Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Nine Men's Morris

The first historical reference to Fondi dates to 338 BC, at the time of the Latin War, when its inhabitants gained minor Roman citizenship status. The importance of Fondi lay in its position across the old Via Appia, the main roadway from Rome to southern Italy. In the 6th century, Fondi was devastated by the Lombards but remained a dominion of the Eastern Roman Empire. Later a part of the Papal States, in 846 it was burnt out by the Saracens they settled there until they were defeated in the naval battle of Circeo of 877. In 1140 Fondi passed to the Dell'Aquila family, of Norman heritage, and then, in 1299, to the powerful Caetani barons, who for two centuries made Fondi the center of their power. I found this carved in "Nine Men's Morris" near the place, where the ruins of the Roman thermal baths were excavated.

The wooden window frame of the shop seems to be newer than the nine men's morris carved into the stone.

The 12th century church in Moussey (pop. 600) has an impressive narthex. Obviously this porch was used as a place to meet for the residents over centuries. A nice - and dry place, where people could leave names and dates. All the walls of the porch are covered with carved graffiti. They could even play "Nine Men's Morris" (aka "Mill Game") here.

Colombiers is a small village (pop. 300) in the former marshes of the Seugne river. Life must be hard here in medieval times. Saint-Maclou, the village´s parish church, was erected in the 12th century. It was the church of a priory, dependent from the Benedictian Abbaye Saint-Sauveur in Charroux. The church got altered and modified during the Gothic period (15th.), when it lost its once Romanesque portal. The Romanesque apse is still unchanged. Somebody has carved a kind of "Nine Men's Morris" the stony bench.