1,000-Year-Old Chess Set To Be Auctioned

The set is believed to have been made in the city of Nishapur, northeast Persia (the former name for Iran), in the Samanid period and consists of pieces that are the equivalent to modern pawns, knights, bishops, rook and the king and queen. It is believed to have originated in India some time before the 6th century before spreading to Persia and the rest of Europe and Asia along trade routes including the Silk Road.