Board with chips or calculi

Board with chips or calculi

The whole set is made of dark grey slate with some brown spots; has roughly square shape but with irregular edges and has marked an imperfect grid, made with incisions on the stone.

With the "board" are exposed 19 of the stone chips recovered so far in the castro.

With the name of tabula lusoria or tabula latrunculata the games of intelligence and strategy of Roman era are known. In this castro, two boards of this type are documented, one of which is almost complete, with an incised reticule, with an irregular but clearly marked trace, on which were available the chips or calculi, also carved in the same type of stone, while at other times these chips were pieces of pottery or other more singular stones. Thus, the inhabitants of the Galician village of Viladonga could entertain themselves with a game similar to that of the checkers or the "thief" (hence the name latrunculata).

Material 
Slate
Cultural context 
Gallaecian Roman
Measurements (cm) 
36,5 x 32,5  

Location

  • Viladonga, 27259 - Castro de Rei (Lugo)
    Galicia, España
    N 43º 09' 38.97" W 7º 23' 19.32"
  • 982 870 160
  • museo.viladonga@xunta.gal

Cofinanciado polo Fondo Europeo de Desenvolvemento Rexional