Which is the oldest board game that still exists in the world today?

eytank

Shesh-Besh, also known as backgammon in some areas of the world. http://www.bkgm.com/variants/SheshBesh.html Jan 27 05, 6:49 PM

MaxDWolf

It's a little difficult to say as games go back to prehistory and the sites I found are also often vague about dates and sources. Also, fans are quick to claim the title of oldest (apparently without much research). Chess seems to be out. It has its origins in the Middle East around 600 AD, but some others had theorized that it had its origins in Xiangqi ("Chinese Chess") which would put its origins back to the "2nd century BC[sic]" (see Wikipedia article). Go (my favorite) is referenced in a text believed to date the game to 548 BCE, though there is some evidence it was played as early as 2,000 BCE. But these seem to be trumped by backgammon and checkers. A backgammon set that dating to 3,000 BC has recently been unearthed. There is claimed to be a clear inscription on a wall in Thebes dating to 4,000 BC depicting a game of checkers being played. I haven't been able to find this image (yet). Mancala games have been traced back to only about 1,000 BC, but there is some evidence it was played in neolithic times (7,000 to 5,000 BC). Because of their simplicity of construction and play and they're widespread I lean towards this as being the oldest extant board game, even though the archaeological evidence is not definitive. Mar 02 07, 6:10 PM

shazy95

The oldest board game is Senet from Egypt. It dates back to 3500 BC.http://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question54502.html Aug 22 08, 5:29 PM