The Origin of the Chess Game
Chess is one of the oldest and most popular board games in the world. Its origins can be traced back to ancient India, where it was known as Chaturanga. The original game of Chaturanga was a battle simulation between two armies, with each player controlling an army of four different types of units. These units were the infantry, cavalry, chariot, and elephant, which are now represented by the modern chess pieces: pawns, knights, rooks, and bishops, respectively.
The Evolution of Chess Pieces
As chess spread from India to other parts of the world, the pieces underwent significant changes. In Persia, the game was known as Shatranj and the pieces were given new names and designs. The pawn, for example, was represented by a soldier holding a sword or spear. The knight was depicted as a horse and the bishop was represented by an elephant. As the game continued to evolve, the design of the pieces became more abstract, with the introduction of the bishop´s mitre and the rook´s battlements.
Oldest Chess Pieces Discovered
The oldest chess pieces that have been discovered to date were found in a burial site in Uzbekistan. These pieces are estimated to be over 1500 years old and are believed to have been imported from the Sassanid Empire, which was located in what is now Iran. The pieces were made out of glass and were intricately carved and colored. It is believed that these pieces were used to play Shatranj, as the game was popular in the Sassanid Empire during that time.
The Lewis Chessmen
While the pieces found in Uzbekistan are the oldest known chess pieces, the most famous and well-preserved set of medieval chess pieces is the Lewis Chessmen. They were discovered in 1831 on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland and are thought to have been made in the 12th century. There are a total of 78 pieces in the Lewis Chessmen set, with 67 being held by the British Museum and 11 by the National Museum of Scotland.
It is believed that the Lewis Chessmen originated from Norway and were most likely made in Trondheim, a center for ivory carving during that time. The reason for their presence on the Isle of Lewis is still a mystery, with some theories suggesting that they were lost or deliberately buried by a merchant traveling from Norway to Ireland.
