Mehen
Religion was foundational to life in ancient Egypt, particularly in relation to the afterlife. The god Mehen, often depicted as a coiled snake, played a significant role in these beliefs due to his close association to the sun god Ra and the journey to the afterlife.
The board of this game, named by contemporary scholars after the diety, resembles a coiled snake. Mehen is thought to be a board game played by ancient Egyptians during the First to Sixth Dynasties. Various types of Mehen boards have been found throughout different tombs, suggesting that it was a popular game, and that it was directly linked to beliefs around helping the tomb's owner transition to the afterlife.
Mehen overview
Mehen overview
Annotations
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Mehen has only been attested in ancient Egyptian sites, although similar games can be found throughout the ancient world
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The "coiled one" refers to the god Mehen, would played an important role in ancient Egyptian funerary beliefs. Mehen was said to help protect the deceased as they journed through the underworld
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The pathway of this game play is similar to games like the Royal Game of Ur
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Mehen, the god, and Mehen, the boardgame have both being extensively written about by Egyptologists and understading both, particularly in relation to each other, provides significant insight into the beliefs and understandings of the ancient Egyptians.
However, while a cuneiform was found that enbaled Irving Finkel to deduce the rules for the Royal Game of Ur , there have been no explanatory texts found about the rules of Mehen. As a result, the actual rules for Mehen have been extensively debated, with a 2024 reappraisal undertaken by James Masters to try and synthesis all available evidence to create a standard ruleset.
