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Egyptian Artifacts

Hounds and Jackals Game

The ancient Egyptians loved playing games π“‡‹π“²π“π“Š‘π“„›π“¦, and many of examples of ancient games π“‡‹π“²π“π“Š‘π“„›π“¦Β  such as senet π“Šƒπ“π“ˆ–π“  and Mehen π“Ž”π“ˆ–π“†“/π“Ž”π“ˆ–π“†— exist both as actual artifacts and as depictions in art!

Hounds and Jackals Game
The Hounds and Jackals Game was named after the Hounds and Jackals that appear on the top of the pegs! This is the most complete version of the game that’s ever been found!

The game π“‡‹π“²π“π“Š‘π“„›π“¦ in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is one that was named β€œHounds and Jackals” by Howard Carter! Carter named the game after the hounds π“Ώπ“Šƒπ“…“π“„›π“ͺ and the jackals π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯𓏦 that are at the tops of the pegs. This particular piece is the only game of β€œHounds and Jackals” that has been found with the pegs! The game has also been referred to as β€œ59 Holes” due to the holes that are on each side of the palm tree!Β 

No one knows the rules to this game, but it is thought to be symbolic of the deceased’s 𓅓𓏏𓏱 journey to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 and that the hounds π“Ώπ“Šƒπ“…“π“„›π“ͺ and the jackals π“Šƒπ“„Ώπ“ƒ€π“ƒ₯𓏦 were used as pieces because they could be related to Anubis π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“Šͺ𓅱𓃣, the god π“ŠΉ of mummification π“‹΄π“‚§π“π“…±π“Ž and protection π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. Other less-complete versions of this game have been found in other tombs π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰π“¦. 

Unlike senet π“Šƒπ“π“ˆ–π“  and Mehen π“Ž”π“ˆ–π“†“/π“Ž”π“ˆ–π“†—, games π“‡‹π“²π“π“Š‘π“„›π“¦ which seem to have persisted throughout Egyptian history, β€œHounds and Jackals” seems to be a Middle Kingdom exclusive! This piece is made of the wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 from a sycamore tree π“ˆ–π“‰”π“π“†­ and ivory π“‹π“ƒ€π“…±π“ŒŸ. 

This piece was discovered in 1910 by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon – I find this to be so cool because this was about twelve years before they discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“! This piece is dated to the Middle Kingdom, reign π“‹Ύπ“ˆŽπ“ of Amenemhat IV π“‡³π“ŒΆπ“‚π“Š€π“…± (12th Dynasty). 

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