A lost game for boys A group of friends are just as fascinated by a game of marbles as their forefathers were. (SG photos by Mohammed Mazhar Siddiqi) What has happened to that marvelous boy's game called marbles? There was a time when boys could be seen all over Jeddah playing various variations of marbles, known as ‘Lobob' or ‘Baragon'. One favorite game was to make a circle, place some marbles in the circle and try to strike it out with your own marble, which is known as ‘Jarras'. You win the marble you strike out of the circle. Mohammad Ali, 35, who used to play marbles when he was a child, said that the winner's marbles were immediately picked up by friends or relatives. “They would collect the marbles because the loser might create problems because he was jealous of the winner,” said Ali. There would be occasional fights between winners and losers. “I used to collect my marbles in a water gallon with different colors and sizes. I used to wash and clean them from time-to-time,” he added. Some boys sold marbles to make money. A total of 10 to 20 marbles could be bought for SR2, depending on the size and color. A rare marble could cost as much as SR10. “Marbles used to be the main reason for getting together on a daily basis with friends and neighbors. Now, the situation has changed completely. Children only gather with their relatives during social occasions,” said Ali. – Saudi Gazette History of marbles A marble is a small spherical toy usually made from glass, clay, steel, or agate. These balls vary in size. Most commonly, they are about half an inch (1.25 cm) in diameter, but they may range from less than quarter of an inch (0.635 cm) to over three inches (7.75 cm). Marbles originated in the Harappan civilization in India near the river Indus. Various marbles of stone were found on excavation near Mohenjo-daro. Marbles are also often mentioned in Roman literature, and there are many examples of marbles from ancient Egypt. The first mass-produced toy marbles (clay) made in the US were made in Akron, Ohio by S.C. Dyke, in the early 1890s. The British and World Marbles Championship have been held at Tinsley Green, West Sussex, England every year since 1932. More than 20 teams from around the world take part in the championship; German teams have been successful several times since 2000. __
