Home :. Articles :. What is the History of Backgammon?
Backgammon has originated, according to the estimation of scholars, in the ancient Fertile Crescent, or what is known as the region of Mesopotamia. More specifically, it was probably invented in the Persian Empire. The materials used for the board, the dice and the checkers in the ancient backgammon games where usually wood, stones, bones and pottery.
It is definitely amazing to consider how long backgammon has been a part of human leisure time, so the materials have changed from bones, wood and stones into sophisticated software, during those centuries of providing so many different players with both pleasure and excitement!
Backgammon has been typically associated with the leaders and aristocracy of the ancient civilizations. During the 1920s Sir Leonard Woolley has found two game boards in Royal Tombs of Ur The two boards date from the First Dynasty of Ur, before 2600 BC, thus making the Royal Game of Ur probably the oldest set of board gaming equipment ever found. This ancient game is believed to be some variation of the game we know today as backgammon.
Furthermore, recent excavations at the "Burnt City" in Iran showed that a form of backgammon existed there around 3000 BC. The artifacts include two dice and sixty pieces. This set is believed to be one to two hundred years older than the oldest set found in Ur.
The ancient Romans also enjoyed the thrills of backgammon games. Their version of backgammon was called "The Game of Twelve Lines". It had leather boards and sets of 30 markers, 15 of ebony and 15 of ivory. "The Game of Twelve Lines is dated back to 600AD.
The Romans were the ones to bring backgammon to Europe. In the 1st Century, they brought it to England, where it was also called Tabula, which means "table" or "board". It was one of the favorite games of the Emperor Claudius.
The game of Tabula was transformed into a game called Alea by the 6th Century. Alea was probably the first predecessor to the game we call backgammon today, even though there were many variants, with rules that differed slightly from the original game.
A variant of backgammon has even reached the Far East, and became well-liked there, too. T'shu-p'u was the Chinese name for a variant of backgammon that was brought to China during the time of the Wei dynasty (220-265AD). The main difference between Tabula and its Chinese version was that in Tabula players used three dice, while in the game popular in the Far East players used only two. This backgammon variant has engaged the ruling class in China during 479-1000AD. Moreover, T'shu-p'u was known as "Sugoroku" in Japan.
During the middle ages, a backgammon variant called "Nard" or "Tables" was played in Europe and was particularly fashionable in English inns. The term "backgammon" was probably invented during the 16th century, and was created from either the Saxon words "baec" (back) "gamen" (game) or the Welsh words "bac" or "bach" (little) "gammon" or "cammaun" (battle).
What is the History of Backgammon?
Backgammon has a long and a fascinating history. It is one of the oldest board games ever, and certainly the oldest board game which still remains so widespread and so popular, to this very day.Backgammon has originated, according to the estimation of scholars, in the ancient Fertile Crescent, or what is known as the region of Mesopotamia. More specifically, it was probably invented in the Persian Empire. The materials used for the board, the dice and the checkers in the ancient backgammon games where usually wood, stones, bones and pottery.
It is definitely amazing to consider how long backgammon has been a part of human leisure time, so the materials have changed from bones, wood and stones into sophisticated software, during those centuries of providing so many different players with both pleasure and excitement!
Backgammon has been typically associated with the leaders and aristocracy of the ancient civilizations. During the 1920s Sir Leonard Woolley has found two game boards in Royal Tombs of Ur The two boards date from the First Dynasty of Ur, before 2600 BC, thus making the Royal Game of Ur probably the oldest set of board gaming equipment ever found. This ancient game is believed to be some variation of the game we know today as backgammon.
Furthermore, recent excavations at the "Burnt City" in Iran showed that a form of backgammon existed there around 3000 BC. The artifacts include two dice and sixty pieces. This set is believed to be one to two hundred years older than the oldest set found in Ur.
The ancient Romans also enjoyed the thrills of backgammon games. Their version of backgammon was called "The Game of Twelve Lines". It had leather boards and sets of 30 markers, 15 of ebony and 15 of ivory. "The Game of Twelve Lines is dated back to 600AD.
The Romans were the ones to bring backgammon to Europe. In the 1st Century, they brought it to England, where it was also called Tabula, which means "table" or "board". It was one of the favorite games of the Emperor Claudius.
The game of Tabula was transformed into a game called Alea by the 6th Century. Alea was probably the first predecessor to the game we call backgammon today, even though there were many variants, with rules that differed slightly from the original game.
A variant of backgammon has even reached the Far East, and became well-liked there, too. T'shu-p'u was the Chinese name for a variant of backgammon that was brought to China during the time of the Wei dynasty (220-265AD). The main difference between Tabula and its Chinese version was that in Tabula players used three dice, while in the game popular in the Far East players used only two. This backgammon variant has engaged the ruling class in China during 479-1000AD. Moreover, T'shu-p'u was known as "Sugoroku" in Japan.
During the middle ages, a backgammon variant called "Nard" or "Tables" was played in Europe and was particularly fashionable in English inns. The term "backgammon" was probably invented during the 16th century, and was created from either the Saxon words "baec" (back) "gamen" (game) or the Welsh words "bac" or "bach" (little) "gammon" or "cammaun" (battle).
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