Dice

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art collection, this diminutive bone die, crafted by an unknown artist in the 9th–10th, offers a glimpse into the leisurely pastimes of medieval Islamic society. Measuring just 3/8 inch (1 cm) on each side, it's a perfect cube, incised with markings and inlaid with paint to denote its numerical values—likely the familiar pips from 1 to 6. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 8, this gaming piece evokes the tactile world of games like backgammon, which were immensely popular across the Abbasid Caliphate and beyond. Bone was a practical, abunda...