ANTIQUITIES AND ISLAMIC ART SALE
Lot 214:
Description
An extraordinarily rare and beautifully preserved chess piece attributed to the Fatimid dynasty, dating to approximately the 11th century. This exceptional artefact likely represents a bishop or abstract piece, in keeping with early Islamic chess traditions, where figurative representation was avoided in favor of geometric or vegetal motifs.
The surface of the piece is intricately carved in high-relief arabesque and palmette designs, swirling with rhythm and elegance across the domed form. Its organic ornamentation reflects the Fatimid taste for luxurious, stylized surface decoration rooted in both Islamic and Mediterranean aesthetic traditions. The deep blue-green turquoise, with natural veining and a polished finish, adds a rich visual and tactile quality.
Its weight, size, and vertical orientation suggest it was used in an elite context — possibly for a courtly or ceremonial chess set rather than a utilitarian one. The base is slightly flattened for stability, with the stone’s natural variations visible on the underside
H: 3.5cm
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