We all share that familiar feeling of gaming around the table: drinks are ready, snacks in the bowl, players eager with competitiveness and excitement; but have you ever wondered how long humans have been doing this?
English Heritage have the answer with some amazing archaeological finds in Britain that give us incredible insight into the strategies and game-play of our ancestors.
Discoveries at Hadrian's Wall
There are an astonishing 689 gaming counters and eleven gaming boards in English Heritage's collection from forts and towns along Hadrian's wall. These finds give us great insight into how Roman soldiers and civilians spent their free time hundreds of years ago.
Counters are shaped from bright glass to worked bone or pottery, clearly having been rounded into circles to represent game pieces. Pictures released show game boards to be broken, so original dimensions cannot be guessed accurately, which would allow for a deeper understanding of the games played back then.
One Roman counter in particular was found at Whitby Abbey, a place shrouded in history, in the grave of a child from the 7th or 8th century.
Photo from English Heritage
Tracing Chess back to India
The early version of chess can be traced back to an Indian war game from the 7th century, before reaching southern Europe and spreading North. Archaeological evidence suggests it reached England after the Norman Conquest in 1066.
The picture below shows early pieces used in the game, much different to more identifiable western carvings used today, such as queens, bishops, and knights.
Photo from English Heritage
An Ancient Game
If you are a historical board game lover, you may have heard of Nine Men's Morris (or Merrils.) It is a strategy board game for two players consisting of a game board with twenty four intersections on a grid. Each player has nine pieces (or "men") usually coloured black and white.
Players take turns attempting to form "mills" - three of their own colours lined horizontally or vertically - allowing the other player to remove their opponents man or men from the game.
Diagram of Nine Men's Morris
English Heritage have written that this board game appears to have originated around 5,000 years ago in the Mediterranean or Middle East. The game was eventually adopted by the Romans, however the game boards are uncommon in Britain before 11th Century.
It's popularity grew during the Middle Ages, likely due to the simplicity of the game board and rules, and the strategic and competitive nature of the game. More squares could be added (Twelve Men's Morris) and could be carved easily into stone (see photo below.)
Again, anything could be used as counters: bone, pottery, glass, wood, pebbles etc....
Photo from English Heritage
It's clear that gaming has always been a part of our culture, and is such an important part of our society today.
Whether you're sitting around the table with friends or family, having a cosy night in or a competitive battle, board games are such a vital aspect of entertainment, stimulation, and connection, not only with each other, but with the people who came before us.
Read more information on English Heritage now!
