Mehen (game)

[4] In Cyprus, it sometimes appears on the opposite side of the same stone as senet, and those from Sotira Kaminoudhia, dating to approximately 2250 BC, are the oldest surviving double-sided boards known.

[5] Mehen survived in Cyprus longer than in Egypt, showing that the game was indigenized upon its adoption into the island's culture.

From archaeological evidence, the game seems to have been played with lion- or lioness-shaped pieces, in sets of three or as many as six, and a few small spheres (marbles or balls).

The rules and gameplay of Mehen are not recorded, but it seems likely that it was a race game and the objective was to move pieces along the snake track from the tail to the head.

[7] A study published in 2024 analyzed the possibilities for game-play in detail and showed that the mechanism for moving pieces around the board was probably "marble guessing".

One example of Mehen