Games, toys and sports were indications of leisure in ancient Egypt because, during the three months of the inundation, Egyptian peasants, had plenty of leisure time with no work. These game pieces, found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, were used in one of the most popular games played by peasants as well as kings in Egypt. This was the Senet game; Senet means "passing." It was played by two persons on a board divided into squares, each player had an equal number of pieces and moves were determined by the four sticks called "throw-sticks" or by these two knuckle-bones called "astragals." The Senet game was not only found in tombs but was also depicted in wall paintings in private tomb chapels. The pictures show the deceased playing the game with a partner. It is not clear whether it was regarded simply as entertainment or as a symbolic contest intended to replicate the journey through the netherworld.
Source / Eternal Egypt