Congkak

Congkak is the Malay-language name for a mancala sowing game played across Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and southern Thailand on a carved wooden boat-shaped board. Two players sow seeds counter-clockwise, one per hole, and a seed landing in the player's own store earns another turn, while landing in an empty hole opposite an opponent's filled hole allows a capture. It is closely related to the Philippine game Sungka, which follows identical rules under a different regional name; the atlas carries an open question on the precise relationship between the two names and traditions. The oldest known mancala boards were found in a ruined fort in Roman-era Egypt dating to the fourth century AD, and the family likely reached Southeast Asia via ancient Austronesian trading routes, though no securely dated point of entry is known.