The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-11
From the Washington Star

Gaule 4ulpAp4uohbS- AS OAu anu tAo
New.
From the Washington Star.
Who would suppose that playing cards
were originally derived from the knuckle
bones of sheep Yet such is the fact.
If you do not believe il, ask Mr.. Stewart
Culin, ethnologist, attached to Univer-
5ity of Pennsylvania, who has made the
study Of games, from the scientific point
of view, his speciality. The so-ealled
knuckle bones are familiar enough,
being used to this day By children
in various parts Of the world They are
the ankle bones of the sheep, and
are four-sided. 1t seems odd Ito find that
dice in Arabic are called by a
name which means ankle bones. Nobody
knows how long they were trst employed
for playing games One day it occurred
TO somebody that cube was better
adapted to the purpose. That must have
happened in very ancient times, for the
Romans of old had dice, which were just
like our own. even 10 the arrangement of
the number on the. faees-i, e., the six
opposite the one, the five opposite the
two. aud the four opposite the three.
IL will be observed that the sum Of any
two opposite numbers is always seven.
This may have something to DO with the
fact that seven used 10 be regarded as
magical numbe OF the respect accorded
to it there is evidence in many passages Of
the Bible. The most ancient cubical die
known dates back to GOO b. Chat is.
$500 years ago. II was found at Naucra-
tbs, Greek colony in Egypt. The earliest
dice were made in pairs, rights and lefts,
like knuckle bones, one Of which was al
ways from the right leg and the other
from the left leg of the animal. Two
dice were usually employed, because they
were two knuckle bones. MIR. Culin says
that dice probably originated in India.
From that country they were carried to
China. whence they have distributed all
over the world. The Chinese are great
galnesters they invented a modification
of the dice, which is called the domino.
Put two dice faces side by side and you
have a domino, as the accompanying illus
tratiou will snow. Domiuoes are said 10
have been devised in the year 1920 Of the
Christian era BY Chinese emperor for
the amusement Of his wives IL is more
likely, however, that, they merely OBJ
tanned the imperial approval at that date
DICE IN CHINA
AS there are twonty-one possible throws
with two dice 50 twenty-one dominoes
may be regarded as natural dominoes.
E1OWENGEs bilt AHlut5E udNt uOuDltl uD
some Of the mum bers so as 10 make full
set for playing thirty-two 10 all All
over Eastern Asia the customary outfit
Of dominoes is thirty-two Our domi
noes, obtained by way Of Europe, ar,
only twenty eight and are modified bl
the introduction Of blanks. The domino
game Of Europe and America is the
match game 1t is played in China, bu
is an unimportant one among the man,
! Chinese games Of Dominates. The Chr
nese domino games are al Of them dice
| games elaborated Dominoes are ais
! used in CHINA like dice. for fortune tell
| ing. That system Of divination has al
! extensive literature Of its own. Tn
| Chinese dominoes an have astrological
names
In China cosmical names are given 3
| the mum bers 90 the dice Six is th
throw Of heaven, ace is the throw O
earth four is the throw Of man. Will
! one and three are chosen 10 represent Tia