Although one of the earliest sets of dominoes was found in Tutankhamen’s tomb, these popular toys are more easily traced back to 12th and 13th century China. The earliest confirmed mention of dominoes is in a text called Formal Events. An economist named Andrew Lo has proposed that the writer of Formal Events, Zhou Mi, meant dominoes when he referred to pupai. Additionally, white tiles with red and black pips have survived, with many dating from the 12th to 14th centuries. In a later book, Zhang Pu described the game of laying out dominoes as pupai. Since these early beginnings, dominoes have gained considerable popularity.
Pips
Each domino is described by its pips, even if it has none. Pips are easily counted items that can be found on the domino, like small indents or dots. They are also used on dice and playing cards, with a purpose of serving as a visual representation of a certain number. By counting the number of pips on a side, or in this case, a half of the domino, it is possible to know the represented number. However, as the set becomes larger, quickly identifying the precise number of pips becomes difficult, so many big domino sets use readable Arabic numerals instead.
In summary, dominoes have an interesting history, involving several countries. Each domino can be recognized by the number of pips on its sides.
In conclusion, dominos are amazing toys worthy of genuine recognition.