View source for Senet

{{redirect|Senat|the Polish ''Senat''|Senate of the Republic of Poland}}
{{Infobox game
| title         = Senet
| players       = 2
| ages          =  
| setup_time    = Negligible
| playing_time  = 5–30 minutes
| random_chance = Medium ([[Dice game|dice rolling]]) 
| skills        = [[Strategy game|Strategy]], tactics, [[counting]], [[probability]]
| AKA           = Senat  
| footnotes     = 
}}

'''Senet''' (or '''Senat'''<ref>[http://astralcastle.com/games/index.htm A history of board games]</ref>) is a [[board game]] from [[Predynastic Egypt|Predynastic]] and [[ancient Egypt]]. The oldest hieroglyph representing a Senet game dates to around [[3100 BC]].<ref name="Piccione">[http://www.gamesmuseum.uwaterloo.ca/Archives/Piccione/index.html In Search of the Meaning of Senet] by Peter A. Piccione</ref> The full name of the game in [[Egyptian language|Egyptian]] was ''zn.t n.t ḥˁb'' meaning the "game of passing".

== History ==
Senet is one of the oldest known board games. It has been found in [[Predynastic Egypt|Predynastic]] and [[First dynasty of Egypt|First Dynasty]] burials of [[Egypt]],<ref name="Piccione"/> c. [[3500 BC]] and [[3100 BC]] respectively. It was one of the most popular games of Egypt. Senet is also featured in a painting from the tomb of Merknera ([[33rd century BC|3300]]–[[27th century BC|2700 BC]]) (see external links below). Another painting of this ancient game is from the [[Third Dynasty]] tomb of [[Hesy-Ra|Hesy]] (c. [[27th century BC|2686]]–[[27th century BC|2613 BC]]). It is also depicted in a painting in the tomb of Rashepes (c. [[2500 BC]]).

By the time of the [[New Kingdom]] in [[Egypt]] ([[1550 BC|1550]]–[[1070s BC|1077 BC]]), it had become a kind of talisman for the journey of the dead. Because of the element of luck in the game and the Egyptian belief in determinism, it was believed that a successful player was under the protection of the major gods of the national pantheon: [[Ra]], [[Thoth]], and sometimes [[Osiris]]. Consequently, Senet boards were often placed in the grave alongside other useful objects for the dangerous journey through the afterlife and the game is referred to in Chapter XVII of the [[Book of the Dead]]. The game was also adopted in the [[Levant]] and as far as [[Cyprus]] and [[Crete]] but with apparently less religious significance.

==Gameplay==
The Senet gameboard is a grid of thirty squares, arranged in three rows of ten. A Senet board has two sets of pawns (at least five of each and, in some sets, more, as well as shorter games with fewer). The actual rules of the game are a topic of some debate, although historians have made educated guesses. Senet historians Timothy Kendall and [[Robert Charles Bell|R. C. Bell]] have each proposed their own sets of rules to play the game. These rules have been adopted by different companies which make Senet sets for sale today.

==In modern culture==
{{Infobox Hieroglyphen
|TITEL = Senet
|NAME = <hiero>O34:N35-X1</hiero><br/>Senet<br/>''Sn.t''<br/>''passage'' / ''gateway'' 
|BILD1 = Maler der Grabkammer der Nefertari 003.jpg
|BILD1-BREITE = 220px
|BILD1-BESCHREIBUNG = '''Nefertari playing Senet.''' Painting in tomb of Egyptian Queen [[Nefertari]] (1295–1255 BC).
}}
* The game is mentioned in the 1972 film version of the play ''[[Sleuth (play)|Sleuth]]'' by [[Anthony Shaffer (writer)|Anthony Shaffer]], when the character Andrew Wyke refers to "an intensely complicated 4th dynasty blocking game called Senet. I've been at it for months but I am still only a beginner."
* Senet is played in the TV show ''[[Lost (TV series)|Lost]]'' in the episode [[Across_the_Sea_%28Lost%29|Across the Sea]].  
* In Rick Riordan's [[The Throne of Fire]], Carter and Sadie Kane and [[Bes]] play Senet against the moon god [[Khonsu]]. 
* In [[Patricia Kennealy Morrison]]'s Keltiad series, in the book ''[[The Copper Crown]]'' the Egyptian-based antagonists the Coranians play senet amongst themselves.
* In the popular 1999 video game ''[[Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation]]'', the player (playing as series heroine [[Lara Croft]]), must play a game of Senet in order to advance through the Tomb of Semerkhet level. If she loses the game she must take a longer route through the level, if she wins she takes a shorter route. 
* In [[House of Anubis]], Nina Martin (portrayed by [[Nathalia Ramos]]) and her friends must play a game of Senet to get through the final chamber of the underground tunnels to reach the Mask of Anubis. 
* In the [[Nancy Drew]] game ''[[Nancy Drew: Tomb of the Lost Queen|Tomb of the Lost Queen]]'', you can play Senet against a computer player. 
* In the city builder [[Pharaoh_(video_game) |Pharaoh]], Senet houses must be constructed to entertain the most selective citizens.

==See also==
*[[Mehen (game)|Mehen]], another ancient Egyptian game
*[[Royal Game of Ur]], an ancient Mesopotamian game
*[[Tâb]], a Middle Eastern game with a similar board
*[[Patolli]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons|Senet}}
*{{bgg|2399|Senet}}
*[http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/166814/senet-review-of-versions Senet: Review of versions] rules speculation at BoardGameGeek
*[http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/478412/rules-rules-rules-how-do-you-play Variations in the rules]
*[http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/games.htm Ancient Egypt: Play and games]
*[http://www.talkingpyramids.com/ancient-egyptian-games-senet Informative article on Senet]
*[http://worldsenet.yolasite.com/ World Internet Senet Championships]
[[Category:History of board games]]
[[Category:Ancient Egyptian culture]]
[[Category:Race games]]
[[Category:Traditional board games]]
[[Category:African games]]