Skip to main content

The Origins of Board Games and Ancient Game Boards

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Simulation and Gaming in the Network Society

Part of the book series: Translational Systems Sciences ((TSS,volume 9))

Abstract

This study explores the history of board games and game boards, beginning with a discussion of the origin of play and games. Then, it summarises ancient game boards from all over the world. Finally, it discusses the development and modification of these games over time. Some of the games disappeared, while others survived. Subsequently, new board games that are descendants of the ancient games emerged. Exploring the history of games is one way to explore human nature.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Clottes, J. (2008). Cave art. London: Phaidor Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Culin, S. (1975). Games of the north American Indians. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huizinga, H. (1955). Homo ludens: A study of the play-element in culture. Boston: Bacon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lüders, H. (1907). Das Würfelspiel im alten Indien. Berlin: Weidmannische Buchhandlung.

    Google Scholar 

  • Masukawa, K. (1978). Board games. Tokyo: Hosei University Press (In Japanese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Münchener Universitätschriften (1979). Das Senet-Brettspiel in Alten Ägyptem. München.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murrey, H. J. R. (1952). A history of board-games other than chess. Oxford: The Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, A. (2010). The incredible human journey: The story of how we colonized the planet. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, PLC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schädler, U. (2007). Schicksal-Chance-Glück. Herausgegeben von Ulrich Schädler, Schweizerische Spielmyseum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, S. J. (2007). The earliest board games in the near east. In I. L. Finkel (Ed.), Ancient board games in perspective. London: The British Museum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verveeck, L. (1998). Bul: A patoll; Game in Maya Lowland. Board Games Studies. Leiden: Research School CNWS

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Koichi Masukawa .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this paper

Cite this paper

Masukawa, K. (2016). The Origins of Board Games and Ancient Game Boards. In: Kaneda, T., Kanegae, H., Toyoda, Y., Rizzi, P. (eds) Simulation and Gaming in the Network Society. Translational Systems Sciences, vol 9. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0575-6_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics