When was bowling invented?

As is the case with many sports, it is impossible to pin
down the exact time and place at which bowling was invented.  This is true both for the
game known as lawn bowling or bowls and the game in which pins are knocked down (it is
not clear which one you are asking about)

As the
bowlingmuseum.com link tells us, the origins of bowling are unclear.  One archaeologist,
at least, believed that he found evidence that shows that a game like bowling was being
played in Egypt 3200 years ago.  Another historian argues that bowling began in Germany
about 1700 years ago.  Clearly, this means that bowling's origins are quite unclear.  We
do know that the game was quite popular in England by the
1300s.

So, as with many sports, the origins of bowling are
quite unclear.