The History of Dominoes: Origins & Materials Explained
Pick up a single domino and you hold something far older than it looks. The small rectangular tile, split into two halves and marked with spots, has travelled across centuries and continents to reach the kitchen table.
Players still argue over where the game truly began, and the honest answer is that its earliest history is pieced together rather than fully documented. What survives is a long trail of tiles made from bone, wood and other materials, each telling us a little about the hands that shaped them.
The sets we make today are tested to UKCA and CE standards, so the tactile pleasure of a well-weighted tile comes without compromise for younger players. If you want the quick version of the story, our history of dominoes in Britain covers the ground, while the pages below take the longer route.
Where Did Dominoes Come From? The Ancient Origins of the Game
Most trails lead back to China, where tiled games with marked faces were recorded centuries before anything comparable appeared in Europe. These early Chinese tiles were not quite the dominoes we recognise now; many represented the results of throwing two dice, and the sets were arranged differently from the European standard.
That distinction matters. A traditional European set contains 28 tiles, representing every combination of two ends each showing between zero and six spots. The Chinese tradition organised its pieces around other principles entirely, which is why direct comparison can mislead.
Quite how the idea moved west is uncertain. Some historians point to trade routes and travellers; others suggest the game was reinvented rather than imported. Both can be partly true, and the gap in the record leaves room for honest disagreement.
What is clear is that the tile-based format proved adaptable. Once the principle of matching ends took hold, it spread quickly and settled into local habits. The same instinct that keeps players returning to our traditional games today — simple rules, endless variation — explains why dominoes survived the journey at all.
Dominoes were never alone in this migration. Backgammon and other table games crossed similar routes, and the history of backgammon shows how often a single good idea is carried, borrowed and adapted until its origins blur. Dominoes belong to that wandering family of games, which is part of what makes tracing them so rewarding.
How Did Dominoes Reach Europe — and When Did Britain Fall in Love With Them?
Dominoes appear in Europe, in recognisable form, during the eighteenth century, with Italy and France among the earliest homes. From there the game spread outward, carried by soldiers, sailors and the general enthusiasm for anything that filled an evening agreeably.
Britain took to dominoes with particular warmth. The game fitted neatly into the rhythm of the public house and the parlour alike, requiring little space and no great outlay. A box of tiles could be shared by all ages, which suited a household's mixed company.
Part of the appeal was democratic. Unlike some pastimes that demanded instruction or expense, dominoes could be learnt in minutes and enjoyed for a lifetime. The same quality keeps them beside the board games that families reach for on a wet afternoon.
By the nineteenth century, dominoes had become a fixture of British sociability, sitting comfortably alongside draughts and the chess sets that occupied quieter, more considered players. Where chess rewarded solitude and study, dominoes rewarded company and conversation.
Different sets suited different gatherings. A standard double-six set with its 28 tiles served most games, but larger households and more ambitious players turned to a double-nine set of 55 tiles, or even a double-twelve set of 91 tiles for longer, more crowded sessions.
The British affection never really faded. Those who enjoy tracing how such games settled into our habits may also like the parallel story in our account of where croquet originated, another pastime Britain made its own.
What Were Dominoes Originally Made Of? From Bone and Ivory to Ebony
The earliest European dominoes were objects of real craft. Many were made from animal bone, which was plentiful, durable and took a polish well. Bone gave the tiles their characteristic pale face, into which the spots were drilled and darkened.
For finer sets, ivory was the material of choice. Smooth, weighty and cool to the touch, ivory tiles were prized by those who could afford them, and they carried a sense of occasion that plainer sets did not.
The contrast at the heart of a classic domino came from pairing a light face with a dark backing. Craftsmen often fixed the bone or ivory front to a layer of ebony, a dense black hardwood, usually joined with a small brass pin through the centre. These are sometimes called 'bone and ebony' dominoes for that reason.
The combination was practical as well as handsome. The ebony gave the tile weight and strength, while the pale face held the spots clearly. A well-made set from this period sits in the hand with a satisfying density that cheaper materials struggle to match.
This was skilled work, closer to cabinetmaking than to toy manufacture. The same traditions of turning and finishing wood lie behind the wooden toys that still reward the hands as much as the eye.
If the materials interest you more than the game itself, our fuller piece on what dominoes are made of follows these changes in detail, from the bone-and-ebony era through to the present day.
What Are Dominoes Made Of Today, and How Has the Material Changed Over Time?
Ask what dominoes are made of today and you will get several answers, because the game now exists at every price and purpose. Mass-produced sets are frequently moulded from plastic, which is cheap, consistent and hardwearing, if lacking the character of older materials.
Wood, however, never left. For many players a wooden tile remains the standard against which others are measured, offering warmth, weight and a quiet clack as pieces are laid down. The grain and finish make each set a little different, which plastic cannot reproduce.
The shift in materials tracks the broader history of manufacturing. As bone and ivory gave way, makers turned first to early substitutes and later to modern alternatives, always chasing the same qualities: strength, a clear face and a pleasing feel in the hand.
What has not changed is the layout. A double-six set still holds 28 tiles, exactly as it did two centuries ago, so a modern wooden set plays identically to its bone-and-ebony ancestor. The material has moved on; the game has stayed put.
That continuity is why dominoes sit so naturally among our traditional games, and why they appeal to the same households that enjoy board games designed to be handed down.
Choosing a set now is less about the rules, which are fixed, and more about the material you want to live with. Readers weighing up similar family classics may enjoy our look at where Ludo comes from, another game whose simple form has outlasted every change in fashion.
Why Are They Called Dominoes? The Curious History Behind the Name
The name is where the story turns genuinely odd. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word 'domino' in English previously referred to a type of hooded cloak worn at masquerades, long before it attached itself to a set of tiles.
Scholars have suggested the game pieces may have been named for their resemblance to the black-and-white masks associated with such garments. The pale face and dark backing of a traditional tile echo the look of a masquerade mask, and the connection, while not provable beyond doubt, is a persuasive one.
It is a reminder that the names of games often arrive by sideways routes. A word is borrowed from fashion or ritual, applied loosely, and then sticks so firmly that its original meaning is forgotten. Few players today picture a hooded cloak when they reach for a tile.
The visual logic holds up when you handle an older set. The contrast of light and dark, the formal neatness of the piece, the sense of something masked and then revealed as it is turned over — all of it fits a word first used for costume.
Whether or not the mask theory is the whole truth, it gives the humble tile an unexpectedly theatrical lineage. There is pleasure in knowing that a game so plainly companionable carries a name borrowed from disguise.
For those who like their games with their history attached, our account of dominoes in Britain gathers these threads together, from ancient origins to the sets played at home tonight.
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Frequently Asked Questions About What Are Dominos Made Of
What are dominoes made of?
Modern dominoes are typically made from plastic, though higher-quality sets use wood, resin, or other synthetic materials. Contemporary Jaques of London dominoes are crafted to a high standard using durable materials suited to regular play. Historically, domino tiles were fashioned from bone, ivory, or ebony wood — materials that gave the classic sets their distinctive black-and-white appearance. A standard double-six set contains 28 tiles, each divided into two squares bearing spot combinations ranging from blank to six.
Where did dominoes originate from?
Dominoes are widely believed to have originated in China, with early tile-based games recorded there centuries before the game appeared in Europe. The game is thought to have arrived in Europe — most likely through Italy — during the 18th century, possibly via traders or missionaries. From Italy it spread to France and subsequently throughout the rest of Europe, including Britain, where it became a popular parlour and pub game. European sets introduced the blank-suited tiles absent from many earlier Chinese versions.
Who invented dominoes?
No single inventor of dominoes is recorded. The game is believed to have developed in China before travelling to Europe, most likely arriving in Italy during the 18th century. From there it spread across the continent and into Britain. Because the game evolved gradually across different cultures rather than being devised by one person, there is no named inventor on record. European makers refined the format, standardising the double-six set of 28 tiles that remains the most widely used configuration today.
When were dominoes invented?
The precise date of dominoes' invention is unknown. Chinese tile games thought to be ancestral to dominoes are recorded from several centuries ago, though the exact origins remain debated among historians. The game in its recognisable European form emerged during the 18th century, most likely introduced to Italy before spreading to France and Britain. By the late 1700s dominoes were well established as a popular game across Europe. The classic double-six set of 28 tiles became the standard format during this period.
Were dominoes invented in China?
Yes, dominoes are widely believed to have originated in China, where tile-based games predating the European version have been recorded. Chinese domino tiles traditionally represented the results of two dice and differed from European sets in having no blank suits. The game is thought to have reached Europe — most plausibly Italy — during the 18th century, after which it spread rapidly across the continent. European craftsmen adapted the format, adding blank-suited tiles and producing the standard double-six set of 28 tiles familiar today.
Is dominoes a British game?
Dominoes is not originally a British game. It is widely believed to have originated in China before arriving in Europe, most likely through Italy, during the 18th century. It then spread to France and subsequently to Britain, where it became a fixture of parlour and pub culture. While Britain embraced the game enthusiastically and British manufacturers — including Jaques of London — produced fine domino sets, the game's roots lie in China and its European development began in Italy and France rather than Britain.
Why are they called dominoes?
The word 'domino' previously referred to a hooded cloak worn at masquerades, and according to the Oxford English Dictionary, scholars have suggested the game pieces may have been named for their resemblance to the black-and-white coloured masks associated with such garments. The tiles' dark backs and lighter spotted faces may have evoked these distinctive two-tone disguises. The term passed from French into English usage, where it came to describe both the individual tiles and the game itself, a name that has remained standard ever since.
What were dominoes originally made of?
Dominoes were originally made from bone, often with a backing of ebony wood, giving the tiles their characteristic black-and-white appearance. In finer sets, ivory was used in place of bone. The spots, or pips, were typically drilled out and filled with a contrasting material — often black ink or inlaid material — to make them clearly visible. These traditional materials gave antique domino sets a pleasing weight and tactile quality that modern synthetic tiles can rarely match, making well-preserved antique sets highly regarded by collectors.
What are traditional dominoes made of?
Traditional dominoes were made from bone or ivory, usually mounted on an ebony wood backing. This combination produced the classic cream-and-black appearance associated with antique sets. The pips were drilled into the tile face and filled with a dark material for visibility. Some superior sets featured entirely ivory tiles. By the 20th century, celluloid and later plastics replaced these natural materials in most commercially produced sets, though high-quality wooden sets remain popular today. A traditional double-six set contains 28 tiles covering all combinations of nought to six.
Are old dominoes made of real bone or ivory?
Yes, many antique dominoes were made from genuine bone or ivory, often backed with ebony wood to create their distinctive two-tone appearance. Ivory was reserved for finer, more expensive sets, while bone was more commonly used. The pips were typically drilled out and filled with a dark material. These natural materials gave antique sets considerable weight and a characteristic feel. Identifying whether an old set uses bone or ivory generally requires close examination, as the two materials can appear similar; ivory typically shows fine cross-hatched grain lines under magnification.