Shaggai

This boy is playing with shaggai, which are the ankle bones of sheep.

School dinners are a fabulous source of shaggai - the cooks have whole carcasses delivered, and produce all the different joints and cuts "in-house", boiling down the bones for soup etc.

There are many many many different games that children and adults play with shaggai. Also, you can use them to tell your future. There are 4 sides to each ankle bone, on which they can fall. Each side is said to represent a different animal - camel, sheep, goat and dog. If you throw the bones (all at the same time, like poker dice) and each falls on a different face, it will be a very good day.