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Image Credit: Leiden University
AI Reveals Rules of a Roman Era Board Game Found in the Netherlands
Researchers have reconstructed the rules of an ancient board game carved into a limestone slab discovered in the Dutch city of Heerlen, showing that this type of game was played during the Roman period—several centuries earlier than previously believed.
The stone, measuring about 21 by 14.5 centimeters, was found in the ground in Heerlen in the late 19th or early 20th century. In Roman times, the city was known as Coriovallum. The artifact is now housed in the Roman Museum Heerlen. Its surface features a rectangular playing area marked by diagonal and straight lines, with wear patterns suggesting repeated use.
Microscopic analysis and high-resolution 3D scans revealed subtle differences in wear depth along the carved lines, indicating where playing pieces were most frequently moved. The carefully finished edges of the slab suggest it was a completed object rather than a reused or unfinished stone. Based on these observations, the board is dated to approximately 1,500–1,700 years ago.
To understand how the game was played, researchers combined archaeological evidence with artificial intelligence. Using an AI-driven simulation system developed at Maastricht University, virtual players tested different rule sets derived from known ancient European games. The simulations showed that the wear patterns best match a category known as “blocking games,” in which players aim to restrict their opponent’s movement.
Until now, such blocking games were thought to have emerged only in the Middle Ages. The Heerlen stone therefore demonstrates that this form of gameplay was already present in Roman times. Published in Antiquity, the study also highlights how combining AI with traditional archaeological methods can open new paths for identifying and understanding games from the ancient world.
Published on: 10-02-2026
Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie
Source: Phys.org