One of the oldest board games in history, Mancala derives its name from the Arabic word ‘Naqala’, meaning, ‘to move’. Boateng interpreted the traditional board and pieces (always 48 in the game, a ...

Oware is considered the oldest Mancala board game in the world. Dating back centuries to ancient Africa, specifically the Ashanti tribe in Ghana, Mancala is one of the most commonly known board ...

It’s thought that the game was later introduced to East Africa by Arabian traders, with Mancala boards from around 700 CE having been identified in Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Mancala boards carved in the rock in Ethiopia, during the Antiquity or the Middle Ages | photo Indech on Wikimedia Commons. Dating the site is challenging due to the age of the rock, but it is ...