Chess Piece, Pawn

Art Historical Context

This elegant chess pawn, carved from jet during the 9th–14th century, offers a glimpse into the vibrant of Islamic gaming culture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Originating from the Islamic world—where chess, known as *shatranj*, evolved from ancient Indian chaturanga—these pieces were prized for both recreation and intellectual strategy. Crafted anonymously, this pawn exemplifies the period's mastery of small-scale stone carving, with jet's dense, glossy black lignite lending it a sleek, jewel-like sheen that has endured for over a millennium. Jet, a lightweight yet durable fossilized woo...