Some of the Lewis Chessmen may not have been chessmen at all according to new research.The 12th and 13th century gaming pieces which were discovered in Uig on the Isle of Lewis in 1831 are considered to be Scotland’s most renowned archaeological find.An article in the journal Medieval Archaeology by David Caldwell, Mark Hall and Caroline Wilkinson suggests that many of the 93 ivory pieces may have been used in a game called hnefatafl – an ancient Viking board game that pre-dates chess.Hnefatafl is similar to chess in that it also pits a king against pawns or warriors on the other side… (via)

Some of the Lewis Chessmen may not have been chessmen at all according to new research.

The 12th and 13th century gaming pieces which were discovered in Uig on the Isle of Lewis in 1831 are considered to be Scotland’s most renowned archaeological find.

An article in the journal Medieval Archaeology by David Caldwell, Mark Hall and Caroline Wilkinson suggests that many of the 93 ivory pieces may have been used in a game called hnefatafl – an ancient Viking board game that pre-dates chess.

Hnefatafl is similar to chess in that it also pits a king against pawns or warriors on the other side… (via)

11 notes
Notes
  1. kaoarika reblogged this from ringlunatic and added:
    The cravings are perfect.
  2. ringlunatic reblogged this from sixstepsback and added:
    Always loved the Lewis chessmen
  3. arcadiaego reblogged this from sixstepsback and added:
    his face. amazing. I love these little guys. I know it’s just me projecting things that are inappropriate historically...
  4. thedarkages reblogged this from medieval
  5. medieval reblogged this from kunstwissenschaftlerin
  6. sixstepsback reblogged this from aubade and added:
    his face. amazing.
  7. kunstwissenschaftlerin reblogged this from aubade
  8. aubade posted this

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