Hi Puzzlers,
We just released a new puzzle by Carole Gordon titled Lose Your Marbles and I just love it! It gives me yet another reason to take a stroll down memory lane, not to mention, I use marbles in as many decorative elements as I can, so it is a winner in my book!
Marbles have been traced as far back as prehistoric times. Can’t you just picture cave people lounging around the cave playing with marbles made of natural clay. Too funny! Ancient marbles made from clay and china have been found in ancient Aztec pyramids, Egyptian tombs--even King Tut’s, and on Native American burial grounds. But, alas, kids who played marble games were thought to be delinquents, and playing with marbles became a frowned upon activity much like bowling in its day. Just think famous marble players; George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams and even Abraham Lincoln would have been considered delinquents.
In the 1600s,Germany began using water-powered stone mills to produce polished marbles made from limestone, agate and brass. These mills could produce 800 marbles an hour, which was, quite a feat for the time, hence Germany became the capital of marble manufacturing for several centuries.
A German glass factory employee invented the marble scissor in 1848 and revolutionized the glass marble industry. By 1890 Germany had invented the first marble-making machine, which the USA would put into use later that same year. Today marbles are made from all sorts of materials, but the glass ones are still the most popular.
Marble playing could be very intense for kids. Just one look at the famous painting “Marbles Champ” by Norman Rockwell says it all. Just look at the expression on the boy’s face as the determined girl takes her turn on the marble game called “keeps”.
The greatest marble moment happened in 1960 when astronaut Neil Armstrong described what the Earth looked like from his space window; he said it looked like a big blue marble.
Happy Puzzling!
We just released a new puzzle by Carole Gordon titled Lose Your Marbles and I just love it! It gives me yet another reason to take a stroll down memory lane, not to mention, I use marbles in as many decorative elements as I can, so it is a winner in my book!
Marbles have been traced as far back as prehistoric times. Can’t you just picture cave people lounging around the cave playing with marbles made of natural clay. Too funny! Ancient marbles made from clay and china have been found in ancient Aztec pyramids, Egyptian tombs--even King Tut’s, and on Native American burial grounds. But, alas, kids who played marble games were thought to be delinquents, and playing with marbles became a frowned upon activity much like bowling in its day. Just think famous marble players; George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams and even Abraham Lincoln would have been considered delinquents.
In the 1600s,Germany began using water-powered stone mills to produce polished marbles made from limestone, agate and brass. These mills could produce 800 marbles an hour, which was, quite a feat for the time, hence Germany became the capital of marble manufacturing for several centuries.
A German glass factory employee invented the marble scissor in 1848 and revolutionized the glass marble industry. By 1890 Germany had invented the first marble-making machine, which the USA would put into use later that same year. Today marbles are made from all sorts of materials, but the glass ones are still the most popular.
Marble playing could be very intense for kids. Just one look at the famous painting “Marbles Champ” by Norman Rockwell says it all. Just look at the expression on the boy’s face as the determined girl takes her turn on the marble game called “keeps”.
The greatest marble moment happened in 1960 when astronaut Neil Armstrong described what the Earth looked like from his space window; he said it looked like a big blue marble.
Happy Puzzling!
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