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Gambling in ancient Egypt and Sumerian cities
Introduction: two civilizations - one craving for chance
Egypt and Schumer gave the world not only writing and monumental architecture, but also sustainable forms of luck games. Boards, chips, lots and bones accompanied holidays, diplomatic receptions, family leisure and, at times, temple bans. The excitement here is not only about winning, but also about fate, predestination and man's relationship with the gods.
Egypt: from senet to mechen - games between the world of people and the afterlife
Senet (senet).
The most recognizable Egyptian game is the senet: a rectangular board of 30 cells (usually 3 × 10), chips of two colors and lots (sticks, tetrahedral bones or "whips"). In everyday life, the senet was entertainment and an occasion for small bets (food, fabric, jewelry). In religious terms, it is a symbol of the soul's journey through the trials of Duat. It is no coincidence that senet boards are found in tombs: playing means learning to "walk the paths" of the posthumous world.
Mechen (mehen).
"Snake" game with a circular board in the shape of a snake - segment cells, figures of lions/jackals. Dynamic, competitive and visually spectacular. She is less likely to associate with religion, but is ingrained in court leisure.
Excitement and stakes.
The Egyptians loved everyday bets: the outcome of the game, the first move, a "series of good luck." The bet was small values - bread, beer, fabric, brooches, sometimes the working hours of a servant. Large houses hosted "game nights" with music and wine; in the lower classes - improvised parties on the streets and in workshops.
Morality and regulation.
Ethics swung between condemning "waste of time" and acknowledging innocent leisure. The priesthood was wary of games "for money" near temples, but tolerant of festive games in houses, if they did not interfere with the cult. From time to time, local bans on "lecherous gatherings" at taverns appeared - along with music and drinking, games fell under general control.
Schumer, Ur and Babylon: "The King's Game" and City Bets
"The Royal Game from Ur."
Prototype racing/route board: a board with 20 cells, "sockets" of luck, two sets of chips and a lot (pyramidal dice or sticks). The goal is to run your chips along the trajectory faster than the opponent, using "happy" cells for bonuses and protection. The game combined strategy and risk, making it ideal for betting.
City gateways and palaces.
In Sumerian cities, they played in workshops, markets and in the houses of the nobility. The palace elite practiced "intellectual excitement": they competed in counting moves and calculating chances; artisans - in quick games for small winnings.
From plates to rules.
Cuneiform notes described the score, "successful" cells and basic prohibitions (for example, unacceptable moves). The rates were stipulated in advance - from a handful of grain and beer to small silver bars from wealthy citizens.
Temple and law.
As in Egypt, the religious authorities switched the "pendulum": then tolerance (if there are no scandals), then rigidity (if the game turned into drunkenness and fights). Around the temple complexes there were "zones of decency," where noisy gatherings and any money for the game were prohibited. Inside the cities are taverns and courtyards, where the game flourished.
Common tools of excitement: bones, sticks, astragans
Lot and bones.
Both Egypt and Mesopotamia used tagged sticks, small pyramidal bones, and astraganas (the bones of animal joints). They determined the first move, special cages, bonus moves - and also carried out mini-lotteries and fortune-telling.
Astragans between play and divination.
Household "micro lottery": Astragan throw was interpreted as an omen - this reinforced the feeling that luck was "approved by the gods" and pushed for small bets "on the sign."
Excitement, holidays and life
Public holidays.
On the days of celebrations (coronation, harvest, religious processions), games took to the streets. The bets became symbolic: "for happiness," "for good luck at home." Taverns moved on to "adult" rates, especially in the evenings.
Family and craft.
Senet family parties or "Ur games" united generations. In workshops and caravansyards, parties brightened up anticipation and negotiations; sometimes winning became "discounting" or "tipping."
Religion and symbolism of luck
Egypt: the way of the soul and the protection of Raa.
Senet in ritual - about passing obstacles. Victory in the game took on a ritual connotation: "the house is ready for good fate."
Mesopotamia: Omens and "rosettes."
The "rosettes" on the Ur board were perceived as good signs. Priests could condemn the stakes, but recognized the power of symbols as "clues of the gods."
The boundary of what is permitted.
The religions of both civilizations did not automatically identify the game with sin; only excesses, noise and debts leading to the disintegration of the family and the insult of the gods were condemned.
Economy and social control
Small economy of excitement.
The games fed the masters: the production of boards, carved chips from wood, stone, bone; draw sticks and astragans. Taverns made money from drinks; sometimes they took a "commission" at the table - an early form of "house edge."
Debts and pledges.
When rates went beyond reasonable limits, debts appeared. In response, the authorities reminded of "domestic responsibility," and in taverns - of the rules: a ban on the game of debt, a limit on bets, the right of the owner to drive out brawlers.
Rules and mechanics: why these games "worked"
Route + chance. Both Senet and Ur's game are racing tables, where the lot gives movement, and the cells/chips create a strategy.
Without complex recording. The rules are easy to remember, you can play anywhere.
Micro stakes. It is convenient to put "little by little" - safer socially, but exciting.
Social performance. The game is a reason to get together, discuss the news, make deals.
Myths and neatness
"Egyptians only played for religion." No: domestic leisure and small bets are common; religion gave the game additional meanings.
"The Sumerians banned all bets." Not quite: the bans were about place and measure; moderate play endured, especially in private homes and courtyards.
"The games were primitive." On the contrary: thoughtful fields, "happy" cells, a balance of luck and tactics - mature design.
Chronology (simplified)
Early dynastic Egypt: early forms of senet; household parties, ritual associations.
Middle-New Kingdom: the heyday of the senet; mechen in court leisure; extension of rates "to small."
Early Schumer: Shaping the "Game of Cheers"; urban parties in courtyards and workshops.
Akkad-Babylon: board standardization, cuneiform droppings; regulation of noisy taverns.
Glossary
Senet - Egyptian racing board 3 × 10 cells; game + ritual.
Mechen is a "snake" circular game with animal figures.
"The royal game from Ur" is a Sumero-Babylonian racing table with 20 cells with "sockets."
Astragans are the bones of the joints of animals, used as dice and lots.
Legacy for modernity
Egyptian-Sumerian games set the "golden formula" of leisure: simple rules + visual symbolism + manageable risk. From the family party to the tavern rate, this is about social glue, trust and good luck testing at a "low price." Modern board games and even casino mechanics have inherited their balance of chance and control, as well as the idea that play is a rule, ritual and communication at the same time.
Continuation ideas on your site
"Senet as the ancestor of modern racing tables: from design to mathematics"
"Street Taverns of Mesopotamia: What They Drank, What They Played, and How Much They Put"
"Astragans, Sticks, Bones: The Lot's Evolution from Divination to Gaming"
"Religion vs Leisure: How Ancient Civilizations Tamed Excitement"