Description

Set of 5 sheep ankle bones (called Shagai in Mongolia) with cotton pouch. Typically 4 bones are rolled at a time for fortune telling but a 5th is included in our set as a spare. When rolled as a type of primitive dice, each bone can land in 1 of 4 positions – the sheep, horse, goat, or camel.

These specific bones and pouches were both sourced directly from Mongolia. Scientifically, they are called the astragalus bone but often called Knucklebones.

Shagai are used in various traditional games and fortune telling ceremonies all throughout Central Asia. Different combinations of positions represent different answers to questions posed.

The bones are often collected and exchanged as tokens of friendship.

During Naadam (a traditional annual festival in Mongolia) tournaments of various games are played using the Shagai. They may be tossed, flicked, rolled, used as targets, and much more. They are also often used in Kyrgyzstan along with a wooden board.

These are natural bones and are cleaned by boiling with mild detergents and some gentle brushing. Some small bits of cartilage may remain in the various small nooks and crannies.