This book contains descriptions of sixty board games, drawn from an immense range of history - from 3000 BC through to the turn of the nineteenth century. Accounts of these games have been gleaned from archaeological reports, traveler's tales, anthropological studies and foreign-language accounts of games, translated into English for the first time. Using the detailed text and fifty-nine diagrams it is possible for the reader to construct their own boards and pieces and enjoy hours of play. Perfect for toy and game collectors, this book can also bring something different to family occasions - instead of the usual board games, why not play a number game that was once popular among the intelligentsia of the middle ages?