Archaeologists have uncovered two ancient Liubo game boards carved into ordinary bricks inside nearly 2,000-year-old Han Dynasty tombs in northwest China. The rare discovery sheds new light on one of ancient China’s best-known board games and offers new insights into everyday life during the Han Dynasty.
Researchers found the engraved boards in tombs M4 and M17 while excavating the Chang’an campus of Shaanxi Normal University in Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province. The excavation took place in 2022, but the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology publicly released the findings in July 2026.
Excavation uncovers well-preserved Han cemetery
The excavation began in April 2022 before construction of new student dormitories in the southeastern part of the university campus.
Archaeologists uncovered 25 tombs and two ash pits across the site. Ten of the burials were identified as well-preserved Han Dynasty tombs that had largely escaped looting and later disturbance.
The cemetery included three types of tombs. Some featured earthen chambers reached through vertical shafts. Others had earthen chambers connected by sloping passageways. Researchers also uncovered a brick-built chamber tomb. The burials date from the late Western Han Dynasty to the late Eastern Han Dynasty, spanning roughly the first century BCE to the second century CE.
About 130 artifacts, or groups of artifacts, were recovered from the tombs. The burial goods included pottery vessels, bronze mirrors, iron tools, coins, and miniature models of granaries, wells, and stoves.
Brick boards offer a rare Liubo discovery
Among the discoveries, two Liubo game boards stood out. Unlike most previously known Liubo boards, which were crafted from lacquered wood or stone, these examples were engraved directly onto square bricks.
Archaeologists in China have uncovered two rare Liubo game boards carved into ordinary bricks inside nearly 2,000-year-old Han Dynasty tombs in Xi'an.
The discovery offers new insight into one of ancient China's most popular board games and shows recreation and daily life. pic.twitter.com/eXPh7AX87j
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) July 16, 2026
One was carved on a plain brick, while the other reused a brick decorated with a geometric fret pattern. Both display the distinctive layout associated with the ancient game.
Researchers believe the brick boards may have served as simplified or symbolic versions of traditional Liubo equipment. However, it remains unclear whether they were used during the owners’ lifetimes or produced specifically for burial.
Ancient game mixed strategy and chance
Liubo, commonly translated as “six sticks” or “six rods,” was one of the most popular board games in ancient China. Two players competed on a square board marked with a symmetrical pattern of lines.
Archaeological evidence suggests each player controlled six pieces. Movement was likely determined by throwing sticks or dice, while additional counters may have been used for scoring. Researchers believe the game combined strategy, chance, and gambling, although its full rules remain unknown.
Historical records and archaeological discoveries show that Liubo was widely played during the Han Dynasty by both elites and ordinary people. Tomb sculptures and ceramic figurines frequently depict two players seated across a game board, suggesting it was a familiar part of daily social life.
Although some scholars have proposed that Liubo influenced the later development of Xiangqi, or Chinese chess, no direct link has been confirmed. Researchers regard Liubo as a separate game with its own board design, playing pieces and rules.
Discovery adds to the history of Liubo
Liubo boards and playing pieces have previously been recovered from Han Dynasty tombs across China, reflecting the custom of placing objects linked to everyday life, entertainment and social status inside graves.
One of the best-preserved examples comes from the third Mawangdui tomb in Changsha, where archaeologists discovered a complete lacquered game set with ivory playing pieces, throwing rods and an 18-sided die.
The newly discovered boards from Xi’an are far simpler than those luxury sets. Their importance lies in the unusual choice of material. Instead of expensive lacquer or stone, ordinary building bricks were carefully transformed into recognizable game boards before being placed in the tombs.
Cemetery traces changing burial traditions
The cemetery also documents changing burial traditions over about 200 years. Variations in pottery, coins and tomb architecture allowed researchers to trace how funerary customs evolved through the Han period.
One brick-built tomb, identified as M18, contained two wooden coffins. Researchers believe the chamber was enlarged when the second burial was added, showing that some Han tombs were modified and reused over time.
Together, the discoveries offer more than evidence of ancient burial customs. The simple brick game boards preserve a rare reminder of recreation, social life and personal identity in Han Dynasty China, keeping alive traces of a game whose complete rules have long been lost.
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