Checkers Goes Back to Ancient Egypt

1912
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ANCIENT GAME OF CHECKERS

Board made in 3766 B. C. Is Found In Egypt.

Manchester Guardian.

G. H. Limbrey of London, the secretary of the English draughts association, in a lecture at the rooms of the Manchester draughts club, traced the game back to ancient Egypt, and was of opinion that it was in that country that it had its origin.

He pointed out that Egyptologists had discovered many references to the game not only in old papyrus, but by actual boards and men which had been excavated from the ruins of the old Egyptian cities.

Mr. Limbrey illustrated his lecture by means of watercolor sketches and photographs of draught boards and men which are to be found in the British Museum, London, and included one which has lately been received in the collection and was found by Professor Flinders Petrie.

This board, which belonged to the fourth dynasty, 3766 B. C., is the oldest draught board extant. The lecturer also showed that the game was popular in ancient Greece and Rome and expressed the opinion that the Roman legionaries had been the means of spreading the game over the greater part of Europe, even as far north as Scandinavia and Iceland.

--Lincoln Evening News, Lincoln, Nebraska, January 20, 1912, page 11.