58 Holes: The Popular Ancient Board Game in the Middle East

Ancient peoples weren't simply concerned about how to survive but evidences have shown that they had various ways of passing their time, including having fun with some board games.

A pattern of small holes cut into the floor of an ancient rock shelter in Azerbaijan shows that one of the world's most ancient board games was played there by nomadic herders around 4,000 years ago, according to an archaeologist who has investigated the find.

The game was called "58 Holes", which was also known by the name "Hounds and Jackals".

At that time, the game was widespread across the ancient Middle East, including Egypt, Mesopotamia and Anatolia, he said.
Though the rules of 58 Holes are unknown, many think it was played a bit like modern backgammon, with counters, such as seeds or stones, moved around the board until they reached a goal.

(Image credit: Walter Crist/Gobustan National Park)


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