Druid Grave Unearthed in the UK?

[Dover]

The description of the board game discovered in the grave (for divination?) fascinated me, so I've listed some sites about ancient board games as well. Anybody know anything about board games relative to the Druids or their use as divination tools?


Druid Grave Unearthed in U.K.?.............


Digging for History Feb. 11, 2008 -- Historical records tell of a mystical, priestly and learned class of elite individuals called Druids among Celtic societies in Britain, but there has been no archaeological evidence of their existence. Until, perhaps, now.

A series of graves found in a gravel quarry at Stanway near Colchester, Essex, have been dated to 40-60 A.D. At least one of the burials, it appears, may have been that of a Druid, according to a report published in British Archaeology.

Mike Pitts is the journal's editor and an archaeologist. He studied classical Greek and Roman texts that mention the Druids in early France and Britain. The most detailed description, Pitts found, dates to 55 B.C. and comes from Roman military and political leader Julius Caesar.

"Druids, he says, were prestigious ritual specialists who performed human sacrifices, acted as judges in disputes, were excused action in battle and taught the transmigration of souls -- when you die, your soul is passed on to another living being," Pitts told Discovery News.

Other historians link the Druids to soothsaying and healing practices.

Within the wooden, chambered burial site, researchers have excavated a wine warmer, cremated human remains, a cloak pinned with brooches, a jet bead, divining rods (for fortune-telling), a series of surgical instruments, a strainer bowl last used to brew Artemisia-containing tea, a board game carefully laid out with pieces in play, as well as other objects...cont'd

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/02/11/druid-grave.html





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Board-Games And Divination In Global Cultural History.............

http://www.shikanda.net/ancient_models/gen3/mankala/mankala1.htm

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Board games have been played in most cultures and societies throughout history; some even pre-date literacy skill development in the earliest civilizations. A number of important historical sites, artifacts and documents exist which shed light on early board games. Some of these include:

**Senet has been found in Predynastic and First Dynasty burials of Egypt, c. 3500 BC and 3100 BC respectively.<1> Senet is the oldest board game known to have existed, having been pictured in a fresco found in Merknera's tomb (3300-2700 BC).<2>
** Mehen is another ancient board game from Predynastic Egypt.
** Go is an ancient strategic board game originating in China
** Patolli is a board game originating in mesoamerica and played by the ancient mayans.
** The Royal Tombs of Ur contained, among others, the Royal Game of Ur. They were excavated by Leonard Woolley, but his books document little on the games found. Most of the games he excavated are now housed in the British Museum in London.
** Buddha games list is the earliest known list of games.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Board_game

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http://www.nabataea.net/games3.html

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