by Tony Seker

Artwork Description

Mars In The Burnt City

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As a young boy growing up in the Middle East during volatile times, I loved the familiar sounds emanating from the backgammon tables. The roll of the dice, the wooden game pieces being smashed onto the tables, and the animated sounds of gamesmanship were all part of the omnipresent and unyielding joie de vivre. The acoustics coupled with the fragrant aromas from incomparable food, the fertile gardens and smoky hookahs made me feel like the world was alright - at least for that day. I imagine that all of these elements centered around the backgammon tables in the Middle East have existed throughout the history of civilization. The oldest backgammon set in the world was unearthed beneath the rubbles of the legendary Shahr-e Sukhteh (or "Burnt City”) in southeastern Iran. One of the oldest known cities in the world, it is now a 5,200-year-old UNESCO World Heritage site. It burned down three times before it was abandoned for unknown reasons in 1800 B.C. The term “mars” (in Farsi) refers to a dominant backgammon victory (double value). My title "Mars in the Burnt City" is a double entendre, fusing together the city’s history of fires with backgammon and the red planet which Chinese astronomers call the “fire star.” In my painting you can see three game pieces - the rest is history. Acrylic on wood panel 36" x 48" x 2" $4,000

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