Gameboard and Gaming Pieces
New Kingdom
The blue faience inlays of this game box and the gaming pieces (01.4.1b–h and 01.4.1i–p) were discovered in a tomb at Abydos. This tomb also contained a scarab inscribed with the cartouche of Thutmose III, a papyrus burnisher inscribed with the name and title of the scribe Merymaat, a silver earring, and a painted pot.
Only some of the faience inlays of the original box were preserved. The ancient tiles are now displayed on a box made of modern wood, and the missing tiles have been replaced with modern copies. The side visible in this photograph is laid out for the game of senet, which required 30 squares. The underside would have been laid out for the game of 20 squares which may be seen on another game box in the collection.
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