Description:

Lot 54. A RARE AQUAMARINE CHESS PIECE
Egypt, Iraq or Persia, 9th Century

Carved from a translucent aquamarine stone with natural veining in gold and pale clouded tones, this compact chess piece is shaped as a seated figure with rounded contours and softly modelled features. The front shows a stylised torso defined by incised lines suggesting folded drapery, tapering towards a rounded base. The head is broad and domed, with faintly indicated facial features above a pronounced chest line. Along the sides and back, shallow linear carving traces the fall of a cloak or robe, while the shoulders and upper back are rendered in gently sloping forms. The surface retains areas of smooth polish interspersed with worn, granular patches, minor chips, and natural fissures that follow the crystalline structure of the stone.

Such carved stone pieces belong to the early Islamic tradition of abstract figural chessmen, adapted from Sasanian and pre-Islamic prototypes. Their simplified forms served practical purposes within the game while reflecting contemporary aesthetic preferences for stylised, non-representational design.

Measurements: Height 5.3 cm

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December 16, 2025 1:00 PM GMT
London, United Kingdom

PLAKAS

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