History of Kubb

Where does Kubb actually come from?

The origins of the game “Kubb” is where things get interesting yet vague at the same time.

It is claimed by one source that it is an old Viking game. This is the reason that “Kubb” is also called "Viking Chess" or "Viking Schaken".

But Vikings? Yeah, this is where it gets a bit gruesome…

According to the sources, the Vikings played Kubb to celebrate the victory over the enemy. They did not play Kubb with wooden blocks... No, the Kubbs of the Vikings were the skulls of their enemies ! And it does not stop there: the thigh bones of their enemies were used as throwing sticks!

The skulls of the opponents were used by the Vikings to play the family game Kubb!

But then again, there are other, less gruesome stories about the origins of Kubb. Other sources claim that Kubb originated in France, played as a competition between villages. Other sources state that it was invented a millennium ago by Swedish children as a game while gathering firewood. Well, you tell me, who would be right...

The Egyptians also played a game that was very similar to the fun summer game kubb, but did they invent it?

A game that looks a lot like Kubb was already played in ancient Egypt and later in Roman times. It is thought that it came to the Vikings via the Persians and Turks who plundered everything on the border of Europe and Asia. Here they most likely also conquered this fun game and took it to Scandinavia (and invented their own throwing pieces, gulp...)

In the 90s the first Commercial Kubb games were produced and since then the craze is unstoppable! Just try it, the game is terribly addictive!