Senet
Senet is an ancient Egyptian grid board game played by two players moving pieces according to casting sticks. Because exact original rules were lost, modern play relies on scholarly reconstructions of its race-style mechanics.
AT A GLANCE
- ERA
- c. 3100 BC – 400 AD
- ORIGIN
- Ancient Egypt
- PLAYERS
- 2 players
- EQUIPMENT
- Board, pawns, sticks
- PLAYING AREA
- 3 × 10 grid board
- DURATION
- varies
- GOVERNING BODY
- None
- OLYMPIC
- No
Reconstructed special squares (after Kendall)
| Square | Name / Meaning | Reconstructed Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Square 15 | House of Rebirth | Starting square for reborn pieces |
| Square 26 | House of Happiness | Mandatory landing space for all pieces |
| Square 27 | House of Waters | Hazard sending piece back to Square 15 |
| Square 28 | House of Three Judges | Requires exact roll of 3 to bear off |
| Square 29 | House of Re-Atum | Requires exact roll of 2 to bear off |
| Square 30 | House of Horus | Final square; exact roll of 1 to finish |
| Period | Event |
|---|---|
| c. 3100 BC | Earliest hieroglyphs depicting Senet boards |
| c. 2686 BC | Oldest intact board fragments found from Third Dynasty |
| c. 1500 BC | Game develops spiritual association with afterlife journey |
| c. 400 AD | Game fades from active play following Roman era |
| 1978 | Timothy Kendall publishes influential rule reconstruction |
How a game works
Modern reconstructions suggest Senet is a two-player race game played on a 30-square grid. Players throw four double-sided casting sticks to determine movement along an S-shaped path across three rows. The goal is to maneuver all pawns off the board while navigating special hazard squares and blocking opponent pieces.
Scoring in one line
The first player to successfully bear all of their pieces off the board wins the game.
Where it came from
Originating in Predynastic Egypt around 3100 BC, Senet is one of the world's oldest known board games. By the New Kingdom, it held deep religious symbolism, representing the soul's journey through the underworld to achieve immortality in the afterlife.
Senet today
While traditional play vanished during late antiquity, Senet lives on through museum displays, archaeological finds, and digital adaptations. Modern enthusiasts play using rulebooks synthesized by scholars like Timothy Kendall and R. C. Bell.
Run a Senet tournament
Brackets, fixtures and standings in your browser — varies.
FAQ
Are the original rules of Senet known?
No ancient written rulebook survives. Modern playable rules are scholarly reconstructions based on tomb art, board layouts, and period literature.
How many players can play Senet?
Senet is strictly a two-player game, with each player controlling five or seven pawns depending on the historical period.
Is Senet older than the Royal Game of Ur?
Yes, physical evidence of Senet dates to around 3100 BC, predating the Royal Game of Ur by several centuries.