Thank you, Geoff, for a fascinating and fun read.
Forgive me for already disagreeing with you from the onset and blurting this out: It’s a game. I recognize some parts of it well enough to see what is going on. Allow me to describe this as if I am correct indeed.
It all comes together with the eight-petaled flower. For me it seems clear that this means ‘continue’. Side A is the starting point and it starts on the ‘square’ with the symbol of the eight-petaled flower and the single wedge/cuneus, symbolizing ‘1’.
It is fun, because starting at this point, one has to follow the rim in one direction, while — on the elongated ‘square’ seen right above the bracket — the path moves toward the center in opposite direction. This seems to be made for children therefore, exactly because it is fun.
Since the eight-petaled flower is also placed in the middle — and as I think means ‘continue’ — the trip continuous backwards once that point was reached (but only when by ending exactly on it).
Naturally, going outwardly after having reached the first goal, this would lead us back ultimately to the first ‘square’ again with then not as first but as last symbol ‘continue’ and that would be a riddle (for a child).
The surprise for the child must have been great when the other turned the disk and indeed one could continue one more time on the other side. This is very sweet.
Side B starts in the ‘square’ with the eight-petaled flower. Since I do not see the symbol again, Side B must be the final side.
This disk B is then where the fun ends with the last spot. Heaven was reached with the final symbols indicating that (looks like water and a cookie, but it’s probably symbolic language). I always called that location heaven, but I do not recall anyone else doing the same. Still, if one desires, the game can get continued, because a walking individual is seen (on both sides) facing different directions. Or, this may occur as part of the game.
It is therefore (a guess) that it was made to be versatile for playing the game in different ways. It would, for instance, not be possible (as in an easy fashion) to play this with more than one player and turn the disk. If that is the case, then Side B appears to be the side that can get played by more than one, probably older children (I cannot read well if there is much fun involved with the specific symbols).
Here is why I know for sure that it is a game (but based on the assumption that the eight-petaled flower indicates ‘continue’ indeed). There is one extra spot in which the eight-petaled flower is found that is special, and that is situated four steps before reaching the center of Side A (if I count the framework correctly).
When ending on that spot, one has to double the same steps already taken, just like the game (“goose board”) that I remember. One cannot return from the center spot unless one took exactly those steps to reach it, and that is hard enough already as it is. With the eight-petaled flower, one could end up much further from the center spot. It is a clever element in this game.
As with the game I played, dice would have been used to declare the number of steps. It is well-thought out and it looks like so much fun.
Not really many ideas what the other symbols indicate, but they should belong to the world a child would recognize, enjoy and perhaps abhor (for increased fun).
Others would be symbols indicating how the game continues. I seem to recognize the “<” and “>” as indicators to move a step back or forward (or something similar). If that is correct then “I<” would mean you have to wait an extra turn, depending on the direction of the player on the board. Both sides have exactly six >s, but I can only see the photographs and not the real thing.
There should be a symbol or set of symbols that declares: back to square one.
I wouldn’t call it a language, but each symbol could be translated into actual words with meanings. This is very sweet and made with much love. I hope it’s not a forgery, but if it is, then it is still a forgery based on a game.
