Of the 9 Orbs (including the Orb of the Emissary) how many can you name? The only others I can think of are The Orb of Time, Wisdom and Prophecy. On top of that how many of the Orbs that the Cardassians seized did they give back? I can only think of the 3 up there.

First, a nit: the Orb of the Emissary makes 10 Orbs in all.

You've mentioned all the ones I can recall, except for the Orb of Contemplation.

The words Truth and Justice are bouncing around my head, but I think I'm just recalling some (really good) fanfics I've read...can't remember any other canon Orbs.

I believe the Cardassians never had the Orb of Prophecy. This was hidden by the Bajorans and given to Sisko in Emissary.

The Orb of Time was returned in Trials And Tribble-Ations.

Was it Prophet Motive where Zek recovered one of the Orbs?

Oh, I completely forgot there was another Orb in Emissary. It didn't have an official name, but I hearby dub it the Orb of Jadzia. This was the Orb that encased Jadzia and sent her out of the wormhole.

Nit: The Orbs really didn't look like orbs. They looked more like hourglasses.

Keith -- Prophet Motive's the one. It was the Orb of Wisdom, for the record. (You're also right about the Orb of Prophecy.)

Its full name is Orb of Prophetcy and Change.
so as a recap

Prophetcy and Change(Emmisary)(Vedek Barriles)
Wisdom (Prophet Motive)
Time (Trials and tribblelations)
Contemplation (Tears of the Prophets, I think)
Emmisary (Signs and symbols)

any theories on the nature of the other orbs?

I would think that the rest of the orbs are probably have been distroyed, if they were still possessed by the Cardassians.

Lea, Slinky Frog! It's me Lord Garth! I figured I'd post where your most likely to visit on here. Do you know what's happend to Psi Phi? I haven't been able to get on in days.

Sorry this is off-topic.

Not to nitpick, wait, what I am I saying? We're supposed to nitpick! But anyway, the episode Matt called "Signs and Symbols" is actually "Shadows and Symbols".

Warning: Off-topic post...

Hi, Lord Garth! I saw one of your posts on the Classic Trek board... :-)

Anyway, I have no idea what's up with Psi Phi -- there's a massive e-mail going around, and we're trying to find out what's going on.

warning: off topic post as well.
Hi Lord Garth and Lea, it's me Slinky Frog. I have been getting the e-mails too. In fact, you should recieve and answer from me Lea. It just might be one of those things that out timed the site, and maybe David needs to update it. Actually I'm quessing this, cause I think I have seen this before. I remember David's site diappearing from the site before, and it came back.
I hope everything works out. I'm sure we'll get an answer soon. And all this had to happen on my birthday too! And no Chocolates!

Getting back to the topic, if I may...

Didn't the Orb of Prophecy and Change change colour in Season 2? Maybe the one in Emissary was more of an "orb of memories" since Ben Sisko saw Jennifer again, Jadzia remembered the time she received the Dax symbiont...

Maybe we should run a competition to name the unaccounted-for orbs ourselves - what names would you give them?

Frank.

The Orb of Rehased Plots
The Orb of Continuity Holes


However, these would fit better in Voyager....

The Orb of Overacting and Ham?

Ah, you refer to the Shatnerian Orb!

Yes, the Shatnerian Orb - only given once in a blue moon to the Chosen Series Lead!

The Orb of Tortured and Overworked Irishmen - there's another...

The Orbs of Ratings - usually seen in pairs