The first written traces of chess date back to the 6th century

Shatranj is the ancestor of the game of chess, derived from the Persian version of the Indian game Chaturanga. Its oldest traces come from mentions in three Persian epic texts, including the Wizârišn î chatrang ud nihišm î nêw-ardaxšîr. This document is also called Mâdayân î chatrang or Chatrang nâmag, and was written probably in the 6th century.