In the past, the answers to these and similar questions were often provided by anthropologists - specialists who study the ways ancient and modern people live and organize civilization.
Physical anthropology maps human biological evolution and physiological adaptations.
Archaeology examines the physical remains past human activities have left. Linguistics studies the development and use of language. Sociocultural anthropology investigates customs and products of civilization. Ethnography is the primary method used by sociocultural anthropologist to examine cultural organization and adaptations. By observing games and participating in game playing, ethnographers attempt to identify the context in which a game is played in a given culture, the geographic distribution and origins of a specific game, and the relationship of that game to other aspects of culture.