The Royal Game Of Ur

Ur Is an ancient game which dates back to about 2600 BC (older than the Pyramids of Giza). It is a race game where players race to get 5 pieces from the start to the finish. There is some dispute over where the start and finish are, Murray (1952) suggests that the pieces travel on a route that doubles back on it's self whereas Bell (1979) says that the pieces play on a shorter route from the inside spaces along the edge to their opposites on the smaller 2 x 3 section, suggesting that the long inside 8 squares ate some sort of battleground. He also suggests that the rosette squares, which were consistent on many boards found in the same area, may have some special significance.