The Royal Game of Ur

<p>The Royal Game of Ur: the famous race game played by the kings and queens of ancient Ur.</p> <p>This modern reproduction of an ancient Sumerian game board includes a storage drawer for dice and pieces. The original set dates from about 2500 BC and is now in the Museum’s collection. It was excavated during the 1920s by Sir Leonard Woolley, who uncovered it in a tomb in the royal cemetery at Ur in southern Iraq.</p> <p>The game is a race between two players on a board of twenty squares. For some three thousand years this was the most popular board game across the whole of the ancient Middle East, played by kings and commoners alike.</p> <p>Understanding how it was played has been a detective story, combining archaeological evidence with ancient writings in Babylonian cuneiform and the recurring features found in traditional race games. Two exciting versions have been recreated, using a unique set of ancient rules which give evidence for the Royal Game of Ur as it was played in 2500 BC. The basic version is a simple reconstruction based on the board plan and its markings, the dice and the pieces. The advanced game is later in date and overlays extra features on the basic game.</p> <p>Includes:</p> <ul> <li>1 x game board for basic game</li> <li>1 x game board for advanced game</li> <li>2 sets of seven game pieces for the basic game</li> <li>2 sets of five game pieces (for the advanced game)</li> <li>5 tetrahedral dice</li> </ul> <p>Total counters – 36 blue, 36 red and 60 white</p> <p>Full rule book in English.</p> <p>Please note: Rules for the advanced game have been worked out by by British Museum curator, Irving Finkel in discussion with historian, games scholar and author, David Parlett based on the text of the ancient cuneiform.</p> <p>The original ancient game has always been an important piece in the Museum’s collection, but its popularity escalated when the British Museum launched a YouTube video showing curator Irving Finkel playing the game with famous YouTuber Tom Scott. It has since become the most viewed British Museum video on YouTube. Watch the video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZskjLq040I&amp;t=1077s. ">here</a>.</p> <p>Read more about Professor Irving Finkel <a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_us/departments/staff/middle_east/irving_finkel.aspx ">here</a>.</p> <p>---Please note: The board itself has a smooth and untextured surface---</p>

Exclusive to the British Museum, a set of The Royal Game of Ur, the famous race game played by the kings and queens of ancient Ur.

This modern reproduction of an ancient Sumerian board game includes a storage drawer for the dice and pieces. The original set dates from about 2500 BC and is now housed in the British Museum. It was excavated during the 1920s by Sir Leonard Woolley, who uncovered it in a tomb in the royal cemetery at Ur in southern Iraq.

The game is a race between two players on a board of twenty squares. For some three thousand years this was the most popular board game across the whole of the ancient Middle East, played by kings and commoners alike. Understanding how it was played has been a detective story, combining archaeological evidence with ancient writings in Babylonian cuneiform and the recurring features found in traditional race games. Two exciting versions have been recreated, using a unique set of ancient rules which give evidence for the Royal Game of Ur as it was played in 2500 BC. The basic version is a simple reconstruction based on the board plan and its markings, the dice and the pieces. The advanced game is later in date and overlays extra features on the basic game.

The set includes:

1 x game board for basic game
1 x game board for advanced game
2 sets of seven game pieces for the basic game
2 sets of five game pieces for the advanced game
5 tetrahedral dice
Full rule book in English.

A video of curator Irving Finkel playing the Game of Ur can be found on the British Museum's YouTube channel. Please note, the board itself has a smooth and untextured surface.

An exciting and dynamic gift for game enthusiasts.