The Game of Senet
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Senet is an ancient Egyptian game, and probably one of the oldest games in the world. The exact rules are not known, because unfortunately no records were made on stone or papyrus (the game must have been so popular the rules were passed on by word-of-mouth), although there has been plenty of speculation about how it was played. Using the boards, pieces, and pictures of ancient Egyptians playing Senet, people have tried to work out how to play the game. R.C. Bell's and Timothy Kendall's versions are well-known and sensible, but anyone is invited to make up his or her own version of the rules. However, it is known that the main aim is to be the first to pass into the Afterlife, by getting all your peices off the board. This was done by moving around the board, avoiding hazards and collecting blessings.
Senet boards and pieces, around 40-50 in all, have been found in many tombs, and other archaeological sites. Senet boards were probably placed in tombs so that the deceased could play in the Afterlife. Four were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun. Tutankhamun's Senet boards were all rich and fine, but one of his was made of ivory and ebony, and is still in good condition now. His ivory and ebony boards had drawers for the pieces.
Peasants playes senet too, but obviously their boards were not as fine as those of Tutankhamun. Theirs would probably just have been drawn in the dirt with a stick, and counters would have been small rocks.
Senet may have been the foundation of our modern game backgammon. The game boards is made up of 30 squares: 3 rows of 10 squares, numbered like this:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Five of these squares (26-30) had little symbols on them. Some of the symbols were helpful, but others a hindrence in this game. The middle square, number 15, was called the "Square of Rebirth", and could have been the starting square.
The pieces were pawns. Some paintings show each player with seven pawns. Others show five, and some paintings depict players with as many as ten pawns each1
No-one is certain what determined the movement of the pawns, but it probably has something to do with throwing. Some drawings show players throwing four two-sided sticks, but others think knucklebones were used.
Senet boards and pieces, around 40-50 in all, have been found in many tombs, and other archaeological sites. Senet boards were probably placed in tombs so that the deceased could play in the Afterlife. Four were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun. Tutankhamun's Senet boards were all rich and fine, but one of his was made of ivory and ebony, and is still in good condition now. His ivory and ebony boards had drawers for the pieces.
Peasants playes senet too, but obviously their boards were not as fine as those of Tutankhamun. Theirs would probably just have been drawn in the dirt with a stick, and counters would have been small rocks.
Senet may have been the foundation of our modern game backgammon. The game boards is made up of 30 squares: 3 rows of 10 squares, numbered like this:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Five of these squares (26-30) had little symbols on them. Some of the symbols were helpful, but others a hindrence in this game. The middle square, number 15, was called the "Square of Rebirth", and could have been the starting square.
The pieces were pawns. Some paintings show each player with seven pawns. Others show five, and some paintings depict players with as many as ten pawns each1
No-one is certain what determined the movement of the pawns, but it probably has something to do with throwing. Some drawings show players throwing four two-sided sticks, but others think knucklebones were used.
