The Marvelous World of Marbles The Marvelous World of Marbles Marbles have a Stone Age predecessor: clay balls. As a game, they have been around for a long time. Egyptians and Romans bequeathed marbles to the Western World. In Mexico, they go back at least three hundred years, and archeologists have found small stone, clay and glass balls dating back to the 18th century under an old house in downtown Mexico City. The word “marble” comes from the German word “knicher,” which means “ball with which children play.” South American people call marbles little balls, while each state in Mexico gives them a different name, including