Qal'at al-Bahrain ludique : deux jeux "mancala" des niveaux islamiques

International audienceFollowing the work of the Danish Expedition (1954-1966), the Islamic levels of the site of Qal'at al-Bahrain, dated between the 13th and the 16th centuries, were significantly excavated by two successive French teams under the direction of M. Kervran (1977-1988) and P. Lombard (since 1989). Two mancala game boards, in mortar and limestone, are presented in this contribution. They were discovered in 2014 during the dismantling of one of the most recent constructions of the site (c. 16th century), where they were reused as architectural elements. These two unusual artifacts allow a wider reflection on the chronology and characteristics of the Islamic occupation of the Qal'at al-Bahrain archaeological tell. During this historical phase of more than 300 years, civilian and military populations competed for this area that quickly became incompatible between the functions of residence and defense. The study of the two Qal'at al-Bahrain game boards also provides the opportunity to revisit the historical and archaeological traces of the mancala game, particularly in the Near East and the Arabian Peninsula, where these two artifacts remain quite isolated up to now