Painted Wooden Liubo Figurines, Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). Unearthed from Tomb No. 48 at Mozuizi, Xinhua, Liangzhou district, Wuwei, Gansu Province. Collection of Gansu Museum.

The set consists of a liubo game board and two elderly male figures kneeling on either side of the board.

Both wooden figurines are carved from single blocks of wood, standing approximately 28 centimetres tall. A square black game board painted with white liubo layout patterns sits between them.

The wooden figure on the left of the board curls his legs beneath his body, resting his right hand on his knee and stretching out his left hand. His gaze stares straight ahead, as if responding to his opponent on the right or courteously inviting him to start the game.

The elder figure kneeling on the right extends his right arm forward. He holds a rectangular game piece between his thumb and index finger, with the other three fingers outstretched, poised to place the piece on the board.

Liubo was a popular dice-driven board game in the Han Dynasty. It took its name from the six bamboo casting sticks, or bozhu, used for gameplay. After the Western Han established the Four Commanderies of Hexi, the liubo game spread to the northwest regions.