

| Backgammon began appearing in the Mesopotamian culture of Ur around 3,000 B.C. and archaeological digs continue to turn up board games very similar to today’s fast paced and challenging game of backgammon. Backgammon in its early form is the oldest known board game in history surpassing even the game of Chess. The travels of this gaming idea show up in both ancient India culture as well as Egyptian culture where a variation on the game called “Senat” was popular among both Egyptian aristocracy and the slave population. By the time backgammon reached early Greece, the Greeks decided to lay claim to inventing the game but it was only an adoption of their culture from earlier civilizations. In the Roman version, three dice were employed for the moves and the game was referred to as "Bac gamen" or "back game". |
| One of the stories regarding the origin of MahJong suggests that Confucius the great Chinese philosopher had developed the game about 500 BC. The appearance of the game in various Chinese provinces coincides with Confucius' travels at the time he was teaching his new doctrines. The three "Cardinal" tiles also coincide with the three Cardinal virtues taught by Confucius. Chung (middle) the Red, Fa (prosperity) the Green, Po (white) the white, Benevolence, Sincerity, and Filial Piety. Confucius was said to be fond of birds, which would explain the name Mah Jong (Hemp Bird). |
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