“Play is older than culture, for culture, however inadequately defined, always presupposes human society, and animals have not waited for man to teach them their playing” – Johan Huizinga, Homo Ludens, 1.

Boardgames have existed for thousands of years, and there are manifold ways that analogue games, particularly historical ones, have influenced modern gaming culture and, as the quote from Huizinga suggests, play is much, much older than the digital world, and, indeed, is one of the fundamental conditions of humanity.

But what does it mean to be playful? How has our play changed and adapted over time?

Throughout this project, you will see different examples of boardgames found in the archaeological record. Some will feel very familiar to you, and some might barely seem like boardgames at all. In each case, these games were played by people just like us if not for a quirk of temporality and geography. We invite you to step back and see what playing in the past was like, and why people still find these games important today.