Ancient Egyptian Game - Senet

Senet - a board game from ancient Egypt

Senet

Tut's Senet

Senet game

Senet

Thus far, more than 120 senet gameboards deriving from Egypt and Western Asia are known to exist in museums and collections around the world. They occur in three main types: * slab-style boards: thin and narrow slabs of stone, wood, or faience; * graffito boards: roughly carved or etched on environmental surfaces and other objects, usually for ephemeral use; * box-type boards: hollow oblong boxes made of wood, stone, or faience, usually with a drawer for the playing pieces and casting implements Often included with the boards were sets of wooden casting sticks or astragali (i.e., "knucklebones") which functioned as randomizing agents that governed the movements of the playing pieces. This study reliably reconstructs the specific use of these sticks and bones.

Faience Senet Game Board made to order

You can order this hand crafted Senet Board Game in the shop

Egyptian faience amulets

The senet game had two usages: (1) secular and recreational, in which it was played for fun and enjoyment by two players; (2) sacred and spiritual, in which it was performed--probably by a single person - for a religious purpose.
( Peter A. Piccione, Ph.D. )

The Game of Senet and Ancient Egyptian Religious Beliefs

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How to play

* Throw the sticks to see how many squares to move your piece forward.

* If you throw a one, four, or six, you get an extra turn.

* You can't land on one of your own pieces.

* If you land on the other player's piece, you switch places with them. However, you can't switch with them if they have two or more pieces in a row.

* If the other player has three or more pieces in a row, you can't pass them.

* Some squares are 'safe' squares and some are 'danger' squares. You will learn what they are as you play.

* The first player to get all of their pieces off the board wins the game.

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