Papers by Phillip Robinson
Board games are particularly well represented in the archaeological record of ancient Egypt. Thei... more Board games are particularly well represented in the archaeological record of ancient Egypt. Their connections with ancient Egyptian religion means there are also references to gaming in religious texts and funerary artwork. Games by their very nature have a social element to them, they usually require more than one player and are often played with friends or family. When religion and ritual is attached to such games they can take on magical properties. In ancient Egypt this could be your ticket to the underworld or even a system which allowed communication with the dead.
Games can be used to provide a valuable tool for analysing all manner of social interactions. The... more Games can be used to provide a valuable tool for analysing all manner of social interactions. Their structured rules enforce a particular guided type of involvement and set of social exchanges during play. Games can be observed as a small-scale artificial society with a dynamic structure and hierarchy which changes at an accelerated rate. As a brief example I will be taking a key concept of Social Anthropology, that of “gift giving” and using it to provide a brief analysis of side trading in Monopoly. Monopoly is a particularly suitable example as the game is based on economics and property ownership, two meaningful elements in virtually every society and cultural group. The purpose of this short paper is not to provide an in-depth analysis but to observe how easily games can be used for social study.
Articles by Phillip Robinson
A magazine column for Tabletop Gamer Magazine on the history of board games. Each edition I take ... more A magazine column for Tabletop Gamer Magazine on the history of board games. Each edition I take a look at a different game. This was the second edition about Dungeons & Dragons board game Dragonlance.
A magazine column for Tabletop Gamer Magazine on the history of board games. Each edition I take ... more A magazine column for Tabletop Gamer Magazine on the history of board games. Each edition I take a look at a different game. This was the first edition about HeroQuest.
Newsletters by Phillip Robinson
Covering the exhibition at Warrington Museum & Art Gallery, Lytham Arts Festival and some interes... more Covering the exhibition at Warrington Museum & Art Gallery, Lytham Arts Festival and some interesting Tomb Raider goodies.
In this issue, you'll find information about our events this year, an update on items entering ou... more In this issue, you'll find information about our events this year, an update on items entering our archive, and details of our latest acquisitions.
Issue 2 - February 2015 - Snakes and Ladders
In this issue, you'll find Snakes & Ladders, an u... more Issue 2 - February 2015 - Snakes and Ladders
In this issue, you'll find Snakes & Ladders, an update on items entering our archive, and some clues on identifying a first edition, first print run of Cluedo.
Issue 1 - November 2014 - Our first newsletter
In this issue, you'll find our statement of pur... more Issue 1 - November 2014 - Our first newsletter
In this issue, you'll find our statement of purpose and information on why we're creating the museum. You can also read about our recent acquisitions: The Courtship Game (c.1815), Bull & Bear PIT (1919) and SORRY (1929).
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Papers by Phillip Robinson
Articles by Phillip Robinson
Newsletters by Phillip Robinson
In this issue, you'll find Snakes & Ladders, an update on items entering our archive, and some clues on identifying a first edition, first print run of Cluedo.
In this issue, you'll find our statement of purpose and information on why we're creating the museum. You can also read about our recent acquisitions: The Courtship Game (c.1815), Bull & Bear PIT (1919) and SORRY (1929).
In this issue, you'll find Snakes & Ladders, an update on items entering our archive, and some clues on identifying a first edition, first print run of Cluedo.
In this issue, you'll find our statement of purpose and information on why we're creating the museum. You can also read about our recent acquisitions: The Courtship Game (c.1815), Bull & Bear PIT (1919) and SORRY (1929).