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People are often surprised, firstly, at just how long board games have been played and secondly, how sophisticated they can be although, of course, their simplicity or complexity depended upon the circumstances in which they were played. What may astonish readers is that many of those games of the past were so popular that, though centuries old, they are still played and enjoyed today.
This series of three articles covers roughly six thousand years of board game history. But is not comprehensive. The subject is too vast and the games too many. What these articles do provide is a light-hearted insight into the pursuits of our ancestors, and the similarities that connect the ancients playing their popular board games with the players of today.
For anyone interested in attempting to play the games mentioned here, where the rules or part of the rules are known, they are provided (or players can emulate those of the past and devise their own rules – and possibly create a new game). The games all have easily drawn boards and can be played using, like our forbearers, stones, shells, beads or game-pieces from other games. Complex games, such as chess or backgammon, are covered merely for their historical context; their rules (and problems and solutions) are covered in many books or can be easily be found on the internet.
Variations on a Theme
Games were played by all social classes. Boards might be wooden (plain, jewelled or painted), burnt into leather, embroidered on cloth, etched into clay tablets, stone seats or pavements or just formed on the ground.