Step back to the time of the pharaohs when every move on the Senet board could help one embark on a journey into the world beyond death.
Ancient Egyptians embraced this board game, not only for entertainment, but also as a sacred ritual.
Senet, a game of skill and symbolism, transcended traditional rivalry and became a bridge between the living and the dead.
It was a popular game among princes and members of the royal family, as well as ordinary people, being based on strategic thinking.
Senet means crossing. It is intended to symbolically transport the soul to the afterlife. It was played by two individuals who move pieces around a board divided into squares.
The objective was for each player to outmanoeuvre his rival on the road to final victory.
This game was discovered in First Dynasty burials which date back to the year 3100 BC.
Traces of the game can be seen in the form of fragmentary boards. The earliest known depiction of Senet in art is found in the Third Dynasty tomb of Hesy, a senior official between 2686 and 2613 BC.
Scenes of people playing Senet can also be seen in the tomb of the Fifth Dynasty vizier, Rashepses, and in other tombs from the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties, dating back to around 2500 BC.
Artwork in various New Kingdom tombs, including those of Tutankhamun and Nefertari (the wife of Ramesses II), shows individuals playing Senet.
The design of the Senet board varied throughout different eras, but the most common version consisted of 30 squares divided into three rows, with each row containing ten squares.
This rectangular board was placed on a low table or a rectangular box with compartments for storing the game pieces.
This game held religious significance; it represented the journey to the afterlife, where it was believed to be a means for the deceased to reach the fields of Aaru (heaven) by defeating his opponent.
The game included depictions of religious deities and texts, and it was frequently depicted in cemetery scenes and in the Book of the Dead.
During the Ramesside period, specifically in the 19th and 20th Dynasties, a scene emerged on the walls of a tomb showing the tomb’s owner seated in front of the game board, playing against his opponent, depicted as a large snake hindering his path in the afterlife.
Archaeologists have deciphered from ancient texts that the game of Senet commenced at the 15th square and concluded at the 27th, which was marked with the hieroglyph for water.
This final move probably signified victory by metaphorically casting the opponent into the water.
Senet held such a profound religious and cultural importance that it was included among the burial offerings for the deceased.
The earliest known version of this game, unearthed in theUpper Egyptian city of Sohag, was made of baked clay and consisted of 18 squares organised into three rows.
Archaeologists also found a wooden model of a warship where two officers are depicted playing Senet while on duty.
A particularly interesting scene portraying the game shows King Ramses III playing against one of his wives in his mortuary temple in the city of Habu, with the wife offering him a bouquet of flowers during their match.
One of the most famous and exquisite models of Senet was discovered in the tomb of Tutankhamun, where three game boards were found in the annex of the burial chamber.
The largest board was made of gilded ebony adorned with ivory, measuring 20 cm in height, 16 cm in width, and 55 cm in length.
It stood on lion-shaped legs with a wheeled base, and the ornate box, separate from the frame, was adorned with royal titles.
One of the boards had 30 squares, while another had 20 squares.
The compartments meant for storing the game pieces were found empty, indicating that the pieces were likely made of precious materials and were stolen by thieves.
