Follis (ball)

The Follis, also known as the Ball of wind (pilota de vent in Catalan), was a special kind of ball used a long time ago. It was invented in Ancient Rome and later used in the 15th and 16th centuries in Spain and Italy. This ball was hollow and filled with air that was pressed inside. When it hit something hard enough, it would jump and bounce in a fun way.

People in those days loved to use these balls to play many different games. They were very popular and brought joy to many players during that time. Even though today we have balls that are also filled with air, we usually just call them “balls” no matter how they are made. The old Follis ball was a clever invention that showed how people long ago found fun in simple things.

History

People in Classical antiquity enjoyed playing ball games. In Ancient Rome, they used special balls called follis that were filled with air. These balls could bounce and jump when hit just right. They made these balls by inflating animal bladders, often from pigs.

During the Middle Ages, many writers talked about ball games. Some of these games were like early forms of tennis. In some places, like Castile, leaders even made laws against certain ball games. Later, people in places such as Mexico used balls filled with a special kind of rubber, comparing them to the air-filled balls used in Europe. Over time, new materials like rubber and synthetic polymers made balls even better for playing games and sports.

Scaino Antonio and his work on the ball game

Alfonso d'Este asked Antonio da Salò Scaino, a priest, writer, and theologian, to write about ball games. Scaino described special balls filled with air, called balls of wind. He explained how the balls were made using a bladder and a small tube with a special part that worked like a check valve. This helped fill the ball with air properly. He also noted that sometimes a little wine was added inside to help the ball stay flexible over time. Other writers, like Juan Valverde de Amusco and "Fray Luis de Granada," also wrote about this check valve system used in these balls.

Construction

The typical ball of wind was made from the bladder of an animal. Its outside was covered with leather, and once sealed, the bladder was filled with air under pressure using a special kind of bellows.