When most people think of games and sports in the Middle Ages, chess and jousting probably come to mind. This book, and the exhibition on which it is based, reveal that medieval people enjoyed a much wider range of activities, including Snakes and Ladders.
Excerpt:
Divided into three sections – The Board, The Quest, and The Arena – Game On! follows the journeys of games as they travelled betwen regions, adapted to new contexts, and helped shaped traditions worldwide. Seen through this cross-cultural lens, it highlights a long continuity of creativity and exchange, Muslim cultures played a central role in this movement, adding new forms, refining existing ones, and transmitting traditions that shaped many of the games and sports still played today. Their influence sits alongside other global contributions, forming a wider story of movement, adaptation and innovation.
Who is this book for?
This book accompanies Game On!, an exhibition at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, exploring the games and sports enjoyed across the Islamicate and Asian regions of the medieval world. Its eleven chapters examine chess, backgammon, Snakes and Ladders, poetry contests, wrestling, horse riding, polo and falconry.
This collection will be useful for those interested in sports and entertainment in the Middle Ages, as well as medieval culture across the Islamic world and Asia. Drawn from the exhibition, the book’s rich selection of images and illustrations also makes it visually appealing.
Game On!
Edited by Bita Pourvash
Aga Khan Museum
ISBN: 978-1-926473-21-5
When most people think of games and sports in the Middle Ages, chess and jousting probably come to mind. This book, and the exhibition on which it is based, reveal that medieval people enjoyed a much wider range of activities, including Snakes and Ladders.
Excerpt:
Divided into three sections – The Board, The Quest, and The Arena – Game On! follows the journeys of games as they travelled betwen regions, adapted to new contexts, and helped shaped traditions worldwide. Seen through this cross-cultural lens, it highlights a long continuity of creativity and exchange, Muslim cultures played a central role in this movement, adding new forms, refining existing ones, and transmitting traditions that shaped many of the games and sports still played today. Their influence sits alongside other global contributions, forming a wider story of movement, adaptation and innovation.
Who is this book for?
This book accompanies Game On!, an exhibition at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, exploring the games and sports enjoyed across the Islamicate and Asian regions of the medieval world. Its eleven chapters examine chess, backgammon, Snakes and Ladders, poetry contests, wrestling, horse riding, polo and falconry.
This collection will be useful for those interested in sports and entertainment in the Middle Ages, as well as medieval culture across the Islamic world and Asia. Drawn from the exhibition, the book’s rich selection of images and illustrations also makes it visually appealing.
The Editor
Bita Pourvash is a Curator at the Aga Khan Museum.
You can buy this book from the museum’s website.
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