Noting that the three blocks of dark marble could be constructed as an arch, the excavator Flinders Petrie deduced that this was a miniature game, the object of which was to hit the pointed 'skittles' (nine in all, made of red and white breccia and coloured limestone) by bowling the 'marbles' (four, made of diorite) through the archway. The gap in the archway is roughly 2.6 cm wide and the largest 'marble' measures 1.4 cm, so at a set distance this would require some bowling skill.
The Snake Game
next to the 'skittles' is a miniature limestone version of the
circular board that was used to play the 'Snake Game', one of
the earliest known 'race' games. It was played with marbles and
lion-shaped gaming pieces which the players probably moved around
the snake according to 'throws' of marked sticks or slips.
such pieces were found with this stone disc, however -- it had
been used as the lid of a pot in grave Q19 in the prehistoric
cemetery at Ballas, north of Naqada. Nonetheless, its size may
indicate that, like the 'skittles', it was intended as a portable
game to entertain the deceased in the next life. It may also have
been thought to have magical properties -- games of chance came
to have a special significance in Egyptian beliefs about the Underworld,
where the dead person needed to win his or her way through to
Men playing the 'Snake game', as depicted in the tomb of Rashepses at Saqqara (about 2400BC). The board is shown upright for visual clarity. In reality it would have been set horizontally, probably on a stand. The only pieces in play seem to be marbles - the lions and lionesses known to be part of the 'Snake game' set are not shown here.
The projecting tab is a feature known from other depictions of the game, but its purpose is unknown. It may have been used as a grip, to shake the board, or as a parking-place for pieces not in play.