Small carved round 'stick' surmounted with a jackal head (with wig). The other end has broken off, but likely would have tapered to a fine point. This is a gaming piece used in a game known as 'Hounds and Jackals' ('Shen'), and would have sat in a board with 58 holes. Although this example is made from wood, other peg examples are known from materials such as silver, gold, and ivory such as an example from a 12th Dynasty tomb (MMA 26.7.1287a–k). Such games are known to have been deposited in tombs. The ears have broken off the head of this example.
Gamepiece, jackal head
Height: 12.3 cm
Width: 1.4 cm
Method of acquisition: Given (1943) by Gayer-Anderson, Robert Grenville
Accession number: E.GA.2689.1943
Primary reference Number: 57104
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Antiquities
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Game piece" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/57104 Accessed: 2025-12-29 23:15:07
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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/57104
|title=Game piece
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-29 23:15:07|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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