Untitled
Category
Toys
Date
1900 (circa)
Materials
Cardboard
Measurements
375 mm (Width); 375 mm (L)
Place of origin
Great Britain
Order this imageCollection
Dunham Massey, Cheshire
NT 937043
Summary
Snakes and Ladders board game with green and white squares and snakes in various colours. The cover is an orange/pink with a white, red, yellow and blue label. British manufacture.
Full description
The game is described as 'The Oriental Pastime of Snakes and Ladders' on the label, which features two figures in vaguely Asian-style clothing, and two snakes. Snakes and Ladders originated in ancient India where it was known as “Moksha Patamu”. The original game was designed to embrace the Hindu philosophies of Karma (करर), a causality based on good or bad deeds, and Samskara (ससंसकस्कार), which are ritual life events. In this British-produced version, some squares above and below a snake or ladder represent positive and negative human traits and the consequences of these, e.g. obedience and respect; covetousness and stealing.
Provenance
Stamford collection; devised to the National Trust by Roger Grey, 10th Earl of Stamford (1896-1976).
Marks and inscriptions
The board is heavily annotated with a pencil drawing of the board for a 'Steeplechase Game' (see 937046) as well as the odd drawing and annotation in ink.