48 H. G. Raverty —The Invention of Chess and Backgammon. [No. J, 
E. B. Cowell of Cambridge a few years since; but cbess is only referred 
to therein as known in Hind, not the time of its inception. 
I shall now proceed to show how, when, and why it was invented. 
Among the events of the year 353 H., which commenced on the 
1st of August, 946, of the Christian era, just nine hundred and fifty-five 
years ago, the death is recorded of Abu-Bikr Muhammad, known as 
Sul-us-Suli, or Sul, who was a native of a place called Suli. He was a 
man of vast erudition, and proficient in most of the sciences and learn¬ 
ing then cultivated, including chronology and the traditions of the 
prophet, Muhammad, and was the author of several works. He was 
moreover, the greatest chess-player then known, and was famous as 
such throughout the Musalman countries. His skill and proficiency in 
this game, in consequence, became a proverb; and when anyone 
attained great skill therein, people used to say : “So-and-so is a per¬ 
fect Sul at chess,” or “ He is as proficient as Sul before him.” 
On this account an idea arose among some persons, that Sul was 
himself the inventor of the game ; but this was totally incorrect. It 
was invented by the sage, Sahsih or Sihssih, or Sis as it is written by 
different foreign, i.e. non-Hindi, authorities—but it is a Musalman cor¬ 
ruption of the purely Hindi name of Sahasi, son of JDahir, whose 
family, in after years, became rulers of Sind, and which Sahasi 
was also known under the by-name of Laj-Laj. He is said to 
have invented it for a Rai or Rajah of the territory of Sind, 
named Bhalit, by some called Baghil, who was famous under the name 
or title of Sherarn. The reason of its invention is said to have been 
because Ard-shir, son of Babak, of the Sasanian dynasty of Iran-Zamiu, 
or the ancient Persian empire, had invented, long before, the game of 
Nard or Backgammon. 
Ard-shir Babakan having invented it, the game was also some¬ 
times called Nard-i-shir, after him. He devised a chequered cloth 
(both it and chess are still played throughout the East, on a chequered 
cloth, which folds up, instead of on a board, as with us) containing 
twelve divisions or compartments according to the twelve solar months 
of the Persian year and the muhrahs or counters with which Nard was 
played, corresponded with the number of days of the lunar month of 
the Fire-Worshippers or Ancient Persians ; and one half of the counters 
were white and the other half black, because one half the month has 
moonlight nights, and the other half dark ones. The moves from one 
division or space to another he likened to the decrees of destiny, which 
vary and change, are turned and inverted, in the life of every human 
being, the fate of each one differing from that of another. 
So, after this game of Nard or Backgammon had been invented, 
