Ludo-like board game was used to communicate with the dead in ancient Egypt: Study

A board game that can trace its origin back to Egypt was used as a means to communicate with dead, according to a study published by Walter Crist. ludo-like board game, popularly kwn as Senet, was played on a board of 30 squares arranged in a three by ten pattern, usually constructed out of wood, faience, ivory, or a combination of se materials. As per Walter's paper, board game was also called 'game of death' and after around 700 years of performing match till some 2,500 years ago, some texts have hinted it towards giving a hyperlink to afterlife. 

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Ancient ludo-like game

Walter Crist, an archaeologist at Nerlands' Maastricht University has reportedly claimed that he has identified a senet board, which was used for playing game of death. According to Walter's paper published in Academia journal, a previously unpublished board in Rosicrucian Museum in San Jose, California, may provide new insight into evolution of game in early New Kingdom. Walter in his paper stated that board likely dates to Eighteenth Dynasty before reign of Hatshepsut, a period to which or games have previously been securely dated. 

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Walter furr added that Rosicrucian Museum in San Jose, California had wooden senet board in its collection since1947, but board was t included in two most comprehensive catalogues of senet boards published to date. thing is kwn about archaeological context in which board was found. According to Walter's paper, Rosicrucian Museum acquired object, along with nine playing pieces, at Spink and Son, Ltd in London on 1 August 1947.

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author, Walter Crist received his PhD in Anthropology from Arizona State University. His doctoral sis examined changes in social context of senet and mehen in Bronze Cyprus as social complexity increased. His research focuses on how social element of play facilitates cultural and ecomic exchanges, particularly in Mediterranean, Near East, and Egypt. 

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