The traditional English game of knucklebones dates back many centuries. Records exist of this game from the age of the Vikings and even ancient Greece. Knucklebones, also commonly known as "Jacks" and "Fivestones", is a game of skill that involves simultaneously throwing the ball or a bone and picking up the remaining knucklebones. Traditionally in the past the pieces were actually made from animal bones such as sheep toe bones, hence the common name "knucklebones". Knucklebones was a popular playground game when I was a child in the 1970's and my parents remember playing with this skill toy in the 1940's.
Dating back to the Vikings and beyond, the game of Knucklebones requires very good hand and eye coordination. The knucklebones are thrown on the ground then the ball is thrown or bounced: while the ball is in the air you pick up the knucklebones from the ground. Variations include picking up one knucklebone, then two knucklebones , then three knucklebones etc until you pick them all up without dropping any. It can be played solo or with others.
This is one set of knucklebones and two rubber balls.
