Editing Tables game (section)

==== Europe ====
[[Image:Codex Manesse 262v Herr Goeli.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|left|The poet [[Herr Goeli]] playing, from the 14th century [[Codex Manesse]]]]
In [[English language|English]], the word "tables" is derived from [[Latin]] ''tabula''. Its first use referring to board games documented by the [[Oxford English Dictionary]] was circa AD 700.<ref name="oed1">"table, n.", ''[http://dictionary.oed.com The Oxford English Dictionary].'' Second Edition, 1989. (Subscription required)</ref>

The [[Gloucester tabula set]], Discovered on the site of [[Gloucester Castle]] in 1983, with its [[obelisk]] shaped points provides a potential transitional phase between the Roman square points, and the triangular points that were common in the 13th century.

The {{lang|fr|jeux de tables}} ('Games of Tables') first appeared in France during the 11th century and became a favorite pastime of gamblers. In 1254, [[Louis IX of France|Louis IX]] issued a decree prohibiting his court officials and subjects from playing.<ref name="murray"/><ref name="lillich"/> Tables games were played in Germany in the 12th century, and had reached [[Iceland]] by the 13th century. In [[Spain]], the [[Alfonso X]] manuscript {{lang|es|[[Libro de los juegos]]}}, completed in 1283, describes rules for a number of dice and table games in addition to its extensive discussion of chess.<ref name="wollesen">Wollesen, Jens T. "Sub specie ludi...: Text and Images in Alfonso El Sabio's Libro de Acedrex, Dados e Tablas", ''Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte'' 53:3, 1990. pp. 277–308.</ref> Tables games were played in Germany in the 12th century, and had reached [[Iceland]] by the 13th century.

In 1254, [[Louis IX of France|Louis IX]] issued a decree prohibiting his court officials and subjects from playing dice games.<ref name="lillich">Lillich, Meredith Parsons. "The Tric-Trac Window of Le Mans", ''The Art Bulletin'' 65:1, March 1983. pp. 23–33.</ref>

Mediaeval tables should not be confused with ''[[Tafl games|Tafl]]'', an unrelated class of board games (albeit linguistically related) played in medieval Scandinavia. [[Tâb]] and tablan<ref>[http://www.cyningstan.com/data-download/230/tablan-leaflet ''Tablan''] at cyningstan.com. Retrieved 7 July 2022.</ref> (as well as the related games [[sáhkku]] and [[daldøs]]) may, on the other hand, be descendants of tabula.

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