‘Tabas’ (knucklebones)

The game of tabas dates back to over two thousand years ago. It arrived with the Romans and continued to be played as a game of luck by adults. It was originally exclusive to girls and young women, and uses the bone found in the tarsus of small cows, sheep, rams, kid goats and sometimes pigs. Each face has a name, the concave one is «innocent»; the convex one is «guilty»; the S-shape is «king»; and the flat one is «executioner».

The game is played in a ring (circle) with one knucklebone (elsewhere they play with more and the faces have different names). The hardest faces to get are the king and executioner, and the easiest are innocent and guilty. Each player throws in turn until two players throw king and executioner which they then become. Then the other players throw in turn. If a player throws innocent, it is the next player´s turn. But if a player throws guilty they lose and get a punishment of several lashes with a belt. The number of lashes, intensity and which part of the body are decided by the king, and the executioner applies them. If a player throws king or executioner they replace the previous one and can get revenge for the punishments received.

To us the game may appear rather cruel, but it teaches you to act with caution and in proportion, not to take justice into your own hands and apply it on a whim.