Tabletop Time Machine
MANCALA
In 1989 an archaeological dig in Jordan uncovered a sandstone block with small regularly spaced pits carved into it which was believed to be a board game. As the site is dated to 5870 BC +/- 240 years this makes it the oldest board game ever uncovered at approximately 8,000 years old. The game resembled many other games in the mancala family.
There is no single game called mancala as this is the name given to a whole family of seed-sowing games where seeds, stones, shells etc. are placed into indentations. These games are known by a wide variety of name in different parts of the world, but there are few countries that haven’t developed some variation of the theme. The game is known as oware in West Africa, bao in East Africa, congkak in Indonesia and Thailand, gebeta in Ethiopia, ali guli mane or omanu guntalu in India, and kalah in North America.