Others have disputed this theory, pointing to the fact that some of the holes at Al Jassasiya are too small to hold any of the stones, while others can be found on slopes – an impractical choice that would have resulted in the counters falling out.
Further suggestions include the cup formations being used in some way for divination; or for the sorting and storage of pearls; or as systems to compute the time and tides.
So, what were they actually for and what do they mean?
“It is very difficult to answer,” Sakal, who also does not side with the board-game theory, acknowledged.
“We have no direct clues about the motifs used in Al Jassasiya.
“In my opinion, they might have a ritual meaning and function, which is very old so that it cannot be explained ethnographically.”
