Silver, early 18th century.

This set, originating in India, takes the abstraction of form very seriously. The differing roles of the pieces on one side can be identified only by the height and size of their ornamental ridges, a puzzle which surely increases in difficulty when seen from above. To make matters worse, the opposing sides’ pieces are the exact same colour and shape! Pieces must instead be identified by their engraving: large flower petals and relative smoothness for one side, detailed petals and leaves on the other.

Chessmen (32). Holding Institution: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Image courtesy of the The Metropolitan Museum of Art. CC0 1.0.

Chessmen (32). Early 18th century. Silver. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/199898