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Royal game of Ur
Sumerian race board game
The Royal Game of Ur, found in Ur (ancient Mesopotamia), is one of the oldest board games in the world. The rules are been acquired from a cuneiform tablet that describes it as a race game in which two players have to come from a square on the table and go to the end. There are special squares.
The Game of 58 Holes
Sumerian and Egyptian race board game
The game of 58 holes is very similar to the Game of the Dogs and Jackals or the Palm Tree game. Basically this game depend of luck and speed between two players whom do not interact each other. To move the pieces on the table, players throw four flat sticks. There are special squares.
The Palm’s Game
Egyptian race board game
The Palm Tree Game is also known as: “Game of the Dogs and Jackals”, because of some archaeological findings of dogs and jackals shaped pawns. Like the game of 58 holes, this game depend essentially of luck and speed between two players without any interaction between them. To move the pieces on the table the players throw four flat sticks. There are special squares.
Senet
Egyptian race board game
Senet is a game of speed and strategy for two players. It was one of the most played games in the Egyptian world and is deeply symbolic for the Egyptian religion. Many samples come from regal sepulchres and monumental pictures. In order to move the pieces on the table, the players throw four flat sticks. There are special squares marked with hieroglyphics.
Mehen
Egyptian race board game
The Mehen or the Serpent Game, is perhaps the most ancient Egyptian board game and one of the oldest ever; in fact, it was already widely used in the old kingdom of Egypt. The players should move their pieces until they turn into a hyena or a lion. In order to move the pieces on the table the players throw four flat sticks.
The Game of the Twenty Squares
Egyptian race board game
Due the numerous findings in the tombs, we can say that this game was very popular in Ancient Egypt, the origin of this game is still uncertain though: perhaps it comes from the Middle East or the Indian subcontinent, because other samples was found there. Two players have to come from a square on the table and go to the end. There are special squares.
Terni Lapilli
Roman strategy game
Terni lapilli was drawn in shape of boxes, crossed lines and especially in a wheel shaped diagram on the stones of ambulatories of amphitheatres, on floors if public monuments and on many steps of theatres. This game is the ancestor of the modern Tic-Tac-Toe, but has different rules that make the game very interesting compared with the current version. Because of its simplicity, is recommended for the purpose to learn the logic of the board games.
Tria
Roman strategy game
Tria is the expanded version of terni lapilli but should not to be confused with it. You can see it on various Roman monuments and medieval buildings too, if stones of a previous era was being used to build them. The game is played with nine pieces instead of three of terni lapilli the moves possibility is higher as well, and the strategy is quite different of the terni lapilli ones.
Ludus Latrunculorum
This is a Roman game of strategy and direct battle; simple but also very exciting, because of its rules and the strategy as well. Our version is the most faithful to the documentation provided by the sources and it simulates a clash between two armies composed of eight soldiers. This game is considered one of the ancestors of chess game.
Duodecim Scripta
Roman race and strategy board game
In order to move the pieces, the players should launch three dice; the path is often composed of the letters of six Latin words arranged on purpose to create puns, jokes and even menus of taverns, also to the detriment of grammar rules. This game is the predecessor of the Tabula and an ancestor of the modern backgammon.
Tabula
Roman race and strategy board game
The Tabula, most likely derived from Duodecim Scripta, is also an ancestor of the modern backgammon. Faster than the Duodecim Scripta, this is an exciting game and combines strategy, speed and luck. Pieces are moved according to the roll of three dice. The rules are acquired from the famous match played by Zeno.
Alquerque
Medieval strategy game
This game has a very ancient origin, according to the archaeological finds date back at least to the time of Pharaoh Ramses I, but it was introduced to Spain during Muslim rule and then Alquerque spreads to other countries of Europe. The rules are acquired from the Libro de los juegos commissioned by Alfonso X of Castile in the thirteenth century. It can be considered an ancestor of the draughts.
Tris
Medieval strategy game
This is a medieval version of Terni Lapilli and also an ancestor of the modern Tic-Tac-Toe. In the Libro de los juegos this game is named: Alqueque de Tres. There are versions in crossed lines and boxes too, but not a version in circle.
Mill
Medieval strategy game
Mill is basically a medieval version of the Roman game Tria: the modern Nine Men’s Morris. It is the most recorded game among those engraved on the stones of medieval monuments, especially in sentry posts and in church cloisters. It is played with nine pieces, in fact in the Libro de los juegos is named Alqueque de Nueve.
The Fox and Geese
Medieval hunting game
This game descend from the ancient Nordic game called Halatafl, derived itself from Hnefatafl, and it is mentioned in the Libro de los juegos as De Cercar the Liebre. The aim of the game is different for the two players, like a hunting simulation.
Tablut
Medieval strategy game
Tablut derived from the Viking game Hnefatafl and it was played in Northern Europe during medieval times; it is also known as Linnaeus. The game symbolizes the confrontation between two strongly different sides: the opponents are confronted with unequal weapons, according unequal rules, so the players have different set of pieces, movement possibility and goals too.
Tables
Medieval race board game
Tables is one of the medieval versions of the Roman Tabula. In the Libro de los juegos there are fifteen variants of this game and it is drawn in various mediaeval paintings and codes. This game is the most direct ancestor of the modern Backgammon, but it is played in a different and more exciting way.
Table of the Four Season
Medieval race board game
This board game is the sole medieval one for four players. In the Libro de los juegos it is described as a game in tables family. Each player chooses a colour corresponding to a season and takes place in its sector. This game is an ancestor of the modern backgammon as well, but since is for four players, the game has a different strategy and is more exiting.
Table of Astronomy
Medieval race board game
This board game is the sole medieval one for seven players. In the Libro de los juegos it is described as a game in tables family. Each player chooses a colour corresponding to a planet and takes place in its sector. The aim of the game is to win all the items of the other players. This game is also an ancestor of the modern backgammon, but with seven players the strategy of the game is completely different.
Wooden Dice and Dice Cup
Games can be obtained with a set of wooden dice provided, or you can take just the desired number of dice. The dice are handmade, with six faces, dots and circles look like those in ancient dice. You can also order the Dice Cup, called in Roman times Fritillus, and the Dice Tower with internal ramps where dice tumble down to get shuffled; the tower was called Turricola.
The Zara
Medieval dice game
The Zara was in the Middle Ages the most common and popular gambling dice game; it was so in vogue to deserve a mention by Dante Alighieri too. The set consists of three wooden handmade dice, pouch and booklet with rules and anecdotes, including the verse of Dante; it can be supplied to Dice Cup.
Etruscan Dice
Etruscans dice were, like the Roman ones, marked with dots. Was also found a couple of ivory dice that has the corresponding Etruscan words, instead of dots, from one to six. The booklet illustrates historical notes and the development of the dice with the translation.
Games in Pouch
Games of various historical periods.
Some of our games can be made of leather in a resealable bag with a string. Available games: Terni lapilli and Tris, Tria and Mills, Ludus latrunculorum, Alquerque, Fox and Geese, Tablut and Zara.
Game Pieces
Historic reproduction
Disk-shaped pieces decorated with incised concentric circles or counters with a plano-convex section decorated with lines combined with dot motif. Game pieces are made of pottery plaster and can be purchased in set of 15. On demand game pieces can be purchased in bone or metal.
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