Chess set

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The game of chess probably originated in India, where ivory chess pieces have been found dating as far back as the eighth century. This set and board were made for the Western market but are distinguished from the majority of export pieces by their exquisitely intricate carving. The use of red and white figures instead of black and white is characteristic of sets produced in India.

The American Wing

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The American Wing's ever-evolving collection comprises some 20,000 works of art by African American, Euro American, Latin American, and Native American men and women. Ranging from the colonial to early-modern periods, the holdings include painting, sculpture, works on paper, and decorative arts—including furniture, textiles, ceramics, glass, silver, metalwork, jewelry, basketry, quill and bead embroidery—as well as historical interiors and architectural fragments.

Metropolitan Museum of Art