Bunnock
throwing game
Bunnock (also known as the game of bones or simply bones) is a throwing game that is thought to have Russian origin. The aim of Bunnock is to throw bones at an oppositions rows of bones, trying to do so in the fewest throws possible. The team that knocks down all of the oppositions bones first, wins. Bunnock is played in teams of four, which must contain at least one person of the opposite sex. Persons of any age are allowed to participate. Historically bunnock was played with the ankle bones of horses; however, most modern sets use a resin replica version.
History
The exact origin of Bunnock is unclear, however the most widely accepted version is that Bunnock originated in Northern Siberia during the early 19th century. It is thought to have been a version of the Mongolian game shagai, created by Russian soldiers that needed to entertain themselves while posted in remote areas of Siberia. These soldiers had an abundance of horse anklebones, which they found out they could stand upright. It is also believed that originally players would be situated in the centre of a circle, with players throwing outward at a circle of bones.
The public source identifies “Bunnock” as throwing game. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Bunnock, throwing and game.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Bunnock”, the useful work is to connect “throwing game” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 2, 2024. The linked authority identifier is Q4997830. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Bunnock”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Bunnock primary sources, Bunnock archive and Bunnock research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Bunnock”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Bunnock” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.