A Strategic Advance on Europe [ from 2002, chess in 5th century Europe ]

Discover Vol. 23 No. 11 ^ | November 2002 | Jocelyn Selim

[SunkenCiv]

A two-inch-tall ivory chess piece, part of an ancient set, suggests that traders brought the game to Europe at least five centuries earlier than previously thought. Archaeologists led by Richard Hodges of Britain's East Anglia University excavated the game piece (right) from the remains of a fifth-century port city on the Albanian coast. Chess had probably originated as a war-strategy training game in India by the third century A.D., but it took ages to reach Europe, historians traditionally believed. "A number of chess pieces, found from Scotland down to southern Italy, date to around the 12th century, so it had been thought the game first became widespread in Europe around then," says Hodges. The new find hints at unexpectedly dynamic cultural exchanges during the late Roman Empire. "The piece was found in a wealthy Byzantine home, probably belonging to a Roman merchant capitalizing on trade between Europe and the Far East," Hodges says. "At the time, the empire was expanding rapidly, bringing in tapestries, textiles, wines. People most likely sat around playing the game while drinking wine from eastern outposts in Syrian glasses. Not such a bad life." Photograph courtesy of Richard Hodges/East Anglia University.

[SunkenCiv]

Archaeologists find 600-year-old chess piece in northwest Russia
RIA Novosti | July 18, 2008 | unattributed
Posted on 07/28/2008 9:31:27 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2052561/posts

[SunkenCiv]

· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic ·
	Gods Graves Glyphs	Found this one in a long forgotten post in another forum, then searched and found it on the hard drive. No apparent topic or even posting about it on FR. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[Kevmo]

Thanks for the ping. I’m not sure if you’re interested, but this Chess Variants website might be right up your alley.

http://www.chessvariants.org

It is generally assumed that chess originated in India, 5-7 centuries after the birth of Christ. At that time, the game was not as we know it. During the course of history, many variants of the game were tried. Some were discarded immediately, some had for some time an enthusiastic following and then died out, while others stayed, and replaced the game as it formerly was known.

Today, the game chess as we know it, has remarkable differences from the original game. At the same time, in different parts of this world, different chess games are played. These are also believed to originate from the same Indian / Arabic origin. The most played variants are Shogi (in Japan), and Xiangqi (in China). Other Asiatic countries know other variants. Additionally, these games and the `Western’ chess have many variants, played by people that want something different for a change. These pages want to describe such variants, and give pointers to places that contain more material on them.

[kitchen]

[SunkenCiv]

Those chess players, they’re everywhere.

[SunkenCiv]

Archaeologists Uncover Ancient Maritime Spice Route Between India, Egypt
Popular Science | 2-8-2004
Posted on 02/08/2004 12:57:17 PM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1074033/posts

Tamil Trade
INTAMM | 1997 | Xavier S. Thani Nayagam
Posted on 09/11/2004 8:07:01 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1213591/posts

The Voyage around the Erythraean Sea
Silk Road | 2004 | William H. Schoff
Posted on 09/12/2004 7:55:44 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1214273/posts

Search For India’s Ancient City (Muziris - Roman)
BBC | 6-12-2006
Posted on 06/11/2006 6:55:04 PM PDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1647590/posts

Roman relics found near Elephanta
Daily News & Analysis | Friday, September 15, 2006 | Ninad D Sheth
Posted on 09/15/2006 12:58:33 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1702259/posts

Ancient Vishnu idol found in Russian town
PTI | 4 Jan, 2007 1109hrs IST | PTI
Posted on 01/04/2007 1:29:08 AM PST by CarrotAndStick
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1762181/posts

‘Ancient India Was In The Middle Of Global Trade’
The Times Of India | 6-15-2007
Posted on 06/15/2007 3:44:26 PM PDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1851036/posts

Ancient Roman road map unveiled
BBC | 26 Nov 2007 | Bethany Bell
Posted on 11/26/2007 6:58:07 PM PST by BGHater
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1930916/posts

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Kevmo.

[MyTwoCopperCoins]

Indian / Persian, rather than Indian / Arab.

[SunkenCiv]

Whoops.

Ancient Chess History Unearthed
BBC | 7-27-2002
Posted on 07/28/2002 7:08:20 AM PDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/723594/posts

[SunkenCiv]

Kasparov vs Deep Junior ends in 3-3 draw (Man vs. Machine Chess)
www.chessbase.com | Feb 07, 2003 | Staff
Posted on 02/07/2003 8:21:29 PM PST by texas booster
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/838467/posts

Teen Beats Kasparov in Chess Match
AP | March 7, 2003, 7:10 PM EST | by Daniel Woolls
Posted on 03/07/2003 6:21:49 PM PST by TheOtherOne
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/859545/posts