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Creative Roots is our latest programme to celebrate the rich diversity of Iraqi cultural heritage, whilst digging deeper into art history and cultural studies. Over the next year, we will be inviting you to join activities to explore stories, artefacts, and art, so make sure you're following us! The first day to come along and play is Friday 6th September, at The Station Foundation for Entrepreneurship - sign up now to be part of the Mesopotamian game revival!
When was the last time you picked up a board game? Chances are that you have played something that has its origins deep in ancient Mesopotamia - the birthplace of writing, civilisation, and board games! (Re)introducing The Royal Game of Ur, a curious and addictive board game that was played by Mesopotamian nobility and across the social spectrum. A two player game that sees you battle to get your pieces off the board before the other!
If you are looking to find the originals, head to the Iraqi national museum where you can see some incredibly ornate and different designs on display - just head to the Sumerian galleries and look at where games all began! If you're outside Iraq, the most famous examples can be found at the British Museum, and more can be found at the Penn Museum in the US. The examples depict geometric patterns, mythological beasts and made from semi-precious materials that highlight how Mesopotamia was at the heart of a vast trading network. It was so popular it was played across the Eastern Mediterranean with examples being found in Egypt, Cyprus, and Palestine. These richly decorated versions may have been for the wealthy, but we can find others simply scratched into stone as seen at the foot of the Lamassu doorways at Khorsabad from Nineveh, we can imagine soldiers bored one night just playing to pass the time. It seems that the game is was for everyone.
On a closer inspection of the boards, we can see images and symbols that resonate today connecting modern design traditions way back to ancient Mesopotamia. You may be drawn to the five flower, or rosette, squares that have a protective power in the game. Floral patterns today can be seen everywhere, and it was no different in Mesopotamia - the ones depicted remind us of those seen on the glazed tiles from Babylon, or that are depicted on bracelets from ancient Assyrian reliefs. Looking at squares that feature eyes, it reminds us of ancient statues from Mesopotamia, huge oval eyes that have inspired modern Iraqi artists such as Jawad Salim, Suad Al Attar, and Mohammed Ghani Hikmet. It is a symbol that has taken on different meanings across the region either as a protective or evil icon that has spread culturally to many parts of the world. The significance of these patterns went on to have an important role in the Game of Ur, some taking on a spiritual meaning allowing players to interpret their future and fate, whilst others used them as a form of gambling - the winner (or loser) gaining property or items, or paying for the beer. Was this the first case of gambling in written history?
But what about the rules, how do we know how to play it? Luckily, Dr Irving Finkel of the British Musuem was able to translate the Babylonian explanation of the rules into English, which has now been translated into countless languages, in a conversation with Creative Iraq's director, Ashley Barlow, he highlighted how it also had alternative names such as Pack of Dogs, "We can imagine them howling like dogs when they won or landed on specific squares." Dr Finkel is passionate about the game and when presented with a copy of Fawaz Al Saffar's version, made in Iraq, he emphasised his happiness that people in Iraq get to play in their own country with a copy made by Iraqis for Iraqis.
If you want to try it from the comfort of your own home, there a couple of Iraqi's making it possible for you. Whilst many exist online thanks to cheap Chinese production, or indeed massively overpriced at the British Museum shop, but there are some groundbreaking Iraqis who are making it possible for you to play at home whilst directly supporting creative Iraqis. Fawaz Al Saffar has been making local copies for a few years and has begun shipping internationally through Creative Iraq's shipping services. "It is important that as Iraqis we have a sense of ownership of our history, and through games, we can bring that to life!" Fawaz tells us - his beautifully packaged games can be found at sales points such as The Station, so pick up a copy for 35,000 IQD at The Station or Makers IQ and take it home and challenge your friends to see who will be the next champion of Ur! Tag @creativeiraqconsulting to show us who is winning!
The legacy of the game is being transferred into the digital realm through the efforts of young Iraqis such as Mohammed Al Hamid. Mohammed is an experienced game developer and has been working to create a digital version of the game. "It's the first game in the world, and as such, it should have Iraqi skills involved. There is a version made by a french studio, but the iconography uses Egyptian styles, that's not fair,' Mohammed told us. "It's a sense of responsibility as I feel a sense of pride and ownership in my Mesopotamian identity and civilisation, it's disrespectful to use misinformation." Mohammed, based in Nasiriyah, close to the ancient city of Ur has been working for many years on designing games and saw considerable interest in his previous launch 'Tantal,' inspired by the stories of a mythological monster from the Mesopotamian marshlands. "There is a beauty of the marshlands, and a shared nostalgia for stories that we all heard, this inspired me to use my cultural heritage as a part of my gaming development. There is so much potential through gameplay, to entertain and to teach, just like animation. It promotes a soft power that redefines how people see us, especially in the video game industry. Some say it's not important, but they don't understand its value." The Royal Game of Ur is available for Android here and will be coming very soon to Apple, and for those looking to explore Tantal, download here! Mohammed told us that there are huge challenges to navigate, "there is a huge community here, but supportive legislation is ignored, and some global corporations limit their options for Iraqis. Being able to monetise our work is a challenge, and doesn't incentivise people to design games." With these major challenges, there is a lost opportunity to promote Iraqi creativity to global audiences in multi-billion dollar industry.
Creative Iraq would like to thank The Station for their support not only in this event, but for also their commitment to young entrepreneurs like Fawaz and Mohammed who seek out heritage as a means for development. "Iraqi youth have a passion for their past," said Fahad Al-Duri, "innovation here is millenia old. In essence, the Game of Ur represents a creative, connected world that our community are driving towards."
And finally, don't forget our Creative Roots programme will be hosting its first of three days of gaming in Baghdad on Friday 6th September 2024, Babylon, and Nasiriyah for you to come and learn all about the game's history, the art and design, as well as some hidden facts before you take on the challenge and play head to head at our venues. This will be a limited ticketed event so stay sign up and come on down for the biggest Game of Ur day for 1000s of years! Getting your hands on with culture is the best way to it! Creative Roots is part of TARII’s Heritage Grant Program with funding from the JM Kaplan Fund in collaboration with Creative Iraq.
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