Feature: Sandro Vannini's Photography - Tutankhamun's Senet Game Board

Heritage Key

Four Senet boards were found inside the tomb of King Tutankhamun and suggests that the boy king was a keen player of the ancient game. In Ancient Egyptian society, senet was regarded as much more than just a game, however - it was a matter of life or death. The game involves throwing casting sticks or knucklebones, and over time became regarded as talismans for the journey into the afterlife with luck being a key deciding factor in the game.

Those who would win games of senet were believed to be blessed by powerful gods such as Osiris, Ra and Thoth. Senet boards were also often placed in graves, and they are specifically mentioned in the Book of the Dead.