Senet was an immensely popular game in ancient Egypt. Played by both commoners and nobility, it took on even religious significance in later times.The most common playing pieces were 5 cones shaped pieces pitted against 5 reel shaped pieces (These pieces were called 'ibau' which means 'dancers' in Egyptian).The game was played on a board of 30 squares; the object being to get one's pieces on the board, then around the board in an S-shaped pattern, and finally off again at the far end. The game requires strategy in the face of whimsical chance -- the 'chance' coming from 'casting sticks', used as the 'dice' in older times, or in latter times, perhaps from 'knuckle bones'.Senet is a two player game but during the New Kingdom period a game in progress would often appear painted on tomb walls as a 'one' player game -- the opponent being a spirit from the afterlife. The silver engraving above is just such as situation. In the engraving, the nobleman Amenmose (to the right) fights against Fate, with the stakes being immortality.
May your games never be so serious.
Dianne T. De Sha, using my Windows shareware version of Senet as a reference, wove Senet into a well written, unique story. Excellent!
Please read her story here:
Teen Vamp Challenge: The Unseen Opponent