Al-manqala (Arabic for: "to transfer") is the mancala game played by Palestinians in Galilee, Palestine. It is popular in Palestinian inns and usually played by men. The game is probably identical (or at least very close) to a variant of Mangala observed by Thomas Hyde among the Arabs in the late 17th century. In the 19th century, Stewart Culin found the game in Syrian cafes in Damascus, where it was called La'b Hakimi ("Rational Game") or La'b Akila ("Intelligent Game"). The wooden Al-manqala board is made of oak soaked in olive oil and covered with tar. The counters are white beads.