![LEGEND: The slave-trade was a powerful force that disrupted African civilization worldwide. However, we see that history has preserved for
us evidence of the nature of Africans before slavery. In 4th MBC Naqada I in Egypt [1], the 3rd MBC Nubia and Egypt [2], late 3rd MBC Ur III
of Mesopotamia [3], late 3rd MBC Mohenjo Daro in the Indus Valley [4], 15th century AD Morocco [6], and the middle of the 1st MBC Etrusca
that where intellectually involved board games were played were African populations [1a, b; 2a, b; 3a, b; 4a, b; 7a, b, c]. The oldest known
representation of a board, senet, game harkens back to Naqada I in Egypt 5500 years ago [1]. It arrested the attention of great leaders of
people as Queen Nefertari herself is shown playing senet [5] and Achilles, portrayed as African, the great hero of Homer’s Iliad and the
Odyessy himself is shown on an urn playing what some call Owari [pic. 7]. There was a broad variety of games as dice were used 5000
years ago in Nubia [2]; nearly 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia [3]; and played 5000 years ago in the Indus Valley which had at the time an
African population as pictures 4a and b show. From childern [8, 11], to women [5, 6, 9], men, the community at large [10, 11, 13] and the
leaders themselves [5, 6, 7, 13], and across the ocean as well in even Barbados [12] the intellectual pursuit that preceded slavery and
endured it has, as part 1 explores, likely given birth to chess as an African legacy to the world [consider 6 and its background: 1 - 7].
Finally, that board games spread worldwide from Africa might be considered in exploring the links below showing that along with board
games worldwide also are found 1. pyramids, 2. common burials, 3. common ships, 4. combs, and 5. common rock art...art, art history, Paul Marc Washington, paleoneolithic@yahoo.com](59-12-02.jpg)
Is the board game found around the world an example of a single worldwide culture (that accompanied it) with a seemingly common point of origin that became dispersed? Consider these six material markers or "artefacts" comprising a common kultural toolkit in the ages largely preceding what we call history:
1) The dug-out canoe click.
2) Common hair care products – the comb click .
3) Pyramids click.
4) Neolithic pottery burials click .
5) Board games part 1 click .
6) Rock art click.
7) Spindles, whorls: Click.