Last summer my sister was in Istanbul, Turkey and bought three tops for me. I include a photo of them with one wrapped for throwing and I included a Monarch Top for a reference. They cost about $2 US and of course you can bargain for less. They all have a decoration saying "I love you".
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4710965&id=160462257232
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4710964&id=160462257232Here is some info on tops in Turkish culture -
Turkish Children's Games
The Objects Used in Games:
"The objects used in games and children's toys furnish another aspect of the subject. Toys in the villages are almost unknown except for a few homemade objects. The most common toys in the rural areas of Anatolia are tops. The author has recorded more than seventy names for tops in Anatolia. There are also contest games played with tops. For instance, in a game called Tuka, Dozdoz, or Domuz, one contestant tries to hit the other's spinning top with his own and drive it out of the game area."
Sounds like spikesey or battletop to me.
Complete Text Below -
http://www.turkishculture.org/pages.php?ChildID=750&ParentID=12&ID=59&ChildID1=750Here is a tourist video I found showing some men spinning the tops in a tourist area.
Peg Tops are very popular in several areas of Turkey. I have a turkish friend who is trying to get some for me as well as video of kids playing with them. I hope to post that here soon.
