Shahr-i Sokhta, an ancient city in southeastern Iran, has recently revealed an intriguing discovery – a board game dating back around 4,500 years. This game, found in a grave at the site, consists of a board, 27 pieces, 20 circular spaces to hold the pieces, and 4 dice embedded with circular shapes. While similar to the well-known Royal Game of Ur, this ancient board game had enough differences to puzzle experts trying to decipher its rules.
After almost 50 years since its excavation in 1977, computer scientist Sam Jelveh from the University of Essex in the UK, along with independent archaeologist Hossein Moradi, have managed to crack the code of this ancient game. By combining physical evidence with modeling techniques, they have reconstructed the likely rules of play.
The game board, resembling a snake, featured a main section for placing pieces, a bridge section as a path to survival, and a final section for the snake’s head and tail. Players would roll dice to advance their pieces and outmaneuver their opponents. The pieces included two sets of 10 ‘runner’ pieces for each player, star-like pieces acting as ‘safe houses,’ and cone-like pieces serving as ‘blockers.’
While we can never be certain of the exact rules used in ancient times, Jelveh and Moradi’s proposed rules have been tested with modern players and received positive feedback for originality and replay value. The research sheds light on the gaming culture of the Near East during the third millennium BCE, highlighting the significance of board games in ancient societies.
Shahr-i Sokhta, a prominent city on the eastern Iranian plateau during its peak, was a hub of activity and cultural exchange. The discovery of this ancient board game adds another layer to our understanding of the pastimes and leisure activities of the people who once inhabited this region.
More than a hundred similar games from the same period have been unearthed in the area, showcasing the popularity of board games as a form of entertainment. Known as ‘the game of twenty squares’ or ‘the game of twenty,’ this type of game was widely enjoyed across different cultures and civilizations.
The findings of this research are set to be published in the prestigious journal “Iran: Journal of the British Institute of Persian Studies,” offering valuable insights into the ancient pastime of board games in the Near East. The preprint of the study is currently available online for those interested in delving deeper into this fascinating archaeological discovery.
