Senet

Senet is an ancient Egyptian board game and one of the oldest known table games. Evidence of senet appears in tomb paintings and artifacts dating back to the early dynastic periods and continuing into later eras, reflecting its long-standing presence in Egyptian culture. The name senet derives from a verb meaning “to pass,” referring to the aim of moving pieces across the board.

The game is played on a board of 30 squares arranged in three rows of ten. Each player typically controls a set of pieces—commonly five—though the exact number varied in different depictions. Players move their pieces along a fixed track from a starting area toward a final destination, and then off the board. Movement is determined by casting objects such as throwing sticks or knucklebones, which yield a numerical outcome that indicates how many squares a piece may advance. Some versions include rules for capturing an opponent’s piece by landing on its square, sending it back to the start, while other squares are considered safe or have special effects. Because no single rulebook survives, researchers reconstruct plausible rules from archaeological depictions and textual evidence; modern reconstructions differ in detail but share the general path-following objective.

Cultural significance is strong: senet boards appear in tombs and art, linking the game to notions of the afterlife and the journey of the soul. The central and terminal squares often carry symbolic motifs, including representations of protection and fate, reinforcing the view of the game as more than leisure.

Today, replicas and scholarly rule sets allow study and play outside of Egypt. Museums preserve ancient boards and pieces, and the game remains a focal point for understanding ancient Egyptian leisure, ritual, and belief.