Lewis chessmen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lewis Chessmen |
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 Lewis chessmen in the National Museum of Scotland
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| Material | Walrus Ivory and Whales' Teeth |
| Created | 12th century |
| Discovered | Uig, Isle of Lewis, 1831 |
| Present location | British Museum National Museum of Scotland |
The Lewis Chessmen are 78 amazing chess pieces from the 12th century. Most of them are made from walrus ivory, which is like a tusk. They were found in 1831 on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. These chessmen are special because they might be one of the few complete chess sets left from the Middle Ages.
Today, 67 pieces are kept at the British Museum in London. The other 11 pieces are at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. Unlike older, more abstract chess pieces, the Lewis Chessmen look like real people and figures. This style is similar to the chess pieces we use today. They even include a queen and a bishop, which were new figures in the game at that time.
Contents
Where did the Lewis Chessmen come from?
The chessmen were probably made in Norway around the 12th century. Some experts think they were carved by skilled artists in Trondheim, a city in Norway. During that time, the Outer Hebrides (where the Isle of Lewis is) and many other Scottish islands were ruled by Norway.
There are a few clues that point to Norway:
- A broken queen piece, similar in style, was found in Norway.
- Similar carvings can be seen in Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.
- A special kite-shaped shield, like those on some chess pieces, was found in Trondheim.
- A king piece, similar to the Lewis kings, was found on Hitra Island, near Trondheim.
- The armor worn by the chess figures looks exactly like armor worn in Norway back then.
Some historians also think the chessmen might have come from Iceland. It's hard to be completely sure if they came from Norway or Iceland with the information we have now. The exact date they were made is also a bit of a mystery.
Many believe the Lewis Chessmen were hidden or lost during a trip from Norway. They might have been on their way to rich Norse towns in Ireland, like Dublin. Because there are so many pieces and they don't look very worn, some think they were a trader's stock, meaning someone was planning to sell them. Along with the chess pieces, 14 round pieces for a game called tables and one belt buckle were also found. All these items were made of ivory.
After their discovery by Malcolm Macleod in 1831, the chessmen were sold. They were shown at a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Soon after, the collection was split up. Ten pieces were bought by a person named Kirkpatrick Sharpe. The rest (67 chessmen and 14 tablemen) were bought for the British Museum in London.
Kirkpatrick Sharpe later found another bishop piece, bringing his collection to eleven. These eleven pieces were eventually bought by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. They then gave them to the Royal Museum in Edinburgh. These eleven pieces are now on display at the National Museum of Scotland.
The pieces given to the British Museum are still there. Most of them can be found in Room 42. Some have been loaned to Scottish museums and special exhibitions. You can even buy copies of the chessmen in the museum shops!
The Lewis Chessmen are very famous. They were chosen as one of the top British archaeological finds for a BBC TV show called Our Top Ten Treasures in 2003. They also appeared in a BBC Radio 4 series called A History of the World in 100 Objects, where they were number 61 in the "Status Symbols" section.
Exhibitions and Shows
A special exhibition called "The Lewis Chessmen: Unmasked" traveled around Scotland in 2010 and 2011. It showed chess pieces from both the Museum of Scotland and the British Museum collections.
Another exhibition, "The Game of Kings: medieval ivory chessmen from the Isle of Lewis," was held at The Cloisters in New York City. This show included 34 of the chess pieces, all loaned from the British Museum. The exhibit ended in April 2012.
Related pages
Images for kids
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A queen and a warder (rook) in the joint exhibition in Edinburgh, 2010
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Selection of chessmen held at the National Museum of Scotland
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King and Queen held at the National Museum of Scotland
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Two warders or rooks, held at the National Museum of Scotland
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A selection of some of the other pieces, with a row of bishops at the back and then knights.
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Knight on a stout horse
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Back of a British Museum queen
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British Museum king and queen, with rook and knight behind them
See also
In Spanish: Ajedrez de la isla de Lewis para niños
