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<DIV>By the XIII century you'd have mancala variations in the middle east.
Tables in Europe and Nardshir in Persia will be variations on our familiar
backgammon. Merrils in Europe are qirq in the Middle East. Dice/astragals are
al'zahr in Arabic. Tab was popular throughout the Arab world (note
that Islam's prohibition of gambling will effect regional differences).
Alquerque/al'qirkat yes (it came into Europe from the Middle East) and shatranj,
as well-but no draughts/checkers yet except in France. Bowls/boules
and quilles, quoit, tilting, sadw which was a
nut-pitching game.</DIV>
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<DIV>In a message dated 6/23/2008 8:56:58 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
piotr.adamczyk@muzeum.elblag.pl writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-LEFT: 10px"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><FONT
face=Arial size=2>Any idea what kind of games culd crusaders (or generally in
Europe and Middle East) play in the XIII th century? Bowls, board games
etc. Alquerque could be, some kind of bowling maybe (I've seen a small icon
witha painting where two people are tossing balls on a small wodden pyramids
standing before oponents legs)...</FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10">Sally
Wilkins<BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#008000 size=2
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