The Game of (after) Life

I just ran across this game in the ol' game closet, but it kind of fits since we're so close to October.

Senet is an ancient Egyptian game that is around 3000 years old (not my copy, of course...I got mine at a thrift store about 25 years ago). It represents a soul's trip through the afterlife, since ancient Egyptians were really focused on stuff like that. Copies were found in a lot of ancient tombs, including King Tut's tomb. 

Here is my copy, found in Stu's Tomb of Games (i.e. the game closet) This is how the board is set up to get ready to play.

Those sticks you see are actually "dice" in a way. Interestingly, you can't roll a "5." You'll see why in the instructions.

Almost all Senet boards, even the ancient ones were made of wood (some were ivory and other materials, but even the royal ones were usually wood) and they contained a drawer to store the pieces, just like this one.

Unfirtunately the rules were lost over the centuries. Egyptologists have reconstructed them since the 1930s when the game gained new attention. There have been several very scholarly attempts, with people really getting upset about things and yelling and throwing pens and note pads and storming out of stuffy meetings in a huff to go get a nice cup of tea and wonder why they put up with those idiots to begin with. Cambridge indeed!  Humph!

Well, that's how I imagine it anyway. 

Here is the best they came up with.

Upon first read, they can seem complicated, but if you play, you'll find that it's not that hard. I would keep the rules handy for the first couple of games, though.

All in all, Senet is actually a fun game, especially considering the subject matter. Of course, the subject really doesn't matter (see what I did there?) since in our modern times most of the religious themes are hazy at best.

So go ahead and take that trip to the afterlife! It'll be fun!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!