User:DragonZest/sandbox
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
{{dashboard.wikiedu.org sandbox}
This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2015) |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/JM_marbles_01.jpg/640px-JM_marbles_01.jpg)
A marble is a small spherical toy usually made from glass, clay, steel, plastic or agate. These balls vary in size. Most commonly, they are about 1/2 inch to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.54 cm) in diameter, but they may range from less than 1/30 inch (0.111 cm) to over 3 inches (7.75 cm), while some art glass marbles for display purposes are over 12 inches (30 cm) wide. Marbles can be used for a variety of games all of which can be referred to as "playing marbles. Clay Marbles were known to be common in Ancient Rome, Egypt and elsewhere in the ancient world, however the exact genesis of marbles eludes scholars for the spread of marbles is a completely global phenomenon. Various games and shooting styles exist around the world, developing nations still have vibrant contingencies of young marble players, whereas the children of the developed world have largely moved on to electronic forms of entertainment in favor of marbles. Marble collecting collected, is also a popular past time for those who grew up playing marbles and enjoy the nostalgia, dazzling colors, and the thrill of the hunt for rare and exotic marbles. There has been a modern resurgence of handmade marbles from the increasing popularity of glass blowing as hobby, and the high price demanded by the intricate pieces of art. In Northern England the objects and the game are called "taws", with larger taws being called bottle washers after the use of a marble in Codd-neck bottles.