The Griffith Institute
University of Oxford
Post-graduate volunteers working on an Archive project
Bookmark and Share
Portrait of Howard Carter

Name of the object: Tutoom board game.

Date: 1923.

Object information: Tutoom: Journey to the Treasure of Pharaoh board game, with 4 playing counters, two dice, 44.6 by 43.7 cm.

Archive number: TAA iii.34.

Image link: http://www.griffith.ox.ac.uk/learning/images/tutoom.jpg.

Background information: Tutoom is a board game is similar to the game of snakes-and-ladders. The Tutoom board is decorated with an ancient Egyptian scene. Tutoom is a made-up name using ‘Tutankhamun’ and ‘tomb’. When Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered people from all over the world were fascinated by everything connected with Tutankhamun and ancient Egypt. Many companies produced Tutankhamun themed items or decorated objects with ancient Egyptian designs, such as the Tutoom board game, as a way of making their products attractive to customers. An ancient board game called Senet was discovered in Tutankhamun’s tomb.


Activities

Object activities – describe what you can see on the board; discuss how you think the game was played; discuss why you think people would have wanted to buy a copy of this board game.

Extension activities – describe what you can see on the board; discuss how you think the game was played; discuss why you think people would have wanted to buy a copy of this board game.


Related objects:

Board game templates:
http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Create-your-own-Board-Games-6315552/

Top ten historical board games:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/top-10-historical-board-games

Senet board game:
https://www.wikihow.com/Play-Senet

Tuankhamun’s board game:
http://www.griffith.ox.ac.uk/gri/carter/345.html