The Royal Game of Ur is board game of the Sumerian civilization (dynasty of Ur, ± 2600 BC). Game boards like these were first discovered in the twenties of the twentieth century by archaeologist Sir Leonard Wooley, in contemporary Southeast Iraq. Because they were all found in tombs of wealthy Sumerians, the game boards are supposed to accompany the dead on their way to the other world. It is assumed that this game is one of the forefathers of Backgammon: no written rules were found, but they were derived from the images on the game boards and other archaeological finds. See also: The Masonic Lobby.
