Mehen

Sympkyn of the Moor

Number of players: 2-6 Type of game: Boardgame Period: 3000BC+

Mehen is an ancient Egyptian board game, notable for its distinctive spiral board shaped like a coiled serpent. Named after the protective serpent-god Mehen, the game was played during Egypt’s Old Kingdom, possibly as a ritual or strategy game. While the precise rules are unknown, scholars and gamers have reconstructed plausible versions based on archaeology and comparisons to similar ancient games.

History of Mehen

  • Origins: Dates back to at least 3000 BCE in ancient Egypt’s Predynastic and Old Kingdom periods.

  • Name Meaning: “Mehen” means “coiled one” and refers to a snake deity who protected the sun god Ra on his nightly journey through the underworld.

  • Game Boards:

    • Depicted as a spiral snake with rectangular spaces along its back.

    • Some boards were made of stone, clay, or wood.

  • Pieces Found:

    • Often include lion-shaped tokens and small spherical marbles or balls.

  • Decline: The game seems to have fallen out of use by the Middle Kingdom (~2000 BCE), replaced by other games like Senet.

Reconstructed Rules (Modern Interpretation)

Because no ancient rulebooks survive, modern play is speculative, often based on symbolism, board design, and comparison to other ancient race and strategy games.

Board

  • A spiral path composed of 30–400 spaces, depending on the artifact.

  • The spaces form a coiled snake, with the head in the centre.

  • Paths may be linear or snaking outward in reconstructions.

Players

  • 2–6 players, depending on the number of pieces used.

Pieces

  • Each player has:

    • Lion-shaped tokens (attackers or heroes).

    • Spheres or marbles (possibly representing lives, companions, or dice analogues).

  • Some reconstructions give each player 1–3 lions and 6 marbles.

Suggested Gameplay (Modern Ruleset)

Objective

  • To navigate the spiral, reach the centre (the serpent’s head), and return safely to the outside.

Setup

  • All players place their lions at the outermost space (tail).

  • Players may also place their marbles in a pool, bowl, or as markers.

Turns and Movement

  • Players take turns rolling dice (or drawing lots) to determine movement.

  • Move one of your lions forward along the spiral path.

Capturing / Blocking

  • If a lion lands on a space occupied by an opponent, it may:

    • Capture them and send them back to the start (aggressive variant).

    • Block their progress (passive variant).

  • Some rules allow lions to pass through allies but not enemies.

Reaching the Centre

  • When a lion reaches the centre, it must turn around and return to the outside.

  • The first to complete the round trip wins, or points may be awarded per lap.

Symbolic/Optional Rules

1. Sacred Path Rule

  • The path represents the journey through the underworld.

  • Landing on special marked spaces (e.g., near the head or tail) may grant blessings or penalties.

2. Ra’s Light

  • Once a player reaches the centre (the sun god), they may illuminate the path, allowing others to move faster (bonus movement).

3. Serpent’s Bite

  • Certain spaces represent the fangs or coils of Mehen—landing here results in lost turns or setbacks.

Summary Table

Rule Area Summary
Players 2–6
Board Spiral with 30–400 spaces
Pieces 1–3 lions per player, with marbles or tokens
Movement Dice- or lot-based movement along spiral
Goal Reach the centre (the head), return to the tail
Victory First to return safely or complete most laps
Themes Sun god Ra, protection, rebirth, underworld journey