Wooden strong ball and strapping steel asymmetrical shape

Wooden fort ball and iron circled on a third of its width, asymmetrical in shape. Made of cormier wood or boxwood. Note wear and friction, bites, ball having served. The fort ball is a traditional ball game in the loire valley and on the borders of this region. The ball used has its center of gravity slightly offset (strong side) from the tread (metal circle), which means that it never follows a straight trajectory, while the ground with raised edges, extremely "rolling", also makes it slowly zigzag. The fort ball is classified as a traditional game of the pays de la loire in the inventory of french intangible cultural heritage by the ministry of culture. The origin of this sport is poorly known. According to the most widespread version, sailors from the loire have become accustomed to playing at the bottom of their boats. This theory is considered implausible because the gabares, the large boats of the loire, are much shorter than the game and are traversed by frames, with a mast planted in the middle of the ship. Another belief traces the game back to louis XV (or the first empire, depending on the versions5), spanish prisoners would then have had the idea of playing with balls during the construction of the loire5 levee5 (in reality it was built by henry II plantagenet from 11706). This belief is echoed when talking about jeanne de laval's prisoners. For the state thank you for detailing the photos. Feel free to zoom in. The photos are an integral part of the description. Size: Diameter width: 12 cm. Thickness: 10 cm. H3398.

Ref. : WJV48B7T