Ancient history

A short history of games of chance in the Middle East

From ancient dice and royal game boards to modern digital platforms, the Middle East's long relationship with games of chance reveals a timeless fascination with luck, fate and uncertainty.

“From ancient dice to modern apps, the Middle East's fascination with games of chance has endured for over four thousand years.”
People look at the newly acquired Tomb of Francois, a 4th-century BC masterpiece bought last month by Italy's Culture Ministry for 15 million euros, at the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia in Rome, Italy, June 30, 2026.

Frescos from famed Etruscan tomb go on display in Rome after multi-million euro purchase by Italy

"A historical overview of gambling in the Middle East, from ancient civilizations to modern regulation."

A historical overview of gambling in the Middle East

Mosaic showing Alexander the Great on a horse, June 25, 2026.

Turkey places site of Alexander the Great’s first battle with Persians under historic protection


Ancient shipwreck appears on Hoi An beach, dated by experts to 14th–16th century

Researchers say the 17m hybrid craft, found 400m from former Cẩm An ward office, is among Vietnam’s best-preserved underwater relics and will undergo urgent excavation.

Ancient shipwreck resurfaces on Hoi An beach, experts place vessel in fourteenth to sixteenth century.

5,000-year-old building found in Kani Shaie, Iraq, reshapes view of Uruk-era networks

Researchers say verifying the structure's monumentality could transform understanding of early Mesopotamian exchange, revealing how sites like Shaie linked distant regions.

Uruk, Iraq.

Ancient 5,000-year-old wine press and Canaanite ritual vessels found near Tel Megiddo

Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologists found first clear proof of early winemaking and folk worship outside the city, with offerings buried beside a rock altar along a 1.2 km excavation.

Ancient 5,000-year-old wine press and Canaanite ritual vessels found near Tel Megiddo.

Ancient 4,000-year-old limestone mural vanishes from 'cursed' Khentika tomb in Egyptian necropolis

A British mission working in the tomb discovered that a mural was missing in May, and officials only publicised the disappearance on Sunday.

A Limestone Relief. Illustration.

Crimean Neanderthal ochre crayon reveals earliest symbolic artistry

The shaped and reused crayons, engraved patterns, and tool marks suggest that some ochre materials were intentionally used for symbolic activities.

.

Celtic teenager buried face down in Dorset pit may reveal Iron Age human sacrifice

"This has the sense of a body thrown into a pit, with hands potentially tied," archaeologist Miles Russell said.

Celtic teenager buried face down in Dorset pit may reveal Iron Age human sacrifice.

Fossil of 99 million-year-old mosquito larva found in Myanmar amber

The fossil, called Cretosabethes primaevus, shared traits with modern mosquitoes. Scientists think it lived in small water pools in tree hollows or leaf axils during the Cretaceous period.

Fossil of 99 million year old mosquito larva found in Myanmar amber.

Bone tools and beads from 13,000 years ago unearthed in Direkli Cave, Turkey

Prof. Erek: "The differentiation of this tool industry and use of varied materials point to the period's industrial development."

An archaeologist cleans a found artifact in the form of bones with a brush. Historical reconstruction of archaeological research of the 19th century.

Foundation Rock Decoded: INAH Reveals Sixth-Century Maya Powerhouse Queen Ish Chak Ch'iena

During her reign, Ch'ak Ch'een oversaw construction of the Group D ballcourt, finished on December 8, 573, newly deciphered glyphs indicate.

The Temple of the Inscriptions in Palenque, Mexico, a magnificent stepped pyramid built around 690 AD and one of the most iconic structures of the ancient Maya civilization.

Oldest coin in Saxony: 2,200-year-old Celtic gold piece found near Leipzig

State archaeologist Smolnik presents the two-gram quarter stater, calling it the smallest find ever displayed and proof of the value of citizen-scientist cooperation.

Old Coin. Illustration.