Game pieces of the Lewis chessmen hoard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lewis chessmen
Lewis chessmen in National Museums Scotland Three bishops (H.NS 24, 25 & 26)
Material	Walrus ivory and whale tooth
Created	12th century
Discovered	1831 or earlier Mealista, Isle of Lewis 58°06′14″N 7°06′29″W / 58.104°N 7.108°W / 58.104; -7.108
Present location	British Museum National Museums Scotland

The Lewis Chessmen are a famous collection of ancient chess pieces. They were found on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. These amazing pieces are from the Medieval period, around the 12th century. Most of them are carved from walrus ivory, which is like elephant tusks but from walruses. A few are made from whale teeth.

There are 93 pieces in total. This includes 78 chess pieces and 15 other game pieces. They were first shown to the public in Edinburgh in 1831. Today, you can see them at the British Museum in London and National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh. In 2019, another chess piece was found. Experts believe it was part of the original collection. It was sold for a lot of money and is now owned by a private collector.

The way these pieces are carved suggests they came from Scandinavia. Many experts think they were made in Trondheim, which was the capital of Norway a long time ago. The chess pieces look similar to modern chess pieces. However, the Lewis Chessmen are special because they are the earliest known chess sets to include figures of bishops. The rooks in this set are shown as warriors. Some of these warriors are even biting their shields! This shows a mix of Christian and old Norse (pagan) ideas in their design.

Where the Chessmen Were Found

The collection of 93 game pieces was discovered on the Isle of Lewis. They were first shown in Edinburgh in 1831. Most stories say they were found at Uig Bay on the west coast of Lewis. However, some experts from National Museums Scotland think they were more likely found at Mealista. This place is also in the parish of Uig, a bit further south.

The collection was split up and sold in the 1800s. The British Museum now has 82 pieces. National Museums Scotland has the other 11 pieces.

At the British Museum, a scholar named Frederic Madden helped buy 82 of the pieces. He thought he was buying the whole collection. Madden was very interested in old writings and also loved chess. He quickly wrote an important paper about the chessmen. This paper is still helpful and impressive today. Both museums say the chessmen are very popular with visitors.

In 1964, another chess piece was bought in Edinburgh. At first, people didn't realize it was from the Lewis Chessmen. But now, it's believed to have been made by the same artists. It was probably part of the original collection. This piece was sold at an auction in 2019 for £735,000. In 2023, this warrior piece was shown in a special exhibit in New York.

What the Pieces Look Like

There are 79 chess pieces in total, including the warrior piece found in 2019. Instead of the castle-like rooks we see today, these sets have warrior pieces. They were called "warders" by Frederic Madden, and the name has stuck.

Out of the chess pieces, 60 are major pieces (like kings, queens, bishops, knights, and warders). The other 19 are pawns. Besides the chess pieces, the collection also has 14 plain ivory discs. There is also one ivory buckle. This buckle might have been part of a bag that held the pieces.

Most of the pieces are carved from walrus ivory. At least three are made from whale tooth. The clothing and styles of the pieces show what people wore in the 12th century. None of the pieces show any color today. However, in 1832, some pieces were said to be red.

Kings and Queens

King and queen (H.NS 19 & H.NS 23)

The kings and queens sit on thrones. The kings usually have long braided hair and hold a sword across their knees. They wear a long cloak over other clothes and a crown with four leaf-like shapes.

The queens all rest their chin in their right hand. Their long braided hair is covered with a veil. Their crowns are either like the kings' or have a continuous band with holes. They wear a long cloak over their gown.

Bishops

The bishops have the most varied designs. Some are standing, and others are seated. They wear different types of church clothes. They are all clean-shaven and wear a tall hat called a mitre over their short hair. They hold a crozier, which is a staff shaped like a shepherd's crook. Some bishops are holding a book or giving a blessing.

Knights

The knights have beards and mustaches. They ride on small horses that have stirrups and bridles. They wear long padded jackets called gambesons with belts. They carry spears and long, narrow, kite-shaped shields. If they have swords, they hang from a strap over their shoulder.

Warders and Berserkers

The warders have long, straight hair. They all stand with their swords drawn and carry shields. They wear different types of helmets. Four of these warders are shown biting their shields. These are known as berserkers. Berserkers were fierce warriors from Norse stories. They fought in a wild fury. Most warders wear padded jackets, but some wear chain mail armor.

The pawns are not shaped like people. They are either bullet-shaped or flat like slabs. Two of them have some simple patterns carved on them. The discs are very plain, with two or three circles carved around their edges.

Bishops, Warders, and Berserkers

12th century Iranian Shatranj set

When chess first started in India, the piece that became the bishop was an elephant. The rook was a chariot. When the game spread to Europe in the Middle Ages, many pieces started to look like people again. But the rook was an exception. So, the warrior rooks (warders) in the Lewis collection are quite unusual. The Lewis sets are also the first known chess sets to include figures of bishops.

Berserker (H.NS 29)

In his 1832 paper, Frederic Madden called the warrior pieces "warders." This name suggested they were like guards, somewhere between a foot soldier and a knight. This name has been used ever since. Madden was also the first to realize that the warriors biting their shields were berserkers. These were legendary Norse warriors who fought in a wild, almost crazy, state. Madden knew from his studies that old Norse stories often mentioned berserkers biting their shields.

For example, a poet and historian named Snorri Sturluson wrote around 1225 about Odin, a Norse god. He said Odin could make his enemies blind or deaf in battle. His own men would rush forward without armor, acting like mad dogs or wolves. They would bite their shields and be as strong as bears. They could kill people with one blow, and neither fire nor iron could harm them. These warriors were called Berserkers.

Carvings on Thrones

Queen's throne (H.NS 21)

The kings, queens, and seven of the bishops sit on thrones. These thrones have detailed carvings on their backs and sides. Many carvings show swirling patterns of leaves and plants, sometimes with animals mixed in. Other pieces have woven, geometric patterns. Sometimes, a horizontal or vertical line divides the back of the throne, allowing for more than one design.

The decorations on the thrones are often carved more boldly than the figures themselves. This might be because the carvers had more freedom with the throne designs. They didn't have to follow strict rules for how the figures should look. Two pawns and the buckle also have similar, but more lightly carved, designs.

These unique patterns on the thrones help experts connect the chess pieces to other carvings from the 12th century. These other carvings are found in Scandinavia and East Anglia (a region in England). This group includes four walrus ivory pieces (three in Denmark and one in the British Museum). It also includes carvings from three old Norwegian wooden churches and parts of Ely Cathedral in England. This suggests that artistic ideas traveled across the North Sea between these areas. These places were connected by churches and trade long ago.

See also

• Clonard chess piece

Images for kids

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