Inspired by pre-Islamic mythical figures and cultural artefacts from remote parts of Eastern Afghanistan, each chess piece is hand carved and hand painted to form a unique set. The twisting body of each figure evokes the Sufi dance of whirling dervishes.
Afghan artisan Naseer Yasna learned his craft in Iran from Hassan Khondani, an Iraqi master woodcarver, when he was only 13. Years later, back in Afgh ...