Egyptian Middle Kingdom
Dogs & Jackals emerges during the 12th Dynasty of Egypt. The game becomes popular among nobility and is buried with the deceased for entertainment in the afterlife.
Discovery by Carnarvon
The most famous game board is discovered by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon in the tomb of Reny-Seneb at Thebes. The ivory board shaped like a palm tree captures worldwide attention.
Metropolitan Museum
The Thebes game board enters the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it remains one of the most iconic examples of ancient gaming artifacts.
Digital Recreation
Infinite Museum brings this 4000-year-old race game to life, allowing players worldwide to experience the thrill of the ancient Egyptian palm tree race.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
THE PALM TREE BOARD
The ivory game board from Thebes is shaped like a stylized palm tree, with 58 holes (29 per player) arranged along the curving trunk and fronds. The distinctive design includes carved lines connecting certain holes - these "portals" are believed to represent shortcuts and setbacks in the race.
The playing pieces are masterfully carved as dog and jackal heads mounted on pegs. These animal heads gave the game its modern name, though the ancient Egyptians may have called it something entirely different - no written name survives.
The palm tree held deep significance in Egyptian culture, symbolizing eternal life and victory. Racing to the top of the palm may have represented the soul's journey to paradise - a fitting game to accompany the dead into the afterlife.
GEOGRAPHIC SPREAD
Archaeological evidence shows Dogs & Jackals spread far beyond Egypt's borders:
- Egypt - Thebes, Asiut, and multiple other sites
- Mesopotamia - Modern-day Iraq
- The Levant - Tell el-Ajjul (Palestine), Syria, Lebanon
- Iran - Evidence of adoption along trade routes