Knucklebones

ancient games · skill and dexterity · worldwide cultures

Ancient game piece. Knucklebones got its name because people originally played it with actual animal bones, particularly the knuckle bones of sheep and goats that were smooth and perfect for tossing.

Many names worldwide. This game has dozens of different names around the world, like jacks, scatter jacks, dibs, fivestones, and astragaloi, showing how popular and widespread it became across different cultures.

Pure skill challenge. The game is all about dexterity and hand coordination, requiring players to throw objects up in the air and catch them in specific ways without dropping them.

Found everywhere. Knucklebones is ancient in origin and turned up in cultures all across the world, making it one of humanity's most universal games.

Still played today. Even though it's thousands of years old, kids and adults still play versions of knucklebones and jacks in playgrounds and homes around the globe.