The Royal Game of Ur is 4,600 years old and one of the oldest board games ever found. The game was a favorite with the royal and wealthy inhabitants of Mesopotamia. The Royal Game of Ur refers to two game boards found in Royal Tombs of Ur by Sir Leonard Woolley in the 1920s. The two boards date from the First Dynasty of Ur, before 2600 BC. One of the two boards is exhibited in the collections of the British Museum in London. Mesopotamia is referred to as the "cradle of civilization" and dates back to about 5300 BC. It has been home to some of the oldest major civilizations, including the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians.
Our replica game is modeled after one of the game boards discovered by Sir Leonard Woolley. It is a race game for children and a strategy game for adults. The hardwood Board measures 13 1/2 inches by 5 1/4 inches with storage for the 8 pyramid shaped dice and 14 playing pieces.
Game Play
The Royal Game of Ur was played with two sets (one black and one white) of seven markers and three pyramidal dice. The Royal Game of Ur, like the Egyptian game Senet, is a race game and is probably a predecessor to backgammon.
