Archaeologists discovered a game board, a dice and 21 checkers in an 2,300-year-old tomb. (Photo/China Cultural Relics)
(ECNS)-- Archaeologists have unearthed props for an ancient board game in a tomb dating back 2,300 years in Qingdao, Shandong Province.
The team discovered a broken game board, dice made of animal teeth, and 21 checkers labeled with numbers.
The dice has 14 facades, engraved with marks suggesting numbers from one to six.
The archaeologists said in a report that the game board was decorated with images of two eyes surrounded by symbols of clouds and lightening.
Experts believe the tomb belonged to ancient nobles, and that the objects found were used to play a board game called "Bo Xi", or "Liu Bo". Evidence suggests that the game was played as early as the Warring States Period (475BC-221BC), but was lost 1,500 years ago.
Archaeologists also found dozens of channels leading to the chamber of the tomb, suggesting that the grave may have been robbed.
