What is it?

Between 2000 and 1800 BC a method of sticking needles into people to make them feel better was invented by the Chinese.

acupuncture

They were invented in 1280 by a Florentine physicist by sticking two bits of curved glass on either side of his nose.

spectacles

In 4000-3000 BC a new drink was discovered when the juice from grapes was left to ferment in Turkestan.

wine

This drink was first made by a monk for his abbey in Scotland in 1494.

whisky

In 4000-3000 BC a new aromatic drink was discovered when some leaves fell off a

branch and landed in Emperor Shang Yeng's afternoon cup of hot water.

tea

Most people think these sweet rolls were invented by the French - in fact, they were first made in Vienna by a Polish baker.

croissants

They were first made by the Egyptians, but no difference was made between the right and the left foot.

shoes

This card game was first developed in Persia but was later made popular by American gangsters.

poker

The first one was written in Akkadian, the language of the Assyrians and Babylonians - the first bilingual one was published in 1480.

dictionary

This drink was discovered by a Yemeni shepherd whose sheep wouldn't sleep after eating the red fruit of a plant.

coffee

The first pair was worn in 1760 by an eccentric Belgian who put them on and rolled into a party in Soho, London.

roller-skates

This game was invented by a Frenchman called Dumas in 1762 - he cut up maps into little pieces and the idea was to put them back together again.

jigsaw puzzle

This water sport was described by Captain Cook in his report from Hawaii nearly two hundred years before it became popular in California.

surfing

They were invented by Chinese women in order to light fires to cook and keep warm.

matches