World’s Oldest Ball
The world's oldest football has been sent to Germany from Scotland to be the focus of an exhibition at the Museum fur Volkerkunde in Hamburg for the World Cup; marking the history of football.
The oldest ball is a staggering 450 years old, originating in the mid-16th century, and was once the property of Mary Queen of Scots. After researching the ball and discovering that is was the oldest in existence, the Museum fur Volkerkunde bosses were keen to use the ball for their display.
The ball’s place of residence is in the Smith Museum in Stirling, Scotland, and it was carefully transported to Hamburg in April where it received a traditional Scots piped welcome ahead of the 2006 World Cup.
The Smith Museum collection manager, Michael McGinnes, said "The Germans have decided, from all the evidence, that our ball is the oldest football in the world and it will be the centrepiece of this huge exhibition."
Mr McGinnes also went on to say, "We can't prove that Mary Queen of Scots played with the ball but it is of that date."
Slightly smaller than a standard football, the oldest ball was constructed using a pigs bladder as the interior - as was the usual method for hundreds of years hence - covered with leather, very likely deer leather, and then laced tightly together.
The oldest ball will remain at the Museum fur Volkerkunde throughout the World Cup and is expected to be returned home to the Smith Museum in September 2006.
