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Stone spheres found in Greece may be part of one of the world’s oldest board games!
Round stone spheres have been discovered on several Greek islands. Until now, scientists were not sure what they might have been used for. Recent research suggests they may be pieces of an ancient board game.
Man has always needed various forms of entertainment to get away from everyday life and routine. Our prehistoric ancestors, who lived in the Paleolithic period, among others, made primitive instruments on which they played. In addition, they sang or spent time around a campfire. The Aztecs and Mayans played ulama, a team game of ball, which is believed to be the oldest sport in the world. The oldest soccer field was built around 1500 BC.
Are the Akrotiri stone spheres the oldest board game in this part of the world?
However, it is probably the Mesopotamians who owe the idea of board games. In the first half of the 20th century, a group of British archaeologists found the royal tombs in the ancient city of Ur, where they discovered a game that was popular up to 5,000 years ago. A set consisting of 14 pawns and a board was dated to 2600 BC. The royal game from Ur is believed to have been a precursor to triktrak.
