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Image Credit: Penn et al., Libyan Studies (2026)
Medieval Gameboard in Morocco Reveals Early North African Gaming
A newly published archaeological study presents a rare medieval gameboard discovered in the hammam of Walīla, the Islamic-period settlement at Roman Volubilis in Morocco. The research offers important evidence for gaming, leisure, and social life in early medieval North Africa.
The board was carved into the top step of a cold plunge pool inside the hammam. The bathhouse belonged to an Idrisid-period complex built outside the Roman walls of Volubilis, most likely in the late 8th or 9th century CE. The hammam appears to have gone out of use by the 10th or 11th century, giving the gameboard a rare and relatively secure archaeological date.
The gameboard consists of three rows of shallow holes, with at least 13 holes in each row. A fourth, more irregular row may have been connected to scoring or may represent another unfinished or damaged board. The position of the board was highly visible, and there was enough space for two players to sit opposite each other on the steps while others used the bathhouse.
Researchers argue that the board was probably carved after the step had been placed in the hammam. Its location suggests that it was not a casual or hidden mark, but a purposeful addition to the building. This points to gaming as part of the hammam’s social use, not just a private activity.
The board’s layout may be linked to a game known today as tāb or sīg, a running-fight board game still played in parts of North Africa and the wider region. The researchers also considered mancala, but the small shallow holes and the three-row arrangement make tāb/sīg a better fit. If this identification is correct, the Walīla board may be the earliest known evidence for this game in North Africa.
The find is especially important because medieval gameboards are difficult to date. Many boards carved into stone at ancient sites are usually assumed to be Roman or late antique, because the surfaces were first laid in those periods. In this case, the hammam’s construction and abandonment provide a clearer date range for the board.
The discovery also connects Walīla to broader cultural networks. Similar gameboards are known from parts of the eastern Mediterranean and Arabia, and the Idrisid complex at Walīla shows several links with the Middle East. The presence of this board may therefore reflect the movement of games, people, and cultural practices across the early Islamic world.
Overall, the gameboard from Walīla shows that hammams were not only places for washing, but also spaces for social interaction and leisure. It adds a rare archaeological example to the history of games in medieval North Africa and helps illuminate everyday life in one of Morocco’s early Islamic settlements.
Published on: 15-06-2026
Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie
Source: Libyan Studies
