These seeds were used for playing a board game called mancala, which is played in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, parts of South America, and the Middle East.

Mancala boards are most often made from wood, but can also be made from clay, pottery, animal dung, metal, or ivory. Seeds are usually used as counters, but cowrie shells, little stones, pottery fragments, clay balls, or marbles can also be used. Mancala is often in fact played without a board, with holes simply scooped out of the ground to create a playing surface.

View database record 1922.23.81 .2-.52