""Games have long brought people together across cultures and centuries, creating shared experiences that connect us beyond borders, languages, and differences. Whether played on boards, performed through physical skill, explored via the spoken or written word, or navigated in digital worlds, games carry educational, symbolic, and social roles that shape how we learn, connect, and make meaning through play.""
"At the heart of the exhibition are objects that illuminate the medieval world's fascination with strategy, competition, and skill. Among the highlights is a 12th-century chess set from Iran, one of the earliest surviving examples of the game."
"Chess, which spread from India through the Islamic world and into Europe during the Middle Ages, became one of the most important intellectual pastimes of the period."
"Also featured is a 16th-century illustrated folio from the Shahnama (Book of Kings), depicting a royal polo match. Polo, widely played in the medieval Islamic world and Persia, was not only a sport but also a demonstration of elite training and political prestige."
The Game On! exhibition at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto features over 100 objects that illustrate the cultural significance of games in the medieval world. It highlights how games served as entertainment and cultural bridges, shaping social life and storytelling. The exhibition emphasizes the role of games in daily life across Islamic and neighboring societies. Notable items include a 12th-century chess set from Iran and a 16th-century folio depicting a royal polo match, showcasing strategy, competition, and skill in medieval culture.
Read at Medievalists.net
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