Why was Mehen played?

Why was Mehen played?

Mehen is an ancient Egyptian board game that was played from the predynastic period to the Old Kingdom (c. Its name comes from the snake god, called Mehen, who wrapped around Ra, the sun god, to protect him during his nightly journey through the underworld.

Where was Mehen invented?

Ancient Egypt
Mehen was played in Ancient Egypt over 5,000 years ago. Make your own Mehen board and play the game yourself! The aim of the game is to move your four counters around the snake to its head, and get them back to safety before your opponent’s lion eats them!

Who invented Mehen?

Mehen: The Game of the Snake. Mehen was invented in Egypt 5,000 years ago. It is the only widespread ancient game to utilize a spiral gameboard, making it one of the most unique games ever created.

What happened in 3000 BC ancient Egypt?

In the Early Dynastic Period, which began about 3000 BC, the first of the Dynastic kings solidified control over lower Egypt by establishing a capital at Memphis, from which he could control the labour force and agriculture of the fertile delta region, as well as the lucrative and critical trade routes to the Levant.

What is Senet and Mehen?

145). Senet and Mehen were limited to Egypt, with variants in neighboring regions (the Levant and Cyprus), whereas Twenty Squares and Hounds and Jackals were found as far as Turkey and on the Iranian Plateau. It is found on the uppermost side of gaming boxes, with Senet on the reverse (16.10. 475a; 12.182.

What is senet and Mehen?

What is Mehen the god of?

Snake god. Mehen is a protective deity who is depicted as a snake which coils around the sun god Ra during his journey through the night, for instance in the Amduat. In the German-Egyptian dictionary by R. Hannig it is said that the Mehen (mḥn) or the Mehenet (mḥnt) snake is equivalent to the Ouroboros.

Who ruled Egypt in 3000 BC?

The pharaonic period spans over 3,000 years, beginning when kings first ruled Egypt. The first dynasty started in 3000 B.C. with the reign of King Narmer.

What happened around 3000 BC?

3000–2000 BC – Hieroglyphic writing in Egypt, potter’s wheel in China, first pottery in the Americas (in Ecuador). c. 3000 BC –Sumerians establish cities. 3000 BC – Sumerians start to work in various metals.

What is the oldest board game still played?

The Royal Game of Ur
The Royal Game of Ur is the oldest playable boardgame in the world, originating around 4,600 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia. The game’s rules were written on a cuneiform tablet by a Babylonian astronomer in 177 BC.

When did the game of Mehen start and end?

Evidence of the game of Mehen is found from the Predynastic period dating from approximately 3000 BCE and continues until the end of the Old Kingdom, around 2300 BCE.

How did the game of Mehen survive in Cyprus?

Mehen survived in Cyprus longer than in Egypt, showing that the game was indigenized upon its adoption into the island’s culture. The rules and gameplay of Mehen are entirely unknown. In Egypt, the gameboard depicts a coiled snake whose body is divided into rectangular spaces.

What was the radiocarbon date of 3000 BC?

As of 1993 a radiocarbon date of 4500 yrs. converted to 3120 BC. In other words, one should subtract 1380 from the radiocarbon date to determine the BC calendar date.) For an abbreviated chronological index click

Is the Mehen the same as the ouroboros?

In the German-Egyptian dictionary by R. Hannig it is said that the Mehen (mḥn) or the Mehenet (mḥnt) snake is equivalent to the Ouroboros . The precise relationship between the deity and the Mehen game is unknown. For instance it is not known whether the game derives from the mythological character, or the character derives from the game.