What Is the Origin of Dominos?

Dominos is a board game played all over the world. Some countries have taken this simple board game and made it part of their cultural landscape. The game is popular with people of all ages, races and genders. Like many games, dominos was adopted by the world.

Dice

Dominos are actually a flat version of dice. The dice with the double six represents the rolls of two six-sided dice.

Word Origin

The origin of the word "domino" traces back to the appearance of the tiles. Traditional dominos have black dots on white tiles, resembling a Christian priest's hood.

China

Although some form of dominos was present in Egypt and Arabia, dominos dates back to 12th century China, traced back to Song Dynasty writings. A set of Chinese dominos has tiles that represent all the possible rolls of a dice.

Italy

In the 18th century, dominos first appeared in Italy and eventually spread throughout Europe. It became a popular game for families and in pubs.

The Dictionary of Daily Wants

In 1859, "The Dictionary of Daily Wants" describes the rules to playing dominos, one of the earliest books outlining the game.

The Caribbean

Although the origin of dominos traces back to China, Latin American countries of the Caribbean, most notably Cuba, have adopted it as their national game. Island nations of the Caribbean even host annual domino tournaments.

Resources

• The History of Dominos
• The Origin of Dominos and its Introduction in Cuba