The Game of 58 Holes
A peg game about 4,000 years old, with boards found in Mesopotamia and across the ancient Near East. Each player races their pegs from the bottom of the board to the big hole at the top.
How to play
- Each player has a track of 29 holes, racing to the big hole at the top.
- Throw four sticks: the number of marked sides is how far you move; if none are marked, move 5.
- Move one peg per throw. Two of your pegs can’t share a hole.
- The lines are shortcuts: land on hole 6 to jump to 20, and on 8 to jump to 10.
- You must reach the big hole with an exact throw. The first to bring all pegs home wins.
The original rules have not survived, so these are rules proposed by researchers. Boards for this game have been found in Iraq, including at the city of Assur, and a 2024 study suggested the game originated in south-west Asia.
