African Historical Links to the Invention of Chess: An Analysis

Chess, widely referred to as a game of strategy and intelligence, has long been attributed to India and Persia. However, there is compelling evidence that Africa, more particularly Ancient Egypt and Nubia, played a crucial role in the invention of the game. The history of strategic board games in Africa predates recorded chess history and provides insight into the continent's role in its invention.

ANCIENT AFRICAN STRATEGIC BOARD GAMES

Several African societies had board games with dramatic similarity to chess. One such game is Ancient Egyptian game Senet, created approximately 3100 BCE. According to Murray (1913), "Senet was not merely a game but a spiritual and intellectual exercise, symbolizing the journey of the soul through the afterlife." This is proof that rational thinking and planned movement in board games existed in Africa long before the known evolution of chess in India (Murray, 1913).

Yet another African board game, Alquerque, which later evolved into Draughts or Checkers, was noted in North Africa dating as far as the 10th century. Murray (1952) also identifies that "the rules and strategies in Alquerque show elements of calculated foresight similar to chess." Such evidence supports the evidence that Africa was a cradle for strategy board games that influenced the global evolution of chess.


EGYPTIAN INFLUENCE ON CHESS

Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and murals in tombs depict humans playing grid board games with ranked pieces. Ancient Egyptians played Mehen on a circular board, which was connected with strategic playing, which according to some academics was the motivation behind later games involving planning. Finkel, a historian (1995), states, "Mehen and Senet are predecessors of numerous board games calling for strategy, including chess, as they represent systematic movement and goal-oriented playing."

ETHIOPIA AND SENTEREJ: A CHESS VARIANT

Ethiopia's *senterej*, a variant of chess that has been played since at least the 6th century CE, provides positive evidence of African contact with chess. Introduced through Aksumite trade relations with the Byzantine world and the Islamic world, *senterej* inherited Middle Eastern rules but added local flavor. The game retains Persian-derived terminology (e.g., *ferz* for queen) but uses distinctive piece shapes, such as cylindrical *shahi* (kings) made from ebony or ivory.

 

As W. J. T. Mitchell (2012) asserts: 

"Senterej is a model of transculturation: a Persian game transmuted into African art and imagination, introducing chess into the courts and religious myths of Ethiopia." (Mitchell, 2012, p. 143).

Ethiopian manuscripts such as the 14th-century 'Kebra Nagast' even mythicize chess as a divine contest, identifying it with Solomonic wisdom.


AFRICAN SCHOLARS AND CHESS DEVELOPMENT

When the Islamic empire spread to Africa, scholars in Timbuktu and other learning centers engaged in strategy board games like chess. Arab visitors like Al-Masudi reported encounters with African players who demonstrated mastery of strategy board games, implying that the games had deep cultural roots in African society. As Kasparav (2007) argues, "It is a misconception to isolate chess to a single cultural origin, as the game reflects the confluence of strategic traditions from diverse civilizations, including African contributions."

 

DEBATES ON AFRICAN AGENCY IN CHESS'S EVOLUTION

Academics like Cheikh Anta Diop (1974) argue for deeper African contributions, arguing that chess's emphasis on hierarchical warfare represented Sahelian statecraft:

 

"The military structure of the Mali and Songhai empires—kings, cavalry, and infantry—is reflected in the organization of chess, indicating a two-way exchange of ideas across the Sahara." (Diop, 1974, p. 212).

 

However, critics like Marilyn Yalom (2004) are cautious about hyperbole, noting the lack of direct archaeological evidence linking pre-Islamic African games to the formal rules of chess.

 

While chess is commonly attributed to India and Persia, it is evident that Africa significantly contributed to its development through earlier strategic board games. From Ancient Egyptian Senet to the intellectual heritage of African philosophers, Africa played a pivotal part in developing the cognitive culture present in chess today. The founding of these roots negates Eurocentric accounts and confirms Africa's intellectual legacy in world history among board games.

References

• Finkel, I. (1995). Ancient Board Games in Perspective. British Museum Press.

• Kasparov, G. (2007). How Life Imitiates Chess. Bloomsbury Publishing.

• Murray, H. J. R. (1913). A History of Chess. Oxford University Press.

• Murray, H. J. R. (1952). A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Oxford University Press.

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