Elsewhere in the world, hieroglyphics in the tomb of Merknera (3300–2700 BC) in Egypt depict ancient games, and traces of board games have even been found at archaeological sites in Mesopotamia and Greece. Clearly, board games have a long history, cutting across time and geography.

We find references to dice games between the Kauravas and Pandavas in the epic Mahabharata. The game decided the fate of kingdoms, and it is generally accepted that it was a game of Pacheesi or Chaupar.

References to board games have also been found the Rig Veda (written around 300 BCE), which has the Aksha Sukta, a 14-verse hymn, dedicated to a game of dice. The Skanda Purana, dated to the 7th century CE, mentions a game of dice played between Shiva and Parvati.