Board game
Board games have been played in most cultures and societies throughout history. A number of important historical sites, artifacts, and documents shed light on early board games such as Jiroft civilization gameboards in Iran. Senet, found in Predynastic and First Dynasty burials of Egypt, c. 3500 BC and 3100 BC respectively, is the oldest board game known to have existed. Senet was pictured in a fresco found in Merknera's tomb (3300–2700 BC). Also from predynastic Egypt is Mehen.
Real-time strategy
In the United Kingdom, the earliest real-time strategy games are "Stonkers" by John Gibson, published in 1983 by Imagine Software for the ZX Spectrum, and "Nether Earth" for ZX Spectrum in 1987. In North America, the oldest game retrospectively classified as real-time strategy by several sources is "The Ancient Art of War" (1984), designed by Evryware's Dave and Barry Murry, followed by "The Ancient Art of War at Sea" in 1987.