Table tennis

Table tennis began as an after-dinner parlour game in Victorian England and grew into one of the most played sports on earth, with China dominating competition since the 1960s.

How it is played

Two or four players strike a light celluloid or plastic ball across a low net on a table, letting it bounce once on their side; spin and placement matter more than power. Games are played to eleven points.

Heritage note

Part of the living heritage of United Kingdom, China.

Origins

Usually placed in the era of Age of Contact and Craft (about 1500 to 1800), although its exact origins are uncertain, within the cultural world of Celtic and Atlantic Europe.