Gaming Piece
Unknown Artist
possibly 8th–12th century
Medium
Glass
Classification
Gaming pieces
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Pfeiffer Fund, 1972
Accession Number
1972.9.11
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate glass gaming piece, dating possibly to the 8th–12th, hails from the Islamic world and exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of medieval artisans. Crafted during a golden era of Islamic art and science, such objects were used in popular board games like early forms of backgammon or variants, reflecting leisure pursuits among diverse social classes from scholars to merchants. Glass was a prized medium in Islamic culture, with advanced techniques like molding, free-blowing, and colorful trailing enabling vibrant, translucent pieces that caught the light beautifully. Often produce...