The game of Dominos has been around for centuries. According to National Geographic an ancient form of the game was even found in King Tut's Tomb. However, the modern version of what we today call dominos began around the 18th century. It began in Italy and quickly spread to other countries like France and Germany. Around the same time, it appears that dominos were also popular in Asian Countries such as China and Korea. One of the great mysteries to the game is that its origins are unclear. Because the game was played using different rules and in multiple countries it is unclear as to where the exact origin of the game came from. Today dominos are played in almost every country in the world. They are so popular that international tournaments are held yearly to test the skills of players from around the globe.
Dominos have been a particular favorite among the men and women in the armed service, most notably during the Civil War Era. It is often thought that soldiers on both sides of the war carved out dominos during their leisure time. This gave way to the idea of soldiers sitting around a campfire playing and whittling dominos. While the game was very popular, it is highly unlikely that the soldiers ever manufactured their own dominos. Most of the dominos found from this era were made of ebony, bone and/or ivory. These materials were used in European domino designs, particularly those made in the United Kingdom. The term "Civil War Dominos" refers more to the time period in which they were manufactured rather than to the domino's actual place of origin.
