich zwei Kinder teil, die die zwölf Vertiefungen auf jeder Seite mit je sechs Steinen besetzen. Das Kind, das das Spiel eröffnet, nimmt aus einem seiner Löcher Steine und verteilt sie in die folgenden. Sobald der spieler an das Fach gelangt, in das er seinen letzten Stein in eine vorher geleerte Grube, dann kann er den Inhalt aud dem gegenüberliegenden Loch des Gegners nehmen und fortfahren, die folgenden Plätze zu besetzen. Der Spieler bleibt indes am Zuge, bis der letzte Stein in ein bereits besetztes Loch zu liegen kommt. Dann versucht der Partner sein Glück. Ein Spieler setzt die Runde solange fort, bis er alle "Kühe" des Gegners gewonnen oder seinen letzten Stein ausgelegt hat. " Klepzig 1972: 519.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1921
Type Ethnography
Game Ngola
Location 4°46'46.91"S, 14°37'46.92"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. Two counters in each hole. Players alternate turns sowing from a hole in their row in an anti-clockwise direction. When the last counter falls in a hole in the player's inner row, the contents of the opponent's two holes opposite are captured, and sowing continues with these counters. Play continues until one player has no holes with more than one counter, and the opponent wins.
Content Account of S. Louamba from Boko, Republic of Congo: ""Ngola", Brettspiel der Kongo-Nseke: Auf einem Spielbrett von dreißig oder fünfunddreißig Zentimeter Länge zählen wir an seiner Bretiseite vier, an seiner Luangsseite acht Reihen Kästchen. In jedes von ihnen legen die Spieler zwei kleine Steine. Jeder Spieler, der über die zwei vor ihm liegenden Reihen verfügt, muß versuchen, seinem Gegner alle Steine abzunehmen. Es handelt sich um eine leichtere Spielart des kisolo. Einer beginnt, je nach Belieben in seiner ersten oder zweiten Reihe, und verteilt die Spielsteine eines Kästchens von links nach rechts nacheinander in die nächstfolgenden Löcher. Sobald er den letzten abgelegt hat, holt er alle Steine aus den zwei dahinterliegenden Gruben des Partners. Wenn ein Loch leer ist, kann er nichts entnehmen. Wenn der Spieler keinen Stein mehr in der Hand hat, ist der andere an der Reihe zu ziehen. Sobald in einem Felde jedes Fach nicht mehr als einen Stein enthält, ist das SPiel zu Ende, und der Gegner gilt als besiegt. " Klepzig 1972: 189-190.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1922
Type Ethnography
Game Kisolo (Lali)
Location 4°16'8.19"S, 15°17'33.14"E; 3°50'49.04"S, 14°53'20.78"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. Four counters in each of the holes in each player's inner row. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction, with the first counter being sown into the hole from which the counters were picked up. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the player's turn ends. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole in the inner row, the player captures the counters in the opponent's opposite inner row hole, and continues sowing with these counters and the counters in the hole where the final counter was dropped.. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole but a capture is not possible, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. Play continues until one player can no longer play, and the opponent wins.
Content Accounts from N. loukongolo of Brazzaville and R. Moumpala of Mayama, republic of Congo: ""Kisolo" der Lali: Beide Geschlechter beteiligen sich an den Brettspielen. Oft geben sich die Erwachsenen Mühe, den Kinderrn, wenn diese kaum sieben bis acht Jahre alt sind, die regeln zu erklären, um die Kleinen in das Geheimnis des Kisolo einzuweihen. Zum Spiel gehört ein Holzbrett mit zweiunddreißig Löchern, die in vier Reihen zu je acht angeordnet sind. Jeder der beiden Spieler verfügt über sechzehn Fächer und zweiunddreißig Kiesel. Beide partner nehmen vor ihrem Spielfeld auf dem boden Platz. Zu Beginn verteilen die Spieler in jedes Loch zwei Steine, damit keiner den anderen betrügen kann. Nun nehmen sie die Kiesel der ersten reihe und legen diese in der zweite, so daß jetzt jeder acht leere Fächer und acht Kuastchen mit je vier Setzsteinen vor sich hat. Ein Partner beginnt, holt sich drei Steine, um diese in der ersten Reihe auszulegen, und zwr von links nach rechts. Er darf nicht weiter spielen, wenn der letzte Stein in ein leeres Loch zu liegen kommt. Dann ist der Partner an der Reihe, bis er vor der gegnerischen Lochreihe angelangt ist. Sobald der letzte "kisolo" in ein bestimmtes Fach fällt, holt sich der Spieler den Inhalt aus dem Kästchen des Gegners, das sich genau hinter seiner Grube befindet. Ist dieses nicht belegt, rafft er nur der Kiesel seines letzten Faches auf und legt sie der Reihe nach aus. Wenn er vor einem leeren Loch steht, muß er aufhören, und der Partner setzt das Spiel fort.
Zur Erläuterung mag folgendes Beispeil dienen: A legt den letzten kisolo inFach 10, das drei Steine enthält. Im gegenüberliegenden Fachm das B gehört, befinden sich fünf (Fach 10 und 15 enthalten insgesamt acht Steine). Der Spieler nimmt nun seinen letzten kisolo und die acht Steine dazu, um das Spiel fortzusetzen." Klepzig 1972: 190-191.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adult
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1923
Type Ethnography
Game Ngolo
Location 4°19'36.78"S, 15°19'14.97"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 4x9 board. Two counters in each hole. Players alternate turns sowing from one of the holes in their row in an anti-clockwise direction. When a counter falls into a hole in their inner row, the player captures the counters from both of the opposite holes on the opponent's side of the board; if one of the two opposite holes is empty, no capture is made. Captures counters are sown on the player's side of the board. Play continues until one player captures all of the counters or one player forfeits.
Content Account from A. Nsumu from Kinshasa: ""Ngolo" der Tio: In Kinschasa kennen die Jungen im alter von acht bis vierzehn Jahren ein Brettspiel, das eine Abwandlung des kisolo darstellt. Es besteht aus veir Reihen mit jeweils neun Löchern. Anfangs befinden sich in jedem Fach zwei Steine. Ein Junge nimmt von seiner Seite das Spiel auf und legt die Steine eines Faches des in die folgenden Löcher. Wenn er seinen letzten Stein in ein Kästchen fallen läßt, beachtet er die beiden gegenüberliegenden Fächer des Gegners. Falls beide belegt sind, leert er ihren Inhalt. Ist jedoch eines davon leer, so nimmt er nichts. Falls ein Spieler keine Setzsteine mehr hat, huort er auf und übergibt das Spiel dem Partner. Es ist möglich, in einer Runde alle Steinen des Partners zu nehmen und sie im eigenen Feld einzusetzen. In diesem Fall ist der Partner besiegt. Wer das Spiel aufgibt, har verloren." Klepzig 1972: 306.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent
Genders Male
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.1924
Type Artifact
Game 10-Ring
Location 35° 7'4.15"N, 25°51'59.91"E
Date 1350-01-01BCE - 1100-12-31BCE
Rules Ten depressions in a circle, divided in half.
Content Ten depressions divided in half by a line found as graffiti in the "Chieftain's Residence" at Kavousi, Crete. Hillbom 2011: 146.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Spaces Monumental, Household
Source Hillbom, N. 2011. Minoan Games and Game Boards: an Archaeological Investigation of Game-Related Material from Bronze Age Crete. Saarbrucken: Dr. Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.1925
Type Ethnography
Game Mbenga Alignment Game
Location Mbenga
Date 1903-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines with diagonals. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. The first player to place three of their pieces in a row wins.
Content Game as described by Ethun Esura, a Mbenga friend of the R. P. Trilles: "Il nous souvient avoir joué dans notre enfance à un jeu passionant! Un morceau de craie pour tracer les lignes d'un carré coupé en croix et croisé, trois jetons chacun, et deux adversaires. Celui qui met le premier ses trois jetons en ligne, gagne. J'ai su plus tard que le premier joueur pouver, si'il le voulait, gagner infalliblement! Mais quand on est petit! Le jeu se nomme, en Normandie, la Marelle..." Trilles 1932: 397.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Male
Source Trilles, R. 1932. Les pygmées de la forêt equatoriale. Paris: Librairie Bloud & Gay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1926
Type Ethnography
Game Çrand
Location Trarza
Date 1952-01-01 - 1952-12-31
Rules 9x9 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in the large square. Forty pieces per player, arranged on the points closest to the player and to the right of the central spot, with the central spot remaining empty. Players alternate turns moving their pieces forward along the lines of the board. They cannot move sideways or backwards, except to capture. A piece may capture an adjacent opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty spot immediately on the opposite side of the opponent;'s piece, along the lines of the board. When a player's piece reaches the line on the opposite side of the board from which it started, it is promoted to Sultan, and it may move in all directions along the lines of the board and over any unobstructed distance. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Le Çrand: C'est une déformation comme nom du chat'randj des Arabes (jeu d'échecs), mais comme jeu, c'est une variété de jeu de dames et c'est ainsi qu'on l'appelle encore (dhamat). Il se joue à deux sur un damier compant quatre-vingt-un angles. En guise de pions, les joueurs ont, l'un quarante crottes de chameau et l'autre quarante bâtonnets. Le 81e angle qui occupe le centre du damire demeure libre et ce n'est pas un avantage de l'occuper, car c'est généralement au détriment de ses arrières qu'on le fait. Si l'on y est contraint, il vaut mieux le faire au moyen des pions placés sur la diagonale 2-3. C'est là le procédé classique, autrement, toute l'harmonie du jeu s'en ressent." Hamidoun 1952: 67-68.
Les pions se manoeuvrent en avançant en ligne droite ou en diagonale; on ne peut les déplacer ni de côté ni en arrière, sauf pour prendre, et alors on enjambe l'angle qu'occupait le pion enlevé à l'adversaire.
Si A parvient à l'un des neuf points de la ligne 3-4 (ou B ceux de la ligne 1-2), il a un sultan; on a autant de sultans que de points occupés; les sultans peuvent se déplacer en tous sens et sur toute la longeur du jeu.On commence toujours le jeu en manoeuvrant tout d'abord le pion de gauche qui se trouve le plus près du point libre du damier sur la diagonale 2-3.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Hamidoun, M. 1952. Précis sur la Mauritanie. Saint-Louis: Centre IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1927
Type Ethnography
Game Khreïbga
Location Trarza
Date 1952-01-01 - 1952-12-31
Rules Played on a board similar to Kharbaga. Twelve pieces per player. Pieces may move in any direction along the lines of the board from the start.
Content ""La Khreïbga: variante du précédent, qui se joue avec douze pions seulement, qu'on peut manoeuvrer dans tous les sens." Hamidoun 1952: 68.
Confidence 100
Source Hamidoun, M. 1952. Précis sur la Mauritanie. Saint-Louis: Centre IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1928
Type Ethnography
Game I
Location 14°24'3.40"N, 3° 4'55.64"W
Date 1938-01-01 - 1938-12-31
Rules 2x3-7 board. Four counters in each hole. Players sow counters from their side of the board in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter of a sowing lands in a hole containing one or two counters, making it now contain two or three, these are captured. Any adjacent holes with two or three counters are also captured. When a player only has single counters in holes in their row, they pass. The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content "I. Deux joueurs creusent deux rangs parallèles de 3 à 7 trous dans chacun desquels déposés 4 cailloux. Chaque joueur, en commençant par l'aîné, prend le contenu d'un trou, le dispose par unité les autres en allant vers la droite et en revenant sur la gauche quand il atteint le rang adverse. Si le dernier pion tombe dans un trou qui en contient déjà u nou deux, le joueur garde ce contenu pour lui ainsi que celui des trous adjacents s'ils contiennent 2 ou 3 cailloux. Quand un joueur ne possède dans son rang que des pierres uniques, il passe son tour. Celui qui a perdu ses cailloux devient le captif, gunna, de l'autre...Garçons. Madougou." Griaule 1938: 166-168.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Male
Source Griaule, M. 1938. Jeux dogons. Paris: Institute d'ethnologie.
Id DLP.Evidence.1929
Type Ethnography
Game Tsatsarandi
Location 12° 2'25.97"N, 13°55'1.13"E; 11°49'55.84"N, 13° 8'58.20"E
Date 1936-01-01 - 1936-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Pieces have specific moves, as follows: Mai (x1): moves one space in any direction; Chiroma (x1): Moves one space diagonally; Bintu (x2): moves exactly two spaces diagonally, jumping over the first square; Fer (x2): moves orthogonally one space and then diagonally another space, jumping over any intervening pieces; Kaigamma (x2): moves orthogonally any distance; Gollo: (x8) move one space forward orthogonally, or one space diagonally forward to capture. Pieces capture the opponent's pieces by moving onto the spot they occupy. No en passant; no castling. When the Mai can be captured at the beginning of the opponent's next turn, it is in check and must be removed from this state on the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the player who threatened the Mai wins.
Content Letter from G. H. Betts, who lived in Maiduguri, Nigeria: " As regards the Bornu game of Chess (Tsatsarandi) I should like to make it quite clear that the moves of the pieces are not identical with our way of playing the game. The moves of some pieces correspond, but others do not. " In 1936 I ascertained that there were only two men left alive in Maiduguri, who knew how the game was played, and one of them has since died. The sole survivor was formerly an Ajia (headman) of a village east of Dikwa and is now quite an old man. I learnt from him exactly how the pieces moved. " The King (Mai) the Knight (Fer), and the Castle (Kaigamma) move exactly the same as in our game. The Queen (Chiroma) can only move one square at a time and so moves like a King, except that its movement is even more restricted as it may move diagonally only. It has therefore the choice of only four squares for any one move and so, having to remain perpetually on its own colour, cannot threaten the opposing Queen. The Bishop (Bintu), like our own piece, moves diagonally only, remaining on its own colour; but even when placed on the centre of an unoccupied board, it has only four possible moves and they are the four diagonal squares next but one to itself. If another piece is situated on one of the diagonal squares adjacent to it, the Bishop may 'jump' that piece to reach the next square. The first move in a game, therefore, might be King's Bishop to R.3 or Q.3. " Pawns (Gollo) move as in our game except that the "initial double-move is unknown. " Castling is not played, nor is the ' pawn-en-passant' move. All the details of mating, discovered checks, etc., are the same as played in our game." Harris 1939: 31-32.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Harris, P. 1939. "Chess in Bornu: Nigeria." Man 39: 31-32.
Id DLP.Evidence.1930
Type Ethnography
Game Tsatsarandi
Location 11°49'55.84"N, 13° 8'58.20"E
Date 1926-01-12 - 1926-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Starting position. Moves "the same as Chess."
Content " In 1926 I obtained for the British Museum a chess set from Bornu Province, Nigeria
(P1. C. 1). The game is known to the Kanuri as Tsatsarandi, an obvious corruption of
the Arabic term Shatranj. It is said to have been a court game at the old Bornu capital of Birni
Ngasr Gomo. The pieces are named and arranged as follows: Captain Lloyd Carson and I witnessed a game being played at Maiduguri. The moves were the
same as our own." Meek 1934: 33.
Confidence 100
Source Meek, C. 1934. "Chess in Bornu, Nigeria." Man 34: 33.
Id DLP.Evidence.1931
Type Ethnography
Game Dig Dig
Location 5°22'12.12"N,100°24'50.21"E
Date 1959-01-01 - 1959-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the corners and midpoints of the squares. Two players. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on one of the spots on the board. A player may place a piece on top of a piece belonging to their opponent during this phase of the game, and they are both canceled out. When three uncanceled pieces form a row along the lines on the board, the player may capture one of the opponent's pieces. Once all of the spots have been occupied, the canceled pieces are removed. Players alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an empty adjacent spot on the board.The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "'Straight Line' (Teochiu Chinese in Wellesley Province, North Malaya). Associated with this game is a Teochiu proverb, 'Shiang ki kik jia dig' ('Chinese chess is for immortals, straight line for beggars'). The game is played by two players, one of whom has twigs, the other grass. Each player may then place (not move) a piece on any junction of the lines. One may place a twig over an opponent's piece and the two then cancel out. When three uncrossed pieces are in a straight line such s ADG or PQR, then one is entitled to remove any one of the opponent's twigs. When all places are occupied, all crossed pieces are removed and the game is continued by moving along the lines instead of replacing pieces until the winner has removed all his opponent's pieces." Newell 1959: 29.
Confidence 100
Social status Non-Elite
Source Newell, H. 1959. "A Few Asiatic Board Games other than Chess." Man 59: 29-30.
Id DLP.Evidence.1932
Type Ethnography
Game Six Insect Game
Location 30°34'19.66"N,104° 3'59.17"E
Date 1959-01-01 - 1959-12-31
Rules 4x4 board. Six pieces per player, which begin on opposite rows of the board and in the two outer squares in the row in front of it. Players alternate turns moving a piece orthogonally to an adjacent space on the board. When a player moves a piece such that it creates three in a row: two of their own pieces (which must be adjacent to one another) and one of the opponent's pieces (which must have a vacant space on the opposite side of it), the opponent's piece is captured. However, when the opponent's piece moves in line with two of the player's piece on the opponent's turn, the player does not capture the opponent's piece. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "'Sixx Insect Game' (Chengtu, Sxechuan, West China). Black or White pieces may only move horizontally or vertically. The object of the game is to remove the opponent's pieces by moving a second piece of one's own into line with an opponent's piece, and a vacant square. For example, in the second diagram, if black piece a has just moved into new position, white piece b can be removed from the board, but if white piece b is moved into that position there would be no danger. There must always be a vacant square next to the piece to be taken, but capturing may be done both horizontally and vertically." Newell 1959: 30.
Confidence 100
Source Newell, H. 1959. "A Few Asiatic Board Games other than Chess." Man 59: 29-30.
Id DLP.Evidence.1933
Type Ethnography
Game Damat
Location 2°11'22.58"N, 102°15'0.31"E
Date 1959-01-01 - 1959-12-31
Rules 12x12 checkered board. 30 pieces per player. Played on the black squares. Pieces move forward diagonally one space. Pieces capture an adjacent opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it. When a piece reaches the opposite edge of the board from where it started, it is promoted. Promoted pieces may move any distance in a diagonal line as long as there is an empty space at the end of the jump.
Content "Game played by the Portuguese at Malacca, Malaya. Portuguese call it damat. Although the board is larger than a western board, the principle of the game is as in western draughts with the following variation. When a piece gets to the opposite end of the board it becomes a king and can travel any distance along the black squares in one move in one line provided that there is a vacant space at the end of its jump." Newell 1959: 30.
Confidence 100
Source Newell, H. 1959. "A Few Asiatic Board Games other than Chess." Man 59: 29-30.
Id DLP.Evidence.1934
Type Ethnography
Game Fortresse
Location 46° 1'55.63"N, 7°18'11.88"E
Date 1917-01-01 - 1917-12-31
Rules Played on the Fox and Geese board, the topmost square of which is the fortress, in which one player puts two defenders. The opponent has thirteeen pieces, which occupy the points of the bottommost square and the bottom of the horizontal arm of the board. Defenders may capture one of the opponent's pieces by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece. The soldiers win by occupying all of the points in the fortress or by blocking the officers from being able to move; the officers win by capturing enough soldiers to prevent this.
Content "Voici encore un autre jeu de marelle d'importation
récente. On le désigne sous le nom de forteresse. L'échiquier
est ici composé de cinq marolets simples disposés en croix
(fig. 3). L'un des deux joueurs est muni de deux pions seulement,
les défenseurs de la forteresse représentée par le marolet
d'en haut, qui ont pour tâche d'en empêcher l'accès aux
soldats assaillants représentés par d'autres pions, ordinairement
plus petits, et en nombre suffisant pour occuper tous les points
du marolet d'en bas et les points de base des marolets de
la ligne médiane. Au lieu de soldats il est question quelquefois
de loups (les deux premiers pions) et de moutons que les
premiers cherchent à dévorer. Si l'un des petits pions se
trouve isolé et juste à côté d'un grand pion, ce dernier
le prend de la même façon qu'au jeu des dames. Si le
joueur qui fait manœuvrer les petits pions peut en amener
un assez grand nombre pour en remplir le marolet supérieur
de son échiquier, il est en droit de proclamer la bataille
gagnée." Gabbud 1917: 159.
Confidence 100
Source Gabbud, M. 1917. "Jeux et divertissements du Val de Bagnes." Schweizerisches Archiv für Volkskund 21: 136-162.
Id DLP.Evidence.1936
Type Ethnography
Game Triodi (Chios)
Location Chios
Date 1949-01-01 - 1949-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines. Three pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. When all of the pieces have been placed, the players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot. A piece which is surrounded on opposite sides by pieces belonging to the opponent cannot be moved. The player who places three of their stones in a row along one of the lines wins.
Content " Crossroads (to triodi). A rectangle is chalked on the pavement and divided into four squares by lines drawn parallel to the other sides from the centre of one side to that of the other. The players standing at a fixed distance take each three stones and each palys in turn with the object of placing his stones in a straight line; and the one who succeeds first wins. If a stone is between two belonging to the opponent, it may not be moved and is considered blocked." Argenti and Rose 1949: 1018-1019.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Spaces Outside
Genders Female, Male
Source Argenti, P and H. Rose. 1949. The Folk-Lore of Chios. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1937
Type Ethnography
Game Raja Pasu Mandiri
Location 6°55'33.58"N, 79°51'29.14"E
Date 2000-01-01 - 2000-12-31
Rules 2x7 board, with three store holes. Three players. One player, the Raja, owns the three central holes in each row, one player owns the holes to the left and the other player the holes to the right. Seven counters in each hole. Players alternate turns sowing the counters in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in a hole, the contents of the following hole are picked up, and sowing continues. If the following hole is empty, the contents of the next hole after that one are captured. Also, if at any point during the sowing a hole contains four counters, they are immediately captured. Play continues until all of the counters have been captured. If a player cannot play, they pass their turn, until captures are no longer possible, at which point the last person who played captures the remaining counters. A new round begins. The Raja gives each of the other players one counter. Players fill their holes with their captured counters, seven per hole. Any holes which can not be filled with seven counters are out of play. Play continues as before. A player plays as the Raja for three turns in a row, after which point it rotates to the next player. Play continues until only one player can fill holes on the board, this player becoming the winner.
Content "Raja Pasu Mandiri
The rules of Raja Pasu also apply to the three-person variation with the following additions. Apart from a Raja and a Pasu, there now is also a Mandiri or Minister. The board is not divided in two rows, with each player owning one row. Instead the players divide the board in three sections. The middle three holes of both rows belong to the Raja, indeed the most important part. The Raja starts the game by spreading counters from his section in counter-clockwise direction over the two rows. According to the informants, he is also required to give one counter to each opponent after each game. A player is Raja for three games in a row.
After the Raja starts, the next player is the Mandiri who owns two holes on both rows towards the left of the Raja (or right if desired). The other side of two holes on both rows belongs to the Pasu.
The playing rules are identical to Raja Pasu; the holes possessed by the players may be started from and may be used to capture ‘fours’. If a player can no longer play, the player skips a turn until no capture can be made any longer by any player. The remai- ning counter(s) belongs to the last player. The captured counters are re-sown as in Raja Pasu with some holes being closed. Since the players take turns in being Raja (the Mandiri becomes Raja, the Raja becomes Pasu, etc.) the captured counters vary greatly. The game is not likely to end and the informants even had a borrowing system in case a player had too few counters to play with." de Voogt 2000: 96-97.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female, Male
Id DLP.Evidence.1938
Type Artistic depiction
Game Cerne Abbey Game
Location 50°48'38.69"N, 2°28'34.73"W
Date 1250-01-01 - 1300-12-31
Rules 3x12 intersecting lines. Twelve pieces per player, which begin in on the points on the outer rows of the board. Pieces move into the central row from the same side of the board.
Content Depiction of game from Ms 0.2.45, Trinity College Library, Cambridge, from Cerne Abbey. A board with 3x12 intersecting lines. Twelve light pieces and twelve dark pieces, eleven of each set on opposing long sides of the board, with the right corners of the board without a piece, The remaining two pieces are in the central row. Michaelsen 2001: 26-27.
Confidence 100
Source Michaelsen, P. 2001. "Daldøs: An almost Forgotten Dice Board Game." Board Game Studies 4: 19-31.
Id DLP.Evidence.1939
Type Ethnography
Game Ashere
Location 7°55'58.17"N, 7°26'9.15"E
Date 1951-04-01 - 1951-04-30
Rules Seven concentric circles. Four or five players. One piece per player. One player has a stick, which is hidden in their fist. The next player attempts to guess which hand holds the stick. If the player guessing guesses correctly, they enter their piece in the first circle or advances it to the next circle, and the stick is passed to them. If the guessing player guesses incorrectly, the player holding the stick moves their piece into the first circle or advances it to the next circle. The player with the stick keeps the until until the next player guesses the hand holding the stick. The first player to reach the central circle wins.
Content "A similar board...is used by Yoruba children at Nopa, Southern Nigeria, for a simple race-game which is known as ashere 'playing.' The board consists of seven concentric rings, and four or five children sit round the board, each having a single man which is entered in the outer ring and moves one ring at a time until it reaches the middle ring where it is borne, and the first player to bear his man wins. Each player in turn conceals a bit of stick in one hand and offers both hands to the next player who chooses one hand. If it contains the bit of stick, he enters his man in the outer ring, or advances it one ring and the turn of play passes to him. If he chooses the empty hand, the first player advances his man one ring and his turn of play continues until he loses the bit of stick. K. C. Murray who saw the game in April 1951...that the board sometimes consists of seven concentric squares." Murray 1951: 14.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1940
Type Ethnography
Game A'imé
Location Benin
Date 1955-01-01 - 1955-12-31
Rules A spiral, with seven rings. Three points outside the spiral. The center contains a circle, the market. There are three balls, placed near the board. Each player plays with one piece, which begins in the outermost point. The first player holds something in their hand, and asks the second player to guess which hand it is in. If the guessing player guesses correctly, they move their piece to the next point, or to the next ring of the spiral toward the market. If the guessing player guesses incorrectly, the player holding the object moves one space forward. The guessing player now takes the object, and asks the next player t guess which hand the object is in, and so on. When a player reaches the market, they take one of the three balls next to the board. The player who fails to collect a ball loses.
Content "Ahimé, fon a'imé "dans le marché. Ce jeu a une légende. C'était le marché des kutito, les revenants, seuls vendeurs d'afiti, condiment tiré des grains du nété. Les vivantsn allaient une fois l'an au marché des kutito se procurer l'afiti. Seuls étaient servis les premiers qui parvenaient au marché, ayant franchi l'un après l'autre les arcs de la spirale. En principe, quatre joueurs, mais peut se jouer à deux ou à trois. Chacun des joueurs a devant lui trois anneaux, formant les étapes à franchir avant de prendre la route du marché. Il place dans le premier anneau une buchette et dans le rond du milieu, "le marché", trois petites boulettes de terre pétrie, roulées dans la feuille de bananier, les boulettes d'afiti. Variante avec une diagramme en croix. C'est "dans qu'elle main?" qui permet au hasard d'intervenir. le premier joueur ayant poser le question au second, si la bille n'a pas été trouvée, fait avancer sa bûchette d'une case; si elle a été trouvée, le second avancée sa bûchette d'une case et pose la question au troisième. Il faut, pour parvenir au marché, avoir gagné sept fois. Celui qui y parvient se retire du jeu avec une boulette d'afiti, le jeu continue jusqu'à ce que les trois boulettes soient achetées, le dernier, le perdant, n'en trouvant plus. " Béart 1955: 433-434.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Béart, C. 1955. Jeux et jouets de l'ouest africain. Tome II. Dakar: IFAN.
Id DLP.Evidence.1941
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Marelle Quadruple
Location France
Date 1840-01-01 - 1840-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in the quadrants. Five pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. Once all of the pieces are placed on the board, players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot on the board. The player who places all five of their pieces in a line wins.
Content "La marelle quadruple est formée par la juxtaposition de quatre marelles simples. Chacun des deux joueurs possède cinq pions, qu'il pose successivement sur l'un des points de rencontre des lignes. Pour gagner la partie, il faut arriver le premier à placer ses cinq pions en ligne droite." de Moulidars 1840: 100.
Confidence 100
Source de Moulidars, T. 1840. Grande encyclopédie méthodique, universelle, illustrée des jeus et des divertissements de l'esprit et du corps. Paris: Librairie illustrée.
Id DLP.Evidence.1942
Type Ethnography
Game Uthi
Location Embu
Date 1925-01-01 - 1925-12-31
Rules Two row board with a variable number of holes and two stores. Five counters per hole. On each player's first move, they sow three counters into the first hole and two into the second hole. After this, sowing proceeds as usual, with one counter in each hole. Sowing may occur in either direction. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, the contents of this hole are picked up and sowing continues in the opposite direction. When the final counter falls in an empty hole in the player's own row, the contents of the opposite hole are captured. If the final counter falls into the first of a series of empty holes, the contents of all of the holes opposite the empty holes are captured. It is necessary to enter the opponent's row first and return before making a capture.If the final counter lands in an empty hole in the opponent's row, the turn ends. The winner is the player who has captured the most counters.
Content Account of Orde Browne, from the Embu people of Kenya: "It is known in Embu as uthi...
The board consists of a slab of wood some three feet
long, ten inches wide and three inches thick. In this
are hollowed out two rows of square holes, rounded
at the bottom like the cash receptacles in a till, to
enable the pieces to be got out easily. At either end is
a larger hollow, to be used for captured pieces. The
game is for two players and the rules are as follows,
roughly:—
Each hole in the two rows is filled with five round
seeds about the size of a marble, known as mbuthi ;
should any seeds be missing, fewer seeds are put in the
last hole, which may, if necessary, be left empty, and
disregarded completely.
The players sit, one on each side, and each takes a
row of holes and the right-hand big receptacle. The
leader then takes up the five seeds in any hole and
drops them into the next two holes, three into one,
and two into the other; the second player does the
same. The object of the game is to accumulate the greatest number of seeds. The first player now takes
all the seeds in one hole and, working either to right
or left, puts one into each hole, starting with the one
next the starting-hole. He works to the end of the
row, and then along his opponent's ; when his handful
of seeds is finished, he takes up those in the hole to
which his last seed brought him, and with these he
works back along the way he has come. This continues
till the last seed in hand falls in an empty hole. He then
takes up the seeds in the hole opposite it and puts them
in his large receptacle; but he must “ fall ” or finish
on his own side or he wins nothing. His opponent
then tries to do the same. This continues till only a
few seeds are left, when each player may be forced to
waste several moves before he can score.
Should the seed “ fall ” in a hole which is the first
of a series of empty ones, all the seeds in the holes
opposite to the empty ones are captured. To score,
it is necessary to invade the opponent’s line and get
back again, at least once. One “ run ” may last for
several handfuls, and considerable foresight is required
to see where the seed will “ fall.” The winner is the
one who has accumulated most seeds." Orde Browne 1925" 125-128; board pictured on p. 168.
Confidence 100
Source Orde Browne, G. 1925. The Vanishing Tribes of Kenya. London: Seeley, Service & Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1943
Type Ethnography
Game Le Jeu de Gendarmes et de Voleur
Location Sologne
Date 1974-01-01 - 1974-12-31
Rules The board is a circle, with eight radii meeting in the center, or a square with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners with the center. The intersections of the lines are rendered as semi-circles and as a circle in the center. One player plays as three gendarmes, the other plays as one thief. Players alternate turns moving their one of their pieces to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. The goal is fornthe gendarmes to surround the thief so it cannot move.
Content Account from Edeine 1974: "Les enfant d'âge scolaire jouent encore à des sortes de marelles à main appelées d'une façon générale les moulins et qui portent parfois des noms particuliers à chacun d'eux. Voici par exemple le jeu dit les gendarmes et du voleur: 3 cailloux représentent les gendarmes, et un petit morceau de bois, le voleur ou inversement. Il s'agit d'emprisonner le voleur dans une ces cases en déplaçant cailloux et bout de bois suivant les lignes." Edeine 1974: 607.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders All
Source Edeine, B. 1974. La Sologne. Contribution aux études d'ethnologie métropolitaine. Tome II. Paris: Mouton Éditeur.
Id DLP.Evidence.1944
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Welschschach
Location 51°54'53.11"N, 10°56'38.76"E
Date 1661-01-01 - 1661-12-31
Rules 8x8. Each player begins with a complement of pieces, each with their own powers of movement as follows: King (x1): may move one space in any direction; Queen (x1): moves one space diagonally, may leap two spaces diagonally on its first move over any intervening pieces; Bishop (x2): moves diagonally two spaces, jumping over any intervening pieces; Knight (x2): moves orthogonally one space and then diagonally another space, jumping over any intervening pieces; Rook (x2): moves orthogonally any distance; Pawns (x8): move forward one space or diagonally forward one space to capture. Only the Rooks' and Queens' pawns may move forward two spaces for their first move. Each player must move the Rooks' Pawns and Queens' Pawn in this way, as well as the jump of the Queen, in their first four moves. A piece is captured when an opponent's piece moves onto its space. The King is in check when it can be taken on the opponent's next turn; it must not remain in check at the end of the player's turn. When the king cannot move out of check, it is checkmated and the opponent wins.
Content Description of Selenus: "So wird schließlich das biß dahero in diesen vier Büchern abgehandelte Spiel von diesen der WelscheSchach genant und mit gleichen Zügen (wie in denselben erwehnet) gespielet: nuhr alleine daß Sie mit der Königinne und Rochen Soldaten (wie in der beschreibung des Currier-Spieles kurtz zuvor in diesem Capittel gedacht worde) den anfang machen auch die übrige Soldaten nuhr ein feld für sich rucken und die Königin nicht ehe biß daß Sie den erwehnten Freuden-Sprung für sich in ihe drittes feld gethan allenthalben ziehen könnten: So lassen Sie auch den König nicht springen noch seine stelle mit einem Andern Steine verwechßlen. " Selenus 1616: 431.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Selenus, Gustavus. Das Schach- oder König Spiel. Leipzig.
Id DLP.Evidence.1945
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Bashni
Location 55°45'15.43"N, 37°37'6.03"E
Date 1875-01-01 - 1875-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Twelve pieces per player. Pieces begin on the dark spaces. White plays first. Players alternate turns moving their pieces diagonally one space forward to an empty space. A piece may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty space on the opposite side of the opponent's piece, in a forward direction only. When pieces are captured, they are placed underneath the piece making the capture, forming a stack, controlled by the player whose piece is on top, the "commander." When a stack is captured, the commander is captured and the capturing piece becomes the commander, thus reducing the stack by one. The piece which is now on top of the stack now becomes the commander of that stack. Stacks always move together and cannot be broken apart. Capturing is compulsory when it is possible. There is no obligation to capture the maximum number of pieces. A player who captures the commmander of a stack can only capture from the same stack in the same turn again if there is another intervening capture between the two captures from the stack. When a piece reaches the opposite end of the board from where it started, it becomes a king immediately. If it its promoted in the midst of a sequence of captures, it may begin to capture as a king immediately when it is promoted. Kings move any number of spaces in either direction. Kings may capture by hopping over any distance, as long as there are no intervening pieces, and may land on any space beyond the captured piece, as long as the move is in a straight line and the captured piece is the only piece in the line. When a king is capturing and there is a choice for where it ends its capturing leap, an option which allows further captures must be taken if possible. Kings retain their rank when in a stack. Stacks move according to the rank of its commander. Play continues until one player cannot make a legal move; the opponent wins.
Content Account of the rules of Bashni as given by V. Viskovitov of Moscow in 1875, presented in detail in Michaelsen and Pakhomov 2000:6-7.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Michaelsen, P. and V. Pakhomov. 2000. 'Bashne: An Old Russian Cousin of Draughts.' Abstract Games Magazine 1: 6-8.
Id DLP.Evidence.1946
Type Artistic depiction
Game Kuba Game
Location Kuba
Date 1750-01-01 - 1799-12-31
Rules 3x3 board with two stores.
Content Ndop figure made of wood depicting Shyaam aMbul aNgoong. He sits behind a 3x3 board with two stores. British Museum Af1909,1210.1. Late eighteenth century. Blier 1998: 234-235; Murray 1951: 205.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Blier, S. 1998. The Royal Arts of Africa. New York: Harry N. Abrams., Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1947
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Svensk Brädspel
Location Sweden
Date 1888-01-01 - 1888-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, with the spaces rendered as points, divided into half. Fifteen pieces per player, which begin on the rightmost point, with respect to the player, on the opposite side of the board from which they sit. Two six-sided dice. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. A throw of doubles forces the player to play the throw twice. Each player's pieces begin in three stacks of five, on the leftmost point (with respect to the opponent) on the opponent's side of the board. Play proceeds (with respect to the player) from right to left on the opponent's side of the board, and then from left to right on the player's side of the board. A player cannot place two pieces on a single point on any of the first eleven points of the board, except for those pieces in the starting position, until one of the player's pieces has first landed on the twelfth point. However, a player may place two pieces on any point after the twelfth point, regardless of whether a piece has ever landed on the twelfth point. A player cannot move a piece onto a point containing two or more pieces belonging to the opponent. When a piece lands on a point occupied by a single piece belonging to the opponent, it is removed from the board and must be entered again, and can only do so using the value of one die, not both, with the starting point considered to be point 1, the next point 2, etc. Opponent's pieces can be removed from the board in this way when reentering the board. A player cannot place two pieces on more than five consecutive points, except when the opponent has only one piece left to bear off the baord. To win, a player must place their pieces in one of the following winning positions: five pieces on each of the final three points; three pieces on the final five points; seven on the final point, five on the penultimate point, and three on the antepenultimate point; fifteen on the final point. If none of these positions are possible, the player must bear off all of their pieces once all of their pieces have reached the final six points. Borne pieces are placed on the starting point, but are out of play. The first player to reach a winning position or to bear off all of their pieces wins. A win is also declared when the opponent has hit more pieces than there are empty points in the first six of the board. This counts as a double loss for the player.
Content Translation of Wilson's extensive description of the game of Svensk Brädspe, played in all parts of Sweden but not as much among the lower classes, by Fiske 1905: 319-328 (Wilson 1888: 218-283).
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Genders Male
Source Fiske, W. 1905. Chess in Iceland and in Icelandic Literature with Historical Notes on other Table-Games. Florence: The Florentine Typographical Society. , Wilson, T. 1888. Illustrerad Spelbok; en Handledning i de flesta i Sverige och Utlandet Brukliga Spel. Stockholm: Looström and Komps Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.1948
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Los Romanos Rencontrat
Location Alfonso X
Date 1283-01-01 - 1283-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, divided in half. Three dice. Pieces begin on the opponent's side of the board, on the rightmost point with respect to the player. Play proceeds from right to left on the opponent's side of the board, and then left to right on the player's side of the board. When a piece hits an opponent's piece, it is sent back to its starting point. Pieces cannot be doubled on the player's first half of the board.
Content Accoutn from Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos: "This game the Romans call reencontrat (rencontre)
This is another game that the Romans call reencontrat and it is played with three dice. And they first roll battle and he who wins the battle plays first.
And the black pieces in this game are places in the table of the board to the right hand of he who is to play with them on the other side of the board.
And the whites are set also on the opposite side of the board on the right-hand side of he who is to play with them.
And the players are each to bring their pieces around through the tables of the board to where they put them in the table of the opposite side of the board across from where they were first placed. And if they meet and hit each other they are to return to the piece that is hit to the table where it was first placed.
And in this game no two pieces can occupy the same point until after they have passed the middle of the board as in the game of the emperor.
And the strength of this game is in knowing how to double up the pieces well after the piece is past the middle of the board, according to the rolls of the dice.
And this is the explanation of this game and this is the diagram of its arrangement." Libro de los Juegos 79v.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Golladay, S. M. n.d. Alfonso X’s Book of Games. Translated by Sonja Musser Golladay.
Id DLP.Evidence.1949
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Atlanbagj
Location Turkey
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Sixteen pieces per player, which begin on the two rows closest to each player.
Content Account of Atlanbagj from Hyde: "Hic Ludus apud Turcas aliquando appellatur Atlanbagj, nunc Europaeorum modo Dama, quorum illud (si recte distinxit narrator,) Dogri, I.e. recta, hoc vero Ters I.e. oblique movetur. Sed forte voluit docere, motionem progressionis esse directam; et motionem capiendi aut interficiendi aliquem, esse obliquam...Sunt ex Germanis, ut et quoque Turcae, qui 12 aut 16 calculis ex utraque parte utuntur." Hyde 1694: 180-181, 184.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.1950
Type Contemporary text
Game Dame
Location Poland 1614
Date 1614-01-01 - 1614-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content Dame attributed to Cnapius' Thesaurus of 1614 (Grac w dame, w bierki.) Linde 1807: 404.
Confidence 100
Source Linde, S. 1807. Słownik języka polskiego. Warsaw: Drukarni.
Id DLP.Evidence.1951
Type Ethnography
Game Jiu Zi Xian Qi
Location Qinghai
Date 2019-06-01 - 2019-08-31
Rules The board begins initially with one stone on each playable site. First, according to the player's wish, one stone must be removed. Then, each piece jumps over another piece to an empty site to remove the piece that was jumped over. If the player has no move, they lose. If only one stone is left on the board, the player wins. A win is considered to be good luck and anything you pray for will come true.
Content Documentation of Xian Zhe Jiu Zi Qi as played by an elderly Tibetan man in Qinghai, China, during summer 2019. Documented by Yuan Dejun, personal communication to DLP team Spring 2020.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders All
Id DLP.Evidence.1952
Type Ethnography
Game Trique
Location Tolima
Date 1869-01-16 - 1871-06-06
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides. More complicated rules than Nine Men's Morris.
Content Letter sent to Rev. Robert Sibley Baker. The letter has been lost, and the contents incomplete. "a wonderful gentleman who wrote to me has seen the identical game played (with some variations, and rather stricter rules) by the Bogas, or native bargees, in South America, on the river Amazon, I believe. Trique (Treekay) is the name they give is, and they play with maize and coffee beans for men." Bogas are the word used by the Pijao people of Colombia to refer to their boatsmen. Baker 1871: 130.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Baker, R. S. 1871. "Peg Meryll—A Paper Read at a Meeting of the Architectureal Societies of Leicestershire and the Archdeaconry of Northampton, June 6th, 1871." Reports and Papers of the Architectural and Archaeological Societies of the Counties of Lincoln and Northampton 11: 127-132.
Id DLP.Evidence.1953
Type Ethnography
Game Raquithue
Location 39°45'33.13"S, 71°25'53.19"W
Date 1989-01-01 - 1989-12-31
Rules 7x4 grid, connected to a smaller 5x4 grid with a line connecting the two at their center lines. One player plays as one lion, which begins on the central spot of the top line of the smaller grid, the other as fourteen dogs, which begin on the points of the bottom two lines of the larger grid. Pieces move along the lines of the board.
Content Account from Ferrarese 2006: "El investigador también registró el mismo en el Lago Huechulafquen en la Comunidad Mapuche Cañicul, denominada Raquithue (entre 1996 y 2001) recuperando su nombre Cañicul nuevamente. Don Valentín Cañicul, abuelo de integrantes mayores de la comunidad, se lo enseñó.
En esta oportunidad surge otra variante Aquí el tablero menor es un cuadrado (lolo trapial: cueva del león) en lugar de un triángulo isósceles usado por mapuches y tehuelches de la provincia de Chubut También el cuadrado mayor es diferente ya que no solo no posee diagonales, sino que tiene más cuadrados. También son 14 perros en lugar de 12. Es el único tablero diferente" Ferrarese 2006: 15-16.
Confidence 100
Genders Male
Source Ferrarese, S. 2006. Juegos Etnicos de America y Documentos sobre Educación Física Intercultural. Neuquén: Proyecto Rescate e Inserción Comunitaria y Pedagógica de los Ancestrales Juegos de los Pueblos Indoamericanos.
Id DLP.Evidence.1954
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Yaguarete Kora
Location 25°36'43.38"S, 54°33'58.85"W
Date 1960-01-01 - 2020-12-01
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines with diagonals in each quadrant. A triangle, the apex intersecting with the apex of one of the sides. A line is drawn from the apex to the midpoint of the base of the triangle. A line bisects this line, connecting the midpoints of the sides of the triangle, One player plays as one jaguar, which begins on the center of the base of the large triangle's base. The other player plays as fifteen dogs, which begin on the points of the three ranks of the bottom half of the square portion of the board. The jaguar moves first. Pieces move to am empty adjacent space along the lines of the board. The jaguar may hop over an adjacent dog to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it, capturing the dog. Dogs cannot capture. The dogs win by blocking the jaguar so it cannot move; the jaguar wins when only six dogs remain.
Content "El pueblo guaraní Mbya también tiene registrada la práctica del mismo juego y de forma similar a esta práctica en los años 60 del siglo pasado.
Actualmente algunos integrantes de dicho pueblo han expresado que ellos lo practican con 15 perros actualmente. El Sr. Roberto Moreira lo ha mostrado en un video. La manera de jugar es la misma. El nombre que ellos le dan es Yaguareté o Yaguarete Kora.
La yagua o el yaguarete se coloca en su casa en el extremo superior del triángulo pequeño. Las yambas se colocan en los puntos del tablero. La yagua inicia el juego moviendo primero y luego lo hacen los yambas. Mueven de a uno por vez....Siempre desplazándose por las líneas. Los yambas tendrán que encerrar a la yagua para evitar que llegue al final y/o que se coma yambas. Si en una línea un yamba deja un espacio vacío la yagua puede saltar y lo come. Si come 3 gana el juego. Si es encerrada ganan los yambas Según los chiriguanos ningún buen cazador puede cazar con 9 o menos yambas." Ferrarese 2006: 22-23, 27-28.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Ferrarese, S. 2006. Juegos Etnicos de America y Documentos sobre Educación Física Intercultural. Neuquén: Proyecto Rescate e Inserción Comunitaria y Pedagógica de los Ancestrales Juegos de los Pueblos Indoamericanos.
Id DLP.Evidence.1955
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Al-Qirq
Location Arabia
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the corners and the midpoints of the sides. Nine pieces per player. Players attempt to place three pieces in a line.
Content Account of Hyde: Arabibus Mesopotamiae partes incolentibus vocatur Rez: &, ut apud alias Gentes, duplex est, viz. Rezo lThalatha, aut Rezo 'l Tis'a, propter ternarium aut novenarium numerum calculorum quem uterque Lusorum possidet, Et quando ex tribus recta linea collocatis obtinetur Series, clamandum est Rez, quasi hoc nonine significetur series, ordo. Aliis Arabibus dicitur Toban seu Tobna, AlKirk, unde Hispanorum Alquerque, de quo supra. Alias vocatur Ca'bo'lBeidar, id est Talus area, quia loco Paxillorum vel Calculorum, Talis etiam exerceri queat in quavis area." Hyde 1694: 205-206.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.1956
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Diris
Location Safavid
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules Three consecutive squares, with lines connecting the corners and the midpoints of the sides of the squares.
Content Account from Hyde" Persis dicitur Diris seu Dris, al. minus recte Dirish seu Drish. Usitatius vero apud Persis nomen est Sidere, unde & Arabes sibi fecerunt Sudder, & Sudra, quod a Golio exponitur Grammisus, seu Triangularis Lusus, quod in Appendice monet legendum Tricuspidalis. Pro Sidere, aliquando dicitur Si-derec, quasi Diminutiva forma. Subinde vocatur Si-perde, vel contracte Sipere, & Si-perek, quorum omnium Nominum eadem est ratio, de qua in seq. Sectione fusius dicetur," Hyde 1694: 206.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.1957
Type Contemporary text
Game Pulijudamu (Three Tigers)
Location Telugu
Date 1398-01-01 - 1398-12-31
Rules Name of the game
Content Attestation of the game in Goparaju's translation of Simhasana Dvatrimsika. Vasantha 2003: 28.
Confidence 100
Source Vasantha, R. 2003. "Board Games from the City of Vijayanagara (Hampi), 1336-1565: a survey and a study." Board Game Studies 6: 25-36.
Id DLP.Evidence.1958
Type Ethnography
Game Pulijudamu (Three Tigers)
Location 15°19'29.65"N, 76°28'10.86"E
Date 2003-01-01 - 2003-12-31
Rules Triangular board, with a line drawn from the apex to the base. The triangle is intersected by two rectangles which do not touch one another. One player plays as three tigers, the other plays as eighteen goats.
Content "Two variant games are described in Goparaju’s Simhasana dvatrimsika (1398) and are still in use in this region.
- 3 tiger and 18-goat play" Vasantha 2003: 28.
Confidence 100
Source Vasantha, R. 2003. "Board Games from the City of Vijayanagara (Hampi), 1336-1565: a survey and a study." Board Game Studies 6: 25-36.
Id DLP.Evidence.1959
Type Contemporary text
Game Pulijudamu (Four Tigers)
Location Telugu
Date 1398-01-01 - 1398-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content Attestation of the game in Goparaju's translation of Simhasana Dvatrimsika. Vasantha 2003: 28.
Confidence 100
Source Vasantha, R. 2003. "Board Games from the City of Vijayanagara (Hampi), 1336-1565: a survey and a study." Board Game Studies 6: 25-36.
Id DLP.Evidence.1960
Type Ethnography
Game Pulijudamu (Four Tigers)
Location 15°19'29.65"N, 76°28'10.86"E
Date 2003-01-01 - 2003-12-31
Rules Triangle board, with a rectangle intersecting the triangle. A small triangle at each corner of the rectangle, with the apex at the corner of the rectangle. One player plays as four tigers, the other as sixteen goats.
Content "Two variant games are described in Goparaju’s Simhasana dvatrimsika (1398) and are still in use in this region....4 tiger and 16-goat play." Vasantha 2003: 28-29.
Confidence 100
Source Vasantha, R. 2003. "Board Games from the City of Vijayanagara (Hampi), 1336-1565: a survey and a study." Board Game Studies 6: 25-36.
Id DLP.Evidence.1961
Type Artifact
Game Sahmatloudi
Location 69° 0'57.14"N, 30°17'5.45"E
Date 1800-01-01 - 1945-12-31
Rules 9x9 board.
Content 9x9 board incorrectly catalogued as "Pertsaloudi" (dice game) in the National Museum of Finland (SU 4922:189), collected at the Skolt inland community of Suenjel. Borvo 2001: 41.
Confidence 100
Source Borvo, A. 2001. "Sáhkku, The 'Devil's Game.'" Board Game Studies 4: 33-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.1962
Type Contemporary text
Game Puma
Location 13°31'54.97"S, 71°58'2.31"W
Date 1581-01-01 - 1608-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content Entry in the Quechua dictionary of Diego Holguín González: "Puma. Un juego de indios. Pumani. Iugar a este juego." Holguín González 1608: 198.
Confidence 100
Source González Holguín, D. 1608. Vocabulario de la lengua general de todo el Perú, llamado lengua quichua o del Inca. Lima.
Id DLP.Evidence.1963
Type Ethnography
Game Puma
Location Peru
Date 1700-01-01 - 1700-12-31
Rules Name of game.
Content Mentioned in revision of Torres Rubio's Quechua Dictionary: "Puma. Cierto juego de Indios." Torres Rubio 1700: 154.
Confidence 100
Source Torres Rubio, D. 1700. Arte y vocabulario de la lengua quichua general de los Indios de el Peru. Revised edition. Lima.
Id DLP.Evidence.1964
Type Ethnography
Game Comina
Location 12° 2'45.35"S, 77° 2'45.90"W
Date 1540-01-01 - 1560-12-31
Rules Board game.
Content Quechua dictionary entry: "Comina, o taptana. alquerque....Taptana, o comina. axedrez, tablas, o alquerque. taptani gui o comini gui. jugar al alquerque. taptani gui, o comini. jugar al axedrez, o tablas." Santo Tomás 1560: 126,173.
Confidence 100
Source Santo Tomás, D. 1560. Lexicon o vocabulario de la lengua general del Perú. Cordoba: Valladolid.
Id DLP.Evidence.1965
Type Ethnography
Game Cumisitha
Location Aymara
Date 1581-01-01 - 1612-12-31
Rules Board game.
Content Aymara language dictionary entry: "Cumisitha: Iugar aun juego como al que llamamos oca, aunque en muchas cosas differe." Also " Alquerque: Cumisiña, y lo mismo significa Axedrez, porque los indios no distinguen los juegos, sin miran al modo." Alquerque jugar; o axedraz: Cumisithia, Cumisiñana anatatha. Bertonio 1612: 40, 59.
Confidence 100
Source Bertonio. L. 1612. Vocabulario de la lengua aimara. Lima.
Id DLP.Evidence.1966
Type Ethnography
Game Tacanaco
Location 12° 2'45.35"S, 77° 2'45.90"W; 12° 3'18.64"S, 77° 7'36.35"W; 13°42'53.56"S, 76°10'54.20"W; 13°31'54.97"S, 71°58'2.31"W; 16°24'32.62"S, 71°32'12.65"W; 16°12'51.40"S, 69°27'27.49"W; 16°29'25.73"S, 68° 7'7.49"W; 17°24'50.71"S, 66° 9'55.09"W; 17°58'12.49"S, 67° 5'26.08"W; 19°34'17.34"S, 65°45'21.22"W
Date 1599-01-01 - 1653-12-31
Rules Played with dice. Played with beans of different colors.
Content Short description by Bernabé Cobo: "Otra suerte de juego se decía tacanaco, y era con el mismo dado y frisoles de varios colores, como el juego de las tablas." Cobo 1653: 270.
Confidence 100
Source Cobo, Bernabé. 1653. Historia del Nuevo Mundo. Madrid: P. Francisco Mateos.
Id DLP.Evidence.1967
Type Ethnography
Game Puma
Location 12° 2'45.35"S, 77° 2'45.90"W; 12° 3'18.64"S, 77° 7'36.35"W; 13°42'53.56"S, 76°10'54.20"W; 13°31'54.97"S, 71°58'2.31"W; 16°24'32.62"S, 71°32'12.65"W; 16°12'51.40"S, 69°27'27.49"W; 16°29'25.73"S, 68° 7'7.49"W; 17°24'50.71"S, 66° 9'55.09"W; 17°58'12.49"S, 67° 5'26.08"W; 19°34'17.34"S, 65°45'21.22"W
Date 1599-01-01 - 1653-12-31
Rules Board game.
Content Account from Bernabé Cobo: "Fuero déstos tenían otros juegos menos principales, como eran el llamado apaytalla, puma, y otros." Cobo 1653: 270.
Confidence 100
Source Cobo, Bernabé. 1653. Historia del Nuevo Mundo. Madrid: P. Francisco Mateos.
Id DLP.Evidence.1968
Type Ethnography
Game Pisca
Location 13°31'54.97"S, 71°58'2.31"W
Date 1580-01-01 - 1590-12-31
Rules Played with a die, pieces are moved on holes in a board.
Content Short description from Murúa: "que es muy ordinario questos Indios llaman la pisca con su tabla y agujeros o señal, donde iban pasando los tantos, la pisca es como una perinola, aunque no se anda antes arrojan y
descubre el punto como á la taba ó dados y á otro juego. " Murúa 1590: 43.
Confidence 100
Source Murúa, N. 1590. Historia del origen y genealogía real de los reyes incas del Perú. Valladolid.
Id DLP.Evidence.1969
Type Ethnography
Game Halancola
Location Aymara
Date 1581-01-01 - 1612-12-31
Rules Played with a pichca die. Played on a board.
Content Entries from Aymara language dictionary: "Juego: se parece algo al de las tablas, y van adelantando las casas con estas palabras: Halancola; y a su traza llaman, aucattana, y al dado de madera que usan, pisca; y a los agujeros o hoitos del juego les dicen Halancola....Halancola. Los agujeros, o hoytos, de un juego assi llamado que algo se parece al de las tablas. Huncusitha. Jugar como a la tagua con un dado grande de madera, adelantando unas piedrecitas en sus casas u hoyos; lo mismo que el halancolatha....Huncusitha. Jugar como a la tagua con un dado grande de madera, adelantando unas piedrecitas en sus casas u hoyos; lo mismo que el halancolatha." Bertonio 1612: 173-174; 110, 163.
Confidence 100
Source Bertonio. L. 1612. Vocabulario de la lengua aimara. Lima.
Id DLP.Evidence.1970
Type Ethnography
Game Aucai
Location 13°31'54.97"S, 71°58'2.31"W
Date 1580-01-01 - 1590-12-31
Rules Played on a board. Beans are used as pieces. Uses a pisca die, which scores points.
Content Account from Murúa: " Llaman tambien aucai ques en una tabla con frijoles, de diversos colores y dificultoso en jugar, tambien echan los puntos con la pisca como
queda ya dicho, el cual es un juego muy gustoso." Murúa 1590: 43.
Confidence 100
Source Murúa, N. 1590. Historia del origen y genealogía real de los reyes incas del Perú. Valladolid.
Id DLP.Evidence.1971
Type Ethnography
Game Chollo
Location 32°32'57.69"N, 77° 2'6.75"E
Date 1932-01-01 - 1932-12-31
Rules Two to four players. Two six-sided dice. 45 pebbles. Seven sticks per player. Pebbles and sticks are arranged on the board according to the throws of the die. The stones are arranged on the board as the players see fit, either using all or only some of them. The spaces between the stones are the playing spaces. The sticks are moved according to the throws of the dice. A throw of double 1 grants the player another throw. Pieces begin off the board. When a piece lands on a piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is sent back to the beginning and the player gets another throw. When a player's piece lands on the same space as one of their own pieces, the player gets another throw and then both sticks move together. The player to get all of their sticks to the end of the track wins.
Content Description of the rules and equipment for Chollo, as described by H.G. Beasley, who collected the materials and wrote the rules as played in Kyelang, Tibet (India), now in the Pitt-Rivers Museum, Oxford (1954.6.183). Finkel 1995: 30-33.
Confidence 100
Source Finkel, I. 1995. "Notes on Two Tibetan Games." In A. de Voogt, ed. New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: International Institute for Asian Studies.
Id DLP.Evidence.1972
Type Ethnography
Game Main Chator (Batak)
Location Batak
Date 1904-01-01 - 1904-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, with diagonals in every square. Pieces have special moves, as follows: Raja (king), moves one square in any direction, but on the first move, it may jump two squares or move as a knight, with the exception that it cannot jump two squares diagonally; Mantri (minister), moves orthogonally or diagonally any number of spaces; Gajah (x2); move diagonally any distance; Kuda (horse) x2, moves orthogonally one space then diagonal one space from there, jumping over any intervening pieces; Ter/Chemor (chariot) x2, moves orthogonally any distance; Bídaq (pawn) x8: moves one square forward or one square forward diagonally to capture. May move two spaces forward orthogonally if it is that piece's first move. The Raja's Bidaq may move two spaces on its second move, if it has not already done so. Upon reaching the opposite edge of the board, the Bídaq moves in the opposite direction, reversing again if it reaches the opposite edge. Castling occurs in two moves, the rook moving to the king and then the king jumping over the rook. Pieces are captured by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. If the Raja can be captured on its next turn, it is in check. The Raja cannot be in check at the end of its turn. When this is unavoidable, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. A stalemate is considered a draw.
Content Detailed account of Main Chator as played among the Btak people of Sumatra in von Oefele 1904.
Confidence 100
Source von Oefele, A. 1904. Das Schachspiel der Bataker: Ein Ethnographische Beitrag zur Geschichte des Schach. Leipzig: Verlag von Veit & Comp.
Id DLP.Evidence.1973
Type Ethnography
Game Tepong
Location Batak
Date 1904-01-01 - 1904-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, with diagonals in every square. Pieces have special moves, as follows: Raja (king), moves one square in any direction, but on the first move, it may jump two squares or move as a knight, with the exception that it cannot jump two squares diagonally; Mantri (minister), moves orthogonally or diagonally any number of spaces; Gajah (x2); move diagonally any distance; Kuda (horse) x2, moves orthogonally one space then diagonal one space from there, jumping over any intervening pieces; Ter/Chemor (chariot) x2, moves orthogonally any distance; Bídaq (pawn) x8: moves one square forward or one square forward diagonally to capture. May move two spaces forward orthogonally if it is that piece's first move. The Raja's Bidaq may move two spaces on its second move, if it has not already done so. Upon reaching the opposite edge of the board, the Bídaq moves in the opposite direction, reversing again if it reaches the opposite edge. Castling occurs in two moves, the rook moving to the king and then the king jumping over the rook. Pieces are captured by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. If the Raja can be captured on its next turn, it is in check. The Raja cannot be in check at the end of its turn. When this is unavoidable, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. At the beginning of the game it is determined that one player must checkmate the other in one of the four central squares. The other player may checkmate the other anywhere one the board.
Content Description of Tepong among discussion of Main Chator (Batak): "Da die Bataker zumeist um einen Einsatz spielen,
so sind natürlich Vorgaben sehr häufig. Die gewöhnliche
Vorgabe, die ein besserer Spieler seinem schwächeren
Gegner gibt, ist das sogenannte Tepong, wodurch für
den stärkeren Gegner die Matsetzung innerhalb der
vier Mittelfelder d4, d5, e4, e5 zur Gewinnbedingung
wird. Diese Art der Vorgabe erfreute sich auch im
Mittelalter einiger Pflege. Es sind sogar einige Schachaufgaben aus der Mitte des fünfzehnten Jahrhunderts,
welche die Matsetzung auf diesen vier Feldern verlangen,
erhalten geblieben. Ein Ausspruch, der aus derselben
Zeit stammt und nach Strohmeyer im Ogier vorkommt,
lautet: „Aber wer innerhalb der vier Felder weiß, den
König in die Enge zu treiben, den, sag ich, soll man
preisen und loben." von Oefele 1904: 34-35.
Confidence 100
Source von Oefele, A. 1904. Das Schachspiel der Bataker: Ein Ethnographische Beitrag zur Geschichte des Schach. Leipzig: Verlag von Veit & Comp.
Id DLP.Evidence.1974
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Smasandyutakankarikrida
Location 19°51'38.91"N, 75°20'35.95"E
Date 1871-01-01 - 1871-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in the four quadrants. Triangles on opposite sides of the board, with the apex intersecting with the midpoint of the side. A line from the apex bisecting the base, and a line bisecting this line and the opposite sides of the triangle. Sixteen pieces per player, which begin on opposite sides off the board. Pieces are captured by hopping over an adjacent opponent's piece to an empty spot immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece. The player who reduces their opponent to four pieces wins.
Content Discussion of a passage in the Kridakausalya by Harikrsna: "Furthermore, the KK also gives the rules of a number of war- or battle-games belonging to the group of Alquerque-games, that is games with the leap capture and moves along the marked lines of their boars. One of these war games is called smasanadyutakankarikrida, which translates as "game played with small stones on a cemetery." For some unexplained reason, this game must not be played at home, but only in lonely places like a cemetery or forest. Diagram 9, which I have reproduced from the KK gives an illustration of the board used for this game...On the points of intersection of all lines except ton those on the vertical middle line are the pieces which have the same name as the pawns in Indian chess, foot-soldier. The game proceeds with 32 soldiers, 16 white ones for the first player, 16 red ones for the second one. The vertical middle line from where the game begins is called the fighting place. When one of the players places a piece on the line in the center, it must be protected by another piece of the same colour behind it. If that is not the case, it is captured by the opponent. The player who has four pieces left has won the game." Bock-Raming 1995: 122.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Bock-Raming, A. 1995. "The Literary Sources of Indian Chess and Related Board Games." In A. de Voogt (ed.), New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: International Institute for Asian Studies.
Id DLP.Evidence.1975
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Smasandyutakankarikrida (Allahabad)
Location 25°26'8.54"N, 81°50'46.43"E
Date 1871-01-01 - 1871-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in the four quadrants. Eight triangles, with the apex of each intersecting with a midpoint of a side or a corner. In each triangle, a line from the apex bisecting the base, and a line bisecting this line and the opposite sides of the triangle.
Content From a description of games in the Kridakausalya by Harikrsna: "The KK also records some variants of this game...in addition to the triangles on the right and left sides, two more are attached to the lower and upper sides of the square as well as four additional ones at each of its corners. This variant is said to be played in Allahabad in the North-East of india." Bock-Raming 1995: 122.
Confidence 100
Source Bock-Raming, A. 1995. "The Literary Sources of Indian Chess and Related Board Games." In A. de Voogt (ed.), New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: International Institute for Asian Studies.
Id DLP.Evidence.1976
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Smasandyutakankarikrida (Large Triangles)
Location 19°51'38.91"N, 75°20'35.95"E
Date 1871-01-01 - 1871-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals in the four quadrants. Triangles on opposite sides of the board, with the apex intersecting with the midpoint of the side. A line from the apex bisecting the base, and a line bisecting this line and the opposite sides of the triangle. Triangle expanded on each side to include eight points.
Content From a description of games in the Kridakausalya by Harikrsna: "The KK also records some variants of this game. Either, the two triangles attached to the right and left sides of the square are enlarged so as to consist of 8 spaces each..." Bock-Raming 1995: 122.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Bock-Raming, A. 1995. "The Literary Sources of Indian Chess and Related Board Games." In A. de Voogt (ed.), New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: International Institute for Asian Studies.
Id DLP.Evidence.1977
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Caturvimsatikosthakatmiki Krida
Location 19°51'38.91"N, 75°20'35.95"E
Date 1871-01-01 - 1871-12-31
Rules 3x12 board. The second space from the left and from the right in the center row are marked with an X. Eight pieces per player, which begin in the row closest to the player. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent space in an orthogonal direction. A player may capture an opponent's piece in the central row by hopping over it to an empty space on the opposite side of it. The player who reduces their opponent to fewer than four pieces wins.
Content Discussion of Kridakausalya by Harikrsna: "Related in character to the war-game I have just described is a kind of running-fight game called caturvimsatikosthakatmiki krida = 'game (on a board with) 24 squares.' As one can see in diagram 10 which is likewise a reproduction from the KK, these 24 squares are arranged in three rows of eight squares each. The game is played by two people, each of them having 8 white and 8 red 'soldiers' respectively which are placed on the squares of the player's back row. The row in the centre remains vacant. It is called the fighting place, evidently, because it is only there that the pieces of the enemy may be captured. Like the afore-mentioned 'cemetery-game', the possibility of capturing is given if a piece stands alone with no other piece of its own colour behind it. The moves of the pieces are restricted to one step in all four directions; only in the first move may each soldier of the two opposing parties take two steps at a time, a rule which reminds us, of course, of the initial move of the foot-soldier in chess. The player who has four pieces left has won the game." Bock-Raming 1995: 122-123.
Confidence 100
Source Bock-Raming, A. 1995. "The Literary Sources of Indian Chess and Related Board Games." In A. de Voogt (ed.), New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: International Institute for Asian Studies.
Id DLP.Evidence.1978
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Chaturanga (14x14)
Location 20°27'39.81"N, 85°53'0.10"E
Date 1497-01-01 - 1540-12-31
Rules 14x14 board. 32 pieces per player. Pieces move as follows: King (x1): Moves any distance orthogonally or diagonally; Crown Prince (x1): moves up to six spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Minister (x1): moves up to six spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Military leader (x1): moves up to six spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Elephant (x2): moves forward orthogonally up to five spaces with the possibility of then moving one space backward diagonally; Cart (x2): moves any distance orthogonally; Horse (x4): moves one space orthogonally and then one space diagonally, leaping over any intervening pieces; Machinist (x4): moves forward orthogonally up to four spaces, forward diagonally one space, or backward orthogonally one space; Archer (x4): moves forward orthogonally up to three spaces, forward diagonally one space, or backward orthogonally one space; Spearmen (x4): moves forward orthogonally up to two spaces, forward diagonally one space, or backward orthogonally one space; Swordsmen (x4): forward one space orthogonally or diagonally or backward one space orthogonally. When a piece moves to a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is captured. If the King can be captured by the opponent on their next turn, it is in check and must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, the player loses.
Content Detailed description of the rules of 14x14 Chaturanga from the Harisaracaturanga, written by Godavaramisra in the late fifteenth-early sixteenth century. Bock-Raming 2001.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Bock-Raming, A. 2001. "Das 8. Kapitel des Hariharacaturanga: ein spätmittelalterlicher Sanskrittext über eine Form des "Großen Schachs" Annotierte Übersetzung und Interpretation." Board Games Studies 4: 85-125.
Id DLP.Evidence.1979
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Chaturanga (Kridakausalya)
Location 19°51'38.91"N, 75°20'35.95"E
Date 1871-01-01 - 1871-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Pieces move as follows: Raja (x1): moves one space in any direction; Mantri (x1): moves any distance orthogonally or diagonally; Ushtra (x2): moves diagonally any distance; Vaha (x2): move orthogonally one space and then diagonally another, jumping over any intervening pieces; Danti (x2): moves orthogonally any distance. Padati (x8): move forward orthogonally one space or one space diagonally forward to capture. When a Padati reaches the opposite edge of the board, it is promoted to a Mantri and is moved immediately to the space it last moved from. An opponent's piece is captured by moving one of the player's own pieces onto the space occupied by the opponent's piece. If the Raja can be captured on the opponent's next turn, it is in check. The Raja cannot be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is impossible, the opponent wins. When a player is reduced to only their Raja and Padati, the opponent wins. In the case of a stalemate, the player in stalemate may remove any of the opponent's pieces (except their Raja).
Content Description of the passage about Chaturanga in the Kridakausalya by Harikrsna. Bock-Raming 1995: 319-320.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Bock-Raming, A. 1995. "The Varieties of Indian Chess through the Ages." Asiatische Stiudien 49: 309-331.
Id DLP.Evidence.1980
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Sarvatobhadra
Location Western Chalukya
Date 1126-01-01 - 1138-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board. One player plays as one Raja, the other with the following pieces: 8 Bhata (or Padati; move like Chess pawns but without being able to move two on the first turn); 2 Ashva (horses; move like Chess knights); 2 Gaja (elephants; two spaces in any orthogonal direction, jumping over the first square); 2 Ratha (chariots; moves like a rook in chess); 1 Mantri (counselor; moves one square diagonally in any direction); 1 Raja (king; moves one square in any direction). These are set up along one edge of the board: Ratha-Ashva-Gaja-Mantri-Raja-Gaja-Ashva-Ratha, with the eight Bhata lined up in the row in front of these, as in chess. The player with the full complement of pieces rolls a six-sided die to determine which piece to move: 6=Raja, 5= Mantri, 4=Gaja, 3 = Ashva, 2=Ratha, 1= Bhata. The player with the single Raja can move it according to the moves of any piece. Players take turns moving. When one piece lands on the space occupied by another piece, it is captured. The goal of the player with a full complement of pieces is to block the single Raja so that it cannot move. The Goal of the single Raja is to checkmate the opponent's Raja.
Content Discussion of Sarvatobhadra from the Manasollasa: "Es wird [nun] ein anderer Spielverlauf namens sarvatobhadra (wörtl.: "nach allen Seiten hin glücklich") erldärt. (605)
Auf der einen Seite ist das Heer aufgestellt, und auf der anderen [befindet sich] der König148 allein. Dieser König zieht alsdann nach allen Seiten hin wie der Elefant, wie der Wagen, wie das Pferd, (606) wie der Minister,149 auch wie der Fußsoldat [und] auch mit seinen eigenen Zügen.150 So vom Spieler auf alle Felder gebracht, (607) zieht, schlägt und fesselt der König im feindlichen Heer. Um ihm den Weg zu versperren,151 soll der kluge [Spieler] (608) mit den beiden Elefanten, dem Pferdepaar, den beiden Wagen, dem Minister [und] den Soldaten [das Spiel] bewerkstelligen. Nachdem er ganz behutsam das eigene gedeckte Heer nach vorn gefuhrt hat, (609) soll er ihn (d.h. den feindlichen alleinstehenden König) in die Enge treiben, damit er ohne Feld ist, [auf das er ziehen kann].152 Wenn dies geschehen ist, [fällt] in dem Spiel der Sieg dem mit dem Heer ausgestatteten Führer (d.h. dem eigenen König) [zu], (610)
Sonst gehört der Sieg dem allein [stehenden| König. Dabei (d.h. bei diesem Spiel namens sarvatobhadra) ist, wenn man es spielt,1" ein anderer [Spiel-] Verlauf einzuhalten |als] beim [normalen] caturanga [üblich]: (611) er wird von dem Fürsten Somesvara mit einer [unterschiedlichen] Anzahl von "Teilen'154 gelehrt: Der König155 ist bei einem Sechser zu bewegen, der Minister bei einem fünf zählenden Wurf. (612)
Der Elefant soll bei einem Vierer ziehen, das Pferd rennt [bei einem Wurf von] drei [Augen] vor, der Wagen zieht bei einem Zweier, und der Fußsoldat156 zieht bei einem pada.lsl (613) Wie zuvor ist von den klugen [Spielern] das Spiel als eines zu führen, bei dem [die eigenen Figuren] gedeckt sind.158 Dieses Spiel159 geht mit zwei oder [mehreren] 'Kugeln'160 voran. (614) Bei jedem Mal soll beiden [Spielern] abwechselnd ein Wurf (mit dem Würfel) zukommen." Bock-Raming 1996: 25-26.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Bock-Raming, A. 1996. Manasollasa, 5,560–623: Ein Bisher unbeachtet gebliebener Text zum indischen Schachspiel, übersetzt, kommentiert und interpretiert. Indo-Iranian Journal. 39(1):1–40.
Id DLP.Evidence.1981
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Chaturanga (Payagunda)
Location 25°19'3.52"N, 82°58'26.09"E
Date 1700-01-01 - 1750-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Ratha start on the corers, with the Turaja next to them and the Dvipa next to the Horses. The Raja and Mantri are in the center. Ratha jump diagonally to the second space; Turaja move orthogonally one space and then diagonally another space, jumping over any intervening pieces; Dvipa moves orthogonally any distance; Mantri moves diagonally any distance; Raja moves one space orthogonally or diagonally, Padati move forward orthogonally one square or forward diagonally to capture.
Content Account from Murray: "SLightly later than Nilakantha is a wotk by Vaidyanatha Payagunda, who lived in the first half of the 18th century or later. This work has for title Chatrangavinoda, The Game of Chess, but only the last chapter of 44 1/2 slokas treats of the game. The text of the unique MS (in private hands in Gujarat) is hopelessly corrupt...It deals with the ordinary two-handed game without dice. Beyond this we only know-The Chariots (ratha, syandana) occupy the corners, next to them are the Horses (turaja), then the Elephants (dvipa, nagendra, naga), and in the centre are the King (raja, nripa) and his Counsellor (mantri). The 8 Foot-soldiers (padati) stand in front...The chariot leaps diagonally into the third field...the horse goes 1 to the corners of a square standing on 4 squares...the elephant goes in the 4 streets...the counsellor goes one or two or all squares diagonally...the king goes to all the squares round abot...the pawn goes one field forwards, and takes to both sides." Murray 1913: 66.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1982
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Krida Buddhibalasrita
Location 25°15'58.99"N, 82°43'59.93"E
Date 1600-01-01 - 1699-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, with markings in the four central squares, the four corner squares, and the two middle squares of each edge. The pieces have the following movement values: Raja (x1): moves one space in any direction; Mantri (x1): moves diagonally one space; Karabha (x2): jumps exactly two squares diagonally; Raji (x2): moves orthogonally one space and then diagonally another space, jumping over any intervening pieces; Kunjara (x2): moves orthogonally any distance; Patti (x8): move forward orthogonally one space, diagonally forward one space to capture. When a Patti reaches a marked space on the opposite edge of the board, it is promoted to Mantri if it is on a marked square. If it is on an unmarked square, the Patti must move back to the space from which it moved to the last row and is then promoted to Mantri. If the Raja can be taken on the opponent's next turn, it is in check. The Raja must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins.If a Raja is in stalemate, and no other pieces can move the player may remove one of the opponent's pieces causing the stalemate. If the opponent is reduced to only their Raja, it is also a victory, though considered a lesser one. Checking the opponent's Raja 64 consecutive times is a win.
Content Description of Nikalantha Bhatta's Bhagavantabhaskara, which includes a discussion of the Krida Buddhibalasrtia in Murray 1913: 63-65.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1983
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Chaturanga (al-Adli)
Location Ancient India
Date 0840-01-01 - 1140-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Played on an 8x8 board. 8 Bhata (or Padati; move like Chess pawns but without being able to move two on the first turn); 2 Ashva (horses; move like Chess knights); 2 Gaja (elephants; two spaces in any orthogonal direction, jumping over the first square); 2 Ratha (chariots; moves like a rook in chess); 1 Mantri (counselor; moves one square diagonally in any direction); 1 Raja (king; moves one square in any direction). These are set up along one edge of the board: Gaja-Ratha-Ashva-Mantri-Raja-Ashva-Ratha-Gaja, with the eight Bhata lined up in the row in front of these. Players take turns moving. When one piece lands on the space occupied by another piece, it is captured. When a Raja can be captured by an opponent's piece on the next turn, it is in check. The Raja must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. When this is unavoidable, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. A Raja that is stalemated wins. A player who reduces their opponent to only the Raja wins.
Content Manuscript 560 'Abd al-Hamid I library, Istanbul. Written by Abu Ishaq Ibrahim bin al-Mubarak bin 'Ali al-Mudhahhab al Baghdadi in 1140. Contains portions of al-'Adli's Kitab ash-shatranj: "Of the Indian rules of chess...If there be with the King two pieces, and the King can take a piece, then which ever first takes, so that the other is left with nothing, wins...Another indian rules is that when the King cannot find a square into which to move, and the other King has nothing therewith to checkmate him, the first has won...Another Indian rule is that the Elephant is placed in the corner, and omits one square in a straight line to jump into the second in a straight line. And this is does on all squares of the board." Murray 1915: 57.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1984
Type Ethnography
Game Four-Player Chaturanga (al-Biruni)
Location Punjab
Date 0973-01-01 - 1048-12-31
Rules Four players. Played with two six-sided dice. A throw of 5 is counted as 1, a throw of 6 is counted as 4.Throws move the pieces as follows: 1: Pawn or King, which move the same as in Shatranj; 2: Rook, which jumps to the second diagonal space; 3: Horse, which moves orthogonally one space and then diagonally another space, jumping over any intervening pieces; 4: Elephant, which moves orthogonally any distance. Throwing doubles allows the player to move the same piece twice. Kings may be captured. Pieces are assigned values, which award the players stakes at the end of the game: King=5, Elephant=4, Horse=3, Rook=2, Pawn=1. If a player captures all of the other Kings and is still in possession of their own King, the score awarded is 54. The player with the most points wins.
Content Discussion of Four-player Chaturanga as witnessed by Al-Biruni during his travels to India (specifically, Punjab): "The play chess, four persons at a time, with a pair of dice, Their arrangement of the figures on the chess board is the following: As this kind of chess is not known to us, I shall explain what I know of it. The four persons playing together sit so asa to form a square round a chessboard, and throw the two dice in rotation. Of the numbers of the dice the 5 and 6 are not required. Accordingly, if the dice show 5 or 6. the player takes 1 instead of 5, and 4 instead of 6...The name of the King applies here to the Firzan. Each number of the dice causes a move of one of the figures. The One moves either the Pawn or the King. Their moves aere the same as in the common chess. The King may be taken, but is not required to move his place. The Two moves the Rook. It moves to the third square in the diagonal direction, as the elephant moves in our chess. The Three moves the Horse. Its move is the generally known one to the third square in the oblique direction. The Four moves the Elephant. It moves in a straight line, as the Rook does in our chess, unless it is prevented from moving on. If this be the case, as sometimes happens, one of the dice removes the obstacle, and enables it to move on. Its smallest move is one square, its greatest 15 squares, because the dice sometimes show two fours, or two sixes, or a four and a six. ...The pieces have certain values, according to which the player gets his share of the stakes; for the pieces are taken and pass into the hands of the player. The value of the King is 5, that of the Elephant 4, of the Horse 3, of the Rook 2, and of the Pawn 1. He who takes a King gets 5, for two Kings he gets 10, for three kings 15, if the winner is no longer in possession of his own king. But if he still has his own king, and takes all three kings, he gets 54." Murray 1913: 58.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1985
Type Ethnography
Game Chonpa
Location 25°12'35.98"N, 80°55'11.08"E
Date 1904-01-01 - 1905-12-31
Rules Four 3x8 rectangles, arranged in a cross. No marked squares. Four players, each with four pieces, which are black, yellow, green, and red. Yellow seated at the bottom, red to their right, black to the right of red, green to the right of black. Green and red play on a team against black and yellow. Three four-sided rectangular dice, each marked 1, 2, 5, and 6. Pieces begin on the board, with one each in the sixth and seventh space of the central row of the player's arm, (counting from the top of the row), and in the seventh and eighth spaces of the left row of the arm belonging to the player to the right. The latter two pieces must move as a pair, I.e., they must always be moved together, and can only do so when pairs are thrown. The other two pieces belonging to a player may move singly. Throws may be split up as a player sees fit, but the value of one die must be used it its entirety by a piece. When three pieces are on a single space, and triples are thrown on the dice, all three pieces may move double the amount of the number that is tripled (e.g., three sixes would award a move of twelve to the three pieces). Pieces move around the board in an anti-clockwise direction until they reach their central row, at which point they move up the central row to the central spot. They must enter the central space by an exact throw. When a player moves all of their pieces to the center, they continue to throw the dice, and use these throws to move their partner's pieces. When all of the team's pieces reach the center, that team wins.
Content Description of Chonpa as learned by Humphries in Karwi subdivision, India in 1904-1905. Humphries 1906: 119-121.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Humphries, E. de M. 1906. Notes on "Pachesi" and similar games, as played in the Karwi Subdivision, United Provinces. Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 2(4): 117–127.
Id DLP.Evidence.1986
Type Ethnography
Game Two-Player Chaturanga (al-Biruni)
Location Punjab
Date 0973-01-01 - 1043-12-31
Rules The Elephant moves forward one space or diagonally forward or backward.
Content Account from al-Biruni's India, as he observed the game during his trip to Punjab: "In playing chess they move the Elephant straight on, not to the other sides, one square at a time like the Pawn, and also to the four corners like the Firzan. They say that these five squares-i.e. the one straight forward and the others at the corners-are the places occupied by the trunk and the four feet of the Elephant." Murray 1913: 57-58.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1988
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj (Iraq)
Location 30°31'2.79"N, 47°49'32.49"E; 33°19'16.16"N, 44°25'5.05"E
Date 1700-01-01 - 1799-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Fers (counselor): OAny distance orthogonally or diagonally, or like the Asb. 2 x Rukh (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. No castling. 2 x Pil (elephant): Any distance diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Pil. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a Shah can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The Shah must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. Stalemate results in a win for that player causing it.
Content Marginalia on British Library manuscript with the rules for medieval Shatranj, pointing out the differences between the contemporary (18th century) game to that in the manuscript: "This book differs from whaat we recognize in our time, for the Firzan now unites the power of the Firzan and the 2 Fils; and one of the Fils moves diagonally through half the squares of the cloth as it likes when there is no obstacle in its way, and the other diagonally through the remaining half...The conventional Firz unites the powers of the Rukh, the conventional Fil, and one of the Faraz." Murray 1913: 354-355.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1989
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj (Turkey)
Location Turkey
Date 1620-01-01 - 1640-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Fers (counselor): One square diagonally or, one the first turn, may jump two squares diagonally or orthogonally, over any pieces on the first square. There can be no capture with this move. 2 x Rukh (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Pil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. On its first move, this promoted piece may also use the jumping move of the Fers. No castling. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a Shah can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The Shah must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. Stalemate results in a win for that player causing it.
Content Translation of Libro che insegna giocar a scachi in Murray 1913: "It is noted for your greater knowledge that the Bishop leaps from 3 squares to 3 squares, neither more nor less, aslant or cornerwise, and like the Knight it can leap over every piece, whether forwards or backwards, and it captures thus and not otherwise. The Queen makes its move always on the white squares; it cannot leap more than one square aslant or cornerwise, whether forwards or backwards, excepting the first time that it moves, when it can at once leap 3 squares in all directions, whether aslant or rectangularly, and over every piece, and its power of capture is not otherwise than in one way only, it being not allowed the first move. This is for the white Queen; the black Queen does the same, except that its path is always on a black square. If the Pawn shall be made Queen on a white square it will always go by the white squares from square to square as the principal Queen goes, and when it is made it can leap the first time the 3 squares as is said above of the Queen. If it be made Queen on a black square it will always go on the black. Murray 1913: 353.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1990
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj (Egypt)
Location Modern Egypt
Location 38°25'7.92"N, 27° 8'18.71"E
Date 1683-01-01 - 1683-12-31
Rules 8x8 uncheckered board. Castling is done in the following sequence: the King is moved forward one square, then the Rook is moved , and the King is moved to the Rook's spot at the same time. Pawns cannot move two spaces on their first turn.
Content Account from I Campeggiamenti degli Scacchi by Francesco Pincenza: "In the city of Livorno in Tuscany there was a prisoner a Chiaus or Ambassador from the realm of Egypt who boasted that he was the first chess-player in the world. As I was urged by some of my friends, I went to play with him in the Baguo of that city...But in all this I was obliged to condescend to castle my King in the cursed African fashion, which is first to move him one square into the row of Pawns, and then another move, to move the Rook and at the self-same time to place the King on the Rook's square. In this way I continued to play, not only in this way but also with a Jew from Smyrna named Moses...The moves of the Pawn which these transmarines make are also different from ours, i.e. the Pawn cannot be played or pushed more than one square at a time." Murray 1913: 354.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1991
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj al-Kabir (Constantinople)
Location 41° 0'41.52"N, 28°58'58.84"E
Date 1805-01-01 - 1806-12-31
Rules 13x13 board. The same pieces as Shatranj plus: five pawns per player, one Great Ferz, which moves as a Zurafa in Shatranj al-Kabir, two Karkaddan, which moves diagonally any distance or like a Knight, and two Ahu, which move like the Jamal in Shatranj al-Kabir. Pawns begin on the fourth rank of the board. Pieces are arranged as follows, beginning from the left corner: Rook, Knight, Fil, Karkaddan, Ahu, Great Ferz, Shah, Ferz, Ahu, Karkaddan, Fil, Knight, Rook.
Content Account of Shatranj al-Kabir as given in the ad-durar al-munlakhabat al-manihur fi islah al-Ghalatat al-mashhura of Aminallah Abu'r Rafid Muhammad Hafid: "The game is played on a board of 13x13 squares with 26 men on each side. These are the 16 men of ordinary chess, 5 extra Pawns, a Great Ferz, and two Karkaddan (rhinoceros), and two Ahu (gazelle). The Great Ferz has the move of Zurafa in II(8); the Rhinoceros combines the moves of the modern Bishop and Knight; the Gazelle has the move of the Jamal in II(8). The Pawns occupy the 4th and 10th lines, and the pieces are arranged thus: Ra1 and m1, Ktb1 and l1, Bc1 and k1, Rh d1 and j1, G e1 and i1, Zf1, Kgl, and Qhi.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1992
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Korkserschach
Location Germany 1850
Date 1873-01-01 - 1873-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Players agree at the beginning of the game whether pawns may move two spaces on their first turn. Two pawns may be moved by a player in their first turn of the game. Pawns may only be promoted to a piece that has already been captured. If none have been captured, the pawn must remain in place until a piece has been captured. Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally, jumping over any intervening pieces; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. A King cannot castle if it has ever been checked. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. A player must say 'Gardez la reine' (Guard the Queen) when the queen is threatened. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a King can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The King must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. A player who causes a stalemate loses.
Content Description of passage in O. Klemich's Das Schach- oder Kriegs- oder Königs- spiel: "This work describes the unrecognized variety of German chess which the magazines and clubs contemptuously dismiss as the Korsker chess. The special features of this game are (1) it is a matter for mutual agreement whether the Pawns be allowed to make an initial move to the 4th line, (2) a Pawn can only be promoted to the rank of a piece already lost, and if none has been lost the Pawn must remain as a 'dummy' until a piece has been sacrificed, (3) a King loses its right to castle if it has been checken, (4) the player who stalemates his opponent loses the game, (5) an attack on the Queen cannot be made effective unless 'Gardez la reine' has been said (6) it is 'almost a law' that the game must begin with two simultaneous moves." Murray 1913: 391
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1993
Type Contemporary text
Game Tavlej
Location Russia 1500
Date 1500-01-01 - 1599-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content "The sixteenth-century miscellany, The Bee, which contains moral-religious admonitions, there is a reproach addressed to those who are enthusiasts of games: "Tavlei and chess are found among many of you, but no one has books, not even the young." Linder 1979: 119.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.1994
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shakhmaty
Location 59°55'53.63"N, 30°19'46.62"E
Date 1854-01-01 - 1854-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Castling, En Passant, and Pawn promotion allowed. Play begins by each player moving two of their pieces in the same turn, provided that neither enter the opponent's half of the board. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a King can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The King must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins.
Content Discussion of St Petersburg rules for Shakhmaty, as played in Russia: "The earlier rules of the St Petersburg Chess Club, which were printed in 1854, point to other variations in practice, since it was found necessary to legislate on such points as castling, taking in passing, paw-promotion, and stalemate. It is still usual outside the chess clubs to commence the game by the moving of two or more men in the first turn of play of each player. The prevalence of this custom is shown by the fact that the St Petersburg rules recognizes it as allowable with the consent of both players. The condition is imposed that in this initial play neither player may move a man into the opponent's half of the board." Murray 1913: 385.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1995
Type Contemporary text
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location Novgorod
Date 1250-01-01 - 1299-01-01
Rules Name of game
Content Mention of the game in the Clementine Kormuch (thirteenth century): "...play no games of magic, do not listen to foolish fables, pit away from you leké and shakhmaté." Murray 1913: 381.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1996
Type Contemporary text
Game Shakhmaty (Early Modern)
Location 55°45'15.43"N, 37°37'6.03"E
Date 1772-01-01 - 1772-12-31
Rules The Queen moves any distance orthogonally or diagonally, or one space orthogonally and then another space diagonally, jumping over any intervening pieces.
Content Account from Mr. Coxe, who visited Russia in 1772: "Chess is so common in Russia, that during our continuance in Moscow, I scarcely entered into any company where parties were not engaged in that diversion; and I very frequently observed in my passage on the streets, the tradesmen and common people playing it before the doors of their shops and houses. The Russians are esteemed great proficients in chess. With them the Queen has, in addition to the other moves, that of a Knight..." Murray 1913: 384
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Non-Elite, Elite, Craftsperson
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.1997
Type Ethnography
Game Adzua (Children)
Location Jukun
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules 3x3 board rendered s holes in the ground. Four pieces per player. When a player makes a line of three holes with their pieces, they remove one of the opponent's pieces.
Content Account from Meek: "Small boys play with nine holes only (three on each side), each player having four pieces. The main idea is to organize your play so that three of your pieces form a line, in which case you can confiscate one of your opponent's pieces. The right to make the initial move is a matter of agreement if there had been no preceding game; but the winner of a previous game is entitled to the first move in the succeeding game. Whoever makes the first move calls himself "the king." The pieces used are stones." Meek 1931: 456.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Meek, C. 1931. A Sudanese Kingdom: An Ethnographical Study of the Jukun Speaking Peoples of Nigeria. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1998
Type Ethnography
Game Adzua
Location Jukun
Date 1931-01-01 - 1931-12-31
Rules 5x6 board, rendered as holes in the ground. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece in one of the holes. When a player succeeds in making a line of three holes with their pieces, they capture one of the opponent's pieces.
Content Account from Meek: "The Jukun, like many Nigerian tribes, play a game which is akin to backgammon. It is known as adzua, and is played by males and females, especially during the dry season. Males do not use a board, and the game played by them differs from that played by females (who use a board). In lieu of a board the men make thirty holes in the ground, arranged in a rectangular fashion, so that one side of the rectangle has six holes and the other five. The total of thirty thus corresponds to the thirty "men" of our game of backgammon. But whereas in the English game there are fifteen "men" a side, in the Jukun game each of the two players employs twelve pieces only, so that six holes are left empty...The main idea is to organize your play so that three of your pieces form a line, in which case you can confiscate one of your opponent's pieces. The right to make the initial move is a matter of agreement if there had been no preceding game; but the winner of a previous game is entitled to the first move in the succeeding game. Whoever makes the first move calls himself "the king." The pieces used are stones." Meek 1931: 456.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Meek, C. 1931. A Sudanese Kingdom: An Ethnographical Study of the Jukun Speaking Peoples of Nigeria. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.1999
Type Contemporary text
Game Scachs
Location 41°23'17.19"N, 2°10'34.72"E
Date 1475-01-01 - 1499-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space orthogonally forward, or two steps orthogonally forward on their first move, capture one space diagonally forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally, cannot capture another Queen; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally, but on the first turn may move two squares provided it is not currently in check. The King cannot capture with this move. Castling, En Passant, and Pawn promotion allowed. Pawns promote to Queens when reaching the last row on the board only if that player's Queen has already been captured. Play begins by each player moving two of their pieces in the same turn, provided that neither enter the opponent's half of the board. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a King can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The King must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. If the opponent is reduced to only a king, it is considered a win. Stelemate is also a win for the player causing the stalemate.
Content Description of the content of the poem Hobra jutitulada scachs damor fela per don franci de Castelui e narcis vinyoles e mossen fenollar sots nom de tres panetas ço es Març venus e Mercuri per conjunccio e influencia dela quals fon inuentada in Murray 1913: 781.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2000
Type Ethnography
Game Chandaraki
Location Tibet
Date 1775-03-30 - 1775-03-30
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space orthogonally forward, or two steps orthogonally forward only if it is the first move of any of that player's pawns, capture one space diagonally forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a King can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The King must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. When a player is reduced to a King without any other pieces, the game is a draw.
Content Letter dated March 30, 1775, from George Bogle, sent on a mission to Tibet: "I must confess, the pleasantest hours I spent before the arrivval of the Pyn-Coochos (the Lama's nephews) were either in my audience with the Lama, or in playing at chess. The arrival of a large party of Calmucks furnished me with enough of combatants. THeir (The Thibetians) method of playing differs from ours, in this particular: the privilege of moving two steps at once is confined by them to the first pawn played by each party, and they know nothing of castling and stalemate: Instead of this last, it is a drawn game, when the king is left solus, without a piece or pawn on the board." van der Linde 1874: 134-135.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source van der Linde, A. 1874. Geschichte und Litteratur des Schachspiels. Berlin: Springer.
Id DLP.Evidence.2001
Type Contemporary text
Game Riga
Location Sicily
Date 1617-01-01 - 1617-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines with diagonals drawn in the quadrants. Twelve pieces per player, which begin on the lines closest to each player, leaving the central space empty.
Content Account of Riga by Carrera: "Calcagnino, ilquale ragiona diffusamente della seconda, ch'e quella, laqual si giocava, ey hoggidi ancora sigioca co dodici pietre bianche, et altretante nere, Cicerone in Hortensio...Si Divide questa Riga, come mostra la seguete figura in cinque linee ritagliati per dritto, e altretante per fianco con due altre linee, che la fredono p traverso cerminandosi negli angoli, li veggono in esta ancora quattro altre linee piccole. lequali segano p traverso i quattro quadri della Riga, e crascuna di esse abbraccia tre case, a ciascuna delle linee maggiori cosi rette, come oblique no ha cinque, e in queste seggono le pietre del gioco, eccetto la linea di mezzo, che ha quattro luoghi ripieni di pietre, perche la casa, ch'e nel mezzo di essa, riman vota." Carrera 1617: 33-34.
Confidence 100
Source Carrera, P. 1617. Il gioco de gli scacchi. Giovanni de'Rossi da Trento.
Id DLP.Evidence.2002
Type Ethnography
Game Wali
Location Songhai
Date 1950-01-01 - 1950-12-31
Rules 5x6 board, made in the sand. One player plays with twelve sticks and the other with twelve pebbles. The player with the sticks plays first. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on an empty space on the board. Players are not permitted to place more than two of their own pieces in an orthogonal row on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving one of their pieces orthogonally one space. When a player successfully places three of their pieces in an orthogonal row of three, the player captures one of the opponent's pieces. The player who captures all of their opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Le bolotoudou est le plus savant des jeux de l'Afrique soudanaise. Des chefs, des hommes instruits y jouent volon tiers. Au pays sonraï c'est presque une institution nationale, il y a des champions du damier, et l'on y a combiné des coups que l'on se transmet dans les familles : ces plans de jeu font en quelque sorte partie de l'héritage et sont appris par le père à ses fils.
C'est le jeu sonraï que nous décrirons : le nom local est
wali, mais comme il ne se distingue pas du wali précédent
nous garderons le nom « damier » pour éviter toute confu sion.
Assis sur le sol, les deux partenaires ont tracé le damier :
cinq rangées de six cases. Les pions sont douze bâtonnets
longs, et douze cailloux ronds : on les appelle les longs et les ronds.
A la différence de nos jeux où la position initiale des pions est donnée par les règles du jeu, ici les deux parte naires placent leurs pions à tour de rôle, un par un, où ils veulent. Il est seulement défendu d'en mettre plus de deux à la suite sur une même ligne verticale ou horizontale. Les longs débutent.
Lorsque tous les pions sont « couchés », et il y a déjà eu des plans savants qui ont présidé à la manœuvre, la partie ou plutôt l'attaque commence. Chaque joueur ne dispose que d'un coup à la fois : il déplace un pion d'une case, suivant une ligne verticale ou horizontale, mais jamais en oblique. Le but est de profiter des cases vides pour arriver à mettre en
ligne trois pions dans le sens vertical ou le sens horizontal. Chaque fois qu'un alignement de trois est réalisé, le joueur a le droit de « manger » un pion à son partenaire. Il peut manœuvrer un des pions de l'alignement pour le détruire et ensuite le reformer, il aura encore droit à prendre un
pion de l'adversaire à chaque fois qu'il reformera son alignement de trois ou qu'il en réalisera un autre. Mais, par contre, l'adversaire, s'il a réussi lui aussi à mettre trois
pions en ligne quelque part, viendra lui souffler un des trois pions alignés de préférence à tout autre qui ne se trouve pas près d'être mis en position." Prost 1950: 243-244.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Prost, A. 1950. "Jeux et jouets." Présence Africaine 8/9: 241-248.
Id DLP.Evidence.2003
Type Artifact
Game Alquerque de Doze (Portugal)
Location 38°42'45.41"N, 9° 7'52.94"W
Date 1600-01-01 - 1920-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines with diagonals in the four quadrants. On opposite sides, a triangle, the apex intersecting with the midpoints of the sides. A line extends from the apex, bisecting the base of the triangle. Another line bisects this line, and the two other sides of the triangle.
Content Graffiti board found on doorstep of the Patio de Dom Fradique de Baixo in Lisbon. 5x5 intersecting lines with diagonals in the four quadrants. On opposite sides, a triangle, the apex intersecting with the midpoints of the sides. A line extends from the apex, bisecting the base of the triangle. Another line bisects this line, and the two other sides of the triangle. Fernandes and Alberto 2011: 745-476.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Spaces Outside, Private
Source Fernandes, L and E. Alberto. 2011. "Tabuleiros de jogo em pedra na cidade de Lisboa." Arqueólogo Português 5(1): 739-783.
Id DLP.Evidence.2004
Type Ethnography
Game Xiangqi (Trigault)
Location 17 Cent Qing
Date 1611-01-01 - 1628-12-31
Rules 5x8 board. Five pawns, one king, two scholars, two horses, two cauldrons. The king begins on the central spot of one of the short rows of the board, flanked by two scholars, which are flanked by two horses. The cauldrons are in front of the horses, and the pawns are one square in front of all the pieces. The cauldron moves any number of spaces orthogonally. The scholars move as queens (either one space diagonally or any number of spaces diagonally or orthogonally). The king cannot be in check.
Content Hyde, quoting an account by Nicolas Trigault, a Jesuit missionary who traveled to China: "Graviores fallendo temporu et Ludicro etiam quaestui adhibent Latrunculos nostris non omnino absimiles. Regius enim Calculus nunquam egreditur 4 Cellulas suo loco viciniores, sed neque Literati duo Regis Assessores. Regina carent. Alios porro duos habent Calculos non parum ingeniosos, quos ipsi pulveris bellici Lebetes vocant; ii Equos duos praeunt, et Pedites subsequuntur, qui in his duabus Cellulis una Cellula praecedunt. Incedit hic Calculus eo ferme modo quo Turriti nostrates Elephants inimici tamen Exercitus Ductorem Reegem non petit, nisi inter ipsum et Regem qui petitur, alius sit Calculus vel proprius vel Collusoris. Hinc fit ut tribus modis ictum vitare pssit Rex appetitus: primum exigua (ut ita loquar) corporis declinatione, et honesta fuga in proximam Cellulam seu Stationem: deinde oppositu alterius Calculi: postremo si penitus nudet latus, tum jubeat facessere Militem suum a quo tegebatur." Includes a diagram with the starting position. Hyde 1694: 163-164.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Hyde, Thomas. 1694. Mandragorias, seu Historia shahiludii, De ludis Orientalium libri primi pars prima, quæ est Latina.
Id DLP.Evidence.2005
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Cashlan Gherra
Location Ireland
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines, with diagonals. Three pieces per player.
Content Mentioned in Hyde with reference to games made of a board made of a square with diagonals and lines bisecting the sides: "Est autem alia forma..ut in praec. Schemate hoc modo:...Hibernis Cashlan Gherra..." Hyde 1694: 211.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.2006
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Che Lo
Location 17 Cent Qing
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines, with diagonals. Three pieces per player, which begin on opposite sides of the board.
Content Account from Hyde: Hicce Ludus Chinensis in hoc minore Diagrammate est prorius idem qui aliquando hac forma simpliciore in plerisque Europae partibubexerceri solet; cujus itaque Europaea Nomina adjiciuntur. est autem alia forma Chinensibus dicta Che-lo, ie.e. Loca sex..." With a diagram showing the board and starting positions, with three white pieces on the opposite side of the three black pieces. Hyde 1694: 211.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.2007
Type Ethnography
Game Nchayo
Location Makonde
Date 1966-01-01 - 1966-12-31
Rules 4x5 or 8 board. One counter in each hole. Players alternate turns picking up the coutners in one of their holes and sowing them in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter lands in a hole with counters, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, any counters in the opponent's opposite inner row hole are captured, and if this capture was possible, any counters in the outer row hole are also captured. The player who captures all of the opponent's counters wins.
Content Account of Nchayo from Viegas Guerreiro, followed by a play-by-play description of a game: "Nchayo dos rapazes e homens. Tem alguna semelhança com o jogo das damas. Poder-lhe-iamos chamar jogo dos covas, poque nestas se pratica. É o tchuba dos Tongas. Pratica-se em quase toda a Africa e Junod assinala-o ainda na Palestina, India, Indochina, Ceilão e Java. Abrem-se no chão quatro linhas paralelas de covas e, estas últimas, umas diante das outras. Os competidores colocam-se frente a frente, ficando cada um deles com as duas linhas mais perto de si. Uma linha tem de cinco o oito covas. SErvem de pedras frutos ou sementes a que se dá o nome de vana; caroços de mangas, frutos de mmula ou do mpumpulu. Ganha quen comer todos os vana do adversário. A competição apresenta várias modalidades, descreve-se uma das mais simples. Preceitos gerais: 1. Coloca-se uma pedra em cada cova. 2. O jogo desenvolve-se de cova para cova e da direita para a esquerda. 3. Inicia-se o jogo tomando uma pedra da linha que fica imediatemente diante das covas do adversário. 4. Em cada novo lance começa-se por levantar as pedras da cova que contiver maior número delas. 5. Jogador com uma só pedra na mão: se a cova a que transite está com pedra ou pedras, levanta-as todas; se está sem pedras, coloca lá a que tem e, se diante fica uma cova do competidor com pedra ou pedras, come-as, bem como as da cova que fica por detrás desta. 6. Jogador com duas ou mais pedras na mão: não pode levantar mais e vai-as distribuindo uma por uma pelas covas seguintes até ficar com uma só, observando-se, então, o que se prescreve no. 5." Viegas Guerreiro 1966: 79-90.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Viegas Guerreiro, M. 1966. Os Macondes de Moçambique IV: Sabedoria, língua, literatura e jogos. Lisbon: Centro de Estudos de Antropoliga Cultural.
Id DLP.Evidence.2008
Type Ethnography
Game Gamacha (Nobility)
Location 6°51'7.71"N, 37°45'39.74"E; 7°32'18.62"N, 37°54'53.32"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Four counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When the final counter of a sowing lands in an empty hole on the player's own row, the contents of the opponent's opposite hole are captured only if it contains one counter. If the final counter lands in an occupied hole, the contents of it are picked up and sowing continues. If the final counter lands in a hole in the opponent's row, causing it to contain four counters, the hole becomes a qasamo, and it can no longer be sown from. Players are allowed to extend their move, if the hole before the one which began the sowing contained only one counter, they may use this counter to sow into a further hole. Also, if a hole with n counters is n holes away from the hole from which sowing began, these counters are sown and the counter in the hole preceding the one from which sowing began can be used to extend the sowing. Play continues until all of the counters are captured or are in a qasamo. The player with the most counters captured and in all qasamo belonging to them wins.
Content Detailed description of Gamacha (Gamacha II) as played by Bubamo Haile Officio, Yohannes Anna, Ayale Dubale, and Ayanto Ersado from Pankhurst 1971: 185.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Social status Non-Elite, Elite, Nobility
Spaces Inside, Outside, Public, Private
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.2009
Type Ethnography
Game Gamacha
Location 6°51'7.71"N, 37°45'39.74"E; 7°32'18.62"N, 37°54'53.32"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x12 board. The board begins with an alternating pattern of four counters in a hole, followed by a hole with zero counters. One player starts with an additional four counters in their left hand hole. The player with the extra counters begins from their sixth hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction, and may only happen when the final counter lands either in an empty hole in the player's own row or in any hole in the opponent's row. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the player's own row, the contents of the opposite hole in the opponent's row are captured. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole in the opponent's row, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. The final counter of this sowing are allwed to fall into an occupied hole in the player's own row, and these are picked up and sowing continues. Sowing ends when the final counter lands in an empty hole. The game ends when one player has no counters on their side of the board, and the opponent wins.
Content Detailed description of Gamacha (Gamacha I) as played by Bubamo Haile Officio, Yohannes Anna, Ayale Dubale, and Ayanto Ersado from Pankhurst 1971: 183-185.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Spaces Inside, Outside, Public, Private
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.2010
Type Artistic depiction
Game Medieval Gabata
Location 7°59'48.70"N, 38°17'45.13"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules 2x9 board.
Content Board depicted on a stela from Silté, Ethiopia, now in the Ethiopian National Museum. in the center of the stela. a roughly oval-shaped board with two rows of nine circular holes. Anfray 1980: Figure a, Photo 1. Date given as twelfth to thirteenth century (Joussaume 2011: 115).
Confidence 100
Source Anfray, F. 1980. "Quatre monuments du Choa: Soddo, Meskan, et Silté à l'Institut des études éthiopiennes de l'université d'Addis-Abeba." Journal of Ethiopian Studies 14: 27-56., Joussaume, R. 2011. "Amorigé and the Anthropomorphic Stelae with Compartmented Faces of Southern Ethiopia." Annales d'Éthiopie 26: 105-117.
Id DLP.Evidence.2011
Type Artistic depiction
Game Medieval Gabata
Location 8° 5'39.10"N, 38°17'53.56"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules 2x9 board.
Content Stela from Meska-Golobo with a board toward the bottom of the stone. The board if rectangular with two rows of nine circular holes (Anfray and Godet 1976: 129, 133, Pl. 25). Date given as twelfth to thirteenth century (Joussaume 2011: 115).
Confidence 100
Source Anfray, F. and E. Godet. 1976. "Les monuments du Soddo." Annales d'Éthiopie 10: 123-143., Joussaume, R. 2011. "Amorigé and the Anthropomorphic Stelae with Compartmented Faces of Southern Ethiopia." Annales d'Éthiopie 26: 105-117.
Id DLP.Evidence.2012
Type Contemporary text
Game Duqurjin
Location Turkey
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners. Nine pieces per player.
Content Discussion of Duqurjin in reference to similar games in Hyde 1694: 206-210.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.2013
Type Contemporary text
Game Malomjatek
Location Hungary
Date 1905-01-01 - 1905-12-31
Rules Mill game.
Content "Thus, in Hungarian, the word malom signifies "mill," and the word merelles is translated malomjatek, the latter element signifying "game;" another compound of malom, namely malmosdi, also has the signification of "morris game." Fiske 1905: 133, 135.
Confidence 100
Source Fiske, W. 1905. Chess in Iceland and in Icelandic Literature with Historical Notes on other Table-Games. Florence: The Florentine Typographical Society.
Id DLP.Evidence.2014
Type Contemporary text
Game Sgjough
Location Historical Armenia
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides.
Content "In D. Castelli Lexico Polyglottp hic ludus vocatur...Armenice Sgjough. Forte sir Armenicum Szough, quod est Palus seu Paxillus, huic Ludo fatis quadrans. Armeni a me interrogati, responderunt Nomen ejus esse Duggh, quo signifitaur Linea seu Lineatio, quia hujus Ludi Schema cariis Lineis constat...Nam Armeni...sequente modo hujus Ludi Schema mihi formarunt: viz." with diagram of board with three concentric squares with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides. Hyde 1694: 205, 210.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.2015
Type Contemporary text
Game Hujura
Location Safavid
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 3x3 lines with diagonals, six pieces per player.
Content "Schemate hoc modo: Persis Hugjure (ubi quisque habet 6 calculos)" Hyde 1694: 211.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.2016
Type Contemporary text
Game Dasapada
Location Ancient India
Date 0400-01-01 - 0499-12-31
Rules 10x10 board.
Content Passage from the Brahmajala Sutra, one of the Dialogues of the Buddha: "Or, he might say: "Whereas some recluses and Brahmans, while living on food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to games and recreations; that is to say, 1. Games on boards with eight or with ten rows of squares" (ashtapada or dasapada), Rhys Davids 1899: 9.
Confidence 100
Source Rhys Davids, T. 1899. Dialogues of the Buddha Translated from the Pali of the Digha Nikaya. Delhi: Low Price Publications.
Id DLP.Evidence.2017
Type Contemporary text
Game Asalto
Location Spain
Date 1891-01-01 - 1891-12-31
Rules Played on the Fox and Geese board, but the top arm of the cross is surrounded by a double line, indicating it is a fortress, in which one player puts two officers. The other player plays with 24 pieces. Officers may capture one of the opponent's pieces by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece. If the officer does not capture when it is possible, it is huffed. The soldiers win by occupying all of the points in the fortress or by blocking the officers from being able to move; the officers win by capturing enough soldiers to prevent this.
Content Discussion of asalto with reference to ancient Greek and Roman games throughout Brunet y Bellet, showing the board, and mentioning movement, capturing. Brunet y Bellet 1891: 178, 181, 191, 198, 199, 201, 205, 302, 312.
Confidence 100
Source Brunet y Bellet, J. 1891. El Ajedrez. Investigaciones sobre su origen. Barcelona: Librería L'Avenc de Masso y Cas.
Id DLP.Evidence.2018
Type Ethnography
Game Ngrin
Location 4°46'46.91"S, 14°37'46.92"E
Date 1972-01-01 - 1972-12-31
Rules Square with diagonals and lines connecting the midpoints of the sides. Three pieces per player. The first player places their piece in the center. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty spot on the board. The first player to make three in a row wins.
Content Account of Ngrinfrom Boko, Republic of Congo, attributed to S. Louamba: ""'Ngrin' der Kongo-Nseke: Hierbei handelt es sich um eine Art Mühle, die auf dem Erdboden in Form eines Quadrates mit Diagonalen und Mittellinien dargestellt wird. Bereits Kinder im Alter von sechs Jahren kennen dieses Spiel. Jeder Teilnehmer sucht drei kleine Steine, Holzstücke oder dürre Blätter, die eingesetzt werden. Die Kongolesen führen das Spiel in folgender Weise aus: Der erste Spieler setzt einen Stein in die Mitte des vorgezeichneten Feldes, der zweite besetzt eine andere Stelle mit einem Stein. Jeder ist bemüh, als erster drei Spielsteine auf eine Linie zu bringen, um zu gewinnen." Klepzig 1972: 181.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.2019
Type Ethnography
Game Kanga
Location 4°46'46.91"S, 14°37'46.92"E
Date 1972-01-01 - 1972-12-31
Rules A rectangle is drawn on the ground. The long sides of the rectangle have five holes each, and the short sides one hole each. There is a larger hole in the center. Each player has six counters. Each player owns the five holes on one long side and the hole on the short side to their right. Players distribute their counters on their side of the board as they see fit. Counters which land in the opponent's hole are captured. Any holes with a single counter on the player's side are vulnerable to capture.
Content Account attributed to S. Kimbidima of Boko, Congo: "'Kanga ' der Kongo-Nseke: Dies spielen kleinere Kinder im Alter von etwa acht Jahren gemeinsam. Ältere Jungen interessieren sich höchstens dann dafür, wenn sie gerade nichts anderes zu tun haben. Zwölf Vertiefungen bilden zusammen ein Rechteck, in dessen Mitte ein Hauptfach angelegt ist. An den Längsseiten befinden sich fünf, an jeder Breitseite drei 'Näpfe.' Das Fach zur Linken jedes Spielers heißt 'ngudi' (d.i. Mutter). In der Mitte der Breitseiten liegt je ein Zwischenfach, sechs Kästen uns sechs Nüsse. Im Verlauf des Spiels kommt es vor, daß einer von beiden einige Gruben einbußt. Die Verkleinerung seines Feldes wird es dem Gegner erlauben, ihn an den Strand zu setzten. Dies führt das Ende des Spiels herbei." Klepzig 1972: 182.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.2020
Type Ethnography
Game Ntyéngé
Location Mbenga
Date 1899-01-01 - 1907-12-31
Rules 2x8 board. Four counters per hole. Players alternate turns taking the counters from one of the holes in their row and sowing them in an anticlockwise direction. When the final counter falls into a hole containing one or three counters, causing it to contain two or four, these counters are captured. Play continues until all of the counters have been captured. The player who captured the most counters wins.
Content Account of the game from R.P. Trilles: "Le jeu de Nkola (nom fang Ntyéngé). Le jeu de Nkola est un jeu assez compliqué, qui se joue à deux. Les enfants et les jeunes gens y jouent assez fréquemment: les adultes y sont parfois très forts et j'ai rencontré certains chefs qui se prétendaient invincibles et que j'ai battus cependant, à leur grand étonnement. Pour jouer ce jeu, on se sert, chez les Négrilles, comme chez les Fang, d'une planche creusée de seize augets, huit se faisant face deux à deux. Ces planches sont simples ou parfois artistement travaillées. Il nous est arrivé d'en trouver de creusées dans l'ébène et même une fois dans une défense d'ivoire. Plus ordinairement, on emploie le dois de fromager (Eriodendron) ou d'evel, très facile à travailler. Quand on n'a pas de jeu à sa disposition, on se contente très bien de creuser des trous dans le sol, et c'est le procède le plus habituel chez les Pygmées. Chaque joueur prend 24 graines onu cailloux. En principe, on emploie les graines du balisier, si commun partout et dont les belles fleur rouges ou jaune éclatant ornent les entrées de chaque village. Des graines, rondes et luisantes, comme chacun sait, sont des plus faciles à manier. A défaut de ces graines, on pend simplement des cailloux ou même des petit morceaux de bois. Les 24 graines sont déposées dans les trous, à raison de quatre par trou. C'est un avantage de commencer. On le tire donc au sort. Le premier joueur prend les quatre jetons d'un trou, mais du côté qui le regarde, et les dépose un par un dans chacun des trous qui suivent celui où il a les pris, en allant toujours vers sa droite. Il peut commencer par où il le veut, et là premier joueur a joué, les quatre trous qui suivent celui où il a pris les premier jetons, contiendront chacun cinq graines. Au tour du second joueur: lui aussi commence où il veut, pourvu que ce soit de son côté. Puis le premier joue de nouveau à son tour, ne déposant toujours qu'un jeton dans chaque trou. A partir de ce moment, toutes les fois que le dernier jeton tombe dans une case où ne restent plus que un ou trois jetons, le joueur enlève et met à part le contenu du trou, soit deux ou quatre jetons. Quand tous les jetons sont pris, chacun compte ses prises; celui qui a pris le plus de pions a évidemment gagné." Trilles 1932: 399-400.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Source Trilles, R. 1932. Les pygmées de la forêt equatoriale. Paris: Librairie Bloud & Gay.
Id DLP.Evidence.2021
Type Ethnography
Game Lisolo
Location Bemba
Date 1946-01-01 - 1946-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. Two counters in each hole. Before play, players may arrange their counters as they see fit in their holes. Players alternate turns sowing the counters from one of their holes in an anticlockwise direction. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, their turn is over. If the final counter lands in an occupied hole, the contents of the two opposite hole in the opponent's rows are captured. If both do not have counters, then the player picks up the counters from the hole the last counter fell into and continues sowing. The player who captures all of the opponent's counters wins.
Content Account from Edmé: Mais voici le jeu sérieux par excellene, jeu qui se joeu à peu près par toute l'Afrique. C'est le jeu qui passionne les vieux comme les jeunes, il a ses champions. C'est le jeu dy lisolo, qui est comme une espèce de jeu d'échecs du monde noir. Dans une plaque de bois, ou à même le sol, sont creusées trente-deux cuvettes, en quatre rangées de huit. Chacun des deux joueurs dispose de seize cuvettes et de trente-deux pions. Pour qu'on ne puisse pas avoir l'occasion de tricher, les pions sont placés, avant de jouer, deux par deux, dans les cuvettes. Le contrôle du nombre fait, chaque joueur les place comme il l'entend. Le joueur qui commence ramasse les pions d'une de ses cuvettes et les dépose, un à un dans les cuvettes suivantes, en tournant dans le sens inverse des aiguilles d'une montre. si le dernier pion qu'il a en main arrive dans une cuvette vide, il passe le jeu à son adversaire. Si son dernier pion tombe dans une cuvette occupée, il saisit les pions des deux cuvettes adverses qui sse trouvent dand la même transversale que sa cuvette si toutes les deux sont occupées. Sinon, il ramasse les pions de sa dernière cuvette et recommence à les déposer de proche en proche." Edmé 1946: 160.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Source Edmé, P. 1946. Scènes de la vie noire. Elisabethville: Centre d'étude des problèmes sociaux indigènes.
Id DLP.Evidence.2022
Type Ethnography
Game Tswana Game
Location 25°44'43.82"S, 28°11'24.82"E
Date 1972-01-01 - 1972-12-31
Rules 4x4 board. Two counters per hole.
Content Account from P.L. Breutz: "Mankala Der Tschwana: Die Jungen im Marico-Bezirk (Moilwa-Reservat) legen am Boden vier Reihen von Löchern an und besetzten jedes mit zwei steinen. Jeder Spieler verfügt über acht Löcher. Mit einfachen Regeln ahmen die Jungen das Brettspiel der Erwachsenen nach." Klepzig 1972: 518.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adult
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.2023
Type Ethnography
Game Ngré É É
Location 0°29'1.38"S, 15°53'59.90"E
Date 1972-01-01 - 1972-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines with diagonals. Three pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty spot on the board. When a player succeeds in making a line of three with their pieces, they win.
Content Account from G. Akanty of Fort Rousset (Owando): ""Ngré é é" Der Kuyo: Die Kinder von Fort Rousset kennen im Alter von drei bis sechs Jahren das Mühleziehen. Als Spielplan ist ein Quadrat mit Mittellinien und Diagonalen auf dem Erdboden gezogen. Wenn es einem Partner gelingt, die Spielsteine in Dreierkombination auf eine gerade Linie zu setzten, gewinnt er die Partie." Klepzig 1972: 181.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Klepzig, F. 1972. Kinderspiele der Bantu. Meisenheim am Glan: Verlag Anton Hain.
Id DLP.Evidence.2024
Type Contemporary text
Game Heian Dai Shogi
Location 35° 0'43.92"N,135°45'58.86"E
Date 1142-01-01 - 1142-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content Passage from the Taiki of Fujiwara no Yorinaga, who recorded that he played Dai Shogi before the emperor against Moronaka Ason in 1142. Reported in Banaschak 2001: 133.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Banaschak, P. 2001. Schachspiele in Ostasien (Xiangqi, Changgi, Shogi). Quellen zu ihrer Geschichte und Entwicklung bis 1640. Munich: Iudicum.
Id DLP.Evidence.2025
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Heian Dai Shogi
Location Japan
Date 1230-01-01 - 1230-12-31
Rules 13x13 board. Pieces are as follows, and in the following positions: Osho (king), x1: located on the central space of the row closest to each player; Kinsho (gold general), x2: on both sides of the Osho; Ginsho (silver general), x2: next to the gold generals; Dosho (copper general), x2: next to the silver generals; Tessho (iron general), x2: next to the copper generals; Kosha (lance), x2: next to the iron generals; Ogyo (side walker), x1: in front of the king; Moko (wild tiger), x2: in front of the silver generals; Hiryu (flying dragon), stands in front of the Keima, Keima (knight), x2: next to the Kosha; Honsha (free chariot), x2: starts in front of the Kosha; Chunin, x1: in front of the central Fuhyo;; Fuhyo (soldier), x13: on the third row of squares. Known moves are as follows: Dosho does not move diagonally; Tessho does not move backward, whether orthogonally or diagonally; Ogyo moves either orthogonally forward one space or orthogonally to the left or right any number of spaces; Moko moves diagonally one space; Hiryu moves any distance diagonally; Honsha moves forward or backward any distance; Chunin moves one step forward or backward.
Content Text from the Nichureki, a Japanese text from around 1230 that describes Dai Shogi from the Heian period, as translated by Banaschak: "Der älteste Text, in dem eine trotz aller Lücken brauchbare Beschreibung eines kleinen Shogi und einer großen Dai-Shogio zu finden sind, ist das Nichureki (Aus dem zwei Chureki) das etwa 1230 verfaßt wurde...Neben der Beschriebung des kleinin Shogi enthält das "Nichureki" eine Beschreibung eines größeren Dai-Shogi. Da man auch hierbei davon ausgeht, daß der Text den Stand in der späten Heian-Zeit widespiegelt, ist es unter dem Namen Heian-Dau-Shogi bekannt. Die diesbezügliche Textpassage lautet:
Und es gibt auch ein Dai-Shogi mit dreiziehn Reihen, wie folgt: der König (Osho) steht auf jeder Seite in der Mittte, ein Goldgeneral (Kinsho) steht auf jeder [seiner] Seite[n], ein Silbergeneral [Ginsho] steht dem Goldgeneral [Kin] als nächster, als nächster beim Silbergeneral [Ginsho] steht als nächster der Kupfergeneral [Dosho], als nächster steht ein Eisengeneral [Tessho], als nächster steht die Lanze [Kosha]; der Kupfergeneral [Dosho] zieht nicht in die vier Ecken, der Eisengeneral [Tessho] zieht nicht in die hinteren drei Richtungen; und der Seitenläufer [Ogyo] steht vor dem König [Osho] und zieht nach vorn einen Schrit, nach links und rechts ist nicht festgelegt, ob viel oder wenig; und, es gibt den Wilden Tiger [Moko], der vor dem Silbergeneral [Gin] steht, er zieht in die vier Ecken einen Schritt; der Fliegende Drache [Hiryu] steht vor dem Springer [Keima], er zieht in die vier Ecken und zieht darüber hinaus, der Freie Wagen [Honsha] steht vor der Lanze [Kosha], er zieht nach vorn und hinten, es ist nicht festgelegt, ob wenig oder viel; der Chunin steht vor dem mittleren Soldaten [Fuhyo], er zieht nach vorn und hinten jeweils einen Schritt; seine Zugweise ist gleichsam wie dessen." Banaschak 2001: 134-137.
Confidence 100
Source Banaschak, P. 2001. Schachspiele in Ostasien (Xiangqi, Changgi, Shogi). Quellen zu ihrer Geschichte und Entwicklung bis 1640. Munich: Iudicum.
Id DLP.Evidence.2026
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Heian Sho Shogi
Location Japan
Date 1230-01-01 - 1230-12-31
Rules 8x8 or 8x9 board. Pieces are as follows: Osho (king): Moves in every direction; Ginsho (gold general): does not move left, right, or backward; Keima (knight): moves orthogonally one square and then diagonally another square; Kosha (lance)moves forward any distance; Fuhyo (soldier) moves one square. If the Fuhyo enters the third rank on the opponent's side of the board, they are promoted to Ginsho. A player wins when the opponent is reduced to the Osho and one Ginsho.
Content Text from the Nichureki, a Japanese text from around 1230 that describes Sho Shogi from the Heian period, as translated by Banaschak: "Brettspiele. Shogi...Der König [Osho] kann in die acht Richtungen ziehen, der Goldgeneral [Ginsho] zieht nicht nach links, rechts, und nach hinten, der Springer [Keima] zieht nach vorn und dann ein Feld über die Ecke, die Lanze [Kosha] zieht nach vorn nach ihrem Willen, der Soldat [Fuhyo] zieht ein Feld und niemals anders; wenn sie die drei Reihen des Gegners breteten, werden alle zum Goldgeneral [Kin], wenn der Gegner [nur noch] den König und einem General hat, dann hat er verloren." Banaschak 2001: 134-135.
Confidence 100
Source Banaschak, P. 2001. Schachspiele in Ostasien (Xiangqi, Changgi, Shogi). Quellen zu ihrer Geschichte und Entwicklung bis 1640. Munich: Iudicum.
Id DLP.Evidence.2027
Type Contemporary text
Game Xiangqi (Song)
Location Song China
Date 1079-01-01 - 1079-12-31
Rules 11x11 board. Seventeen pieces per player.
Content Surviving excerpt from the Guang Xiangxi tu of Zhao Buzhi, as translated by Banaschak: "Xiangxi, das ist ein Strategiespiel...Das Brett (ju) hat horizontal und Vertikal elf Linien, 34 Spielsteine (qi) ergeben die beiden Heere." Banaschak 2001: 91-92.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Banaschak, P. 2001. Schachspiele in Ostasien (Xiangqi, Changgi, Shogi). Quellen zu ihrer Geschichte und Entwicklung bis 1640. Munich: Iudicum.
Id DLP.Evidence.2028
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Skak
Location Iceland
Date 1892-01-01 - 1892-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x King: moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Queen: moves any distance diagonally or orthogonally. 2 x Rook: Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Bishop: moves any distance diagonally 2 x Knight: Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Pawn: Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted when reaching the eighth rank. Castling and en passant are allowed. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a King can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The King must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. Stalemate is a draw. When a player captures all of their opponent's pieces except the King are captured, the opponent loses, though this is considered a lesser win.
Content Detailed description of Skak as contemporary Chess, indicating stalemate is a draw and bare king is a "lesser" win. Fiske 1905: 3-7.
Confidence 100
Source Fiske, W. 1905. Chess in Iceland and in Icelandic Literature with Historical Notes on other Table-Games. Florence: The Florentine Typographical Society.
Id DLP.Evidence.2029
Type Contemporary text
Game Short Assize
Location 15 c France
Date 1496-01-01 - 1498-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x King (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Queen: One square diagonally. 2 x Rook: Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Fil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Fil. 2 x Knight: Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Pawn: Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Queen when reaching the eighth rank. The pieces begin in the following position: Fils on the and sixth spaces of the first row, King on the fifth space of the first row, Rooks on the third and sixth spaces of the second row, Knights on the fourth and fifth spaces of the second row, Pawms on the third row, the Queen sharing a space with the Pawn in the fifth space. Kings are on the same column. The only time two pieces can be on the same space is in this initial arrangement. No castling. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a King can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The King must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. Stalemate results in a win for that player causing it. Capturing all of an opponent's pieces except the King also results in a win.
Content Metaphorical discussion of Chess and diagram of the Short Assize in MS BnF Français 143, f. 355; Murray 1913: 476-478.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source de Conty, Evrart. 1496-1498. Livre des écgecs amoureux moralisés. Manuscript Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Français 143., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2030
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Long Assize
Location England
Date 1230-01-01 - 1230-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, Starting position.
Content Extract from British Museum Royal Manuscript 13 A. XVIII, with a diagram of the opening position and describing it as the Long Assize. Murray 1913: 455-456, 594.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2031
Type Contemporary text
Game Long Assize
Location England; 15 c France
Date 1150-01-01 - 1450-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x King (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. The King may leap to the second square on its first move if it has not yet been checked and does not hop over an opponent's piece. 1 x Queen: One square diagonally. On its first move, the Queen may jump diagonally two squares. The Queen cannot capture when making this move. 2 x Rook: Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Fil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Fil. 2 x Knight: Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Pawn: Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. May move two spaces on its first move. En passant is allowed. Promoted to Queen when reaching the eighth rank, and may make the Queen's leap on its first move after being promoted. No castling. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a King can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The King must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. Stalemate results in a draw. Capturing all of an opponent's pieces except the King also results in a win.
Content Details of the Long Assize as given by Murray, drawn from details of specific Chess manuscripts from France and England of the twelfth through fifteenth centuries, but he does not describe which ones specifically. Murray 1913: 464-466.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2032
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Schachzabel
Location 50° 6'38.07"N, 8°41'1.53"E
Date 1536-01-01 - 1536-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x King (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. The King may leap one, two, or three squares on its first move if it has not yet been checked and does not hop over an opponent's piece. The player may opt to move a Pawn forward one square to allow the King to move. The King cannot make this leap over an opponent's piece. A capture cannot be made with this special first move. 1 x Queen: One square diagonally. On its first move, the Queen may jump diagonally two squares. The Queen cannot capture when making this move. 2 x Rook: Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Bishop: Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Bishop. 2 x Knight: Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Pawn: Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. The Rook's, King's and Queen's Pawns may move two spaces on its first move. The King's and Queen's Pawns are restricted in having this ability only if no piece on the board has been captured. Promoted to Queen when reaching the eighth rank, and may make the Queen's leap on its first move after being promoted, but cannot capture with this move. No castling. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a King can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The King must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins.
Content Text of the amended text of Mennal's Schachzabel in the 1536 edition by Engelnoff from Frankfurt am Main. Murray 1913: 463-464, 490-494.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2033
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Lombard Chess
Location 44°38'56.75"N, 8°14'43.35"E
Date 1250-01-01 - 1322-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x King (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. The King may leap to the second or third square on its first move, or move as a Knight, and does not hop over an opponent's piece. The King also cannot capture with this move. 1 x Queen: One square diagonally. On its first move, the Queen may jump diagonally two squares. The Queen cannot capture when making this move. The King and Queen, if they both have not yet moved, may both take their first move in one turn. 2 x Rook: Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Bishop: Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Bishop. 2 x Knight: Moves one space orthogonally and then one space diagonally, jumping over any intervening pieces. 8 x Pawn: Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. May move two spaces on its first move. En passant is not allowed. Promoted to Queen when reaching the eighth rank, and may make the Queen's leap on its first move after being promoted. If this promotion is made with the opponent's King at the distance of the extended move, it does not give check on that turn. No castling. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a King can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The King must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. Stalemate results in a draw.
Content Rules for Chess as played in Lombardy as given in the Liber de moribus hominum et officiis nobilium of Jacobus Cessolis. Rules given in Murray 1913: 461-462.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Clergy
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2034
Type Ethnography
Game Katséla
Location Chokwe
Date 1930-01-01 - 1930-12-31
Rules Three intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in the square. Two players. Three pieces per player, one playing as red and the other as white. The red player plays first and places their piece in the central spot. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on an empty space on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an empty adjacent spot on the board along the lines. The first player to place three of their pieces in a row wins.
Content Account of Baumann, about Katsela as played among the Chokwe people of Angola: "Katsela (kleines tsela) ist in Art Mühlespiel. Mit Pembafarbe wird auf irgendein Brett oder einen Hockersitz ein Viereck gemalt. Die zwei Spieler arbeiten mit 6 "Steinen" (weiße und rote Bohnen). rot beginnt und setztseinen Stein in den Mittelpunkt O. Weiß setzt auf irgendeinen PLatz am Rand. Dann verhindert Rot durch geschicktes Setzen seines nächsten, also des dritten Steines im Spiel, daß Weiß in den nächsten Zuugen eine gerade Linie aus drei Steinen erhält. Weiß kann nur auf den Randlinien eine Kombination erreichen und nur an der Außenseite gewinnen, Rot dagegen nur auf den Diagonalen oder den Linien 8-0-4 und 2-0-6. Weiß sucht seinerseits eine Kombination von Rot auf den Zentrallinien zu verhindern und stört den Aufmarschplan von Rot. Sind alle 6 Steine gesetzt so wechselt man so lange die Steine, bis einer von beiden zusammenhängende Linie von drei Steinen erreichet hat. Tsela und Katsela wird nur von Männern und Knaben, allerdings leidenschaftlich gern gespielt. " Baumann 1935: 94.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders Male
Source Baumann, H. 1935. Lunda: Bei Bauern und Jägern in Inner-Angola. Berlin: Würfel Verlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.2035
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Tenjiku Shogi
Location Japan
Date 1675-01-01 - 1699-12-31
Rules 16x16 board. 156 pieces. Includes the same pieces as Sho Shogi, Chu Shogi, and Dai Shogi, with the addition of the following pieces: Great General: moves any distance orthogonally or diagonally, jumping over any intervening pieces; Vice General: moves one space orthogonally or any distance diagonally; Fire Demon: moves two spaces forward or backward; moves any distance left or right or diagonally, pieces in adjacent squares "perish by burning"; Rook General: moves any distance orthogonally, jumping over any intervening pieces; Bishop General: moves any distance diagonally, jumping over any intervening pieces; Lion Hawk: moves two spaces orthogonally and any distance diagonally; Water Buffalo: moves two spaces forward or backward or any distance left, right, or diagonally; Chariot Soldier: moves two spaces left or right and any distance forward or backward orthogonally or diagonally; Vertical Soldier: moves any distance orthogonally forward, two spaces left or right, or one step backward orthogonally; Side Soldier: moves any distance left or right orthogonally or two spaces left or right or one space backward; Dog: one space forward or one space backward diagonally; Multi General: moves any distance forward or backward diagonally; Heavenly Tetrarch: moves like the Chariot Soldier but not to adjacent squares; Free Eagle: moves like the Free King or Cat Sword twice. Tokin: promoted pawn. Pieces promote as follows: Knight to Side Soldier; Iron General to Vertical General; Side Soldier to Water Buffalo; Vertical Soldier to Chariot Soldier; Chariot Soldier to Heavenly Tetrarch; Horned Falcon to Bishop General; Soaring Eagle to Rook General; Bishop General to Vice General; Rook General to Great General; Water Buffalo to Fire Demon; Lion to Lion Hawk; Free King to Free Eagle.
Content Translation of late seventeenth century text Shogi Zushiki, as given by Peter Banaschak and published by Colin Adams. Includes the text referring to Tenjiku Shogi. A diagram of the starting position is included, but not reported specifically in the translation, but it given in Adams' own text. Adams 1999: 166-167.
Confidence 100
Source Adams, C. 1999. The Struggle for Survival: Testing Times for Tenjiku Shogi—Being an Introduction to the Game of Tenjiku Shogi, Including Analysis of the Opening phase of the Game and Example Games. http://history.chess.free.fr/papers/Tenjiku-Colin%20Adams.pdf. Accessed July 1, 2021.
Id DLP.Evidence.2036
Type Ethnography
Game Persian Chess with a Queen
Location 39°39'12.42"N, 66°57'33.25"E
Date 1877-01-01 - 1877-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Fers (counselor): Any distance orthogonally or diagonally.]. 2 x Rukh (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Pil (elephant): Any distance diagonally. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. No castling. The first move must be the Fers's Sarbaz, which moves two spaces forward. Castling can happen in three moves, moving the Shah forward or backward once orthogonally and once with the Asb's move, and moving the Rukh to the Shah's former space. Castling can also be done on the Fers's side. When a piece moves to a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is captured. If the Shah can be captured on the opponent's next turn, it is in check. A player's Shah must not be in check at the end of their turn. If this is impossible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins.
Content Accoutn of two games of the "Persian Chess with a Queen" published by A. Chernevski in 1877 in Shakhmatny Listok ("Shakhmaty v Turkestane", details and games presented in Markov 2017.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Markov, G. 2017. "A Note on Chess in 19th Century Turkestan." Board Game Studies Journal 11: 73-82.
Id DLP.Evidence.2037
Type Ethnography
Game Bukharan Shatranj
Location 39°39'12.42"N, 66°57'33.25"E
Date 1877-01-01 - 1877-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The first move is by the queen, which jumps two spaces forward orthogonally, and then is reduced to a weak piece. No castling. Bishops move two spaces diagonally, leaping over the first square.
Content Account of "Bukharan Chess" as played in Samarkand, described by A. Chernevski in Shakhmatny Listok 1877 ("Shakhmaty v Turkestane"). Markov 2017: 74-75.
Confidence 100
Source Markov, G. 2017. "A Note on Chess in 19th Century Turkestan." Board Game Studies Journal 11: 73-82.
Id DLP.Evidence.2038
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Barail
Location Italy
Date 1275-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules Backgammon board. Fifteen pieces per player. Three six-sided dice. Both players proceed in the same track, which goes from one left-hand point in the corner of the board in an anti-clockwise direction, ending at the point opposite it. One player has one piece on the tenth point and fourteen on the eleventh; the other has fifteen on the twelfth point. Players bear off from the end of the track.
Content Rules for Barail as reported in a late thirteenth-century manuscript (Ms National Library Florence, Banco Rari, 6 p. 2 no. 1) by Murray: "6.2.13. Italy. Barail...Three dice. Both players have E af, M amnz, B tz. C has one man on k and fourteen on l; D has fifteen on m." Murray 1951: 122.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2039
Type Ethnography
Game Mlabalaba
Location Transvaal
Date 1907-01-01 - 2002-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the corners and midpoints of the squares. Twelve pieces per player. In the first phase, players take turns placing pieces on an empty spot on the board. If they place three pieces so they are in a line, forming a "meul." they remove one of the opponent's pieces that is not in a "meul." Once all the pieces are placed, the second phase begins, in which players take turns moving one piece to an adjacent empty spot. When a "meul" is formed, the player removes one of the opponent's pieces that is not in a "meul." When one player is reduced to three pieces, they may move their pieces to any empty spot on the board. The player who reduces their opponent to two pieces wins.
Content Rules played by the father of R.D. Coertze, who played since he was a child (born and lives in Transvaal 1907), and the game as still played in South Africa. Coertze 2002.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders Male
Source Coertze, R. 2002. 'Die bordspel Morabaraba—aard, verspreiding en herkoms.' Anthropology South Africa 25 (3/4): 55-70.
Id DLP.Evidence.2040
Type Ethnography
Game Moruba
Location 23°56'34.32"S, 31° 8'26.71"E
Date 1934-01-01 - 2002-12-31
Rules 4x12 board. Four counters in each hole. Players alternate turns sowing the counters from one hole in an anti-clockwise direction. When the counters fall into a hole in their inner row, the contents of the opponent's opposite inner row hole are captured, as are any in the opponent's corresponding outer row hole, but only if counters were captured from the inner row hole. The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content Account of Moruba from Malesa, who describes the rules of the game and interviews with men up to 68 years old who played the game in their childhood. "Material used
A minimum of two people and a maximum of four.
A board with a number of ‘kraals’ (holes) or dig holes on the ground.
‘Cows’ (stones) or bottle caps.
The rules of the game
The first player begins playing by removing any four stones from his holes and placing one stone in the
next hole until all the four stones are in four holes. The player moves in an anti-clockwise direction,
moving from the left to the right.
After placing the stones in the four holes, the same player takes all eight stones directly opposite the
opponent’s stones. As the opponent collects stones he or she utters words like ‘pha’ (i hit). The player
has completed his turn. If during the game, the player had one stone in row one, he or she must shift the stone until he or
she reaches row two. If however, there are no stones belonging to the opponent in row three, but there
are stones in row four, he cannot take them. When the player has completed his turn, his opponent
begins the same way." Malesa 2002: 30-31.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders Male
Source Malesa, M. 2012. "The Importance of the Indigenous Games among the Ba-Phlaborwa of the Limpopo Province." Unpublished MA Thesis. Turfloop: University of Limpopo.
Id DLP.Evidence.2041
Type Ethnography
Game Luuth
Location Nuer
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules 2x7 board. Four counters per hole. The first player takes all of the counters from one of their holes. If they take from the central hole, they can be placed in any other hole on the board. If they are from any other hole, they can be placed in any hole except the opposite hole on the opponent's side. Once both players have made this initial move, the main phase of the game begins. Players alternate turns taking counters from one of the holes on their side of the board and moving them. Groups of four counters are always moved. Play can occur in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction. Players sow, four counters at a time. When the final four counters land in an empty hole in the player's row, any counters in the opponent's opposite hole are captured, and the player may sow again from another hole. Play continues until all of the counters have been captured, and the player with the most counters wins.
Content Rules described by Pankhurst: "Luuth. this game is based on two rows each of seven holes with four holes, and is known as luuth, the holes being called ang, literally "eye." The game, which has very unusual basic moves almost reminiscent of draughts, was played by James Tut, another student from the Sudan side of the frontier who is now studying at Addis Ababa. The first player would begin anywhere on his row by picking up the entire contents of one of this holes. If he did so from his middle hole he could place them in any hole whatsoever, either on his own side or his opponent's; if from any of his other holes he could place them in any hole except his opponent's opposite hole. After this initial move it was his opponent's turn to move. The players, who moved alternately, could thereafter move either in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction according to the following rules based on the moving of balls always in groups of four or multiples thereof: 1. A group of four balls could be moved to an adjacent hole on the same side of the board. 2. A group of eight or more balls could be distributed on the basis of four balls per hole in successive holes on one side of the board or another. On alighting with a group of four balls in an empty hole, or, if he had more than four balls in his hand, with his last group of four balls, the player would capture the contents, if any, of his opponent's opposite hole, such a capture entitling him to continue his move by picking up the contents of any of his holes with which to play. The player gaining the largest number of balls was accounted the winner, for this type of game was won in a single round." Pankhurst 1971: 204.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.2042
Type Ethnography
Game Qarqis
Location Amhara
Date 1595-01-01 - 1652-12-31
Rules Played on holes in a table. Small balls are used as counters.
Content Lexica entry for Qarqis, provided to Ludolf by Abba Gorgoryos, who traveled to Germany in 1652: "Ludi genus, cum factis aliquot in tabula foraminibus globuli mittuntur: quo genere lusus aliqui ad divinationes abutuntur." Ludolf 1699: 158.
Confidence 100
Source Ludolf, H. 1699. Lexicon Aethiopico-Latinum. London: Thomam Roycroft.
Id DLP.Evidence.2043
Type Contemporary text
Game Qarqis
Location Amhara
Date 1400-01-01 - 1499-12-31
Rules Name of game.
Content Passing mention of Qarqis in a passage from the Book of the Mysteries of Heaven and Earth, a fifteenth century Ge'ez manuscipt, translated into French: "D'autres parmi eux enseignèrent à travailler le cèdre et le saule; tout cela fut enseigné par Wasag et Abergya dont les têtes brillent dans les nuages: ils apprirent aux hommes à jouer au tabat [Qarqis]; Ner et Zaberenigued leur montrèrent le jeu Atawma, et Akis, le jeu de cirque." Perruchon 1903: 22-23.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Perruchon, J. 1903. Le livre des mystères du ciel et de la terre. Paris: Librairie de Paris.
Id DLP.Evidence.2044
Type Ethnography
Game Gabatta
Location 15°44'52.99"N, 38°42'1.30"E
Date 1893-01-01 - 1893-12-31
Rules 3x6 board, with two stores. Three counters in each hole.
Content Account of Gabatta play near Debresina, as well as a figure of the 3x6 board: "These...people are perfect artists in cow-dung' with this material they make big jars in which to keep their grain, drinking goblet, and boards for the universal game, which the better class make of wood. I brought one of these away with me to show how universal this game is amongst the Abyssinians, from the chief to the peasant, and it reached the British Museum unbroken. This game is caleld Gabatta, and the wooden boards made by the better class contain eighteen holes, nine for each person. There are three bals called Chachtma for each hole, and the game is played by a system of passing, which seemed to us very intricate, and which we could not learn." Bent 1896: 72-73.
Confidence 100
Source Bent, J. 1896. The Sacred City of the Ethiopians, Being a Record of Travel and Research in Abyssinia in 1893. London: Longmans, Green and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.2045
Type Artifact
Game Benin Mancala Game
Location 6°19'3.94"N, 5°36'53.52"E
Date 1500-01-01 - 1699-12-31
Rules Ten holes arranged around two stores in the center.
Content Brass board from Benin City, dated to the sixteenth or seventeenth century. Square table with circular cups around the perimeter, five on each side. Pitt-Rivers 1900: pl. 40, fig. 116; Luschan 1919: 427-428.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite, Royalty
Source Luschan, F. 1919. Die Altertümer von Benin. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter and Co., Pitt-Rivers, A. 1900. Antique Works of Art from Benin. London: Harrison and Sons.
Id DLP.Evidence.2046
Type Ethnography
Game Ouri
Location Senegal
Date 1785-01-01 - 1787-12-31
Rules 2x6 board with square holes, with two round stores on either end. 21 counters per player. Players alternate turns placing their counters in the holes on their side of the board. The first player places a number of counters on the board. The second player must then place more counters than the first player. The first player must then place an even number of counters if they first played an odd number, and vice versa. If a player starts with an odd move, they must end with an even move (and vice versa) and use all their remaining counters. The game ends when a player has used all of their holes, and placed all of their counters in the sixth hole on their side. If a player cannot place their counters according to the rules of the game, they lose.
Content Account from Golbéry: "Les jeunes...Foulhas, Iolofs aet Mandings aiment avec passion un jeu qu'elles nomment ouri; c'est un jeu de combinaison, auquel elle s'exercent beaucoup, et elles se font gloire d'y être habiles. Dans une pièce de bois dur de dix-huit pouces de longeur, de six de largeur et de quatre pouces de hauteur, sont creusés deux rangs de petites cases parallèles en forme de cuvettes; chaque rang est composé de six cases, et à chaque extrémité, se trouve une cas beaucoup plus grande et beaucoup plus profonde, qui contient les graines rondes, dont les joueuses se servent, pour jouer ce jeu; ce sont ordinairement des graines de baobab, dont la forme est celle d'une fève presque ronde. Chaque joueuse a vingt et une boules à placer; les coups sont alternatifs, et la primauté se tire au sort. Il faut qu'à la fin de la partie, les six cases de chaque côté aient été employées, qu'à la sixième case les vingt et une boules aient été toutes placées, et par la combinaison de ce jeu, le gain de la partie appartient à celle qui a mis son adversaire dans l'impossibilité de jouer son dernier coup, en observant les règles de jeu, qui varient suivant certaines circonstances de la partie, et suivant le nombre pair ou impair, des premières boules placées. Par exemple, si celle qui a gagné la primauté, débute par ne placer qu'une boule, son adversaire est forcée, parla règle de jeu, d'en placer au moins deux, mais elle peut aussi en placer trois; celle qui a joué la première, et qui va jouer son second coup, est forcée de placer un nombre pair de boules, soit au dessus du nombre trois, soit au dessous. Chaque coup de ce jeu est déterminé par de certaines conditions fort gênantes: une des règles, c'est que, si celle qui commence la partie, joue son premier coup impair, son dernier coup doit être pair, et employer toutes les boules qui lui restent; et réciproquement si le premier coup a été pair, le dernier doit être impair, et employer aussi toutes les boules restantes. L'intrigue et la combinaison de ce jeu, consistent à mener la partie de manière qu'au dernier coup à jouer, il soit resté dans la main de l'adversaire, une nombre des boules, qui ne soit pas conforme à la circonstance de la partie et au règles du jeu; si cela arrive à celle qui a eu la primauté, elle a perdu, et l'adversaire est dispensée de jouer son dernier coup; si cela arrive à l'adversaire, la partie est perdue pour elle; mais, si celle-ci a joué de manière à ce quelle arrive aussi à son dernier coup avec un nombre de boules, conforme aux conditions et aux règles du jeu, la partie est nulle." Golbéry 1791: 480-483.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Female
Source Golbéry, S. 1791. Fragmens d'un voyage en Afrique Tome Second. Paris: Truffel et Wuurtz.
Id DLP.Evidence.2047
Type Ethnography
Game Ovalhu
Location Maldives
Date 2000-01-01 - 2000-12-31
Rules 2x8 board, with a store on either end. Each player owns the store to their right. Eight counters in each hole. PLayers alternate turns sowing in an anti-clockwise direction from one of the holes on their side of the board. Sowing always includes the player's store (but not the opponent's store), and sowing cannot begin from the store. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, the contents of that hole are picked up and sowing continues. If the last counter lands in the player's store, they may choose any of the holes on their side of the board and continue sowing from it. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the counters in the opposite hole are captured. Play continues until all of the counters are captured. A new round begins. Players fill the holes on their side of the board with their captured counters. If a player cannot fill a hole with the required number of counters, the hole is closed and is out of play for that round. Play continues as before. Play continues in successive rounds until one player closes all of their opponent's holes and wins.
Content Account of Ovalhu given by de Voogt: "Ovalhu, meaning "eight holes", is a popular board game in the Maldives, and is played by both men and women. The game is played in-house and is extra popular during holidays such as Ramadan...Each player owns one side of the board. The board consists of two rows of eight holes with eight counters in each hole...In addition, each of the players own an enlarged hole on the right far-end side of their row, a so-called end-hole or shop. A move is played in the same way as in the Olinda game of Sri Lanka with the important exception that the content of a hole which receives the last counter of a sowing is picked up to continue the sowing...In a move of a player, the right end-hole also comes into play. Counters are sown into this hole if the last counter of a spreading enters this end-hole the end-hole will not be emptied. Instead of emptying the end-hole, the player is allowed to choose any other hole on his own side and start another sowing. This way it is possible to make multiple sowings without the opponent getting a turn. The counters in the end-hole make up the captured counters. There is a second mode of capturing. If the last counter ends in an empty hole (different from the end-hole) the counters on the opposite side are captured and added to the end-hole. The player who has the move may capture on either side of the board. After the game is finished with one player owning the remaining counters and starting the next game as in Olinda, the counters are planned on the board and some holes are closed, if necessary. The winner is the player who closes al the holes of the opponent. " de Voogt 2000: 178-179.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Genders Female, Male
Source de Voogt, A. 2000. "Mancala Rules and Cultural Changes in Maldivian History." Journal of Indian Ocean Studies 7(2-3): 174-182.
Id DLP.Evidence.2048
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Verquere
Location England; Holland 1725
Date 1725-01-01 - 1725-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, with the spaces rendered as points, divided into half. Fifteen pieces per player. Two six-sided dice. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. A throw of doubles forces the player to play the throw twice. Each player's pieces begin in three stacks of five, on the leftmost point (with respect to the opponent) on the opponent's side of the board. Play proceeds (with respect to the player) from right to left on the opponent's side of the board, and then from left to right on the player's side of the board. A player cannot place two pieces on a single point on any of the first twelve points of the board, except for those pieces in the starting position. A player cannot move a piece onto a point containing two or more pieces belonging to the opponent. When a piece lands on a point occupied by a single piece belonging to the opponent, it is removed from the board and must be entered again, and can only do so using the value of one die, not both, with the starting point considered to be point 1, the next point 2, etc. Opponent's pieces can be removed from the board in this way when reentering the board. If a player cannot reenter pieces on the board they lose their turn. When all of a player's pieces are on their final 6 points, they may start removing pieces from the board. They can do so by rolling a 6 to move from the 6th point, and so on down to 1. Players must use all available moves presented by the dice. The first player to remove all of their pieces wins.
Content Detailed description of rules of Verquere as played in Holland and England in Cotton 1725: 99-102.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Cotton, C. 1725. The Compleat Gamester: Or, Full and Easy IKnstructions for Playing at above Twenty Several Games upon the Cards; with Variety of Diverting Fancies and Tricks upon the Same, now First Added. As Likewise All the Games on the Tables. Together With The Royal Game of Chess, and Billiards. London: J. Wilford.
Id DLP.Evidence.2049
Type Artifact
Game 33 Circles
Location 28°57'18.37"N, 31° 1'59.33"E
Date 0284-01-01BCE - 0246-12-31BCE
Rules 3x11 board, markings in the central, third, and ninth square in the central row and the fourth square in the bottom row.
Content Limestone slab found at the Temple of Ptolemy II at Gebel el-Nour, Egypt. 3x11 grid, marked with an X in the central square and the third and ninth squares in the central row. The fourth square in the bottom row also is marked with an X. Eissa and Safina 2019: 90-91.
Confidence 100
Source Eissa, R. and A. K. Safia. 2019. "The Inscriptions of the Newly Discovered Temple of Ptolemy II at Gebel el-Nour." Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur 48: 79-94.
Id DLP.Evidence.2050
Type Ethnography
Game Ashta-kashte
Location Ancient India
Date 1892-01-01 - 1892-12-31
Rules 7x7 board. The central square, as well as the central square on each edge of the board, is marked with an X. Two to four players. Four pieces per player. Four cowries used as dice, the values are equal to the number of mouths which land face up; when all mouths are down the value = 8 and a "grace," all mouths up = a grace. Throws giving a grace also allow the player to throw again. Players are not obliged to play their throws if they do not wish to. Pieces enter the board with a grace on the marked square on the edge closest to the player. Pieces move along the outer squares of the board in an anti-clockwise direction. Upon reaching the square before the marked square where the player enters their pieces, the track proceeds in the left corner (respective to the player) of the next concentric track of squares, and proceeds in a clockwise spiraling track toward the central marked square. When a player's piece lands on a square occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is removed from the board, and the player gains another throw. Pieces cannot be removed from the board if they are resting on a marked square. Players may enter their pieces onto the board when an opponent's piece is resting on their starting place. This first player to move all of their pieces to the central square by exact throws wins.
Content Ashta-Kashte One-Eight. The game can be played by two, three, or four players. Each player has four men which he enters in castle in front of him. The men move according to the numbers shown on the diagram. When the outer circuit is completed against the sun, to square 24, the course is reversed till they arrive at the centre 49, when they are taken off. PIeces occupying a castle cannot be taken. Pieces may enter on their entering castle, even though occupied by an opponent. If doubles are made on any other square, they can only be taken by doubles. The moves are regulated by four cowries; all mouths down reckon as 8 and a grace, and throw again; all mouths up reckon as a grace, and throw again; all other numbers reckon by the number of mouths up. On throwing 8 and a grace, they may be played separately. A player is not obliged to play his throws. On taking an opponent, you throw again." Falkener 1892:265-266.
Confidence 100
Source Falkener, E. 1892. Games Ancient and Oriental and How to Play Them. London: Longmans, Green and Co.
Id DLP.Evidence.2051
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj al-Falakiya
Location 33°19'16.16"N, 44°25'5.05"E
Date 0947-01-01 - 0956-12-31
Rules Round board. Twelve squares, the board is divided in half. Seven pieces of different colors move in agreement with the movement of the planets, sun, and moon.
Content "Next, the round or Astronomical board which is called al-falakiya (the celestial). It has 12 squares, corresponding to the number of the constellations of the zodiac, divided into two halves. Seven pieces of different colors move on it, in agreement with the number and colors of the 5 planets and 2 luminaries." From Al-Masudi's Murūj aḏ-Ḏahab wa-Maʿādin al-Jawhar, translated in Murray 1913: 343.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2052
Type Ethnography
Game Fifangha
Location Madagascar
Date 1648-01-01 - 1658-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. The end holes in the inner rows are the first Chibou, the next holes in are the second Chibou. Sixty-four counters. Play begins with one counter in each hole in each player's inner row, except the first Chibou. Players alternate turns taking one counter from the remaining counters, and placing it in an occupied hole on the board. Placing a counter in an occupied hole allows the player to capture any counters from the hole in the opponent's opposite row, and places these captured counters into one of their first Chibou. This move can only be made when a capture is possible, and must be made if possible. If this is not possible, the player may sow in any direction from an occupied hole. If the final counter of a sowing lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues.
Content Account from Flacourt: "Ils ont...le jeu du Fifangha....Le Fifangha est un jeu d'esprit, comme l'autre est d'addresse, il tient du jeu de dame et du tricquetrac, on joue avec de certain fruits ronds qu'il nomment Baßy, sur une tablette de bois, ou il y a trente deux trous en quatre rangs, seize servans à un joueur et seize à l'autre. il faut avoir chacun trente-deux bassi: Ce jeu est assez recreatif. Les premiers trous ou cases marquez A, sont les premieres Chibou, dont il y en a quatre. Ces cases marqueees B, sont les seconds Chibou, dont il y en à aussi quatre. Celles qui sont marquées D, sont les cases de derriere ou de dehors, qui sont seize. L'on joue avec soixante et quatre boulettes que l'on nomme baßy, lesquelles on met en un ou deux reservoirs qu'il y a à une ou aux deux extremitez du jeu, l'on peut jouer aussi avec les jettons. L'on garnit premierement les douze cases du milieu de chacun un baßy, avec les quatre seconds chibou: puis le premier joueur porte un bassy dans une des cases de milieu des deux seconds chibou qui sont de son costé, et prend le baßy dans le case opposite à celle ou il a placé son baßy, et le porte dans un des deux premiers chibou, qui sont de son costé. L'autre joueur a un bassi en sa main et le place dans un des deux chibou, ou une des quatre cases du milieu, qui sont de son costé, et prend le bassy de la case opposite, et le porte à un des deux premier chibou qui sont de son costé. Le premier joueur prend un bassi dans le reservoir et le place dans une des cases de son costé, et prend le bassi opposite, et le porte au premier chibou de son costé, et s'il y a un bassi dans le chibou opposite, il le prend avec ceux qui sont dans son premier chibou; puis en porte une dans le second chibou, qui est de son costé et porte un autre dans une case et le dernier qu'il a en sa main dans le case qui suit, et si en l'opposite il y a une bassi, il le prend et le porte dans le premier chibou qui a de garni. Le second joueur en fait de mesme de son costé, et quand les chibou et cases de votre costé sont degarnies, vous avez perdu, et de mesme à l'pposite, et cela s'appelle camou.
L'on ne peut jaimas porter de bassi dans une case où il n'y a rien, comme aussi quand il y a à prendre, on est obligé de prendre: mais si les cases à l'opposite de celles oà vous avez des bassi, sont degarnies, et que les autres cases de votre aversaire qui ne sont pas opposit es à celle qui sont garnies devant vous, soient garnies, vous faites los mamoueatsrha: c'est que vous portez un bassi dans une de vos cases garnies, et vous prenez avec celui que vous y avez mis tous les bassi qui y sont, et en portez un à droit ou à gauche, comme voudrez dans la case prochaine, l'autre ensuivant, jusques à ce que le dernier bassi soit posé s'il y a un bassi, ou plusieurs dans cette derniere case, vous enlevez encores tout, et en garnissez une case ensuivant, comme vous avez commencé: et si vous êtes au premier Chibou de ce costé là, et qu'il vous en reste dans la main, vous les portez aux casesde derriere, et s'il y en avoit tant en votre main; que toutes les cases de derriere fussent garnies chachune de ceux que vous y auriez mis, vous porterez le reste au premier Chibou suivant, en continuant jusqu'a ce que vous ayez trouvé une case vide oà vous laissex le dernier bassi, et ecla s'appelle Mandre, c'est à dire dormir ou se reposer.
Le jeu est assex recreatif, et s'apprend plus facilement en jouant que de parole. L'on peut au lieu de baßy jouer avec des jettons." Flacourt 1658: 108-110.
Confidence 100
Source Flacourt, È. 1658. Histoire de la grande isle Madagascar. Paris: Pierre Bien-fait.
Id DLP.Evidence.2053
Type Contemporary text
Game Macheng
Location Ming China
Date 1567-01-01 - 1624-12-31
Rules Played on a merels board. Players place their pieces on the board. When three pieces are in a straight line, one of the opponent's pieces is removed from the board. When a player surrounds an opponent's piece with two of their pieces, the opponent's piece is removed. When a player places their piece between two of the opponent's pieces, the opponent's pieces are removed.
Content Account from Wu Za Zu ("Five Assorted Offerings" of Xie Zhaozhe: "The common board games in the alley[...] include ma cheng [one of the merel game's names], whether it is vertical or horizontal, it is shaped like a city, when three pieces are placed in a straight line, one can remove one of the opponent's pieces from the board. Another rules is that when one's piece is placed between the opponent's two pieces or one's two pieces is around the opponent's one piece, one can remove the opponent's pieces from the board." Wu and Sebillaud 2020: 49.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Wu, S. and P. Sebillaud. 2020. "Research on the Merels Game in Medieval China." Asian Archaeology 4: 41-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.2054
Type Ethnography
Game Kokonag'n
Location Passamaquoddy
Date 1888-01-01 - 1888-12-31
Rules Resembles checkers. Spaces are of different sizes. Round and square pieces. Pieces are marked with different values.
Content " Ko-ko-nag'n has a resemblance to the game of Checkers, but though nearly all are more or less proficient at the latter game, there are only a few that understand Ko-ko-na-g'n. This, unlike any other game, may be played by male and female opponents. It is the least noisy, the skillful play requiring deliberation and undivided attention. A smooth surface is marked off into different-sized spaces, and pieces of wood, touns and square, marked to qualify value, are generally used, though sometimes carved bone is substituted." Brown 1888: 43.
Confidence 100
Genders Female, Male
Source Brown, W. 1888. "Some Indoor and Outdoor Games of the Wabanaki Indians." Transactions of the ROyal Society of Canada 1(6): 41-46.
Id DLP.Evidence.2055
Type Ethnography
Game Nin Adnai Kit Adnat
Location 46° 5'59.70"N, 60°45'16.84"W
Date 1899-01-01 - 1899-12-31
Rules Draughts-like game. Played on a checkerboard. One player plays as round pieces, the other as square pieces.
Content Letter from Dr. A. S. Gatchet, from Baddeck, Nova Scotia, August 28, 1899: "The majority of the games they (Micmac people) play now are borrowed from the whites. Their checker game is the same as ours and played on a checkerboard. A checker stone is called adena'gan (plural, adena'gank), while the checker board is adenagenei'. The checkers are wither disk-shaped and smooth or square. The game is called after the moving of the stones from square to square; nin adnai', it is my move: kit adnat, it is your move." Culin 1907: 792.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1907. Games of the North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2056
Type Contemporary text
Game Chang Xing
Location Late Tang China
Date 0800-01-01 - 0850-12-31
Rules Name of the game, similar to Shuang Lu.
Content Account of Chang Xing, from Li Zhao (early ninth century): "For gambling games today, the most popular is the game of chang xing. For the game, there are a board and pieces, fifteen yellow and fifteen black, and two dice for throwing combinations. The method of play has its origins in the game of wo shuo, and evolved from the game of shuang lu. Empress Wu Zeitan dreamt of playing the game of shuang lu and not winning, and summmoned Di Renjie, Duke of Liang, to explain the dream. The Duke of Liang said to her "This is the image of having no [piece] in the [inner table of the board]. Later on, people came up with a new idea, and the game of chang xing emerged." Lo 2004: 99.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Female, Male
Source Lo, A. 2004. "Double Sixes, Holding Spears, and the Long March: Games of the Backgammon Family in China." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel, eds. Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York, Asia Society, 97-111.
Id DLP.Evidence.2057
Type Contemporary text
Game Chang Xing
Location Late Tang China
Date 0834-01-01 - 0879-12-31
Rules Fifteen pieces per player, one playing as black and one as yellow. Two dice. Pieces which are alone on a space are vulnerable.
Content Story of the vision of Scholar Zhang, as written by Zhang Du (834-879 CE): "he say Daoist priests and Buddhist monks, fifteen of each, come out from the main hall. Their appearances and heights were all the same, and they were lined up in six columns...After a while, two objects swirled on the ground. Each had twenty-one eyes, and among these, four flashed with the color of fire. These two chased each other; their eyes were dazzling, and the made a grating noise. Soon, the thirty monks and priests sped or ran, east or west, south or north. If a priest stood alone, he would be struck down by a monk...The next day, Scholar Zhang looked for them, and in the corner of a wall found a tattered bag. Inside, there were thirty chang xing pieces and a pair of dice." Lo 2004: 100.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Lo, A. 2004. "Double Sixes, Holding Spears, and the Long March: Games of the Backgammon Family in China." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel, eds. Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York, Asia Society, 97-111.
Id DLP.Evidence.2058
Type Contemporary text
Game Wo Shuo
Location Northern Wei
Date 0505-01-01 - 0572-12-31
Rules Single pieces are vulnerable to capture.
Content Passage in Wei shu by Wei Shou, stating that Wo Shuo recently entered China during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen and was probably a game of the Hu people (i.e., foreigners); the passage states that the king of the Hu had a younger brother who invented the game in prison. The brother suggested that if the king or the brother were left alone, each would easily die, a reference to the capture of vulnerable pieces in backgammon-style games. Lo 2004: 99.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Lo, A. 2004. "Double Sixes, Holding Spears, and the Long March: Games of the Backgammon Family in China." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel, eds. Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York, Asia Society, 97-111.
Id DLP.Evidence.2059
Type Contemporary text
Game Wo Shuo
Location 34°37'8.52"N,112°27'11.81"E
Date 0772-01-01 - 0842-12-31
Rules Two cubic dice.
Content Description from Liu Yuxi, watching a game of Wo Shuo which involved two cubical dice. Lo 2004: 99.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Lo, A. 2004. "Double Sixes, Holding Spears, and the Long March: Games of the Backgammon Family in China." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel, eds. Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York, Asia Society, 97-111.
Id DLP.Evidence.2060
Type Artifact
Game Hulu Wen
Location 31°17'54.27"N,120°35'9.37"E
Date 1644-01-01 - 1911-12-31
Rules Square spiral with 61 spaces. Two or more players. Two dice.
Content Board of probably early Qing date, from a shop in Suzhou, China. Spiraling board with 61 different positions in the bureaucracy, with the instructions for moves on the board. Shobuan Collection 416. Lo 2004: 70.
Confidence 100
Source Lo, A. 2004. "Official Aspirations: Chinese Promotion Games." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel (eds.), Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York: Asia Society, 65-75.
Id DLP.Evidence.2061
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Caixuan Baiguan Duo
Location Ming China
Date 1594-01-01 - 1644-12-31
Rules Four dice. Desirable throws were not necessarily the highest scoring ones. Players use dice to move through a board with positions. The spaces with the positions describe the possible moves for each dice throw. Certain throws allow for the movement of both up and down the hierarchy. Moves are granted based on virtues, talents, and merits. Double fours grants one virtue, double sixes one talent, double fives, threes, or twos one merit. Triple fours grant two virtues, triple sixes grant two talents, triple fives, threes, or twos grant two merits. Double fours and double sixes all a player to move one talent, and then in the new position move according to one talent.
Content Description of some of the rules of Caixuan Baiguan Duo, given by Ni Yuanlu, a Ming scholar: "In the late Ming period we have a version attributed to the scholar, official, and painter Ni Yuanlu (1594-1644), based on the Ming ivil and military hierarchy, entitiled caixuan baiguan duo (an admonition to officials on good government through the dice selection game). Extant are the vert detailed rules, which deserve a full-length study, but unfortunately no representation of the board survives, so it is relatively difficult to work our how players are promoted or demoted in each section...Four dice were used instead of the earlier two, and this increased the number of combinations possible....the most desirable throws were not simply those with the highest aggregate score; instead, particular combinations yielded moral values that permitted the official (i.e., the player) to move in a certain way. For instance, a dice roll with double fours yielded one de (virtue); double sixes yielded one cai (talent); and double fives, threes, or twos yielded one gong (merit). Triple fours counted as two vitrtues, triple sixes countes as two talents, and so on. Also, in any one throw, there was a chance for more than one move up or down the hierarchy. For example, in a roll of double fours and double sixes, the player first moved according to the instruction for one virtue, and then in his new position, made a second move according to the instruction for one talent.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Lo, A. 2004. "Official Aspirations: Chinese Promotion Games." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel (eds.), Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York: Asia Society, 65-75.
Id DLP.Evidence.2062
Type Contemporary text
Game Jodo Sugoroku
Location Japan
Date 1474-01-01 - 1474-12-31
Rules Played with dice.
Content Entry from the diary of the aristocrat Yamashina Tokikuni: "I played Jodo sugoroku at the palace of Prince Fushinomiya." also, four days later: "I had the names carved on the dice used in Jodo sugoroku and bring it to his highness." Koichi 2004: 77.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Koichi, M. 2004. "Scenic Views: E-Sugoroku.: In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel, eds. Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York: Asia Society, 77-87.
Id DLP.Evidence.2063
Type Artifact
Game Jodo Sugoroku
Location Japan
Date 1800-01-01 - 1868-12-31
Rules 91 squares. Players ascend from the bottom of the board toward the top. One space sends the player to Hell, a space which cannot be escaped, and thus losing the game.
Content Jodo Sugoroku board from the nineteenth century with 91 squares, depicting hells at the bottom and Nirvana at the top. one square sends players to a hell spot which cannot be escaped. A player who gets sent there loses. Koichi 2004: 77-79.
Confidence 100
Source Koichi, M. 2004. "Scenic Views: E-Sugoroku.: In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel, eds. Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York: Asia Society, 77-87.
Id DLP.Evidence.2064
Type Artifact
Game E-Sugoroku
Location Japan
Date 1620-01-01 - 1680-12-31
Rules 22 spaces. One die. Dice rolls determine which space to go to, as indicated on the board.
Content E-Sugorouku board with 22 sqaures, giving the dice throws to go to different saces. Koichi 2004: 87.
Confidence 100
Source Koichi, M. 2004. "Scenic Views: E-Sugoroku.: In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel, eds. Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York: Asia Society, 77-87.
Id DLP.Evidence.2065
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Han Guan Yi
Location Song China
Date 1022-01-01 - 1088-12-31
Rules 152 or more spaces. Two dice. Players roll dice to determine which space to begin. They continue to throw to determine where to be promoted or demoted. There is a limit of 25 rounds. The first person to reach the position of Chancellor, Commander-in-Chief, Grandee Secretary, Grand Master, Grand Tutor, Grand Guardian, or Prince, wins; otherwise the highest ranked player after 25 rounds wins.
Content Brief summary of the contents of the description of Han Guan Yi by Liu Bin in Lo 2004: 65-66.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Lo, A. 2004. "Official Aspirations: Chinese Promotion Games." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel (eds.), Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York: Asia Society, 65-75.
Id DLP.Evidence.2066
Type Artifact
Game Tjyong Kyeng To
Location Korea
Date 1895-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules Board with 108 squares. Five-sided die, marked from 1-5.
Content Board and die in the Penn Museum (17626 and 17628). Board with 108 squares, with writing in each of thw squares telling the player where to proceed based on the rolls of the five-sided die, marked 1-5. Culin 1898: 820-821.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1898. Chess and Playing-Cards. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Id DLP.Evidence.2067
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shing Kun T'o (Qing Dynasty)
Location 23° 7'44.51"N,113°15'51.35"E
Date 1895-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules 76 spaces. Four dice per player. A player enters the board with :three 4s advance to a hereditary rank; 3, 4, 5, 6; three of another number of two of any number. Subsequent throws allow players to be promoted or demoted according to the instructions on the board. Doubles allow a player to move once, three of the same number allow a player to move twice, all four of the same number allow the player to move four times. Double 4 is the highest, followed by double 6, and so on down to 1. Thirteen starting places in the lower right hand corner. Three 4s enter the highest rank of these, and then, proceeding down in rank, throws of: 3, 4, 5, 6; 3 sixes; three 5s; three 3s; three 2s; three 1s; double 4; double 6; double 5; double 3; double 2; double 1. Grand secretary is the highest rank, and a player who reaches that position wins.
Content Description of boards as printed in Guangzhou. Culin 1895: 505-506.
Confidence 100
Source Culin, S. 1895. 'Chinese Games with Dice and Dominoes.' Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution 1893 Including Report of the U.S. National Museum: 495–537.
Id DLP.Evidence.2068
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Schuster
Location Sweden
Date 1839-01-01 - 1839-12-31
Rules Played on a board with twelve points on either side. The points form a continuous track in a horseshoe shape; each player progresses in opposite directions (one from their bottom right to the top right, the other from their bottom left to their top left. Each player has 15 pieces. Each player's pieces begin in three stacks of five on the first point of their track. Two six-sided dice. Players move according to the number on each die by moving one piece the value on one die then another piece the value on the other die, or by moving one piece the value of one die and then the value of the other. If players place all of their pieces on all of the points on the final six points of their side of the board, with three on each of the final three points, they win two points. Otherwise, they move into the opposite side of the board. When an opponent's piece lands on a point poccupied by one of the player's pieces on the opponent's side of the board, the piece is removed from the board and must enter again. A player's pieces cannot be hit on their own side of the board. Once a player has brought all of their pieces into the final six points of the board, they may begin to bear off. They can do so by rolling a 6 to move from the 6th point, and so on down to 1. Players must use all available moves presented by the dice. The first player to remove all of their pieces wins.
Content Rules from Handbibliothek för sällskapsnöjen eller systematiskt ordnade spel, lekar och konster by Gustav Johan Billberg, as given by Fiske: "the backgammon division of the work ends with the variety called schuster which is declared to be properly a game for women. The men are placed as in toccategli. We render the remaining few lines: According to the throws, the men are moved from the hus into the next quarter of the board; if the player there make or secrure each point with three extra men on the three last, all following each other, he wins two game-points, and the contest is over. If neither player obtain this position then it is permitted to move across into the adversary's board, and the blots can be hit." Fiske 1905: 318.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female
Source Fiske, W. 1905. Chess in Iceland and in Icelandic Literature with Historical Notes on other Table-Games. Florence: The Florentine Typographical Society.
Id DLP.Evidence.2069
Type Ethnography
Game Sungka
Location Philippines
Date 1937-01-01 - 1937-12-31
Rules 2x7 board, with two stores. Each player owns the store to their left. Seven counters per hole. Players take counters from one hole and sow them in a clockwise direction starting in the next hole from which the counters were taken. Players include their own store when sowing but ignore their opponent's store. If last counter falls into an empty hole, move ends. If it is on the player's side, the counters in the opponent's hole opposite are taken and added to the player's store. If the last counter falls into the player's store, the player may sow counters from another hole on their side. If the last counter drops into an occupied hole on either side of the board, the counters are picked up and sowing continues until the last counter drops into an empty hole. When all of the counters are in the players' stores, a new round begins. PLayers fill their holes with the counters in their store. Any holes which cannot be filled with seven counters are out of play for this round; any extra counters go back in the store. Play continues until one player cannot fill any holes, and the opponent wins.
Content Detailed description of the rules of Sungka in Bernardo 1937: 1-41.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Bernardo, G. 1937. "'Sungka'—Philippine Variant of a Widely Distributed Game." The Philippine Social Science Review 9(1):1-41.
Id DLP.Evidence.2070
Type Ethnography
Game Russian Fortress Chess
Location 59°55'53.63"N, 30°19'46.62"E
Date 1800-01-01 - 1850-12-31
Rules 12x12 board, with yellow and green squares, with four 4x4 extensions overlapping the 2x2 squares in each corner of the board. There are two walls next to each fortress, one on the outer side of the bottom two squares of the left hand side of each fortress and one on the top edge of the two top left squares. Pieces cannot move across the wall or diagonally across the end of the wall. Four players, white and red play as a team, and black and blue as a team. Players are are arranged as follows, clockwise from the top: red, blue, white, black. Each team has the usual complement of Chess pieces, with an extra Knight, Rook, and Bishop, The pieces are as in chess, with the Kings on the players' right, on the central eight squares of each side of the board. The three extra pieces begin in the 4x4 extension at the player's right, placed anywhere they please. Kings move one square orthogonally or diagonally; Queens move any distance orthogonally or diagonally; Bishops move any distance diagonally; Knights move orthogonally one square and then diagonally another square, jumping over any intervening pieces; Rooks move orthogonally any distance; Pawns move forward one space orthogonally, or diagonally one space forward to capture. Pawns may move two spaces on their first turn. When a pawn reaches the back row of one of the other players' sides, it is promoted to any piece. When a player moves a piece onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is captured. When a King can be captured on the next turn, it is in check. The King must not be in check at the end of the player's next turn. If this is impossible, it is checkmate and that player's pieces are removed from the game. The team who checkmates both of their opponents wins.
Content Description of Fortress Chess as played in St. Petersburg in the early nineteenth century in Petroff 1850.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Petroff, A. 1850. "Die Vierschach mit Festungen." Deutsche Schachzeitung 5: 377-384.
Id DLP.Evidence.2071
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Ludus Rebellionis (Asymmetric)
Location Italy
Date 1500-01-01 - 1599-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. One player plays with a King and Queen, the other as eight Pawns. The King begins on the top right corner of the board, the queen on the space to the left to the top left corner of the board. The Pawns begin on alternating squares on the first two rows of the board, starting on the bottom left corner.
Content Diagram from a manuscript L. 27 of Ludus Rebellionis, with the King on h8, Queen on b8, and the pawns on alternating squares starting on a1. Murray 1951: 105.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2072
Type Contemporary text
Game Ludus Rebellionis 1
Location Italy
Date 1500-01-01 - 1599-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Each player plays as one King and one Queen with sixteen Pawns. The Kings begin in opposite corners at the top of the board, with the Queens to their left or right. The sixteen Pawns are on alternating spaces in the opposite four rows of the board, with the Pawn in the bottom corner corresponding to the color of the King in the top corner of that side.
Content Diagram from a from Malatastiana Library of Cesena of Ludus Rebellionis, with black King on a8 and Queen on b8; white King on h8 and Queen on g8, The sixteen Pawns are on alternating spaces in the opposite four rows of the board, with the Pawn in the bottom corner corresponding to the color of the King in the top corner of that side. Pratesi 1996: 9.
Confidence 100
Source Pratesi, F. 1996. Il manoscritto scacchistico di Cesena. Venice: Scacchi e Scienze Applicate.
Id DLP.Evidence.2074
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Ludus Rebellionis 1
Location Italy
Date 1500-01-01 - 1599-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Each player plays as one King and one Queen with sixteen Pawns. The Kings begin in opposite corners at the top of the board, with the opposing Queens to their left or right. The sixteen Pawns are on alternating spaces in the opposite four rows of the board, with the Pawn in the bottom corner corresponding to the color of the King in the top corner of that side.
Content Diagram from Perugia Manuscipt L. 24 with the Kings beginning in opposite corners at the top of the board, with the opposing Queens to their left or right. The sixteen Pawns are on alternating spaces in the opposite four rows of the board, with the Pawn in the bottom corner corresponding to the color of the King in the top corner of that side. Murray 1951: 105-106.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2075
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Ludus Rebellionis 2
Location Italy
Date 1500-01-01 - 1599-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Each player plays as one King, one Queen, and sixteen Pawns. The Black King starts in the bottom right corner, and the Queen in the space to the right of the bottom left corner. The Pawns are on alternate spaces in the first four rows, starting with a Paqn in the bottom left corner. Red's pieces reflect this pattern, with Kings and Queens opposite each other.
Content Diagram from a from Malatastiana Library of Cesena of Ludus Rebellionis, with the Black King in the bottom right corner, and the Queenin the space to the right of the bottom left corner. The Pawns are on alternate spaces in the first four rows, starting with a Paqn in the bottom left corner. Red's pieces reflect this pattern, with Kings and Queens opposite each other. Pratesi 1996: 9.
Confidence 100
Source Pratesi, F. 1996. Il manoscritto scacchistico di Cesena. Venice: Scacchi e Scienze Applicate.
Id DLP.Evidence.2076
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Ludus Rebellionis 2
Location Italy
Date 1500-01-01 - 1599-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Each player plays as one King, one Queen, and sixteen Pawns. The Black King starts in the top right corner, and the Queen in the space to the right of the top left corner. The Pawns are on alternate spaces in the first four rows, starting with a Pawn in the bottom left corner. Red's pieces reflect this pattern, with Kings and Queens opposite each other.
Content Diagram from Perugia Manuscipt L. 24 with the black king and queen in the top row among red pawns, and the red king and queen on the bottom among black pawns. Murray 1951: 105-106.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2077
Type Ethnography
Game Shanzak Kammar
Location 39°39'12.42"N, 66°57'33.25"E
Date 1893-01-01 - 1893-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines. Two triangles on opposite sides of the square, with the apex intersecting with the midpoint of opposite sides. A line is drawn from the apex , bisecting the base, and another line bisecting this one and the opposite two sides of the triangle. Lines are drawn through the apex, extending the sides of the triangle to the midpoint of the adjacent side. Sixteen pieces per player, which begin on the points of the board closes to the player. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot orthogonally or diagonally, even hen there are not lines connecting the adjacent points. A player's piece may hop over an opponent's piece to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it to capture it. The player who occupies all of the points in the opponent's triangle wins.
Content Account from P. Komarov, of Shanzak Kammar as played in Samarkand: "туркестанская шашки
Среди туземцев Туркестанскаго края и особенно Самаркандв раслостранена особая шашеч ная игра, известная у сартовъ подъ персидскимъ названиемъ Шанзакъ-Каммаръ или сартовски Унъ-Алмы-Ташъ, что въ переводи на русскю языкъ значитъ шесмнадиамъ камнею. Название это объясняется тимъ, во первыхъ, что 16 шашекъ, и, во вторыхъ, что шашки не имвютъ опредвленной формы, и для игры пользуются тимъ, что бываетъ подъ рукой: комочками глины, монетами, свменами растений, камешками и т. п. При этомъ наблюдается лишъ то, чтобы шашки одного игрока были между собой одинаковы и чтобы онв явственно различались отъ шашекъ противника. Сарты, -аборигекы края,- большие любители этой разновидности шашекъ,-играютъ всюду гдв придется: въ чай-хане (чайныхъ), караванъ - сараяхъ, даже на улицахъ прямо на землв. Въ этомъ послвднемъ случав при отсутствии доски вышеуказанный чертежъ прямо чертятъ на пескв.
Выступающий съ каждой стороны треугольникъ называется персидскимъ словомъ асмаръ, весьма сходнымъ съ греческимъ асти, что обозначаетъ въ обоихъ языкахъ крепосмь. Противъ крепостей и располагаются противники. Все шашки выставляются на доску перелъ началомъ игры на ближаймиа къ игроку 16 пересечений линей, какъ крайнихъ такъ и внутреннихъ, такъ что для начвла игры остается лишь пять пересечений на средней линии. Шашки ходятъ по всеъ направлениямъ съ перекрестка на перекрестокъ, пряо или вкось, впередъ или назадъ, но нелременно по одной изъ линий. се шашки пользуются одинаковыми правами до конца игры, дамокъ или иныхъ изменений илы шашекъ нетъ. Берутъ шашки, перескакивая черезъ неприятельскую и становясь на ближаймий за взятою перекрестокъ. Въ одинъ разъ можно взять и несколько шашекъ. Брать обязательно въ томъ смысле, что противникъ, умышлнно поддавший шашку, можетъ заставить взять, если ему это важно. Если же онъ не заставляетъ, то можно и не брать. Фуковъ нетъ. Цель игры -занять своими шашками неприятельскую крепость, или же отобрать чужия шашки и тогда занять чужую крепость своими. Вирочемъ, игру никогда не доводятъ до конца, какъ въ шахматахъ или шашкахъ, когда исходъ борьбы ясенъ. Выходить всеми своими шашками изъ своей крепости не обязательно, если есть другие ходы. Къ сожалению, мы ничего не могли узнать ни о происхождении игры, ни о ея древности." Komarov 1893: 250.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Komarov, P. 1893. "Turkestanskiya Shashki." Shakhmatnoe Obozrenie 3(23-25): 250.
Id DLP.Evidence.2078
Type Contemporary text
Game Cai Xuan
Location Late Tang China
Location 28°51'4.90"N, 112°35'20.30"E
Date 0827-01-01 - 0838-12-31
Rules 78 spaces. Two six-sided dice. Players are promoted or demoted based on the rolls of the dice.
Content Summary of Fang Qianli's Touzi xuan ge (Rules for Selection through Dice): "No diagram of the board survives, and only Fang's preface and a list of 78 official titles of the Tang period remain...Fang then notes a few successful candidates of the civil service examination playing this game with two cubic dice by the shore of Lake Dongting in 838, being promoted or demoted according to luck." Lo 2004: 65.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Lo, A. 2004. "Official Aspirations: Chinese Promotion Games." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel (eds.), Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York: Asia Society, 65-75.
Id DLP.Evidence.2079
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Mongolian Chess
Location Mongolia
Date 1812-01-01 - 1859-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Pagoda (x1): begins on the space to the right of center on the back row; Cannon (x1): begins to the left of center in the back row; Camel (x2): placed in the second row, one to the right and one to the left of the Pagoda and Cannon, moves sideways for nine spaces; Horse (x2): placed in the second row, one to the right and one to the left of the Pagoda and Cannon, moves six spaces orthogonally sideways; Chariot (x2): placed in the second row, one to the right and one to the left of the Pagoda and Cannon. Foot Soldier (x): moves forward orthogonally one space or diagonally forward one space to capture. When it reaches the final row, it is promoted to a Chariot. There is no river. When a player's piece moves to a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is captured. When the Pagoda can be captured on the opponent's next turn, it is in check. The Pagoda cannot be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is impossible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins.
Content Translation of Ye Mingfeng's work Qiaoxi Zaji: "The board is nine lines by nine, forming sixty-four squares. Each side has sixteen pieces, comprising eight footsoldiers, two chariots, two horses, two elephants, one cannon and one general. The two sides are distinguished by red and black. The general is to the right of center, and the cannon is to the left of center. One square above the general, the chariots, horses and elephants are placed to the left and right. the footsoldiers are placed in front. This is roughly similar to Chinese chess. The pieces are three-dimensional and have no characters on them. The general is carved like a pagoda as a sign of respect for Buddhism. The elephant is carved like a camel or bear, because in the meandering frontiers of the north, there are no elephants. There are many footsoldiers, because there is strength in numbers. There are no scholars, because they are not valued. The pieces are not placed on the lines but on the squares because this would be more secure. The horse always moves sideways for six squares, and the camel sideways for nine. This is because a camel is faster than a horse. Pieces can go all over the board, and there is no river boundary. This is to follow the water and grasses for pastures. The footsoldier moves on square forward each time to the last rank. It captures an enemy piece in front by moving diagonally. After it has gone...it...move backwards, and is promoted to chariot. This is to commend its merit. The pieces all aim to encircle and attack the pagoda, and only when the pagoda has no avenue of escape is there defeat." Lo 2007: 126.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Lo, A. 2007. An introduction to board games in Late Imperial China. In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press. pp. 125–132.
Id DLP.Evidence.2080
Type Contemporary text
Game Sanguo Xiangxi
Location 31° 2'2.90"N, 116°58'26.20"E
Date 1644-01-01 - 1911-12-31
Rules Three players. Hexagonal board with three fishtails. The same pieces as Xiangqi, but with the generals replaced with new pieces reflecting the Kingdoms of Wei, Shu, and Wu. Three rivers dividing the board.
Content Translation of Xe Ke's Qingbai leichao: "The following piece is set in the Qing Period (1644-1911). 'In the home of the Provincial Administration Commissioner Guang Congxie...from Tongcheng, there is a set of Three Kingdoms' Elephant Chess Game. Only the generals have been replaced by the pieces representing the Kingdoms Wei, Shu, and Wu; the rest of the pieces remain the same. [Presumably they are similar to the pieces in regular xiangqi]. They are distinguished by the colours red, black, and white, and total 48 pieces. The board is drawn in the shape of a hexagon with three fishtails, and the boundary river becomes three tributaries." Lo 2007: 125.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Lo, A. 2007. An introduction to board games in Late Imperial China. In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press. pp. 125–132.
Id DLP.Evidence.2081
Type Artifact
Game Yi
Location 38°41'44.47"N, 115° 9'16.30"E
Date 0025-01-01 - 0220-12-31
Rules 17x17 board.
Content 17x17 Yi board found in the tomb dating to the Eastern Han Dynasty from Wangdu, Hebei Province. Hebei Province Cultural Relics Research Institute collection. Lo and Wang 2004: 187-188.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Lo, A. and T.-C. Wang. 2004. "Spider Threads Roaming the Empyrean: The Game of Weiqi." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel, eds. Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York: Asia Society, 187-201.
Id DLP.Evidence.2082
Type Artistic depiction
Game Yi
Location 42°52'53.48"N, 89°31'38.44"E
Date 0618-01-01 - 0755-12-31
Rules 17x17 board.
Content Painting of a lady playing Yi on a 17x17 board from AStana, Turfan, China. Lo and Wang 2004: 189.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Female
Source Lo, A. and T.-C. Wang. 2004. "Spider Threads Roaming the Empyrean: The Game of Weiqi." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel, eds. Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York: Asia Society, 187-201.
Id DLP.Evidence.2083
Type Artifact
Game Yi
Location 33°50'27.58"N, 115°46'33.88"
Date 0126-01-01 - 0175-12-31
Rules 17x17 board.
Content 17x17 board from the tomb of the official Cao Teng in Boxian, Anhui. Lo and Wang 2004: 188.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Lo, A. and T.-C. Wang. 2004. "Spider Threads Roaming the Empyrean: The Game of Weiqi." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel, eds. Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York: Asia Society, 187-201.
Id DLP.Evidence.2084
Type Contemporary text
Game Yi
Location Spring and Autumn
Date 0450-01-01BCE - 0401-12-31BCE
Rules Name of game. Players make groups on the board, opponents may capture groups.
Content Text from Zuo Zhuan (Zuo's Commentary on the SPring and Autumn Annuals): "Ning is now treating his ruler with less care than if he were playing [yi]. How can he escape disaster? If a [yi] player established his groups without making them safe, he will not defeat his opponent." Fairbairn 2007: 134-135.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Fairbairn, J. 2007. "Go in China." In I. Finkel, ed. Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: The British Museum Press, 133-137.
Id DLP.Evidence.2085
Type Ethnography
Game Tsoro Yemutwelve
Location Zimbabwe
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the diagonals and the midpoints of the sides. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on one of the empty intersections of the board. If a player places three of their stones in a straight line, the player may remove one of the opponent's pieces. When all of the pieces have been placed, the players alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an empty adjacent point along the lines of the board. When a player is reduced to three pieces, they may move one of their stone to any empty space on the board. The player who reduces their opponent to two pieces wins.
Content Description of Tsoro Yemutwelve as played in Zimbabwe in Matthews 1964: 67-68.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent, Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Matthews, J. 1964. "Notes on Some African Stone Games." NADA: The Southern Rhodesia Native Affairs Department Annual 9(1): 64-66.
Id DLP.Evidence.2086
Type Ethnography
Game Tsoro Yemutatu
Location Zimbabwe
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in the large square. Three pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a stone on an empty point on the board. When all of the pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving one of their pieces to any empty point. The first player to place three of their pieces in a line wins.
Content "Tsoro Yemutatu. This, in its various forms, is a very simple form of Tsoro yemutwelve. Each side has only three stones, so that the first person to complete a line is the winner. The stones may be moved anywhere, not just one space. " Matthews 1964: 68.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent, Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Matthews, J. 1964. "Notes on Some African Stone Games." NADA: The Southern Rhodesia Native Affairs Department Annual 9(1): 64-66.
Id DLP.Evidence.2087
Type Ethnography
Game Tsoro Yemutatu (Triangle)
Location Zimbabwe
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules Triangle, with a line from the apex bisecting the base, and a line bisecting this one and the opposite sides. Three pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on one of the empty points on the board. When all of the pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving any one of their pieces to the empty point on the board. The first player to make a line of three wins.
Content Description of Tsoro Yemutatu with a triangle board as played in Zimbabwe in Matthews 1964: 68.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent, Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Matthews, J. 1964. "Notes on Some African Stone Games." NADA: The Southern Rhodesia Native Affairs Department Annual 9(1): 64-66.
Id DLP.Evidence.2088
Type Contemporary text
Game O Shogi (Futsu Shodo-Shu)
Location Japan
Date 1297-01-01 - 1302-12-31
Rules 15x15 board. 29 different pieces, 130 pieces in total.
Content Summary of the Futsu shodo-shu of the monk Ryoki (1297-1302): "In addition, Futsu shodo-shu, compiled by the monky Ryoki from 1297 to 1302, records an improved version of o-shogi, further enlarged to use a board with fifteen squares on each side and twenty-nine types of pieces, with 130 pieces in total." Koichi 2004: 182.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Clergy
Genders Male
Source Koichi, M. 2004. "Shogi: Japan's Game of Generals." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel (eds.), Asian Games: the Art of Contest. New York, Asia Society, 181-185.
Id DLP.Evidence.2089
Type Ethnography
Game La Yagua
Location Chane
Date 1982-01-01 - 2006-12-31
Rules 5x5 grid, with diagonals in each quadrant. A triangle, with the apex connecting to the midpoint of one side of the grid. A line is drawn connecting the apex of the triangle to the midpoint of its base, and another triangle is drawn within the triangle connecting the midpoints of the larger triangle. One player plays as twelve dogs, arranged on the lower two rows of points and the two outer points on the central line; the other plays as one jaguar, placed on the apex of the smaller triangle. The jaguar moves first. Pieces move to an empty adjacent space along the lines of the board. The jaguar may hop over an adjacent dog to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it, capturing the dog. Dogs cannot capture. The dogs win by blocking the jaguar so it cannot move; the jaguar wins when only six dogs remain.
Content "La Yagua: Entre los Chiriguano-Chane se jugaba el mismo juego. La yagua o el yaguarete se coloca en su casa en el extremo superior del triángulo pequeño. Las yambas se colocan en los puntos del tablero. La yagua inicia el juego moviendo primero y luego lo hacen los yambas. Mueven de a uno por vez....Siempre desplazándose por las líneas. Los yambas tendrán que encerrar a la yagua para evitar que llegue al final y/o que se coma yambas. Si en una línea un yamba deja un espacio vacío la yagua puede saltar y lo come. Si come 3 gana el juego. Si es encerrada ganan los yambas Según los chiriguanos ningún buen cazador puede cazar con 9 o menos yambas." Ferrarese 2006: 21, 27-28.
Confidence 100
Source Ferrarese, S. 2006. Juegos Etnicos de America y Documentos sobre Educación Física Intercultural. Neuquén: Proyecto Rescate e Inserción Comunitaria y Pedagógica de los Ancestrales Juegos de los Pueblos Indoamericanos.
Id DLP.Evidence.2090
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Udat Pagada
Location Maharashtra
Date 1905-01-01 - 1905-12-31
Rules Played on a Chaupar board. Two players. Four pieces per player. Seven cowries, used as dice. The throws are as follows: one face up = 10; two faces up = 2; three faces up = 3; four faces up = 4; five faces up = 25; six faces up = 36, though in many places it is 30; seven faces up = 14; all faces down = 7. Players start from opposite ends of the board. In this game, the divisions of the arms of the board are ignored; each arm is considered one spaces, and the spaces between the arms are also considered a space, making eight total spaces. Players sit opposite each other, and the point in front of them is the starting point for that player. Play proceeds in an anti-clockwise direction. When one player's piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is captured. A player wins by capturing all of the opponent's pieces.
Content Detailed rules, as provided in Anant Babaji Deodhar's Sachitra Marathi Khelamce Pustak (The Illustrated Book of Marathi Games). Translated by Dnyaneshwari Kamath. Deodhar 1905; Kamath 2020: 27.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Genders Female
Source Deodhar, A. 1905. Sachitra Marathi Khelamce Pustak. New Delhi: Times of India Press., Kamath, D. 2020. "Games: Then and Now." In R. Gowri Raghavan and D. Kamath, eds. Playing with the Past. Mumbai: India Study Centre Trust.
Id DLP.Evidence.2091
Type Artifact
Game Udat Pagada (Historical)
Location 19°56'27.47"N, 73°44'56.05"E
Date 0100-01-01 - 2020-12-31
Rules Two intersecting rectangles.
Content Graffiti from Cave 10 at Trirashmi Caves, Maharashtra, India. Two rectangles intersecting each other at a right angle. Caves in use during the second and third centuries CE. First reported by Sojwal Sali in the paper 'Exploration of Ancient Games' at the 6th Annual Workshop on Explorations in Maharashtra, August 18, 2019, University of Mumbai, Kalina Campus. Kamath 2020: 27.
Confidence 100
Spaces Ritual
Source Kamath, D. 2020. "Games: Then and Now." In R. Gowri Raghavan and D. Kamath, eds. Playing with the Past. Mumbai: India Study Centre Trust.
Id DLP.Evidence.2092
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Phanjika
Location Western Chalukya
Date 1126-01-01 - 1138-12-31
Rules Four 6x6 grids, arranged in a cross around a central empty square. Five, six, seven, eight, nine, or sixteen players. Five pieces per player, which begin off the board. Seven cowries, used as dice. The value of a throw is equal to the number of cowries that land face-down; all cowries face-up equals 14 and there is a special rule attached to it. A throw of five ("phanjika") allows the player to enter a piece on the board or to exit a piece from the board. A piece that lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece is removed from the board and must reenter. Safe squares exist on the board. The first player to remove all of their pieces from the board wins.
Content Text of the Manasollasa on Phanjika MS 5.16.816-63: "one should make a four-sided diagram (measuring) eighteen fingers (on each side), (and) arrange such diagrams in (each of) the four directions...(There should be ) five, seven, six, eight, nine, (or) sixteen players...according to this procedure, every pawn of every player enters (the board) by throws of phanjika, and exits (it) by (throws of) five...the women who exit (the board with their pawns) win, and those who remain (on the board with their pawns) lose." Also: "Each player-or, perhaps, team of players- had five pawns which began the game outside the board and were controlled by the throws of seven cowries. As the throws were named after the number of cowries that fell face-down (e.g., ekaka for one, dvika for two, trika for three, etc.), it is likely that they awarded a similar numnber of moves to the player who threw them...The only exception was a throw of all cowries face-up known as kalasaptaka, or low (?) seven. The throw appears to have counted as a double saptaka, possibly awarding a number of fourteen moves, as it was registered with a notational sign of two wavy lines rather than the one used for a single saptaka. It also has a special rule attached to it, which, however, is not clear from my present understanding of the text...Squares where pawns were liable to be captured were termed mrtyugeha, or houses of death, while squares where they were safe from capture were termed saranagara, or houses of refuge." Schmidt-Madsen 2021: 58-61.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female
Source Schmidt-Madsen, J. 2021. "The Crux of the Cruciform: Retracing the Early History of Chaupar and Pachisi." Board Game Studies Journal 15(1): 29-77.
Id DLP.Evidence.2093
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Tsukkalavde
Location 69°51'58.01"N, 21°59'30.92"E
Date 1870-01-01 - 1890-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, forming a grid. Diagonals in each of the quadrants. Twelve pieces per player, which begin on the points closest to the player, and the two points to the right of the center point. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent point along the lines of the board. A player may hop over an adjacent opponent's pieces to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it along the lines of the board to capture it. Multiple captures are allowed. A player wins if they capture all of their opponent's pieces, or reduces the opponent to one piece and blocks them from being able to move.
Content Account of Anders Larsen, a Sea Sámi man from Kvænangen, Norway, born in 1870: "Da jeg var barn, pleide sjøsamene i Kvænangen å more sig med tsukkalavde, etslags bretttspil. To spiller mot hinnannen på dette brett. Den ene har barkstykker til brikker og den andre har små stener. De flytter efter tur sine "menn" ett skritt. Men hvis det treffer til at en kan hoppe over motpartens mann eller menn, så kastes "mannen" bort. Han er drept. Men da skal det alltid være en tom plass bak den "mannen" som drepes. Det kan hende at en kan hoppe over mange menn på én gang, og det bør enhver merke sig, fordi den som ikke har flere menn, taper. Når den ene bare har én mann og den andre har tre eller flere, blir den ene mann omringet i en krok. Han taper og blir "tsukka". Både barn og voksne pleide å spille tsukka om vinterkveldene." Larsen 1950: 32.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Spaces Inside
Source Larsen, A. 1950. Om Sjøsamene. Tromsø Museums Årshefter 70(2). Tromsø: A/S Peder Norbye.
Id DLP.Evidence.2094
Type Ethnography
Game Leoncito
Location 30°24'39.62"S, 69°13'25.53"W
Date 1989-01-01 - 1989-12-31
Rules One player plays as the dogs, the other as one lion. Pieces move orthogonally in any direction. The lion hops a dog to capture it. The dogs win by blocking the lion, the lion wins by eating all the dogs.
Content Account of the game as encountered by anthropologist Mariano Gambier: "En 1989 en la provincia de San Juan (Argentina) encontré el mismo juego en el Valle de Iglesias. Quien me facilito la información de dicho juego fue al antropólogo MAriano Gambier; se juega actualmente un juego muy antiguo en el Valle de Iglesias, llamado el Leoncito. Lo malo es que la gente lo juega pero no quiere enseñarlo a los foráneos...En Iglesia los parroquianos lo juegan entre varios, unos guiando a la leone y otros a los peros que pretenden darle caza. El objectivo final del juego es que los perros dejen encerrada a la leona en su guarida o en algún rincón y que no pueda seguir avanzando hacia la meta final. Mientras la leona trata de comerse perros, hechos estos que dan el triunfo a los perros o a la leona.
Confidence 100
Source Ferrarese, S. 2003-2004. "Estudio de algunos juegos y juguetes ancestrales mapuche 'el komikan.'" Bulletin of the Innternational COmmittee on Urgent Anthropological and Ethnological Research 42-43: 143-149.
Id DLP.Evidence.2095
Type Ethnography
Game Dongjintian (Four Players)
Location 23°25'52.63"N, 101°41'4.76"E
Date 1994-03-01 - 1994-03-31
Rules 4x5 board. Five counters per hole. Players can sow from any hole. Sowing occurs orthogonally in any direction, and a player can change direction orthogonally at any point in the move, but can never double back. When the last counter falls into a hole, sowing continues if there are counters in the following holes; these are picked up and sowing continues from there. The hole from which the sowing continues will always be the next one in the opposite direction from the penultimate hole in which a counter was dropped. Therefore, if the sowing ends when a sowing hits an edge or corner, sowing does not continue. When the hole after the end of a sowing is empty, the counters in the next hole following it are captured, but captures cannot be made when the final counter falls into a hole from which a new direction must be chosen. Captures cannot be made from the central two holes of the board. The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content "But for four players there is a rather unusual game, as follows: Principal informant: Wang Hongbin, 23, male, Hani nationality. Interviewed March 1994. Configuration: The board is 4 x 5, with five stones per hole. There are no large stones. Sectors: None, A player may play from any of the 20 holes on the board. Sowing: The first stone may be sown in any hole horizontally or vertically neighboring the hole being played; subsequently stones are sown forward, left, or right, but may not double back. Thus if a corner hole is lifted it may be sown in two directions; if one of the ten holes on the edge of the board which are not corners are played there are three possible directions, and if one in the middle six holes is lifted, there are four possible directions. If a stone has been sown in a corner, edge, or middle hole and there remain stones to be sown, there are respectively one, two, or three possible choices for the hole in which to sow the next stone. This results in a huge number of possible moves. For example, if four stones are lifted from one of the holes diagonally neighboring a corner, there are 52 different ways in which they can be sown. Relays and captures: These are pussa kanawa, but can only be made straight aead in the direction in which the last stone was sown. That is, after the last stone of a sowing is played, the contents of the neighboring hole in the opposite direction from the hole in which the penultimate stone was sown are lifted and sown. If this hole is empty, the contents of the hole beyond, if any, are captured. This results in diminished possibility of relay and capture. If the last stone lands in a corner, no relay or capture is possible. If the last stone lands in an edge-hole, but the penultimate stone was sown in a middle hole, again there is no relay or capture. Stones lying in one of the two holes at the midpoints of the two internal rows cannot be captured at all." Eagle 1995: 57-58.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Eagle, V. 1995. "Some Newly Described Mancala Games from Yunnan Province, China, and the Definition of a Genus in the Family of Mancala Games." In A. de Voogt, ed, New Approaches to Board Games Research: Asian Origins and Future Perspectives. Leiden: International Institute for Asian Studies, 48-63.
Id DLP.Evidence.2096
Type Ethnography
Game Issiren
Location 24°33'16.30"N, 9°29'7.34"E
Date 1960-01-01 - 1960-12-31
Rules 4x12 board. Twelve pieces per player, which begin one in each space in the row closest to the player. Six stick dice, green on one side and white on the other. The value of the throws equals the number of green faces, with the following exceptions: four green faces up allows a piece to be moved for the first time and a move of 1, plus another throw is granted; six white faces = 4 plus another throw; six green = 6 plus another throw; five white faces = move 5 plus another throw. Pieces move from right to left in the player's home row, then into the second row, moving left to right, then into the third row moving right to left, and then into the opponent's home row moving left to right, then back into the third row moving right to left, to the second row moving left to right, and then back into the player's home row moving right to left. If a player's piece lands on a space occupied by one of the opponent's pieces, the opponent's piece is captured. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Account of Bellin, about the games among the Kel Jajar Tuareg people near Djanet: "Jeux sur damier avec baguettes: issiren. C'est à peu de choses près le deuxième jeu de sig présenté dans les jeux du Soûf. Le jeu consiste à prendre tous les pions du joueur adverse, Il se joue avec six baguettes de bois vert—issir— coupées par le milieu et, de ce fait, présentant une face ayant gardé son écorce, verte—tesedefi— et une face ligneuse—temeli. Ces baguettes tiennent lieu de dès. Le damier a ici 48 cases (12x4) contre 18 )6x3) à Réguiba du Soûf. Position des pions au départ—La position des pions au départ est indiquée par la figure 16. Progression des pion— Le premier joueur fait avancer ses pions comme l'indique la figure 17 et le deuxième comme l'indique la figure 18. Sortie des pions— Pour pouvoir faire sortir chaque pion de laa case qu'il occupe au départ, les joueurs doivent faire 4 vert (face vert de la baguette) et 2 blanc (face ligneuse). Ce coup de dès est appelé tabarat (petite fille). Le joueur qui le réussit dit tsuid "je bois". Coups de dès. 6 vert—sella—je progresse 6 cases. 6 blanc—wamellen (sultan)—je progresse de 4 cases. 5 vert 1 blanc—smus—je progresse de 5 cases. 4 vert 2 blanc—tabarat (petit fille)—feu vert libérant un pion—je progresse de 1 case. 3 vert 3 blanc—qarad—je progresse de 3 cases. 2 vert 4 blanc—alcu—je progresse de 2 cases. 1 vert 5 blanc—ien—je progresse de 1 case. Les coups de dès tabarat, sella, wamellen, smus, autorisent à rejouer autant de fois qu'on ne fait pas qarad, alcu, ou ien. Prose: On prend le pion du joueur adverse qui se trouve dans la case où l'on arrête un de ses propres pions." Bellin 1964: 73-74.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Bellin, P. 1964. "L'enfant saharien à travers ses jeux." Journal des Africanistes 33(1): 47-104.
Id DLP.Evidence.2097
Type Artifact
Game Riga Game
Location 56°56'58.31"N, 24° 6'18.50"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides. Diagonals are also drawn only in the central square.
Content Wooden plank with several game boards on it. Three concentric squares with lines connecting the central point with the midpoints of the sides, and diagonals in the central square. Thirteenth century CE. Caune 1993.
Confidence 100
Source Caune, A. 1993. "Funde hochmittelalterlicher Mühlespielbretter aus der Rigaer Altstadt." In M. Gläser (ed), Archäologie des Mittelalters und Bauforschung in Hanseraum. Rostock: Konrad Reich Verlag, 455-460.
Id DLP.Evidence.2099
Type Contemporary text
Game Chupu
Location Three Kingdoms
Date 0223-01-01 - 0297-12-31
Rules Name of game.
Content Passage from the Sanguo Zhi of Chen Shou (d. 297 CE), which mentiones Chupu as a game. Schmidt-Madsen 2021: 14.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Schmidt-Madsen, J. 2021. "The Crux of the Cruciform: Retracing the Early History of Chaupar and Pachisi." Board Game Studies Journal 15(1): 29-77.
Id DLP.Evidence.2100
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Chupu
Location Six Dynasties
Date 0500-01-01 - 0587-12-31
Rules Five dice. Black and white pieces. Pieces move along a track, can be blocked.
Content Passage from the Chupu fu, by Ma Rong, probably of late Six Dynasties date. Summary given by Schmidt-Madsen, citing an unpublished translation "Ma- Rong's (79-166) Rhapsody on the Chupu Game": "A more detailed description is found in the Chupu fu, or ode to chupu, attributed to Ma Rong (79-166) by the compilers of the Yiwen leiju in 624, but now thought to date from the late Six Dynasties (220-587).53 The Chupu fu describes the game as being played on an embroidered cloth board from the "Western neighbors" (xi lin 西鄰), which may or may not refer to India. Other game equipment includes a dice cup (bei 杯, lit. "cup"), five dice (mu 木, lit. "wood"),54 and an unspecified number of black and white pawns (ma 馬, lit. "horse"). The dice appear to have been binary throwing sticks, some of which were marked with special symbols, as detailed in later descriptions of the game (see below). Little can be said about the rules, but the overall idea is clearly that of a race game with an element of conflict between the players. This can be seen from expressions such as "advancing on the road," "facing the enemy," and "breaking through a siege." Schmidt-Madsen 2021: 14.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Schmidt-Madsen, J. 2021. "The Crux of the Cruciform: Retracing the Early History of Chaupar and Pachisi." Board Game Studies Journal 15(1): 29-77.
Id DLP.Evidence.2101
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Chupu
Location Late Tang China
Date 0772-01-01 - 0841-12-31
Rules Five two-sided dice, one side black, one side white. Two dice have a pheasant on the white side and a cow on the black side. "Royal" throws are as follows: five black = 16; five white = 8; three black and two pheasant = 14; three white and two cows = 10; "Mixed" throws are: one pheasant, one cow, three white = 12; one pheasant, one cow, three black = 11; two pheasants, two white, one black = 5; two cows, two black, one white =4; three white, two black = 3; three black and two white =2. Royal throws grant the player an extra throw. Twenty pieces in five colors. 120 spaces, separated by two barriers into three zones. One space is a pit. A royal throw is required to pass a barrier or to escape the pit.Pieces may only land on the same spot as another of the player's pieces after the first barrier. If a player's piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is a hit. Hitting a piece gives the player an extra throw.
Content Summary of the description of Chupu in the Wumu jing (Book of Five Woods) by Li Ao in Yang: "According to the Wu-mu ching 2T7t, attributed to Li Ao
the game shu-p'u uses five pieces of wood as dice. Each
piece is black on one side and white on the other. Two of the
pieces bear a carved pattern of a pheasant on the white side and
that of a cow on the black side. There are six " royal throws"
(wang-ts'ai ), and six " mixed throws " (yurn-ts'ai .
The royal throws are:
1. lu black -five black, which counts 16 points (i. e.,
it enables the player to move his draughtsmen for 16
spaces),
92. pai white-five white, which counts 8 points,
3. chih pheasant "-two pheasant and three black, 14
points, and 4. niu cow or tu calf -two cows and three white,
10 points.
The mixed throws are:
1. k'ai opening -one pheasant, one cow, and three white,
12 points,
2. sai blocking -one pheasant, one cow, and three black,
11 points,
3. t'a pagoda? -two pheasants, two white, and one black,
5 points,
4. t'u bald-headed? -two cows, two black, and one
white, 4 points,
5. chiteh "holding? -three white and two black, 3
points, and
6. hsiao owl -three black and two white, 2 points.
According to the Wu-mu ching, in shu-p'u there are 120 spaces
separated by two barriers or passes (kuan ) into three zones,
presumably on a board. One of the spaces represents a pit (k'eng). Twenty horses (ma ) or men are in five colors, presumably
for as many as five players. Horses are moved according to the
throw. They may be doubled up only after crossing the first
barrier. A player's horses may be hit by his opponent's men if
the latter arrive at the space occupied by the former. A royal
throw is needed to cross a barrier or to save a horse in the pit.
Making a royal throw or hitting a horse of the opponent entitles
the player to another throw." Yang 1952: 132-133.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Female
Source Yang, L.-S. 1952. "An Additional Note on the Ancient Game Liu-po." Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 15(1-2): 124-139.
Id DLP.Evidence.2102
Type Contemporary text
Game Bazi Qamish
Location Safavid
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules Similar to At-Tab wa-d-Dukk.
Content From passage in hyde: "Pers. Bazi Kamish, id est, Ludus Cannarum seu arundinum..." Hyde 1694: 217.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.2103
Type Contemporary text
Game Qamish Uyuni
Location Turkey
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules Similar to At-Tab wa-d-Dukk.
Content Passage from Hyde, in section about Tab: "Turcuce Kamish ojuni, eodem sensu." Hyde 1694: 217.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.2104
Type Contemporary text
Game Sitta
Location Anjouan
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules Similar to At-Tab wa-d-Dukk.
Content Passage from Hyde: "Hic Ludus in Lingua Hanzoan dicitur Sitta." Hyde 1694: 217.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.2105
Type Ethnography
Game Bao
Location Zanzibar; Pemba
Location 6°48'9.39"S, 39°17'2.17"E
Date 1990-01-01 - 1994-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. One hole, the Nyumba, is square, and is the hole immediately to the right of center in the player's inner row. The holes on both ends of both players' inner rows are Kichwa, and the next holes in from those are the Kimbi. Players sow from one of their holes in either direction on the board. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these counters are picked up and sowing continues, when a capture is not possible. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, the turn ends. Play begins with six counters in the Nyumba, and 22 counters to be entered on the board.
Namua is the stage of the game where there are still counters to be placed on the board. During Namua, the Nsumbi is the house, as long as it has at least six counters in it and it has not been emptied. Players place counters into an occupied hole in their front row. If this hole is opposite one of the opponent's occupied holes, the opponent's counters in that hole are captured. Captures must be made if possible. If a capture is not possible, the counter is placed into a hole and the contents of that hole are sown. The house cannot be emptied, but if it is the only occupied hole, the counter placed into it, and only that one counter, can be sown to one of the adjacent holes. Single counters cannot be sown unless only holes in the front row with single counters exist or the house is still present. Sowing from a Kichwa in the direction of the back row is not allowed unless it is the only occupied hole in the front row. If the final counter of a sowing lands in the house, the turn ends. Once all of the counters are placed on the board for both players, Namua ends.
The next stage begins. The rules for the house mentioned above during the Namua stage no longer apply, but the rules below remain in effect until the first capture in this phase of the game has been made. Players alternate turns taking the counters from one of their holes that has more than one and less than sixteen counters and sowing them. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole in the front row opposite one of the opponent's occupied holes, the opponent's counters are captured. Captures must be made if possible. Single counters cannot be sown. Sowing must occur from an inner row hole when possible. A Kichwa cannot be sown toward the back row if it is the only occupied hole in the front row.
Capturing rules: The counters captured from the opponent's hole are captured and sown on the player's front row. If they were captured from a Kimbi or Kichwa, they must be sown from the nearest Kichwa. If they were not captured from one of these holes, they must be sown from the Kichwa in the direction toward which the sowing was proceeding when the capture was made. If the capture was not made from a Kimbi or Kichwa and it was not made while sowing, the player can choose which Kichwa to sow from. Further captures in the same turn must be made with this sowing if possible, and are made if the final counter lands in an occupied hole in the inner row which is opposite an occupied hole in the opponent's inner row. If a capture is not possible, the sowing must end in the house. When the final counter lands in the house, the player may choose to continue sowing from the house or to end their turn. If the player cannot capture and cannot drop the final counter in the house, they must sow into an occupied hole, and continue sowing from that hole. The player may sow such that the final counter lands in an empty hole only when none of the other options are possible.
When a player sows in such a way that they do not capture and the opponent is unable to capture on their next turn but the player will be able to capture on their own following move, the opponent cannot sow from this hole. The opponent is able to sow from such a hole if they can capture from this hole; if the hole in question is the house (this remains true for all phases of the game); if it is the only occupied hole in the front row; or if it is the only hole in the front row with greater than one counter. This rule does not apply during the Namua phase.
A player wins when their opponent's inner row holes are empty. This includes in the middle of sowing (e.g., sowing into the outer row directly from a Kichwa when it is the only occupied hole in the front row).
Content Ethnography of Bao Masters by de Voogt on Zanzibar, including players who learned the game originally in Pemba and Dar-es-Salaam. de Voogt 1995.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Social status Non-Elite
Spaces Inside, Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source de Voogt, A. 1995. Limits of the Mind: Towards a Characterisation of Bao Mastership. Leiden: Research School CNWS.
Id DLP.Evidence.2106
Type Ethnography
Game Zuz Mel (5x5)
Location 33°22'4.12"N, 6°51'5.94"E
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 5x5 board. Twelve pieces per player. Pieces begin in the rows closes to the player, and the two spaces to the right of the central space. Players alternate turns moving a piece orthogonally any distance. A player may capture an opponent's adjacent piece by hopping over it in an orthogonal direction to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece. Multiple captures are allowed. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Zuz Mel (deux et tu es mort): "Deux Joueurs jouent sur un damier de 25 (5x5)...cases avec 24...pions. Positions des pions au départ. Avant de jouer les joueurs disposent leurs pions comme il est indiqué sur la figure 1, la case du milieu doit rester inoccupée. Progression des pions et prise. Les pions se déplacent parallèlement aux côtés du damier. Il faut prendre en sautant, d'où progression de deux cases. Sur la fugure 2, on a joué de a en a1 en prennant A. La figure 3 représente un coup plus complexe: pour prendre A, on a joué a en a1, en a2, en a3, puis en a a4. S'il n'y avait pas eu le pion B, on aurait joué suivant le pointillé, car on ne peut passer par une case si elle est occupée soit par un pion de l'adversaire soit par un de ses propres pions. On ne peut déplacer qu'un pion coup mais il va de soi qu'un même coup peut amener la prise de plusieurs pions de l'adversaire. Ainsi la figure 4, le pion a est allé en a1 en prennant A, puis en a2, et a3, et a pris B, puis en a4 et a pris C, enfin en a5 et a pris D. Nul ne peut sauter un de ses propres pions. La partie est finie lorsqu'un joueur a pris tour les pions du joueur adverse." Bellin 1964: 52-53.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Bellin, P. 1964. "L'enfant saharien à travers ses jeux." Journal des Africanistes 33(1): 47-104.
Id DLP.Evidence.2107
Type Ethnography
Game Zuz Mel (7x7)
Location 33°22'4.12"N, 6°51'5.94"E
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 7x7 board. 48 pieces per player. Pieces begin in the rows closes to the player, and the two spaces to the right of the central space. Players alternate turns moving a piece orthogonally any distance. A player may capture an opponent's adjacent piece by hopping over it in an orthogonal direction to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece. Multiple captures are allowed. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Zuz Mel (deux et tu es mort): "Deux Joueurs jouent sur un damier de...49 (7x7)...cases avec... 48 pions. Positions des pions au départ. Avant de jouer les joueurs disposent leurs pions comme il est indiqué sur la figure 1, la case du milieu doit rester inoccupée. Progression des pions et prise. Les pions se déplacent parallèlement aux côtés du damier. Il faut prendre en sautant, d'où progression de deux cases. Sur la fugure 2, on a joué de a en a1 en prennant A. La figure 3 représente un coup plus complexe: pour prendre A, on a joué a en a1, en a2, en a3, puis en a a4. S'il n'y avait pas eu le pion B, on aurait joué suivant le pointillé, car on ne peut passer par une case si elle est occupée soit par un pion de l'adversaire soit par un de ses propres pions. On ne peut déplacer qu'un pion coup mais il va de soi qu'un même coup peut amener la prise de plusieurs pions de l'adversaire. Ainsi la figure 4, le pion a est allé en a1 en prennant A, puis en a2, et a3, et a pris B, puis en a4 et a pris C, enfin en a5 et a pris D. Nul ne peut sauter un de ses propres pions. La partie est finie lorsqu'un joueur a pris tour les pions du joueur adverse." Bellin 1964: 52-53.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Bellin, P. 1964. "L'enfant saharien à travers ses jeux." Journal des Africanistes 33(1): 47-104.
Id DLP.Evidence.2108
Type Artifact
Game Lu Qi
Location 40°49'13.91"N, 119°49'16.55"E
Date 0916-01-01 - 1125-12-31
Rules 5x5 lines forming a grid. Diagonals drawn in each quadrant.
Content Lu Qi board "found in a Liao Dynasty tomb in Jianchang in Liaoning province" Wu and Sebillaud 2020: 46.
Confidence 100
Source Wu, S. and P. Sebillaud. 2020. "Research on the Merels Game in Medieval China." Asian Archaeology 4: 41-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.2109
Type Artifact
Game Lu Qi
Location 43°37'51.94"N, 122°15'0.26"E
Date 1115-01-01 - 1234-12-31
Rules 5x5 lines forming a grid. Diagonals drawn in each quadrant.
Content Lu Qi board "at the border fortress of the Jin Dynasty in the Huolinhe mining area in Tongliao" Wu and Sebillaud 2020: 46.
Confidence 100
Spaces Military
Source Wu, S. and P. Sebillaud. 2020. "Research on the Merels Game in Medieval China." Asian Archaeology 4: 41-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.2110
Type Artifact
Game Lu Qi
Location 47°12'33.54"N, 102°50'54.51"E
Date 1271-01-01 - 1368-12-31
Rules 5x5 lines forming a grid. Diagonals drawn in each quadrant.
Content Lu Qi board found " at Karakorum, the Yuan Dynasty capital in Mongolia" Wu and Sebillaud 2020: 46.
Confidence 100
Source Wu, S. and P. Sebillaud. 2020. "Research on the Merels Game in Medieval China." Asian Archaeology 4: 41-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.2111
Type Artifact
Game Lian Qi (Bohai)
Location 42°42'38.10"N, 130°47'2.11"E
Date 0800-01-01 - 0925-12-31
Rules Two concentric circles, with lines connecting the corners and the midpoints of the sides.
Content Stone game board from Kraskino, Russia. Two concentric circles with lines connecting the corners and midpoints of the sides. Dates to early ninth-early tenth century CE. Wu and Sebillaud 2020: 45.
Confidence 100
Source Wu, S. and P. Sebillaud. 2020. "Research on the Merels Game in Medieval China." Asian Archaeology 4: 41-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.2112
Type Artifact
Game Lian Qi (A-Type)
Location 42°15'28.27"N, 118°53'13.08"E
Date 0900-01-01 - 0960-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners.
Content Board found on a brick in Building 4 of the Liaozu Imperial mausoleum in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, a religious structure related to the tomb of Yelü Lihu, third son of Emperor Liao Taizu. Wu and Sebillaud 2020: 45.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite, Royalty
Spaces Ritual
Source Wu, S. and P. Sebillaud. 2020. "Research on the Merels Game in Medieval China." Asian Archaeology 4: 41-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.2113
Type Artifact
Game Lian Qi (A-Type)
Location 45°37'9.70"N, 122°50'17.85"E
Date 1000-01-01 - 1225-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners.
Content Fragmentary board with evidence for three concentric squares with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners. From a religious building at the Yongping site in Baicheng, Jilin Province. Dated between the eleventh and early thirteenth century CE. Wu and Sebillaud 2020: 45.
Confidence 100
Spaces Ritual
Source Wu, S. and P. Sebillaud. 2020. "Research on the Merels Game in Medieval China." Asian Archaeology 4: 41-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.2114
Type Artifact
Game Lian Qi (A-Type)
Location 45°37'9.70"N, 122°50'17.85"E
Date 0900-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners.
Content Vessel base sherd fragment carved with incised pattern of three concentric squares with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners. Found at the Chengsijazi site in Baicheng (Changchunzhou of the Liao and Xintaizhou of the Jin Dynasty). Wu and Sebillaud 2020: 45.
Confidence 100
Source Wu, S. and P. Sebillaud. 2020. "Research on the Merels Game in Medieval China." Asian Archaeology 4: 41-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.2115
Type Artifact
Game Lian Qi (A-Type)
Location 43°37'51.94"N, 122°15'0.26"E
Date 1175-01-01 - 1225-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners. Played with pieces.
Content Fragmentary board found on a brick in the border fortress in Huolinhe area of Tongliao. Three concentric squares with lines connecting the midpoints and the corners. Two blue playing pieces found in the structure. Wu and Sebillaud 2020: 45.
Confidence 100
Spaces Military
Source Wu, S. and P. Sebillaud. 2020. "Research on the Merels Game in Medieval China." Asian Archaeology 4: 41-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.2116
Type Artifact
Game Lian Qi (A-Type)
Location 43° 6'36.03"N, 128°54'8.91"E
Date 1172-01-01 - 1225-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners.
Content Board found on a brick from the Baomacheng site in Antu, Jilin Province. From a temple complex. Three concentric squares with lines connecting the midpoints and the corners. Wu and Sebillaud 2020: 45.
Confidence 100
Spaces Ritual
Source Wu, S. and P. Sebillaud. 2020. "Research on the Merels Game in Medieval China." Asian Archaeology 4: 41-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.2117
Type Artifact
Game Lian Qi (A-Type)
Location 45°23'36.79"N, 124°21'26.71"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners.
Content Board found at Tahucheng, Songyuan. Stone with three concentric squares and lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners. Dated to the twelfth to fourteenth century CE. Wu and Sebillaud 2020: 45.
Confidence 100
Source Wu, S. and P. Sebillaud. 2020. "Research on the Merels Game in Medieval China." Asian Archaeology 4: 41-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.2118
Type Artifact
Game Lian Qi (A-Type)
Location 42°21'27.74"N, 116°11'6.10"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners.
Content Brick fragment with most of a game board with three concentric squares with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners. Found in the palatial compound of Shangdu. Thirteenth or fourteenth century CE. Wu and Sebillaud 2020: 45.
Confidence 100
Source Wu, S. and P. Sebillaud. 2020. "Research on the Merels Game in Medieval China." Asian Archaeology 4: 41-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.2119
Type Artifact
Game Lian Qi (A-Type)
Location 30°13'33.73"N, 103°21'55.75"E
Date 0975-01-01 - 1125-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners.
Content Board on a brick fragment with three concentric squares with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners. From the Longxing Temple in Qionglai, Sichuan Province. Tenth to early twelfth century CE. Wu and Sebillaud 2020: 45.
Confidence 100
Source Wu, S. and P. Sebillaud. 2020. "Research on the Merels Game in Medieval China." Asian Archaeology 4: 41-52.
Id DLP.Evidence.2120
Type Ethnography
Game Kharebga (5x5)
Location 33°22'4.12"N, 6°51'5.94"E
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 5x5 board. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing two pieces on an empty space on the board, except in the central space. Captures cannot be made during the palcement phase. When all of the pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving a piece orthogonally any distance. When an opponent's piece is between two of a player's pieces, it is captured. If a player in unable to make a move, they pass their turn and the opponent plays again. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Account by Bellin, in El Oued, Algeria: "Harebga. La partie, qui consiste à prendre tous les pions de l'adversaire, se joue à deux sur un damier de 25... cases avec 24...pions. Mis en place des pions. Les joueur gardent leurs pions en main. Puis chacun à son tour, ils les placent deux par deux où ils le veulent en laissant libre la case du milieu. Progression des pions et prise. Les pions se déplacent parallèllement aux côtés du damier. Pour prendre il faut encadrer un pion adverse entre deux de ses propres pions. Ainsi le pion a, amené en a1, permet le prise de A. On ne prend pas avant que tous les pions aient été disposés sur le damier et on ne peut prendre qu'a la suite du déplacement d'un pion. La figure 6 montre qu'un même coup peut amener la prise de plusieurs pions de l'adversaire: si le pion a est amené en a1, il permet la prise de A, B, et C. Lorsque le jeu se trouve bloqué pour un des joueurs, il passe son tour et c'est l'adversaire qui joue et, peut-être, rejoue une ou plusieurs fois." Bellin 1964: 53-54.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Bellin, P. 1964. "L'enfant saharien à travers ses jeux." Journal des Africanistes 33(1): 47-104.
Id DLP.Evidence.2121
Type Ethnography
Game Kharebga (7x7)
Location 33°22'4.12"N, 6°51'5.94"E
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 7x7 board. 24 pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing two pieces on an empty space on the board, except in the central space. Captures cannot be made during the palcement phase. When all of the pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving a piece orthogonally any distance. When an opponent's piece is between two of a player's pieces, it is captured. If a player in unable to make a move, they pass their turn and the opponent plays again. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Account by Bellin, in El Oued, Algeria: "Harebga. La partie, qui consiste à prendre tous les pions de l'adversaire, se joue à deux sur un damier de... 49 cases avec... 48 pions. Mis en place des pions. Les joueur gardent leurs pions en main. Puis chacun à son tour, ils les placent deux par deux où ils le veulent en laissant libre la case du milieu. Progression des pions et prise. Les pions se déplacent parallèllement aux côtés du damier. Pour prendre il faut encadrer un pion adverse entre deux de ses propres pions. Ainsi le pion a, amené en a1, permet le prise de A. On ne prend pas avant que tous les pions aient été disposés sur le damier et on ne peut prendre qu'a la suite du déplacement d'un pion. La figure 6 montre qu'un même coup peut amener la prise de plusieurs pions de l'adversaire: si le pion a est amené en a1, il permet la prise de A, B, et C. Lorsque le jeu se trouve bloqué pour un des joueurs, il passe son tour et c'est l'adversaire qui joue et, peut-être, rejoue une ou plusieurs fois." Bellin 1964: 53-54.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Bellin, P. 1964. "L'enfant saharien à travers ses jeux." Journal des Africanistes 33(1): 47-104.
Id DLP.Evidence.2122
Type Ethnography
Game Fart (5x5)
Location 33°22'4.12"N, 6°51'5.94"E
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 5x5 board. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing two pieces on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving one piece orthogonally any distance. The first player to place five of their pieces in an orthogonal or diagonal line wins.
Content Account from Bellin at El Oued, Algeria: "Jeu de Fart. Le jeu consiste à aligner cinq...de ses pions, soit parallèlement aux côtés du damier, soit en diagonale. Il se joue à deux sur un damier de 25...cases avec 24...pions. Mise en place des pions. Chaque joueur garde ses pions en main. Puis le premier joueur place deux pions, le second place deux à son tour, le premier deux autres, etc. en toute liberté. Lorsque tous les pions sont placés, une case quelconque reste vide. Progression des pions. Les pions se déplacent parallèlement aux côtés du damier. Lorsque le jeu se trouve bloqué pour l'un des joueurs, celui-ci saute son tour et c'est l'adversaire qui joue et, peut-être, rejoue une ou plusieurs fois. Gagne le joueur qui parvient à aligner ses pions soit parallèlement aux côtés du damier soit en diagonale." Bellin 1964: 55-56.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent
Source Bellin, P. 1964. "L'enfant saharien à travers ses jeux." Journal des Africanistes 33(1): 47-104.
Id DLP.Evidence.2123
Type Ethnography
Game Fart (7x7)
Location 33°22'4.12"N, 6°51'5.94"E
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 7x7 board. 24 pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing two pieces on the board. When all of the pieces are placed, players alternate turns moving one piece orthogonally any distance. The first player to place seven of their pieces in an orthogonal or diagonal line wins.
Content Account from Bellin at El Oued, Algeria: "Jeu de Fart. Le jeu consiste à aligner...sept de ses pions, soit parallèlement aux côtés du damier, soit en diagonale. Il se joue à deux sur un damier de... 49 cases avec... 48 pions. Mise en place des pions. Chaque joueur garde ses pions en main. Puis le premier joueur place deux pions, le second place deux à son tour, le premier deux autres, etc. en toute liberté. Lorsque tous les pions sont placés, une case quelconque reste vide. Progression des pions. Les pions se déplacent parallèlement aux côtés du damier. Lorsque le jeu se trouve bloqué pour l'un des joueurs, celui-ci saute son tour et c'est l'adversaire qui joue et, peut-être, rejoue une ou plusieurs fois. Gagne le joueur qui parvient à aligner ses pions soit parallèlement aux côtés du damier soit en diagonale." Bellin 1964: 55-56.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent
Source Bellin, P. 1964. "L'enfant saharien à travers ses jeux." Journal des Africanistes 33(1): 47-104.
Id DLP.Evidence.2124
Type Ethnography
Game Sig (El Oued)
Location 33°22'4.12"N, 6°51'5.94"E
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 5x5 grid, with six spaces extending up from the rightmost column. The central space of the grid is the minaret, the final three spaces in the extending track are Cairo, Medina, and Mecca. Three pieces per player, each having one father, one mother, and one djinn, which all begin on the first space. The track is boustrophedon, starting in the bottom left corner and moving to the right, until it reaches the top right corner where it proceeds down the extended track. Six sticks, used as dice, with one polished side and one rough side. Throws equal the number of polished sides which land face-up, with the following exceptions: five polished or five rough sides = sig, this grants a move of one plus another throw, in which the player moves the number of polished sides up, six polished = sig of 6, grants the player another throw, and the player moves the number of polished sides up; if the second throw is regular sig, the value is 7, six rough = sig of twelve, grants the player three throws and the player moves the number of polished sides up; if any of those three extra throws are a regular sig, the total value of the extra throws is 13. Pieces move one at a time from the starting space. The first piece to move is the father, the second the djinn, and the third is the mother. The djinn moves twice the value of the throw in any space that does not require a sig to move through it. A player must throw a regular sig to leave the starting space; when they do, they move one space and throw again. When a player passes the piece of an opponent, the opponent's piece returns to the starting space and must enter the board according to the same rules. Certain spaces require a throw of sig to move into and out of them. This means that the move of 1 given by the regular sig can be used to do this, but the extra throw granted by it does not; however, the total value awarded by a sig of six or twelve does count. These are the Minaret, and all of the spaces in the extended track. If a player cannot enter a space because their is not a sig attached to their throw, they stop their move at the point before it. The space for Cairo counts for three of the value of the throw. When a piece reaches Mecca and there is still value left in the throw, the next piece may be entered and moved using the remaining moves left in the throw. The djinn is entered when the father reaches Mecca, and the mother is entered once the djinn reaches Mecca. The first player to place all of their pieces on Mecca wins.
Content Account of Bellin, in El oued: "Jeu avec Raquettes: Premier jeu de Sig. J'ai noté dans le Soûf trois jeux de sig: leur seul point commun est l'utilisation de baguettes qui tiennent lieu de dés. Il s'agit d'accomplir un pélerinage à La Mecque, via le Caire et Médine. Le principe de la progression est proche de celui de la course de petits chevaux. Le parcours est figuré sur le schéma 8. Six baguettes tiennent lieu de dés. Vocabulaire. Le minaret est la case centrale (13) du damier. La Kaaba, La Mecque: c'est le terme du voyage, la case d'arrivée qui est précédée du Caire et de Médine. lh'am (viande): côté brut des baguettes. chh'am (graisse): leur côté poli. Nous dirions pile ou face. sig: coup qui consiste à amener cinq chh'am et un lh'am ou bien cinq lh'am et un chh'am. sig de six: six chh'am. sig de douze: six lh'am. Départ. Pour sotir de la première case où son pion se trouve en position de départ, un joueur dooit faire sig (5 et 1). Le sig de six et le sig de douze ne permettent pas de prendre le départ. Lorsqu;un joueur fait sig (5 et 1), il avance d'une case et rejoue. le père, la mère, et le djinn. Le premier pion qui prend le départ est le père, le second le djinn, le troisième la mère. Père et mère progressent d'une case par point, le djinn avance de deux cases par point. Décompte des points. Après avoir jeté ses baguettes, le joueur progresse d'un nombre de cases égal au nombre de baguettes chh'am si le pion est père ou mère et d'un nombre de cases double de celui des baguettes chh'am si le pion est djinn. Dépassement. L'un des joueurs est, par exemple, dans le case 3. L'autre joueur, dont le pion est père ou mère, est en position de départ dans le case 1: il fait sig (5+1), vient en case 2, rejoue et fair 3; il dépasse le premier joueur et se place dans le case 5. Le premier joueur ayant été dépassé retourne case 1 et doit faire sig (5 et 1) pour en sortir une nouvelle fois. Il n'est pas tenu compte de la qualité de père, djinn, ou mère du pion dépassé ni de celle du piojn qui dépasse. De jolis coups de dés. (Avec un pion père ou mère) un joueur fait sig (5 et 1), avance d'une case, rejoue et progresse d'un nombre de cases égal au nombre de baguettes chh'a, obtenu en rejouant. Il fait sig de six, rejoue et progresse d'un nombre de cases égal au nombre de baguettes chh'am obtenu en rejouant. Il fait sig de douze, rejoue trois fois et progresse d'un nombre de cases égal au nombre de baguettes chh'am obtenu en rejouant. Il fait sig de six, rejou et amène sig (5 et 1), il avance de sept cases. Il fait sig de douze, rejoue donc trois fois; s'il fait sig (5 et 1)—que soit la première, la deuxième ou la troisième fois—il avance de treize cases. Les Mêmes privilèges s'attachent au sig de six et au sig de douze pour le passage du Minaret, des trois cases terminales (Le Caire, Médine, et la Kaaba) et des cases 26, 27, et 28. Passage du Minaret. (Avec un pion père ou mère) pour pénétrer dans le case 13—pour monter au minaret— il faut faire sig et pour en descendre de même. Son pion étant dans le case 11, un joueur amène trois; il se place dans la case 12 car il est arrêté par le minaret. Étant dans la case 10, il fait sig, se place donc en 11, puis il rejoue, fait deux et se place dans la case 12. E´tant dans la case 2, il fait sig de douze et sig: il doit avancer de 13 cases; il ne s'arrête pas au Minaret et se place en 15. Le Caire, Médine, et la Kaaba. Soit un pion père en 25. Pour entrer en 26, il faut faire sig, de même pour passer de 26 à 27, de 27 à 28 et de 28 à Caire. Ensuite il faut faire trois fois sig pour passer du Caire à Médine et une fois sig pour faire achever son voyage au pion père. pour placer le deuxième pion, le djinn, dans la case de départ, il faut faire deux fois sig; un nouveau sig est exigee pour que ce pion quitte la case 1. Quelques exemples de progression. Soit un pion en 22. Le joueur fair sig de douze et sig, soit treize points. Avec le pion père, la progression est la suivante: case 23 (1), case 24 (2) case 25 (3), case 26(4), case 27(5), case 28(6), le Caire (7,8,9), Médine (10), La Mecque (11) et le voyage du père est terminé. Pour le 12e point, le joueur place son djinn dans la case 1 et pour le 13e le djinn va dans la case 2. Soit une pion en 23. Le joueur fait sig de douze et sig, soit encore treize points. Le pion père progresse ainsi: case 24(1), case 25(2), case 26(3), case 27 (4), case 28 (5), Le Caire (6, 7, 8), Médine (9), La Mecque (10) et son voyage est terminé. Pour le 11e point, le djinn va en case 1, pour le 12e il va en 2 et pour le 13e point en 4 puisqu'il progresse par bonds de deux cases. Précisions sur la progression de djinn. Le djinn, deuxième pion à faire le voyage, avance de deux cases par point sauf en quittant la case de départ et le Minaret où le sig libérateur ne lui permet de progresser que d'une case. Après la case 25, le djinn progresse comme la père et la mère. Quelques exemples de progression du djinn. Soit un djinn en case 5,; le joueur fait sig, place son pion en 7, rejQuelques exemples de progression du djinn. Soit un djinn en case 5,; le joueur fait sig, place son pion en 7, rejoue et fait trois; il place son pion en 12 où il est arrêté par le Minaret. Soit un djinn en 22; le joueur fait sig de douze et sig; il va case 24 (1), case 25(2), case 26(3), case 27(4), case 28(5), au Caire (6, 7, 8) à Médine (9), à la Kaaba (10) et son deuxième pion, le djinn, a terminé son voyage. Avec le 11e point, le troisième ion, la mère, est amené dans le case de deepart, avec le 12e il va en 2 et avec le 13e, il va en 3. Soit un djinn en 22; le joueur fait sig de six et sig; il va case 24 (1), case 25(2), case 26(3), case 27(4), case 28(5), au Caire (6, 7, 8); il devra faire un sig pour sortir du Caire. Fin de la partie. Gagne le joueur qui, le premier, a conduit tous ses pions, l'un après l'autre à la Kaaba. Le nombre de joueurs n'est pas limité. "Bellin 1964: 56-59.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Bellin, P. 1964. "L'enfant saharien à travers ses jeux." Journal des Africanistes 33(1): 47-104.
Id DLP.Evidence.2125
Type Ethnography
Game Sig (El Oued Capture)
Location 33°22'4.12"N, 6°51'5.94"E
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 3x6 board. Six pieces per player, which begin one in each space in the row closest to the player. Six sticks, used as dice. One side is polished, and the other is rough. The value of a throw is equal to the number of polished sides which land face up. A throw of sig (five polished or five rough sides up) must be made to move a piece that has not yet been moved; a throw of sig moves it 1 and grants the player another throw. If at the beginning of the game six polished sides up are thrown, the player gets another throw. If this throw is a sig, the player's throw = 7 and the player may either free the first piece and move it seven spaces or free all six pieces, moving them each one, and moving the first piece the remaining one space. Also at the beginning of the game, if the player throws six rough sides on their first turn, they get three extra throws. If any of these three throws is a sig, the value of the throw = 13, and the player may free the first piece and move it thirteen spaces, or free all of the player's pieces, moving them each one space, and then moving the first piece the remainder of the spaces. Pieces move from left to right in the player's home row, right to left in the central row, left to right in the opponent's home row, right to left in the central row, and then left to right in the player's home row. When a player's piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is captured. The player who captures all of their opponent's pieces wins.
Content Account by bellin in El Oued: "Deuxième heu de sig. Le jeu consiste à prendre tous les pions du joueur adverse. Il se joue avec six baguettes tenant lieu de dés sur un damier de 18 cases (6x3) et avec 12 pions. Le vocabulaire usité est le même que pour le premier jeu de sig. Position des pions au départ. La position des pions au départ est indiqueee par la figure 9. Progression des pions. Le premier joueur fait avances ses pions comme l'indique la figure 10 et le deuxième comme l'indique la figure 11. Pour pouvoir faire sortir chaque pion de la case les joueurs doivent faire sig (5 et 1). Le sig de six et le sig de douze ne permettent pas de prendre le départ. Lorsqu;un joueur fait sig il avance d'une case et rejoue. Tout pion sorti de sa case d'origine progresse d'un nombre de cases égal au nombre de baguettes chh'am amené par le joueur. Prise. On prend le pion du joueur adverse qui se trouve dans la case où l'on arrête un de ses propres pions. sig de six. A l'ouverture du jeu, un joueur fait sig de six: il rejoue et fait sig: il a sept points. Il pourrait amener A dans la case 18 et prendre a. Mais son sig suivi d'un sig de six ou d'un sig de douze lui donnant la possibilité de sortir en un seul coup ses six pions de leur case de départ, sans avoir à refaire sig pour chacun d'eux, ce joeuru aura intérêt à amener A en 7, B en 1, C en 2, D en 3, E en 4, F en 5 et, pour son septième point, A en 8. sig de douze. A l'ouverture du jeu, un joueur fait sig de douze; il rejoue trois fois (s'il ne fait pas sig, c'est la troisième fois qui est la bonne) et fait sig la première, la deuxième ou la troisième fois: il a treze points. Il pourrait avancer A de treize case et revenir en 7 sans rien prendre puisque aucun pion adverse n'occupe cette case. La seule façon intelligente (v. supra) de jouer est d'amener A en 7, B en 1, C en 2, D en 3, E en 4, F en 5, A en 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 et enfin en 18 en prenant a." Bellin 1964: 59-60.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Bellin, P. 1964. "L'enfant saharien à travers ses jeux." Journal des Africanistes 33(1): 47-104.
Id DLP.Evidence.2126
Type Ethnography
Game T'mbl
Location Chaamba
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in the square. Three pieces per player, which begin on the three points on opposite sides of the board. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. The first player to place three of their pieces in a row along one of the lines which is not one of the sides of the square, wins.
Content Account from Bellin: "Jeu sur Damier: t'mbl. C'est le jeu de fart des enfants du Souf. Dans le Souf, il se joue à deux sur un damier de 25 ou 49 cases avec 24 ou 48 pions. Ici, les enfants tracent à la craie un carré ABCD, ses axes EF et GH et ses diagonales AC et BD. Les joueurs, au nombre de deux, disposent chacun de 3 pions. Au départ, l'un place ses pions en AEB et l'autre en DFC, ou bien, l'un en AGD et l'autre en BHC. Gagne celui qui, le premier, parvient à aligner ses pions sur le même axe ou sur sur la même diagonale du carré." Bellin 1964: 70-71.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Bellin, P. 1964. "L'enfant saharien à travers ses jeux." Journal des Africanistes 33(1): 47-104.
Id DLP.Evidence.2127
Type Ethnography
Game Buqruru
Location Haggar-Tidikelt
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 2x4 board. Six counters in each hole. At the beginning of the game, each player chooses one hole to be their sowing hole, from which each move on their turn must begin. The players agree on a direction of play, which is maintained throughout the game. Players alternate turns sowing from their sowing hole. The players may choose to sow one-by-one, two-by-two, three-by-three, four-by-four, and so forth, into the following holes. When the final counter lands in a hole causing it to contain two, four, six, or eight counters, the contents of that hole are captured. If the preceding hole also contains two, four, six, or eight counters, these are also captured, proceeding until there is a no longer a hole with two, four, six, or eight counters. If at the end of a turn a player sowed into the opponent's row and any of the opponent's holes contain two, four, six, or eight counters, providing the player sowed into them, the opponent captures these counters. In a players own row, if either player sows into a hole with an odd number of counters, making it an even number of counters, the player who owns that row captures the counters. Play continues until all of the counters are captured. A new round begins. Players fill up as many holes as they can with six counters. If a player cannot, they fill as many as they can with six counters, and place the remainder in a hole, either between two with six counters or after them, and erases any empty holes. Play continues as before. When one player has erased all of their holes, the opponent wins.
Content Account from Bellin: "Jeu sur damier: Buqruru. Connu des enfants touareg Hoggar, il se joue à deux sur un damier de 8 cases (4x2). Chaque joueur est "propriétaire" des quatre cases placées devant lui. Au commencemement de la partie chaque case renferme six crotte de chameau. Chaque joueur choisit dans ses cases une case de départ. Tout au long de la partie il déplacera ses pions en partant de cette case. Chaque joueur déplace ses pions dans un sens déterminé et contraire à celui de son adversaire. Chaque joueur prend en main la tatlité des pions de la case de départ—dont le nombre pet être en cours de partie inférieur ou de beaucoup supérieur à six—et les distribue à son tour, respectant le sens de progression qui lui est donné, un par un en début de partie ou deux par deux, trois par trois, quatre par quatre,...en cours de partie et si sa case de départ renferme un grand nombre de pions, dans les cases rencontrées, y compris les siennes. Si se case de départ renferme un grand nombre de pions, il pourra faire plusieurs tours changeant à sa guise pour chaque tour le nombre de pions distribués. Si las case où il laisse tomber son dernier pion en contient de ce fait2, 4, 6, ou 8, il prend ces pions, il les mange, que cette case soit à lui ou à son adversaire. De même il prend les pions des cases précédant celle où laissant tomber son dernier pion il a réalisé 2, 4, 6, ou 8 qui contiennent 2, 4, 6, ou 8 et ne sont séparées de la dernière ou séparées entre elles par aucune case renfermant un nombre impair de crottes. Il ne rejoue pas. Le joueur dont la case de départ ne renferme plus de pions saute son tour. Lorsque tous les pions ont été pris ou lorsqu'il n'en reste qu'un sur le damier, chaque joueur, avec les pions qu'il a pris, remplit ses propres cases. Celui qui possède plus de 24 crottes (6x4) conserve celles en excédent. Il rejouera le premier. Celui qui en possède moins opère ainsi qu'il est montré dans l'exemple suivant: Un joueur n'a que 14 crottes. Il en place 6 dans l'une de ses cases, 6 dans une autre et les 2 restantes dans une troisième qui peut être intercalée entre les deux premières ou leur faire suite, au gré du joueur. Il efface la case restée vide. Si un joueur doit effacer 2 de ses cases il doit un âne à son adversaire, s'il doit les effacer toutes il lui doit deux ânes et a perdu la partie. Si, dans une case m'appartenant renfermant un nombre pair de crottes le nombre de celles-ci se trouve porté, de mon fait ou de celui de mon adversaire, au nombre pair supérieur, les pions de cette case me sont acquis. Sauf dans le cas où cette case est celle où mon adversaire, laissant tomber son dernier pion, réalise 2, 4, 6 ou 8, ou l'une qui a précède sans en être séparée par une case contenant un nombre impair de crottes." Bellin 1964: 77-78.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Bellin, P. 1964. "L'enfant saharien à travers ses jeux." Journal des Africanistes 33(1): 47-104.
Id DLP.Evidence.2128
Type Ethnography
Game Aqrad
Location Haggar
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 7x6 board. Eighteen pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. When all of the pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to an adjacent empty square in an orthogonal direction. When a player places three of their pieces in an orthogonal line, they capture one of the opponent's pieces. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Account from Bellin: "Jeu sur damier: Aqrad. Se joue à deux sur un damier de 7x7=49 cases. L'un des joueurs dispose de 18 pierres, l'autre de 18 crottes. Chacun place à son tour un pierre—ou une crotte—dans la case qu'il veut. Six cases restent libres qui permettront de déplacer les pions. Le but est d'aligner trois de ses pions. Je ne cherche à réaliser cet alignement que lorsque tous les pions sont en place. D'ailleurs, avant ce moment, i lest extrêmement facile à mon adversaire d'intercaler l'un de ses pions entre deux de miens. Tous les pions étant sur le damier chacun à son tour déplace d'une case l'un de ses pions suivant les verticales et les horizontales. Celui qui réussit à aligner trois de ses pions sur une verticale ou une horizontale—mais non sure une diagonale—prend au joueur adverse son pion jugé le plus dangereux. Le gagnant est celui qui a pris tous les pions de son vis-à-vis." The 7x7 is an error; in a later table 7x6 and 42 spaces is confirmed. Bellin 1964: 91-92.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Bellin, P. 1964. "L'enfant saharien à travers ses jeux." Journal des Africanistes 33(1): 47-104.
Id DLP.Evidence.2129
Type Ethnography
Game Tides
Location Haggar
Date 1964-01-01 - 1964-12-31
Rules 5x5 board. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board, leaving the central space empty. Once all of the pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent space in an orthogonal or diagonal direction. A player may capture an opponent's piece adjacent to one of their own by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece. Multiple captures are allowed. The player who captures all of their opponent's pieces wins.
Content Account from Bellin: "Jeu sur damier: tides...Se joue à deux sur un damier de 5x5=25 cases. L'un des enfants dispose de 12 pierres, l'autre de 12 crottes. Chacun place à son tour une pierre—ou un crotte—dans la case qu'il veut. La case du milieu reste libre. On déplace ses pions suivant les verticales, les horizontales et les diagonales. On prend en sautant comme aux dames. On peut prendre plusieurs pions en un même coup à condition de progresser deux cases par deux cases, de ne pas sauter l'un de ses propres pions et de ne pas retomber dans une case déjà occupée. " bellin 1964: 92.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Spaces Outside
Source Bellin, P. 1964. "L'enfant saharien à travers ses jeux." Journal des Africanistes 33(1): 47-104.
Id DLP.Evidence.2130
Type Ethnography
Game Tavli
Location 35°30'49.50"N, 24° 1'5.40"E
Date 1994-09-01 - 1996-02-28
Rules Portes, Plakoto, and Fevga are played in succession. One point is awarded to the winner of each game, two points if the opponent hasn't moved pieces out of their starting quadrant. It is typically played to five or seven points.
Content Account of Tavli players in Chania, Crete as observed by Malaby in 1994-1996. Malaby 2003: 59-75.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Spaces Inside, Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Malaby, T. 2003. Gambling Life: Dealing in Contingency in a Greek City. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2131
Type Ethnography
Game Waurie
Location Grand Cayman
Date 1985-01-01 - 1995-12-31
Rules Two rows of six holes with two stores. Each player owns the store to their right. Four counters in each hole. Sowing occurs from any hole in the player's row in an anti-clockwise direction. Sowing includes the player's store but not the opponent's. When the final counter lands into the player's store, they play again. When a player has no more counters in their row, they win, even if it is now the opponent's turn and they could place counters in the player's row.
Content Account from Armstrong: "Island Wari board from the Caribbean island of Grand Cayman containing 4 gray nickernuts in each well. Island Wari is one of several versions of Wari (often referred to as Mancala games). Island Wari is played on a rectangular board with a row of 6 cuplike depressions or wells on each side AND a larger well at each end (between the 2 rows). Depending on who wrote the description, these wells are referred to as "bins," "cells," or "houses." Two players sit opposite each other (and opposite the 6 wells on either side of the board). The larger end well to the right of each player (as they face the board) is their "home base." Four nickernuts are placed in each of the 6 wells on both sides of the board (a total of 48) and the 2 home base wells are left empty. In the following diagram the wells are labeled A, B, C, D, E and F for one player and A', B', C', D', E'and F' for the opposing player on the opposite side of the board. For each player the wells are labeled from left to right, and each move is always made to the player's right (i.e. counterclockwise on the board). The toss of a coin determines which player shall start first. Moves are always counterclockwise (to each players's right) and consist of taking all 4 nickernuts out of a well on YOUR SIDE OF THE BOARD and placing one seed in each of the successive wells in a counterclockwise fashion. [As the game progresses, a move may involve more than 4 seeds, as nickernuts are moved around the board and accumulate in certain wells.] A seed is also placed in YOUR HOME BASE, but never in your opponent's home base. If your last seed ends up in YOUR HOME BASE you get another turn. In fact, this can be very good strategy to make sure you get another turn.
The object of Island Wari is to clear all of the 6 wells on your side of the board before your opponent can clear their side. To do this you must move the seeds to your home base and to your opponent's side of the board (but never to your opponent's home base). This requires a considerable amount of strategy and a lot of careful counting in order to prevent seeds from ending up on your side of the board again. Remember: The first person to clear their side of the board wins the game.
In the following illustrations your side of the board is shown as A, B, C, D, E and F, and your opponent's side is shown as A', B', C', D', E' and F'. We will start with a board at the initial stage of the game (i.e. with 4 seeds in each well--except for the 2 empty home base wells): Let's say that you won the toss and get the first turn. You pick up all the 4 seeds in well C and place one seed in wells D, E, F and your home base. Since your last seed landed in your home base you get another turn--but we won't show another move now.Now your opponent picks up all the 4 seeds in their well E' and places one seed in their well F', their home base, and your wells A and B. Now you pick up all the 5 seeds in your well F and place one seed in your home base (making a total of 2) and one seed in your opponent's A',B',C' and D'. In another move you pick up all the 5 seeds in your well B and place one seed in wells C, D, E, F and your home base. Because your last seed landed in your home base you get another turn. In the next example you pick up the seed in your well F and place it in your home base, thus giving you another turn. In the last example let's say you pick up all the 6 seeds in your well E and place one in your well F, one in your home base, and one in your opponent's wells A', B', C' and D'. Notice the number of seeds in different wells on the board: 5 in your home base, none in your wells B and E, 6 in your opponent's wells A', B', C' and D', etc." Armstrong 1997.
Confidence 100
Source Armstrong, W. 1997. "Island Wari and Mancala: Board Games from the Caribbean Islands and Africa." Wayne's Word 3. https://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/ww0603.htm. Accessed July 19, 2021.
Id DLP.Evidence.2132
Type Ethnography
Game Shing Quon Tu
Location 17 Cent Qing
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 98 spaces on the board. Six six-sided dice. One piece per player. Pieces are initially placed on the board based on the values of the throws of the dice, as follows:
Space one: two 1s;
Space 2: two 2s;
Space 3: two 4s;
Space 5: two 5s;
Space 6: two 6s;
Space 7: five of any number;
Space 8: six of any number;
Space 9: three 1s;
Space 10; three 2s;
Space 11; three 3s;
Space 12; three 4s;
Space 13; three 5s;
Space 14; three 6s;
Space 16; four 1s;
Space 17; four 2s;
Space 18; four 3s;
Space 19; four 4s;
Space 20: four 5s;
Space 21: four 6s.
From here, the players move to prescribed spaces based on the throw they make, based on the instructions for the space they are currently on. Most spaces require a throw of double 4 to move. Throws noted below are those for double 4, unless otherwise noted.
1, 2, and 3: to 37; double 2, 3, 5, or 6 move to 76;
4, 5, and 6: to 38;
7: to 73;
8: to 72; double 2, 3, 5, or 6 move to 60;
9: to 52; double 2, 3, 5, or 6 move to 23;
10: to 51;
11: to 50;
12: to 49;
13: to 48;
14: to 47;
15: to 55; double 2, 3, 5, or 6 move to 53.
16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21: to 23; double 2, 3, 5, or 6 move to 22;
22: to 23;
23: to 24;
24: to 25;
25: to 26;
26: to 27;
27: to 56; double 2, 3, 5, or 6 move to 25;
28 and 29: return to the previously occupied space;
30: to 32; double 1 moves to 29.
31: to 32, double 1 moves to 29.
32: to 33, double 1 moves to 29;
33: to 34; double 1 moves to 29;
34: to 35; double 1 moves to 29;
35: to 67; double 1 moves to 29;
36: to 66;
37: to 38; double 2, 3, 5, or 6 moves to 36;
38: to 39;
39: to 40;
40: to 41;
41: to 42; double 2, 3, 5, or 6 move to 30;
42: to 43; double 2, 3, 5, or 6 move to 31;
43: to 44;
44: to 45;
45: to 46;
46: to 89;
47: to 59; double 2, 3, 5, or 6 move to 54;
48: to 74; double 2, 3, 5, or 6 move to 65;
49: to 71; double 2, 3, 5, or 6 move to 54;
50: to 47;
51: to 50;
52: to 51;
53: to 54;
54: to 55; double 1 moves to 28;
55: to 56; double 1 moves to 28;
56: to 57; double 1 moves to 28;
57: to 58; double 1 moves to 28;
58: to 59; double 1 moves to 28;
59: to 71; double 1 moves to 28;
60: to 62;
61: to 47;
62: to 61;
63: to 65;
64: to 69;
65: to 64;
66: to 60;
67: to 70;
68: to 86, double 1 moves to 29;
69: to 84; double 2, 3, 5, or 6 move to 88;
70: to 68;
71: to 74;
72: to 90;
73: to 92;
74: to 75;
75: to 93;
76: to 77;
77: to 78;
78: to 79;
79: to 80;
80: to 81;
81: to 31;
82: to 91;
83: to 82;
84: to 83;
85: to 84;
86: to 85;
87: to 86;
88: to 87;
89: to 91;
90: to 92;
91: to 93;
92: to 94;
93: to 94;
94: to 97;
95: to 98;
96: to 95.
The player who throws a double four while in space 97 or 98 first moves to the palace and wins.
Content Detailed description of Shing Kun T'o as given to Hyde by the Jesuit Shen Fuzong. Hyde 1694: 70-101.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
, Lo, A. 2004. "Official Aspirations: Chinese Promotion Games." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel (eds.), Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York: Asia Society, 65-75.
Id DLP.Evidence.2133
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 41°49'31.40"N, 1°20'16.36"E
Date 0180-01-01BCE - 0120-12-31BCE
Rules 11x16 board.
Content 11x16 board, etched on a plastered stone, from building c7 at the Roman castellum at Puig Castellar de Biosca en Lleida, Catalonia. Requena and Sala 2021.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Household, Military
Source Requena, E. and Sala, N. 2021. "Una tabula lusoria en el castellum republicano de Puig Castellar de Biosca en Llaida, Catalunya (180-120 a.C.). Archivo Español de Arqueología 94. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3989/aespa.094.021.04
Id DLP.Evidence.2134
Type Ethnography
Game Mulabalaba
Location 17°51'6.58"S, 25°49'51.90"E
Date 1956-01-01 - 1956-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the corners and the midpoints of the sides. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. When a player makes a line of three of their pieces, they may remove one of the opponent's pieces. When all of the pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. A piece in the four outside corner spaces is allowed to move to any empty spot on the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Account from Chaplin: "A game which is popular in the Livingstone district is called mulabalaba by the Lozi, which is the same word used to describe the mancala game. The board is marked out on cardboard or a table, and is a pattern of three squares one insides the other with the corners and midpoints of the sides joined by straight lines. This is a typical three-in-a-line board. Maize seeds, whites and purples, are often used as counters. Each man has 12 and these are entered alternately. When either makes a line of three he can remove any one of his opponent's counters. When all the pieces are entered the main game begins; counters being moved along the straight lines to form lines of three, with resulting captures. Jumping is not allowed except that a player having a counter at an outside corner may move it wherever it likes. The loser begins the next rounds." Chaplin 1956: 170.
Confidence 100
Source Chaplin, J. 1956. "A Note on Mancala Games in Northern Rhodesia." Man 56: 168-170.
Id DLP.Evidence.2135
Type Artifact
Game Sheng Guan Tu
Location 32° 3'18.88"N, 118°46'24.32"E
Date 1368-01-01 - 1911-12-31
Rules The board is a square, with 72 rectangular subdivisions and grouped. each square has positions and titles, and instructions on when to move pieces to another space. Six six-sided dice. Players move according to the throws of the dice and moving according to whether those dice indicate virtue, ability, obedience, or corruption. The throws of the dice are: double 4s: virtue; double 6s: ability; double 2s, 3s, or 5s: obedience; double 1s: corruption. The goal is to achieve the highest rank, Tai shi (Grand Preceptor) which is in the central square of the board.
Content "Possibly the earliest surviving representation of a promotion game is preserved in the National Library of China. It is a square sheet, entitled sheng guan tu (official promotion diagram) and measuring 62 square centimeters, printed in Jinling (Nanjing) by Lei Weigong, with more than seventy-two departments. It is catalogued as a Qing-period (1644-1911) edition, but it may be a reprint of a Ming edition, as it contains Ming institutions such as the Jin yi wei (Embroidered Uniform Guard) and the Yuan ma si (Pasturage Office), among others. The number of dice has now been increased to six, with double fours for virtue, double sixes for ability, double twos, threes, or fives for obedience, and double aces for corruption. The highest position is tai shi (Grand Preceptor) and his ultimate retirement in glory.
Confidence 100
Source Lo, A. 2004. "Official Aspirations: Chinese Promotion Games." In C. Mackenzie and I. Finkel (eds.), Asian Games: The Art of Contest. New York: Asia Society, 65-75.
Id DLP.Evidence.2136
Type Artistic depiction
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 37°58'31.36"N, 23°44'10.49"E
Date 0001-01-01 - 0099-12-31
Rules 6x7 board, twelve pieces.
Content Terracotta figuring group, found during the building of the square in front of the Old Royal Palace in Athens. Three people, two men and a woman, around a square board with 6x7 grid. twelve pieces are on the board, some in the squares some on the lines. Michaelis 1863; Schädler 1994: 53.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female, Male
Source Michaelis, A. 1863. "Terrakottagruppe aus Athen." Archäologischer Anzeiger 13: 37-43., Schädler, U. 1994. 'Latrunculi—ein verlorenes strategisches Brettspiel der Römer.' Homo Ludens 4: 47–67.
Id DLP.Evidence.2137
Type Ethnography
Game Gabata (Three Players)
Location 14° 9'47.41"N, 38°53'36.72"E
Date 1971-01-01 - 1971-12-31
Rules Three players. One player controls a full row of six holes, which must be one of the outer rows, and the other two players each own two rows of three on the rest of the board. Play begins with three counters per hole. Sowing occurs in the following direction: from left to right in the outer row owned (or partly owned) by the player row, right to left in the player's half of the central row, proceeding to the opponent's outer row and sowing right to left, then left to right in the other opponent's part of the central row, then proceeding back to the outer row where the player began and proceeding as before. Sowing always begins from a player's own holes. When the last counter falls into an empty hole, the turn ends. If the last counter falls into an occupied hole, the contents of that hole are picked up and sowing continues. A hole is captured by dropping the last counter of a sowing into an opponent's hole which contains three counters, making it have four counters, and becomes a wegue. Captures cannot be made until after the original three counters placed in the holes at the beginning of the game have been moved. Once a wegue is created, the player cannot sow from it. When the final counter of a sowing lands in a wegue owned by the opponent, the player captures two counters from it. Play continues until all of the counters are captured or all of the counters are accumulated in wegue. A new round begins. Players then collect the counters in their captured holes. They count their takings by filling their holes with three counters each as in the beginning, and the player would own every hole they could fill with three counters. If the player has two counters remaining, they also gain another hole and the opponent surrenders their extra counter. At the end of play, if a player captures the opponent's single remaining hole as a wegue, the player captured three counters from it, leaving one for the opponent to continue to play. Play continues until one player cannot fill any holes.
Content Account from Pankhurst: ""Gabata in Northern Tigre is played on the three-row board already described for the central highlands of Eritrea, and, again as in those highlands, made use of three balls er hole. The mode of play is, however, radically different, the method of capturing in particular having more in common, s we shall see, with the games of central Ethiopia. The game is, however, played by basically the same cross-sections of the population as further north, and is similarly often a pastime during the celebrations after marriage. The Adowa Area The gabata of the Adowa area here described was played by two Haile Sellassie I University students, Alamayehu Gabra Heywat of Maymesham and Haylu Belay of the Gabriel quarter of the city. The arrangement of the board and direction of plat is the same as in the three-row gabata of the highlands of Eritrea. Normally the game would be played by two players, but three could also play, in which case one would own the whole of one row of six holes, while the two other players would each be allotted two rows of three holes on either side of the board. Players would move alternately (or in the case of three players consecutively) , without racing as in the highlands of Eritrea. The first plater would begin any-where on his side of the board by picking up the entire contents of any of his holes and would then drop the balls one by one in the ensuing holes, picking up the contents of the hole in which the last ball fell, and proceeding in this manner until he reached an empty hole after which he would stop, it being then his opponent's turn to move. EAch player, who could start a move only from one of his own holes, would have as his objective the capture of a hole on his opponent's side, preferably the latter's extreme left hole, known as ayni eda or "eye of the house." (If the game was played by three players each would try to capture the hole immediately after his own block of holes in the direction of play.) The process of capturing, or wagika, the word employed for piercing with a spear, was effected by dropping the last ball in any hand into one of the opponent's holes containing three balls, which were thus increased to four. (This method of capture, as we shall see, is characteristic of several of the games further south). Such a hole was referred to as wegue, but could not be captured until the original clusters of three balls in each hole had been destroyed. A player could under no circumstances pick up the contents of a wegue he had captured, but could tax or "eat" mebelae, from s wegue belonging to his opponent, in which case he would put aside two balls, the last in his hand and one from the wegue, as his takings. Should the wegue become empty the opponent landing there with the last ball in his hand would pit aside only that ball, i.e., not two as previously, but whenever the holle filled again the previous method of "eating" involving two balls would be resumed. A player capturing a wegue continued his move, doing so by moving the contents of any of the holes on his side. The prolongation of the move was known as belu'eka sini, or "escorting." There was (unlike in some other types of gabata) no limitation on the number of wegue a player could capture, and the two players (or in the case of three players, all three)could simultaneously own such holes, for a wegue once captured could not be lost in that round. A player unable to move on account of lack of counters on his side (always excluding wegue holes from which he could not in any case pick up balls) would lose the right to play, but could do so again whenever in the course of play one or more balls returned to any of his usable holes. The round would come to an end when all the balls had been either captured and put aside or had accumulated in one or more wegue. The players would then count out their total takings i.e., those removed from the board or accumulated in wegue, by putting them back in their holes three by three. A player winning two or more than his original complement of counters would capture holes from his opponent, one hole for every three balls captured, and would take these from his opponent's left-hand holes. Whenever a player found himself with an extra two counters, he would gain a complete hole, for his opponent, with one extra counter, would surrender the latter to him. If towards the end of the game a player was reduced to one hole which was subsequently captured as a wegue the capturer would pick up three of the four balls as his takings, thus leaving the other player one counters with which to continue to move. The game would be won when one or other player captured all the holes and thus became the victor." Pankhurst 1977: 164."
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
Id DLP.Evidence.2138
Type Ethnography
Game Tablo
Location 66°36'24.43"N, 19°49'22.66"E
Date 1873-01-01 - 1933-12-31
Rules 7x7 lines, forming a grid. 21 pieces per player. The pieces begin on the three rows closest to the player. Pieces move forward orthogonally or sideways, never backwards. A piece may capture an adjacent opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty adjacent spot immediately on the opposite side of it along the lines of the board. The player who captures all of their opponent's pieces or who blocks them from being able to move wins.
Content Account of game from Anta Pirak, a Sámi man from Jokkmokk, Sweden, born in 1873: "Ett tidsfördriv ekker nöje var ocksä något, som man kallade att spela "tablo". Stora barn kunde redan spela tablo. Och unga människor spelade, i synnerhet unga karlar. Ibland spelade även gamla karlar tablo.
På ett bräde ristades med en kniv en fyrkantig figur. Fem linjer skuros därefter på tvären inne i figuren och fem linjer längs efter med lika stort avstånd mellan linjerna. Då man skulle börja spela, bröt den ene av en riskvist utan att skala av barken, den andre skalade av barken på sitt ris, och så bröto de dem i små bitar. Dessa bitar voro deras män. På varje ställe, där en linje mötte en annan, som kom tvärt överm skulle en man stå, så att den ena parten flyttade sina män på tre linjer. Den sjunde linjen fick vara tom. Den ena sköt sin man framåt efter linjen ett steg. Då han kom så nära, att det inte var någon linje mellan dem, och en tom linje var bakom den man, så lyfte den andra parten sin man över den andra mannen och satte den på den tomma linjen samt tog bort den man, över vilken han fick gå. Då kom han nära den andra husbondens man, och då lyfte denne sin man över den andra mannen och satte den på den tomma linjen. Då dödades den man, över vilken den andra lyftades. Männen fingo gå framåt efter linjen eller tvärt över efgter linjen, men man fick inte vända tillbaka. På detta sätt gick spelet framåt, och den ena dödade, då han kom så nära, som sagt är. Då mannen minskades i antal och den ena var skickligare att spela, så stängde han slutligenin den andra i något hörn och dödade alla hans män. Då två, som voro nästan lika skickliga, började spela med varandram höllo de på mycket länge. " Grundström 1933: 17-18.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders Male
Source Grundström, H. 1933. Anta Pirak: En nomad och hans liv. Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksells Boktryckeri-A.-B.
Id DLP.Evidence.2139
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Qatranj
Location 30°20'22.60"N, 76°22'51.92"E
Date 1901-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules 10x10 board.22 pieces per player. Pieces begin on the board in the following arrangement, and with the following movements: Outer row, from left corner: Rukh: moves orthogonally any distance; Ghora: moves orthogonally one space and then diagonally another space, jumping over the first space; Fil: moves diagonally any distance; Wazir: moves diagonally or orthogonally any distance; Shahzada: can move like the Wazir and like the Ghora; Padshah: moves one space in any direction; Kotwal: moves like the Shahzada; Fil, Ghora, Rukh. In the next row, the central two squares are occupied by the Urdabegini: move one space in the direction of the opponent's Padshah; the other spaces are occupied by Paidal: moves one square forward orthogonally or one diagonally to capture. The central two squares of the third row contain two more Ghora. Players alternate turns moving a piece to a space on the board. If one of the opponent's pieces is on the space to which a player moves their piece, the opponent's piece is captured. If the Padshah can be captured on the opponent's next turn, it is in check. The Padshah cannot remain in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins.
Content Desciption of Qatranj from Murray: "Three other games are supplied by Lala Raja Babu’s Moallim ul shatranj , 19
III. (13) Atranj or Qatranj , a variety of Decimal chess with 22 pieces
a side. Two diagrams are given of this game, one on p. 189 and a corrected
one on p. 340. The only difference consists in the names of the pieces. The
game closely resembles No. 11 above. The arrangement of the board is Shah, fl
(e10): Rukh, a1, j1 ; Ghora (Kt), b1, i1, e3, f3 ; F1 l, c1, h, with move of our
Bishop ; Bukhshi , paymaster, dl (g10), with move of modern Bishop + Knight ;
Wazir , el (f10), with move of our Queen ; Shahzada , prince, gl, with move of
our Queen + Knight ; Qalmaqini , armed female attendant, e2, f2, with
move ‘ one square towards the opponent’s King ’ ; Paidal (P), a2, b2, c2,
d2, g2, h2, i2, j2. The corrected diagram puts the Wazlr on d1 (g10) ;
Shahzada on el (f10) ; Padshah (K) on fl (e10) ; Kotwal , chief of police, on
gl , with the Bukhshis move ; and replaces the Qalmaqini by Urdabegini ,
armed female attendants." Murray 1913: 347; Sahib 1901: 320.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Nobility
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Sahib, L.R.B. 1901. Mo'allim-ul-Shatranj or Chess Monitor. Delhi: Imperial Book Depot Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2140
Type Ethnography
Game Tama
Location Armenia
Date 1934-01-01 - 1934-12-31
Rules 8x8 checkered board, with a black space on the bottom left corner. Sixteen pieces per player. Pieces begin on the second and third rows. Pieces move orthogonally or diagonally forwards or sideways. Pieces may capture only in an orthogonal direction, but not backwards, by hopping over an adjacent piece belonging to the opponent to an empty space on the opposite adjacent side of the opponent's piece. Multiple captures are allowed, and the maximum number of possible captures must be taken. When a piece lands on the last row opposite from the one where they began the game, it is promoted and may move in any direction and capture in any orthogonal direction. A piece may be promoted in the middle of its turn if further captures are possible. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "En orient, dans la région caucasienne de l'Arménie, se pratique un jeu de dames très différent de celui pratiqué en Europe. On l'appelle communément lejeu turc. Onj oue sur un damier de 64 cases, dont la grande diagonale blanche est orientée inversement à celle de notre jey (voir diagramme). On emploieune numérotation identique à celle employée dans le jeu des échecs, les lignes horizontales étant numérotées de 1 à 8, en partant du bas et les lignes verticales de a à h, en commençant par la gauche. On joue sur tutes les cases, blanches et noires. Cela ne nous permet pas de reproduire des compositions typographiques, ne possédant pas de matériel spécial à cet effet. Chaque partenaire, au début de la partie, aligne 16 pions sure les cases suivantes:
Comme on le remarquera, chaque camp laisse, au départ, une ligne horizontale libre derrière sol. Les pions marchent dans trois directions: horizontalement, verticalement et diagonalement, n'ais ne reculent pas. Ainsi, le pion blanc, placé à d3 peut jouer à c3, c4, d4, e4 et e3, e3 à condition, évidemment, que ces cases soient libres. Par contre, les prises ne peuvent pas s'effectuer que verticalement ou horizontalement, mais jamais diagonalement. Lorsque les Blancs atteignent la rangée 8, ou les Noirs la rangée 1, ils font dame. La dame circule et prend, suivant la même principe que dans notre jeu, avec cette différence que: Dans sa march, elle circule verticalement, horizontalement, et diagonalement; dans ses prises, elle ne procède que verticalement et horizontalement, mais jamais diagonalement. Une règle spécialeau jeu oriental: on fait dameen passant, c'est-à-dire quesi, au cour d'une prise, un pion vient à passer sur la rangée damante, il devient dameet continue sans interruption ses prises avec la valeur d'une dame." Schmidt 1934.
Confidence 100
Source Schmidt, W. 1934. "Le jeu de dames oriental." Le revue français du jeu de dames. 25: 393-394.
Id DLP.Evidence.2141
Type Ethnography
Game Shatranj (Algeria)
Location 36°45'9.59"N, 3° 2'31.54"E
Date 1901-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. May move like an Asb if it is not in check and has never been in check. 1 x Fers (counselor): Any distance orthogonally or diagonally; 2 x Rukh (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Pil (elephant): Any distance diagonally. 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No en passant. No castling. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a Shah can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The Shah must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. Stalemate results in a win for that player causing it. The game ends in a draw only when a player's final piece, being a Sarbaz, is lost, that player's Shah captures the opponent's only remaining piece, a Sarbaz.
Content Game of Shatranjas observed by Victor Cornetz in Algiers, and played by Sheik 'Ali and Sidi Zuaui: "Il giuoco di scacchi orientale
Il signor Cornetz, distinto amatore residente in Algeri, riferisce in un suo articulo pubblicato en "La Tribune", come in quella città si pratica ancora l'antico giuoco orientale. Esse viene conservato soltanto da alenní pochi indigeni del vecchio stampo, che fedeli alle loro intituzioni si rinniscono nel retrobottega di qualche ricamatore, giacchè sfuggono i caffè e particolarmente i caffe francesi. Il signor Cornetz, grazie alla sua conoscenza della lingua araba, è rinseito a farsi ammettere a quelle rinníoni e cosi si è trovato in grado di darei alenni cenui in proposito. SI giuoca sopra una scacchiere grandissimo, e nello stesso locale non si può fare che una partita alla volta; tutti gli altri giuocatori presenti formano galleria osservando il più rigoroso silenzio. Il colore è tirato a sorte, e per la prima partita il tratto è al Nero, nelle partite successive il tratto è a chi vinse. La posizionedei pezzi è come la nostra, soltanto che il Re e la Donna non si fronteggiano: ambedue i giuocatore hanno il loro Re a destra. I pedoni muovono sempre un passo alla volta; il Re non si arrocca mai, però una volta nel corso della partita può fare un salto di cavallo a ciò anche dopo aver fatto altre mosse, perònon deve trovarsi sotto scacco, ne sotto la minaccia dí uno scacco di scoperta, e non deve aver mai ricevuto scacco. Impattare vale perdere: il solo caso di patta effettiva si verifica quando all'atto in cui si perde l'ultimo pezzo o pedone il Re rimasto nudo può anche lui prendere l'ultimo pezzo o pedone avversario." Unione dell'Accademia di scacchi di Firenze 1901: 36-38.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Inside
Genders Male
Source Unione dell'Accademia di scacchi di Firenze. 1901. "Il giuoco di scacchi orientale."Rivista Scacchistica Italiana: 36-38.
Id DLP.Evidence.2142
Type Contemporary rule description
Game American Pool Checkers
Location 38°54'24.98"N, 77° 2'13.25"W; 40°46'24.64"N, 73°58'16.83"W; 30°19'22.21"N, 81°39'37.17"W; 42°19'52.03"N, 83° 2'44.44"W; 33°59'41.63"N, 81° 2'4.23"W; 33°44'56.39"N, 84°23'16.67"W; 40°26'26.20"N, 79°59'45.02"W; 39°57'9.33"N, 75° 9'55.05"W; 40°44'38.32"N, 74° 1'56.57"W; 41°52'41.12"N, 87°37'46.14"W; 38°37'38.62"N, 90°11'56.76"W
Date 1947-01-01 - 1947-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Twelve pieces per player. Pieces move forward diagonally to an empty space on the board. A piece may capture an opponent's adjacent piece by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece. Multiple captures are allowed. Captures can be made in a forward or backward direction. Captures are compulsory, but it is not required to choose a capture sequence that captures the most pieces. A piece which reaches the opposite edge of the board from where it started is promoted to a king. Kings move any number of spaces forward or backward. They also may capture a single piece if there is at least one empty space beyond it, and can change direction after a capture. Kings must also make all possible captures in a sequence. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Detailed account of the rules of Spanish Pool Checkers, with discussions of various problems and solutions provided by players throughout the United States. Black and Waters 1947.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders Male
Source Black, C. and A. Waters. 1947. The Secrets of Spanish Pool Checkers. New York: University Place Book Shop.
Id DLP.Evidence.2143
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj Shir Bakri
Location 30°20'22.60"N, 76°22'51.92"E
Date 1901-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. One player plays as two lions, placed on the two central spaces of the bottom outer row of the board, and the other player plays as 32 goats, arranged on the opposite four rows.
Content Board and starting position from Sahib 1901: 195. Accompanying Urdu text not translated.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Sahib, L.R.B. 1901. Mo'allim-ul-Shatranj or Chess Monitor. Delhi: Imperial Book Depot Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2144
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatr ikh Padan
Location 30°20'22.60"N, 76°22'51.92"E
Date 1901-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. Two players. Pieces and movement are as follows: King x1, placed on the sixth space from the left on one edge of the board: Moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. Pawns x8, arranged along the row in front of the king: moves one space forward orthogonally or one space forward diagonally to capture. The opponent's pieces are placed in the same position on the opposite side of the board. If the King can be taken on the next turn it is in check, it must not remain in check on the next turn. If the king cannot move out of check, checkmate is declared and the opponent wins.
Content 8x8 board, with Pawns in the second rows and kings in their normal starting positions. Urdu text of Sahib 1901: 195 not translated, but summary of rules given in Murray 1913: 347.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Sahib, L.R.B. 1901. Mo'allim-ul-Shatranj or Chess Monitor. Delhi: Imperial Book Depot Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2145
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj Diwana Shah
Location 30°20'22.60"N, 76°22'51.92"E
Date 1901-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. One player plays as one Shah, which can move like any of the other pieces. The other player has the usual complement of pieces, as in Chess. Pawns (x8): can move one space forward and capture one space forward diagonally; Elephant (or Chariot or Boat) (x2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Elephant (or Camel) (x2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Horse (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Vizier (x1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Shah (x1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally, but can also move like the horse on its first move, if it has not yet been checked. The pieces are arranged as in Chess, except the Vizier is place to the left of the Raja on both sides. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. When a pawn reaches the opposite edge of the board from where it started, it may be promoted to the more powerful piece that begins the game in that position, but only if one of these belonging to the player has already been captured. If this has not happened, the pawn cannot move to the final row. When a player can capture the opponent's Shah on the next turn, the Shah is in check, the opponent's next move must free the Shah from check. If the opponent cannot, it is checkmate and the player wins.
Content 8x8 board, and starting position with a full complement of pieces on one side and the other with a single Shah. The single Shah can move as any of the pieces. The standard rules for Hindustani Chess apply. Sahib 1901: 194; Urdu text not translated, but understanding of the rules as described in the text come from Murray 1913.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Sahib, L.R.B. 1901. Mo'allim-ul-Shatranj or Chess Monitor. Delhi: Imperial Book Depot Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2146
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Mig Mang
Location Sikkim; Tibet
Date 1959-03-01 - 1959-12-31
Rules 17x17 intersecting lines. 151 pieces per player. Each player begins with six larger pieces on the board, on the third line from the perimeter on all four sides, one piece on every fourth intersection, alternating between black and white. These pieces are never moved from the board. There is a star marking at each of these points. Players alternate turns placing one of their pieces on an empty intersection of the board. When a player encloses an area with their pieces, it becomes their territory, and any pieces of the opponent inside it are captured. The opponent cannot place one of their pieces inside a territory won on the previous turn. White plays first. When players can no longer play, the number of counters and each territory are counted to determine the winner.
Content Discussion of the rules of Mig Mang, as played by the Crown Prince of Sikkim, who learned the rules from his wife, a daughter of the Dalai Lama from Tibet. Fairbairn 1990.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Female, Male
Source Fairbairn, J. 1990. "Go on the Roof of the World." Go World 58: 10-15.
Id DLP.Evidence.2147
Type Ethnography
Game Mig Mang
Location Tibet
Date 1879-01-01 - 1882-12-31
Rules Name of the game, has "eyes."
Content "Among the games played by the Tibetans, there are some such as mig-mang or "many eyes"...Das 1902: 260.
Confidence 100
Source Das, S. C. 1902. Journey to Lhasa and Central Tibet. New York: E. P. Dutton and Company.
Id DLP.Evidence.2148
Type Ethnography
Game Wari (Alignment)
Location Navaro Zuaragu
Date 1914-01-01 - 1927-12-31
Rules 6x6 board. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on an empty space on the board. No captures may be made in the placement phase. When all of the pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving a piece orthogonally to an empty adjacent space on the board. When a player places three of their pieces in an orthogonal row, they remove one of the opponent's pieces. Lines of four or more do not capture. Moving a piece out of a line of four or more, making it now a line of three, does not capture. Lines of three made during the placement phase also do not result in capture. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Account from A. Cardinall, who lived in Ghana from 1914 for eighteen years, describing Wari from the "Northern Territories": "But a far better game that this, and one certainly worthy of being introduced at home, is the form of wari-it has many other names - which is played by the people of the north. Many times have I too entered the lists, and generally, in spite of the courtesy of my opponent, have lost. The board has thirty-six cups or squares in it. Only two players take part. Each is provided with twelve counters, either of different colour or size. Usually one has white beans and the other black beans. The board at the beginning is left entirely clear of any counters. Each in turn is allowed to place one counter in any unoccupied square until all twenty-four have been set in place. Then he whose turn it is to play is allowed to move one of his coutners to any vacant square (there are twelve left), which must be adjacent to the counter moved, but not diagonally so. If by so moving he is able to make a line of three of his own colour, he is allowed to remove any one of his opponent's counters. The latter then moves, and so the game continues until the board is cleared of one colour. It must be remembered that no counter may be removed until all the twenty-four have been set, and that only those lines made up of three after that entitle one to "huff" an opponent. A line of four or more counts for nothing, nor does the moving of one of four in a row, leaving a line of three, entitle one to an enemy piece. It is only the actual making of a line which counts, and the three must be in consecutive squares. This game always attracts a crowd of onlookers and is generally the cause of much gambling. Curiously enough the Ashanti does not take to it..." Cardinall 1927: 254-255.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Cardinall, A. 1927. In Ashanti and Beyond. ondon: Seeley, Service and Co. Limited.
Id DLP.Evidence.2149
Type Contemporary text
Game Andarraya
Location Castille and Leon
Date 1493-01-01 - 1495-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content Entry from the Vocabulario español-latino of Antonio de Nebrija: "Andarraia: Calculorum Ludus." Westerveld 2016: 141-142.
Confidence 100
Source Westerveld, G. 2016. The Origin of Checkers and Modern Chess Game, Volume 1. Blanca, Spain.
Id DLP.Evidence.2150
Type Ethnography
Game Wari
Location Ghana
Date 1914-01-01 - 1927-12-31
Rules 2x6 board with two stores. Four counters in each hole. Players alternate turns sowing from one of the holes on their side of the board in an anticlockwise direction. When a counter lands in one of the opponent's holes, making it contain six counters, those counters are captured. The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content Rules from A.W. Cardinall, who lived in Ghana from 1914: "But the people play a far more serious game than any of those outlined in the preceding pages. This is the game of "Wari." It seems that its extent is general throughout West Africa, and I believe the name "Wari" is almost equally widespread. However, the Ashanti claims wari as his own, and explains that wari is an Ashanti word, meaning "far," and is derived from the fact that the tokens with which it is played have "far" to go before the game is finished...Wari can be played on mother earth. It is generally played on a specially constructed board. This takes the form of a small table about three feet long and eight inches wide. The sides are each provided with six cups or hollowed-out squares, and at either end of the board is a larger receptacle. These last two do not enter into the actual play; they are merely to hold the counters or tokens captured. There are only two players and each has one of these receptacles for his use. The two sides are allotted one to each player, who owns that nearest to him. In each cup there are placed four counters. These are usually stones, cowries or seeds. There are thus forty-eight counters in all, twenty-four on each side, at the beginning of play. The play, being purely one of mathematical calculation, lends itself to many variations; but the commonest is as follows. A player may move the contents of any one of the receptacles on his own side, which is the one nearest to him. He thus has six squares each containing four counters. He must take all the counters in one square, and then drop one counter into each successive square to his right, following across into the squares of his opponent if necessary. His opponent does likewise, and as soon as six counters-no more, no less- are in one of his adversary's squares-the total of six being reached by his dropping one counter therein-he lifts those six from that square and puts them into his "prison" receptacle. If he makes six in his own squares, he cannot lift those." Cardinall 1927: 253-254.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Genders Male
Source Cardinall, A. 1927. In Ashanti and Beyond. ondon: Seeley, Service and Co. Limited.
Id DLP.Evidence.2151
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj (12x12)
Location 30°20'22.60"N, 76°22'51.92"E
Date 1901-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules 12x12 board. 22 pieces per player. Pieces begin on the board in the following arrangement, and with the following movements: Outer row, from left corner: Rukh: moves orthogonally any distance; Ghora: moves orthogonally one space and then diagonally another space, jumping over the first space; Dahja: moves orthogonally any distance; Ratha: moves orthogonally any distance; Fil: moves diagonally any distance; Wazir: moves diagonally or orthogonally any distance; Padshah: moves one space in any direction; Fil, Ratha, Dahja, Ghora, Rukh. In the second row are twelve Paidal: moves one square forward orthogonally or one diagonally to capture. Players alternate turns moving a piece to a space on the board. If one of the opponent's pieces is on the space to which a player moves their piece, the opponent's piece is captured. If the Padshah can be captured on the opponent's next turn, it is in check. The Padshah cannot remain in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins.
Content Drawing of board and description of Shatranj on a 12x12 board from Mo'allim ul-Shatranj. Starting position given in the book; Murray's translation of movement and rules. Sahib 1901: 321; Murray 1913: 347.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Sahib, L.R.B. 1901. Mo'allim-ul-Shatranj or Chess Monitor. Delhi: Imperial Book Depot Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2152
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shatranj (14x14)
Location 30°20'22.60"N, 76°22'51.92"E
Date 1901-01-01 - 1901-12-31
Rules 14x14 board. 28 pieces per player. Pieces begin on the board in the following arrangement, and with the following movements: Outer row, from left corner: Rukh: moves orthogonally any distance; Ghora: moves orthogonally one space and then diagonally another space, jumping over the first space; Dahja: moves orthogonally any distance; Ratha: moves orthogonally any distance; Fil: moves diagonally any distance; Shahzada: moves diagonally or orthogonally any distance; Wazir: moves diagonally or orthogonally any distance; Raja: moves one space in any direction; Rani: moves one square in any direction; Fil, Ratha, Dahja, Ghora, Rukh. In the second row are fourteen Paidal: moves one square forward orthogonally or one diagonally to capture. Players alternate turns moving a piece to a space on the board. If one of the opponent's pieces is on the space to which a player moves their piece, the opponent's piece is captured. If the Raja can be captured on the opponent's next turn, it is in check. The Raja cannot remain in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins.
Content Drawing of board and description of Shatranj on a 14x14 board from Mo'allim ul-Shatranj. Starting position given in the book; Murray's translation of movement and rules. Sahib 1901: 321; Murray 1913: 347.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Sahib, L.R.B. 1901. Mo'allim-ul-Shatranj or Chess Monitor. Delhi: Imperial Book Depot Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2153
Type Ethnography
Game Okwe (Igbo)
Location Igboland
Date 1926-01-01 - 1926-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Players sow counters. When the final counter lands in a hole in the player's own row, captures are made from the opponent's opposite hole if it contains one or three counters.
Content "The commnest of all games is some form of the Arab Mancala, a kind of backgammon played with counters-generally seeds or small pebbles- on a board furnished with two rows of holes, about a dozen in each. It is everywhere in use, but chiefly perhaps in the Edo and Ibo countries; in the latter it is called Okwe, the name of the tree from which the seeds used for counters are obtained. Each person tries to drop his last one opposite the hole, in which his opponent has one or three, and, if he succeeds, captures these." Talbot 1926: 817.
Confidence 100
Source Talbot, P. 1926. The Peoples of Southern Nigeria. London: Frank Cass and Co. Ltd.
Id DLP.Evidence.2154
Type Ethnography
Game Konane
Location 19°38'23.86"N, 155°59'48.80"W
Date 1924-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules 10x10 board. The black player starts by removing one black piece either from one of the central four spaces of the board or from one of the four corners. The white player then must remove a white piece that is orthogonally adjacent to the empty space. Play proceeds by orthogonally jumping an opposing piece and capturing it. All moves must be capturing moves. Multiple captures can be made only by continuing in the same direction. The first player unable to move loses.
Content "As the game of konane has heretofore been described in little more detail than a game resembling checkers, I shall explain it as I learned it from a woman of nearly ninety years, Kaahaaina Naihe, from Kailua, Hawaii-the only native left who is known to be acquainted with the game...The 'men' we used were flat, black beach pebbles an inch in diameter and white coral pebbles of the same size. Kaahaaina thought these pebbles too large, she preferred ones of half this size and a board with positions for fifty white and fifty black pebbles...In the game of konane the two players sit opposite with the papamu set end on between them. Both players participate in setting (komo) the pebbles (ili) on the dots until they are all covered alternately with the black pebbles (ka eleele or ele) and the white pebbles (ke keokeo or kea). Then it is decided who shall pick up the first ili, which mst be one at the center (piko) one laterally next to it, or one at the corner. If the first person to choose picks up a black next to the center ili, then his opponent must pick up the white center ili, but; if he picks up a black corner ili, then his opponent must pick up a white one from one other side or the other of the corner. If a player removes a black at the beginning he plays with the blacks and removes whites which he jumps. The game now proceeds by each player jumping in turn. If a person can not jump in a turn, the game is ended, and the blocked man loses. Jumping must proceed away from or towards the player, to one side or the other, but never in two directions in one move and never diagonally. One may jump over and remove a line of men of rival color, providing there is a vacant position at the end of the line and providing none of the men are separated by more than one vacant position. The term holo means to jump and ku'i means to jump over the same course of the last move but in the opposite direction, thereby removing the man jump placed by the opponent. To win is ai, to lose is make....Men and women often played together." Emory 1897: 84-85.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder
Genders Female
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2155
Type Ethnography
Game Samoan Game
Location Samoa
Date 1899-01-01 - 1899-12-31
Rules 12x6 board, though other sizes are possible. Each player lines up their pieces in the first two rows of the long side. Pieces move one place only. Pieces do not jump when capturing.
Content "For evenings and rainy days there are indoor games. One of these is somewhat after the nature of checkers. The common mats which cover the floors of Samoan houses are woven in squares an inch each way. These mats afford a satisfactory substitute for a board on which to play. The boards are not composed of the squares of eight as in the familiar game, but are oblongs without an apparently fixed number of squares. Several games showed the employment of a board of twelve squares long and six across, the players placing two rows of counters at the long sides, advancing a single square at a time under all circumstances, and not jumping when capturing a piece. The game seems little played now." Churchill 1899: 567.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Churchill, L. 1899. "Sports of the Samoans." The Outing Magazine 33: 562-568.
Id DLP.Evidence.2156
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 36°19'50.25"N, 29°17'20.08"E
Date 0100-01-01 - 0699-01-01
Rules 8x8 board.
Content 8x8 board found at the Letoon in Xanthus, Turkey. Bell 2007: 98.
Confidence 100
Spaces Ritual
Source Bell, R. 2007. 'Notes on Pavement Games of Greece and Rome.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, 98-99.
Id DLP.Evidence.2157
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 38°25'7.92"N, 27° 8'18.71"E
Date 180-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 8x8 board.
Content 8x8 board found at the Agora of Smyrna. Ersoy and Erdin 2015: 151, 154.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public
Source Ersoy, A. and Ö. Erdin. 2015. "Antik Dönem Smyrna Agorasında Bulunan Roma Dönemi Ludus Latrunculorum ve Mankala Oyun Tablaları Üzerine İncelemne." In E. Okan and C. Atila (eds.), Prof. Dr. Ömer Özyiğit'e Armağan. Istanbul: Yayınlarış, 141-156.
Id DLP.Evidence.2158
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 38°25'7.92"N, 27° 8'18.71"E
Date 180-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 8x8 board.
Content 8x8 board; 5x5 area is damaged but original pattern is clear. Found in the area of the Bouleuterion of the Agora at Smyrna. Ersoy and Erdin 2015: 151, 155.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public
Source Ersoy, A. and Ö. Erdin. 2015. "Antik Dönem Smyrna Agorasında Bulunan Roma Dönemi Ludus Latrunculorum ve Mankala Oyun Tablaları Üzerine İncelemne." In E. Okan and C. Atila (eds.), Prof. Dr. Ömer Özyiğit'e Armağan. Istanbul: Yayınlarış, 141-156.
Id DLP.Evidence.2159
Type Artifact
Game Pente Grammai
Location 38°25'7.92"N, 27° 8'18.71"E
Date 675-01-01BCE - 685-12-31
Rules 2x5 board.
Content 2x5 grid found at the Agora of Smyrna. Ersoy and Erdin 2015: 151-152, 156.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public
Source Ersoy, A. and Ö. Erdin. 2015. "Antik Dönem Smyrna Agorasında Bulunan Roma Dönemi Ludus Latrunculorum ve Mankala Oyun Tablaları Üzerine İncelemne." In E. Okan and C. Atila (eds.), Prof. Dr. Ömer Özyiğit'e Armağan. Istanbul: Yayınlarış, 141-156.
Id DLP.Evidence.2160
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 37°31'46.55"N, 27°16'37.87"E
Date 180-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 8x8 board.
Content 8x8 graffiti board found at Miletus. Bell 2007: 98.
Confidence 100
Source Bell, R. 2007. 'Notes on Pavement Games of Greece and Rome.' In I. Finkel (ed), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum Press, 98-99.
Id DLP.Evidence.2161
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 37°40'18.87"N, 26°53'8.20"E
Date 0033-01-01BCE - 0499-12-31
Rules 11x12 board.
Content 11x12 board found on a reused marble slab at the Roman Era Heraion, Samos. Körfer 2017: 208.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public, Ritual
Source Körfer, A.-L. 2017. "Lector Ludens. Spiel und Rätsel in Optatians Panegyrik." In M. Squire and J. Wienand (eds.), Morphogrammata/The Lettered Art of Optatian: Figuring Cultural Transformations in the Age of Constatine. Paderborn: Wilhelm Fink Verlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.2162
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 24°38'39.69"N, 32°55'43.42"E
Date 180-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 7x8 board.
Content 7x8 graffiti board found in the remains of a village at Gebel el-Silsila, Egypt. de Voogt et al. 2020: 127.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source de Voogt, A, M. Nilsson and J. Ward. 2020. "The Role of Graffiti GAme Boards in the Understanding of an Archaeological Site: The Gebel el-Silsila Quarries." Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 106(1-2): 123-132.
Id DLP.Evidence.2163
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 24°38'39.69"N, 32°55'43.42"E
Date 180-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules 8x9 board.
Content 8x9 graffiti board found in the remains of a village at Gebel el-Silsila, Egypt. de Voogt et al. 2020: 127.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source de Voogt, A, M. Nilsson and J. Ward. 2020. "The Role of Graffiti GAme Boards in the Understanding of an Archaeological Site: The Gebel el-Silsila Quarries." Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 106(1-2): 123-132.
Id DLP.Evidence.2164
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 55°55'28.32"N, 4°21'47.59"W
Date 0142-01-01 - 0155-01-01
Rules At least 6x4 board.
Content Fragment of a board from Beardsley Fort on the Antonine Wall, Scotland. at least 6x4 preserved, could be 7x5 preserved. Breeze 2016: 93-94.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Administrative
Source Breeze, D. 2016. Bearsden: A Roman Fort on the Antonine Wall. Edinburgh: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.
Id DLP.Evidence.2165
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 55°59'49.30"N, 3°40'59.88"W
Date 0155-01-01 - 0165-12-31
Rules At least 13x16 board.
Content Fragments of a sandstone board, with at least 13x16 squares remaining. On the opposite side, 3 rows of circles may also be a game. Dunwell and Ralston 1995: 562, 564.
Confidence 100
Source Dunwell, A. and I. Ralston. 1995. "Excavations at Inverarvon on the Antonine Wall." Proeedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 125: 521-576.
Id DLP.Evidence.2166
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 43°11'54.30"N, 6°55'32.85"W
Date 0001-01-01 - 0100-12-31
Rules At least 12x17 board.
Content Stone slab with at least 12x17 grid. Lines are not well drawn. Villa Valdés 2000: Fig. 8.1.
Confidence 100
Spaces Military
Source Villa Valdés, A. 2000. "Descripción de las estructuras defensivas e trazado urbano no castro do Chao de San Martín (Grandas de Salime, Asturias)." Boletin do Museo Provincial de Lugo 9: 267-419.
Id DLP.Evidence.2167
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 44°38'6.62", 21°54'29.86"E
Date 0001-01-01 - 0599-12-31
Rules At least 3x3 board.
Content Incribed ceramic slab, broken, with at least 3x3 grid. Jeremic 2009: 50-51.
Confidence 100
Source Jeremic, G. 2009. Saldum: Roman and Early Byzantine Fortification. Belgrade: Institute of Archaeology.
Id DLP.Evidence.2168
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 44°49'24.26"N, 20°26'58.38"E
Date 0300-01-01 - 0699-12-31
Rules At least 4x3 board.
Content Ceramic fragment with remains of 4x3 grid. Found at the archaeological site at Rajiceva Street, Belgrade (ancient Singiudunum). Jankovic 2009: 56, fig. 12.
Confidence 100
Source Jankovic, A. 2009. Rimske igre na table u Singidunumu i okolini. Godišnjak grada Beograda 50-51: 55-68.
Id DLP.Evidence.2169
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 44°49'24.26"N, 20°26'58.38"E
Date 0300-01-01 - 0699-12-31
Rules At least 2x2 board.
Content Ceramic fragment with at least a 2x2 grid. Found at the archaeological site on Cincar Janka Street, Belgrade (ancient Singidunum). Jankovic 2009: 56, fig. 11.
Confidence 100
Source Jankovic, A. 2009. Rimske igre na table u Singidunumu i okolini. Godišnjak grada Beograda 50-51: 55-68.
Id DLP.Evidence.2170
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 44° 4'1.12"N, 16°46'44.51"E
Date 0030-01-01BCE - 0640-01-01
Rules At least 4x4 board.
Content fragment of a brick with the remnants of at least a 4x4 grid. From Halapići, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Busuladžić 2017: 194, 196, pl. 3.
Confidence 100
Source Busuladžić, A. 2017. "Roman Gaming Boards and Pieces: Unpublished Astragals, Talus and Calculi from the Antiquities Collection of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Glasnik Zemaljskog Muzeja Bosne i Hercegovine u Sarajevu: Arheologija 54: 185-208.
Id DLP.Evidence.2171
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 45°32'23.21"N, 10°13'33.36"E
Date 0072-01-01 - 699-12-31
Rules 8x8 board.
Content 8x8 grid from the Forum at Brescia. Mosca and Puppo 2012: 274-275, 278.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Mosca, F. and P. Puppo. 2012. "Riflessioni su dadi e giochi da tavolo nel mondo Romano." Histria Antique 21: 271-280.
Id DLP.Evidence.2172
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 43°43'8.07"N, 7°16'34.56"E
Date 180-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules At least 5x2 board.
Content Stone slab with remnants of a grid, 5x2 remain. From Roman Cemenelum, France. Mosca and Puppo 2012: 274-275.
Confidence 100
Source Mosca, F. and P. Puppo. 2012. "Riflessioni su dadi e giochi da tavolo nel mondo Romano." Histria Antique 21: 271-280.
Id DLP.Evidence.2173
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 41°58'26.41"N, 7°58'51.08"W
Date 0075-01-01 - 0129-12-31
Rules At least 6x7 board.
Content Terracotta fragment of a grid, with at least 6x7 preserved. From the Roman military site of Aquis Querquennis. Avelaira 2015: 66.
Confidence 100
Source Avelaira, T. 2015. "Aquae Querquennae (Porto Quintela, Ourense. España): Un campamento Romano en el NW de Hispania. Ephemeris Napocensis 25: 43-80.
Id DLP.Evidence.2174
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 43°13'55.91"N, 6°35'45.66"W
Date 0050-01-01 - 0299-12-31
Rules At least 8x5 board.
Content Board inscribed on a terra sigillata sherd with at least 8x5 remaining. Villa Valdés 2010-2012: 109-110.
Confidence 100
Source Villa Valdés, A. 2010-2012. "Grabados zoomorfos sobre pizarra y otros epíigrafes inéditos en castros asturianos." Sautuola 16-17: 97-112.
Id DLP.Evidence.2175
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 43° 9'39.09"N, 7°23'19.63"W
Date 180-01-01BCE - 699-12-31
Rules At least 11x12 board.
Content Slate board with a grid of 11x12 preserved from the Castro de Viladonga, Spain. Pintos 2017: 236-237.
Confidence 100
Source Pintos, J. 2017. Tableros de juego rupestres em el SO. de Galicia. REtrieved 11 August, 2021.
Id DLP.Evidence.2176
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 41°53'33.45"N, 8°52'10.54"W
Date 0050-01-01BCE - 0050-12-31
Rules 6x7 board.
Content 6x7 board found on the surface at Monte de Santa Tegra, Spain. Probably from the later occupation of the site. Pintos 2017: 235-236.
Confidence 100
Source Pintos, J. 2017. Tableros de juego rupestres em el SO. de Galicia. REtrieved 11 August, 2021.
Id DLP.Evidence.2177
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 52°57'38.20"N, 0°34'51.13"E
Date 0050-01-01 - 0199-12-31
Rules At least 3x5 board.
Content Two fragments of a chalk game board, one piece has 3x5 preserved, the other 4x3. From Thornham, fortified Roman-era site, thought to be built by indigenous peoples rather than Romans. Gregory and Gurney 1986: 13.
Confidence 100
Source Gregory, T. and D. Gurney. 1986. Excavations at Thornham, Warham, Wighton and Calstor, Norfolk. Norwich: Norfolk Museums Service.
Id DLP.Evidence.2178
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 53°48'2.87"N, 1°21'54.75"W
Date 0150-01-01 - 0199-12-31
Rules At least 2x5 board.
Content Fragment of a gritstone board at the Cedar Ridge site, Garforth, West Yorkshire, UK. 2x5 pattern preserved. From the mid to late second century phase. Owen 1998: 4, 28, 30-31, Fig. 18.2.
Confidence 100
Spaces Household
Source Owen, P. 1998. Excavations at Garforth, West Yorkshire. Gifford and Partners: Unpublished Report Series.
Id DLP.Evidence.2179
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°48'55.49"N, 156°59'14.72"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules 9x9 board.
Content 9a9 board from the site of Naupaka, Lanai, Hawai'i. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2180
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°47'23.64"N, 156°59'19.48"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules 9x13 board.
Content 9x13 board from the settlement of Kalama, Lanai, Hawaii. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2181
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°47'23.64"N, 156°59'19.48"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules 9x13 board.
Content 9x13 board feom Kalama, Lanai, Hawai'i. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2182
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°47'23.64"N, 156°59'19.48"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules 11x11 board.
Content 11x11 board from the settlement at Kalama, Lanai, Hawai'i. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2183
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°47'30.77"N, 156°59'17.28"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules 9x10 board.
Content 9x10 board from Kalama-ili, Lanai, Hawai'i. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2184
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°47'30.77"N, 156°59'17.28"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules 10x10 board.
Content 10x10 board from Kalama-iki, Lanai, Hawai'i. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2185
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°48'10.31"N, 156°59'14.11"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules 8x13 board.
Content 8x13 board from Keone, Lanai, Hawai'i. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2186
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°47'58.52"N, 156°59'22.29"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules 9x10 board.
Content 9x10 board from Kiei, Lanai, Hawai'i. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2187
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°49'34.15"N, 156°59'26.74"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules 11x13 board.
Content 11x13 board from Hunopu, Lanai, Hawai'i. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2188
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°53'24.96"N, 157° 3'42.45"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules 8x11 board.
Content 8x11 board from Keanapapa, Lanai, Hawai'i. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2189
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°53'24.96"N, 157° 3'42.45"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules 13x15 board.
Content 13x15 board from Keanapapa, Lanai, Hawai'i. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2190
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°55'9.67"N, 156°55'3.27"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1924-12-31
Rules 8x8 board.
Content 8x8 board from Kuahua, Lanai, Hawai'i. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2191
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°44'2.12"N, 156°57'51.60"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1874-01-01
Rules 13x20 board.
Content 13x20 board from Kaunolu, Lanai, Hawai'i. The last inhabitant left the site about fifty years before publication. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2192
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°44'2.12"N, 156°57'51.60"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1874-12-31
Rules 13x13 board.
Content 13 x13 board from Kaunolu, Lanai, Hawai'i. The last inhabitant of the site left fifty years before publication. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2193
Type Artifact
Game Konane
Location 20°44'2.12"N, 156°57'51.60"W
Date 1779-01-01 - 1874-12-31
Rules 15x15 board.
Content 15x15 board from Kaunolu, Lanai, Hawai'i. The last inhabitant of the site left fifty years before publication. Emory 1924: 84.
Confidence 100
Source Emory, K. 1924. The Island of Lanai; A Survey of Native Culture. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2194
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 54°59'22.95"N, 2°36'6.54"W
Date 0142-12-31 - 0154-12-31
Rules At least 9x15 board.
Content Sandstone paving stone from the debris above the Antonine I floor of Birrens Fort, UK. Appears to be mostly intact, 9x15 grid preserved. Robertson 1975: 33, 58, 100.
Confidence 100
Spaces Military
Source Robertson, A. 1975. Birrens (Blatobulgium). Edinburgh: T. and A. Constable.
Id DLP.Evidence.2195
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 43°27'35.31"N, 8°14'48.98"W
Date 0325-01-01 - 0375-12-31
Rules At least 6x7 board.
Content Incised board from a rubbish fill at the Roman site at Noville, Spain. 6x7 board, may be intact but some lines overlaping the edges could indicate that it has more than seven in a row. Pérez Losada 1993: 1058, Fig. 3.
Confidence 100
Source Pérez Losada, F. 1993. "Une pieza epigráfica excepcional procedente de Noville (Mugardos, A Coruña, Galicia. II Congreso Peninsular de História Antiga: Coimbra 18 a 20 de outubro de 1990: Actas. Coimbra: Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Coimbra.
Id DLP.Evidence.2196
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 53°13'18.08"N, 3°49'37.97"W
Date 0075-01-01 - 0399-12-31
Rules At least 3x4 board.
Content Fragment of slate, with a grid, 3x4 preserved. From the Roman Fort at Canovium. Reynolds 1938: 217-218.
Confidence 100
Source Reynolds, P. 1938. "Excavations on the Site of the Roman Fort at Caerhun. Seventh Interim Report. Small Finds." InKanovium Excavation Committee (ed), Excavations on the Site of the Roman Fort of Kanovium at Caerhun, Caernarvonshire." Cardiff: William Lewis Ltd.
Id DLP.Evidence.2203
Type Artifact
Game Polis
Location 40°45'16.81"N, 22°31'15.78"E
Date 0323-06-11BCE - 0146-12-31BCE
Content board game in light blue faience, grid of 11x11 squares
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Ignatiadou, D, 2019. 'Luxury board games for the northern greek elite'. Archimède, Games and play in antiquity 6: 144-159.
Id DLP.Evidence.2204
Type Artifact
Game Polis
Location 37°45'0"N, 26°50'0"E
Date 0323-06-11BCE - 0146-12-31BCE
Content board engraved in the proximity of the temple of Hera at Samos. Grid of 11x12 cases
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside
Source Schädler, U. 2013. Les jeux de pions. Archéothéma 31: 64-65
Id DLP.Evidence.2205
Type Historical rule description
Game Polis
Location 41°00'55"N, 28°59'05"E
Date 525-01-01BCE - 1194-12-31
Rules Eustathios, who wrote more or less a millennium after the game was played, relied on ancient sources and clearly misinterpreted their mention of the word 'dog'. It lead him to make confusion between the game of Polis and the game of astragals, in which the 'dog' corresponded to the lowest score.
In his commentaries he refers different times to an ancient text about greek board games, which he used as main sources on the topic and that he should have received as anonymous. We know that most probably it was the Suetonius' treaty on greek board games. From a close analysis of the information transmitted it seems quite clear that Suetonius and Julius Pollux, who lived both in the II century AD, didn't copied each others but probably made reference to older texts. Whether they had a direct knowledge of the game, is still academically debated.
Interestingly, some aspects of the rules of the Polis recurs identical in both the authors and so their texts could be considered as trustworthy, like the names given to the counters, to the game and the game mechanics in complex.
The later misunderstanding of Eustathios of the Polis boardgame could be caused by a hasty reading of Suetonius text by him, by some errors in the manuscript he had (interpolation in ancient texts by byzantine copyists were quite common), or by the fact that he couldn't refer this passage to some tangible evidence and moving in a speculative area he felt suitable to connect different board games by their similarity in terminology.
Content Eustathios, commentary on Iliad, 1290, 1-3 (comment on verse XXII, 88)
δηλοῖ δὲ ὁ ῥηθεὶς κύων βόλος ἁνταναίρεσίν τινα ψήφου· ἐν χώραις γάρ τισι διαγεγραμμέναις πεττευτικῶς, πολλῶν κειμένων ψήφων, ἅς ἐχρῆν ἀνταναιρεῖν, αἱ μὲν χῶραι πόλεις ἐλέγοντο νόμῳ κυβευτικῷ, κύνες δὲ αἱ ἀλλήλαις ἀντεπιβουλεύουσαι ψῆφοι.
"and the said throw dog signifies the [ant-]elimination of some piece, and while many pieces lying in some fields drawn by lines in the petteia way, which [pieces] one should [ant-]eliminate, the fields are called cities according to the dice rule, and the pieces that are planning against one another [are called] dogs."
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Id DLP.Evidence.2206
Type Historical rule description
Game Polis
Location 41°00'55"N, 28°59'05"E
Date 1140-01-01 - 1194-12-31
Rules As in the Commentary on Iliad, Eustathios overlap the game of astragals to the game of Polis.
Some contemporary scholars suggested different solution to this Eustathios' misinterpretation. Stephen Kidd (How to gamble in Greek: the meaning of Kubeia, JHS 137, 2017) suggests that all the games in which was possibile to gamble were called 'kubeia', literally 'dice'.
Ulrich Schädler on the other side consider the Eustathios comments merely as misunderstandings (The Talmud, Firdausi, and the Greek game 'City', in Step by Step. Proceedings of the 4th Colloquium Board Games in Academia, 2002).
Content Eustathios of Thessalonica, Commentary on Odyssey, 1397, 39-46: Ἔτι λέγει ἐκεῖνος ὁ τὰ περὶ τῆς καθ’ Ἕλληνας παιδιᾶς γράψας καὶ ὅτι τῶν κατὰ τοὺς ἀστραγάλους βόλων ὁ μὲν τὰ ἓξ δυνάμενος Κῷος | καὶ ἑξίτης ἐλέγετο, ὁ δὲ τὰ ἓν Χῖος, ἔτι δὲ καὶ κύων, ὅθεν καί τις παροιμία Χῖος παραστὰς Κῷον οὐκ ἐάσω, ἧς μέμνηται, φησί, Στράττις ἐν τῷ Χῖος παραστὰς Κῷον οὐκ ἐᾷ λέγειν. Ἔνθα ἐνθυμητέον καὶ τὸ τοῦ Κωμικοῦ πέπτωκεν ἔξω τῶν κακῶν, οὐ Χῖος ἀλλὰ Κεῖος καὶ νοητέον ὡς ἢ ἔσφαλται ἡ γραφὴ τοῦ Κεῖος ἢ ἀλλὰ παρῴδηται ὑπὸ τοῦ Κωμικοῦ. Περὶ δὲ τοῦ εἰρημένου κυνὸς κἀκεῖνο λέγει αὐτός, γραφὲν καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ, ὅτι εἶδός τι κυβείας καὶ πόλις, ἐν ᾗ ψήφων πολλῶν ἐν διαγεγραμμέναις τισὶ χώραις κειμένων ἐγίνετο ἀνταναίρεσις, καὶ ἐκαλοῦντο αἱ μὲν γραμμικαὶ χῶραι πόλεις | ἀστειότερον, αἱ δὲ ἀντεπιβουλεύουσαι ἀλλήλαις ψῆφοι κύνες διὰ τὸ δῆθεν ἀναιδές.
" Regarding the aforementioned “dog” the same writerF also says, as written elsewhere,G that there was a form of dice game called the City, in which several game pieces were located in certain delineated spaces and an alternating removal took place, and the outlined spaces were wittily called | “cities”, whereas the game pieces acting on each other were 45 called “dogs”, no doubt because of their shamelessness." (trad. E. Cullhed, 2016)
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2207
Type Historical text
Game Polis
Location 37°58'00"N,23°43'00"E
Date 525-01-01BCE - 1194-12-31
Content Aristotle, Politics, 1253a: ἐκ τούτων οὖν φανερὸν ὅτι τῶν φύσει ἡ πόλις ἐστί, καὶ ὅτι ὁ ἄνθρωπος φύσει πολιτικὸν ζῷον, καὶ ὁ ἄπολις διὰ φύσιν καὶ οὐ διὰ ΤΥΧΗΝ ἤτοι φαῦλός ἐστιν, ἢ κρείττων ἢ ἄνθρωπος· ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ ὑφ᾿ Ὁµήρου λοιδορηθεὶς “ἀφρήτωρ, ἀθέµιστος, ἀνέστιος”· ἅµα γὰρ φύσει τοιοῦτος καὶ πολέµου ἐπιθυµητής ἅτε περ ἄζυξ ὢν ὥσπερ ἐν πεττοῖς. "From these things therefore it is clear that the city-state is a natural growth, and that man is by nature a political animal, and a man that is by nature and not merely by fortune citiless is either low in the scale of humanity or above it （like the “ clanless, lawless, hearthless
” man reviled by Homer (Hom. Il. 9.63), for one by nature unsocial is also ‘a lover of war’） inasmuch as he is solitary, like an isolated piece at the game of the counters." (trad. H. Rackham, 1944. Emendate M. Tibaldini)
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2208
Type Historical text
Game Polis
Location 41°53'00"N,12°30'00"E
Date 0206-01-01BCE - 0118-12-31BCE
Rules This text describes the military supremacy of the Carthaginian general Hamilcar above the mercenary rebels as the one of a good player. Considering the parallelism established by Polybius between game and warfare, and considering also that he refers at the practice of surround isolated enemies, it seems quite clear that the authors is referring to the Polis board game.
Content Polybius, Histories, I, 84, 6-8:
τότε γὰρ ἦν, ὡς ἔοικε, συνιδεῖν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας πηλίκην ἔχει διαφορὰν ἐμπειρία μεθοδικὴ καὶ στρατηγικὴ δύναμις ἀπειρίας καὶ τριβῆς ἀλόγου καὶ στρατιωτικῆς. πολλοὺς μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐν ταῖς κατὰ μέρος χρείαις ἀποτεμνόμενος καὶ συγκλείων ὥσπερ ἀγαθὸς πεττευτὴς ἀμαχεὶ διέφθειρε, πολλοὺς δ᾽ ἐν τοῖς ὁλοσχερέσι κινδύνοις τοὺς μὲν εἰς ἐνέδρας ἀνυπονοήτους ἐπαγόμενος ἀνῄρει, τοῖς δ᾽ ἀνελπίστως καὶ παραδόξως ποτὲ μὲν μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν ποτὲ δὲ νύκτωρ ἐπιφαινόμενος ἐξέπληττεν: ὧν ὅσους λάβοι ζωγρίᾳ, πάντας παρέβαλλε τοῖς θηρίοις.
It was, in fact, a real and practical illustration of the difference between scientific and unscientific warfare: between the art of a general and the mechanical movements of a soldier. Like a good draught-player, by isolating and surrounding them, he destroyed large numbers in detail without coming to a general engagement at all; and in movements of more importance he cut off many without resistance by enticing them into ambushes; while he threw others into utter dismay by suddenly appearing where they least expected him, sometimes by day and sometimes by night: and all whom he took alive he threw to the elephants. (trad. Evelyn S. Shuckburgh, 1889).
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2209
Type Historical text
Game Polis
Location 37°59'03"N,23°43'41"E
Date 0485-01-01BCE - 0406-12-31BCE
Rules This passage of Euripides don't mention expressly the Polis game, but the word 'polis', with reference to its political and administrative meaning, recurs before and after this passage. It seems that in this case Euripides was playing on the double meaning of the word 'polis', which could indicate both the game and the political institution.
Content Euripides, Suppliants, 409-410:
Κῆρυξ: τίς γῆς τύραννος; πρὸς τίν᾽ ἀγγεῖλαί με χρὴ λόγους Κρέοντος, ὃς κρατεῖ Κάδμου χθονὸς Ἐτεοκλέους θανόντος ἀμφ᾽ ἑπταστόμους
πύλας ἀδελφῇ χειρὶ Πολυνείκους ὕπο;
Θησεύς: πρῶτον μὲν ἤρξω τοῦ λόγου ψευδῶς, ξένε, ζητῶν τύραννον ἐνθάδ᾽: οὐ γὰρ ἄρχεται ἑνὸς πρὸς ἀνδρός, ἀλλ᾽ ἐλευθέρα πόλις. δῆμος δ᾽ ἀνάσσει διαδοχαῖσιν ἐν μέρει ἐνιαυσίαισιν, οὐχὶ τῷ πλούτῳ διδοὺς τὸ πλεῖστον, ἀλλὰ χὡ πένης ἔχων ἴσον.
Κῆρυξ: ἓν μὲν τόδ᾽ ἡμῖν ὥσπερ ἐν πεσσοῖς δίδως κρεῖσσον: πόλις γὰρ ἧς ἐγὼ πάρειμ᾽ ἄπο ἑνὸς πρὸς ἀνδρός, οὐκ ὄχλῳ κρατύνεται […]
Theban Herald:
Who is the despot of this land? To whom must I announce [400] the message of Creon who rules over the land of Cadmus, since Eteocles was slain by the hand of his brother Polyneices, at the sevenfold gates of Thebes?
Theseus:
You have made a false beginning to your speech, stranger, in seeking a despot here. For this city is not ruled [405] by one man, but is free. The people rule in succession year by year, allowing no preference to wealth, but the poor man shares equally with the rich.
Theban Herald:
You give me here an advantage, as in a game of of the counters; [...]
(Transl. E. P. Coleridge, 1938. Emendate, M. Tibaldini)
Confidence 100
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2210
Type Historical text
Game Polis
Location 41°53' 00"N, 12° 30' 00"E
Date 0170-01-01 - 0250-12-31
Rules In this passage of the Heroicus, Philostratus don't mention directly the game of the Polis, but considering its strategical implications, it may be possible that this passage was referring to it.
Content Lucius Flavius Philostratus, Heroicus (Ἡρωικός) 33.3-4:
ὄντων δὲ τῶν Ἀχαιῶν ἐν Αὐλίδι πεττοὺς εὗρεν οὐ ῥᾴθυμον παιδιάν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀγχίνουν τε καὶ ἔσω σπουδῆς.
"When the Achaeans were in Aulis he (Palamedes) invented the game of the counters, which is not a frivolous one, but complex and intellectually demanding".
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2211
Type Historical text
Game Polis
Location 37°59'03"N,23°43'41"E
Date 0428-01-01BCE - 0347-12-31BCE
Rules In this passage Plato refers to a board game intellectually demanding, mainly played in silence. He don't specify the name of the board game, but the Polis would fit quite well this description.
Content Plato, Gorgias, 450c-d:
Σωκράτης
πασῶν δὴ οἶμαι τῶν τεχνῶν τῶν μὲν ἐργασία τὸ πολύ ἐστιν καὶ λόγου βραχέος δέονται, ἔνιαι δὲ οὐδενὸς ἀλλὰ τὸ τῆς τέχνης περαίνοιτο ἂν καὶ διὰ σιγῆς, οἷον γραφικὴ καὶ ἀνδριαντοποιία καὶ ἄλλαι πολλαί. τὰς τοιαύτας μοι δοκεῖς λέγειν, περὶ ἃς οὐ φῂς τὴν ῥητορικὴν εἶναι: ἢ οὔ;
Γοργίας
πάνυ μὲν οὖν καλῶς ὑπολαμβάνεις, ὦ Σώκρατες.
Σωκράτης
ἕτεραι δέ γέ εἰσι τῶν τεχνῶν αἳ διὰ λόγου πᾶν περαίνουσι, καὶ ἔργου ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν ἢ οὐδενὸς προσδέονται ἢ βραχέος πάνυ, οἷον ἡ ἀριθμητικὴ καὶ λογιστικὴ καὶ γεωμετρικὴ καὶ πεττευτική γε καὶ ἄλλαι πολλαὶ τέχναι,
"Socrates: Then amongst the various arts some, I take it, consist mainly of work, and so require but brief speech; while others require none, for the art's object may be achieved actually in silence, as with painting, sculpture, and many other arts. It is to such as these that I understand you to refer when you say rhetoric has no concern with them; is not that so?
Gorgias: Your supposition is quite correct, Socrates.
Socrates: But there is another class of arts which achieve their whole purpose through speech and—to put it roughly—require either no action to aid them, or very little; for example, numeration, calculation, geometry, draught-playing, and many other arts [...]"
(trans. W.R.M. Lamb, 1967)
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2212
Type Historical text
Game Polis
Location 37°59'03"N,23°43'41"E
Date 0428-01-01BCE - 0347-12-31BCE
Rules Plato don't mention the board game of the Polis, but makes reference to an unnamed game of counters whose strategical implications definitively recall it.
Content Plato, Republic, VI, 487c-d:
ὦ Σώκρατες, ἔφη, πρὸς μὲν ταῦτά σοι οὐδεὶς ἂν οἷός τ᾽ εἴη ἀντειπεῖν. ἀλλὰ γὰρ τοιόνδε τι πάσχουσιν οἱ ἀκούοντες ἑκάστοτε ἃ νῦν λέγεις: ἡγοῦνται δι᾽ ἀπειρίαν τοῦ ἐρωτᾶν καὶ ἀποκρίνεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου παρ᾽ ἕκαστον τὸ ἐρώτημα σμικρὸν παραγόμενοι, ἁθροισθέντων τῶν σμικρῶν ἐπὶ τελευτῆς τῶν λόγων μέγα τὸ σφάλμα καὶ ἐναντίον τοῖς πρώτοις ἀναφαίνεσθαι, καὶ ὥσπερ ὑπὸ τῶν πεττεύειν δεινῶν οἱ μὴ τελευτῶντες ἀποκλείονται καὶ οὐκ ἔχουσιν ὅτι φέρωσιν, οὕτω καὶ σφεῖς τελευτῶντες ἀποκλείεσθαι καὶ οὐκ ἔχειν ὅτι λέγωσιν ὑπὸ πεττείας αὖ ταύτης τινὸς ἑτέρας, οὐκ ἐν ψήφοις ἀλλ᾽ ἐν λόγοις: ἐπεὶ τό γε ἀληθὲς οὐδέν τι μᾶλλον ταύτῃ ἔχειν.
“No one, Socrates, would be able to controvert these statements of yours. But, all the same, those who occasionally hear you argue thus feel in this way: They think that owing to their inexperience in the game of question and answer they are at every question led astray a little bit by the argument, and when these bits are accumulated at the conclusion of the discussion mighty is their fall and the apparent contradiction of what they at first said; and that just as by expert counter-players the unskilled are finally shut in and cannot make a move, so they are finally blocked and have their mouths stopped by this other game of draughts played not with counters but with words [...]"
(trans. P. Shorey, 1969. Emendate, M. Tibaldini)
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2213
Type Historical text
Game Polis
Date 0347-12-31BCE - 0199-12-31
Content Pseudo-Plato, Eryxias, 395a-c:
Ἴσως γάρ, ἦν δ' ἐγώ, σὺ οἴει, ὦ Ἐρυξία, τουτουσὶ μὲν τοὺς λόγους, οὓς νυνὶ [b] διαλεγόμεθα, εἶναι παιδιάν, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἀληθῶς γε οὕτως ἔχειν, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἐν τῇ πεττείᾳ εἶναι πεττούς, οὓς εἴ τις φέροιτο, δύναιτ' ἂν τοὺς ἀντιπαίζοντας ποιεῖν ἡττᾶσθαι οὕτως ὥστε μὴ ἔχειν ὅτι πρὸς ταῦτα ἀντιφέρωσιν.
"I would dare, Eryxias, that you can consider those argumentations of us like a sort of game. You think they are unrelated to the real facts, but indeed they are like counters that a player can move in a such way that his opponent can't do any countermove"
This passage is contained in a pseudo-platonic dialogue, in which a later scholar tried to imitate the literary style of the greek philosopher. To achieve this scope, also a quotation of a board game, of which Plato made great use, could help. In fact this passage seems to be a reprise of the genuine platonic dialogue Republic, VI, 487c-d, which looks quite clearly related to Polis game.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2214
Type Historical text
Game Polis
Location 37°58'43.34"N, 23°43'28.45"E
Date 0428-01-01BCE - 0348-12-31BCE
Rules During the antiquity was more usual to refer at board game using general terms like 'playing dice' or playing at counters', but in this case the proximity of the word 'polis' in the previous or following sentences led us to think that the game here alluded was the Polis.
In this passage, Plato don't cite expressly it, but this passage is contained into a wider speculation about politics.
Apart from this wordplay, the game to which Plato makes reference demanded a certain skill and experience, and the Polis fits quite well with this requirements.
Content Plato, Statesman, 292e-293a:
Ξένος: μῶν οὖν δοκεῖ πλῆθός γε ἐν πόλει ταύτην τὴν ἐπιστήμην δυνατὸν εἶναι κτήσασθαι;
Νεώτερος Σωκράτης: καὶ πῶς;
Ξένος: ἀλλ᾽ ἆρα ἐν χιλιάνδρῳ πόλει δυνατὸν ἑκατόν τινας ἢ καὶ πεντήκοντα αὐτὴν ἱκανῶς κτήσασθαι;
Νεώτερος Σωκράτης: ῥᾴστη μεντἂν οὕτω γ᾽ εἴη πασῶν τῶν τεχνῶν: ἴσμεν γὰρ ὅτι χιλίων ἀνδρῶν ἄκροι πεττευταὶ τοσοῦτοι πρὸς τοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις Ἕλλησιν οὐκ ἂν γένοιντό ποτε, μή τι δὴ βασιλῆς γε. δεῖ γὰρ δὴ τόν γε τὴν βασιλικὴν ἔχοντα ἐπιστήμην, ἄν τ᾽ ἄρχῃ καὶ ἐὰν μή, κατὰ τὸν ἔμπροσθε λόγον ὅμως βασιλικὸν προσαγορεύεσθαι.
"Stranger:
Does it seem at all possible that a multitude in a state could acquire this science?
Younger Socrates:
By no means.
Stranger:
But in a state of one thousand men could perhaps a hundred or as many as fifty acquire it adequately?
Younger Socrates:
No, in that case this would be the easiest of all the arts; for we know that a city of a thousand men could never produce that number of finished draught-players in comparison with those in other Greek cities, still less so many kings. For the man who possesses the kingly science, whether he rule or not, must be called kingly, as our previous argument showed."
(trans. Harold N. Fowler, 1921).
Confidence 100
Ages All
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2215
Type Contemporary text
Game Polis
Date 0428-01-01BCE - 0347-12-31BCE
Rules In this passage Plato makes reference to an unnamed game 'of counters' as an allegory of the divine influence on human society. It was probably quite common, at his time, to consider the world as a board on which the humans were the counters and the gods the players.
The strategical framework of this allegory, in which some pieces could be placed into an unfavorable position according to the necessities of a greater design, could sound as a reference at the Polis board game for the Plato's contemporaries.
Content Plato, Laws, 10.903b-10.904a:
Ἀθηναῖος
πείθωμεν τὸν νεανίαν τοῖς λόγοις ὡς τῷ τοῦ παντὸς ἐπιμελουμένῳ πρὸς τὴν σωτηρίαν καὶ ἀρετὴν τοῦ ὅλου πάντ᾽ ἐστὶ συντεταγμένα, ὧν καὶ τὸ μέρος εἰς δύναμιν ἕκαστον τὸ προσῆκον πάσχει καὶ ποιεῖ. τούτοις δ᾽ εἰσὶν ἄρχοντες προστεταγμένοι ἑκάστοις ἐπὶ τὸ σμικρότατον ἀεὶ πάθης καὶ πράξεως, εἰς μερισμὸν τὸν ἔσχατον τέλος ἀπειργασμένοι: ὧν ἓν καὶ τὸ σόν, ὦ σχέτλιε, μόριον εἰς τὸ πᾶν συντείνει βλέπον ἀεί, καίπερ πάνσμικρον ὄν, σὲ δὲ λέληθεν περὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸ ὡς γένεσις ἕνεκα ἐκείνου γίγνεται πᾶσα, ὅπως ᾖ τῷ τοῦ παντὸς βίῳ ὑπάρχουσα εὐδαίμων οὐσία, οὐχ ἕνεκα σοῦ γιγνομένη, σὺ δ᾽ ἕνεκα ἐκείνου. πᾶς γὰρ ἰατρὸς καὶ πᾶς ἔντεχνος δημιουργὸς παντὸς μὲν ἕνεκα πάντα ἐργάζεται, πρὸς τὸ κοινῇ συντεῖνον βέλτιστον μέρος μὴν ἕνεκα ὅλου καὶ οὐχ ὅλον μέρους ἕνεκα ἀπεργάζεται: σὺ δὲ ἀγανακτεῖς, ἀγνοῶν ὅπῃ τὸ περὶ σὲ ἄριστον τῷ παντὶ συμβαίνει καὶ σοὶ κατὰ δύναμιν τὴν τῆς κοινῆς γενέσεως. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀεὶ ψυχὴ συντεταγμένη σώματι τοτὲ μὲν ἄλλῳ, τοτὲ δὲ ἄλλῳ, μεταβάλλει παντοίας μεταβολὰς δι᾽ ἑαυτὴν ἢ δι᾽ ἑτέραν ψυχήν, οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἔργον τῷ πεττευτῇ λείπεται πλὴν μετατιθέναι τὸ μὲν ἄμεινον γιγνόμενον ἦθος εἰς βελτίω τόπον, χεῖρον δὲ εἰς τὸν χείρονα, κατὰ τὸ πρέπον αὐτῶν ἕκαστον, ἵνα τῆς προσηκούσης μοίρας λαγχάνῃ.
Κλεινίας
πῇ λέγεις;
Ἀθηναῖος
ἧιπερ ἂν ἔχοι ῥᾳστώνης ἐπιμελείας θεοῖς τῶν πάντων, ταύτῃ μοι δοκῶ φράζειν. εἰ μὲν γὰρ πρὸς τὸ ὅλον ἀεὶ βλέπων πλάττοι τις μετασχηματίζων τὰ πάντα, οἷον ἐκ πυρὸς ὕδωρ ἔμψυχον, καὶ μὴ σύμπολλα ἐξ ἑνὸς ἢ ἐκ πολλῶν ἕν, πρώτης ἢ δευτέρας ἢ καὶ τρίτης γενέσεως μετειληφότα πλήθεσιν ἄπειρ᾽ ἂν εἴη τῆς μετατιθεμένης κοσμήσεως: νῦν δ᾽ ἔστι θαυμαστὴ ῥᾳστώνη τῷ τοῦ παντὸς ἐπιμελουμένῳ.
Athenian:
Let us persuade the young man by our discourse that all things are ordered systematically by Him who cares for the World—all with a view to the preservation and excellence of the Whole, whereof also each part, so far as it can, does and suffers what is proper to it. To each of these parts, down to the smallest fraction, rulers of their action and passion are appointed to bring about fulfillment even to the uttermost fraction; whereof thy portion also, O perverse man, is one, and tends therefore always in its striving towards the All, tiny though it be. But thou failest to perceive that all partial generation is for the sake of the Whole, in order that for the life of the World-all blissful existence may be secured,—it not being generated for thy sake, but thou for its sake. For every physician and every trained craftsman works always for the sake of a Whole, and strives after what is best in general, and he produces a part for the sake of a whole, and not a whole for the sake of a part; but thou art vexed, because thou knowest not how what is best in thy case for the All turns out best for thyself also, in accordance with the power of your common origin. And inasmuch as soul, being conjoined now with one body, now with another, is always undergoing all kinds of changes either of itself or owing to another soul, there is left for the draughts-player no further task,—save only to shift the character that grows better to a superior place, and the worse to a worse, according to what best suits each of them, so that to each may be allotted its appropriate destiny.
Clinias:
In what way do you mean?
Athenian:
The way I am describing is, I believe, that in which supervision of all things is most easy for the gods. For if one were to shape all things, without a constant view to the Whole, by transforming them (as, for instance, fire into water), instead of merely converting one into many or many into one, then when things had shared in a first, or second, or even third generation, they would be countless in number in such a system of transformations; but as things are, the task before the Supervisor of the All is wondrous easy.
(trans. R.G. Bury, 1967-1968)
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2216
Type Contemporary text
Game Polis
Location 37°59'03"N,23°43'41"E
Date 0525-01-01BCE - 0456-12-31BCE
Rules At the beginning of the Aeschylus' Suppliant Women the Chorus makes an allusion to a strategic board game in which was used counters. The text doesn't mention the use of dice.
Those verses actually are hardly understandable, but is possibile that for the contemporary audience of Aeschylus sounded as a reference to the Polis board game.
Content Aeschylus, Suppliant Women, 11-15:
Δαναὸς δὲ πατὴρ καὶ βούλαρχος καὶ στασίαρχος τάδε πεσσονοµῶν
κύδιστ᾿ ἀχέων ἐπέκρανεν, φεύγειν ἀνέδην διὰ κῦµ᾿ ἅλιον,
κέλσαι δ᾿ Ἄργους γαῖαν.
It was Danaus, our father, adviser and leader, who, well placing his counters, decided, as the best of all possible evils, that we flee with all speed over the waves of the sea and find a haven on Argos' shore.
(trans. Herbert Weir Smyth, 1926. Corrected M. Tibaldini)
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2217
Type Contemporary text
Game Polis
Location 37°59'03"N, 23°43'41"E
Date 0480-01-01BCE - 0406-12-31BCE
Rules Strategic board game, use of counters.
Content The popular athenian tragedian Euripides wrote a drama in which the protagonist was Erechtheus, the sixth legendary king of Athens and son of Pandion, another legendary king mentioned by Cratinus with reference to the Polis board game.
Willing to attack the Thracians, asked at the oracle of Delphis about the success of the initiative. The oracle answered that he should have first sacrifice his daughter. The queen, his wife, accepted the sacrifice since it would have been in favor of her city.
The following passage alludes at a board game played with counters in the framework of a strategical and political situation. This fact, added to the direct mention of the word 'Polis' in the same sentence, let us think that for the audience of Euripides should have sounded like a direct allusion to the Polis board game.
Euripides, Fr. 360N2, 5-13 in Lycurgus, Speeches (100, against Leocrates):
[...] πρῶτα µὲν πόλιν οὐκ ἄν τιν᾿ ἄλλην τῆσδε βελτίω λαβεῖν·
ᾖ πρῶτα µὲν λεὼς οὐκ ἐπακτὸς ἄλλοθεν,
αὐτόχθονες δ᾿ ἔφυµεν· αἱ δ᾿ ἄλλαι πόλεις
πεσσῶν ὁµοίως διαφοραῖς ἐκτισµέναι
ἄλλαι παρ᾿ ἄλλων εἰσὶν εἰσαγώγιµοι.
ὅστις δ᾿ ἀπ᾿ ἄλλης πόλεος οἰκήσῃ πόλιν,
ἁρµὸς πονηρὸς ὥσπερ ἐν ξύλῳ παγείς,
λόγῳ πολίτης ἐστί, τοῖς δ᾿ ἔργοισιν οὔ.
[...] first there is no state
I count more worthy to accept my gift
Than Athens, peopled by no alien race.
For we are of this soil, while other towns,
Formed as by hazard in a game of counters,
Take their inhabitants from diverse parts.
He who adopts a city, having left
Some other town, resembles a bad peg
Fixed into wood of better quality,
A citizen in name but not in fact.
(trans. J. O. Burtt, 1962. Modified M. Tibaldini)
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2218
Type Historical text
Game Polis
Location 38°28'56"N,22°30'05"E
Date 0046-01-01 - 0119-12-31
Content Plutarch, the exile, 604d-e:
τίς γὰρ εἴρηκε τῆς ἑαυτοῦ πατρίδος ἐγκώμιον τοιοῦτον, οἷον Εὐριπίδης:
ᾗ πρῶτα μὲν λεὼς οὐκ ἐπακτὸς ἄλλοθεν, αὐτόχθονες δ᾽ ἔφυμεν: αἱ δ᾽ ἄλλαι πόλεις
πεσσῶν ὁμοίως διαφορηθεῖσαι βολαῖς,
ἄλλαι παρ᾽ ἄλλων εἰσὶν εἰσαγώγιμοι.
For who has pronounced such an encomium on his native land as Euripides?
Where, first, the people are no immigrants
But native to the soil: all other cities,
Disrupted once, as in the game, have been
Pieced out by importation from abroad, [...]
(trans. H. De Lacy and Benedict Einarson, 1959)
Confidence 100
Ages All
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2219
Type Contemporary text
Game Polis
Location 37°59'03"N,23°43'41"E
Date 0428-01-01BCE - 0347-12-31BCE
Content In this passage Plato explicitly refers to the Polis board game in the framework of a political and military-strategical consideration. This allow us to hypothesize that other passages which refers in a such way to an unnamed board game in Greek literature, were in fact allusion to the Polis.
Plato, Republic, IV, 422d-e:
[...] ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν εἰς μίαν, ἔφη, πόλιν συναθροισθῇ τὰ τῶν ἄλλων χρήματα, ὅρα μὴ κίνδυνον φέρῃ τῇ μὴ πλουτούσῃ.
εὐδαίμων εἶ, ἦν δ᾽ ἐγώ, ὅτι οἴει ἄξιον εἶναι ἄλλην τινὰ προσειπεῖν πόλιν ἢ τὴν τοιαύτην οἵαν ἡμεῖς κατεσκευάζομεν.
ἀλλὰ τί μήν; ἔφη.
μειζόνως, ἦν δ᾽ ἐγώ, χρὴ προσαγορεύειν τὰς ἄλλας: ἑκάστη γὰρ αὐτῶν πόλεις εἰσὶ πάμπολλαι ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πόλις, τὸ τῶν παιζόντων. [...]
[...] “But,” he said, “if the riches of the others are gathered together into one city, I think that would bring danger to the city that is not wealthy.”
“You are blessed,” I said, “because you think it is appropriate to call something other than the kind we were establishing a city.”
“But what, then?” he said.
“It is necessary to address the others in grander fashion,” I said, “because each of them is a great many cities, but not a city, as said in the game.” (trans. Dobbs, 2018)
This passage of Plato was discussed also in by a Scholiast in Scholia ad Platonem, Respublica, IV 422e:
πόλεις παίζειν εἶδος ἐστι πεττευτικῆς παιδιᾶς· μετῆκται δὲ καὶ εἰς παροιμίαν
play the city: is kind of a game of counters from which came also a proverb.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2220
Type Contemporary text
Game Polis
Location 37°59'03"N, 23°43'41"E
Date 0428-01-01BCE - 0348-12-31BCE
Content In this passage Plato refers to a board game in which counters were used, which in the attic dialect were called 'pettoi' and 'pessoi' in standard greek. Christopher Dobbs prefers to not translate this word a present this game as a 'game of Pessoi', but considering the political framework of the passage, probably it alluded to the Polis board game.
Plato, Minos, 316b-c:
Ἑταῖρος:
οὕτω μέν, ὦ Σώκρατες, ὡς σὺ λέγεις, καὶ φαίνεται ταῦτα νόμιμα καὶ ἡμῖν ἀεὶ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις: ἐπειδὰν δ᾽ ἐννοήσω
ὅτι οὐδὲν παυόμεθα ἄνω κάτω μετατιθέμενοι τοὺς νόμους, οὐ δύναμαι πεισθῆναι.
Σωκράτης: ἴσως γὰρ οὐκ ἐννοεῖς ταῦτα μεταπεττευόμενα ὅτι ταὐτά ἐστιν.
COMPANION: In the way you are speaking, Socrates, the same things appear always lawful both to us and to others; but whenever I consider that we never stop changing the laws back and forth, I am unable to agree.
SOCRATES: Perhaps you do not understand that things moved in a game of pessoi are the same things.
(trans. Dobbs, 2018)
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2221
Type Contemporary text
Game Polis
Location 38°28'56"N,22°30'05"E
Date 0046-01-01 - 0119-12-31
Rules in the following passage Plutarch quote an idea already expressed by Plato and Euripides (and probably quite common among the Greeks): the counters spread here and there were wasted and useless. This passage most probably refers to the game of Polis, which, as reconstructed by modern scholars, would correspond very well to this idea.
Content Plutarco, De communibus notitiis adversus stoicos, XX (1068c-d):
τουτὶ γὰρ λέγει Χρύσιππος, ὡς οὐ δέονται μὲν ἐνδέονται δ ̓ οἱ φαῦλοι, πεττῶν δίκην δεῦρο κἀκεῖ τὰς κοινὰς ἐννοίας μετατιθείς.
Crisippos says right that: the depraved has no necessities, but is in needy, spreading common notions here and there like counters.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2222
Type Contemporary text
Game Polis
Date 525-01-01BCE - 1194-12-31
Rules game of counters.
Content A selection of proverbs in use at Alexandria of Egypt, traditionally (but improperly) attributed to Plutarch, include a voice about the game Polis, which is quoted both as a plural ('poleis', cities) and singular ('polis', city).
Corpus Paroemiographorum Graecorum 1.323 n° 1.14.
Πόλεις παίζομεν· πόλις εἶδος ἐστι παιδιᾶς πεττευτικῆς.
Play the cities: 'city' was also a game of counters.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2223
Type Historical text
Game Polis
Location 41°53'00"N,12°30'00"E
Date 0117-01-01 - 0138-12-31
Content Zenobius was a scholar, lately considered a paroemiographer (collector of ancient proverbs). He probably was of Greek origin and lived and taught in Rome at the time of the emperor Adrian. His collection of proverb included surely works of previous collectors, but interestingly he tries to actualize some entries for his audience. The voice about the Polis in fact report a changing in the name given to the cases, from 'poleis' to 'korais':
Zenobius, Corpus Paroemiographorum Graecorum, 5.67:
Πόλεις παίζειν: μέμνηται ταύτης Κρατῖνος ἐν Δραπέτισιν· ἡ δὲ πόλις εἶδός ἐστι παιδιᾶς πεττευτικῆς. Καὶ δοκεῖ μετενηνέχθαι ἀπὸ τῶν ταῖς ψήφοις παιζόντων, ταῖς λεγομέναις νῦν χώραις, τότε δὲ πόλεσιν.
Play the cities: mentioned by Cratinus in his 'female runaways'. And, the 'city' is a sort of game with counters. It seems that (this name) has been modified by the players that move the pieces, since now are called 'cases' and once 'cities'.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2224
Type Historical text
Game Polis
Location 41°53'00"N,12°30'00"E
Date 0117-01-01 - 1194-12-31
Rules game played on cases with 60 counters.
Content Pausanias the atticist, Lexicon Attikon (Παυσανίου Ἀττικων ὀνομάτων συναγωγή), Π 26:
πόλεις παίζειν · τὰς νῦν χώρας καλουμένας ἐν ταῖς ἑξήκοντα ψήφοις
Play the cities, now called 'cases' in the game of the 60 counters.
(in H. Erbse, Untersuchungen zu den attizistischen lexica, 1950. Pag.204)
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status All
Id DLP.Evidence.2225
Type Historical text
Game Polis
Date 0810-01-01 - 0893-12-31
Content Photios of Constantinople, Lexicon, π 1017:
πόλεις παίζειν· τὰς νῦν χώρας καλουµένας ἐν ταῖς ξʹ ψήφοις.
play the cities: today called cases in the 60 counters.
(in C. Theodoridis, Photii Patriarchae Lexicon, in 3 volumi, 1982-2013, Berlino, pag 246);
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.2226
Type Historical text
Game Polis
Location 31°12'00"N,29°55'00"E
Date 0400-01-01 - 0599-01-01
Content Among the ancient lexicon that has been preserved until our time, with its 51.000 voices, the Hesychius of Alexandria's one is the biggest.
It has been wrote in the eastern part of the Roman Empire during the V or VI century.
It includes also a voice about the Polis, which repeat information taken by different previous collections.
Hesychius insist on the ambivalence of the plural and singular form with which was possibile to refers at the game: city or cities.
The actualization "now called cases but once cities" seems to be spurious and probably was the result of a copying activity from the collections of previous authors. At his time the game was probably forgotten or changed name and this was probably the reason why he and the other lexicographers needed to include in their works a voice about this game. Eventually, for many scholars of the middle and late imperial period this expression quoted by several classics sounded too weird and needed to be glossed and explained.
Hesychius of Alexandria, Lexicon, col. 1257:
πόλεις παίζειν· παροιµιῶδες. καὶ δοκεῖ µετενηνέχθαι ἀπὸ τῶν ταῖς ψήφοις παιζόντων ταῖς λεγοµέναις νῦν µὲν χώραις, τότε δὲ πόλεσι
πόλις· εἶδος παιδιᾶς, καὶ παροιµία. πόλεις παίζοµεν
Play the cities: is a proverb. Also, its metaphorical use is derived by the counters' players, for now are called cases, but once 'city'.
City: is a game from which derived the proverb 'play the cities'.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.2227
Type Historical text
Game Polis
Location 41°00'50"N, 28°57'20"E
Date 0900-01-01 - 0999-12-31
Content Suda, Polis, voice π1911 (Adler):
πόλις· εἶδος παιδιᾶς, καὶ παροιµία. πόλεις παίζοµεν
Polis, a sort of a game and a proverb: 'they play the cities'
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.2228
Type Artifact
Game Polis
Location 31°35'35"N, 34°53'54"E
Date 0323-01-01BCE - 0112-12-31BCE
Rules Broken slab, grido of 11x8 squares
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Stern, I. 2019. Excavations at Maresha Subterranean Complex 169: Final Report Season 2000-2016: 127-128
Id DLP.Evidence.2229
Type Artifact
Game Polis
Location 37°04'01"N, 37°23'19"E
Date 0323-01-01BCE - 0400-12-31
Rules grid of 11x11 squares
Content A well preserved board games is displayed in the Archaeological Zeugma Museum of Gaziantep.
Its provenience should be the surrounding region and probably its original context has been submerged by the Euphrates waters after the building of the Atatürk Dam.
Unfortunately the archaeological museum is not responsive and since 2012 hasn't been possibile to get official information about this evidence.
Considering its eastern Anatolian provenience and the size of the board, which is quite unusual for the Ludus Latrunculorum, that generally presents a grid of 8x8 cases or similar, should be a board used for Polis. Its actually impossibile to define the chronological period of this item, it could date from after the hellenistic colonization of the region to its abandonment during the late imperial period.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Id DLP.Evidence.2230
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Latrunculorum
Location 43°19'45.96"N, 5°54'9.42"W
Date 0027-01-01 - 0068-12-31
Rules At least 9 x 5 board.
Content Fragment of a 9x5 board, reused as a building stone of Cabaña F36 at the Castiello de Llagú, Spain. Reused block from the Julio-Claudian pavement. Berrocal-Rangel et al. 2002: 128-129.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Berrocal-Rangel, L., P. Martínez Seco and C. Ruiz Triviño. 2002. El Castiello de Llagú (Latores, Oviedo): Un castro Astur en los orígenes de Oviedo. Madrid: Real Academia de la Historia.
Id DLP.Evidence.2231
Type Ethnography
Game Ikibuguzo (Opening 2)
Location Ikibuguzo
Date 1951-01-01 - 1951-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. Two counters in each hole. Opening play: PLayers rearrange their counters so that there are four counters in each hole of their outer row. If they play with the second array, the take turns sowing from each of the holes with four counters, beginning with the rightmost hole, placing two in the first hole and one in each of the following. Main phase: Play begins from any hole on the player's side of the board with counters in it. Singletons cannot move. Sowing happens in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last counter lands in an empty hole, the turn is over. For capturing: Holes are in 'opposition' when one player has the front row hole occupied and the opponent has both of the holes opposite it occupied. If the last hole in a sowing is in opposition, the player takes the counters in both of the opponent's holes and places them in the empty hole from which the player lifted the counters. The player then sows the captured counters from this hole. Further captures in the sowing can occur in the same way. However, each player has two hole from which clockwise plays can be made: the leftmost hole in the outer row and the second from the left in the inner row. Clockwise moves can only be made from these holes if they immediately lead to a capture. When the captured counters are sown, starting from the same hole, they can also be sown clockwise if they lead to a capture. If they cannot lead to a capture, they are sown anti-clockwise. Another alternative the player has is that, if the player plays clockwise from one of these holes and therefore makes a capture, the captured counters may be placed in the hole and left there, and the player may play instead from the other hole from which clockwise captures are allowed in a clockwise direction, if it leads to a capture. The player may continue playing from this hole as above until the possibilities to move are exhausted, and then may move from any hole in an anti-clockwise direction. Multiple captures can only be made in a clockwise direction from these holes if it is made on the first sowing of the turn. Otherwise, only one clockwise capture can be made and sowing must proceed in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last counter lands on a hole that is occupied but not in opposition, these counters are picked up and sowing continues. Play ends when one player captures all the opponent's counters or one player cannot play. The player who cannot play loses. A player may also win by capturing the counters from both of the opponent's end holes in the inner row in a single turn.
Content "8.3.4. Tanganyika, Bugufi; belgian Mandate, Urundi: Ikibuguzo; Tanganyika, Kilaya tribe, Bukoba Province: uruheso or Uruheisho (R. de Z. Hall, CP.) 4x8 holes . Two beans in each hole. A, O, a, o are reverse holes. Only differs from 8.3.3. in its opening play and in the addition of a second method of winning by taking the beans in the opponent's two front-row end-holes (I an P, I and p) in a single turn of play. Opening play. The players simultaneously rearrange theirs beans in one of several conventional arrays, both adopting the same array. Only two are given, as placed on the lower half of the board. The players then move alternately... Or, starting from the second array, the groups of four beans are lifted in turn and placed anticlockwise, two in the next hole and one in each of the two holes beyond. If in these operations a bean falls in a hole already occupied and that hole is in opposition, captures are made as in 8.3.2 and 8.3.3." Murray 1951: 217.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2232
Type Ethnography
Game Tavelspel
Location 64°59'23.75"N, 15°51'5.63"E
Date 1859-01-01 - 1899-12-31
Rules 13x13 intersecting lines. Two players. Each player has 26 pieces. Pieces begin on the two lines closest to each player, opposite sides of the board. Pieces move along the lines of the board to an adjacent spot. A piece can be captured by hopping over an opponent's adjacent piece to an empty spot immediately on the opposite side of it. Multiple captures are allowed. The player who captures allof the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Description of Tavelspel by O. P. Petersson as played by Swedish settlers in Dåres, Sweden: "13x13 intersecting lines. Two players. Each player has 26 pieces. Pieces begin on the two lines closest to each player, opposite sides of the board. Pieces move along the lines of the board to an adjacent spot. A piece can be captured by hopping over an opponent's adjacent piece to an empty spot immediately on the opposite side of it. Multiple captures are allowed. The player who captures allof the opponent's pieces wins." Petersson 1999: 402-404.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Petersson, O. 1999. Nybyggares dagliga leverne: Nybyggare iVilhelmina i mitten av 1800-talet. Borås: Språk- och folkminnesinstitutet och Vilhelmina kommun.
Id DLP.Evidence.2233
Type Ethnography
Game Dum Blas
Location 3° 4'19.51"N, 101°31'6.22"E
Date 1904-01-01 - 1904-12-31
Rules 10x10 board, with red and white checkeres squares. Twenty pieces per player, which are arranged on the first four ranks closest to the player. Pieces move diagonally one space forward. Pieces may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it diagonally to an empty adjacent square immediately on the other side of it. Pieces cannot capture in a backwards direction. The maximum number of pieces must be captured. If a player does not capture the maximum number of pieces, the other player may huff this piece, removing it from play. When a piece reaches the opposite edge of the board from where it started, it is promoted to king. Kings may move any distance diagonally, in a forward or backward direction. The player who captures all of their opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Our reader will be well acquainted with the name of Mr. H. O. Robinson, as one of our cleverest problemists. The gentleman is an Executive Engineer for the Civil Service, and is stationed at Selangor in the British East Indies. He writes to an English contemporary an exceeding interesting account of Malay Draughts.
The Malays, he says, play draughts on a board of 100 squares with 10 pieces a side. I believe I have seen a 144-square board in the state of Pahang when I was stationed there seven years ago, but the 100-square board is the one usually used by the natives. The game is known as Dum—it would be curious if the derivation of the word is akin to that of Dambrod—and the Malay is not at all particular what he makes use of for the pieces; stones, shells, fish bones, or anything that is handy. I have in my collection a set of circular fish bones, one set of men coloured red and the other the natural white. The boards are always in red and white squares; I have never seen a black and white one. The boards and men are roughly made as a rule; a....set being an unknown thing. The moves are about the same as Polish Draughts. I don't think there is any hard and fast rule about black or white moving first. The men move diagonally; take forwards but not backwards; the King moves one or more squares as in the Polish game. When there is more than one way of capturing, the greater number of pieces en pris must be taken; this rule applies to both men and kings...In a subsequent communication he wrote: In my notes on Malay Draughts sent to you a few days ago I omitted one or two rather important points. In addition to the "Main Dam" The game is also known as "Dum Blas" (blas signifies the huff) and "Dum papan" (papan means board). The player has the power to huff or compel the take, but not to let the piece remain on the board. It is quite immaterial as to whether the double corner is on the right or left. When playing with a native I have always insisted on the board being played according to our style of play, and have never had any objection raised to it. I my previous letter I stated that either black or white may move first; this is correct as concerns the first game played; in the succeeding games the winner of the previous game played moves first. The reason for this extraordinary rule is that it gives the loser a chance of imitating the moves of the better player." Rbinson 1904.
Confidence 100
Source Robinson, H. O. 1904. Letter to the Norwich Mercury. Norwich Mercury, 27 January 1904, 7.
Id DLP.Evidence.2234
Type Ethnography
Game Main Chator (Selangor)
Location 3° 4'19.51"N,101°31'6.22"E
Date 1904-01-01 - 1904-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves. The pieces are as follows, and placed on the outer rank in the following order, starting from the left corner and moving in, with the placement mirrored on the right side (the Mantri is placed to the right of the Rajah): Tor (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Kudah (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally, jumping over any intervening pieces; Gajah (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Rajah (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally; Mantri (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Bidah (8), placed in front of the other pieces: can move one space forward, or one space diagonally to capture. A Bidah may move two squares on its first move. Bidahs may capture en passant only when it is blocked from moving forward by another of the opponent's Bidahs; the blocked Bidah has the option in this scenario of capturing with an en passant move, with the option of capturing either of the two Bidahs in question. In addition, a Bidah in its starting position, cannot move forward one or two squares if it is the only Bidah able to capture an opponent's Bidah. If two Bidahs are in their starting position and both can capture the same opponent's Bidah, one of the Bidahs may move forward one square only.
The Rajah, for its first move may move like a Kudah as long as it has never been checked.
Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece.
Castling occurs by moving the Rajah to the left or the right two squares, regardless of any intervening pieces; the Tor is not moved as part of this move.
Promotion of Bidahs occur when they reach the opposite edge of the board, but only immediately if they reach the Tor's square. If it captures on the square next to the Tor's square, from the square in front of the Tor's square, it must move backward diagonally to the square in front of the Tor's square on a subsequent turn and continue before promotion. A Bidah reaching the Kudah's square must move backward diagonally once, to the right or left, before being promoted; a Bidah reaching the Gajah's square must move backward diagonally right or left two spaces, and a Bidah reaching the Raja or Mantri's square must move backward diagonally three squares before being promoted. Bidah's can be promoted to whatever piece the player wishes.
If the Rajah can be captured on the opponent's next turn, it is in check. The Rajah must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is impossible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins.
If a player is reduced to only their Rajah, it can make the move of any piece.
Content "Malay chess....The board, lob chator or papan chator...is of sixty-four sqaures, but with the squares all of one colour, usually the natural colour of the wood. The squares are marked by cuts in the board, and for some reason which the native himself is unable to explain, two diagonal cuts joining the opposite corners are always present on every Malay chess-board. The pieces, biwah chator, thirtty-two in number....The men are not always of different colours; a daub of lime generally serves to distinguish the white from the coloured...At the commencement of the game the Queen instead of being placed on her own colour, is stationed at the right hand of the King; this probably explains the reason why the board is uncoloured, or that there is no necessity for a coloured board....The King (Raja) moves one squre at a time in any direction. Castling is effected in various ways in different parts of the Malay Peninsula and Straits Settlements; the recognized method in Selangor is to move two squares whether a piece intervenes or not, but not in conjunction with one of the Rooks. This is permitted even if the King is in check. The King may, also before he is checked or moved from his own square, once move or take like a Knight...Toward the end of a game care must be exercised in not capturing all the opponent's pieces, for if the King be left solus the game is practically drawn as he may move just as he pleases, like a King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Rook or Pawn!...The Queen (Mantri, Minister of State) stands to the right of the King and moves as in the European game; so do the Bishops (Gaja, Elephant), the Knights (Kuda, horse), and the Rooms (Tor or Ter, chariot)...The Pawn (Bidak, from the Arabic) moves one space forward, takes diagonally, and at his [first] move either one or two squares...When a Pawn has reached the eight square on the ROok's file it queens at once; the player has also the option of selecting any other piece. If on reaching R7 a piece on Kt square is en prise and captured on the next move, the Pawn must move back one square diagonally before queening. On reaching the eighth rank of the Knight's file it has to mve back one square diagonally, either to the right or left, before queening; on the Bishop's files two squares, and on the King's or Queen's file three squares. With regard to taking en passant, the following position will illustrate the rule of the Malay game: White Pawns of Kt2 and R3,and Black Pawn on R5. If White moves P—Kt4, PxP en passant or captures the P on R3 as he pleases, but must always move diagonally. If there be no P on R3, then White can move P to Kt4 without being taken en passant; the reason the Malays assign for this rule is that the black pawn not being blocked has the advantage of moving. There are just one or two curious points more about the pawn's moves. Take White Pawn on R2, and black on Kt3, with White to play. P to R3 or R4 is not permitted; P takes P is the only move. Add another White pawn on B2, with White to play. In this instance either of the White Pawns is allowed to take the Black Pawn, or move if he chooses, but to the third square only." Robinson 1904: 6.
Confidence 100
Source Robinson, H. O. 1904. "Malay Chess." The Cheltenham Examiner 27 July, 1904, 6.
Id DLP.Evidence.2235
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Chaturanga (12x12)
Location 19°51'38.91"N, 75°20'35.95"E
Date 1871-01-01 - 1871-12-31
Rules 12x12 board. Pieces move as follows: Raja (King, x1): moves one space in any direction; Mantri (Minister, placed to the left of the Raja, x1): moves any distance orthogonally or diagonally; Ushtra (Camel, x2): moves diagonally any distance; Chariot (x2), moves orthogonally any distance; Flagcar (x2), moves diagonally any distance; Vaha (Horse, x2): move orthogonally one space and then diagonally another, jumping over any intervening pieces; Danti (Elephant, x2): moves orthogonally any distance. Padati (Pawn, x12): move forward orthogonally one space or one space diagonally forward to capture. When a Padati reaches the opposite edge of the board, it is promoted to a Mantri and is moved immediately to the space it last moved from. An opponent's piece is captured by moving one of the player's own pieces onto the space occupied by the opponent's piece. If the Raja can be captured on the opponent's next turn, it is in check. The Raja cannot be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is impossible, the opponent wins. When a player is reduced to only their Raja and Padati, the opponent wins. In the case of a stalemate, the player in stalemate may remove any of the opponent's pieces (except their Raja).
Content "Now a second metyhod of play is being explained, (i.e., the arrangement of the powers and their movement in a board of 144 squares. I shall now describe a second variety of the game (Chaturanga or chess). Draw thirteen lines horizontally and thirteen lines vertically at equal space thus making a square with 144 small squares within it. The position and movement of the king and other powers are the same as in the previous variety of the game with 64 squares. Only the additional differences are being mentioned below. Besides the powers in the 64 squares-play, there are two chariots, two flagcars and four more pawns in front of them on both sides, thus making 24 pieces on each side. The chariot moves like the elephant (rook) and the flagcar like the camel (bishop). The chariot is placed adjacent to the camel and the flag-car next to it (i.e., before the horsse). Note: in the 12 squares-play there are in effect four bishops and four rooks instead of two each in the ordinary play. Thus ends the second variety." Iyer 1982: 25-26.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Iyer, S. 1982. Indian Chess as Embodied in the Kridakausalyam of Pt. Harikrishna Sharma Jyotishacharya. Delhi: Nag Publishers.
Id DLP.Evidence.2236
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Chaturanga (Kridakausalya 14x14)
Location 19°51'38.91"N, 75°20'35.95"E
Date 1871-01-01 - 1871-12-31
Rules 12x12 board. Pieces move as follows: Raja (King, x1): moves one space in any direction; Mantri (Minister, placed to the left of the Raja, x1): moves any distance orthogonally or diagonally; Queen (x1, placed to the right of the Raja); moves orthogonally one space; Prince (placed to the left of the Minister, x1), moves orthogonally or diagonally any distance; Ushtra (Camel, x2): moves diagonally any distance; Chariot (x2), moves orthogonally any distance; Flagcar (x2), moves diagonally any distance; Vaha (Horse, x2): move orthogonally one space and then diagonally another, jumping over any intervening pieces; Danti (Elephant, x2): moves orthogonally any distance. Padati (Pawn, x14): move forward orthogonally one space or one space diagonally forward to capture. When a Padati reaches the opposite edge of the board, it is promoted to a Mantri and is moved immediately to the space it last moved from. An opponent's piece is captured by moving one of the player's own pieces onto the space occupied by the opponent's piece. If the Raja can be captured on the opponent's next turn, it is in check. The Raja cannot be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is impossible, the opponent wins. When a player is reduced to only their Raja and Padati, the opponent wins. In the case of a stalemate, the player in stalemate may remove any of the opponent's pieces (except their Raja).
Content "Now a third variety of this game is being stted. Now I shall explain a third variety of this game. Draw fifteen lines both horizonally and vertically with equal spacing thus making a big square with 196 small squares in it. The arrangement of the powers is the same as in the 12 square-play with this difference; viz., there are a queen and a prince with two extra pawns inb front on each side. The queen stands to the right of the king and moves also like him. The prince stands to the left of the minister and moves also like the minister. With these two additions the play is similarto that in the previous variety. Thus ends the third variety." Iyer 1982: 27-28.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Iyer, S. 1982. Indian Chess as Embodied in the Kridakausalyam of Pt. Harikrishna Sharma Jyotishacharya. Delhi: Nag Publishers.
Id DLP.Evidence.2237
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Cittabhramanrpasya Khelanam
Location 19°51'38.91"N, 75°20'35.95"E
Date 1871-01-01 - 1871-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. One player plays with the following pieces: Raja (x1): moves one space in any direction; Mantri (x1): moves any distance orthogonally or diagonally; Ushtra (x2): moves diagonally any distance; Vaha (x2): move orthogonally one space and then diagonally another, jumping over any intervening pieces; Danti (x2): moves orthogonally any distance. Padati (x8): move forward orthogonally one space or one space diagonally forward to capture. When a Padati reaches the opposite edge of the board, it is promoted to a Mantri and is moved immediately to the space it last moved from. The opponent plays as one Raja, which can move as any of the other pieces. This Raja cannot move to a space adjacent to the opponent's Raja. An opponent's piece is captured by moving one of the player's own pieces onto the space occupied by the opponent's piece. If the Raja can be captured on the opponent's next turn, it is in check. The Raja cannot be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is impossible, the opponent wins. Check and checkmate rules apply to the player with a single Raja.
Content "Now a fifth variety of the game, which is named a mad king's game, is being mentioned. In this game one side stands the king with al his powers in an eight-square board. On the opposite side stands the other king alone without any of the other pieces. The movements of the pieces are the same as in the ordinary game; but the single king can have the movement of any power as is necessary. The single king can capture an unprotected power of the opponent, can give check to the other king, but cannot occupy any adjacent square of the opposite king. He is also subject top checks as in the ordinary game." Iyer 1982:51-52.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Iyer, S. 1982. Indian Chess as Embodied in the Kridakausalyam of Pt. Harikrishna Sharma Jyotishacharya. Delhi: Nag Publishers.
Id DLP.Evidence.2238
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Shataranja
Location 19°51'38.91"N, 75°20'35.95"E
Date 1871-01-01 - 1871-12-31
Rules 10x10 board.Pieces move as follows: Raja (x1): moves one space in any direction; Crown Prince (placed to the left of the Raja, x1): moves like any of the other pieces; Kotwal (Police Chief, placed to the right of the Raja, x1): Moves like the Elephant and the Vaha; Mantri (x1): moves any distance orthogonally or diagonally; Elephant (x2): moves diagonally any distance; Vaha (two placed in front of the Queens, x4): move orthogonally one space and then diagonally another, jumping over any intervening pieces; Chariot (x2): moves orthogonally any distance; Queen (placed in front of the Raja and Crown Prince, x2): move one square orthogonally or diagonally; Padati (placed in the second row, except for the central two squares, x8): move forward orthogonally one space or one space diagonally forward to capture. When a Padati reaches the opposite edge of the board, it is promoted to a Mantri and is moved immediately to the space it last moved from. An opponent's piece is captured by moving one of the player's own pieces onto the space occupied by the opponent's piece. If the Raja can be captured on the opponent's next turn, it is in check. The Raja cannot be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is impossible, the opponent wins. When a player is reduced to only their Raja and Padati, the opponent wins. In the case of a stalemate, the player in stalemate may remove any of the opponent's pieces (except their Raja).
Content "Now a fourth method of the game (in a ten-square board) is being mentioned. Now i am explaining a fourth variety of this chess game. It is also called Shataranja and it has a board of 100 squares. Here only the variations in the names, positions, and movements of the pieces (from those in the ordinary eight-square board) are being mentioned. Acfter arranging the two sides separately as before, to the right of the king comes a kotwala (police chief) and to his right an elephant (in place of camel): a horse and chariot (in place of elephant); to the left of the king, the crown prince, minister, elephant, horse, and chariot. In front of the king and the crown prince stand their Begams (queens) and in front of them two horses. The eight foot-soldiers stand on either side of the two queens in line with them. (Now the movements of the extra pieces are being described). The movements of the King, minister, elephant, horse, and chariot are the same as those i the 8-square board. Note that here the elephant and chariot have been substituted here in place of the camel and elephant. The two queens move just like the King. The kotwal has the movements of both the elephant (camel) and the horse; and the crown prince has the movements of all the powers." Iyer 1982: 48-50.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Iyer, S. 1982. Indian Chess as Embodied in the Kridakausalyam of Pt. Harikrishna Sharma Jyotishacharya. Delhi: Nag Publishers.
Id DLP.Evidence.2239
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Pasang
Location Brunei
Date 1973-01-01 - 1973-12-31
Rules 11x11 intersecting lines, with the central nine points out of play. Diagonal lines connect the corners of the central square of the board to the outer corners. Played with two to four players. Black and white stones fill the board, alternating color, with black in the corners of the board. The first player captures one of the stones on one of the corners of the board. Subsequent moves involve capturing a stone by hopping over it with an adjacent stone to an empty space. Multiple captures are possible, but only one, three, five, or seven are allowed in a turn. If an even number of captures is possible, the final capture cannot be taken. Players are not required to capture as many as may be possible. The game ends when no more captures are possible. The player with the highest score wins: black stones count as one, white as two.
Content "Pasang. Pasang was played by women in the kampongs of Brunei, especially during the night-long ceremonies attending circumcision, initiation, and marriage. Two, three, or four players could take part. The board was made of hard wood, cmmonly kayu balian, mengaris, salangan batu or malangai. The playing surface was formed by a grid of scratched lines with the points of intersection converted into shallow cups. In the centre of the board occupying nine points was a store (gadong) about four and a half inches in diameter used to hold the balls (buah). The board had a raised border one inch wide and half an inch high to protect the balls from accidental displacement during play. Pasang boards varied in size and the number of cups, depending upon the wood available: frequently they had eleven by eleven lines, making 121 points of intersection, but the central nine points were covered by the store, leaving 112 cups for play. There were 56 white balls over half an inch in diameter and worth two points (kayu). The same number of black balls were slightly smaller in diameter and worth one point. One player arranged the balls on the board according to her fancy, or according to one of the many recognised and named opening patterns: Broken into Pieces (Figure 10); Youth; Running Cloud; Sticking Flower; Flower in a Vase; Chicken Leg; Ascent to a Palace; Composed Flower. When the initial arrangement of the pieces was complete the player called kas (start). Rules for Playing 1. The opening player began nby lifting a ball from any of the four cups at the corners of the board and placing it into her store. 2. The turns of play then passed clockwise to the next player on her left, who lifted one of the three possible pieces to jump over a piece into the vacant cup. The piece passed over was lifted and placed in her store. 3. Pieces could only move by making a short leap. More than one short leap could be made in a single turn of play, and the capturing piece could change direction, including along a marked diagonal. As pieces were captured they were removed from the board. 4. A player could only capture one, three, five, or seven balls in a turn of play. If two, four, or six were at risk, the turn finished short of the last piece, only three or five being removed from the board. 5. A player was not obliged to make all the captures possible in a move, onr to take the greater number of pieces if two or more formations were at risk. There was no huffing. 6. When no more captures were possible the game was finished, and any balls left in isolation were dead. The winner was the player holding the highest score in her store, white balls counting two points and black balls one point." Bell 1973: 19-21, who says "The author is indebted to the curator of the Brunei National Museum for obtaining an article written in Malay on pasang; and to Mr Rashid of the Department of Physiology, Singapore University, for translating it into English" (Bell 1973: 2).
Confidence 100
Spaces Ritual
Genders Female
Source Bell, R. 1973. Discovering Old Board Games. Aylesbury: Shire Publications.
Id DLP.Evidence.2240
Type Contemporary rule description
Game The Concentration Game
Location 6°19'3.94"N, 5°36'53.52"E
Ruleset Two Counters
Date 1948-01-01 - 1948-12-31
Rules Three rows of four holes; the central two holes in the middle row are stores. Each player owns the hole in the central row to their left. Ten counters in each hole. Players sow from a hole in their row, sowing first into the hole from which the counters were lifted. When the final counter lands in a hole containing two counters, these counters are captured. The player captures like this seven times. The eighth captures happens when the final counter falls into a hole containing one counter; the next capture from a hole containing three; the next from a hole containing five; then repeating the pattern of one, three, five for the rest of the game. The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content "Concentration Game. This chapter 1 is the simplest part of the games. the Urise or gameboard consists of twelve holes Ten of these are holes for the dice in play. The two holes in the middle are called "Oguiro" and serve as stores where the winning dice are deposited. Each of the ten holes contains ten dice, making one hundred dice in all. The ten holes are composed of two leaders. They are:—The Edogun and the Oza, facing each other in the middle of the holes, and are partitioned by the two storing holes The game is played by two persons. Cowries are used as dice. Edogun is the leader of the righthand side and Oza the leader of the lefthand side. The Edogun plays or throws the dice first, next the Oza and then alternately. As a rule, no hole should be left to remain empty without a dice therein, except the holes where the dice are won. The following is the method of playing the game:—Two dice usually win another two dice in the holes seven times at each play and then revert to win one, three, five, and so on...A winner is known by the surplus of his dice and the loser is also known by smaller number of his dice in the holes, after the game has been played through." Egharevba 1951: 7.
Confidence 100
Source Egharevba, J. 1951. Benin Games and Sports. Sapele: Central Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2241
Type Contemporary rule description
Game The Concentration Game
Location 6°19'3.94"N, 5°36'53.52" E
Ruleset Three Counters
Date 1948-01-01 - 1948-12-31
Rules Three rows of four holes; the central two holes in the middle row are stores. Each player owns the hole in the central row to their left. Ten counters in each hole. Players sow from a hole in their row, sowing first into the hole from which the counters were lifted. Captures are made when the final counter lands in a hole containing three counters. The first three captures are made in this way. The fourth capture is made from a hole containing one counter, he next from a hole with three, the next from a hole with five, repeating in the pattern of one, three, five.The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content "Three dice wont(sic) win another three dice in the hols three times and then revert to win one, three and five dice." Egharevba 1951: 7.
Confidence 100
Source Egharevba, J. 1951. Benin Games and Sports. Sapele: Central Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2242
Type Contemporary rule description
Game The Concentration Game
Location 6°19'3.94"N, 5°36'53.52"E
Ruleset Four Counters
Date 1948-01-01 - 1948-12-31
Rules Three rows of four holes; the central two holes in the middle row are stores. Each player owns the hole in the central row to their left. Ten counters in each hole. Players sow from a hole in their row, sowing first into the hole from which the counters were lifted. Captures are made when the final counter lands in a hole containing four counters. the first three captures are made in this way, then the fourth capture is from a hole containing one counter, the next from a hole containing three, and the next from a hole containing five, repeating the patter of one, three, five for subsequent captures.
The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content "Four dice usually win another four dice in the holes three times, and then revert to one, three, and five dice respectively." Egharevba 1951: 7.
Confidence 100
Source Egharevba, J. 1951. Benin Games and Sports. Sapele: Central Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2243
Type Contemporary rule description
Game The Concentration Game
Location 6°19'3.94"N, 5°36'53.52"E
Ruleset Five Counters
Date 1948-01-01 - 1948-12-31
Rules Three rows of four holes; the central two holes in the middle row are stores. Each player owns the hole in the central row to their left. Ten counters in each hole. Players sow from a hole in their row, sowing first into the hole from which the counters were lifted. Captures are made when the final counter lands in a hole containing five counters. the first three captures are made in this way, then the fourth capture is from a hole containing one counter, the next from a hole containing three, and the next from a hole containing five, repeating the patter of one, three, five for subsequent captures.
The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content "Five dice usually win another five dice in the holes three times, and then revert to win one, three, and five dice respectively." Egharevba 1951: 7.
Confidence 100
Source Egharevba, J. 1951. Benin Games and Sports. Sapele: Central Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2244
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Gwangsanghui
Location 37°34'45.69"N, 126°59'28.09"E
Date 1783-01-01 - 1783-12-31
Rules 15x14 intersecting lines. There are diagonal lines connecting the corners of the square formed by the nine points in the central, the far left, and the far right of the second to fourth ranks, on each player's side. These are palaces. The pieces are as follows: Marshal (x1): placed in the center of the central palace, no movement restrictions but must remain in the palace; Advisor (x2), placed to the right and left of the Marshal, no movement restrictions, but cannot leave the palace; Elephant (x2): placed to the right and left of the Advisors, moves one step orthogonally and then two spaces diagonally, but all intervening spaces must be empty; Chariot (x2): placed to left and right of the Elephants, moves orthogonally any distance; Cannons (x2): placed on the front two corners of the central palace, move with the help of another piece, except the other Cannon, cannot capture another Cannon; Horse (x2)" placed two spots in front of the Elephants, moves orthogonally one space and diagonally another, jumping over an intervening space; Vanguard (x1): placed in front of the central palace, moves any distance orthogonally or diagonally, but cannot move to a rank at or behind the front of the palace; Rearguard (x1): placed behind the central palace, moves any distance orthogonally or diagonally, cannot move beyond the back of the palace; Elite officers (x2): placed to the left and right, of the palace, moves orthogonally any distance, can enter the palaces but cannot move beyond the three ranks on which the palaces are located; Travelers (x2): placed at the front left and right, moves diagonally two spaces, but the intervening space must be empty; Ambush (x2): placed bottom left and right, moves one move of the Horse and then another diagonally or orthogonally, cannot capture; after being captured it remains on the board; Infantry (x6): placed in two groups of three flanking the space in front of the Vanguard, move one step orthogonally forward or sideways; Cavalry (x6): placed in two groups of three flanking the Infantry, move one space orthogonally or diagonally forward or sideways; General (x2): each placed at the center of the left and right palaces, no movement restrictions but must remain in their palace; two more Advisors behind each General, and a Chariot and Elephant to each side of each General; on the front corners of the left and right palaces are a Horse and a Cannon, the Chariot being on the right on the right palace and the left of the left palace. The player who captures the opponent's Marshal wins. Draws are not possible. Captured pieces are placed in the capturing player's camp, can be "held as hostages."
Content Passage from Noeyonjip, from Nam Yu-Yong at the order of King Jeongjo, translated in Cazaux and Knowlton (2017:365-366 ): "Gwangsanghui is derived from the game of janggi but it is more extended. Its board is composed of 15 columns and 14 rows, totaling 210 points. The pieces are distributed on 90 points on North and South, forming three army corps. The central corps lies on 45 points, 21 forming the inner camps, counting 7 columns and 3 lines in the North, with a 9-point palace in the middle, where the Marshal is placed in the center. The two Counselors, who are Advisors, are placed behind, at left and right of the Marshal. The two Elephants, elite troops, are placed at left and right of the Advisors. The two Chariots, pounding units, are placed at left and right of the Elephants. The two Cannons, strong charging units, lie on two of the palace's corners. The two horses, rapid esecuting units, are placed before the Elephants with one step in between. The 24 points that encompass the inner camp from the outer camp; one Vanguard, protecting the front, keeps the South. One rear general, a Rearguard, keeps the North. The two elite officers, fantastic doorkeepers, are placed one at the East, the other at the West. At South-East and South-West, the two travelers, Mobile units; at North-East and North-West lie two concealed units which are Ambush units.At one step distance from the Vanguard is the palace's door; Infantry and Cavalry units are posted separately, by groups of three, on the columns on the left and on the right of the doors, keeping the East and the West. Cavalry pieces are the cavalry troops; Infantry pieces are the infantry soldiers; there are six for each category. One each left and right side of the army, there are 15 points with a 9-point palace, always with a General in its center. An Advisor sits behind each General. A Chariot and an Elephant are placed on both Advisor's sides. A Horse and a Cannon stay on the 9-palace's East and West corners. For the right camp, the Chariot stays on the right with the Horse being on the West, this is the organization of the lines. The first Marshal moves inside the 9-palace with no constraint, but cannot go out of it. The left and right Generals are like the first Marshal, they stand in the middle of their troops, helping them, and cannot go out from there. The Vanguard stays outside without entering inside, and moves without constraint. The Rearguard stays inside without going out, and moves without constraint. The Advisor moves like the General. The Chariot moves vertically and horizontally without constraint. The Cannon shall move with another piece's help, except from another Cannon, and cannot capture a Cannon. The Horse moves on oblique step, the Elephant moves three oblique steps, however the Horse must have a free shoulder and the Elephant must have a free shoulder and belly, or it cannot move...The Cavalry moves half an oblique step. The Infanty moves one step. Cavalry and Infantry may move sideways but cannot retreat. The Mobile unit moves two oblique steps, it must have free heart or it cannot move. The Ambush unit moves an oblique step and half; the Ambush unit cannot capture; after being captured it remains an Ambush. The Elite unit moves as a square, it can enter any palace withoutb constraint, however it cannot leave the three lines of the palaces. Capturing the first Marshal achieves victory; it is not possible to have a draw. This is a great feature. The danger comes from the General's left and right sides, the prisoners belong to their winner's camp, they may be kept as hostages. Both armies mobilize; before the soldiers' lines have crossed each other, no capture can be made, this is the end of the rules."
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Cazaux, J.-L. and R. Knowlton. A World of Chess: Its Development and Variations throught Centuries and Civilizations. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland and Company, Inc.
Id DLP.Evidence.2245
Type Ethnography
Game Kiust Oyun
Location Western Macedonia
Date 1923-03-01 - 1923-06-30
Rules Rectangular board, divided into three sections lengthwise. Ten lines divide the outer two sections widthwide. Twelve pieces per player, which begin on the outer intersections closest to the player. Four stick dice, with front and back sides distinguished one from the other. Throws are as follows: Four backs up = kiust. Three backs up = 6; two backs up = 3; one back up = 2; four fronts up = four throws of 6. A throw of kiust is required to enter the opponent's inner row. The pieces of the left hand player move from left to right and then right to left in the next row, then left to right in the following row, then proceeding to circulate in the central two rows in a clockwise direction. The right hand player's pieces move from right to left in their home row, then left to right in the next row, then right to left in the third row, circulating in an anti-clockwise direction. Pieces landing on an opponent's piece with a throw of 2 in the central rows capture the opponent's piece. A player may only pass an opponent's piece without capture with a throw of 3. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "The Turks whose games are described in the following paper live now in Asia Minor, but, when I visited them in the spring of 1923, they were still living in their ancestral villages in the West of Greek Macedonia...For Kiust oyun ("? gmae") there are required four pieces of wood measuring four inches by one and made rounded on the back and flat on the face like oblong buttons. Twelve counters, which are usually pebbles or fragments of tiles or pottery, are also required. A square or oblong figure is drawn on a tone or on the ground and is divided into three vertical sections in such a way that there are two narrow side sections of similar width and one wider middle section. The side sections are then marked off into twelve equal horizontal divisions, which are numbered from the top downwards. The game depends on the way in which the four oblong sticks fall when thrown in the air. If four land on their faces, the player scores a kiust. If three land on their faces, he scores six saïler (numbers): if two, he scores three: if one, he scores two. If four land on their backs, he scores four saïler. If he scores two with his throw, he can take a counter from his opponent. If he scores three, he may pass his opponent. The game begins by taking a man into the middle as soon as possible. This can only be done, however, by moving down one's own side from No. 1 to No. 12. When the player gets a man into the middle, he next sends it up his own ladder on the inside. When he gets it to the top, he is entitled to count a kiust and to cross over into his opponent's ladder and to come down it, attacking and carrying off his opponent's men whenever he can. The game ends when all the opponent's men have been captured.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Spaces Outside
Source Hasluck, M. 1930. "Traditional Games of The Turks." Jubilee Congress of the Folk-Lore society, Sept 19-Sept 25, 1928, 137-159.
Id DLP.Evidence.2246
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Jänes Soppi
Location 58°19'50.79"N, 22°15'22.68"E
Date 1973-01-01 - 1973-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines, with triangles extending on opposite ends of the large square and the central line extending to the apices. One player plays as the notched stick, called the hare, and the other as three sharp sticks, known as the hounds. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. When a player has placed all of their pieces on the board, they move one of their pieces to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. When the hounds block the hare from being able to move, the hounds win.
Content "Teisend 1 (Kärla). Jänes soppi. Paberile joobisatakse joonisel 19 näidatud kujund. Puupulga otsast lögatakse neli väikest nupukest. Kolmel nupul on otsad teravad—need on teravahambulised koerad, neljandale on loigatud sälk—see on lohkise mokaga jänes.
Ühele mängijale kuuluvad koerad, teisele—jänes. Jänes ja koerad liiguvad jooni mööda joonte ristumistele. Koerte ülesandeks on jänes soppi ajada, kust ta enam välja ei pääse. Jänese ja koerte algpaigutus on suvaline." Kalamees 1973: 120-121.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Kalamees, A. 1973. Eesti Rahvamänge. Tallinn: Kirjastus Eesti Raamat.
Id DLP.Evidence.2247
Type Ethnography
Game Jänes Soppi (Symmetrical)
Location 58°19'50.79"N, 22°15'22.68"E
Date 1973-01-01 - 1973-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines, with triangles extending on opposite ends of the large square and the central line extending to the apices. One player plays as three notched sticks, called hares, and the other as three sharp sticks, known as the hounds. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. When the players have placed all of their pieces on the board, they move one of their pieces to an empty adjacent spot along the lines. The first player to block their opponent from being able to move wins.
Content " Teisend 2 (Kärla). Joonisel 19 liiguvad kolm jänest ja kolm koera. Kumbki mängija tahab oma pulgakesi ritta seada, sealjuures teineteist takistades." Kalamees 1973: 121.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Kalamees, A. 1973. Eesti Rahvamänge. Tallinn: Kirjastus Eesti Raamat.
Id DLP.Evidence.2248
Type Ethnography
Game Sakko (Siberia)
Location Western Siberia
Date 1848-01-01 - 1898-05-28
Rules 3x13 intersecting lines. Each player has a set of pieces. One piece, the king, is set in the center of the board, and belongs to neither player at the beginning of the game. Three six-sided dice, marked on one side with a cross (Sakko), 1, 2, 3, 4, and blank. Rolling a Sakko allows the player to move one of their pieces from their starting position. Pieces move to one side of the board, and then to the central lime. When a piece lands on a piece belonging to the opponent, the opponent's piece is captured. When a player's piece lands on the King, they take possession of the King. The King may move in any direction along the lines of the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Flera af mina fångstmän som i Sibirien sett spelet hafva beskrifvit det sålunda. Det spelas på ett fyrkantigt bräde med tretton rånder, öfverkorsade af tre tvärränder, hvaraf en i midten. I medelpunkten står kungen, och på sidorna äro två tvärränder där alla krigsmännen stå. Vid spelet användes tre små tärningar, märkta på en sida med ett kors, det kalla de för sakko, och på de andra med ett, två, tre, fyra streck; på sjette sidan är ingenting. Man kastar tärningarna så de falla ned på bordet. Får man icke kors på någon af tärningarna, kan man icke komma lös med någon af krigsmännen. Hvarje kors på tärningarna löser en krisman. Pjeserna flyttas från sidorna inemot midtellinien, och sedan får jag gå så långt mina slag utvisa. Jag får slå min motståndare om jag stannar på en plats där han står, men annars får jag gå förbi. Kungen får jag slå, och då får jag ta honom och flytta honom hvart jag vill. Den som först blir fri från krigsmän har förlorat." Account of Carlheim-Gyllensköld, describing the game as described to him by his hunters, who observed the game in Siberia before their expedition to Spitzbergen in 1898 (Carlheim-Gyllensköld 1900: 176).
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Carlheim-Gyllensköld, V. 1900. På Åttionde Breddgraden. Stockholm: Albert Bonniers Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.2249
Type Ethnography
Game Toguz Kumalak
Location Kyrgyzstan
Date 1906-01-01 - 1906-12-31
Rules 2x9 board, with two stores in between the holes. Players own the store to their right. Nine counters in each hole. A player takes all of the counters from one of the holes in their row and sows them anti-clockwise. The first stone is dropped into the hole that was just emptied, except when there is only one stone, in which case it is moved to the next hole. If the last counter falls into an opponent's hole making this hole have an even number of counters, these counters are captured and placed in the player's store. Otherwise, the turn ends. When the last counter falls into an opponent's hole, making it contain three counters, it is made into a "tuzduk." A player can only create one tuzduk per game. When a player creates a tuzduk, the opponent cannot create a tuzduk in the same hole in the player's row, with respect to the index of the hole in the respective player's hole. Stones that fall into a tuzduk are captured by its owner. The game ends when a player cannot move because all of the holes, except the tuzduk, are empty. The other player claims the remaining counters and the player with the most counters wins.
Content Account of Toguz Kumalak, as reported by Pantusov from information gathered by Asyl-Khozha Kurmanbaev: "Kиргизская игра
тогузъ кумалакъ
Это, квжется, единственная национальная игра у киргизъ. Игра эта очень старинная и неизвѣстно кѣъ изобрѣтсна. Она распространена во всѣхъ трехъ киргизскихъ ордахъ: Большой, Средней и Малой. Тогуз-кумаакъ основанъ на разсчетѣ и играется людьми степенными, умѣющими думать и считать. Играютъ двое, сидя противъ друга.
Орудиями игры служать: 1) четырехъ-угольная доска, по которой вырѣзаны 18 продолговаыхъ лунокъ, расположенныхъ въ двухъ рядахъ по 9 въ каждомѣ ряду, какъ показано на ирилагаемомъ чертежѣ. Кромѣ того въ промежуткѣ между рядама ямѣются еще двѣ лунки круглой формы (на чертежѣ А и В). лунки зти называюся "казанами". 162 шарика. (дѣлаются леревянные,свинцовые и проч. Можно употреблять сухия горошины, орѣхи и проч.)
Пристуная къ игрѣ, игроки дѣлятъ шарики поровну, т. е. по 9 шт., и раскладываютъ ихѣ по продолговатымъ дункамъ по9 шт. въ кеждую. Ходы лѣлатъ по-очереди. Допустимъ, что играютъ С и Д и то первый одъ олжъ сдѣлать С. С беретъ шарики, напр., изъ лунки г, оставивъ тамъ обязательно одинъ (когда въ лункѣ нѣсколько шариковъ, при ходѣ тамъ непремѣнно осавляютъ одинъ, а если въ лункѣ только 1 шарикъ, то при ходѣ его перекладываютъ въ слѣдующую лунку), слѣдовательно С взялъ изъ лунки г 8 шариковъ. Каждый игрокъ ходы ѣлаетъ обзательно вправо отъ себя (каъ пказано на чертежѣ стрѣлками) и въ кажую лунку клаетъ 1 шарикъ, не пропуская ии одной лунки своей и чужой, а такъ какъ С изъ лунки взялъ 8 шариковъ, то послѣднии шарикъ его упадетъ у противника въ лунку р, глѣ раньше было 9 шарикоъ, а съ шарикомъ С тамъ получилось 10—число четное, непремѣнное и кладетъ ихъ въ свой казан А—это его выигрыюъ (слѣдовательно, казаны служатъ складочными мѣстами для выигранныхъ шариковъ—для игрока С—казанъ А, а для Д казанъ В). Теперь очередь ходить Д. Онъ долженъ сдѣлать ходъ съ такимъ разсчетомъ, чтобы послѣднин шарикъ упалъ въ такую лунку. гдѣ бы съ этимъ шарикомъ получилось четное число. Для этого онъ старается послѣднимъ шарикомъ угодить въ лунки противника а, б или в (въ которыхъ пока по 9 шариковъ). Д беретъ изъ лунки с 8 шариковъ, идетъ вправо, кадя по 1 шарику въ свои лунки ш, щ, ч, п, к и ъ лунки противника а и б и 8-ой шарикъ въ в. гдѣ получается четное число (9+1=10), которое Д беретъ и кладетъ ъ свой казанъ В. Такиъ образомъ при первыхъ двухъ ходахъ выигрышъ обязателенъ (если только игрокъ С не сдѣлаетъ хода изъ лунки а, а игрокъ Д изъ м), но игрокя мѣняются только шариками. Чѣмъ дальше. тѣмъ игра становися сложнѣе, при чемъ каждый игрокъ стараеся сдѣать ходъ такъ, чтобы послѣднимъ шарикомъ у противника образовать четное число. Кромѣ того каждый игрокъ старается взять у противника "туздукъ" (разсолъ). С у противника можетъ взяать туздукъ въ томъ случаѣ, если у Д въ какой либо лункѣ нолучилось два шарика и С, сдѣлавъ ходъ, послѣдний шарикъ полжитъ въ ту лунку и таъ образовалось три шарика. Сколько при дальнѣйшихъ ходахъ попадаетъ шариковъ въ туздукъ, забираетъ игрокъ С. Тоже самое дѣлаетъ и игрокъ Д, если ему удастся образовать туздукъ у С. Каждый игрокъ у противника больше одного туздука не можетъ имѣть. Кромѣ того противники не могутъ другъ у друга имѣть туздуки въ соотѣтствующихъ лункахъ, если напр. С у противника олучилъ туздукъ въ лункѣ н, то Д не можетъ у С образоватъ туздукъ въ лункѣ б, т. е. лункѣ а соотвѣтствуегъ лунка м, б=н, в=р, г=с, д=ш, е=щ, ю=ч, з=п, л=к. Туздукъ выгоденъ потому, что тамъ иногда набираестя очепь много шариковъ, такъ какъ при далнѣйшихъ ходахъ его обойти нельзя. Выгоднѣе всего имѣть туздукъ напр. для С, въ лункѣ м: подъ конецъ игры С можетъ дѣлать ходы такимъ образомъ, чтобы посѣдний шаръ всегда падалъ въ м и такимъ образомъ всѣ свои шары онъ можетъ переложить туда и забрть себѣ. Невыгодно имѣтъ туздукъ въ среднихъ, такъ какъ, чтобы положить туда послѣдний шарикъ, приходится нѣсколько шариковъ класть въ обыкновенныя лунки противника.
Вынгравшимъ считаеся тотъ, у кого въ казанѣ оказывается больше шариковъ. Каждый выигрышешй шаръ называетя "упай": онъ упай, онъ—бесъ упай и. т. д., 10 упаевъ, 15 упаевъ и.т.д.
Игра "тогузъ-кумалакъ"—весьма древняя. Это единственная киргизская национальная игра. Другихъ подобныхъ игръ среди киргизъ не существуетъ. Въ послѣднее время распространяется игра въ "пешки" или въ "шашки". Но это наша европейская игра.
Игра эта распостранена среди людей пожилыхъ, степенныхъ, молодые люди занимаются ею мало; за то старикамъ она наиболѣе симпатична.
Оченъ много игратъ въ теплое время. Обыкновенно, собираются на ближйшие къ ауламъ холмы и игратъ тамъ. Если нѣтъ приспособленныхъ для игры еревянныхъ досокъ, то копаютъ лунки въ землѣ и по нимъ играютъ.
Прилагаются: чертежъ и фотографический снимокъ доски.
Сведения о сей игре собраны переводчикомъ Асылъ-Ходжей Курманбаевымъ" (Pantusov 1906:149-52).
Confidence 100
Ages All
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Pantusov, N. 1906. Kirgizskaia igra toguz kumalak. Isvestiya Obscestva Archeologii, Istorii i Etnografii pri Kazanskom Gosudarstvannom Universitete Umeni V. I. Lenina, 249-252.
Id DLP.Evidence.2250
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Pasakakrida (Type 1)
Location Western Chalukya
Date 1126-01-01 - 1138-12-31
Rules 24 long rounded spaces, arranged in two rows of twelve, and each row split into two groups of six. Fifteen pieces per player, one with white pieces and the other with colored pieces. Two four-sided dice, with the values 2, 3, 4, 5. The pieces start in the following arrangement: White with two pieces on the top right space, five on the top left space, four on the third from the bottom left, and four in the sixth from the bottom right; Colored pieces are: four on the sixth space from the top right, four on the third space from the top left; five in the bottom left and two on the bottom right. Pieces are sent back to the beginning when another player's piece lands on an opponent's piece. A player's piece cannot land on a space that is occupied by more than one of the opponent's pieces. Pieces move according to the throws of the dice.
Content Text from the Manasollasa, translated to German by Bock-Raming: "Schon ein flüchtiges Durchsehen des Textes genügt, um festzustellen, daß es sich bei der erstenForm um das handelt, was im Persichen als nard, bei uns heute als Backgammon bezeichnet wird. Des geamte Passus läßt sich in mehrere Abschnitte gliedern, die hier der Reihe nach besprochen seien. Von besonderer Wichtigkeit erscheinen die beiden ersten Abschnitte, weil uns darin, so weit ich sehe, zum ersten Mal in einem indischen Text Informationen a) über die Maße und Form des Spielbretts und b) über die Zahl und Form der verwendeten Spielsteine gegeben werden. Zu benutzten ist, so der Text, ein Würfelbrett, das phalaka genannt wird. Dies Sanskrit-Word ist insofern bemerkenswert, alses nach Lüdern Untersuchungsergebnissen in den einschlägigen Texten sonst nur in den buddhistischen Jataka-s im Sinne von Würfelbrett nachzuweisen ist. Der sonst für das Spielbrett verwendete Ausdruck ist entweder pattaka oder astapada, ein Terminus, der auch für das Scachbrett geläufig ist. Das phalaka des Ms besitizt 20 angulas an Breite, 4 vitatsti-s—also 4 mal 12 = 48 angulas an Höhe. Setzt man für das Maß angula die in den europäischen Wörterbüchern verbreitete Bedeutung "Daumenbreite" und den dafür lexikographisch mitunter gegebenen annäherungswert 3/4 inch = ca. 1.095 cm, so hätte das im Ms beschreibene Brett eine Breite von ca. 38,1 cm und eine Länge von ca. 91,45 cm. Interressanterwiese wird darüber hinaus auch ein Höhenmaß gegeben: 20 angulas=38,1 cm. Die Frage ist, wie man diese Angabe zu deuten hat. Möglicherweise so, daß das Brett beim Spiel nicht zwischen den Spielern auf der ebenen Erde lag, sondern erhöht plaziert war, etwa auf einem Tisch oder ühnlichem. Der Text gibt weiterhin an, daß die Oberfläche des Brettes 24 "Häuser" (grha), d.g. Felder, aufweisen soll, von denen jedes 4 angulas = 7,6 cm breit und 9 angulas =17,1 cm lang ist. Zudem sollen die Häuser "länglich und rund" sein (vrttaya, 636a), wasich hadingehend interpretieren möchte, daß sie nicht de heute übliche Dreiecksforme aufweisen, sondern obenzur Spielfeldmitte hin abgerundet waren. Diese 24 Felder, sollen in zwei Reihen angeordnet sein, wobei jede Reihe (a 12 Häuser)in zwei Gruppen zu je 6 zerfällt. Außerdem sollen die beiden Reihen durch einen Abstand von 1 angula = 1,9 cm getrennt sein. Wir gelangen aus diesen detaillierten Angaben also zu dem bemerkenswerten Resultat, daß der Aufbau des Spielbrettes dem der heute üblichen Backgammon-Bretter sehr nahe kommt: auch unsere heutigen Spielbretter weisen bekanntlich 24 sog. Wir gelangen aus diesen detaillierten Angaben also zu dem bemerkenswerten Resultat, daß der Aufbau des Spielbrettes dem der heute üblichen Backgammon-Bretter sehr nahe kommt: auch unsere heutigen Spielbretter weisen bekanntlich 24 sog. Punkte oder Felder auf, die allerdings, wie bereits erwähnt, die Form von Dreiecken besitzten; und in Übereinstimmung mit dem indischen Text sind auch beiden heutigen Spielbrettern die 12 Felder einer jeden Reihe in zwei Bereiche unterteilt, nämlich das sog. Heimfeld eines Spielers und das daneben liegende äußere Feld. Ob allerdings auch im indischen Spiel, wie heutzutage üblich, die Punkte abwechselnd in zwei verschiedenen Farben auf drittfarbigem Grund gemalt waren, darüber gibt der Ms keine Auskunft.
Gespielt wurde,so erfehren wir im 2. Abschnitt, mot insgesamt 30 Spielsteinen (sari), 15 weißen für den einen Spieler und 15 "bunten" (citrita oder vicitrita) für den anderen. Auch hier werden genaue Angaben zur Formgemacht: ein Spielstein soll 3 angulas = 5,7 cm hoch und 2 1/2 angulas = 4,7 breit sein und Form einer weiblichen Brust haben. Darunter wird man sich also einen an näherndkegelförmigen Stein vorzustellen haben.
Im heutigen Backgammon werden die Figuren in einer bestimmten Grundstellung positioniert: Weiß stellt auf Punkt 1 im inneren Feld Schwarz 2 Figuren, auf den 12. Punkt im äußeren Feld Schwarz 5 Figuren, auf inneren Feld Weiß 5 Figuren. Schwarz stellt analog zur Aufstellung des Weißen 2 Figuren auf das 1. Feld im inneren Feld Weiß, 5 auf den 12. Punkt im äußeren Feld Weiß, 3 auf den 8. Punkt im äußeren Feld Schwarz und 5 Figuren auf den 6. Pinkt im inneren Feld Schwarz: s. im Anhang, Diagramm 1. Die indische Spielweise, so wie sie im Ms bezeugt ist, kannte dagegen 6 verschiedene Varianten der Anfangstellung:
1). Je 2 weiße und 2 schwarze Steine "am Kopf" (sirasi), womit aller Wahrscheinlichkeit nach jeweils Punkt 1 im inneren Feld Schwarz bzw. Weiß gemeint ist; 4 schwarze Steine im 6. Haus (des inneren Feldes Schwarz); 4 weitere schwarze auf dem Punkt 10 des äußeren Feldes Schwarz, 5 weitere schwarze am "unteren Ende" Die Aufstellung der restlichen weissen Spielsteine erfolgt analog (641a), d.h. 4 Steineauf dem 6. Punkt im inneren Feld Weiß, 4 weitere auf dem Punkt 10 im äußeren Feld Weiß sowie 5 auf dem Punkt 12 im äußeren Feld Schwarz. Es ist dies, so der Text, diejenige Anordnung, beider die Aufstellung der Spielsteine—bezogen auf die Punkte 6 und 10 im inneren und äußeren Feld Weiß—zu je vieren erfolgt(641b): s. Diagramm 2...Zum Spiel benötige man außer dem Spielbrett und den Spielsteinen Würfel, wobei entweder2 rechtwinklige vierseitige oder kubische Würfel verwendet werden konnten. Erstere werden im Ms pasaka, letztere golaka (wörtl. "Ball", "Kugel") genannt. Zu beiden Würfelarten macht der Ms nähere Anbagen. Danach sind die beim Spiel benutzten pasakas "so groß wie ein Zeigefinger" (tarjanimatraka, 654b). Das Material, aus dem sie gefertigt sind, ist Elfenbein (gajadantavinirmita, 654d).Die beiden (Lang) seiten der pasakas sind mit Augen versehen, und zwar in der Reihenholge 5, 2, 3, und 4 Augen (V.656-658). In dieser Hinsicht unterscheiden sie sich von allen bisher bekannten pasakas: Lüders weist auf S121f. der in Anm. 1 genannten Abhandlung darauf hin, daß aus den einschlägigen Sanskrit-Texten die Reihenfolge 1, 2, 3, 4 hervorgeht, während die beim modernen Chaupar verwendeten Würfel der Reihe nach mit 1, 2, 6, 5 Augen bezeichnet sind und die bei Hyde, Historia Nerdiludii aufgefürten mit 1, 3, 4, 6 Augen.
Bei der Benutztung von 2 pasakas können insgeseamt 10 Würfe (daya) erzielt werden, die in den Versen 659-661 aufgezählt werden: 2 Zweier, 2 Dreier, 2 Vierer und 2 Fünfer als "gleiche Würfe" (samadaya, 659d) sowie ein Zweier und ein Dreier, ein Zweier und ein Vierer, ein Zweier und ein Fünfer, ein Dreier und ein Vierer, ein Dreier und ein Fünfer, ein Vierer und ein Fünfer. Die 6 Seiten der kubischen Würfel sindmitden Augen 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 und 6 gekennzeichnet. Die Eins heißt pada, alle anderen Augen werdenmit dem Namen derjeweiligen Zahl bezeichnet (662-663). Spielte man mit kubischen Würfeln, konnte man dies entweder mit zweien oder dreien tun. Höchst interessant ist die in Zusammenhang mit den Würfeln gemachte Aussage in V. 664, die nicht anders gedeutet werden kann, als daß ein am Spiel nicht beteiliger Unparteilscher für die Spieler die Würfel warf.Sie lautet: "Ein Mann möge die beiden(bei einem Spiel) benutzten Würfel, sowohl die golkaks als auch die Erde werfen, damit sie sich bewegen" (Bock-Raming 1995a: 3-7).
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Bock-Raming, A. 1995a. Untersuchungen zum Indischen Wurfelspiel in nachvedischer Zeit I: Das Backgammon nach der Darstellung des Manasollasa. Seevetal: Egbert Meissenburg.
Id DLP.Evidence.2251
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Pasakakrida (Type 2)
Location Western Chalukya
Date 1126-01-01 - 1138-12-31
Rules 24 long rounded spaces, arranged in two rows of twelve, and each row split into two groups of six. Fifteen pieces per player, one with white pieces and the other with colored pieces. Two four-sided dice, with the values 2, 3, 4, 5. The pieces start in the following arrangement: White with five pieces on the top right space, the top left space, and the sixth from the bottom right; five colored pieces are on the sixth from the top, the bottom left, and the bottom right.. Pieces are sent back to the beginning when another player's piece lands on an opponent's piece. A player's piece cannot land on a space that is occupied by more than one of the opponent's pieces. Pieces move according to the throws of the dice.
Content Text from the Manasollasa, translated to German by Bock-Raming: "Schon ein flüchtiges Durchsehen des Textes genügt, um festzustellen, daß es sich bei der erstenForm um das handelt, was im Persichen als nard, bei uns heute als Backgammon bezeichnet wird. Des geamte Passus läßt sich in mehrere Abschnitte gliedern, die hier der Reihe nach besprochen seien. Von besonderer Wichtigkeit erscheinen die beiden ersten Abschnitte, weil uns darin, so weit ich sehe, zum ersten Mal in einem indischen Text Informationen a) über die Maße und Form des Spielbretts und b) über die Zahl und Form der verwendeten Spielsteine gegeben werden. Zu benutzten ist, so der Text, ein Würfelbrett, das phalaka genannt wird. Dies Sanskrit-Word ist insofern bemerkenswert, alses nach Lüdern Untersuchungsergebnissen in den einschlägigen Texten sonst nur in den buddhistischen Jataka-s im Sinne von Würfelbrett nachzuweisen ist. Der sonst für das Spielbrett verwendete Ausdruck ist entweder pattaka oder astapada, ein Terminus, der auch für das Scachbrett geläufig ist. Das phalaka des Ms besitizt 20 angulas an Breite, 4 vitatsti-s—also 4 mal 12 = 48 angulas an Höhe. Setzt man für das Maß angula die in den europäischen Wörterbüchern verbreitete Bedeutung "Daumenbreite" und den dafür lexikographisch mitunter gegebenen annäherungswert 3/4 inch = ca. 1.095 cm, so hätte das im Ms beschreibene Brett eine Breite von ca. 38,1 cm und eine Länge von ca. 91,45 cm. Interressanterwiese wird darüber hinaus auch ein Höhenmaß gegeben: 20 angulas=38,1 cm. Die Frage ist, wie man diese Angabe zu deuten hat. Möglicherweise so, daß das Brett beim Spiel nicht zwischen den Spielern auf der ebenen Erde lag, sondern erhöht plaziert war, etwa auf einem Tisch oder ühnlichem. Der Text gibt weiterhin an, daß die Oberfläche des Brettes 24 "Häuser" (grha), d.g. Felder, aufweisen soll, von denen jedes 4 angulas = 7,6 cm breit und 9 angulas =17,1 cm lang ist. Zudem sollen die Häuser "länglich und rund" sein (vrttaya, 636a), wasich hadingehend interpretieren möchte, daß sie nicht de heute übliche Dreiecksforme aufweisen, sondern obenzur Spielfeldmitte hin abgerundet waren. Diese 24 Felder, sollen in zwei Reihen angeordnet sein, wobei jede Reihe (a 12 Häuser)in zwei Gruppen zu je 6 zerfällt. Außerdem sollen die beiden Reihen durch einen Abstand von 1 angula = 1,9 cm getrennt sein. Wir gelangen aus diesen detaillierten Angaben also zu dem bemerkenswerten Resultat, daß der Aufbau des Spielbrettes dem der heute üblichen Backgammon-Bretter sehr nahe kommt: auch unsere heutigen Spielbretter weisen bekanntlich 24 sog. Wir gelangen aus diesen detaillierten Angaben also zu dem bemerkenswerten Resultat, daß der Aufbau des Spielbrettes dem der heute üblichen Backgammon-Bretter sehr nahe kommt: auch unsere heutigen Spielbretter weisen bekanntlich 24 sog. Punkte oder Felder auf, die allerdings, wie bereits erwähnt, die Form von Dreiecken besitzten; und in Übereinstimmung mit dem indischen Text sind auch beiden heutigen Spielbrettern die 12 Felder einer jeden Reihe in zwei Bereiche unterteilt, nämlich das sog. Heimfeld eines Spielers und das daneben liegende äußere Feld. Ob allerdings auch im indischen Spiel, wie heutzutage üblich, die Punkte abwechselnd in zwei verschiedenen Farben auf drittfarbigem Grund gemalt waren, darüber gibt der Ms keine Auskunft. Gespielt wurde,so erfehren wir im 2. Abschnitt, mot insgesamt 30 Spielsteinen (sari), 15 weißen für den einen Spieler und 15 "bunten" (citrita oder vicitrita) für den anderen. Auch hier werden genaue Angaben zur Formgemacht: ein Spielstein soll 3 angulas = 5,7 cm hoch und 2 1/2 angulas = 4,7 breit sein und Form einer weiblichen Brust haben. Darunter wird man sich also einen an näherndkegelförmigen Stein vorzustellen haben. Im heutigen Backgammon werden die Figuren in einer bestimmten Grundstellung positioniert: Weiß stellt auf Punkt 1 im inneren Feld Schwarz 2 Figuren, auf den 12. Punkt im äußeren Feld Schwarz 5 Figuren, auf inneren Feld Weiß 5 Figuren. Schwarz stellt analog zur Aufstellung des Weißen 2 Figuren auf das 1. Feld im inneren Feld Weiß, 5 auf den 12. Punkt im äußeren Feld Weiß, 3 auf den 8. Punkt im äußeren Feld Schwarz und 5 Figuren auf den 6. Pinkt im inneren Feld Schwarz: s. im Anhang, Diagramm 1. Die indische Spielweise, so wie sie im Ms bezeugt ist, kannte dagegen 6 verschiedene Varianten der Anfangstellung:... 2) Es folgen zwei "Fünfer-Aufstellungen" (vgl. 64cd u. 644ab): Von den 15 Steinen (einer Farbe) sind 5 am "Kopf" aufzustellen, fünf weitere sollen sich im 12. Haus (derselben Reihe) befinden sowie die 5 letzten auf der anderen Reihe im 6. Haus. So sollen auch die 15 Steine der anderen Farbe aufhestellt werden: s.Diagramm 3.
...Zum Spiel benötige man außer dem Spielbrett und den Spielsteinen Würfel, wobei entweder2 rechtwinklige vierseitige oder kubische Würfel verwendet werden konnten. Erstere werden im Ms pasaka, letztere golaka (wörtl. "Ball", "Kugel") genannt. Zu beiden Würfelarten macht der Ms nähere Anbagen. Danach sind die beim Spiel benutzten pasakas "so groß wie ein Zeigefinger" (tarjanimatraka, 654b). Das Material, aus dem sie gefertigt sind, ist Elfenbein (gajadantavinirmita, 654d).Die beiden (Lang) seiten der pasakas sind mit Augen versehen, und zwar in der Reihenholge 5, 2, 3, und 4 Augen (V.656-658). In dieser Hinsicht unterscheiden sie sich von allen bisher bekannten pasakas: Lüders weist auf S121f. der in Anm. 1 genannten Abhandlung darauf hin, daß aus den einschlägigen Sanskrit-Texten die Reihenfolge 1, 2, 3, 4 hervorgeht, während die beim modernen Chaupar verwendeten Würfel der Reihe nach mit 1, 2, 6, 5 Augen bezeichnet sind und die bei Hyde, Historia Nerdiludii aufgefürten mit 1, 3, 4, 6 Augen. Bei der Benutztung von 2 pasakas können insgeseamt 10 Würfe (daya) erzielt werden, die in den Versen 659-661 aufgezählt werden: 2 Zweier, 2 Dreier, 2 Vierer und 2 Fünfer als "gleiche Würfe" (samadaya, 659d) sowie ein Zweier und ein Dreier, ein Zweier und ein Vierer, ein Zweier und ein Fünfer, ein Dreier und ein Vierer, ein Dreier und ein Fünfer, ein Vierer und ein Fünfer. Die 6 Seiten der kubischen Würfel sindmitden Augen 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 und 6 gekennzeichnet. Die Eins heißt pada, alle anderen Augen werdenmit dem Namen derjeweiligen Zahl bezeichnet (662-663). Spielte man mit kubischen Würfeln, konnte man dies entweder mit zweien oder dreien tun. Höchst interessant ist die in Zusammenhang mit den Würfeln gemachte Aussage in V. 664, die nicht anders gedeutet werden kann, als daß ein am Spiel nicht beteiliger Unparteilscher für die Spieler die Würfel warf.Sie lautet: "Ein Mann möge die beiden(bei einem Spiel) benutzten Würfel, sowohl die golkaks als auch die Erde werfen, damit sie sich bewegen" (Bock-Raming 1995a: 3-7).
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Bock-Raming, A. 1995a. Untersuchungen zum Indischen Wurfelspiel in nachvedischer Zeit I: Das Backgammon nach der Darstellung des Manasollasa. Seevetal: Egbert Meissenburg.
Id DLP.Evidence.2252
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Pasakakrida (Type 3)
Location Western Chalukya
Date 1126-01-01 - 1138-12-31
Rules 24 long rounded spaces, arranged in two rows of twelve, and each row split into two groups of six. Fifteen pieces per player, one with white pieces and the other with colored pieces. Two four-sided dice, with the values 2, 3, 4, 5. The pieces start in the following arrangement: White with two in the top right space and one in the first from the top right, two pieces in each of the six bottom right spaces; colored pieces with five each in the sixth from the top right, sixth from the top left, and the bottom left. Pieces are sent back to the beginning when another player's piece lands on an opponent's piece. A player's piece cannot land on a space that is occupied by more than one of the opponent's pieces. Pieces move according to the throws of the dice.
Content Text from the Manasollasa, translated to German by Bock-Raming: "Schon ein flüchtiges Durchsehen des Textes genügt, um festzustellen, daß es sich bei der erstenForm um das handelt, was im Persichen als nard, bei uns heute als Backgammon bezeichnet wird. Des geamte Passus läßt sich in mehrere Abschnitte gliedern, die hier der Reihe nach besprochen seien. Von besonderer Wichtigkeit erscheinen die beiden ersten Abschnitte, weil uns darin, so weit ich sehe, zum ersten Mal in einem indischen Text Informationen a) über die Maße und Form des Spielbretts und b) über die Zahl und Form der verwendeten Spielsteine gegeben werden. Zu benutzten ist, so der Text, ein Würfelbrett, das phalaka genannt wird. Dies Sanskrit-Word ist insofern bemerkenswert, alses nach Lüdern Untersuchungsergebnissen in den einschlägigen Texten sonst nur in den buddhistischen Jataka-s im Sinne von Würfelbrett nachzuweisen ist. Der sonst für das Spielbrett verwendete Ausdruck ist entweder pattaka oder astapada, ein Terminus, der auch für das Scachbrett geläufig ist. Das phalaka des Ms besitizt 20 angulas an Breite, 4 vitatsti-s—also 4 mal 12 = 48 angulas an Höhe. Setzt man für das Maß angula die in den europäischen Wörterbüchern verbreitete Bedeutung "Daumenbreite" und den dafür lexikographisch mitunter gegebenen annäherungswert 3/4 inch = ca. 1.095 cm, so hätte das im Ms beschreibene Brett eine Breite von ca. 38,1 cm und eine Länge von ca. 91,45 cm. Interressanterwiese wird darüber hinaus auch ein Höhenmaß gegeben: 20 angulas=38,1 cm. Die Frage ist, wie man diese Angabe zu deuten hat. Möglicherweise so, daß das Brett beim Spiel nicht zwischen den Spielern auf der ebenen Erde lag, sondern erhöht plaziert war, etwa auf einem Tisch oder ühnlichem. Der Text gibt weiterhin an, daß die Oberfläche des Brettes 24 "Häuser" (grha), d.g. Felder, aufweisen soll, von denen jedes 4 angulas = 7,6 cm breit und 9 angulas =17,1 cm lang ist. Zudem sollen die Häuser "länglich und rund" sein (vrttaya, 636a), wasich hadingehend interpretieren möchte, daß sie nicht de heute übliche Dreiecksforme aufweisen, sondern obenzur Spielfeldmitte hin abgerundet waren. Diese 24 Felder, sollen in zwei Reihen angeordnet sein, wobei jede Reihe (a 12 Häuser)in zwei Gruppen zu je 6 zerfällt. Außerdem sollen die beiden Reihen durch einen Abstand von 1 angula = 1,9 cm getrennt sein. Wir gelangen aus diesen detaillierten Angaben also zu dem bemerkenswerten Resultat, daß der Aufbau des Spielbrettes dem der heute üblichen Backgammon-Bretter sehr nahe kommt: auch unsere heutigen Spielbretter weisen bekanntlich 24 sog. Wir gelangen aus diesen detaillierten Angaben also zu dem bemerkenswerten Resultat, daß der Aufbau des Spielbrettes dem der heute üblichen Backgammon-Bretter sehr nahe kommt: auch unsere heutigen Spielbretter weisen bekanntlich 24 sog. Punkte oder Felder auf, die allerdings, wie bereits erwähnt, die Form von Dreiecken besitzten; und in Übereinstimmung mit dem indischen Text sind auch beiden heutigen Spielbrettern die 12 Felder einer jeden Reihe in zwei Bereiche unterteilt, nämlich das sog. Heimfeld eines Spielers und das daneben liegende äußere Feld. Ob allerdings auch im indischen Spiel, wie heutzutage üblich, die Punkte abwechselnd in zwei verschiedenen Farben auf drittfarbigem Grund gemalt waren, darüber gibt der Ms keine Auskunft. Gespielt wurde,so erfehren wir im 2. Abschnitt, mot insgesamt 30 Spielsteinen (sari), 15 weißen für den einen Spieler und 15 "bunten" (citrita oder vicitrita) für den anderen. Auch hier werden genaue Angaben zur Formgemacht: ein Spielstein soll 3 angulas = 5,7 cm hoch und 2 1/2 angulas = 4,7 breit sein und Form einer weiblichen Brust haben. Darunter wird man sich also einen an näherndkegelförmigen Stein vorzustellen haben. Im heutigen Backgammon werden die Figuren in einer bestimmten Grundstellung positioniert: Weiß stellt auf Punkt 1 im inneren Feld Schwarz 2 Figuren, auf den 12. Punkt im äußeren Feld Schwarz 5 Figuren, auf inneren Feld Weiß 5 Figuren. Schwarz stellt analog zur Aufstellung des Weißen 2 Figuren auf das 1. Feld im inneren Feld Weiß, 5 auf den 12. Punkt im äußeren Feld Weiß, 3 auf den 8. Punkt im äußeren Feld Schwarz und 5 Figuren auf den 6. Pinkt im inneren Feld Schwarz: s. im Anhang, Diagramm 1. Die indische Spielweise, so wie sie im Ms bezeugt ist, kannte dagegen 6 verschiedene Varianten der Anfangstellung:... 3) 2 Spielsteine (einer Farbe) sind am "Kopf" aufzustellen, "danach" (tadanamtaram, d.h. offenbar im 2. Haus) ein Spielstein derselben Farbe. Im 6. Haus sollen sic h 5 der anderen Farbe befindenund "danach" (also offenbar im 7. Haus) ebenfalls 5 (von eben dieser Farbe); am unteren Ende (apasirse) der anderen Reihe sollen sich 5 Spielsteine von (eben) derselben Reihe (wie im6. und7. haus) befinden. Vom "Kopf" der anderen Reihe beginnend bis zu deren 6. Haus sollen jeweils 2, also ingesamt 12 Spielsteine (der ersten Farbe) aufgestellt werden: s. Diagramm 4...Zum Spiel benötige man außer dem Spielbrett und den Spielsteinen Würfel, wobei entweder2 rechtwinklige vierseitige oder kubische Würfel verwendet werden konnten. Erstere werden im Ms pasaka, letztere golaka (wörtl. "Ball", "Kugel") genannt. Zu beiden Würfelarten macht der Ms nähere Anbagen. Danach sind die beim Spiel benutzten pasakas "so groß wie ein Zeigefinger" (tarjanimatraka, 654b). Das Material, aus dem sie gefertigt sind, ist Elfenbein (gajadantavinirmita, 654d).Die beiden (Lang) seiten der pasakas sind mit Augen versehen, und zwar in der Reihenholge 5, 2, 3, und 4 Augen (V.656-658). In dieser Hinsicht unterscheiden sie sich von allen bisher bekannten pasakas: Lüders weist auf S121f. der in Anm. 1 genannten Abhandlung darauf hin, daß aus den einschlägigen Sanskrit-Texten die Reihenfolge 1, 2, 3, 4 hervorgeht, während die beim modernen Chaupar verwendeten Würfel der Reihe nach mit 1, 2, 6, 5 Augen bezeichnet sind und die bei Hyde, Historia Nerdiludii aufgefürten mit 1, 3, 4, 6 Augen. Bei der Benutztung von 2 pasakas können insgeseamt 10 Würfe (daya) erzielt werden, die in den Versen 659-661 aufgezählt werden: 2 Zweier, 2 Dreier, 2 Vierer und 2 Fünfer als "gleiche Würfe" (samadaya, 659d) sowie ein Zweier und ein Dreier, ein Zweier und ein Vierer, ein Zweier und ein Fünfer, ein Dreier und ein Vierer, ein Dreier und ein Fünfer, ein Vierer und ein Fünfer. Die 6 Seiten der kubischen Würfel sindmitden Augen 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 und 6 gekennzeichnet. Die Eins heißt pada, alle anderen Augen werdenmit dem Namen derjeweiligen Zahl bezeichnet (662-663). Spielte man mit kubischen Würfeln, konnte man dies entweder mit zweien oder dreien tun. Höchst interessant ist die in Zusammenhang mit den Würfeln gemachte Aussage in V. 664, die nicht anders gedeutet werden kann, als daß ein am Spiel nicht beteiliger Unparteilscher für die Spieler die Würfel warf.Sie lautet: "Ein Mann möge die beiden(bei einem Spiel) benutzten Würfel, sowohl die golkaks als auch die Erde werfen, damit sie sich bewegen" (Bock-Raming 1995a: 3-7).
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Bock-Raming, A. 1995a. Untersuchungen zum Indischen Wurfelspiel in nachvedischer Zeit I: Das Backgammon nach der Darstellung des Manasollasa. Seevetal: Egbert Meissenburg.
Id DLP.Evidence.2253
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Pasakakrida (Type 4)
Location Western Chalukya
Date 1126-01-01 - 1138-12-31
Rules 24 long rounded spaces, arranged in two rows of twelve, and each row split into two groups of six. Fifteen pieces per player, one with white pieces and the other with colored pieces. Two four-sided dice, with the values 2, 3, 4, 5. The pieces start in the following arrangement: White with two pieces in the second to sixth spaces from the top right, two in the second from the top left, one each in the top left, first from the top left, and the bottom left;
the colored pieces all begin on the sixth space from the top left. Pieces are sent back to the beginning when another player's piece lands on an opponent's piece. A player's piece cannot land on a space that is occupied by more than one of the opponent's pieces. Pieces move according to the throws of the dice.
Content Text from the Manasollasa, translated to German by Bock-Raming: "Schon ein flüchtiges Durchsehen des Textes genügt, um festzustellen, daß es sich bei der erstenForm um das handelt, was im Persichen als nard, bei uns heute als Backgammon bezeichnet wird. Des geamte Passus läßt sich in mehrere Abschnitte gliedern, die hier der Reihe nach besprochen seien. Von besonderer Wichtigkeit erscheinen die beiden ersten Abschnitte, weil uns darin, so weit ich sehe, zum ersten Mal in einem indischen Text Informationen a) über die Maße und Form des Spielbretts und b) über die Zahl und Form der verwendeten Spielsteine gegeben werden. Zu benutzten ist, so der Text, ein Würfelbrett, das phalaka genannt wird. Dies Sanskrit-Word ist insofern bemerkenswert, alses nach Lüdern Untersuchungsergebnissen in den einschlägigen Texten sonst nur in den buddhistischen Jataka-s im Sinne von Würfelbrett nachzuweisen ist. Der sonst für das Spielbrett verwendete Ausdruck ist entweder pattaka oder astapada, ein Terminus, der auch für das Scachbrett geläufig ist. Das phalaka des Ms besitizt 20 angulas an Breite, 4 vitatsti-s—also 4 mal 12 = 48 angulas an Höhe. Setzt man für das Maß angula die in den europäischen Wörterbüchern verbreitete Bedeutung "Daumenbreite" und den dafür lexikographisch mitunter gegebenen annäherungswert 3/4 inch = ca. 1.095 cm, so hätte das im Ms beschreibene Brett eine Breite von ca. 38,1 cm und eine Länge von ca. 91,45 cm. Interressanterwiese wird darüber hinaus auch ein Höhenmaß gegeben: 20 angulas=38,1 cm. Die Frage ist, wie man diese Angabe zu deuten hat. Möglicherweise so, daß das Brett beim Spiel nicht zwischen den Spielern auf der ebenen Erde lag, sondern erhöht plaziert war, etwa auf einem Tisch oder ühnlichem. Der Text gibt weiterhin an, daß die Oberfläche des Brettes 24 "Häuser" (grha), d.g. Felder, aufweisen soll, von denen jedes 4 angulas = 7,6 cm breit und 9 angulas =17,1 cm lang ist. Zudem sollen die Häuser "länglich und rund" sein (vrttaya, 636a), wasich hadingehend interpretieren möchte, daß sie nicht de heute übliche Dreiecksforme aufweisen, sondern obenzur Spielfeldmitte hin abgerundet waren. Diese 24 Felder, sollen in zwei Reihen angeordnet sein, wobei jede Reihe (a 12 Häuser)in zwei Gruppen zu je 6 zerfällt. Außerdem sollen die beiden Reihen durch einen Abstand von 1 angula = 1,9 cm getrennt sein. Wir gelangen aus diesen detaillierten Angaben also zu dem bemerkenswerten Resultat, daß der Aufbau des Spielbrettes dem der heute üblichen Backgammon-Bretter sehr nahe kommt: auch unsere heutigen Spielbretter weisen bekanntlich 24 sog. Wir gelangen aus diesen detaillierten Angaben also zu dem bemerkenswerten Resultat, daß der Aufbau des Spielbrettes dem der heute üblichen Backgammon-Bretter sehr nahe kommt: auch unsere heutigen Spielbretter weisen bekanntlich 24 sog. Punkte oder Felder auf, die allerdings, wie bereits erwähnt, die Form von Dreiecken besitzten; und in Übereinstimmung mit dem indischen Text sind auch beiden heutigen Spielbrettern die 12 Felder einer jeden Reihe in zwei Bereiche unterteilt, nämlich das sog. Heimfeld eines Spielers und das daneben liegende äußere Feld. Ob allerdings auch im indischen Spiel, wie heutzutage üblich, die Punkte abwechselnd in zwei verschiedenen Farben auf drittfarbigem Grund gemalt waren, darüber gibt der Ms keine Auskunft. Gespielt wurde,so erfehren wir im 2. Abschnitt, mot insgesamt 30 Spielsteinen (sari), 15 weißen für den einen Spieler und 15 "bunten" (citrita oder vicitrita) für den anderen. Auch hier werden genaue Angaben zur Formgemacht: ein Spielstein soll 3 angulas = 5,7 cm hoch und 2 1/2 angulas = 4,7 breit sein und Form einer weiblichen Brust haben. Darunter wird man sich also einen an näherndkegelförmigen Stein vorzustellen haben. Im heutigen Backgammon werden die Figuren in einer bestimmten Grundstellung positioniert: Weiß stellt auf Punkt 1 im inneren Feld Schwarz 2 Figuren, auf den 12. Punkt im äußeren Feld Schwarz 5 Figuren, auf inneren Feld Weiß 5 Figuren. Schwarz stellt analog zur Aufstellung des Weißen 2 Figuren auf das 1. Feld im inneren Feld Weiß, 5 auf den 12. Punkt im äußeren Feld Weiß, 3 auf den 8. Punkt im äußeren Feld Schwarz und 5 Figuren auf den 6. Pinkt im inneren Feld Schwarz: s. im Anhang, Diagramm 1. Die indische Spielweise, so wie sie im Ms bezeugt ist, kannte dagegen 6 verschiedene Varianten der Anfangstellung: ...4)Vom 2. bis zum 6. Haus soll man in jedes zwei Spielsteinevon gleicher Farbe setzen. Dann soll man alle Spielsteine der anderen Farbe ins 7. Haus setzen, 2 Spielsteine (der ersten Farbe) ins 10. Haus, weiterhinje einenins 11. und 12.Haus sowie and "untere Ende" (avasirsake,s.Anm. 13). Diese Anordnung nennt sich— wohl bezogen auf die Plazierung aler Steine der einen Farbe im 7. Haus—"Bündel Anordnung"(potali-vinyasa, 649c):s. Diagramm 5...Zum Spiel benötige man außer dem Spielbrett und den Spielsteinen Würfel, wobei entweder2 rechtwinklige vierseitige oder kubische Würfel verwendet werden konnten. Erstere werden im Ms pasaka, letztere golaka (wörtl. "Ball", "Kugel") genannt. Zu beiden Würfelarten macht der Ms nähere Anbagen. Danach sind die beim Spiel benutzten pasakas "so groß wie ein Zeigefinger" (tarjanimatraka, 654b). Das Material, aus dem sie gefertigt sind, ist Elfenbein (gajadantavinirmita, 654d).Die beiden (Lang) seiten der pasakas sind mit Augen versehen, und zwar in der Reihenholge 5, 2, 3, und 4 Augen (V.656-658). In dieser Hinsicht unterscheiden sie sich von allen bisher bekannten pasakas: Lüders weist auf S121f. der in Anm. 1 genannten Abhandlung darauf hin, daß aus den einschlägigen Sanskrit-Texten die Reihenfolge 1, 2, 3, 4 hervorgeht, während die beim modernen Chaupar verwendeten Würfel der Reihe nach mit 1, 2, 6, 5 Augen bezeichnet sind und die bei Hyde, Historia Nerdiludii aufgefürten mit 1, 3, 4, 6 Augen. Bei der Benutztung von 2 pasakas können insgeseamt 10 Würfe (daya) erzielt werden, die in den Versen 659-661 aufgezählt werden: 2 Zweier, 2 Dreier, 2 Vierer und 2 Fünfer als "gleiche Würfe" (samadaya, 659d) sowie ein Zweier und ein Dreier, ein Zweier und ein Vierer, ein Zweier und ein Fünfer, ein Dreier und ein Vierer, ein Dreier und ein Fünfer, ein Vierer und ein Fünfer. Die 6 Seiten der kubischen Würfel sindmitden Augen 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 und 6 gekennzeichnet. Die Eins heißt pada, alle anderen Augen werdenmit dem Namen derjeweiligen Zahl bezeichnet (662-663). Spielte man mit kubischen Würfeln, konnte man dies entweder mit zweien oder dreien tun. Höchst interessant ist die in Zusammenhang mit den Würfeln gemachte Aussage in V. 664, die nicht anders gedeutet werden kann, als daß ein am Spiel nicht beteiliger Unparteilscher für die Spieler die Würfel warf.Sie lautet: "Ein Mann möge die beiden(bei einem Spiel) benutzten Würfel, sowohl die golkaks als auch die Erde werfen, damit sie sich bewegen" (Bock-Raming 1995a: 3-7).
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Bock-Raming, A. 1995a. Untersuchungen zum Indischen Wurfelspiel in nachvedischer Zeit I: Das Backgammon nach der Darstellung des Manasollasa. Seevetal: Egbert Meissenburg.
Id DLP.Evidence.2254
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Pasakakrida (Type 5)
Location Western Chalukya
Date 1126-01-01 - 1138-12-31
Rules 24 long rounded spaces, arranged in two rows of twelve, and each row split into two groups of six. Fifteen pieces per player, one with white pieces and the other with colored pieces. Two four-sided dice, with the values 2, 3, 4, 5. The pieces start in the following arrangement: White with two in the top right space, one each in the second through fifth spaces from the top right, five in the top left, and four in the second from bottom left; colored pieces are in the second through sixth from the tope left and sixth from top right, with three pieces in each space. Pieces are sent back to the beginning when another player's piece lands on an opponent's piece. A player's piece cannot land on a space that is occupied by more than one of the opponent's pieces. Pieces move according to the throws of the dice.
Content Text from the Manasollasa, translated to German by Bock-Raming: "Schon ein flüchtiges Durchsehen des Textes genügt, um festzustellen, daß es sich bei der erstenForm um das handelt, was im Persichen als nard, bei uns heute als Backgammon bezeichnet wird. Des geamte Passus läßt sich in mehrere Abschnitte gliedern, die hier der Reihe nach besprochen seien. Von besonderer Wichtigkeit erscheinen die beiden ersten Abschnitte, weil uns darin, so weit ich sehe, zum ersten Mal in einem indischen Text Informationen a) über die Maße und Form des Spielbretts und b) über die Zahl und Form der verwendeten Spielsteine gegeben werden. Zu benutzten ist, so der Text, ein Würfelbrett, das phalaka genannt wird. Dies Sanskrit-Word ist insofern bemerkenswert, alses nach Lüdern Untersuchungsergebnissen in den einschlägigen Texten sonst nur in den buddhistischen Jataka-s im Sinne von Würfelbrett nachzuweisen ist. Der sonst für das Spielbrett verwendete Ausdruck ist entweder pattaka oder astapada, ein Terminus, der auch für das Scachbrett geläufig ist. Das phalaka des Ms besitizt 20 angulas an Breite, 4 vitatsti-s—also 4 mal 12 = 48 angulas an Höhe. Setzt man für das Maß angula die in den europäischen Wörterbüchern verbreitete Bedeutung "Daumenbreite" und den dafür lexikographisch mitunter gegebenen annäherungswert 3/4 inch = ca. 1.095 cm, so hätte das im Ms beschreibene Brett eine Breite von ca. 38,1 cm und eine Länge von ca. 91,45 cm. Interressanterwiese wird darüber hinaus auch ein Höhenmaß gegeben: 20 angulas=38,1 cm. Die Frage ist, wie man diese Angabe zu deuten hat. Möglicherweise so, daß das Brett beim Spiel nicht zwischen den Spielern auf der ebenen Erde lag, sondern erhöht plaziert war, etwa auf einem Tisch oder ühnlichem. Der Text gibt weiterhin an, daß die Oberfläche des Brettes 24 "Häuser" (grha), d.g. Felder, aufweisen soll, von denen jedes 4 angulas = 7,6 cm breit und 9 angulas =17,1 cm lang ist. Zudem sollen die Häuser "länglich und rund" sein (vrttaya, 636a), wasich hadingehend interpretieren möchte, daß sie nicht de heute übliche Dreiecksforme aufweisen, sondern obenzur Spielfeldmitte hin abgerundet waren. Diese 24 Felder, sollen in zwei Reihen angeordnet sein, wobei jede Reihe (a 12 Häuser)in zwei Gruppen zu je 6 zerfällt. Außerdem sollen die beiden Reihen durch einen Abstand von 1 angula = 1,9 cm getrennt sein. Wir gelangen aus diesen detaillierten Angaben also zu dem bemerkenswerten Resultat, daß der Aufbau des Spielbrettes dem der heute üblichen Backgammon-Bretter sehr nahe kommt: auch unsere heutigen Spielbretter weisen bekanntlich 24 sog. Wir gelangen aus diesen detaillierten Angaben also zu dem bemerkenswerten Resultat, daß der Aufbau des Spielbrettes dem der heute üblichen Backgammon-Bretter sehr nahe kommt: auch unsere heutigen Spielbretter weisen bekanntlich 24 sog. Punkte oder Felder auf, die allerdings, wie bereits erwähnt, die Form von Dreiecken besitzten; und in Übereinstimmung mit dem indischen Text sind auch beiden heutigen Spielbrettern die 12 Felder einer jeden Reihe in zwei Bereiche unterteilt, nämlich das sog. Heimfeld eines Spielers und das daneben liegende äußere Feld. Ob allerdings auch im indischen Spiel, wie heutzutage üblich, die Punkte abwechselnd in zwei verschiedenen Farben auf drittfarbigem Grund gemalt waren, darüber gibt der Ms keine Auskunft. Gespielt wurde,so erfehren wir im 2. Abschnitt, mot insgesamt 30 Spielsteinen (sari), 15 weißen für den einen Spieler und 15 "bunten" (citrita oder vicitrita) für den anderen. Auch hier werden genaue Angaben zur Formgemacht: ein Spielstein soll 3 angulas = 5,7 cm hoch und 2 1/2 angulas = 4,7 breit sein und Form einer weiblichen Brust haben. Darunter wird man sich also einen an näherndkegelförmigen Stein vorzustellen haben. Im heutigen Backgammon werden die Figuren in einer bestimmten Grundstellung positioniert: Weiß stellt auf Punkt 1 im inneren Feld Schwarz 2 Figuren, auf den 12. Punkt im äußeren Feld Schwarz 5 Figuren, auf inneren Feld Weiß 5 Figuren. Schwarz stellt analog zur Aufstellung des Weißen 2 Figuren auf das 1. Feld im inneren Feld Weiß, 5 auf den 12. Punkt im äußeren Feld Weiß, 3 auf den 8. Punkt im äußeren Feld Schwarz und 5 Figuren auf den 6. Pinkt im inneren Feld Schwarz: s. im Anhang, Diagramm 1. Die indische Spielweise, so wie sie im Ms bezeugt ist, kannte dagegen 6 verschiedene Varianten der Anfangstellung:... 5)2 Spielsteine einer Farber sollen sich am "Kopf" befinden, danach sind 4 Steine einzweln (in den Häusern 2-5) aufzustellen; danach je 3 der anderen Farbe in den nächsten 5 Häusern (d.h. auf dem 6. bis 10. Punkt). Im 12. Haus sollen sich 5 Steine der ersten Farbe befinden, weiterhin auf der anderen Reihe 4 im 10. Haus. Dies ist "die Anordnung (der Spielsteine bei derjenigen Spielweise), bei ser dich (sämtliche) Spielsteine (der einen Farbe) zwischen (denen der anderen Farbe) befinden": s. Diagramm 6...Zum Spiel benötige man außer dem Spielbrett und den Spielsteinen Würfel, wobei entweder2 rechtwinklige vierseitige oder kubische Würfel verwendet werden konnten. Erstere werden im Ms pasaka, letztere golaka (wörtl. "Ball", "Kugel") genannt. Zu beiden Würfelarten macht der Ms nähere Anbagen. Danach sind die beim Spiel benutzten pasakas "so groß wie ein Zeigefinger" (tarjanimatraka, 654b). Das Material, aus dem sie gefertigt sind, ist Elfenbein (gajadantavinirmita, 654d).Die beiden (Lang) seiten der pasakas sind mit Augen versehen, und zwar in der Reihenholge 5, 2, 3, und 4 Augen (V.656-658). In dieser Hinsicht unterscheiden sie sich von allen bisher bekannten pasakas: Lüders weist auf S121f. der in Anm. 1 genannten Abhandlung darauf hin, daß aus den einschlägigen Sanskrit-Texten die Reihenfolge 1, 2, 3, 4 hervorgeht, während die beim modernen Chaupar verwendeten Würfel der Reihe nach mit 1, 2, 6, 5 Augen bezeichnet sind und die bei Hyde, Historia Nerdiludii aufgefürten mit 1, 3, 4, 6 Augen. Bei der Benutztung von 2 pasakas können insgeseamt 10 Würfe (daya) erzielt werden, die in den Versen 659-661 aufgezählt werden: 2 Zweier, 2 Dreier, 2 Vierer und 2 Fünfer als "gleiche Würfe" (samadaya, 659d) sowie ein Zweier und ein Dreier, ein Zweier und ein Vierer, ein Zweier und ein Fünfer, ein Dreier und ein Vierer, ein Dreier und ein Fünfer, ein Vierer und ein Fünfer. Die 6 Seiten der kubischen Würfel sindmitden Augen 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 und 6 gekennzeichnet. Die Eins heißt pada, alle anderen Augen werdenmit dem Namen derjeweiligen Zahl bezeichnet (662-663). Spielte man mit kubischen Würfeln, konnte man dies entweder mit zweien oder dreien tun. Höchst interessant ist die in Zusammenhang mit den Würfeln gemachte Aussage in V. 664, die nicht anders gedeutet werden kann, als daß ein am Spiel nicht beteiliger Unparteilscher für die Spieler die Würfel warf.Sie lautet: "Ein Mann möge die beiden(bei einem Spiel) benutzten Würfel, sowohl die golkaks als auch die Erde werfen, damit sie sich bewegen" (Bock-Raming 1995a: 3-7).
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Bock-Raming, A. 1995a. Untersuchungen zum Indischen Wurfelspiel in nachvedischer Zeit I: Das Backgammon nach der Darstellung des Manasollasa. Seevetal: Egbert Meissenburg.
Id DLP.Evidence.2255
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Pasakakrida (Type 6)
Location Western Chalukya
Date 1126-01-01 - 1138-12-31
Rules 24 long rounded spaces, arranged in two rows of twelve, and each row split into two groups of six. Fifteen pieces per player, one with white pieces and the other with colored pieces. Two four-sided dice, with the values 2, 3, 4, 5. The pieces start in the following arrangement: White with two in the top right space, five in the top left, three in the fifth from the bottom left, and five in the sixth from bottom right; colored pieces are in the sixth from the top right, fifth from the top left, five in the bottom left and two in the bottom right. Pieces are sent back to the beginning when another player's piece lands on an opponent's piece. A player's piece cannot land on a space that is occupied by more than one of the opponent's pieces. Pieces move according to the throws of the dice.
Content Text from the Manasollasa, translated to German by Bock-Raming: "Schon ein flüchtiges Durchsehen des Textes genügt, um festzustellen, daß es sich bei der erstenForm um das handelt, was im Persichen als nard, bei uns heute als Backgammon bezeichnet wird. Des geamte Passus läßt sich in mehrere Abschnitte gliedern, die hier der Reihe nach besprochen seien. Von besonderer Wichtigkeit erscheinen die beiden ersten Abschnitte, weil uns darin, so weit ich sehe, zum ersten Mal in einem indischen Text Informationen a) über die Maße und Form des Spielbretts und b) über die Zahl und Form der verwendeten Spielsteine gegeben werden. Zu benutzten ist, so der Text, ein Würfelbrett, das phalaka genannt wird. Dies Sanskrit-Word ist insofern bemerkenswert, alses nach Lüdern Untersuchungsergebnissen in den einschlägigen Texten sonst nur in den buddhistischen Jataka-s im Sinne von Würfelbrett nachzuweisen ist. Der sonst für das Spielbrett verwendete Ausdruck ist entweder pattaka oder astapada, ein Terminus, der auch für das Scachbrett geläufig ist. Das phalaka des Ms besitizt 20 angulas an Breite, 4 vitatsti-s—also 4 mal 12 = 48 angulas an Höhe. Setzt man für das Maß angula die in den europäischen Wörterbüchern verbreitete Bedeutung "Daumenbreite" und den dafür lexikographisch mitunter gegebenen annäherungswert 3/4 inch = ca. 1.095 cm, so hätte das im Ms beschreibene Brett eine Breite von ca. 38,1 cm und eine Länge von ca. 91,45 cm. Interressanterwiese wird darüber hinaus auch ein Höhenmaß gegeben: 20 angulas=38,1 cm. Die Frage ist, wie man diese Angabe zu deuten hat. Möglicherweise so, daß das Brett beim Spiel nicht zwischen den Spielern auf der ebenen Erde lag, sondern erhöht plaziert war, etwa auf einem Tisch oder ühnlichem. Der Text gibt weiterhin an, daß die Oberfläche des Brettes 24 "Häuser" (grha), d.g. Felder, aufweisen soll, von denen jedes 4 angulas = 7,6 cm breit und 9 angulas =17,1 cm lang ist. Zudem sollen die Häuser "länglich und rund" sein (vrttaya, 636a), wasich hadingehend interpretieren möchte, daß sie nicht de heute übliche Dreiecksforme aufweisen, sondern obenzur Spielfeldmitte hin abgerundet waren. Diese 24 Felder, sollen in zwei Reihen angeordnet sein, wobei jede Reihe (a 12 Häuser)in zwei Gruppen zu je 6 zerfällt. Außerdem sollen die beiden Reihen durch einen Abstand von 1 angula = 1,9 cm getrennt sein. Wir gelangen aus diesen detaillierten Angaben also zu dem bemerkenswerten Resultat, daß der Aufbau des Spielbrettes dem der heute üblichen Backgammon-Bretter sehr nahe kommt: auch unsere heutigen Spielbretter weisen bekanntlich 24 sog. Wir gelangen aus diesen detaillierten Angaben also zu dem bemerkenswerten Resultat, daß der Aufbau des Spielbrettes dem der heute üblichen Backgammon-Bretter sehr nahe kommt: auch unsere heutigen Spielbretter weisen bekanntlich 24 sog. Punkte oder Felder auf, die allerdings, wie bereits erwähnt, die Form von Dreiecken besitzten; und in Übereinstimmung mit dem indischen Text sind auch beiden heutigen Spielbrettern die 12 Felder einer jeden Reihe in zwei Bereiche unterteilt, nämlich das sog. Heimfeld eines Spielers und das daneben liegende äußere Feld. Ob allerdings auch im indischen Spiel, wie heutzutage üblich, die Punkte abwechselnd in zwei verschiedenen Farben auf drittfarbigem Grund gemalt waren, darüber gibt der Ms keine Auskunft. Gespielt wurde,so erfehren wir im 2. Abschnitt, mot insgesamt 30 Spielsteinen (sari), 15 weißen für den einen Spieler und 15 "bunten" (citrita oder vicitrita) für den anderen. Auch hier werden genaue Angaben zur Formgemacht: ein Spielstein soll 3 angulas = 5,7 cm hoch und 2 1/2 angulas = 4,7 breit sein und Form einer weiblichen Brust haben. Darunter wird man sich also einen an näherndkegelförmigen Stein vorzustellen haben. Im heutigen Backgammon werden die Figuren in einer bestimmten Grundstellung positioniert: Weiß stellt auf Punkt 1 im inneren Feld Schwarz 2 Figuren, auf den 12. Punkt im äußeren Feld Schwarz 5 Figuren, auf inneren Feld Weiß 5 Figuren. Schwarz stellt analog zur Aufstellung des Weißen 2 Figuren auf das 1. Feld im inneren Feld Weiß, 5 auf den 12. Punkt im äußeren Feld Weiß, 3 auf den 8. Punkt im äußeren Feld Schwarz und 5 Figuren auf den 6. Pinkt im inneren Feld Schwarz: s. im Anhang, Diagramm 1. Die indische Spielweise, so wie sie im Ms bezeugt ist, kannte dagegen 6 verschiedene Varianten der Anfangstellung:... 6) 2 Spielsteine (einer Farbe) sollen am "Kopf" aufgestellt werden, sodann von den Spielsteinen der anderen Farbe 5 im 6.Haussowie 3im 8., weiterhin 5 derersten Farbeim1 2. Haus. Genau so sollen die Spielsteine auch auf der anderen Reihe plaziert werden: s. Diagramm 7...Zum Spiel benötige man außer dem Spielbrett und den Spielsteinen Würfel, wobei entweder2 rechtwinklige vierseitige oder kubische Würfel verwendet werden konnten. Erstere werden im Ms pasaka, letztere golaka (wörtl. "Ball", "Kugel") genannt. Zu beiden Würfelarten macht der Ms nähere Anbagen. Danach sind die beim Spiel benutzten pasakas "so groß wie ein Zeigefinger" (tarjanimatraka, 654b). Das Material, aus dem sie gefertigt sind, ist Elfenbein (gajadantavinirmita, 654d).Die beiden (Lang) seiten der pasakas sind mit Augen versehen, und zwar in der Reihenholge 5, 2, 3, und 4 Augen (V.656-658). In dieser Hinsicht unterscheiden sie sich von allen bisher bekannten pasakas: Lüders weist auf S121f. der in Anm. 1 genannten Abhandlung darauf hin, daß aus den einschlägigen Sanskrit-Texten die Reihenfolge 1, 2, 3, 4 hervorgeht, während die beim modernen Chaupar verwendeten Würfel der Reihe nach mit 1, 2, 6, 5 Augen bezeichnet sind und die bei Hyde, Historia Nerdiludii aufgefürten mit 1, 3, 4, 6 Augen. Bei der Benutztung von 2 pasakas können insgeseamt 10 Würfe (daya) erzielt werden, die in den Versen 659-661 aufgezählt werden: 2 Zweier, 2 Dreier, 2 Vierer und 2 Fünfer als "gleiche Würfe" (samadaya, 659d) sowie ein Zweier und ein Dreier, ein Zweier und ein Vierer, ein Zweier und ein Fünfer, ein Dreier und ein Vierer, ein Dreier und ein Fünfer, ein Vierer und ein Fünfer. Die 6 Seiten der kubischen Würfel sindmitden Augen 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 und 6 gekennzeichnet. Die Eins heißt pada, alle anderen Augen werdenmit dem Namen derjeweiligen Zahl bezeichnet (662-663). Spielte man mit kubischen Würfeln, konnte man dies entweder mit zweien oder dreien tun. Höchst interessant ist die in Zusammenhang mit den Würfeln gemachte Aussage in V. 664, die nicht anders gedeutet werden kann, als daß ein am Spiel nicht beteiliger Unparteilscher für die Spieler die Würfel warf.Sie lautet: "Ein Mann möge die beiden(bei einem Spiel) benutzten Würfel, sowohl die golkaks als auch die Erde werfen, damit sie sich bewegen" (Bock-Raming 1995a: 3-7).
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty, Nobility
Genders Male
Source Bock-Raming, A. 1995a. Untersuchungen zum Indischen Wurfelspiel in nachvedischer Zeit I: Das Backgammon nach der Darstellung des Manasollasa. Seevetal: Egbert Meissenburg.
Id DLP.Evidence.2256
Type Contemporary rule description
Game La Liebre Perseguida
Location Spain
Date 1901-01-01 - 1904-12-31
Rules A square, with diagonals and lines connecting the midpoints. Two triangles on opposite sides of the triangle. One player plays as three galgos, which are placed on the three points of one of the triangles. The other player plays as one hare, which begins on the point between two of the galgos. The hare may move in any direction along the lines on the board, but must move to the central point of the board on its first move. The galgos may move forward orthogonally or diagonally; they may never move horizontally and may only move backwards if the galgo which starts on the apex of the triangle has moved and the piece to move backwards has not yet moved. If the galgos block the hare from being able to move, they win, if the hare moves past the galgos it wins.
Content Rule description from Santos Hernández, describing children's games from Spain: " La liebre perseguida.
Este bonito juego consta de un castro ordinario con un triángulo isósceles en los lados superior e inferior,
resultando once puntos de intersección. Uno
de los jugadores tienen tres peones o galgos,
que coloca en los tres ángulos del triángulo
inferior, números /, 2, g. El otro tiene un
peón, ¡a liebre, que coloca en el punto a,
entre los tres galgos.
Comienza siempre a huir la liebre, ocupando el punto del centro, y desde éste por
donde quiera. A cada salto de la liebre avanza un galgo, recta u oblicuamente, nunca en
dirección horizontal ni hacia atrás. (A veces
a los galgos 2 y 3 antes de avanzar, se les
permite bajar al sitio / si está desocupado).
Si los galgos consiguen encerrar a la liebre, ganan el tanto, y pierden si la dejan escapar.
El juego termina pronto, pero se hace muy interesante. Si los
galgos atacan bien, ganan siempre; pero no pocas veces dejarán
escapar la liebre si el que los mueve no deduce matemáticamente
las posiciones que debe ocupar. No las consignamos aquí para que
el juego no pierda su interés" (Santos Hernándes 1901-1904: 183).
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Santos Hernández, P. 1901-1904. Juegos de los niños en las escuelas y colegios. Madrid: Editorial Saturnino Calleja.
Id DLP.Evidence.2257
Type Ethnography
Game Chatrang
Location 34° 0'56.65"N, 71°58'36.38"E
Date 1900-01-01 - 1900-01-31
Rules Four players, playing on teams of two. 1 x Shah (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 2 x Rukh (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Pil (elephant): any distance diagonally; 2 x Asb (horse): Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Sarbaz (soldier): Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. The pieces of one team are arranged with Shahs on the two central squares of the outer rows, then the Pils, ASbs, and Rukhs, with the Sarbaz in the row in front of them. When a piece moves onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is captured. When a Shah can be captured on the next turn, it is in check, and cannot remain in check at the end of that player's turn. When this is not possible, it is checkmate, and that player is out of the game. A team wins by checkmating both opposing Kings, or by capturing all of the opponents' pieces aside from the Kings. If all four Kings are the only remaining pieces, the game is a draw.
Content Observation of the game from J. Cresswell, who saw the game in Naushara, now in Pakistan, and first mentioned in British Chess Magazine: "It has been seen more recently in the Punjab at Naushahra, near Peshawar. Mr. J. Cresswell, who has recorded the fact (See BMC 1900, 6). The particulars in the text were sent to me by Mr. Cresswell, in reply to a series of questions.), was shown the game at the conclusion of an ordinary game of chess which he had been watching. Three of the players were Muhammadans, the fourth a Hindu. They used the ordinary chessmen, dividing each colour between the allied players, and using the Farzius to supply the places of the two extra Kings required,. The partners sat opposite one another, the game was played without dice, and there was no wager on the result, nor any value attached to the prisoners taken. He was informed that the game terminated (1) When one side succeeded in capturing both of the opposing Kings; (2) when one side succeeded in capturing all the opponent's men excepting the Kings; (3) when all four Kings were left bare; in which case the game was drawn. On this occasion there was no exchange of captured Kings, no attempt to capture a partner's King, and no promotion of Pawns was necessary." Murray 1913: 74.
Confidence 100
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Cresswell, J. 1900. Letter. British Chess Magazine, January 1900, 6.
Id DLP.Evidence.2258
Type Ethnography
Game Sfenj
Location Sfenj
Date 1895-01-01 - 1895-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. A typical complement of Chess pieces, the Kings are colored red.
Content "We learn from the Schachrubrik der Bohemia that Herr Kupffer writes to the St Petersburger Zeitung as follows, on the subject of Chess in Northern Siberia:” Herr Peredolsky, conservator of the University of St. Petersburg, informs me that in the interests of science he was sent, in the year 1895, on a special mission to Northern Siberia, and that he devoted many months to ethnological investigations among the Tungusians and the Yakoots. He was a dweller in their tents, and he accompanied them on their migrations. He found that all the tribes (the Samoyeds, the Tungusians, the Yakoots, etc) are enthusiastic “board-game” players. The game of draughts is played with the greatest frequency; the games of chess with the greatest enthusiasm. The people make boards for themselves in a very short time. With the help of a hot iron, they burn 32 of the squares black; and they cut pieces, which are somewhat crude, out of bone. The Pawns are rather smaller than the pieces; and it is a noticeable fact that the Pawns and pieces are similar in shape. They are like the latest types of our Rooks. The distinctive marks are as follows: Bishops are cross-hatched with straight lines; Knights with semi-circular and straight strokes; and Rooks with small circles. The King alone is coloured red. A game lasts for hours; often it is not finished till the second day. Hard by sits a crowd of spectators, who stare in silence at the board. When, however, a move is made, if it be unexpected, pretty, or brilliant, and, more particularly, if it be a sacrifice of a piece, the spectators jump up, shout out loudly, exhibit signs of delight, or dance, or even weep through excitement. A player often thinks for an hour before he makes a move. The finishing of a game is quite a scene of festivity. Excitement often causes the players to raise their stakes, until the loss of the game involves the absolute ruin of the loser. A game, to begin with, is for the reindeers; then for the dogs; for clothes; for a man’s whole belongings; and, in the end, even the women are gambled away. Herr Kupffer adds that Herr Peredolsky showed him a board and set of men which had been brought for half-a-pound of the commonest kinds of tobacco leaf, from a Tungusian ofthe lower levels between the Yenisei and the Chatanga. The board was of the ordinary size, and made in the way described above; the men were about an inch in height, cross-hatched, with the usual distinguishing marks. The Tungusian name for the game is ‘Sfenj.’ Shamanism is the religious creed of the Tungusians and the Yakoots; and it is only in the vicinity of the Russian townships that they are reckoned as nominal Christians. The game of draughts is everywhere well played, even by the women; but it has not the standing of chess. Chess reached North Siberia from China." British Chess Magazine 1904: 148-149.
Confidence 100
Source Anonymous. 1904. Chess in Northern Siberia. British Chess Magazine April 1904, 148-149.
Id DLP.Evidence.2259
Type Ethnography
Game A-i-ú
Location Bahia
Date 1851-01-01 - 1916-12-31
Rules Twelve holes. Multiple counters per hole.
Content Account from Manuel Querino from Bahia, Brazil: "Nas horas de descanso entretinham-se a jogar a A-i-ú, que consista num pedaço de tábua, com doze partes côncavas, onde colocavam e retiravam os a-i-ús, pequenos frutos cor de chumbo, originários de África e de forte consitência. Entretinham-se largo tempo nessa distração." Querino 1916: 75.
Confidence 100
Source Querino, M. 1916. A raça africana e os seus costumes na Bahia. Bahia: Editorias Baianas.
Id DLP.Evidence.2260
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Canadian Draughts
Location 45°30'0.12"N, 73°34'14.55"W
Date 1875-01-01 - 1875-12-31
Rules Played on a 12x12 board with 30 pieces per player, arranged on the dark squares. Pieces move diagonally one or can jump an opponent's adjacent player to capture it. Pieces can move forward or backwards. When a piece reaches the opposite edge of the board from its starting position, it becomes a king and can may move and jump over any number of spaces diagonally. Captures are compulsory and the maximum number of jumps must be made. Winning is achieved by capturing all the opponent's pieces or by blocking them from moving.
When a player fails to capture when it is possible, or when the player fails to capture the maximum number of pieces possible, the opponent has the option to remove the piece that should have captured but did not (or did not capture enough). The opponent also has the option to force the player to redo the move with the possible capture or maximum capture. The opponent also has the option of ignoring the possibility of huffing or forcing the player to redo the move.
Content Description of a version of Polish Draughts, with a 12x12 board: "Regles du jeu de dames. Art. 1er—Chacun joue à son tour et, si on joue à but, on commence alternativement la partie; au cas contraire, celui qui fait avantage joue toujours le second.
Art. 2.—Sitôt la partie engagée, une pièce touchée doit être jouée si elle est jouable; de là vient la maxime: Dame touchée, Dame jouée. Mais, tant qu'on la tient, on peut la placer où l'on veut. Quand une pièce est mal casée, si on la toucche pour l'arranger, il faire dire: j'adouble.
Art. 3.—Jouer un Pion de son adversaire ou toucher une pièce qui ne peut être jouée n'est pas une faute; mais, si on se trompe de ligne, l'adversaire peut à son choix maintenir le coup ou le faire rejouer.
Art. 4.—On peut faire passer plusieurs fois la pièce qui prend sur la même case vide, mais non sur le même Pion ou sur le même Dame.
Art 5.—Quand par méprise on a enlevé ses propres pièces, on ne peut plus les replacer si d'adversaire s'y refuse.
Art 6.—Ayant à prendre des deux côtés à nombre égal, on a le choix; sinon, c'est du côté du plus fort nombre: la valeur de la pièce est sans poids dans le prise. Par exemple, si on a à prendre une Dame d'un vôté et un Pion de l'autre, on prend à sa convenance; s'il en était autrement, on serait forcé de prendre une Dame en prise plutôt que deux Pions également en prise, puisqu'une Dame vaut trois Pions. C'est ainsi que nous devins interpréter les anciennes règles, qui disent qu'on doit prendre du côté du plus fort.
Art 7.— Il ne faut négliger d'enlever exactement toutes les pièces qu'on a à prendre, car l'adversaire peut non-seulement empêcher de les reprendre après coup, mais il est encore en droit de souffler la pièce qui a marqué les temps de prise.
Art 8.—Soufler, c'est enlever du Damier, comme bonne prise, une pièce, Dame ou Pion, qui n'a pas marqué et pris tout ce qui devait l'être. Après avoir souffler, on joue son coup comme à l'ordinaire, caar souffler n'est pas jouer.
Art. 9.—One est libre de souffler ou de forcer à prendre. Si on souffle, le coup reste tel qu'il a été joué; si on ne le fait pas, les choses demeurent telles qu'elles sont, et on continue à jouer. Enfin, on peut encore forcer son adversaire à reprendre et à rejouer son coup en règle, si toutefois la pièce soufflable n'a pas été touchée par le joueur qui a le droit de souffler; car, dans ce cas, celui-ci ne peut se dispenser de la faire, d'après la règle: Dame touchée, Dame jouée.
Art. 10.— Un Pion devient Dame dès qu'il arrive sur une des six cases qui se trouvent immédiatement devant l'adversaire; celui-ci doit aussitôt le couvrir d'un Pion de même couleur pris dans le tiroir; mais il ne suffit pas qu'un Pion passe en marquant des temps de prise, sur une des dix cases, il faut encore y demeurrer par la fin d'un coup, sans quoi il continue sa marche et reste Pion.
Art 11.—Jouant à but, si l'un des adversaires reste avec une Dame, et occupe la grande ligne contre trois Dames, la partie est remise. On joue quinze coups si celui qui a trois Dames tient la grande ligne; la partie est remise après ce terme. Quand l'un des joueurs n'a qu'une seule Dame contre une Dame et deux Pions, il a le droit de damer les deux Pions et de commencer à compter les quinze coups de rigueur. Le jouer qui fait avantage compte vingt coups au lieu de quinze (Les anciennes règles portent à vingt-et-un le nombre de coups que peut exiger celui qui fait avantage; mais la nouvelle académie des jeux n'en accorde que vingt, et pour éviter des contestations nous adoptons ce dernier chiffre. " Anonymous 1875.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Anonymous. 1875. Le jeu de dames. L'Opinion Publique 6(48), 2 December 1875, 575.
Id DLP.Evidence.2261
Type Ethnography
Game Ngulungu
Location Katanga
Date 1955-01-01 - 1960-12-31
Rules 4x7 board, using only the outer two rows. Three counters in each hole.Sowing occurs in an anticlockwise direction. The first player takes the counters out of their leftmost hole and sows them. Instead of each player owning a row of holes, they own the series of holes which currently contain their counters. Players always sow from the rearmost of their holes. When the frontmost two holes of a player's sequence contain one counter each, the player gets another turn. When a player sows into the rear holes of the opponent, the player takes ownership of those holes. When one player is reduced to one counter, they may jump to the nearest corner hole in the direction of play, and continue jumping from corner to corner until they capture counters belonging to the opponent, at which point they revert to the normal playing style. The first player to capture all their opponent's pieces wins.
Content "Le "Ngulungu" (antelope en Kiluba) est une variante très facile, pour les enfants, du "Kisolo". Il est joué également par les enfants Basanga qui l'appellent d'ailleurs "le ngulungu des Baluba." Il est au "kisolo" ce que le jeu de "dames" est aux échecs. Les enfants se servent pour y jouer, du "kisolo" des adultes ou bien font en argile ou en terre le nombre de casiers voulus. Lorsque le jeu de "kisolo" comporte 4 rangées de 8 cases, les enfants se servent seulement de rangées de 7 cases. Le jeu se joue toujours de gauche à droite comme l'indique le sens des flêches de la fig. 191 ci après. Chaque joueur a 3x7 jetons dispse 3 à 3 dans chacune des cases 1 à 7, comme le montre le destin. Seules les cases périphéiques servent au jeu (A1 à 9 et B1 à 9); les cases du milieu, en blanc sur le dessin, restent toujours vides. Le jeu est une "poursuite" en rond, chaque joueur s'eforçant de ratrapper son adversaire et de lui "manger" ses jetons en occupant ses casiers. C'est extrêmement facile et il n'y a aucune initiative laissée aux joueurs; pour autant qu'ils ne se trompent pas (mais ceci est rare), toutes les parties suivent un cours identique et perd toujours celui qui joue le premier. Dans la pratique, une l'égrère distraction ou une erreur suffisent à peturber la marche du jeu et à en rendre l'issue imprévisible.
March et règles du jeu:
1) Le joueur qui commence, soit A, prend les trois graines de sa première case (A1) et les place une à une dans les cases suivantes, soit A2, A3, A4; ces cases contiennent donc à ce moment 4 graines chacune, au lieu des trois graines initiales.
2) Le joueur B fait la même chose, en partant de B1, vers B2, B3, et B4.
3) C'est au tour du joueur A; le case A1 étant vide, il part de A2 (contenant 4 graines) et place ces 4 graines une à une dans chacune des cases A3, A4, A5, et A6.
4) Le joueur B fait de même de son côté.
5) Le jeu continue de la sorte jusqu'à ce qu'un des joueurs ait, à l'avant -garde de son jeu, deux cases successives ne comportant qu'une seule graine. Cela lui donne le droit de rejouer et ce, aussi longtemps qu'il obtient deux cases successives avec une graine chacune. Une seule graine dans une case d'avant-garde ne donne pas le droit de rejouer.
6) Au cours de son avance, le joueur A en vient à occuper successivement les cases A8, A9, et enfin les cases laissées vides par son adversaire, c'est-à-dire B1, B2, etc...De même pour le joueur B qui, après B8 et B9, occupe les cases A1, A2, A3 et ls suivantes.
7) A mesure que la "poursuite" se prolonge, un des joueurs ratrappe son adversaire et en arrive à empiéter sur le jeu de ce dernier. Il place donc ses graines (toujours une à une) dans des cases encore "occuppées" par l'ennemi, dont il s'approprie les graines ainsi dépassées.
8) A ce moment, l'adversaire, ayant perdu ces cases, joue à partir de la case suivante, c'est-à-dire la dernière case à l'arrière-garde de son jeu.
9) Le joueur dont toutes les graines passent à l'ennemi par suite de l'occupation des cases qui les contennaient, a perdu la partie.
10)Le joueur à qui il ne reste plus qu'un seule graine joue avec cette dernière en sautant de coin en coin, toujours dans le sens de la flèche. En sautant au-dessus des graines de son adversaire, il en acquiert la propriété; mais dès lors, il perd le droit de "sauter" et la poursuite recommence, jusqu'à ce qu'un deux joueurs ait perdu toutes ses graines.
11) ce jeu, très répandu chez les Baluba et les Basanga, existe également chez les Tshokwe et chez les Lunda sous le nom de "kendo." Centner 1963: 377-378.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Centner, T. 1963. L'enfant africain et ses jeux. Elisabethville: CEPSI.
Id DLP.Evidence.2262
Type Artifact
Game Vignone Game
Location 45°57'15.13"N, 8°34'10.82"E
Date 1615-01-01 - 1997-12-31
Rules A square, with diagonals and lines connecting the midpoints. Two triangles on opposite sides of the square. A line from the apex to the midpoint of the base, and another crossing this line at its midpoint.
Content Graffiti from the wall of the churchyard of San Martino in Vignone, Italy. The churchyard was built from 1615 until the nineteenth century, the graffiti could have been made at any time. Gavazzi and Gavazzi 1997: 53.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Gavazzi, C and L. Gavazzi. 1997. Giocare sulla pietra i giochi nelle incisioni rupestri e nei graffiti fi Piemonte Valle d'Aosta e Liguria. Turin: Priuli and Verlucca.
Id DLP.Evidence.2263
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Lièvre
Location France
Date 1917-01-01 - 1917-12-31
Rules Two concentric circles, with four radii from the outer circle to in the center, dividing the circles into four equal parts. There are four arcs, each of which bisects a radius between where each radius intersects the circumference of each circle, the arc also intersecting with the outer circle's circumference. One player plays as a hare the other as three dogs. The players alternate turns moving one of their pieces along the lines of the board. If the dogs block the hare from being able to move, the dogs win.
Content Mention of Lièvre, with a picture of the board made for blind people: "Qui ne connaît le jeu du Lièvre paut-être aussi ancien que le jeu de l'oie: trois pions (les chiens) courent à un pion (le lièvre) qu'il s'agit de bloquer en un endroit quelconque du jeu. " Fournier 1917: 656.
Confidence 100
Source Fournier, L. 1917. Des étrennes pour nos soldats aveugles. L'Illustration 3904, 29 December 1917, 655-656.
Id DLP.Evidence.2264
Type Ethnography
Game 'Um el-Bil
Location 32°54'26.17"N, 10°25'36.91"E
Date 1988-01-01 - 1988-12-31
Rules 2x6, 2x7, or 2x8 board. Four counters in each hole. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. The first player sows from the hole on their right. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, the turn ends. When the final counter lands in an empty hole, that counter is captured. The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content " 'Um el-bil (la mère des chameaux!) Est une appellation timide de ce qui est en réalité "les crottes de chameau." Celles-ci une fois durcies, servent à pratiquer le jeu qui consiste à creuser deux rangées de 6, 7,ou 8 (fois deux) trous où l'on place 4 crottes (npyaux ou cailloiux). Deux joueurs se disputent le jeu. Après avoir désigné celui qui commence, l'initiatuer prend dans le premier trou, à sa droite, les 4 crottes qu'il distribue dans les trous suivants. Il poursuit cette action jusqu'à atteindre un trou vide où il place une crotte, celle-ci est gagnée. Alors commence le tour du second joueur et ainsi de suite jusqu'a épuisement des crottes jouées.
Ce jeu disputé par deux joueurs aiguise l'enthousiasme du groupe des supporters. Il est pratiqué en plein air, à l'intérieur où au lieu de creuser des trous l'on dessine des circles ou des carrés. Il est rarement joué par les jeunes filles." Ayoub 1991: 20-21
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside, Outside
Source Ayoub, A. 1991. "100 jeux traditionnels du sud du Tunisie." in A. Ayoub and A. Louhichi (eds.), Jeu et sports en Mediterranée: actes du colloque de Carthage, 7-8-9 novembre 1989. Tunis: Alif, 13-54.
Id DLP.Evidence.2265
Type Ethnography
Game 'Addî Kûl
Location 32°54'50.92"N, 10°16'40.93"E; 32° 0'43.53"N, 10°41'51.67"E; 33°43'20.91"N, 10°51'43.29"E; 32°51'47.07"N, 10°28'24.50"E; 32°54'24.36"N, 10°25'37.06"E; 33°30'14.77"N, 11° 5'17.34"E
Date 1988-01-01 - 1988-12-31
Rules 6x7 board. 21 pieces per player, which begin in the three rows closest to each player. The central row of the board remains empty. Players alternate turns moving one of their pieces forward, diagonally, or horizontally on the board. When a player's piece is next to an opponent's piece with an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it, the player's piece may hop over the opponent's piece to capture it. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "'addî kûl (franchis et mange!) Ce jeu est connu dans tout le Sud de la Tunisie et constitue une sorte de jeu de dames. L'échiquier est composé de 47 cases dont les sept du milieu restent vides. Chaque trois rangées sont remplies de noyaux de dattes, de pierres ou de crottes. Le jeu consiste donc, tout en avançant dans tous les sens sauf en arrière, à enjamber le pion de l'adversaire pour le retirer du jeu. addi kul se joue à deux et comme la kharbga donne l'occasion à des séances plûtot échauffées, entre hommes. " Ayoub 1991: 23.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside
Genders Male
Source Ayoub, A. 1991. "100 jeux traditionnels du sud du Tunisie." in A. Ayoub and A. Louhichi (eds.), Jeu et sports en Mediterranée: actes du colloque de Carthage, 7-8-9 novembre 1989. Tunis: Alif, 13-54.
Id DLP.Evidence.2266
Type Ethnography
Game El-Mthaltha
Location Djerba
Location 32° 0'43.53"N, 10°41'51.67"E; 32°51'47.07"N, 10°28'24.50"E; 33°52'33.98"N, 7°52'49.38"E; 33°30'14.77"N, 11° 5'17.34"E; 33°20'23.41"N, 10°29'44.58"E
Date 1988-01-01 - 1988-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines, with diagonals in the square. Three pieces per player, which begin on opposite sides of the square. Players alternate turns moving one of their pieces along the lines of the board. When a player surrounds one of the opponent's pieces with two of their pieces, the opponent's piece is captured. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content "el-mthaltha (jeu en trois) Tracer un carré puis le répartir en...huit triangles. Placer ensuite aux six extremités six pions. Le jeu consiste alors à gagner les pions de l'adversaire en les coinçant, un `za un, entre deux pions. A = mthaltha, chez les femmes de Jerba, thlatha tishsha, Zarzis, thlatha tisha, à Médenine." Ayoub 1991: 41.
Confidence 100
Source Ayoub, A. 1991. "100 jeux traditionnels du sud du Tunisie." in A. Ayoub and A. Louhichi (eds.), Jeu et sports en Mediterranée: actes du colloque de Carthage, 7-8-9 novembre 1989. Tunis: Alif, 13-54.
Id DLP.Evidence.2267
Type Ethnography
Game Es-Sîg
Location 32°54'50.92"N, 10°16'40.93"E; 32° 0'43.53"N, 10°41'51.67"E; 33°43'20.91"N, 10°51'43.29"E; 32°51'47.07"N, 10°28'24.50"E; 33°20'23.41"N, 10°29'44.58"E; 33°52'33.98"N, 7°52'49.38"E; 32°54'24.36"N, 10°25'37.06"E; 33°55'6.66"N, 8° 7'22.42"E; 33°30'14.77"N, 11° 5'17.34"E
Date 1988-01-01 - 1988-12-31
Rules 7x7 board, with an extra square above the top left square of the grid. One piece per player. Four sticks, with one green side and one white side, used as dice. The throws are as follows: one white and three green = sîg, valued at 1; two white and two green = 0; three white and one green = 3; four white = 4. Pieces begin off the board, moving onto the bottom right square, and proceed in a boustrophedon direction, moving upward in the rightmost column, then down the next to the left, until reaching the extra space in the top left of the board. A player must first throw sîg to begin moving. PLayers move according to the values of the throws. If a player lands on the top right square, they must throw sîg five times to escape it. If a player lands on the central square, they must throw sîg ten times to escape it. A player must also throw one sîg to escape each of the final three spaces. Once a player has escaped the final space, they control the Ghula. The Ghula has different values for the throws: one white = 2; two white = 5; three white = 0; four white = 4; four green =6. The ghula moves in the opposite direction of the pieces, and when it overcomes one of the opponent's pieces it drags them in the direction it moves, with the goal of dragging them to the start. The Ghula may move forward or backward on its turn along the track. The Ghula does not have to throw a sîg to escape any spaces. Play continues until all of the players escape the final space.
Content "es-sîg (sîg est le pluriel de sâg, pied) Si el Kharbga (voir plus haut) est dans le sud de la Tunisie le jeu des hommes, par excellenbce, es-sîg, sera celui des femmes. Elles y jouent lorsqu'elles sont peu affairées les après-midi et au mois de Ramadan. Es-sîg est un jeu complexe (une formule très simplifiée est attestée à Nefta) dont les supports sont:
a) un damier comme celui de la kharbga composé de 49 cases, plus une case extérieure, case du pélérinage (cf. croquis).
Six cases (1-6) constituent les obstacles qu'il faut franchir selon la réglementation spéciale décrite ci-après.
b) Quatre bâtonnets de palmier longs de 10 à 15 cm et verts d'un côté, blancs de l'autre. Le joueur prend les quatre bâtonnets à la fois et les jette en faisant de la main un mouvement demi-circulaire. On obtient:
1—un blanc et trois verts = sîg (on avance d'une case).
2—deux blancs et deux verts = dukkân = nul.
3—trois blancs et un vert = trois points (trois cases).
4—quatre blancs = quatre points (quatre cases).
(1) = case de départ de la case 6 à la case 1 est le sens que prend l'ogresse, el-ghûla.
Déroulement du jeu: Le jeu consiste à ce que la femme conduise son père, ici symbolisé par sa bague de mariée, jusqu'à la Mecque, case 6. Celle qui, la première, fait atteindre son père au lieu du pélerinage tente d'empêcher les autres d'en faire autant et ce à l'aide de l'ogresse, el-ghûla, qui circule dans le sens inverse et ne peut être arrêtée par les obstacles. Le nombre des joueurs étant illimités, le jeu commence proprement lorsque l'une obtient un sîg (1B + 3V). Elle pose sa bague dans le case 1 appellée à Jerba, bayt el-khrâ, case de la merde. Puis à chacune son tour. Si l'on tombe dans la case 2 dite la bonne, lumliha, pour s'en sortir il faut obtenir cinq sîg et pour pouvoir quitter la case 3 dite kharakhush dix sig sont obligatoires.
Chaque fois que l'on franchit l'une des trois cases (1-2-3) la case suivaante dite dar lahbut, est donnée en bonus. Et pour sortir des cases 4, 5 et 6 il faut à chaque fois un sîg. La case 4 est appelée: es-sqifa es-sghira, la petite anti-chambre, la case 5 es-sqifa al-kbira, la grande anti-chambre et la case 6 el-hajj, le lieu du pélerinage. Lorsqu'on atteint la case 6 on est tenu d'obtenir un sîg supplémentaire, celui qui permet de "faire boire au père l'eau bénite de Zemzem", izamazu bah.
Une fois le père désaltéré, el-ghula sort. Les joueuses sont tenues à jouer à vide deux tours. L'ogresse, habituellement représentée par un morceau de charbon, est autorisée à avancer et reculer selon le choix de la joueuse, et selon les position des bâtonnets suivantes (B= Blanc, V= Vert):
1B+3V=sîg= 2 cases
2B+2V = dukkan = 5 cases
4V= 6 cases
4B= 4 cases
3B+1V= nul = dite sayma, elle fait le jeûne.
Les cases obstacles n'arrêtent pas el-ghula qui, en arrivant à la case 1 peut rebrousser chemin pour empêcher les pères égarés d'avancer vers la case el-hajj. Si plusieurs joueuses obtiennent des ogresses, on tire alors au sort pour n'en garder qu'une seule. On peut, d'ailleurs, interrompe le jeu pour vaquer aux occupations domestiques, Il arrive qu;un sîg se prolonge pendant plusieurs jours et qu'il soit tracé sur un planche dit luh es-sîg. Quant aux femmes qui gagnent souvent au sîg, leur espoir de conduire leurs pères à la Mecque devient une sorte de conviction (au fait, disaient certaines femmes, de milieu non aisé: "au moins je lui fais son pélerinage comme ça!") " Ayoub 1991: 433-45.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Female
Source Ayoub, A. 1991. "100 jeux traditionnels du sud du Tunisie." in A. Ayoub and A. Louhichi (eds.), Jeu et sports en Mediterranée: actes du colloque de Carthage, 7-8-9 novembre 1989. Tunis: Alif, 13-54.
Id DLP.Evidence.2268
Type Artifact
Game Balkan Mancala
Location 44°49'16.72"N, 20°27'11.42"E
Date 1600-01-01 - 1699-12-31
Rules 2x6 board.
Content Board found in the Lower Town of Belgrade Fortress. 2x6 board with round holes. Found in 17th Century fill. Bikić and Vuković 2010: 184.
Confidence 100
Source Bikić, V. and J. Vuković. 2010. "Board Games Reconsidered. Mancala in the Balkans." Етноантрополошки проблеми 1: 183-209.
Id DLP.Evidence.2269
Type Artifact
Game Balkan Mancala
Location 44°49'16.72"N, 20°27'11.42"E
Date 1600-01-01 - 1600-12-31
Rules 2x6 board.
Content Board found in the Lower Town of Belgrade Fortress. 2x6 board with square holes. Found in 17th century fill. Bikić and Vuković 2010: 185.
Confidence 100
Source Bikić, V. and J. Vuković. 2010. "Board Games Reconsidered. Mancala in the Balkans." Етноантрополошки проблеми 1: 183-209.
Id DLP.Evidence.2270
Type Ethnography
Game Balkan Mancala
Location Ragusa
Date 1658-01-01 - 1658-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Several counters in each hole. PLayers sow the counters. When the final counter lands in a hole, making it contain an uneven number of counters, the counters are captured. The player who captures all of the counters wins.
Content Account from Poullet, who was traveling in the Republic of Ragusa in 1658: "Quelqués-uns d'eux sçauent les échets; mais le jeu auquel ils passent le plus ordinairement le temps, se fait dans uns petite boëtte ployante, longue presque d'un pied, et large dun quart. Dans l'étenduë de sa longueur il y a cinq ou six trous de chaque costé, de pareille granduer que les fossettes ausquelles les enfans joüent à la balle en France. Ils mettent un certain nombre de féues blancs et noires dans chacun de ces trous. Le premier qui commence, vuide le premier, et distribüe ce qu;il y a pris dans les suiuans. Le second fait de mesme, et poursuiuent de la sorte iusqu'au rencontre de quelques nombres impairs; auquel, celuy en faueur duquel il tombe, prend prend toutes celles qui sont en cet endroit, et continuent iusques à ce qu'un d'eux ait gagné toutes ces féues." Poullet 1668: 61.
Confidence 100
Source Poullet. 1668. Nouvelles relations du Levant. Paris: Louis Billaine.
Id DLP.Evidence.2271
Type Artifact
Game Al-Andalus Game
Location 39°45'20.47"N, 5° 5'13.64"W
Date 0800-01-01 - 1099-12-31
Rules 2x4 board.
Content 2x4 graffiti board found at the corner of the mosque where the street comes from the south to the plaza. COsín Corral and García Aparicio 1999: 590-591.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Cosín Corral, Y. and C. García Aparicio. 1999. "Testimonio arqueológico de la tradición lúdica en el mundo islámico: juegos en la ciudad hispanomusulmana de Vascos (Navalmoralejo, Toledo). In R. de Balbín Behrmann and P. Bueno Ramírez (eds.), II Congreso de arqueología peninsular 4. Madrid: Universidad Alcala, 589-600.
Id DLP.Evidence.2272
Type Artifact
Game Al-Andalus Game
Location 39°45'20.47"N, 5° 5'13.64"W
Date 0800-01-01 - 1099-12-31
Rules 2x4 board.
Content 2x4 graffiti board found in the interior of the citadel at Ciudad de Vascos, Spain. Cosín Corral and García Aparicio 1999: 590-591.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Cosín Corral, Y. and C. García Aparicio. 1999. "Testimonio arqueológico de la tradición lúdica en el mundo islámico: juegos en la ciudad hispanomusulmana de Vascos (Navalmoralejo, Toledo). In R. de Balbín Behrmann and P. Bueno Ramírez (eds.), II Congreso de arqueología peninsular 4. Madrid: Universidad Alcala, 589-600.
Id DLP.Evidence.2273
Type Artifact
Game Al-Andalus Game
Location 39°45'20.47"N, 5° 5'13.64"W
Date 0800-01-01 - 1099-12-31
Rules 2x4 board.
Content 2x4 graffiti board found in the interior of the fortress at Ciudad de Vascos, Spain. Cosín Corral and García Aparicio 1999: 590-591.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Cosín Corral, Y. and C. García Aparicio. 1999. "Testimonio arqueológico de la tradición lúdica en el mundo islámico: juegos en la ciudad hispanomusulmana de Vascos (Navalmoralejo, Toledo). In R. de Balbín Behrmann and P. Bueno Ramírez (eds.), II Congreso de arqueología peninsular 4. Madrid: Universidad Alcala, 589-600.
Id DLP.Evidence.2274
Type Artifact
Game Al-Andalus Game
Location 39°45'20.47"N, 5° 5'13.64"W
Date 0800-01-01 - 1099-12-03
Rules 2-row board.
Content Brick fragment with two rows of holes, two preserved. Based on the size of the brick preserved compared to the size of other bricks at the site, a 2x4 board is likely. Found in a rubble layer at the citadel of Ciudad de Vascos, Spain. Cosín Corral and García Aparicio 1999: 590-591.
Confidence 100
Source Cosín Corral, Y. and C. García Aparicio. 1999. "Testimonio arqueológico de la tradición lúdica en el mundo islámico: juegos en la ciudad hispanomusulmana de Vascos (Navalmoralejo, Toledo). In R. de Balbín Behrmann and P. Bueno Ramírez (eds.), II Congreso de arqueología peninsular 4. Madrid: Universidad Alcala, 589-600.
Id DLP.Evidence.2275
Type Artifact
Game Al-Andalus Game
Location 39°45'20.47"N, 5° 5'13.64"W
Date 0800-01-01 - 1099-12-31
Rules Graffiti board 5B with two rows, thee in one preserved and one in the other. Offset from these, to one side, are two larger holes, interpreted as stores for the counters. Found alongside 2A and 3A. Found in the interior of the citadel at Ciudad de Vascos. Cosín Corral and García Aparicio 1999: 590-591.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Cosín Corral, Y. and C. García Aparicio. 1999. "Testimonio arqueológico de la tradición lúdica en el mundo islámico: juegos en la ciudad hispanomusulmana de Vascos (Navalmoralejo, Toledo). In R. de Balbín Behrmann and P. Bueno Ramírez (eds.), II Congreso de arqueología peninsular 4. Madrid: Universidad Alcala, 589-600.
Id DLP.Evidence.2276
Type Artifact
Game Al-Andalus Game
Location 39°45'20.47"N, 5° 5'13.64"W
Date 0800-01-01 - 1099-12-31
Rules 2x4 board with two stores to one side.
Content 2x4 graffiti board, with two larger holes offset to one side of the board. From the interior of the citadel at Ciudad de Vascos. 6B. Cosín Corral and García Aparicio 1999: 590, 592.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Cosín Corral, Y. and C. García Aparicio. 1999. "Testimonio arqueológico de la tradición lúdica en el mundo islámico: juegos en la ciudad hispanomusulmana de Vascos (Navalmoralejo, Toledo). In R. de Balbín Behrmann and P. Bueno Ramírez (eds.), II Congreso de arqueología peninsular 4. Madrid: Universidad Alcala, 589-600.
Id DLP.Evidence.2277
Type Artifact
Game Al-Andalus Game
Location 39°45'20.47"N, 5° 5'13.64"W
Date 0800-01-01 - 1099-12-31
Rules 2x4 board, with two stores to one side.
Content 2x4 graffiti board, with one store fully preserved and traces of a second off to one side. Found in the interior of the citadel of Ciudad de Vascos, Spain,. 7B. Cosín Corral and García Aparicio 1999: 590, 592.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Cosín Corral, Y. and C. García Aparicio. 1999. "Testimonio arqueológico de la tradición lúdica en el mundo islámico: juegos en la ciudad hispanomusulmana de Vascos (Navalmoralejo, Toledo). In R. de Balbín Behrmann and P. Bueno Ramírez (eds.), II Congreso de arqueología peninsular 4. Madrid: Universidad Alcala, 589-600.
Id DLP.Evidence.2278
Type Artifact
Game Al-Andalus Game
Location 39°45'20.47"N, 5° 5'13.64"W
Date 0800-01-01 - 1099-12-31
Rules 2x4 board, the one store on each end.
Content 2x4 graffiti board with one store on each end, found in the interior of the citadel of Ciudad de Vascos, Spain. 8C. Cosín Corral and García Aparicio 1999: 590, 592.
Confidence 100
Spaces Inside
Source Cosín Corral, Y. and C. García Aparicio. 1999. "Testimonio arqueológico de la tradición lúdica en el mundo islámico: juegos en la ciudad hispanomusulmana de Vascos (Navalmoralejo, Toledo). In R. de Balbín Behrmann and P. Bueno Ramírez (eds.), II Congreso de arqueología peninsular 4. Madrid: Universidad Alcala, 589-600.
Id DLP.Evidence.2279
Type Artifact
Game 3x14 Game
Location 32°41'0.38"N, 35°39'53.84"E
Date 0400-01-01 - 0799-12-31
Rules 3x14 board.
Content 3x14 board, rendered as rows of holes, on the southernmost fountain of the Hall of the Fountain at the baths of Hammat Gader. Amitai Preiss 1997: 276-277.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public, Communal
Source Amitai-Preiss, N. 1997. 'Arabic inscriptions, graffiti and games.'In Y. Hirschfeld, The Roman Baths of Hamat Gader: Final Report. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society. pp. 267–278.
Id DLP.Evidence.2280
Type Artifact
Game 3x14 Game
Location 31°46'35.73"N, 35°14'1.82"E
Date 0100-01-01 - 0799-12-31
Rules 3x14 board.
Content 3x14 board, rendered as squares, on a Roman paving stone from the Eastern Cardo near the Western Wall, Jerusalem. Sebbane 2019: 159.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Sebbane, M. 2019. "Board Games from the Eastern Cardo." In Weksler-Bdolha, S. and A. Onn (eds.), Jerusalem: Western Wall Plaza Excavations I. Jerusalem: Israel Antiquities Authority, 147-164.
Id DLP.Evidence.2281
Type Ethnography
Game O An Quan
Location Tonkin
Date 1940-01-01 - 1941-12-31
Rules 2x5 board, with two large spaces on either end. Ten counters in each large space, with five in each smaller space. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction. When a counter falls in an occupied space, the contents of the following space are picked up and sowing continues. If the following space is one of the large spaces, one of the counters from the large space is picked up and sown into the next space. When the following space is empty, if there is another space following the empty space the turn ends. If the space following the empty space contains counters, these are captured. If the next space after the one in which the capture was made is also empty, followed by a space with counters, these are also captured, continuing with any unbroken sequence of empty and occupied spaces.
When one player has no counters in their spaces, they place five of their captured counters, one in each of their spaces, and continue to play.
Play ends when both of the large spaces are empty. The players evenly split any remaining counters on the board.
A new round begins. Players fill their spaces with their captured stones. The player with fewer counters must then "sell" spaces on their side to the opponent to have enough counters to fill the holes. If the difference in the number of captured counters is less than ten, the opponent is given half-ownership of a space, and the contents of it at the end of the game are split between the two players. If the difference is ten, the opponent then may take all of the stones from a sold space at the end of the game. The player may regain sold spaces on subsequent rounds by capturing ten counters more than their opponent. The game is then played as before. Games are played until three or four squares in the same row have been sold. The winner is the player who has captured the three or four spaces.
Content Description from Ngo Qui Son in Tonkin: "Deux joueurs disposent chacun de 35 cailloux. Ils commencent à dessiner sur un espace plan une figure ovale divisée en douze cases. Les deux grandes cases qui terminent les deux extrémités de la figure sont appelées ô quan, cases de mandarin. Les dix cases du milieu réparties en deux séries sont des ô dân cases de paysan ou des ruong rizières. Sont affectées à chaque joueur, une case de mandarin et cinq cases de paysan. Chaque joueur dépose ses cailloux dans ses cases (10 dans la grande case et 5 dans chacune des petits cases, soit 35 cailloux pour une série et 70 cailloux pour les deux séries.) Les joueurs se tiennent assis aux côtés longitudinaux du plan. L'un d'entre eux prend le contenu d'une quelconque des cases (case de mandarin exceptée) et le répand par unité dans son rang d'abord en procédant vers la droite et dans le rang adverse en allant de droite à gauche. Il saisit le contenu de la case qui quit immédiatement celle où est déposé le dernier caillou. Mais si celui-ci tombe dans une case de paysan qui précède une case de mandarin, au lieu de saisir tout le contenu de cette case, il n'en prend qu'un caillou pour le déposer dans la case suivante. Il continue l'opération jusqu'à ce que son dernier pion tombe dans une case qui précède un ou plusieurs vides. S'il agit de deux ou trois vides, la main passe. Dans le cas où il n'y a qu'un seul vide, il est permis au joueur de prendre pour lui le contenu de la case qui suit immédiatement le vide, et si après cette dernière case il trouve un autre vide suivi d'une autre case de cailloux, il peut prendre encore le contenu de celle-ci et ainsi de suite. Après avoir rentré les cailloux gagnés, l'enfant passe le jeu à son partenaire. Celui-ci joue dans les mêmes conditions que son précédent avec le reste des cailloux. S'il arrive, au cours des opérations, que toutes les cases d'une série sont devenues vides, le joueur auquel est affectée cette série, doit débourser cinq cailloux qu'il dispose par unité dans chaque case avant de recommencer le jeu. Cette pratique est appelée tha ca lacher les poissons.
Le jeu prend fin lorsque les deux cases de mandarin sont vides. C'est ce qu'on appelle het quan chute des mandarins. Le reste des cailloux qui peut exister dans les cases de paysan est réparti à parts égales entre les deux joueurs. Les enfants désignent cette dernière opération par le terme tan dan disparitiondes paysans.A la fin du jeu, les enfants comptent les cailloux qu'ils ont pu rentrer. Si un joueur a pu rentrer 35 cailloux, il est neutre vis-à-vis de l'autre. S'il n'a pu en rentrer autant, il est déclaré vaincu une première fois. Le perdant demande alors au gagnant tous les cailloux qu'il a perdus pour parfaire le nombre de 35. Les joueurs remettent alors leurs cailloux à leur ancienne place et le jeu recommence dans les mêmes conditions que précédemment. Si le perdant demande à son compagnon 5 cailloux par example, il doit lui céder provisoirement une des cases de sa série. Il dit alors cam ruong céder provisoirement une rizière. A la fin du jeu, les cailloux que contient la case ainsi cédée seront divisés en deux parties égales entre les deux joueurs. Mais si le perdant demande à son collègue dix cailloux, il doit lui céder définitivement une des ses cases. Il dit alors ban yuong vendre une rizière. Dans ce cas, à la fin du jeu les cailloux qui pourront se trouver dans la case vendue à titre définitif seront au profit du gagnant. Le jeu se prolonge jusqu'à ce que trois ou quatre cases d'une même série soient vendues. Le joueur à qui appartient cette série présente ses mains auxquelles son vainqueur donne une pichenette." Son 1985: 31-32.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Spaces Communal
Genders Female, Male
Source Son, N. Q. 1985. Jeux d'Enfants du Vietnam. Paris: Sudestasie.
Id DLP.Evidence.2282
Type Ethnography
Game Co Chan Cho
Location Tonkin
Date 1940-01-01 - 1941-12-31
Rules The board is a square with diagonals drawn, with the bottom side of the square marked with an X. Two pieces per player, which begin on opposite corners of the square, one player to the left of the side with the X and the other to the right. Players alternate turns moving one of their pieces along the lines of the board to an empty adjacent point. Players cannot move along the line marked with an X. When one player cannot move, the opponent wins.
Content Account from Ngo Qui Son in Tonkin, Vietnamin 1940-1941: "On dessine sur le sol nu une figure qui représente l'échiquier. Les pions sont au nombre de quatre (deux de chaque côté). Ce sont des fragments de faïence d'une part et des cailloux de l'autre. Ces pions sont quelquefois remplacés par des petits bouts de papier et des fétus de paille. L'essentiel est que les pions d'une côté ne soient pas confondus avec ceux de l'autre. Les lignes droites qui ferment les côtés de la figure ou qui vont d'un angle à un autre sont des lignes sur lesquelles les joueurs déplacent leur pion. Le côté marqué d'une crois, qui est censé représenter la rivière, est interdit au passage des pions. Il est permis au joueur de déplacer son pion d'un angle à un autre à condition que ce dernier soit libre. Le joueur qui n'a pas d'accès pour son pion est le vaincu." Son 1985: 44.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Spaces Communal
Genders Female, Male
Source Son, N. Q. 1985. Jeux d'Enfants du Vietnam. Paris: Sudestasie.
Id DLP.Evidence.2283
Type Ethnography
Game Felli
Location Southern Morocco
Date 1960-01-01 - 1982-12-31
Rules Two triangles, joined at the apex, with a line running through the apices bisecting the bases of each triangle, and another line bisecting this line and the sides of the triangle in each triangle. Six pieces per player, which begin on the six points in the triangle closest to the player. The apex remains empty. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent spot on the board. A player may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of the opponent's piece, according to the lines on the board. When a player moves their piece to one of the corners of the opponent's triangle, the piece is promoted. The promoted piece can move any distance along the lines.
Content Account of Felli from informants from Southern Morocco until they were aged 18, living in Paris. "Felli ou fich: il faut d'abord tracer le damier, ensuite chaque joueur place six cailloux dans le triangle qu'il choisit. Le déroulement du jeu est semblable au jeu de dame, avec cependant la différence que les cailloux de felli peuvent être ramenés en arrière. Pour faire dame il faut arriver à placer un de ses cailloux sur l'un des sommets CDEF. La dame peut se déplacer suivant les deux côtés de l'angle sur lequel elle se trouve; mais peut être prise au même titre qu'un simple caillou. Le gagnant est celui qui réussit à prendre le maximum de cailloux." Bouhajbane 1989: 29.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Source Bouhajbane, A. 1989. Jeux traditionnels marocains. espace et jeux. Unpublished Thesis, Université de Paris-Nord.
Id DLP.Evidence.2284
Type Ethnography
Game Fetach
Location Southern Morocco
Date 1960-01-01 - 1982-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines with diagonals drawn in each quadrant. Twelve pieces per player, which begin on the rows closest to the player and the two spots to the right of the central point, leaving the central point open. Players alternate turns moving the pieces along the lines of the board. The first play is from one of the pieces directly above or below the central point. Pieces cannot move backwards. A player may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty spot immediately adjacent to the opponent's piece on the opposite side, along the lines of the board.Pieces which reach the opposite edge of the board from where they started are promoted and can move and capture any distance along the lines of the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Account from Moroccan immigrants in Paris, about games played in their childhood: ""Quireq" ou "fetach": on prend un peu d'herbe dans laquelle la sève est abondante comme les orties ou la menthe sauvage pour tracer le damier. Quelquefois le damier est tracé à même le sol. Ensuite les enfants placent les pions qui sont de nature différente. L'un des joueur doit obligatoirement déplacer le pion qui se trouve sur la médiane AB pour l'amener au centre C. Le deuxième joueur prend alors le pion central de son partenaire pour occuper l'endroit où, au début du jeu, se trouvait le pion de son partenaire. Les joueurs poussent leurs pions à tour de rôle en s'efforçant de prendre les pions de l'adversaire. Pour faire dame il faut arriver à plaçer un de ses pions en 1-2 ou 3-4. Cette dame peut se déplacer sur la diagonale 2-3 et 1-4 et peut prendre des pions sur son passage. Le gagnant est celui qui arrive à prendre le maximum de pions." Bouhajbane 1989: 28.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Source Bouhajbane, A. 1989. Jeux traditionnels marocains. espace et jeux. Unpublished Thesis, Université de Paris-Nord.
Id DLP.Evidence.2285
Type Ethnography
Game Fettas
Location Southern Morocco
Date 1960-01-01 - 1982-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides. Eleven pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. When a player lines up three of their pieces in a row along one of the lines of the board, the player removes one of the opponent's pieces. When all of the pieces are placed, players move their pieces one spot along the lines of the board. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Account from Moroccan immigrants in France, describing games from their childhood: ""Fettas" : après le tracé du damier; chaque joueur, avec 11 cailloux de couleurs différentes, doit poser à tour de rôle l'un de ses cailloux en partant du sommet du damier. Le principe du jeu est d'arriver à placer trois cailloux en ligne droite (exemple ABC) tout en empêchant son adversaire d'en faire autant. Chaque fois que l'un des joueur arrive `za placer trois pions en ligne droite, il prend sur le jeu de son adversaire un caillou. Le jeu est terminé lorsque l'un des joueurs n'a plus de cailloux." Bouhajbane 1989: 28-29.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Source Bouhajbane, A. 1989. Jeux traditionnels marocains. espace et jeux. Unpublished Thesis, Université de Paris-Nord.
Id DLP.Evidence.2286
Type Ethnography
Game Tiddas
Location Morocco
Date 1908-01-01 - 1908-12-31
Rules The board consists of thirteen holes arranged in a diamond shape. Eleven pieces per player. Two players. Pieces move vertically or horizontally. Replacement capture. The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Account from Xavier Lecreuil: "Il y a enfin un autre jeu qui est assez en faveur dans les campagnes marocaines et qui s'appelle tiddas. Il tient du jeu de marelle et du jeu de dames. Pour le jouer, on se sert d'une figure tracée en général grossièrement et à laquelle on donne la forme suivante:
Comme on le voit, il y a donc treize cases; les unes marquées d'une croix s'appellent A, d''autres où se trouve un point, se nomment B. le case centrale porte le nom de C. On joue ce jeu à deux, avec des pions; chaque adversaire en a onze. Le but de la partie consiste à prendre les pions de son adversaire, et celui qui reste le dernier avec un pion gagne. La marche des pions est soit verticale, soit horizontale, mais jamais transversale. On prend comme aux échecs, c'est-à-dire que le pion qui prend remplace celui qui est pris. " Lecreuil 1908: 141-142.
Confidence 100
Source Lecreuil, X. 1908. "Quelques jeux musulmans." Révue du monde musulman 6(9): 136-142.
Id DLP.Evidence.2287
Type Ethnography
Game Dhib oul-Aslag
Location 36°47'55.42"N, 10°10'26.39"E; 36°43'59.68"N, 9°11'3.78"E; 36°27'34.01"N, 9°14'48.08"E; 35°40'10.55"N, 10° 5'58.11"E; 35°20'28.71"N, 10°32'57.48"E; 34°56'23.80"N, 8°33'59.80"E; 35° 2'7.57"N, 9°29'2.18"E
Date 1944-01-01 - 1944-12-31
Rules 7x7 board. One player plays as the wolf, which begins on one of the corners of the board. The other player plays as four greyhounds, which begin on the back edge of the board on the opposite side as the wolf, placed in two groups of two according to the player's wish. Pieces move orthogonally any distance. The wolf wins by reaching the edge of the board where the greyhounds began, the greyhounds win by blocking the wolf from being able to move.
Content Account from northern Tunisia by Quemeneur: "Le dhib oul-aslag. Le loup et les lévriers, se joue à deux: c'est la partie de repos entre deux séances de kharbga proprement dite, un peu comme notre jeu du loup et des agneaux entre deux parties de dames. L'un des joueurs n'a qu'un seul pion, le dhib, qu'il place à l'extrémité d'une des diagonales; l'autre en a quatre, les aslag ou lévriers qu'il pose, de deux trous en deux trous, sur la dernière ligne. La marche des pions est la même que précédemment. Le but du jeu est résumé ainsi: les lévriers prennent le loup ou il les prend, ils le coincent ou il les coince. Autrement dit: le loup réussit à franchir la ligne d'arrêt formée par les lévriers, ou bien ceux-ci l'acculent à son point de départ." Quemeneur 1944: 468-469.
Confidence 100
Source Quemeneur, J. 1944. "Le jeu de la kharbga." IBLA: Bulletin de l'Institute des Belles-lettres Arabes Tunis, 463-471.
Id DLP.Evidence.2288
Type Ethnography
Game Khamousiyya
Location 36°47'55.42"N, 10°10'26.39"E; 36°43'59.68"N, 9°11'3.78"E; 36°27'34.01"N, 9°14'48.08"E; 35°40'10.55"N, 10° 5'58.11"E; 35°20'28.71"N, 10°32'57.48"E; 34°56'23.80"N, 8°33'59.80"E; 35° 2'7.57"N, 9°29'2.18"E
Date 1944-01-01 - 1944-12-31
Rules 7x7 board. 24 pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing two pieces on the board. The first piece of each player must be placed on a spot adjacent to the central spot. The central spot cannot be filled. When both players have placed their pieces, they move their pieces orthogonally to an empty adjacent space. When an opponent's piece is surrounded on two opposite sides by pieces belonging to the player, the opponent's piece is captured. The player who made the capture may move the same piece they moved to make a capture another time if another capture is possible by doing so. The player who captures all of their opponent's pieces, or which blocks the opponent from being able to move, wins. In a case where the second player has created a blockade of their pieces containing one or more of only their own pieces which can move infinitely without possibility of being taken, the second player player may declare H'ajeb in order to regain the possibility of winning. The second player declares H'ajeb on their turn, and then the first player gains the ability to move any distance orthogonally or diagonally. The first player may also make multiple captures not just with the same piece, but with more than one. The second player may rescind the H'ajeb declaration at any time and the captures must stop. If the second player allows the first player to continue until the first player cannot capture, the second player captures any two of the first player's pieces, and the first player captures one of the second player's pieces that is able to move infinitely.
Content Account from Quemeneur: "Supposons le jeu ordinaire de quarante neuf trous. Les deux partenaires s'entendent à l'amiable pour savoir qui jouera le premier. Au second tour c'est au gagnant le poser le premier. D'autres conventions veulent que celui qui était second au premier tour, soit premier au second; puis, quand un même joueur a gagné deux fois de suite, c'est à lui de commencer jusqu'à ce que son partenaire ait gagné une fois: alors "le jeu change". Les joueurs pose d'abord leur pions, deux par deux, dans les cases de leur choix. Il faut normalement occuper en premier lieu un trou qui soit en contact immédiat avec le vide central: le premier pion sera donc placé en D3, D5, C4 ou E4. Pour le second mieux vaut laisser, entre le milieu et lui l'intervalle d'une case: on le posera donc en B4, D2, D6, ou F4. La pose des pions sur le damier achevée, le premier joueur pousse au centre un de ses pions...Les "chiens" se déplacent case par case, en avant et en arrière, horizontalement et verticalement, jamais en diagonale, sauf dans le cas de h'ajb qui sera expliqué plus loin. Pour manger un pion de l'adversaire il faut la prendre entre deux des siens. Toutefois un joueur peut, sans se faire prendre, couper son adversaire en occupant une place laissée vide entre deux de ses pions. On ne prend donc pas en sautant par-dessus le pion comme cela se fait dans notre jeu de dames. Un pion mangé est mort ou enlevé. Le premier partenaire continue à jouer tant que, avec le même pion il peut faire des combinaisons qui lui premettent de prendre l'adversaire. Celles-ci terminées, son pion s'arrêté et le deuxième joueur commence. La partie sera terminée quand l'un des deux adversaires aura perdu tous ses pions ou sera mis dans l;impossibilité de les bouger sans se les faire prendre, ou tout simplement abandonnera. La kharbga à cinq rangées de trous se joue dde la même façon. Elle est moins prisée que la précédente et les bons joueurs estiment que dans ce jeu la partie revient normalement à celui qui commence.
Cas particuliers.
Outre ces règles générales, il faut signaler quelques cas particuliers pouvant se produire au cours d'une partie. A. Le pion majboud. Ce mot peut signifier le pion enlevé, pris, ou celui qui est perdu d'avance. Soit, par exemple, le pion D7 de la Fig. II: s'il ne bouge pas. l'adversaire fera B7-C7 et le prendra; s'il se déplace en C7, qui est la seule case vide où il puisse aller, l'autre passera de E7 en D7 et il sera mangé de toute façon. De même G1 ne peut aller qu'en F1: aussitôt G2 ira en G1 et le mangera.
B. Le pion h'ajeb. Jouer le premier est un avantage incontestable, aussi le jeu accorde-t-il au second une sorte de compensation. Quand, de son propre mouvement ou poussé par l'adversaire, il a formé une sorte d'enclos dans lequel ce dernier ne peut entrer et où lui-même a une ou plusieurs cases vides permettant à un ou plusierus de ses pions de circuler indéfiniment sans se faire prendre, il peut réclamer deux pions à son partenaire, à charge pour lui de céder un pion de l'enclos. Ce pion est dit h'adjeb ou mougerrechou encore t'aleb al heff. Mais avant de s'écrier, il doit bien réfléchir et examiner attentivement les positions occupés non seulement pas ses pions mais encore et surtout par ceux de son partenaire. Dans ce cas en effet, celui-ci acquiert le droit de déplacer ses chiens dans tous les sens, de sauter les cases vides, et risque donc de lui prendre trois, quatre pions ou davantage, avant d'avoir à céder les deux demandés. Le deuxième joueur peut d'ailleurs se rétracter dès qu'il s'aperçoit que sa demande tourne à son désavantage. Il dit alor: yezzi, suffit, et le premier s'arrête aussitôt, mais lui-même doit renoncer aux deux pions qu'il a réclamés.
C. Le jeu bouché
Il peut arriver aussi que l'un des joueurs ait tous ses pions coincés par l'autre et sans case vide où il puisse aller: Le jeu est alors bouché. Celui qui est ainsi acculé passe une fois; si c'est son tour de jouer. L'autre recule un des pions du cercle qu'il a formé... Le joueur encerclé passe par cette ouverture et le jeu continue. Mais, normalement, lapartie est perdue pour lui, si l'autre sait exploiter la situation. " Quemeneur 1944: 463-468.
Confidence 100
Source Quemeneur, J. 1944. "Le jeu de la kharbga." IBLA: Bulletin de l'Institute des Belles-lettres Arabes Tunis, 463-471.
Id DLP.Evidence.2289
Type Ethnography
Game Sabou'iyya
Location 36°47'55.42"N, 10°10'26.39"E; 36°43'59.68"N, 9°11'3.78"E; 36°27'34.01"N, 9°14'48.08"E; 35°40'10.55"N, 10° 5'58.11"E; 35°20'28.71"N, 10°32'57.48"E; 34°56'23.80"N, 8°33'59.80"E; 35° 2'7.57"N, 9°29'2.18"E
Date 1944-01-01 - 1944-12-31
Rules 5x5 board. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing two pieces on the board. The first piece of each player must be placed on a spot adjacent to the central spot. The central spot cannot be filled. When both players have placed their pieces, they move their pieces orthogonally to an empty adjacent space. When an opponent's piece is surrounded on two opposite sides by pieces belonging to the player, the opponent's piece is captured. The player who made the capture may move the same piece they moved to make a capture another time if another capture is possible by doing so.
The player who captures all of their opponent's pieces, or which blocks the opponent from being able to move, wins.
In a case where the second player has created a blockade of their pieces containing one or more of only their own pieces which can move infinitely without possibility of being taken, the second player player may declare H'ajeb in order to regain the possibility of winning. The second player declares H'ajeb on their turn, and then the first player gains the ability to move any distance orthogonally or diagonally. The first player may also make multiple captures not just with the same piece, but with more than one. The second player may rescind the H'ajeb declaration at any time and the captures must stop. If the second player allows the first player to continue until the first player cannot capture, the second player captures any two of the first player's pieces, and the first player captures one of the second player's pieces that is able to move infinitely.
Content Account of Quemeneur, which describes the details of Khabousiyya in detail: "La kharbga à cinq rangées de trous se joue de la même façon. Elle est moins prisée que la précédente et les bons joueurs estiment que dans ce jeu la partie revient normalement à celui qui commence." Quemeneur 1944: 463, 465.
Confidence 100
Source Quemeneur, J. 1944. "Le jeu de la kharbga." IBLA: Bulletin de l'Institute des Belles-lettres Arabes Tunis, 463-471.
Id DLP.Evidence.2290
Type Ethnography
Game La Dama
Location 28°24'34.67"N, 16°32'43.78"W
Date 1911-01-01 - 1994-12-31
Rules 5x5 holes. Twelve pieces per player, which begin in the two rows closest to each player and in the two holes to the right of the central hole. The central hole remains empty.
Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent hole sideways or forward diagonally or orthogonally. Unpromoted pieces cannot move or capture backwards. A player may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it, in one of the allowed directions. Multiple captures are allowed.
The huff rules applies: when a player does not make a capture that they should, the opponent removes the piece that should have captured.
When a piece reaches a corner space on the opposite side of the board from where it starts, it is promoted to Dama. The Dama can move and capture any distance orthogonally or diagonally, and may also move backwards.
The player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins.
Content Account from Puerto de la Cruz, Canary Islands, by several men aged 64-81 discussing the games which were located in public places: "En la Dama participan dos jugadores, cada uno de los cuales dispone de doce fichas o piezas fácilmente deferenciables.
El damero se desarolla en una superficie que consta de veinticinco cazoletas u hoyos, agrupados en cinco líneas o filas de cinco hoyuelos cada uno; sobre ellos se sitúan doce fichas por cada une de los jugadores, dejando un hoyo libre (cazoleta central).
La distribución de las fichas se realiza de la manera siguiente: en dos filas completas, próximas a cada uno de los jugadores se sitúan las diez primeras fichas propias, mientras que las dos restantes se colocan a ambos lados de la fila central a la derecha de cada uno de los jugadores. De esta manera queda libre el hoyuelo central de la fila y del tablero para que a él pueda desplazarse la primera pieza que dé comienzo a la partida. Es obvio que las piezas sólo se desplazan acia cazoletas vacías (véase el dibujo no. 3).
Por regla general, la elección de la ficha, y sobre todo la del jugador que comienza la partida, se suele hacer por sorteo "para ver a quien le toca primero." Siempre que se pueda capturar es oligado hacerlo, en caso contrario la ficha que no "come" -aunquee se haya capturado alguna, dejando de hacerlo con otras por olvido o por conveniencia e una misma jugada de captura simultánea- es soplada por el oponente, sacándola fuera del tablero y considerándola capturada. Para poder "comer" una ficha del oponente, ésta debe estar situada en una cazoleta vecina a una de nuestras fichas y el hoyuelo situado immediatemente más allá, a donde dirigiremos nuestra ficha, saltando sobre la pieza a capturar, debe estar vacío.
Una ficha puede encadenar varios saltos de captura siempre que las cazoletas estén alternativamente ocupadas y vacías: la más inmediata a ella ocupada por el adversario y vacía la siguiente, y así de forma sucesiva.
Los peones o fichas sólo pueden ser movidos lateralmente o hacia delante (ya sea en diagonal o frontalmente), no pudiendo, bajo ningún concepto, retroceder en su movimiento, a menos que ésta sea una "dama." Esta última es una ficha que alcanza alguna de las esquinas opuestas del tablero, lo que le otorga el derecho a realizar cualquier tipo de movimientos o saltos, en todas las direcciones posibles (diagonal, frontal o lateralmente) y sus combinaciones, incluidas las líneas rectas y quebradas y el retroceso.
La ficha denominada "dama" se diferenciaba con respecto a las demás, mediante la colocación de otra pieza junto a la ya existente en el mismo hoyo, es decir. dos támaras, dos cristalitos de la mar, dos besquitos o piedritas, dos caracolitos,
Gana la partida el jugador que consigue apoderarse primero de todas las fichas del contrario." Espinel Cejas and González García 1994: 130-132.
Confidence 100
Ages Elder, Adult
Social status Non-Elite
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Espinel Cejas, J. and D. González García. 1994. "'La Dama" y 'el perro', dos juegos de inteligencia tradicionales canarios." Tenique: Revista de Cultura Popular Canaria 2: 118-144.
Id DLP.Evidence.2291
Type Ethnography
Game El Perro
Location 28° 0'24.11"N, 16°39'15.35"W
Date 1958-01-01 - 1993-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines, with diagonals drawn in the quadrants. One player plays as one dog, which is a large stone, and the other as twelve goats, which are smaller stones. The goats begin on the two rows closest to the player to which they belong, and on the right hand spots in the central row. The dog begins in the central space.
The dog moves first. The dog may move in any direction along the lines of the board. It may capture a goat by hopping over it to an empty adjacent spot on the opposite side of the goat, according to the lines of the board. Multiple captures are allowed. The goats move one space forward orthogonally or diagonally, or sideways, along the lines of the board.
When all of the goats are unable to move forward anymore and all are are in spaces being equivalent to the starting position on the opposite side of the board, they may then commence moving in the opposite direction toward their original starting position, but not backwards with respect to this direction.
The dog wins by capturing all the goats; the goats win by blocking the dog from being able to move.
Content Account of the game, from a 35 year old man in 1993 in Las Galletas, Canary Islands: "Les reglas que configuran el desarollo de "El Perro" son las siguientes:
1. Un jugador dispondra, por sorteo, por turno o mutuo acuerdo, de la única pieza que representa al perro, mientras que el contrincante jugará con las fichas que simbolizarán las doce cabras.
2. Las fichas se colocarán en el tablero cubriendo un extremo del mismo, próximo al lado que ocupe el jugador que participa con las doce cabras, comenzando a disponer dichas piezas en las primeras dos filas de vértices, para completar luego das doce, colocando las dos restantes en los dos intersecciones de la derecha (del jugador que tiene las cabras) de la fila central. Inmediatamente al lado irá la ficha del perro, que occupa, por consiguiente, el vértice central del tablero. Esta pieza será, por regla general, de mayor tamaño (véase el dibujo no7).
3. El perro siempre da comienzo al juego, desplazándose desde la intersección inicial de partida (vértice central) hacia cualquiera otra vecina inmediata. Sólo puede mover un espacio, salvo que lo haga posteriormente para comer una cabra, lo cual podrá hacer si la misma se encuentra en el punto de intersección inmediato y el vértice situado detrás está vació. El perro puede encadenar sucesivos saltos de captura, sobre varias cabras, siempre que estas condiciones se den de la forma ya indicada. Es decir, el perro puede capturar varias cabras siempre que éstas se sitúen en línea recta o quebrada, conformando puntos de intersección alternativamente ocupados y vacíos (ocupado-vacío-ocupado-vacío...).
4. Las cabras también mueven solamente un espacion, hacia cualquier otra intersección inmediata siempre que sea lateralmente o hacia delante (diagonal o frontalmente). Jamás podrán retroceder, a diferencie del perro, que sí lo puede hacer.
5. Las cabras, en su avance en dirección opuesta a la de partida, al alcanzar a línea de vértices del extremo contrario se quedan sin poder cambiar de dirección hasta que todo el rebaño no alcance dicha posoción, que debe ser idéntica a la de comienzo, tras lo cual se le da vuelta al tablero. Y empezará de nuevo la embestida, una a una, movimiento a movimiento, en dirección contraria a la inicial.
6. El perro debe tratar de impedir que las cabras lo acorralen y lo immovilicen en cualquier zona del tablero; para ello y para evitar la embestida del rebaño de cabras, goza de mayor movilidad que aquéllas, aunque, como ya indicamos, sólo puede mover un espacio - en cualquier dirección- por cada movimiento realizado.
7. Las cabras parten sde su extremo en el damero camino al lado opuesto con la intención de evitar que el perro se lo impida, capturando alguns de los miembros del rebaño. Para ello las cabras deben formar una masa compacta, un rebaño apiñado, intentando rodear e inmovilizar al perro.
8. Vence el perro si captura todas las cabras, o éstas si bloquean o inmovilizan totalmente al perro." Espinel Cejas and González García 1994: 139-141.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent
Genders Male
Source Espinel Cejas, J. and D. González García. 1994. "'La Dama" y 'el perro', dos juegos de inteligencia tradicionales canarios." Tenique: Revista de Cultura Popular Canaria 2: 118-144.
Id DLP.Evidence.2292
Type Ethnography
Game El Zorro
Location Garafia
Date 1923-01-01 - 1994-12-31
Rules Five squares which are each divided with lines connecting the midpoints of their sides and diagonals. The five squares are arranged in a cross-shaped board. One player plays as two foxes the other as twenty hens. The hens begin on the twenty spaces on one half of the board, the foxes on the bottom two corners of the square on the opposite arm of the cross. The foxes may move in any direction, and hop over a hen to an empty space immediately adjacent on the opposite side of the hen along the lines of the board to capture. The hens may not move backward. The foxes win by capturing all the hens, the hens win by occupying all of the spaces in the square of the arm of the cross opposite from where they began.
Content Account from Antonio Pérez Garcia, 71 years old, and Alba Pérez y Pérez, 61 years old, from El Tablado, Garafia, Canary Islands: "Deux renards et vingt poules entrent en jeu. Les renards doivent manger les poules et peuvent se déplacer dans tous les sens (avant,m en arrière, en diagonale). Les poules, elles, no peuvent se déplacer qu'en avant pour essayer d'occuper la case qui est surveillée par las renards, sans se faire manger. " (Espinel Cejas and González García 1994: 194-196.
Confidence 100
Ages Child, Adolescent
Spaces Outside
Genders Male
Source Espinel Cejas, J. and D. González García. 1994. "'La Dama" y 'el perro', dos juegos de inteligencia tradicionales canarios." Tenique: Revista de Cultura Popular Canaria 2: 118-144.
Id DLP.Evidence.2293
Type Ethnography
Game La Chascona
Location 28°35'14.69"N, 13°59'7.61"W
Date 1994-01-01 - 1994-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides. Nine pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. When a player places three of their pieces in a line of three along one of the lines on the board, they capture one of the opponent's pieces. When all of the pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving one of their pieces to an adjacent empty spot on the board. Players cannot capture one of their opponent's pieces which is in a three-in-a-row alignment. The player who either captures seven of their opponent's pieces or blocks the opponent from being able to move wins.
Content Account of play in Tindaya, Fuerteventura, where many adults have played the game for some time: "Il s'agit d'un plateau composé de trois carrés concentriques et reliés par quatre médianes de chaque côté. Il dispose de 24 cases ou points d'intersection des lignes qui se croisent ou lignes brisées...Les règles du jeu de la variante de la chascona (avec neuf pions par joueur) sont les suivantes:
1ere. Il s'aigt d'un jeu pour deux personnes. Très prisé depuis longtemps dans l'île de Fuerteventura, il est également connu dans les autres îles. Les pièces ou pions utilisés sont au nombre de neuf indépendamment de leur couleur, texture ou forme. Même lorsqu'on utilise des cailloux de la même couleur, les joueurs, traditionnellement des bergers, savent les distinguer sans problème, chacun reconnaissant ses propres pions, de la même manière quils savent reconnaître sans problème leur propres chèvres. Ceci dit, d'autre personnes utilisent des pions de différentes couleur afin de mieux les identifier et de faciliter ainsi la perception de l'ensemble du jeu durant la partie.
2eme. Un tirage au sort a lieu au début du jeu pour désigner celui qui sera le premier à commencer la partie. Au début, les joueurs disposent leurs pions, un à un, à tour de role. On tente ainsi d'éviter que l'adversaire puisse faire un "pinto" en alignant trois pièces.
3eme. Si l'un des joueurs parvient à aligner trois pions lorsqu'il place initialement ses pièces, il a le droit d'enlever une pièce à son adversaire.
4eme. Lorsque les neuf pièces de chacun sont disposées sur le plateau, les joueurs commencent à déplacer leur pions en suivant le tracé linéaire du damier, et s'arrangent pour empêcher l'adversaire d'aligner trois pions et faire "tres en raya".
5eme. POur la chascona de neuf pièces, le "tres en raya" se forme à chaque côté des trois carrés concentriques et sur la ligne médiane qui les relie.
6eme. Chaque fois que l'un des joueurs parvient à situer trois pièces sur une même ligne, il mange le pion de l'adversaire. Il essaie ainsi de capturer celle qui l'intéresse le plus pour entraver le jeu de l'adversaire. Cependant, il ne lui est pas possible de saisir les pièces que l'adversaire à déjà placées en position de "tres en raya".
7eme. Le joueur qui a situé des pièces en position de "tres en raya" peut défaire son coup et le refaire pour manger les pièces de l'adversaire, à sa convenance.
8eme. Le gagnant est celui qui parvient à capturer sept pièces à l'adversaire ou celui qui parvient à immobiliser l'autre et l'ampêcher de bouger." Espinel Cejas and González García 1994: 210-212.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Female, Male
Source Espinel Cejas, J. and D. González García. 1994. "'La Dama" y 'el perro', dos juegos de inteligencia tradicionales canarios." Tenique: Revista de Cultura Popular Canaria 2: 118-144.
Id DLP.Evidence.2294
Type Ethnography
Game El Cazador
Location Garafia
Date 1994-01-01 - 1994-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines with diagonals drawn in the quadrants. One player plays as one hunter, placed in the central spot. The other player plays as twelve birds, which are placed in the two rows closest to the player and the two spots on the right hand side in the central row. The hunter may move in any direction along the lines of the board. The hunter may capture birds by hopping over them to an empty spot on the opposite side along the lines of the board. The birds may move forward orthogonally or diagonally. The birds win by blocking the hunter from being able to move; the hunter wins by capturing all of the birds or when it is no longer possible for the birds to capture the hunter.
Content Account from Arturo Melián Rodríguez from Garafia, La Palma: "Une autre modalité, plus compliquée cette fois, est connue sous le nom de El cazador. L'un des joueurs représentait le chasseur et l'aute les oiseaux. Le premie d'entre eux disposait d'un seul pion, le deuxième en avait douze. En guise de pions, il utilisait des grains de pois chiches rouges. Comme pour l'autre jeu, ils jouaient sur des pierres plates, des cartons et des tables.
Le chasseur pouvait avancer dans n'importe qu'elle direction: en avant, en arrière, en diagonale, etc. Les oiseaux ne pouvaient avancer qu'en se déplaçant en avant, pour atteindre le côté opposé. C'est toujours l'oiseau qui commence la partie car "l'oiseau doit sortir avant le chasseur". Dès que lr chasseur en mange un, il laisse un espace libre et les oiseaux deviennent plus vulnérables et laissent une brèche ouverte qui permet au chasseur de sauter. L'astuce des oiseaux étaient "d'acculer" le chasseur: "je vais l'acculer et il ne m'en mangera aucun." Ce qui signifie qu'il fallait entraîner l'adversaire vers un des angles, tout en essayant de n elui laisser aucun espace vide qui lui permettrait de sauter et manger. C'est pourquoi, "les oiseaux surveillant où se trouve le chasseur pour qu'il ne les mange pas. Le chasseur peut aller vers les parties latérales, tandis que les oiseaux ne peuvent pas avancer qu'un avant. Moi, je ne laissais échapper aucun pigeon. " Espinel Cejas and González García 1994: 191-192.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Espinel Cejas, J. and D. González García. 1994. "'La Dama" y 'el perro', dos juegos de inteligencia tradicionales canarios." Tenique: Revista de Cultura Popular Canaria 2: 118-144.
Id DLP.Evidence.2295
Type Contemporary text
Game Cumi
Location Aymara
Date 1983-01-01 - 1983-12-31
Rules Hunt Game.
Content Entry in Aymara-Spanish dictionary: "Juego que en castellano se llama " El león y las ovejas". Manuel de Lucca 1983: 73.
Confidence 100
Source Manuel de Lucca, D. 1983. Diccionario Aymara-Castellano, Castellano-Aymara. La Paz: Comisión de Alfabetización y Literatura en Aymara.
Id DLP.Evidence.2296
Type Ethnography
Game Khiam
Location Bordj Bou Arreridj
Date 1921-01-01 - 1921-12-31
Rules 2x4 board, with a store in the center. Six counters in each hole. Players alternate turns picking up the counters in their holes and sowing them, sowing first into the hole from which they picked up the counters. When the final counter falls in an occupied hole, the counters in that hole are captured. The player who captures the most counters wins.
Content Account from Roberts: "Le Khiam se joue à deux, avec des escargots ou des noyaux de dattes, placés dans huit trous préalablement creusés en terre, symétriquement, sur deux lignes. Au milieu de ces huit trous, un neuvième trou est creusé qui sert à emmagasiner le gain d'un des adversaires. Chaque joueur a 24 escargots ou noyaux de dattes placés par groupes de six dans chaque trou sauf dans le trou central. Puis les joueurs doivent à tour de rôle déplacer cinq escargots en les mettant un à un dans les divers trous, le dernier escargot placé, enlève les escargots se trouvent dans le trou. Le joueur qui a obtenu le plus d'escargots est le vainqueur." Roberts 1921: 67.
Confidence 100
Source Robert, A. 1921. "Jeux et divertissements des indigènes d'Algerie (région de Bordj-bou-Arréridj)." Revue Africaine 306-307: 62-84.
Id DLP.Evidence.2297
Type Ethnography
Game Feldja
Location Bordj Bou Arreridj
Date 1921-01-01 - 1921-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares, with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides. Twelve pieces per player. When a player places three of their pieces in a line, they capture one of the opponent's pieces. The player who captures the most pieces wins.
Content Account from Robert: "Le Feldja se joue également à deux. Il est nécessaire de tracer trois carrés s'emboîtant parallelement les uns dans les autres et reliés entre eux par deux lignes partant des côtés du plus grand carré et aboutissant au petit carré du centre. Chaque joueur possède douze jetons qu'il s'agit de placer par groupe de trois, en ligne droite. Dès qu'un des joueurs a réussi à placer ainsi trois jetons, son adversauire lui remet un de ses jetons. Celui qui enlève à l'autre le plus grand nombre de jetons est le vainqueur. " Robert 1921: 66.
Confidence 100
Source Robert, A. 1921. "Jeux et divertissements des indigènes d'Algerie (région de Bordj-bou-Arréridj)." Revue Africaine 306-307: 62-84.
Id DLP.Evidence.2298
Type Ethnography
Game Selbia
Location Bordj Bou Arreridj
Date 1921-01-01 - 1921-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines with diagonals in the square. Three pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing a piece on the board. The player who places three pieces in a row along one of the lines of the board wins.
Content Account from Robert: "Le jeu de Selbia se joue à deux sur une figure carré recoupée de quatre lignes à angle droit qui divisent le carré en huit triangles égaux. Chaque joueur a trois jetons qu'il s'agit de placer en ligne droit soit sur les côtés, soit dans l'intérieur du carré en utilisant le point central d'intersection des lignes, malgré la tactique de l'adversaire qui défend la place." Robert 1921: 66.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.2299
Type Ethnography
Game Guettal
Location Bordj Bou Arreridj
Date 1921-01-01 - 1921-12-31
Rules Square board divided into 36 divisions (probably like the Alquerque board). Twelve pieces per player, which begin on the side of the board closest to the player. Players alternate turns moving their pieces toward the opponent's side of the board. Players capture their opponent's pieces. The player who has more pieces at the end of the game wins.
Content Account from Roberts: "Le guettal est un jeu analogue au jeu de dames. Chaque adversaire a douze jetons placvés sur un des côtés d'un carré ayant trente-deux divisions faites de lignes horizontales et verticales se coupaant. Chaque jeton est avancé vers le côté occupé par l'adversaire qui peut manger ledit jeton. Le joueur ayant conservé les plus de jetons sur le jeu gagné la partie." Robert 1921: 67.
Confidence 100
Source Robert, A. 1921. "Jeux et divertissements des indigènes d'Algerie (région de Bordj-bou-Arréridj)." Revue Africaine 306-307: 62-84.
Id DLP.Evidence.2300
Type Contemporary rule description
Game To Kynégi tou Lagoú
Location 40° 5'0.58"N, 21°25'38.38"E
Date 1906-01-01 - 1983-12-31
Rules A square, with lines bisecting the sides drawn to the center. A circle is drawn around the central point. arcs are drawn inside the square around the midpoints of the sides and the corners. Diagonals are drawn from the corner arcs to the central circle. One player plays as the hare, one player plays as the hunter and two hounds. The hare begins on the central spot, and the hunter and hounds are placed on three of the points on the central circle. Pieces move to an empty adjacent spot along the lines of the board. The hare moves first. When the hunter and hounds prevent the hare from being able to move, the game ends and the players switch roles.
Content Rules presented by Maria Argyriadi, citing Kostas Karapataki's work Η Μανα και το Παιδι ("Mother and Child"), from Grevena, Greece: "The board game 'Chasing the hare', which is considered a game of mental ability, was played by two children sitting opposite each other, on the board with four corners (stones, beans, or illustrated cards) that corresponded to the hunter, the two dogs and the hare. Th child with the hare put his counter at the centre of the circle marked on the cardboard board and the child with the counters of the hunter and dogs placed them on three different black points in the first circle. The game commenced with moving the hare to one of the free black points in the circle. The counters of the hunter and the dogs were then moved in turn to black points on the circles, in an effort to trap the hare in one of the 'lairs', so that it cannot escape. If the opponent succeeded in doing so the game ended and was began again ,reversing the roles. Argyriadi 1997: 93-94.
Confidence 100
Ages Child
Source Argyriadi, M. 1997. Το παιδι μεσα στον κθκλο του Χπρνου/Childhood Years. Athens: Benaki Museum.
Id DLP.Evidence.2301
Type Ethnography
Game Mangala (Greek)
Location Greek World
Date 1748-01-01 - 1776-12-31
Rules Rows of holes. Pieces are sown.
Content Account of Pierre-Auguste Guys, who traveled to the Ottoman Empire in 1748 and reported on the lives of the Greeks living under Ottoman rule: "Ils le jouent avec des petit coquillages, et dans une boëte où chaque joueur a ses cases devant lui; ils l'appellent le Mangala." Guys 1776: 222.
Confidence 100
Source Guys, P.-A. 1776. Voyage littéraire de la grèce. Paris: Veuve Duchesne.
Id DLP.Evidence.2302
Type Ethnography
Game Mangala (Greek)
Location 44°34'24.30"N, 33°40'36.66"E; 41° 0'41.52"N, 28°58'58.84"E
Date 1799-01-01 - 1801-12-31
Rules Two rows of holes. Multiple counters in each hole.
Content Account from Edward Daniel Clarke, who traveled to Balaclava, Crimea: "We observed a game here which was quite new to us: the Greeks call it Mangala. We saw it afterwards in Constantinople. It is played with a board having two rows of parallel partitions: into each of these was placed a certain number of small shells..." Clarke 1801: 230.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.2303
Type Contemporary text
Game Tavla (Ottoman)
Location 41° 0'41.52"N, 28°58'58.84"E
Date 1503-01-01 - 1503-12-31
Rules Name of the game.
Content Passage from the Satrançname by Uzun Firdevsi, written for Sultan Bayezid II in 1503. Discusses the invention of tavla by a Persian ruler named Erdeşir (Nardashir). Değirmenci 2020: 150.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Değirmenci, T. 2020. Games as a Sign of Social Status: Backgammon in Ottoman Literature and Visual Culture. In V. Kopp and E. Lapina (eds.), Games and Visual Culture in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Turnhout: Brepols, 145-171.
Id DLP.Evidence.2304
Type Artistic depiction
Game Tavla (Ottoman)
Location 41° 0'41.52"N, 28°58'58.84"E
Date 1575-01-01 - 1599-12-31
Rules Backgammon board.
Content Ottoman depiction of men playing Tavla in a coffee house. The board is clearly depicted with four groups of six points in four quadrants. Değirmenci 2020: 155-158.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Inside, Public, Communal
Genders Male
Source Değirmenci, T. 2020. Games as a Sign of Social Status: Backgammon in Ottoman Literature and Visual Culture. In V. Kopp and E. Lapina (eds.), Games and Visual Culture in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Turnhout: Brepols, 145-171.
Id DLP.Evidence.2305
Type Artistic depiction
Game Ottoman Mancala
Location 41° 0'41.52"N, 28°58'58.84"E
Date 1575-01-01 - 1599-12-31
Rules 2x6 board. Two players. Multiple counters in each hole.
Content Depiction of mancala players in a coffee house from Dublin Chester Beatty Library MS. T. 439 f. 9a. Two players sit across from one another with a board of 2x6 holes with multiple counters in each hole. Değirmenci 2020: 155-156,163-164.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Spaces Inside, Public, Communal
Genders Male
Source Değirmenci, T. 2020. Games as a Sign of Social Status: Backgammon in Ottoman Literature and Visual Culture. In V. Kopp and E. Lapina (eds.), Games and Visual Culture in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Turnhout: Brepols, 145-171.
Id DLP.Evidence.2306
Type Ethnography
Game Chong (Sakhalin)
Location Sakhalin
Date 1933-01-01 - 1933-12-31
Rules 3x12-28 board. Players begin with soldiers, equal in number to the number of spaces in one row for each player, which begin in the spaces in the row closes to the player. Each player has one king piece, which begins in the rightmost space in the central row with respect to the player. Four six-sided dice with values from 1-6. A throw of 1 is called Chong. Pieces move in a boustrophedon path along the board, from left to right in their home row, right to left in the center row, and then left to right in their opponent's row.
A player must first throw a Chong to play. On this turn, when a player throws one Chong, the King exchanges places with the soldier behind it. If more than one Chong is thrown, the King exchanges places with the soldier that many spaces behind it. Any remaining values in the throw are moved by the soldier which took the king's space. Once this move has taken place, pieces move according to the throws of the dice, which can be subdivided between the pieces as the player sees fit. The King only moves with a Chong, and it exchanges the place of a piece that number of occupied squares away, i.e., only spaces occupied by the player's pieces are counted when moving the King. When the player has only one soldier and the King, the King may move normally (like a soldier does), but on throws of Chong. When only the King is left, the first Chong in a throw is ignored and only the second, third, or fourth Chongs are moved.
When a player's piece lands on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, the opponent's piece is captured. An opponent's King cannot be taken by a soldier until it has first moved backwards, and then it can only be taken by a Chong. Throwing two consecutive Chongs allows the King to move backwards.
The game continues after the players' Kings have been taken.
When a player reaches the end of the opponent's home line, the player wins.
Content Chong (Чong) - korol’. A narrow long board has 3 parallel rows of nests (holes) – up to 83 – k:arynnuchkh (see the fig.) In one of the edge rows, each hole has a “soldier” inserted into it, i.e. one vertical round stick; in the opposite edge row, accordingly, each hole also has one soldier inserted into it - a round stick but flattened in the upper half in the form of P [in this place, the text has a picture resembling a flag or the Latin letter P]. The nests of the middle row - the battle line - are empty. The game is played with four cubes, each side of which has its own mark and its own name, namely:
1) Chong - 1 large indent at the centre and 4 smaller ones at the corners.
2) Kyr - 5 indents located in the same way but all being of the same size.
3) Kor with a sign resembling the swastika .
4) Tvyr - a figure resembling the Russian letter Ж.
5) Ton'z:á - two intersecting diagonals and an indent in each of the triangles formed by them, all indents of the same size.
6) Mra - a square with mutually intersecting two longitudinal and two crosswise wavy lines.
The first player throws a handful of all 4 cubes and watches if a chong falls out. Until a chong is thrown, i.e. until the cube lands with the chong side up, the player cannot make moves.
Side No. 1 of the cube gives the right for one move [i.e. give the right to move a man by one hole]; No. 2 for two moves, etc.; side No. 6 gives the right for six moves.
If a chong is thrown, the king from the middle line exchanges its place with its nearest soldier; if one more chong is thrown, then [the king] exchanges its place with the next soldier by one step [the words ‘by one step’ obviously do not reflect what is happening]; with the other figures the soldier which occupied the place of the king in the middle line is moved. Once a chong has been thrown, then next time, in any case, it is possible to move. The king is moved only after the first chongs. Then it allows the soldiers to be moved. If a soldier makes a few steps along the middle line and encounters a soldier from the opponent’s camp, it jumps over it but does not remove it, and only if the latter stands in the place of destination of the other, then it is removed. One should think carefully, which figure to move in order to remove the opponent.
With a chong, the king, when making a move, counts only occupied places; empty ones are not counted. The king cannot be beaten; if a soldier has come to it, this soldier would lie down and wait for another move. A chong would not normally remove a soldier, with the exception of the last two nests. The king may move only if a chong is thrown; in other cases, it moves only when it has only one soldier remaining. The enemy is removed only when it is at the place of destination.
During the game one should shout loudly what one wants: ky mra, etc. If the king has no soldier of its own to exchange holes with, the first chong remains invalid but the next one gives the king the right to make a move; a soldier can also make a move instead of the king. Sometimes one should think of combinations to jump over an enemy soldier.
The main rules of the game. The soldiers would first change for the middle line, then they are advanced forward to the enemy camp, but they do not return back. When there are no soldiers in one’s battle line (main), the king may make moves like a soldier, i.e. over any number.
As the soldiers fall or as they are moved to the middle line, the king, with a chong, has the right to exchange its position with its soldier not being embarrassed by the distance but, of course, not on the middle line. At the beginning of the game, the kings stand on the middle line at the ends. As soon as the king has taken backward steps, it can already be beaten. The game goes on also after the king has been removed. If the old man has already started off backwards, then a soldier may beat with a chong; if two chongs are thrown in succession, the king can go back. Translated from the Russian by Alexey Lobashev. Shternberg 1933: 340-342.
Confidence 100
Source Shternberg, L. 1933. Gilyaki, orochi, gol’dy, negidal’tsy, ainy. Khabarovsk : Dal’kniga.
Id DLP.Evidence.2307
Type Ethnography
Game Chong (Sakhalin)
Location 50°56'33.34"N, 142°16'12.67"E
Date 1903-01-01 - 1904-12-31
Rules 3x12 board, 12 pieces and one king piece per player. At least two six-sided dice.
Content Photograph of players in Arkovo, Russia, with a board laid out in the starting position with 12 pieces per side and one king each. Two dice are shown with the board. Photograph in the Musée du Quai Branly 43-3696-173.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Pilsondsky, 1903-1904. Ghiliak du village de Arkovo, jouant à lrue jeu national. Musée du Quai Branly 43-3696-173.
Id DLP.Evidence.2308
Type Ethnography
Game Chong (Sakhalin)
Location Sakhalin
Date 1890-01-01 - 1899-12-31
Rules Three rows, smaller pieces and two king pieces, two six-sided dice.
Content Photograph of people playing Chong, with the board, clusters of pieces, two king pieces which are larger, and two dice. Shternberg 1990: Fig. 16.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Shternberg, L. 1999. The Social Organization of the Gilyak. Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History 82 New York: American Museum of Natural History.
Id DLP.Evidence.2309
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 15 c France
Date 1475-01-01 - 1499-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content French manuscript from the late 15th century which describes Le jeu des échecs de la dame, with the modern moves for the queen and bishop. British Library MS. Add. 15820.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Source Anonymous. Le jeu des Esches de la Dame moralisé. British Library Ms. Add. 15820.
Id DLP.Evidence.2310
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 40°58'12.56"N, 5°39'49.06"W
Date 1497-01-01 - 1497-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Repetición de Amores y Arte de Ajedrez bu Luís Ramírez de Lucena, which contains the rules for the new version of Chess. Murray 1913: 782-786.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Lucena, L. Repetición de Amores y Arte de Ajedrez. Salamanca., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2311
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 50° 6'38.07"N, 8°41'1.53"E
Date 1536-01-01 - 1536-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Extract from Christian Egenolff's 1536 reprinting of Mennel's Schachzabel which provides updates rules for the modern game of Chess. Murray 1913: 810.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2312
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location Philip II
Date 1561-01-01 - 1561-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Ruy López' Libro de la Invencion liberal y Arte del juego del Axedrez, discussing Chess strategy in great detail. Murray 1913: 813-818.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source López, R. 1561. Libro de la Invencion liberal y Arte del juego del Axedrez. Alcala: Casa de Andres de Angulo., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2313
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 40°51'6.44"N, 14°16'5.15"E
Date 1604-01-01 - 1604-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Dr. Alessandro Salvio's 1604 treatise Trattato dell Inventione et arte liberale del gioco di scacchi on Chess. Murraay 1913: 825.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Salvio, A. 1604. Trattato dell Inventione et arte liberale del gioco di scacchi. Napoli: Gio. Battista Sottile.
Id DLP.Evidence.2314
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 40°51'6.44"N, 14°16'5.15"E
Date 1634-01-01 - 1634-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Dr. Alessandro Salvio's 1634 treatise on Chess Il Putlino , altramente deito , il cavaliero errante del Salvio. Murray 1913: 825-826.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Salvio, A. 1634. Il Putlino , altramente deito , il cavaliero errante del Salvio. Napoli: Domenico Montenaro.
Id DLP.Evidence.2315
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 37°16'24.51"N, 14°47'37.28"E
Date 1617-01-01 - 1617-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Pietro Carrera's book Il Gioco degli Scacchi from 1617. Murray 1913: 827.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Clergy
Genders Male
Source Carrera, P. 1617. Il Gioco degli Scacci. Militello: Giovanni Rossi da Trento., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2316
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 51°29'54.44"N, 0° 7'35.38"W
Date 1623-01-01 - 1623-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Giacomo Greco's 1623 treatise The Booke of the ordinary games at Chestes, published during his trip to London. Bodleian Library MS. Add. A. 277.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Greco, G. 1623. The Booke of the ordinary games at Chestes. Bodleian Library MS. Add. A. 277., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2317
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 45° 4'13.37"N, 7°41'13.00"E
Date 1683-01-01 - 1683-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Fancesco Piacenza's 1683 Chess Treatise I Campeggiamenti degli Scacchi. Murray 1913: 837-838.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Piacenza, F. 1683. I Campeggiamenii degli Scacchi. Torino: Antonio Beltrandi.
Id DLP.Evidence.2318
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 46°31'6.22"N, 6°37'44.21"E
Date 1676-01-01 - 1678-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Chess treatise by B. Asperling de Raroyne from 1676-1678 from Lausanne Traité du jeu des échets. Murray 1913: 841-843.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Source Asperling de Raroyne, B. 1676-1678. Traité du jeu royal des échets. Lausanne: David Gentil., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2319
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 40°46'24.64"N, 73°58'16.83"W
Date 1734-12-11 - 1734-12-13
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Letter from Rev. Lewis Rou to the Craftsman, providing corrections to a Chess article "A Short Essay on the Game of Chess." Original manuscript held by Dr. George Henry Moore, lost since 1858. Fiske 1902: 43, Murray 1913: 846.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Clergy
Genders Male
Source Fiske, W. 1902. "The 'Craftsman' on Chess: L. Rou. Notes and Queries 9(10): 41-43., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2320
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 51°29'54.44"N, 0° 7'35.38"W
Date 1735-01-01 - 1735-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Capt. John Bertin's treatise The Noble Game of Chess published in London 1735. Murray 1913: 846-849.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Military
Genders Male
Source Bertin, J. 1735. The Noble Game of Chess. London: H. Woodfall., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2321
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 59°19'45.51"N, 18° 4'6.72"E
Date 1784-01-01 - 1784-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content C. W. von Königstedt's treatise on Chess: Kort Afthandling om schack-spel. Murray 1913: 854.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Königstedt, C. 1784. Kort Afhandling. Stockholm: Anders Joc. Nordström., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2322
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 51°29'54.44"N, 0° 7'35.38"W
Date 1777-01-01 - 1777-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Philidor's 1777 treatise on Chess: Analyse du jeu des échecs written during his time in London. Murray 1913: 863.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Philidor, A. 1777. Analyse du jeu des échcs. London: P. Elmsley.
Id DLP.Evidence.2323
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 51°29'54.44"N, 0° 7'35.38"W
Date 1788-01-01 - 1798-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Accounts of various games of Chess played by Philidor and Rev. George Atwood, including against women. Walker 1835; Murray 1913: 31.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Female, Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Walker, G. 1835. A Selection of Games at Chess Actually Played by Philidor and his Contemporaries. London: Sherwood, Gilbert and Piper.
Id DLP.Evidence.2324
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 44°38'49.84"N, 10°55'30.54"E
Date 1750-01-01 - 1750-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Ercole del Rio's treatise on Chess: Sopra il giuoco degli scacchi from 1750. Murray 1913: 686.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Del Rio, E. 1750. Sopra it giuoco degli Scacchi. Modena: Francesco Torri., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2325
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 44°29'40.44"N, 11°20'33.18"E
Date 1763-01-01 - 1763-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Lolli's treatise on Chess: Osservationi teorico-pratiche sopra il giuoco degli scacchi from 1763. Murray 1913: 868-869.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Lolli, G. 1763. Osservationi teorico-pratiche sopra il giuoco degli scacchi. Bologna: Stamperia di S. Tommaso d'Aquino., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2326
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 48°51'15.96"N, 2°20'54.79"E
Date 1775-01-01 - 1775-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Treaty on Chess by Verdoni, Léger, Carlier and Bernard, Chess masters of eighteenth century Paris. Murray 1913: 872.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Verdoni, Léger, Carlier and Bernard. 1775. Traité théorique et pratique du jeu des éches, par une société des amateurs. Paris: Stoupe.
Id DLP.Evidence.2327
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Chess
Location 48°12'29.41"N, 16°22'23.22"E
Date 1795-01-01 - 1795-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Johann Allgaier's treatise on Chess: Neue theoretisch-praktische Anweisung zum Schachspiel from 1795. Murray 1913: 875-876.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Military
Genders Male
Source Allgaier, J. Neue theoretisch-praktische Anweisung zum Schachspiele. Vienna: Franz Joseph Rötzl., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2328
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location 51°29'54.44"N, 0° 7'35.38"W
Date 1822-01-01 - 1822-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content William Lewis' A Treatise on Chess, published in London. Murray 1913: 878.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Lewis, W. 1822. A Treatise on the Game of Chess. London: J. M. Richardson., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2329
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location France
Date 1836-01-01 - 1847-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content La Palamède, French Chess periodical published from 1836-1847. Murray 1913: 883.
Confidence 100
Social status All
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2330
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location England
Date 1841-01-01 - 1862-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Chess Player's Chronicle, Chess magazine published in the UK 1841-1862. Murray 1913: 883.
Confidence 100
Social status All
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2331
Type Contemporary text
Game Chess
Location Germany 1850
Date 1846-01-01 - 2022-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. Player wins when they capture the other player's king.
Content Deutche Schachzeitung, German Chess journal, first published in 1846, still published as Schach. Murray 1913: 883.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Social status All
Genders All
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2332
Type Contemporary text
Game Medieval Chess
Location 41°23'17.19"N, 2°10'34.72"E
Date 1058-03-06 - 1058-03-06
Rules Name of game.
Content Chess pieces bequeathed in the will of Countess Ermengaud of Barcelona: "...to St. Giles of Nimes her crystal chessmen for the board..." Murray 1913: 406-407.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Nobility
Genders Female
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2333
Type Contemporary text
Game Medieval Chess
Location 41°45'18.29"N, 12°17'23.15"E
Date 1061-10-01 - 1062-01-30
Rules Name of the game
Content Mention of Scachus (Chess) in a letter from Bishop Petrus Damiani of Ostia to Pope-Elect Alexander II: I restrain my pen, for I blush with shame to add the more disgraceful frivolities, to wit hunting, hawking, and specially the madness of dice or chess, which indisputably altogether exhibit the priest as a mimic actor, but chiefly make his eyes, hands, and tongue, at once a true mime. . . .
Hence, if I relate clearly what happened to me with the venerable Bishop of the city of Florence, I believe it will not be unsuitable for edification. Once when I was his companion on a journey, and had arrived at our lodgings for the night, I withdrew myself to a priest’s hut, but he sat down in the spacious house with the crowd of travellers. Next morning, however, it was told roe by my groom that the aforesaid Bishop had taken the lead in chess. This word assuredly pricked my heart most sharply like an arrow, and inflicted a wound of displeasure. So, choosing an hour which seemed good to me, I went up to the man and attacked him bitterly, selecting this commencement for my reproof. 1 1 hold rods ’, I said, ‘ in my uplifted hands, and seek to deal blows, if any will submit their backs.* Said he, ‘ Produce the fault, and I will not refuse the penance.’ Very good/ I replied ; and was it your duty at evening to take part in the vanity of chess, and to defile your hand, the offerer of the Lord’s body, and your tongue, the mediator between God and His people, by the contamination of an impious sport, especially when canonic authority decrees that Bishops who are dice-players (aleatores) are to be deposed 1 And what does it profit a man whom authority has effectually condemned, even if judgement does not befall him from without 1 ’ He, however, made a shield of defence for himself from the difference of the names, and said, ‘ Scachus is one thing, aUa another; that authority therefore forbade dice-play, but by its silence permitted chess/ To which I made answer, ' The decree does not mention scachus but includes the class of either game under the name of alea. Wherefore, when alea is forbidden, and nothing is said expressly of scachus , it is established beyond the shadow of doubt that each game is included under the one name, and condemned by the authority of one decision.’ Then he, a man of mild disposition and acute intellect, abandoning his contentions, humbly assented, resolved with a sure promise that the fault should never be repeated, and asked that a penance should be imposed upon him. I soon decreed for him that he should run carefully through the psalter three times, and wash the feet of twelve poor men, with the payment of as many pieces of money, and their refreshment. . . . But this we have said that it may be known from the correction of another, how shameful, how senseless, nay how disgusting this sport is in a priest" Murray 1913: 408-409, 414-415.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Clergy
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2334
Type Contemporary text
Game Medieval Chess
Location 47°42'46.11"N, 11°45'28.14"E
Date 1030-01-01 - 1030-12-31
Rules Name of game
Content Passage from Ruodlieb, a medieval Bavarian poem from Tegernsee monastery, in a Manuscript in Munich. The passage mentions the play of chess by a king: "Respondit Summus mihi clemens fit vicedomnus Procurans multum, defectum ne paterer quern.Scachorum ludo temptat me vincere crebro,
Nec potuit, ludo ni sponte dato sibi solo.
Quinque dies sic me non siverat ante venire." Murray 1913: 411-413, 415-416.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Royalty
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2335
Type Contemporary text
Game Medieval Chess
Location England
Date 1100-01-01 - 1149-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x King (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Queen (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rook (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Fil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Fil. 2 x Knight: Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Pawn: Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a Shah can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The Shah must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. Stalemate results in a win for that player causing it.
Content Anonymous manuscript, first half of the 12th century, describing the rules of Chess in England. Murray 1913: 499-500; Hyde 1694: 179.
Confidence 100
Source Anonymous. A Poem on Chess. Bodleian Libraary MS. Auct. F. 2. 14. f. 110v., Hyde, Thomas. 1694. Mandragorias, seu Historia shahiludii, De ludis Orientalium libri primi pars prima, quæ est Latina., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2336
Type Contemporary text
Game Medieval Chess
Location England
Date 1180-01-01 - 1190-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x King (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Queen (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rook (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Fil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Fil. 2 x Knight: Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Pawn: Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a Shah can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The Shah must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. Stalemate results in a win for that player causing it.
Content Passage about the rules of ludus scaccorum from Alexander Neckam's De Naturis Rerum, written between 1180 and 1190. Murray 1913: 501-502.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
, Neckam, A. 1190. De Naturis Rerum.
Id DLP.Evidence.2337
Type Contemporary text
Game Medieval Chess
Location 15 c France
Date 1200-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x King (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Queen (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rook (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Fil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Fil. 2 x Knight: Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Pawn: Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a Shah can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The Shah must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. Stalemate results in a win for that player causing it.
Content French manuscript describing the rules of Chess, several copies of the manuscript, including one reported from Deventer Library in Holland by Hyde. Murray 1913: 505-506.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, Thomas. 1694. Mandragorias, seu Historia shahiludii, De ludis Orientalium libri primi pars prima, quæ est Latina., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2338
Type Contemporary text
Game Medieval Chess
Location 49°53'35.11"N, 2°17'45.87"E
Date 1201-01-01 - 1260-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x King (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Queen (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rook (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Fil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Fil. 2 x Knight: Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Pawn: Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a Shah can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The Shah must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. Stalemate results in a win for that player causing it.
Content Passage from De Vetula, probably written by Richard de Fournival in Amiens, about Chess. : "There is another game, chess, which Ulysses invented at the siege of Troy to prevent the nobles suffering from ennui in time of truce or sickness. He is much to be praised for it. It was very clever to think out six types of move so that no two games are ever identical. He drew his inspiration from the movements of the planets. There are six chessmen (scad), and three leap into the first field, and three into the second. The King (rex), Pawn (pedes), and Maid (virgo) leap into the first field. The Maid goes aslant, the Pawn in a direct line, and the King combines the two moves. The King and Maid can go forwards and backwards, the Pawn forwards only, except that he takes diagonally forwards. When he reaches the end of the board, he is given the Maid’s leap. Into the second field leaps Rook (roccus), Aufin (alphinus), and Knight (miles). The Rook goes in a straight line, and alone has no limit to his leap, but can move for a shorter or a greater distance than to the second square. The Aufin leaps aslant, and the Knight combines both moves. The King is the Sun, the Pawn Saturn, the Knight Mars, the royal Maid (regia virgo) Venus, the Aufin, himself a Bishop (episcopus), Jupiter; and the wandering Rook the Moon. Mercury is the promoted Pawn. Chess is a noble game so long as it is played in moderation and is not played to amass money. To play with the Jielp of dice is to defile it ; the man who first did this either could not appreciate a slow game or was greedy of gain." Murray 1913: 507-508.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite, Clergy
Genders Male
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2339
Type Contemporary text
Game Medieval Chess
Location 50° 3'48.71"N, 19°56'41.78"E
Date 1380-01-01 - 1450-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. The pieces move as follows, with the number per player: 1 x King (king): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally. 1 x Queen (counselor): One square diagonally. 2 x Rook (rook): Any number of spaces orthogonally. 2 x Fil (elephant): Two squares diagonally, jumping over the first. Cannot capture another Fil. 2 x Knight: Moves as a chess knight. 8 x Pawn: Moves one space forward orthogonally; one space forward diagonally to capture. No en passant. Promoted to Fers when reaching the eighth rank. No castling. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a Shah can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The Shah must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins. Stalemate results in a win for that player causing it.
Content "Krakow Poem," a Latin manuscript detailing the rules of Chess. Murray 1913: 508-509, 522-52. Jagiellonian Library BJ Rkp. 1954 II, p. 405-420.
Confidence 100
Source Anonymous. Opera auctorum Latinorum varia. Jagiellonian Library BJ Rkp. 1954 II., Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2340
Type Artifact
Game Medieval Chess
Location 48°56'7.68"N, 2°21'35.81"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1199-12-31
Rules Two kings, two queens, three(+) chariots, four knights, four rooks, 1(+) pawn(s).
Content Charlemagne chessmen, now in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, originall in the Abbey of Saint-Denis. Two kings, two queens, three chariots, four knights, four rooks, and one pawn. Murray 1913: 758.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite, Clergy
Source Murray, H. J. R. 1913. A History of Chess. London: Oxford University Press.
Id DLP.Evidence.2341
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 47°40'38.43"N, 42° 9'5.40"E
Date 1000-01-01 - 1050-12-31
Rules Elephant piece (Bishop).
Content Ivory elephant piece found at Sarkel Belaia-Vezha fortress, found outside the citadel, in the dwelling of a potter. Linder 1979: 54-55.
Confidence 100
Social status Non-Elite, Craftsperson
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2342
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 50°34'52.62"N, 30°29'17.16"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1199-12-31
Rules Rook piece.
Content Rook piece found in a habitation at twelfth-century Vyshgorod. Linder 1979: 58-60.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2343
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 52° 3'57.48"N, 27°44'25.55"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules Knight piece.
Content Knight piece found in excavations at thirteenth century Turov. Linder 1979: 60.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2344
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 53°54'0.32"N, 27°33'32.38"E
Date 1000-01-01 - 1099-12-31
Rules Knight piece.
Content Knight piece found in excavations at Minsk dating to the eleventh century. Linder 1979: 60.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2345
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 52° 5'59.47"N, 23°45'50.69"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1225-12-31
Rules King piece.
Content King piece found in excavations at Brest, Belarus, dating from the twelfth to early thirteenth century. Linder 1979: 60.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2346
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 53°40'6.04"N, 23°49'20.42"E
Date 1125-01-01 - 1175-12-31
Rules Rook piece.
Content Rook piece found at excavations in mid-twelfth century Grodno. Linder 1979: 60.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2347
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 54°20'24.90"N, 29°45'31.29"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules Bishop and pawn pieces.
Content Bishop and pawn found in the workshop of a prince's citadel in Drutsk, Belarus. Twelfth to thirteenth century. Linder 1979: 60.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite, Nobility, Craftsperson
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2348
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 54°20'24.90"N, 29°45'31.29"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules Pawn piece.
Content Pawn piece found in the city square of thirteenth century Drutsk, Belarus. Linder 1979: 60.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2349
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 53° 9'47.99"N, 24°27'60.00"E
Date 1000-01-01 - 1125-12-31
Rules Rook and pawn pieces.
Content Rook and pawn pieces found at excavations of Zamkovaia Mountain in Volkovysk, Belkarus. Eleventh to early twelfth century. Linder 1979: 61.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2350
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 53°35'56.18"N, 25°49'33.06"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1149-12-31
Rules Knight piece.
Content Knight piece found in the house of a princely estate at Novogrudok, Belarus. First half of twelfth century. Linder 1979: 61.
Confidence 100
Social status Elite
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2351
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 55°11'31.60"N, 30°12'25.19"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules Rook piece.
Content Rook piece found in thirteenth century stratum in excavations around Nizhni Castle, Vitebsk, Belarus. Linder 1979: 61.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2352
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 54°42'32.79"N, 29° 9'3.53"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1199-12-31
Rules Queen piece.
Content Queen piece found in excavations associated with Lukoml Electric Power Station, from a twelfth century stratum. Linder 1979: 61.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2353
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 54°19'13.94"N, 30°17'10.34"E
Date 1000-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules Rook and pawn pieces.
Content Rook and pawn piece from elevnth to thirteenth century stratum at Kopys, Belarus. Linder 1979: 61.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2354
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 58°31'17.57"N, 31°16'33.82"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1199-12-31
Rules Knight piece.
Content Knight piece found in excavations in twelfth century Novgorod. Linder 1979:61.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2355
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 50°27'3.02"N, 30°31'40.73"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1199-12-31
Rules Queen piece.
Content Queen piece found on Starokievskaia Mountain, Kyiv. Twelfth century. Linder 1979: 63-64.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2356
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 50°27'3.02"N, 30°31'40.73"E
Date 1000-01-01 - 1199-12-31
Rules Knight piece.
Content Knight piece found in excavations from Kyiv. Eleventh to twelfth century. Linder 1979: 65-66.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2357
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 50°40'56.06"N, 21°45'0.81"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1125-12-31
Rules Two Kings, two queens, two bishops, two knights, two rooks, eight pawns per player.
Content Nearly complete set of bone pieces (only missing three pawns)_ found in an early twelfth century residential hut from Sandomierz, Poland. Very worn, and probably very used. Linder 1979: 66-69.
Confidence 100
Social status Non-Elite
Spaces Inside, Household
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2358
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 54° 1'14.28"N, 31°43'19.35"E
Date 1175-01-01 - 1225-12-31
Rules Pawn piece.
Content Wooden pawn found at late twelfth to early thirteenth century Mstislavl, Belarus. Linder 1979: 67.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2359
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 50°27'3.02"N, 30°31'40.73"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1199-12-31
Rules Rook piece.
Content Rook piece found in twelfth century stratum at Kyiv. Linder 1979: 74-75.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2360
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 54°45'6.67"N, 35°35'59.28"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1199-12-31
Rules Bishop piece.
Content Bishop piece found in twelfth century settlement at Nikolo-Lenivets. Linder 1979: 74-75.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2361
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 55°29'4.39"N, 28°46'41.51"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules Bishop piece.
Content Bishop piece from thirteenth century Polotsk, Belarus. Linder 1979: 74-75.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2362
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 58°31'17.57"N, 31°16'33.82"E
Date 1300-01-01 - 1325-12-31
Rules King piece.
Content King piece from early fourteenth century Novgorod. Linder 1979: 92.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2363
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 58°31'17.57"N, 31°16'33.82"E
Date 1320-01-01 - 1339-12-31
Rules Queen piece.
Content Queen piece from 1320s-1330s Novgorod. Linder 1979: 92.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2364
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 58°31'17.57"N, 31°16'33.82"E
Date 1375-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules King piece.
Content King piece from late fourteenth century Novgorod. Linder 1979: 92.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2365
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 58°31'17.57"N, 31°16'33.82"E
Date 1326-01-01 - 1374-12-31
Rules Queen piece.
Content Queen piece from mid fourteenth century Novgorod. Linder 1979: 92.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2366
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 58°31'17.57"N, 31°16'33.82"E
Date 1400-01-01 - 1425-12-31
Rules King piece.
Content King piece from early fifteenth century Novgorod. Linder 1979: 92.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2367
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 58°31'17.57"N, 31°16'33.82"E
Date 1375-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules Rook piece.
Content Rook piece from late fourteenth century Novgorod. Linder 1979: 93.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2368
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 58°31'17.57"N, 31°16'33.82"E
Date 1420-01-01 - 1429-12-31
Rules Rook piece.
Content Rook piece from 1420s Novgorod. Linder 1979: 93.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2369
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 58°31'17.57"N, 31°16'33.82"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1499-12-31
Rules Knight pieces.
Content Six knight pieces from thirteenth to fifteenth century Novgorod. Linder 1979: 94.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2370
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 58°31'17.57"N, 31°16'33.82"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1499-12-31
Rules Bishop pieces.
Content Five bishop pieces from thirteenth to fifteenth century Novgorod. Linder 1979: 94.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2371
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 58°31'17.57"N, 31°16'33.82"E
Date 1326-01-01 - 1374-12-31
Rules Rook piece.
Content Rook piece from mid fourteenth century Novgorod. Linder 1979: 96.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2372
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 58°31'17.57"N, 31°16'33.82"E
Date 1375-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules King piece.
Content King piece from late fourteenth century Novgorod. Linder 1979: 96.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2373
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 54°47'26.20"N, 32° 3'1.79"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1499-12-31
Rules King piece.
Content King piece from thirteenth to fifteenth century Smolensk. Linder 1979: 99, 101.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2374
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 56°29'51.99"N, 31°38'26.63"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules Pawn piece.
Content Pawn piece from thirteenth century Toropets, Russia. Linder 1979: 99, 102.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2375
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 55°29'4.39"N, 28°46'41.51"E
Date 1275-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules Two king pieces.
Content Two king pieces found at the excavations of late thirteenth century Vekhnii Castle, Polotsk, Belrus. Linder 1979: 99, 100.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2376
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 53°35'56.18"N, 25°49'33.06"E
Date 1300-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules Pawn piece.
Content Pawn piece from fourteenth century excavations at Novogrudok. Linder 1979: 99, 102.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2377
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 54°20'24.90"N, 29°45'31.29"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules King piece.
Content King piece found during excavations of town squre in Drtusk. Thirteenth or fourteenth century. Linder 1979: 99, 100.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2378
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 54° 0'2.48"N, 27°16'36.42"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules Pawn piece.
Content Pawn piece found in thirteenth to fourteenth century Zaslavl, Belarus. Linder 1979: 99.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2379
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 53°40'6.04"N, 23°49'20.42"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules Bishop and rook pieces.
Content Bishop and rook pieces found in the excavations of the fortress of Grodno, Belarus, thirteenth to fourteenth century. Linder 1979: 99.
Confidence 100
Spaces Military
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2380
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 54° 1'14.28"N, 31°43'19.35"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules Rook piece.
Content Rook piece from Mtsislavl, Belarus. Thirteenth to fourteenth century. Linder 1979: 99, 108.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2381
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 50°27'3.02"N, 30°31'40.73"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules Two kings, one bishop piece.
Content Two king pieces and one bishop piece from thirteenth to fourteenth century Kyiv. Linder 1979: 99-103.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2382
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 56°56'58.31"N, 24° 6'18.50"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules Knight and pawn piece.
Content Knight and pawn piece from excavations at thirteenth century Riga, Latvia. Linder 1979: 103.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2383
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 54°38'16.74"N, 24°56'5.34"E
Date 1300-01-01 - 1399-12-31
Rules Rook piece.
Content Rook piece from excavations at fourteenth century Trakai, Lithuania. Linder 1979: 104, 106.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2384
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 54°38'16.74"N, 24°56'5.34"E
Date 1300-01-01 - 1499-12-31
Rules Rook piece.
Content Unfinished rook piece from fourteenth to fifteenth century Trakai, Lithuania. Linder 1979: 104, 106.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2385
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 54°38'16.74"N, 24°56'5.34"E
Date 1300-01-01 - 1499-12-31
Rules Three bishops.
Content Three bishop pieces from fourteenth to fifteenth century Trakai, Lithuania. Linder 1979: 106-107.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2386
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Medieval)
Location 54°38'16.74"N, 24°56'5.34"E
Date 1300-01-01 - 1499-12-31
Rules Pawn piece.
Content Pawn piece from excavations at fourteenth tp fifteenth century Trakai, Lithuania. Linder 1979: 107.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2387
Type Artistic depiction
Game Shakhmaty (Early Modern)
Location 55°45'15.43"N, 37°37'6.03"E
Date 1694-01-01 - 1696-12-31
Rules 8x8 board.
Content 8x8 chess board pictured in the Litsevoi Primer, by the monk Karion Istomin of Moscow listed under the listing for the letter Sh-, with the word Shakhmaty. Linder 1979: 122, 126.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2388
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Early Modern)
Location 60°45'33.44"N, 46°18'8.11"E
Date 1500-01-01 - 1699-12-31
Rules King piece.
Content Bone king piece found in sixteenth to seventeenth century excavations at Velkii Ustiug, Russia. Linder 1979: 133.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2389
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Early Modern)
Location 66°36'27.59"N, 82°17'32.18"E
Date 1600-01-01 - 1699-12-31
Rules 8x8 board.
Content 8x8 wooden board found at seventeenth century Mangazeia, Russia. Linder 1979: 144.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2390
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Early Modern)
Location 55°45'15.43"N, 37°37'6.03"E
Date 1500-01-01 - 1599-12-31
Rules Rook piece.
Content Rook piece from sixteenth century Moscow. Linder 1979: 140.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2391
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Early Modern)
Location 55°45'15.43"N, 37°37'6.03"E
Date 1500-01-01 - 1699-12-31
Rules Two king pieces.
Content Two king pieces from sixteenth to seventeenth century Moscow. Linder 1979: 140.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2392
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Early Modern)
Location 55°45'15.43"N, 37°37'6.03"E
Date 1500-01-01 - 1500-12-31
Rules Queen piece.
Content Queen piece found in sixteenth century Moscow. Linder 1979: 141.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2393
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Early Modern)
Location 64°13'35.65"N, 41°38'55.31"E
Date 1600-01-01 - 1699-12-31
Rules King piece.
Content King piece from seventeenth century Kholmoghory, Russia. Linder 1979: 141.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2394
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Early Modern)
Location 66°36'27.59"N, 82°17'32.18"E
Date 1600-01-01 - 1699-12-31
Rules King piece.
Content Wooden kind piece from Mangazeia, Russia. Seventeenth century. Linder 1979: 141.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2396
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Early Modern)
Location 76°57'23.43"N, 107°58'56.13"E
Date 1600-01-01 - 1625-12-31
Rules King, queen, bishop, knight, pawn, and two rook pieces.
Content Set of king, queen, bishop, knight, pawn and two rook pieces from Faddei Island. Early seventeenth century. Linder 1979: 141-143.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2397
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Early Modern)
Location 76°57'23.43"N, 107°58'56.13"E
Date 1600-01-01 - 1625-12-31
Rules King, queen, bishop, pawn, two rooks.
Content Set of king, queen pawn, bishop and two rooks from Faddei Island, Russia. Early seventeenth century. Linder 1979: 142-143.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2398
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Early Modern)
Location 67°26'59.90"N, 142°36'58.75"E
Date 1639-01-01 - 1699-12-31
Rules Chess piece.
Content Chess piece found in a bone workshop at Zashiversk, Russia. Linder 1979: 137.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2399
Type Artifact
Game Shakhmaty (Early Modern)
Location 64°13'35.65"N, 41°38'55.31"E
Date 1600-01-01 - 1799-12-31
Rules Two kings, two queens, two bishops, two knights, two rooks, eight pawns per player.
Content Full set of pieces from Kholomogory, Russia. Now in the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. Linder 1979: 146-147.
Confidence 100
Source Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2400
Type Contemporary text
Game Shakhmaty
Location 59°55'53.63"N, 30°19'46.62"E
Date 1821-01-01 - 1821-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space orthogonally forward, or two steps orthogonally forward on their first move, capture one space diagonally forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Castling, En Passant, and Pawn promotion allowed. Play begins by each player moving two of their pieces in the same turn, provided that neither enter the opponent's half of the board. An opponent's piece is captured by moving a player's own piece onto a space occupied by the opponent's piece. When a King can be captured on the next turn by an opponent's piece, it is in check. The King must not be in check at the end of the player's turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate and the opponent wins.
Content Ivan Butrimov's 1821 treatise On the Chess Game. Linder 1979: 165-166.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Butrimov, I. 1821. O shakhmatnoi igrie. St Petersburg: Pechatano v Senatskoĭ tipografīi, Linder, I. 1979. Chess in Old Russia. Moscow: Nauka.
Id DLP.Evidence.2401
Type Ethnography
Game Ring
Location 18°20'12.08"S, 130°38'12.87"E
Date 1953-01-01 - 1954-12-31
Rules A circle with eight radii. Three pieces per player. Each player's pieces must begin on adjacent points in the outer ring. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty point along the lines of the board. The player who makes a line of three through the center of the circle wins.
Content Account from Mervyn Meggitt: "In 1953-54, while engaged in fieldwork among Walbiri Aborigines at Hooker Creek, in the western desert of the Northern Territory of Australia, I observed that younger men occasionally played two sedentary games which require diagrams drawn in the sand. Only one, however, is a true " boardgame " in that counters are used with defined powers of movement...The other game, “ ring ” or three men’s morris, is not such a riotous affair, but is quietly played by two opponents. Each places three counters side by side on radial points marked on the circumference of the circular “ board ” (see figure 2). If A, B, C and a, b, c are the respective counters of opponents X and Y, they can, eg., be arranged either as AI, B2, C3, a4, b5, c6, or as AI, B2, Cg, a5, b6, c7. Each player moves one counter in turn only to an unoccupied, adjacent point, including the centre. The object is to place one’s own counters in a straight line through the centre. There is no capturing of men. Details of two sample games will indicate the pattern and inherent limitations of the game. Opponent Y may move counter b from 5 to 0. X moves A from I to 8. Then it is c
from 6 to 7 ; B from 2 to I ; c from 7 to 6. At this point, C could move indefinitely between
3 and 2, and c between 6 and 7. Then c to 5 ; A to 6. b must vacate 0, because a and c cannot move one space to an unoccupied point. So b to 7 ; B to o ; b to 8 ; and C to 2. X wins because A, B, C are on the diameter 64-2. Alternatively, X starts with A from I to 8 ; then Y moves c from 6 to 7 ; b from 5 to 6 ; B to 2 ; a from 4 to 5 ; C from 3 to 4. Y must now move to o ; so a to o. Then B to 3 ; a to I ; I? to 0, and X wins. No real advantage lies with the player who starts first. The basis of the strategy seems to be to force the opponent to be first to occupy the central point, then to force him from the centre. Older men at Hooker Creek maintain that both games have always been played by Walbiri, and they have no knowledge of their being introduced from outside the tribe." Meggitt 1958: 191-192.
Confidence 100
Ages Adolescent, Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source Meggitt, M. 1958. Two Australian Aboriginal Games and a Problem of Diffusion. Mankind 5(5): 191-194.
Id DLP.Evidence.2402
Type Ethnography
Game Mraha wa Bwe
Location 11°43'3.15"S, 43°14'48.39"E
Date 2018-06-01 - 2018-06-30
Rules 5x5 board. Twelve pieces per player. Players alternate turns placing two pieces on the board, leaving the central space empty. Once all the pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving one space orthogonally to an empty space. An opponent's piece may be captured by hopping over it to an empty space immediately on the opposite side of it in an orthogonal direction. Multiple captures are allowed, and a player is allowed to land on a space already landed on during the chain of captures. Captures are not compulsory. A player wins when they capture all of their opponent's pieces or the opponent cannot move.
Content Account of Mraha wa Bwe from De Voogt in June 2018: "According to de Villeneuve, Mraha wa bwe is the “game of pebbles” also known as Mraha wa votsi “game on the ground”. Unlike Mraha wa tso, the materials for this game are commonly gathered ad hoc, using depressions in the ground and pebbles or any other similarly small materials of two different colors and/or sizes. On Grande Comore, the game was found in the city center of Moroni next to a small market where women were selling fish straight from the moored fishing boats. Players were present mostly in the afternoon with one to five games going on at the same time (see Photo 2). Sometimes, card (gambling) games were being played nearby as well. Only men were taking part and although only two people play there may be several bystanders interfering with the game and, sometimes, loudly discussing the strategies.
The board consists of a grid of five by five holes, usually depressions made in the ground. Each player has twelve pieces, each a different color and/or size. With each move a player places two of his own on the board. They take turns until all pieces are placed on the board with the central playing space left open. After this, a player may move a piece orthogonally or capture an adjacent opponent’s piece by jumping to an empty space be- hind it. Capturing is not mandatory. If, after a capture, it is possible to continue with another jump by the same piece across another adjacent op- ponent’s piece then the player may keep doing so, however, this is again not mandatory. It is allowed to revisit the same space during such a mul- tiple capture. A player loses the game if he can no longer move or lost all his pieces." de Voogt 2018: 3-5.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source de Voogt, A. 2019. 'The Comoros: A confluence of board game histories.' Board Game Studies 13: 1–13.
Id DLP.Evidence.2403
Type Ethnography
Game Dama (Alquerque)
Location Grande Comore
Date 2018-06-01 - 2018-06-30
Rules 5x5 intersectinv lines with diagonals drawn in the four quadrants. Twelve pieces per player. which begin on two rows closest to the player and the two spaces in the central row on the player's right. Players alternate turns moving a piece to an empty adjacent point on the board, along the lines. A player may capture an opponent's piece by hopping over it to an empty space on immediately on the opposite side of it along the lines on the board. Captures are compulsory, and if the opponent realizes that the player did not make a possible capture, the opponent immediately captures the player's piece that could have captured but didn't. Regular pieces cannot capture backwards. When a piece reaches the farthest row on the opposite side of the board from where they started, it is promoted to a king, which can move and capture any distance along the lines of the board. The player who captures all of their opponent's pieces wins.
Content Account from de Voogt in June 2018: "The second pattern they associate with Dama is played on an Alquerque- 12 board (see Photo 5) with pieces on all but the central intersection, similar to what is known from the literature (Parlett 2018:Fig. 15.1a). The rules include promotion to a long king, while regular pieces cannot capture back- wards. Capturing is mandatory under penalty of huffing. The promotion to a long king is a rare occurrence in Alquerque games but not entirely unknown (e.g., Jansen 1990). Similar games in South-East and South Asia have a tri- angle attached to each end of the board that holds additional pieces. Such boards have been attested for the Seychelles and the Maldives as well, but both regions, although geographically somewhat close to the Comoros, have no historical relation with the Comoros." de Voogt 2019: 6-7.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Outside, Public
Genders Male
Source de Voogt, A. 2019. 'The Comoros: A confluence of board game histories.' Board Game Studies 13: 1–13.
Id DLP.Evidence.2404
Type Ethnography
Game Shatera
Location Pallas
Date 1768-01-01 - 1769-12-31
Rules Played on an 8x8 board with pieces with specialized moves: Pawns (8): can move one space forward; Rooks (2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Bishops (2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Knight (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Queens (1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Kings (1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally. Players move three pieces on their first turn. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. When a king can be captured on the next turn, it is in check, and the king must not be in check at the beginning of the opponent's next turn. If this is not possible, it is checkmate, and the opponent wins.
Content Account of the P. S. Pallas among the Kalmyk people from his travels in 1768-1769: "Ich muß noch etwas von den Spielen der Kalmucken sagen. Zur Winterszeit ist das Schachspiel...Im Schachspiel sind viele, sonderlich Geistlichem sehr geschicht, und dieses urspünglich orientaliches Spiel ist auch in der Mongolen zu Hause. Sie folgen darinn völlig den gebräuchlichten Regeln, ausser daß sie zum Anfang mit dreyen Figuren ausrücken. Wenn wir Schach sagen, so sagen sie Schat oder Sch't und nennen das Spiel auch Schatera; Mat aber sagenb sie wie wir." Pallas 1776: 157.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Inside, Private, Household
Genders Male
Source Pallas, P. S. 1776. Sammlungen historischer Nachrichten über die mongolischen Völkerschaften. St. Petersburg: Kaiserliche Akademie der Wissenschaften.
Id DLP.Evidence.2405
Type Artifact
Game 12-Ring
Location 35° 6'33.69"N, 25°47'33.84"E
Date 2000-01-01BCE - 1600-12-31BCE
Rules Twelve holes in a circle.
Content Twelve holes arranged in a circle from the street at Gournia. Middle Minoan date. HIllbom 2011: 143.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Hillbom, N. 2011. Minoan Games and Game Boards: an Archaeological Investigation of Game-Related Material from Bronze Age Crete. Saarbrucken: Dr. Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.2406
Type Artifact
Game 10-Ring
Location 35° 7'4.12"N, 25°51'59.81"E
Date 0625-01-01 - 0500-12-31BCE
Rules Ten holes arranged in a circle
Content Graffiti of ten holes arranged in a rough oval or maybe two lines of five on the steps of the Monumental Civic Building at Azoria, Crete. late seventh to sixth century BCE. Mook and Haggis 2013: 68.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public, Ritual
Source Hillbom, N. 2011. Minoan Games and Game Boards: an Archaeological Investigation of Game-Related Material from Bronze Age Crete. Saarbrucken: Dr. Müller., Mook, M. and D. Haggis. 2013. Excavation of an Archaic City at Azoria in Eastern Crete. In W.-D. Niemeier, O. Pilz and I. Kaiser (eds.), Kreta in der geometrischen und archaischen Zeit. München: Hirmer Verlag, 59–78.
Id DLP.Evidence.2407
Type Artifact
Game 10-Ring
Location 35° 7'4.12"N, 25°51'59.81"E
Date 0725-01-01BCE - 0600-12-31
Rules 10 holes in a circle
Content Ten holes arranged in a circle on the steps of the Monumental Civic Building at Azoria, Crete. Late seventh to sixth century BCE. Mook and Haggis 2013: 68.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public, Ritual
Source Mook, M. and D. Haggis. 2013. Excavation of an Archaic City at Azoria in Eastern Crete. In W.-D. Niemeier, O. Pilz and I. Kaiser (eds.), Kreta in der geometrischen und archaischen Zeit. München: Hirmer Verlag, 59–78.
Id DLP.Evidence.2408
Type Artifact
Game 10-Ring
Location 35°17'52.36"N, 25° 9'47.28"E
Date 1800-01-01BCE - 1600-12-31
Rules Twelve holes arranged in a circle, two are larger.
Content Slab with seven depressions arranged in a circular pattern, originally there were twelve. Found outside the Queen's Megaron, Knossos. Middle Minon. Evans 1921: 390–391; Hillbom 2011: 148.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside
Source Evans, A. 1921. The Palace of Minos at Knossos. London: Macmillan and Co., Hillbom, N. 2011. Minoan Games and Game Boards: an Archaeological Investigation of Game-Related Material from Bronze Age Crete. Saarbrucken: Dr. Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.2409
Type Artifact
Game 10-Ring
Location 35°17'52.36"N, 25° 9'47.28"E
Date 1450-01-01BCE - 1300-12-31BCE
Rules Ten holes arranged in a circle, divided in half.
Content Cylindrical stone with ten holes divided in a circle, divided in half with a line. Found reused in a Roman wall at Knossos. Hillbom 2011: 148.
Confidence 100
Source Hillbom, N. 2011. Minoan Games and Game Boards: an Archaeological Investigation of Game-Related Material from Bronze Age Crete. Saarbrucken: Dr. Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.2410
Type Artifact
Game 10-Ring
Location 35° 0'48.21"N, 24°45'38.82"E
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1450-12-31BCE
Rules Ten holes arranged in a circle.
Content Broken threshold with a circle of originally ten holes, six preserved, from the doorway between rooms O15 and O16 in the Oblique House in the hilltop settlement at Kommos. Whittaker 1996: 321*323, Hillbom 2011: 152.
Confidence 100
Source Hillbom, N. 2011. Minoan Games and Game Boards: an Archaeological Investigation of Game-Related Material from Bronze Age Crete. Saarbrucken: Dr. Müller., Whittaker, H. 1996. Stone Slabs with Depressions. In J. Shaw and M. Shaw (eds.) Kommos I: The Kommos Regions and Houses of the Minoan Town. Princeton, Princeton University Press, 321–323.
Id DLP.Evidence.2411
Type Artifact
Game 12-Ring
Location 35° 0'24.85"N, 25°35'26.50"E
Date 2720-01-01BCE - 2200-12-31BCE
Rules 12 holes arranged in a circle.
Content Twelve holes arranged around the edges of the stone, forming a circuit. Found reused into a wall between room 39 and 41 at Myrtos. Hillbom 2011: 160.
Confidence 100
Source Hillbom, N. 2011. Minoan Games and Game Boards: an Archaeological Investigation of Game-Related Material from Bronze Age Crete. Saarbrucken: Dr. Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.2412
Type Artifact
Game 12-Ring
Location 35° 3'5.24"N, 24°48'52.37"E
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1400-12-31BCE
Rules Twelve holes arranged in a circle.
Content Broken slab with 8-9 holes preserved out of an original 12. From the causeway of the Upper Court. Hillbom 2011: 161.
Confidence 100
Source Hillbom, N. 2011. Minoan Games and Game Boards: an Archaeological Investigation of Game-Related Material from Bronze Age Crete. Saarbrucken: Dr. Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.2413
Type Artifact
Game 12-Ring
Location 35° 3'5.24"N, 24°48'52.37"E
Date 1800-01-01BCE - 1400-12-31BCE
Rules Twelve holes arranged in a circle.
Content Twelve holes arranged in a circle. On a pavement slab at Phaistos area II. Hillbom 2011: 161.
Confidence 100
Source Hillbom, N. 2011. Minoan Games and Game Boards: an Archaeological Investigation of Game-Related Material from Bronze Age Crete. Saarbrucken: Dr. Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.2414
Type Artifact
Game 10-Ring
Location 35° 3'5.24"N, 24°48'52.37"E
Date 1900-01-01BCE - 1400-12-31BCE
Rules Ten holes arranged in a circle.
Content Ten depressions arranged in a circle on a step from the theatral area at Phaistos. Hillbom 2011: 166.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Hillbom, N. 2011. Minoan Games and Game Boards: an Archaeological Investigation of Game-Related Material from Bronze Age Crete. Saarbrucken: Dr. Müller.
Id DLP.Evidence.2415
Type Artifact
Game 10-Ring
Location 34°53'16.22"N, 33°36'13.83"E
Date 1600-01-01BCE - 1401-12-31BCE
Rules Ten holes arranged in a circle.
Content Slab reused in a wall with six depressions of originally ten arranged in a circle. On the same slab as a 20 Squares game. From Hala Sultan Tekke. Swiny 1986: 51.
Confidence 100
Source Swiny, S. 1986. The Kent State University Expedition to Episkopi Phaneromeni. Nicosia: Paul Åströms Förlag.
Id DLP.Evidence.2416
Type Artifact
Game 10-Ring
Location 34°40'23.64"N, 32°54'37.71"E
Date 1680-01-01BCE - 1200-12-31BCE
Rules Ten holes arranged in a circle.
Content Ten depressions on a stone from Episkopi Bamboula, arranged in a circle. Crist 2016: 143.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016. Games of thrones: board games and social complexity in Bronze Age Cyprus. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Arizona State University.
Id DLP.Evidence.2417
Type Artifact
Game 10-Ring
Location 34°44'20.42"N, 33°22'41.45"E
Date 1680-01-01BCE - 1200-12-31BCE
Rules Ten holes arranged in a circle.
Content Slab with ten holes arranged in a circle from Maroni Tsaroukkas Building 3. Crist 2016: 143.
Confidence 100
Source Crist, W. 2016. Games of thrones: board games and social complexity in Bronze Age Cyprus. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Arizona State University.
Id DLP.Evidence.2418
Type Artifact
Game Polis
Location 38°13'20.88"N, 24° 1'37.69"E
Date 0252-01-01BCE - 0100-12-31BCE
Rules 9x9 board.
Content Grid of 9x9 squares on a bench dated to 252 BCE at Rhamnous. Fachard 2021.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Fachard, S. 2021. Games in the Garrison Forts of Attica. Paper presented at the Workshop ERC Locus Ludi: The Archaeology of Play and Games. 21 January, 2021.
Id DLP.Evidence.2419
Type Artifact
Game Polis
Location 38°13'20.88"N, 24° 1'37.69"E
Date 0252-01-01 - 0100-12-31
Rules 8x10 board.
Content Grid of 8x10 squares from a bench dating to 252 BCE at Rhamnous. Fachard 2021.
Confidence 100
Source Fachard, S. 2021. Games in the Garrison Forts of Attica. Paper presented at the Workshop ERC Locus Ludi: The Archaeology of Play and Games. 21 January, 2021.
Id DLP.Evidence.2420
Type Ethnography
Game Tsjoncka
Location Ambon
Date 1653-01-01 - 1702-12-31
Rules 2x7 board. Pieces are sown around the board. The game ends when one player cannot sow.
Content Account from Gerog Everhard Rumphius, writing about the plant he called "Ball-bush": "Gebruik. De gladde en steenbarde zaden van dit gewas, werden in Indien veel gebruikt tot dat gemene spel, dat men Tsjoncka noemd, zynde een lankwerpig blokje, daar in 14 kuyltjes in 2 rygen staan, in dewelke men na zekere Wetten met deze knikkers of Klitsjis teld, tot dat de eene party te kort komt. By gebrek van deze Klitsjis, neemd man tot voorsz. spel gladde steentjes, of zeker slag van Zee-borentjes, Cauris genammt, uit bet gesachte van de allerkleenste Porcellana, of Concha Veneris." Rumphius 1797: 90.
Confidence 100
Source Rumphius, G. 1797. Het Amboinsche Kruid-Boek. Amsterdam: François Changuion, Hermanus Uytwerf.
Id DLP.Evidence.2421
Type Artifact
Game Chess (Siberia)
Location Nagy-Jugan
Date 1898-01-01 - 1898-12-31
Rules 9x9 board. At least eight different piece types: two with eight pieces, three with two pieces, and three with one piece.
Content Board collected by Jankó Janós in 1898 along the banks of the Nagy-Jugan River in Siberia. 9x9 board, with a probably incomplete set of pieces. Eight pieces of one type in a lighter color, seventeen pieces in a darker color. Eight of the darker pieces are of the same type, with six others belonging to three groups of two each, and three unique pieces.
Confidence 100
Source Néprajzi Muzeum (Museum of Ethnography). n.d. Collection Online. Budapest. Accessed 26 September, 2022.
Id DLP.Evidence.2422
Type Artifact
Game Nardshir
Location 32°41'0.38"N, 35°39'53.84"E
Date 0600-01-01 - 0799-12-31
Rules 2x12 board, divided in half.
Content Nardshir board found in the Western Walkway of Area D of the Umayyad bathhouse at Hammat Gader. 2x12 long rectangle, divided in half with rectangles with an X in them. Amitai-Preiss 1997: 277.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public
Source Amitai-Preiss, N. 1997. 'Arabic inscriptions, graffiti and games.'In Y. Hirschfeld, The Roman Baths of Hamat Gader: Final Report. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society. pp. 267–278.
Id DLP.Evidence.2423
Type Contemporary text
Game Li'b al-Sidr
Location 29°35'21.32"N, 52°35'2.89"E; 33°30'40.06"N, 36°18'12.21"E; 33°19'16.16"N, 44°25'5.05"E; 31°45'58.19"N, 35°12'54.76"E; 13°34'35.83"N, 44° 1'5.35"E; 21°25'18.18"N, 39°49'31.68"E
Date 1326-01-01 - 1410-12-31
Rules Three concentric squares with lines connecting the corners and the midpoints of the squares
Content Entry in al-Firuzabadi's (1326–1414) al-Qamus al-Muhit: Li'b al-Sidr, they make twenty-four lines, and its picture is this: And they would sort pebbles in it. With a diagram of three concentric squares with lines connecting the corners and the midpoints of the squares. Murray 1951: 43; Firuzabadi 1410.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Social status Elite
Genders Male
Source Murray, H.J.R. 1951. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press., al-Firuzabadi. 1410. al-Qamus al-Muhit.
Id DLP.Evidence.2424
Type Artifact
Game Li'b al-Sidr
Location 32°41'0.38"N, 35°39'53.84"E
Date 0600-01-01 - 0799-12-31
Rules Three concentric circles with lines connecting the midpoints of the sides and the corners.
Content Graffiti from the Hall of Inscriptions in the Umayyad bathhouse at Hammat Gader. Three concentric squares with lines connecting the midpoints and corners. Amitai-Preiss 1997: 272-273, 277.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public
Source Amitai-Preiss, N. 1997. 'Arabic inscriptions, graffiti and games.'In Y. Hirschfeld, The Roman Baths of Hamat Gader: Final Report. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society. pp. 267–278.
Id DLP.Evidence.2425
Type Artistic depiction
Game Säntäräj
Location 12°36'10.70"N, 37°27'7.78"E
Date 1721-01-01 - 1730-12-31
Rules 8x8 board. At least four different types of pieces per player. Two players.
Content Illumination from manuscript of Mashafa Madbla, written in Gondar, Ethiopia between 1721–1730. Depicts game players at the Crucifixion. Two players sitting across from each other at an 8x8 board. Players are moving pieces on the board, one player has several pieces off the board. There are at least four different piece types depicted. British Library Manuscript Or 791 f.151v.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Mashafa Madbal. British Library Manuscript Or791.
Id DLP.Evidence.2426
Type Artifact
Game Tabulae
Location 51°51'55.78"N, 2°15'7.37"W
Date 1070-01-01 - 1120-12-31
Rules Two rows of twelve points. Fifteen pieces per player.
Content Tabulae set found in a ditch at Gloucester Castle. 24 bone points survived along with thirty playing pieces. Stewart 2007.
Confidence 100
Source Stewart. I.J. 2007. A Late Eleventh-Cuentury Tabulae Set from Gloucester. In I. Finkel (ed.), Ancient Board Games in Perspective. London: British Museum press, 235–244.
Id DLP.Evidence.2427
Type Artifact
Game Tabulae
Location 48°18'8.35"N, 0°37'5.77"W
Date 0950-01-01 - 1150-12-31
Rules 2x12 points. Several pieces per player. Multiple six-sided dice.
Content Tabulae set from the château of Mayenne, France. Two rows of 12 points, along with many pieces that likely belonged to multiple sets. Seven six-sided dice were also found. Goret and Poplin 2011: 194–199.
Confidence 100
Source Goret, J.-F. and F. Poplin. 2011. Les pièces de jeu médiévales découvertes de la site du château de Mayenne. Bulletin de la Société nationale des Antiquaires de France, 192–203.
Id DLP.Evidence.2428
Type Artifact
Game Tabulae
Location 48°56'7.68"N, 2°21'35.81"E
Date 1100-01-01 - 1125-12-31
Rules 2x12 board.
Content Board found in excavations at Saint-Denis, France. Two rows of twelve points. Found in early twelfth century context. Meyer and Wyss 1991.
Confidence 100
Source Meyer, N. and M Wyss. 1991. Un jeu de tables du XIIe siècle provenant de Saint-Denis. Archéologie médiévale 21: 103–113.
Id DLP.Evidence.2429
Type Artifact
Game Qirkat
Location 24°11'30.13"N, 47°21'7.70"E
Date 0700-01-01 - 1099-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines with diagonals in the four quadrants formed.
Content Graffiti board found in the floor of Building Three at al-Yamamah, an early Islamic mosque. 5x5 intersecting lines with diagonals in the quadrants. Schiettecate and Siméon 2016: 178, 196; Schiettecate et al. 2019: 257.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public
Source Schiettecate, J. and P. Siméon. 2016.al-Yamama (Area N6): Building 1—The Great Mosque. In J. Schiettecate and A. Alghazzi (eds.) Al-Kharj I: Report on Two Excavation Seasons in the Oasis of Al-Kharj. 2011-2012 Saudi Arabia. Riyadh: Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage. , Schiettecatte, J., C. Darles and P. Siméon. 2019. A Friday Mosque Founded in the Late First Century A.H. at al-Yamamah: Origins and Evolution of Islamic Religious Architecture in Najd. Proceedings of the Seminar for South Arabian Studies 49: 247-264.
Id DLP.Evidence.2430
Type Artifact
Game Qirkat
Location 32°41'0.38"N, 35°39'53.84"E
Date 0600-01-01 - 0799-12-31
Rules 5x5 intersecting lines with diagonals in the quadrants.
Content Graffiti board from the Hall of Inscriptions at the Umayyad baths at Hammat Gader. 5x5 intersecting lines with diagonals in the quadrants. Amitai-Preiss 1997: 272–273, 277.
Confidence 100
Spaces Public
Source Amitai-Preiss, N. 1997. 'Arabic inscriptions, graffiti and games.'In Y. Hirschfeld, The Roman Baths of Hamat Gader: Final Report. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society. pp. 267–278.
Id DLP.Evidence.2431
Type Contemporary text
Game Three Men's Morris
Location England
Date 1694-01-01 - 1694-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines with diagonals of the large square. Three pieces per player.
Content Passage from Hyde's De Ludis Orientalibus: "Apud Anglos vocatur Busghels, forte propter mediam Schematis partem, quae aliquando ita formatur, acsi Modium rotundum referre videretur. Quin & alia habet Nomina sec. numerum frustulorum quibus luditur, eaque a Gallico Nomine corrupta quo tempore Normanni Angliam possiderent: ficut est Marlin: alias three Mens Morals...alias three penny moris,...alias three pin moris...Pro his autem omnibus verius & rectius dicendum est three pin merells...a quo caetera omnia Nomina corrupta sint.
Confidence 100
Source Hyde, T. 1694. De Ludis Orientalibus Libri Duo: Historia Nerdiludii, hoc est Dicere, Trunculorum, cum quibuidam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum Gentium Ludis tam Politicis quam Bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multo minus visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam melius quam hactenus factum est explicantur. Oxford: E Theatro Sheldoniano.
Id DLP.Evidence.2432
Type Artifact
Game Riga Game (Small)
Location 56°56'58.31"N, 24° 6'18.50"E
Date 1200-01-01 - 1299-12-31
Rules 3x3 intersecting lines, with diagonals in the large square. Two lines on each side opposite one another, forming triangles, and a line connecting the apices to the midpoints of the square.
Content Game incised on a wooden board, 3x3 intersecting lines, with diagonals in the large square. Two lines on each side opposite one another, forming triangles, and a line connecting the apices to the midpoints of the square. Three other examples on the opposite side, and merels-type game goards also on the same artifact. Caune 1993.
Confidence 100
Source Caune, A. 1993. "Funde hochmittelalterlicher Mühlespielbretter aus der Rigaer Altstadt." In M. Gläser (ed), Archäologie des Mittelalters und Bauforschung in Hanseraum. Rostock: Konrad Reich Verlag, 455-460.
Id DLP.Evidence.2433
Type Artistic depiction
Game Gabata (Gondar)
Location 12°36'10.70"N, 37°27'7.78"E
Date 1721-01-01 - 1730-12-31
Rules 3x6 board. Two players. Multiple counters per hole.
Content Depiction of two men playing at the Crucifixion. Board with two rows of three holes, with multiple counters per hole, as shown in the Mashafa Madbal. British Library Manuscript OR 791 f. 151v.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Genders Male
Source Mashafa Madbal. British Library Manuscript Or791.
Id DLP.Evidence.2434
Type Artifact
Game Matara Game
Location 14°40'30.55"N, 39°25'31.83"E
Date 0600-01-01 - 0800-12-31
Rules 2x8 board with a store.
Content Graffiti board found on the steps of the large villa of "Ruin B" at Matara in Eritrea. 2x8 holes, with a ninth larger one on one end. Anfray and Annequin 1965: 53–54; Pankhurst 1971: 154-155; Curtis and Habtemichael 2008: 319–320 for the building and dte.
Confidence 100
Spaces Outside, Public
Source Anfray, F. and Annequin, G. 1965. Matara—Deuxièeme, troisième, et quatrième campagnes des fouilles. Annales d'Èthiopie 6: 49–86., Pankhurst, R. 1971. Gabata and Related Board Games of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia Observer 14(3):154-206.
, Curtis, M. and D. Habtemichael. 2008. Matara, Keskese, and the Classical Period Archaeology of the Akele Guzay Highlands: A Brief Overview. In P. Schmidt, D. Curits, and Z. Teka (eds.), The Archaeology of Ancient Eritrea. Asmara: The Red Sea Press, 2008.
Id DLP.Evidence.2435
Type Artifact
Game Sáhkku (Lujávv'r)
Location 68° 0'13.56"N, 35° 1'8.89"E
Date 1910-01-01 - 1910-12-31
Rules 8x8 board with an X in alternating squares.
Content Board bought form Sámi community in Lujávv'r, Russia in 1910. 8x8 board with an X in alternating squares. Världskultur Museerna 1910.19.0001.
Confidence 100
Source Världskultur Museerna 1910.19.0001
Id DLP.Evidence.2436
Type Artifact
Game Ludus Coriovalli
Location 50°53'17.43"N, 5°58'46.20"E
Date 0150-01-01 - 0500-12-31
Rules A square, divided in two with a line across the width. Four oblique lines, which connect points near the midpoints of the sides of the squares. Vertical horizontal lines above and below the square which are connected to the central line may also be part of the board.
Content Object 4433 in Thermenmuseum, Heerlen. Lines in a unique pattern on a finished limestone object. The surface of the stone along some of the lines of the board show use-wear, probably idnicative of gameplay.
Confidence 100
Id DLP.Evidence.2437
Type Artifact
Game Chu-Shogi
Location Japan
Date 1834-01-01 - 1834-12-31
Rules Movement, placement, and promotion of all pieces.
Content Sho Shogi Zushiki, which contains diagram of initial piece placement, the movement and promotion rules for all of the pieces.
Confidence 100
Source Anonymous. n.d. Sho Shogi Zushiki. Unpublished Manuscript.
Id DLP.Evidence.2438
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Wa Shogi
Location Japan
Date 1834-01-01 - 1834-12-31
Rules Piece placement and movement.
Content Sho Shogi Zushiki, an anonymous manuscript that provides a board diagram showing the placement of the pieces and the movement properties of the pieces.
Confidence 100
Source Anonymous. n.d. Sho Shogi Zushiki. Unpublished Manuscript.
Id DLP.Evidence.2439
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Dai Shogi
Location Japan
Date 1834-01-01 - 1834-12-31
Rules Placement and positions of pieces.
Content Sho Shogi Zushiki, an anonymous manuscript with diagrams of positions and movements of the pieces of Dai Shogi.
Confidence 100
Source Anonymous. n.d. Sho Shogi Zushiki. Unpublished Manuscript.
Id DLP.Evidence.2440
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Dai Dai Shogi
Location Japan
Date 1834-01-01 - 1834-12-31
Rules Placement, movement, and promotion of pieces.
Content Anonymous manuscript Sho Shogi Zushiki, which provides diagrams of the placement, movement, and promotion of pieces.
Confidence 100
Source Anonymous. n.d. Sho Shogi Zushiki. Unpublished Manuscript.
Id DLP.Evidence.2441
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Maka Dai Dai Shogi
Location Japan
Date 1834-01-01 - 1834-12-31
Rules 9x19 board. Pieces are as follows:
First row: Kyosha (x2): slide orthogonally forward, placed on the corners of the first row; Dosho (x2): move one space forward or backward orthogonally, promote to Honnin, moves any distance forward orthogonally or backward diagonally, placed next to Kyosha; Sekisho (x2): move one space diagonally forward, promoted piece moves any distance diagonally forward, placed next to Dosho; Gasho (x2): moves one space diagonally forward or orthogonally backward, promotes to Honga which moves any distance diagonally forward or orthogonally backward, placed next to Sekisho; Techo (x2): moves one space forward orthogonally or diagonally, promoted piece moves any distance forward orthogonally or diagonally, placed next to Gasho; Dosho (x2): moves one space forward orthogonally or diagonally or backward orthogonally, promoted piece moves any distance forward orthogonally or diagonally or backward orthogonally, placed next to Tessho; Ginsho (x2): moves one space diagonally or orthogonally forward or backward, promoted piece moves any distance orthogonally forward or diagonally any direction, placed next to Dosho; Kinsho (x2): moves one space orthogonally or forward diagonally, promoted piece moves any distance orthogonally or diagonally forward, placed next to Ginsho; Deva (x1): moves one space diagonally forward or orthogonally left or diagonally backward to the left, promoted to piece with unknown movement, placed next to left Kinsho; Mumyo (x1): moves one space diagonally forward, orthogonally right, or diagonally backward to the right, promotes to Hosei (unkonwn movement), placed next to right Kinsho; Osho (x1): moves one space in any direction, promoted piece can jump to anywhere on the board, placed between Deva and Mumyo.
Second row: Hensha (x2): moves any distance orthogonally forward or backward, promoted to Keigei, which moves any distance orthogonally forward and backward or diagonally backward, placed in front of Kyosha; Myojin (x2): moves one space diagonally, promotes to Honmyo which moves any distance diagonally, placed in front of Sekisho; Waikei (x1) moves one space diagonally forward, horizontally, or orthogonally backward, promotes to Senkaku, which moves any distance diagonally forward, horizontally, or orthogonally backward, placed in front of left Tessho; Banja (x1) moves one space backwards orthogonally or diagonally or forward orthogonally, promotes to Honja which moves any distance backward orthogonally or diagonally or forward orthogonally, placed in front of left Ginsho; Garyu (x1): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally backward, promotes to Hoonryu which moves any distance forward diagonally or orthogonally or one space backward diagonally or orthogonally, placed next to right Mohyo; Koen (x1): moves one space diagonally or backward orthogonally, promotes to Sambu which moves any distance diagonally or backward orthogonally or one space forward orthogonally, placed next to right Tessho; Mohyo (x2): moves one space any direction except horizontally, promoted piece moves any distance any direction except horizontally, placed in front of Kinsho; Moko (x2): moves one space in any direction except forward orthogonally, promotes to Hiroku which moves any distance diagonally or horizontally, placed next to Mohyo; Suizo (x1): moves one space in any direction except backward orthogonally, promotes to Taishi which moves one space orthogonally, placed in front of Osho.
Third row: Roso (x2): moves up to two spaces diagonally forward or orthogonally backward, promotes to Komari which moves any distance diagonally backward or orthogonally forward, placed in front of (outer) Dosho; Shincho (x2): moves one space orthogonally, placed in front of Gasho; Moyu (x2), moves one space diagonally or orthogonally backward, promoted to Hon'yu, which moves any distance diagonally, horizontally, or jumps to the second space diagonally forward, placed in front of Dosho (inner); Akuro (x2): moves one space diagonally or orthogonally forward, promoted piece moves any distance diagonally or orthongally backward or forward, placed in front of Mohyo; Kirin (x1): jumps to the second space orthogonally or moves one space diagonally, promotes to Shishi which moves one space in any direction and moves twice in one turn or may jump to the second space, placed in front of left Moko; Shishi (x1): which moves one space in any direction and moves twice in one turn or may jump to the second space, placed in front of Suizo; Hoo (x1): jumps to the second space diagonally or moves one space horizontally, promotes to Honno which moves any distance in all directions, placed to the right of Shishi.
Fourth row: Roba (x2): jumps to the secon space forward and backward orthogonally or moves one space horizontally, does not promote, placed in front of Honsha; Keima (x2): knight move, no promotion, place in front of Myojin; Mogyu (x2): moves one space orthogonally up to two spaces, placed in front of Weikei; Hiryu (x2): moves diagonally up to two spaces, placed in front of Banja and Garyu; Rasetsu (x1): moves up to three spaces diagonally forward or one space horizontally or orthogonally backward, no promotion, placed next to left Hiryu; Rikshi (x1): moves up to three spaces diagonally or one space horizontally, placed next to Rusetsu, Komainu (x1): moves up to three spaces in any direction, placed next to Rikshi; Kongo (x1): moves up to three spaces orthogonally or one space diagonally forward, placed next to Komainu; Yasha (x1): moves up to five spaces orthogonally or up to two diagonally, placed next to Kongo.
Fifth Row: Hisha (x2): moves any distance orthogonally, promotes to Ryuo which moves any distance orthogonally or one space diagonally; Sasha (x1): moves any distance orthogonally forward, diagonally forward right, diagonally back left, or orthogonally left, placed next to left Hisha; Usha (x1): moves any distance forward orthogonally, diagonally forward to the left, diagonally back right, or orthogonally right, place next to right Hisha; Ogyo (x2): moves any distance horizontally or one space orthogonally forward or backward, promoted piece moves any distance in all directions except orthogonally forward; Ohi (x2): moves any distance horizontally or one space diagonally, placed next to Ogyo; Shugyo (x2): moves any distance orthogonally forward or backward or one space horizontally, promotes to Higyu which moves any distance in all directions, placed next to Ohi; Kakugyo (x2): moves any distance diagonally, promotes to Ryuma which moves up to two spaces forward orthogonally or any distance in any other direction, placed next to Shugyo; Ryume (x2): moves any distance diagonally or one space orthogonally, promotes to Kakuo which moves up to two spaces forward orthogonally or any distance in any other direction, placed next to Kakugyo; Ryuo (x2): moves any distance orthogonally or one space orthogonally, promotes to Hiju which moves any distance orthogonally or up to two spaces forward diagonally, placed next to Ryume; Makatsu (x1): moves any distance diagonally and may make one perpendicular turn and continue moving during its move, placed next to left Ryuo; Honno (x1): moves any distance in all directions, placed next to Makatsu; Honno (x1): moves any distance orthogonally, may make one perpendicular turn and continue moving during its move, placed next to Honno.
Sixth row: Fuhyo (x19): moves one space orthogonally forward.
Seventh row: Chunin (x2): moves one space forward or backward orthogonally, promoted piece moves any distance orthogonally forward or backward, placed in front of sixth and fourteenth Fuhyo.
Content Anonymous manuscript Sho Shogi Zushiki, which provides diagrams of the placement, movement, and promotion of pieces fpr Maka Dai Dai Shogi.
Confidence 100
Source Anonymous. n.d. Sho Shogi Zushiki. Unpublished Manuscript.
Id DLP.Evidence.2442
Type Contemporary rule description
Game Tai Shogi
Location Japan
Date 1834-01-01 - 1834-12-31
Rules 25x25 board. Piece placement and movement are as follows:
First row: Kyosha (x2): moves any distance orthogonally forward, placed in the corners of the board; Gonbu (x1): moves any distance forward orthogonally or diagonally, moves up to two spaces backward diagonally, or one space backward orthogonally, placed next to the left Kyosha; Keigei (x2): moves any distance orthogonally forward or backward orthogonally or diagonally, placed next to Gonbu and Byakko; Hiryu (x2) moves up to two spaces diagonally, placed next to Keigei; Tengu (x2): moves any distance diagonally, placed next to Hiryu; Kyuhan (x2): moves up to five spaces diagonally or orthogonally up to two spaces, placed next to the Tengu; Hisha (x2): moves any distance orthogonally, promoted to Ryuo which moves any distance orthogonally or one space diagonally, placed next to Kyuhan; Ryume (x2): moves any distance diagonally or one space orthogonally, promoted to Kakuo which move up to two spaces forward orthogonally or any distance in any other direction, placed next to Hisha; Ryuo (x2): moves any distance orthogonally or one sace diagonally, promotes to Hiju which moves any distance orthogonally or up to two spaces forward diagonally, placed next to Ryukme; Honno (x2): moves any distance in any direction, placed next to Ryup; Kinsho (x2): moves one space orthogonally or forward diagonally, promotes to hisha which moves any distance orthogonally, placed next to Honno; Deva (x1): moves one space diagonally forward, horizontally left, or diagonally backwards to the left, promotes to Kyoo (unknown movement), placed next to left Kinsho; Emperor (x1): jumps to any spot on the board, placed between Deva and Mumyo; Mumyuo (x1): moves one space diagonally forward, horizontally to the right or backward diagonally to the right, promotes to Hosei (unknown movement), placed next to right Kinsho; Byakko (x1): moves any distance orthogonally forward or backward, diagonally forward to the right, up to two spaces horizontally, or one space diagonally to the left, placed next to the right Kyosha.
Second row: Hensha (x2): moves any distance orthogonally forward or backward, promotes to Keigei which moves any distance orthogonally forward or backward orthogonally or diagonally, placed in front of Kyosha; Oryu (x2): movement not reported, placed next to Hensha; Hiju (x2) move any distance orthogonally or up to two spaces forward diagonally, placed next to Oryu; Keima (x2): moves like a knight in Chess, placed nextto Hiju; Hogyo (x2): moves any distance orthogonally or one space diagonally forward, placed next to Keima; Honbaku (x2): moves any distance diagonally forward or orthogonally forward and backward or up to five spaces horizontally, placed next to Hogyo; Kakugyo (2): moves any distance diagonally, promotes to Ryuma which moves up to two spaces orthogonally forward or any distance in any other direction, placed next to Honbaku; Moju (x2): moves up to two spaces horizontally or diagonally backward or one space forward orthogonally or diagonally, placed next to Kakugyo; Hakuzo (x2): moves any distance diagonally backward or up to two spaces in any other direction except orthogonally backward, placed next to Moju; Honki (x2): moves any distance horizontally or diagonally forward, moves up to five spaces forward or backward orthogonally, placed next to Hakuzo; Ginsho (x2): moves one space diagonally or backward or forward orthogonally, promotes to Shugyo which moves any distance forward or backward orthogonally or one space horizontally, placed next to Honki; Sasho (x1): moves one space in all directions except orthogonally left, placed next to left Ginsho; Taishi (x1): moves one space in any direction, placed between Sasho and Usho; Usho (x1) moves one space in any direction except orthogonally right, placed next toright Ginsho.
Third row: Sosha (x2): moves any distance orthogonally or one space bacjkward diagonally, placed in front of Hensha; Hokku (x2): moves any distane forward orthogonally or diagonally or backward orthogonally, placed next to Sosha; Yohei (x2): moves any distnce dagonally forward,m placed next to Hokku; Mogya (x2): moves up to two spaces orthogonally, placd next to Yohei; Myojin (x2): movees one space diagonally, promotes to Honryo which moves any distance diagonally, placed next to Mogyu; Moyu (x2): moves one space diagonally or any distance diagonally backward, promotes to Hon'yu which moves any distance diagonally or horizontally or jumps to the second space diagonally forward, placed next to the Myojin; Ginto (x2): moves any distance backward diagonally or one space forward diagonally, placed next to Moyu; Konroku (x2): moves any distance forward diagonally or one space backward diagonally, placed next to Ginto; Moen (x2): moves one space diagonally or horizontally, promotes to Sambo which moves any distance diagonally or orthogonally backward or one space orthogonally forward, placed next to Konroku; Moko (x1): moves one space in all directions except forward orthogonally, promotes to Hiroku which moves any distance orthogonally forward or backward or one space in any other direction, placed next to left Moen; Honko (x1): moves any distance diagonally or horizontally, placed next to right Moen; Rasetsu (x1): moves up to three spaces forward diagonally or one space horizontally or backward orthogonally, placed next to Moko; Yasha (x1): moves up to five spaces orthogonally or up to two spaces diagonally, placed next to Honko; Rikishi (x1): moves up to three spaces diagonally or one space horizontally, placed next to Rasetsu; Kongo (x1): moves up to three spaces orthogonally or one space diagonally forward, placed next to Yasha; Kinno (x1): moves one space in any direction, placed between Rikishi and Kongo.
Fourth row: Heishi (x2): moves any distance orthogonally or diagonally backward, placed in front of Socha; Suigyu (x2): moves any distance diagonally or horizontally or up to two spaces orthogonally backward or forward, promotes to Honbaku, which moves any distance diagonally forward or orthogonally forward or backward or up to five spaces horizontally, placed next to Heishi; Mohyo (x2): moves one space orthogonally or forward or backward or diagonally, promoted to Kakugyo, which moves any distance diagonally, placed next to Suigyu; Seiju (x1): moves up to two spaces horizontally or one space orthogonally forward or backward, promotes to Komainu, which moves up to three spaces in all directions placed next to left Mohyo; Hokuteki (x1): moves up to two spaces diagonally forward or one space horizontally or diagonally backward, promotes to Kozo, which moves any distance diagonally forward or up to two spaces in all other directions, Toi (x1): moves one space orthogonally left or up to two spaces orthogonally forward or back, promotes to Shishi which moves one space in all directions and either can move twice or can jump to the second square, placed next to Seiju; Nanban (x1) moves one space orthogonally to the left or up to three spaces diagonally backward, promotes to Hakuzo which moves one space diagonally backward or up to two spaces in all other directions except orthogonally backward, placed next to Hokuteki; Waikei (x2): ones one space diagonally forward, horizontally, or orthogonally backward, promotes to Sankaku which moves any distance diagonally forward, horizontally, or orthogonally backward, placed next to Toi and Nanban; Kakuo (x2): moves up to two spaces orthogonally forward or any distance in any other direction; placed next to Waikei; Koen (x2): moves one space diagonally or backward orthogonally, promotes to Sambu which moves any distance diagonally, backwards or forwards orthogonally, placed next to Kakuo; KOtetsu (x1): moves up to two spaces orthogonally or one space diagonally forward, placed next to left Koen; Gyocho (x1): moves any distance in all directions except orthogonally backwards, promotes to Honki which moves any distance orthogonally horizontal or diagonally forward or up to five spaces orthogonally forward or backward, placed next to right Koen; Kujaku (x2): moves any distance diagonally, and then may turn perpendicularly and move up to two more spaces, placed next to Kotetsu and Gyocho; Dairyu (x1): moves up to three spaces diagonally backwards, up to two spaces orthogonally forward and backward, or eighte any distance or up to three spaces horizontally, placed next to left Kujaku; Kinshi (x1): moves any distance orthogonally forward or backward, up to two spaces horizontally or diagonally up to three spaces, placed next to right Kujaku; Kirin (x1): jumps to the second square orthogonally or moves one space diagonally, promotes to Shishi which moves one space in any direction and either moves twice or jumps to the second space, placed next to Dairyu; Hoo (x1): jumps to the second space diagonally or moves one space orthogonally, promotes to Honno which moves any distance in any direction; placed next to Kinshi; Shishi (x1): moves one space in any direction and may move twice in one turn or jump to the second space, placed between Kirin and Hoo.
Fifth row: Sasha (x1): moves any distance orthogonally forward, diagonally forward right, diagonally back left or one space orthogonally left, placed in front of left Heishi; Usha (x1): moves any distance forward orthogonally, diagonally forwrd to the left, diagonally back to the right, or one space orthogonally to the right, placed in front of right Heishi; Seiryu (x1): moves any distance horizontally, forward left diagonally, up to two spaces orthogonally forward or backward, or one space forward right diagonally, placed next to Sasha; Suzaku (x1): moves any distance forward diagonally, back orthogonally, up to two spaces back diagonally, or one space forward orthogonally, placed next to Usha; Mokusho (x2): moves up to two spaces diagonally forward, placed next to Seiryu and Suzaku; Dosho (x2): moves one space forward or backward orthogonally, promoted piece moves any distance forward othogonally or back diagonally, placed nextto Mokusho; Sekisho (x2): moves one space diagonally forwrd, placed next to Dosho; Gasho (x2): moves one space diagonally forward or orthogonally backward, promoted piece mves any distance diagonally forward or orthogonally backward, placed next to Sekisho; Tessho (x2): moves one space forawrd orthogonally or diagonally, placed next to Gasho; Dosho (x2): moves one space forward orthogonally or diagonally or backward orthogonally, promotes to Ogyo which moves any distance horizontally or one space orthogonally forward or backward, placed next to Tessho; Roso (x2): moves up to two spaces diagonally forward or orthogonally backward, promoted piece moves any distance diagonally or one space backward orthogonally, palced nextto Dosho;Banja (x2): moves one space backward diagonally or orthogonally or forward orthogonally, promotes to Honja which moves any distance backwards diagonally or orthogonally or forward orthogonally, placed next to Roso; Garyu (x2): moves one space orthogonally or diagonally backward, promotes to Haryu which moves any distance forward diagonally or orthogonally or backward orthogonally or diagonally, placed next to Banja; Makatsu (x1): moves any distance diagonally and can turn perpendicularly and continue moving, placed next to left Garyu; Kogyo (x1): moves any distance orthogonally, placed next to right Garyu; Suizo (x1): moves one space in akl directions except backward orthogonally, promotes to Taishi which moves one space in all directions, placed between Makatsu and Kogyo.
Sixth row: Kiken (x2): moves any distance orthogonally forward or one space orthogonally backward, palced in front of Sasha and Usha; Barin (x2): moves one space orthogonally or up to two spaces diagonally forward, promotes to Honno which moves any distance in all directions, placed next to Kiken; Henri (x2): moves up to two spaces orthogonally except backwards, promoted to Kyuhan which moves up to five spaces diagonally or up to two spaces orthogonally, placed next to Barin; Roba (x2): jumps to the second space forward and backward orthogonally or moves one space horizontally, placed next to Henri; Higyu (x2): moves any distance in all directions except horizontally, placed next to Roba; Ogyo (x2): moves any distance horizontally or one space orthogonally forward or backward, promoted piece moves any distance in all directions except forward orthogonally, placed next to Higyu; Shugyo (x2): moves any distance orthogonally forward or backward, or one space horizontally, promotes to Higyu which moves any distance in all directions except horizontally, placed next to Ogyo; Moyu (x2): moves one space horizontally or diagonally forward, placed next to Shugyo; Zenki (x2): moves any distance forward orthogonally or diagonally, moves up to two spaces horizontally or one space backward orthogonally or diagonally, placed next to Moyu; Yorolu (x2) moves up to two spaces horizontally or one space in all other directions except backwards orthogonally, promotes to Hogyo which moves any distance orthogonally or one space diagonally forward, placed next to Zenki; Shincho (x2): moves one space orthogonally, placed next to Yoroku; Akuro (x2): moves one space diagonally or orthogonally forward, placed next to Shincho; Kumainu (x1): moves up to three spaces in any direction, placed next to Akuro.
Seventh row: Fuhyo (x25): moves one space orthogonally forward.
Eighth row: Chunin (x2): moves one space orthogonally forward or backward, promoted piece moves any distance orthogonally forward or backward, placed in front of seventh and nineteenth Fuhyo.
Content Anonymous manuscript Sho Shogi Zushiki, which provides diagrams of the placement, movement, and promotion of pieces for Tai Shogi.
Confidence 100
Source Anonymous. n.d. Sho Shogi Zushiki. Unpublished Manuscript.
Id DLP.Evidence.2443
Type Artifact
Game Draughts (Antarctica)
Location 62°39'39.59"S, 61° 1'38.63"W
Date 1800-01-01 - 1830-12-31
Rules 8x8 board, squares alternating one blank and one with a single diagonal (top left to bottom right), with a blank square in the bottom left corner. Twelve pieces per player, one plays with round and the other with square pieces.
Content "En PS1 también se recuperó un tablero de juego que contiene una grilla. Es posible que el mismo se tratara de un tablero de damas (de ocho filas por ocho columnas). El tablero y las fichas fueron elaborados mediante materiales disponibles en el lugar...Si bien un juego de estas características no demanda más de un total de 24 piezas para su uso, en el contexto de PS1 se recuperó exactamente el doble de fichas de este número.Si por lo menos existieron dos juegos para amenizar el tiempo libre en el sitio, podría suponerse una presencia mínima de cuatro personas..." Senatore et al. 2008: 275-276; Image in Zarankin and Senatore 2005: 51.
Confidence 100
Ages Adult
Spaces Inside
Genders Male
Source Senatore, M. X., A. Zarankin, M. Salerno, I. Valladares, and M. J. Cruz. 2008. Historias Bajo Cero. Arqueologío de las primeras ocupaciones humanas én Antártida. In L. A. Borrero and N. V. Franco (eds.), Arqueología del extremo sur del continente americano. Buenos Aires: Conejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 251–283., Zarankin, A. and M. X. Senatore. 2005. Archaeology in Antarctica: Nineteenth-CenturyCapitalism Expansion Strategies. International Journal of Historical Archaeology 9(1): 43–56.
Id DLP.Evidence.2444
Type Ethnography
Game Dadu
Location 18°31'2.09"N, 73°51'6.76"E; 19° 4'12.39"N, 72°52'26.43"E
Date 2023-01-01 - 2023-06-30
Rules The board is a single track, with seven segments of six squares, the board turning perpendicularly after the sixth square. The first and sixth square in each segment is marked. Players play on two teams. Each team has one king piece and eight regular pieces.
Five cowry shells are used as dice, with the number of mouths that land face-up equalling the value of the throw, with the exception of five mouths up which equals 10. Throws of 1 and 10 grant another throw. Turns alternate between teams; every player on a team moves before the next team's turn begins. If one team has fewer people than the other (i.e., if there is an odd number of players), one of the players on the smaller team throws twice. A throw of 1 is required to enter a piece onto the board. A player must also throw a 1 before being able to move any pieces for the first time. Throws may be assigned to pieces in any order, but only one throw may be applied to a piece at a time. All throws must be applied, if possible, but this can be ignored if previous throws applied have caused subsequent throws to be unusable.
Players move their pieces along the board, starting at opposite ends of the track, toward the end where their opponent begins. Pieces enter the board with a throw of 1; if the team has any pieces off the board, they must be entered with a throw of 1. Players choose whether to enter a king piece or a regular piece. Pieces belonging to the same team may occupy the same space. When a piece lands on a space with one or more pieces belonging to the opposing team, one of the opponent's pieces on that space is hit and removed from the board, and must reenter with a throw of 1. A piece resting on the same space with others belonging to the opposing team may hit another piece on this space with a throw of 1 (as long as no more pieces belonging to the team are waiting enter). When the king piece is one of the multiple pieces on a square, the regular pieces are hit first. When a king piece is hit, all of the team's pieces that have not exited the board are also hit. If a king piece is hit by the opponent's king piece, pieces that have exited the board are also hit, and must start the game again. Pieces cannot enter a marked square that has pieces belonging to the opposing team on it.
Pieces cannot enter the home row of the opponent until at least one piece has been hit. This rule applies also after a team's king piece has been hit; they must again hit a piece belonging to their opponent before entering the home row. Pieces can only exit the board with an exact throw. A piece landing on the opposing team's entry point is moved to the empty central part of the board, from which it must exit with a throw of 1. Throws of 1 cannot be used to exit pieces as long as the team still has pieces which must still be entered. The player who removes all of their pieces from the board wins.
Variants: The board can have nine segments.
Each segment can be of only four squares, using four cowries with four cowries up equalling 8.
Throwing triples (i.e., the same throw three times in a row) cancels these throws.
Capturing the king does not send exited pieces back to the start.
Content Ethnographic research performed by Jacob Schmidt-Madesn among the Muslim Dawoodi Bohra people in Mumbai and Pune, during January 2023 and through remote interviews in May and June 2023.
Confidence 100
Source Schmidt-Madsen, J. 2023. Rules for Dadu. Unpublished Manuscript.
Id DLP.Evidence.2445
Type Ethnography
Game Şeş-Beş
Location 39°35'29.31"N, 48°58'34.31"E; 41° 3'4.40"N, 47°24'54.19"E; 39°30'8.75"N, 45° 1'45.55"E
Date 2024-07-18 - 2024-08-06
Rules Played on a tables board, with fifteen pieces per player and two six-sided dice. All fifteen of a player's pieces begin on the space in the row opposite the player, on the rightmost spot. Play proceeds in a counter-clockwise direction.
Players throw the dice to see who plays first; the player who throws the highest plays first.
The pieces move each piece according to the values presented on the dice thrown on their turn. When doubles are thrown, the value of each die is played twice.
Pieces cannot land on a space that is occupied by one or more pieces belonging to the opponent.
A player can only move one piece from the starting position on each turn, except in two circumstances. A player can move two pieces from the start only once in the game with a double 6 or double 4 if it is on the first throw.
Rolling 6 and 5 (şeş-beş) moves a piece directly from the starting position to the bar; from there it moves into the third quarter of the board.
A player cannot occupy six spaces in a row unless one of your opponent’s pieces have moved beyond the six blocked spaces.
Once a player has moved all of their pieces into the final quarter of the board, they may start to bear off, moving the pieces into the position from which they began the game.
A players bear off with an exact throw to get to the starting position. If the player throws too high of a number for the pieces left, they bear off the farthest piece from the starting position.
The game is played in rounds, until a player reaches a score of three, winning one point for each game won. If a player bears off all of their pieces before the opponent bears off any, it is called mars and the player wins two points for that game.
Content Rules as observed in Salyan, Xanliqlar, and amoong Karabakh Refugees on GameTable STSM in July and August 2024 by Walter Crist and Aslan Gasimov: Nərd taxta: “wooden nard”
Most common also called şeş-beş (six-five); called Uzun nərd (“Long nard”, after the long row of pieces for each player at the start) in Nakhchivan.
Box with 12 spaces on each side, six in each half of the box per side. The spaces have sockets along the edge in which the pieces fit, and the pieces are arranged vertically when more than one is in a space. They can also have the decorative points that are common elsewhere, but they do not always have them. The boxes are often decorated on the inside and the outside.
15 pieces per player (often sold with an extra for each).
Two six-sided dice, which are quite small.
Game play: Each player rolls one die to determine who goes first. The player with the highest number goes first.
When rolling the dice, they must land inside the game box. Otherwise, both dice are rethrown. If they land in a fashion where there is not a clear result, they are also rethrown. Proper etiquette is to throw the dice, rather than roll them.
When the dice are thrown, the values are said aloud using the Persian words for the numbers in the Baku region. In western parts of Azerbaijan, they used the Azerbaijani words for the numbers.
Dice values are played as in backgammon; the value of each die must be moved, undivided. You must play all dice values if possible.
Doubles (qoşa): the value of the throw is played twice. Each throw has a special name:
Double 1s: Yığannar or bir qoşa
2s: dülər
3s: sələr
4s: caharlar or dörd qoşa
5s: pənc qoşa or beş qoşa
6s: şeş qoşa or altı qoşa
Rolling six and five (şeş-beş): move a piece directly from the starting position to the bar; from there it moves into the third quarter of the board.
All fifteen of the player’s pieces begin on the space to the player’s top right. Pieces are moved in a counterclockwise direction back to the starting point.
No hitting in this game; a player can only place pieces on empty spaces or those occupied by their own pieces. The exception to this is when a player is bearing off, you may place pieces on that player’s starting point because the pieces there are out of play. You cannot occupy six spaces in a row unless one of your opponent’s pieces have moved beyond the six blocked spaces. This prevents a player from completely blocking their opponent from moving.
You can move two pieces from the start only once with a double six or double four if it is on the first throw; otherwise you may move only one piece from start (but may move other pieces already entered).
A player must get all of their pieces into their final quarter before bearing them off into the starting position.
When bearing off, you bear off with an exact throw to get to the starting position. If you throw too high of a number for the pieces you have left, you bear off the farthest piece from the starting position.
The game is played to three points. One point is awarded to the player who bears off first. If the player has borne off, and in the process blocked the opponent from being able to bear off any, they get 2 points, and this is called mars.
Confidence 100
Ages All
Social status All
Spaces Inside, Outside, Public, Private, Communal
Genders Female, Male
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