Chess Traces Back Almost 1,500 Years

The game of chess has a history that can be traced back almost 1,500 years to the Indus Valley Civilization and its earliest known predecessor, called chaturanga.

The Indus Civilisation was a Bronze Age civilisation, located in the northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE.

Chaturanga, the Sanskrit name for four arms (divisions of the army), was a game of strategy and skill.

The game was based on the regional army of that time and was composed of infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots. Modern chess gradually developed from this game.

This game spread to Persia, where it was modified, becoming the game, Shatranj. And, it was introduced to Europe in the 10th century via Muslim Spain.

The game evolved roughly into its present form by about 1500 CE.