Checkers set - Black

Chich-bich is a collection of 3 board games; Chess, Backgammon, and Checkers. The design is inspired and adapted from the traditional art craft of Sejnane's pottery in Tunisia.

The potters os Sejnane have been working clay for over 3000 years. Their traditional cooking techniques are the origin of this organic and primitive craft.

Chich-Bich tranlates to Backgammon in Tunisian Arabic, hence the name of this beautiful collection.

The boards designs and symbology are heavily influenced by Amazigh culture, Sejnen being the land of an old Berber tribe called Mogods.

Every board is individually hand crafted from start to finish using the following traditional techniques, handed down from generation to generation.

1. The clay is dug and extracted by the artisan in the region of Sejnane.
2. The soil is then washed of impurities, kneaded with the crushed remains of used pottery, before being shaped by hand.
3. The sets are then sanded several times with a shell, before allowing the polished objects to dry for 3 days in open air
4. The fire is started on the ground, on a bed of dried branches. Cow dung cakes and hay are used as a natural fuel.
5. To achieve the finished colour, the potteress coats each piece with natural dyes and colourants, extracted from the earth, usually white clay or red ochre from the nearby hills.
   
6. The dark pieces are coloured using the sap extracted from the Mastic tree, a tree native to North Tunisia, that turns black when caramelised.

Board size 25cm x 25cm

Weight 2kg

Contains;

• Notebook presenting the collection
• Board and and Counters in Terracotta.
• Linen bag for counters

100% Artisan made in Tunisia