- Museum number
- EA66216
- Description
-
A circular game board: of pale yellow limestone, standing on a low circular base. The upper surface is carved with a spiral pattern of square projections and hollows, in a formalised representation of the coils of a snake, with the head at the centre. This table, which is in a good state of preservation, was designed for playing a game known in Egyptian as 'Mehen'.
- Dimensions
-
Height: 7 centimetres
-
Weight: 16.80 kilograms
-
Width: 37 millimetres
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Depth: 37 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- Gaming pieces in the form of lions and marbles were used in this game, see J. E. Quibell, 'Excavations at Saqqara, 1911-12 : the tomb of Hesy' (Cairo, 1913), 19-20 and pl. XI.
This kind of game board is represented with the name in tombs of the Old Kingdom, see W. M. F. Petrie, 'Medum' (London, 1892), pl.XIII; H. Junker, 'Giza Bericht über die von der Akademie der Wissenschaften etc.' (Vienna, 1929-1955) V, abb. 9. Similar objects of Early Dynastic date are known, W. M. F. Petrie, 'Naqada and Ballas' (Warminster, 1974), pl.XLIII, 2; W. M. F. Petrie, ‘Amulets’, London (1914), pl-XLVII, 96f; E. Amélineau, ‘Les Nouvelles Fouilles d’Abydos’ III, (1897-8), pl.XLVII, 8-11;A. Scharff, ‘Die Altertümer der Vor – und Frühzeit Ägyptens’ II (Berlin, 1929-31), no. 274 and pl.33; ‘Bulletin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’ Oct. 1959, 63. The game itself is discussed in H. Junker, 'Giza Bericht über die von der Akademie der Wissenschaften etc.' (Vienna, 1929-1955) V, 36-8; P. Montet, ‘Chronique d’Égypte’ 30, no. 60 (1955), 189-97; H. Ranke, 'Das altägyptische Schlangenspiel', 'Sitz. der Heidelberger Akad. der Wiss.', 1920, 4 Abth.; W. M. F. Petrie, 'Objects of daily use with over 1800 figures from University College, London' (London 1927), 56; J. Vandier, 'Manuel d'Archeologie egyptienne' IV , 486-96.
Bibliography:
A. F. Shore, 'British Museum Quarterly' 26 (London, 1962-3), 88-91 and pl. XXXIIIa.
- Location
- On display (G64/dc10)
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
2001 26 Jun-23 Sep, Birmingham Gas Hall, Egypt Revealed
2012 Nov. Paris, Cluny, Les Jeux de la Babylone a l'Occident Medieval.
- Condition
- good (surface conserved)
- Acquisition date
- 1961
- Department
- Egypt and Sudan
- BM/Big number
- EA66216
- Registration number
- 1961,0408.1
