Interesting artifacts found in various caves and ancient tombs in Western Asia indicate that the “refined pleasures” enjoyed by many today have very ancient origins.
A research team led by archaeologists Walter Crist from Leiden University (Netherlands) and Rahman Abdullayev from the Minnesota Historical Society (USA) has uncovered 6 ancient game boards from ancient tombs and caves in Azerbaijan.
Two of the six ancient game boards discovered in caves and ancient tombs in Azerbaijan – (Photo: European Journal of Archaeology).
Dated to around 4,000 years ago, each design resembles the distinctive patterns of the ancient board game Hounds and Jackals.
Previously, it was thought that Hounds and Jackals was invented by the Egyptians, as it was excavated from the tomb of a government official in that country.
However, the new findings – spread across the regions of the Absheron Peninsula and Gobustan National Park – reveal how widespread this game was at the time.
Hounds and Jackals game board from an ancient Egyptian tomb – (Photo: The Met Museum).
Among the six sites where these artifacts were excavated are the tombs of the wealthy and caves where Bronze Age hunters once took refuge.
Some of the game boards date back to the latter half of the 3rd millennium, approximately between 4,000 and 4,500 years ago. Thus, they are much older than the one excavated in Egypt.
According to the article published in the scientific journal European Journal of Archaeology, the dating of the six game boards suggests that this game may have originated in Western Asia rather than Egypt.
Nonetheless, both the artifacts in Western Asia and those in Egypt are surprising. This indicates that the concept of creating a game board has existed since early human history.
This means that if you enjoy playing board games – of any kind – you are repeating what people in Asia did thousands of years ago.
An ancient game board used by nomadic herders in Western Asia – (Photo: European Journal of Archaeology).
Regardless of the origins of the game, this pastime quickly gained popularity among many people, from the nobility of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt to nomadic herders in the Caucasus, ancient Assyrian merchants in Anatolia, and pyramid construction workers…
“The rapid spread of this game demonstrates its ability as a ‘social lubricant’, facilitating interactions that cross social boundaries. This remains true to this day,” the authors conclude.
