Is Uzbekistan the Homeland of Chess?

Is Uzbekistan the Homeland of Chess?

There are numerous legends and hypotheses regarding the origins of chess. However, archaeological findings in the country do not rule out the possibility that Uzbekistan is the true homeland of this game. Scientists have proven that the chess pieces found in Afrasiab and Dalverzintepa were created several centuries earlier than those discovered in other parts of the world.

Some sources claim that the oldest chess piece is a figurine found by Canadian archaeologists in Jordan in 1991. This artifact dates back to the 8th century and is made of sandstone. However, chess pieces made of ivory, discovered in the ruins of Afrasiab in Samarkand and dating back to the 7th century, are considered the oldest.

The Afrasiab chess pieces include a king, vizier, chariot, elephant, two armed horsemen, and a foot soldier.

Even older discoveries were made in 1972 in Dalverzintepa. Chess pieces excavated by an expedition led by Galina Pugachenkova were dated to the 2nd century AD. One of the pieces is shaped like an elephant, while the other resembles a horse, confirming the development of chess during that period.

Currently, this finding is preserved in the Department of Rare Objects at the Institute of Art Studies of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Information about ancient chess pieces found in Uzbekistan can also be obtained from the exhibitions of the Islamic Civilization Center of Uzbekistan.

Is Uzbekistan the Homeland of Chess?
Is Uzbekistan the Homeland of Chess?