Jonathan Sanchez

1/22/15

period3

Ancient Games
1. When and where was the Royal Game of Ur played?
Played in Mesopotamia before 2600 BC
2. Describe the Royal Game of Ur:
Played with two sets of seven markers & three pyramidal dice
Race game that predates Backgammon
3. Where did the game of Senet originate?
Popular in Ancient Egypt
4. Describe how Senet was played:
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.
5. What is the Latin translation for Tabula?
Table or Board
6. What did the ancient Romans call Tabula?
What is the translation?
Alea which mean gambling
7. Read through the rules of Tabula. We will be playing this game. Do you
think this game will involve mathematical skills and strategy?
It will involve math and strategy your skills are put to the test
8. Describe NineMen Morris:
Abstract strategy game for 2 players
Emerged from the Roman Empire
Each player has nine pieces, or "men", which move among the board's
twenty-four intersections
The object of the game is to leave the opposing player with less than three
pieces or no legal moves
9. What does Caculis translation?
Five in a Row
10.Describe the game of Duodecim Scripta:
Two players sat across from each other and placed their 15 black or white
pieces (presumably stacked) on the first square on their side of the board.
The players each tossed a set of three dice from a cup and would move their
pieces according to the value of the throw.
11.Distinguish between teserae and tali:
The Romans called these tesserae, but they also had a type with only four
marked faces called tali.
12.What is the difference between Roman dice and the dice we use today?
The only difference between these Roman dice and modern dice is that the
numbers were arranged such that any two opposite sides would add up to
seven.
13.What modern board game is Terni Lapilli identical to?
Tic-tac-toe
14.What are examples of treasures that could be won from playing Patole?
Patolli is a race/war game with a focus on gambling on blankets, stones, or
food.
15.What modern games does the Ancient Ball Game stadium remind you of?

Jonathan Sanchez

1/22/15

period3

The coach of the losing team, by the fate of the gods, is chosen to die; in the
tradition carried from the Olmecs, the loser is decapitated in sacrifice. The
Maya, Aztecs and the Huaxtecs (the latter producing this stela to the right) all
performed a ritual decapitation of losing coaches.
16.What is the Arabic translation for Mancala?
The word mancala comes from the Arabic word naqala meaning literally "to
move".
17.Compare the Lucky Sixes game found in Egypt with that found in Britain:
The board on the left was found at Qustul in Egypt, along with 15 black
pieces, 15 white pieces, 5 dice and a fritillis. It dates no later than the 5th
century AD. The similarity to the Felix Sex board is striking. The circles in the
center and proportions seem almost identical.
The board on the right was found in Britain, and belonged to a soldier of the
20th Legion in the 2nd century. The resemblance to the above board is
striking. Along with this board were found three dice, which would seem to
confirm our understanding that three dice, not two or five, were used in this
game.
18.What modern board game is Shatranj similar to?
Chess
19.What group of nomadic people spread the game of Tafl?
Tafl spread everywhere the Vikings traveled
20.What is the translation for Liubo?
The name comes from the Chinese word for sticks.
21.Chaturanga is an ancient form of what modern game?
Chaturanga has been played since the 6th century or earlier, hence
Chaturanga is most commonly believed to be the oldest version of chess.
22.What is the translation for Chaturanga?
In Sanskrit, "Chatur-anga-bala" literally means "an army comprising 4 parts
(elephants, chariots, cavalry, and infantry).
23.Where did Go originate?
Go originated in China at least 2,000 years ago.
24.What modern game is Seega similar to?
Similar to checkers, you are try to capture your opponent's pieces. The game
ends when a player (the looser) has only one piece left.