When we talk about the mill game, everyone immediately thinks of the mill we used to play with our grandmother. The fact that there are many different variants of this tactical game is certainly new to some players. This family of games also includes a star mill, a sun mill, the Armenian mill and this Roman mill
The Roman mill is the smallest version of the well-known mill game and was already known thousands of years ago, as numerous finds prove. For example, a round mill playing field was discovered on the roof of the temple of Kurna (built around 1400 BC). However, the playing field may also have been carved into the roof stone at a later date. The game seems to have been very popular among all social classes, especially among the Romans.
Both a three- and a nine-player mill are carved into the stone. Unfortunately, it is not known how mill was played at the time and how the game spread. Mill plans have also been found in Troy, but without being able to date them precisely. The Irish were already familiar with milling in the Bronze Age, as grave finds in Bri Chualann in Wicklow prove.
The so-called ‘Yih’ is a variant of the mill game among the Chinese, who knew it from around 551 BC and is a simple version of the mill. Ovid (43 BC - 18 AD) also mentioned the mill in his erotic poem ‘Ars amatoria’. The mill game was particularly popular with Roman legionaries, as evidenced by various finds in Limes fortresses. Both the nine-hole mill and the so-called round or wheel mill were favoured by Roman warriors. The double mill soon appeared in Germany. A gravestone in the crypt of St Wiperti's Church in Quedlinburg is engraved with two game plans. This chapel was built in the 9th century. Even the emperor's chair in Aachen Minster is said to have a mill plan.
The Vikings also passed the time with mills. When a burial mound near Gokstadt (Sandefjord) was opened in 1880, fragments of a wooden mill board (ca. 900 AD) were found among the possessions of the king buried here.
Our board games are burnt onto leather, making them durable. And the game almost packs itself for transport. All you have to do is press the game down slightly in the centre of the playing field with one finger, pull the string and the game has packed itself away. It should stay that way for transport. So all you have to do now is push the bead up to the bag that has just formed and the game is packed ready for travelling. The games can be used in this way on hikes, on bike tours, in the car or even on long flights. The games are packed so small that the pocket of a jacket is sufficient to take this pleasant form of entertainment with you.
Languages: DE, FR, IT, EN
Players: 2
Contents: 1 leather playing field, 4 glass playing pieces each + 1 replacement
Warning: Caution! Not suitable for children under 3 years of age. Small parts that may be a choking hazard.
Choking hazard!
Playing field size: 16 cm
