Topic summary
Spinning tops
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Spinning top.
Origins
Spinning tops emerged independently in various cultures worldwide and are considered among the oldest known toys discovered by archaeologists. They have been unearthed on every continent except Antarctica. For instance, tops dating back to around 1250 BCE were found in China, while a carved wooden top from approximately 2000 BCE was discovered in Tutankhamun's tomb. Tops were used as toys in ancient Rome.