Senet is one of the most ancient games in history. There are no definitive rules for the game, but there are many tomb paintings depicting play, as well as numerous extant game boards and pieces--including four sets discovered in King Tutankhamen’s tomb.

 

The full name of Senet is Senet Net Nab, which means “the game of passing.” The game was originally a secular game in which players passed over each other on their path toward victory. However, sometime around 1550-1077 BCE the game took on a religious significance. More than just a game, Senet became a demonstration of the “Ba” – roughly the ancient Egyptian concept of the soul – passing the “duat,” or the Egyptian underworld. The simple markings on the board transformed into different stages of an individual’s life, or the trials their Ba may encounter on their way to the afterlife. Senet exists in ancient Egypt for 3,000 years with very little variation in terms of the core game, even after it begins to hold this deep religious significance.

 

Senet falls out of use following the Roman period, starting around 30 BCE. Part of this was the increasing influence of Christianity in the region, which worked to drive out pagan elements from the culture. Strangely enough, this helped Senet return to where it started, a secular game played just for fun. There are theories that Senet transformed, or at least strongly influenced, other games, such as Tab, a game still popular in Egypt and Sudan today.