Bocce Ball is based on one of the most primitive concepts in sports history: throwing an item at an inactive target.  The egyptians are credited for the origin of the sport.  Instead of the fancy modern balls that we use today, the Egyptians used polished stones.  A painting dated back to 5200 B.C. was discovered in an Egyptian tomb depicting this primitive game in action.  Even though the game has evolved and changed greatly over the years, the overall goal of trying to toss an object as close to a target as possible still remains.

Bocce ball history continued to evolve and in the year 800 B.C. the game of bocce made its way to Greece and then on to Rome.  The Romans are credited for giving it the name which we know it as today.  "Bocce," is derived from the latin word "bottica," which means "boss."  The Romans were the first culture to play the game in a way resembling the way it is played today.  They introduced the concept of using rounded bocce balls as opposed to uneven rocks or stones.  The Romans often used coconuts as makeshift bocce balls.  This evolution toward round bocce balls continued and eventually balls were carved from the trunks of olive trees.  Bocce was more popular than ever, and it even had the endorsement of European rulers.  Emperor Agustus, Galileo, Queen Elizabeth I, and Sir Francis Drake were all known to be bocce enthusiasts.