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November 12, 2009
Lewis Chessmen - maybe not for chess?
Here's a report of an article about the Lewis Chessmen. These folks are suggesting that some (or most?) of the pieces were made for playing a Viking board game, Hnefatafl, which also involves a king and pawns. They also have some suggestions about the social conditions in the islands - that the chessmen need not have been abandoned by a traveler, but could have belonged on Lewis. That part is more interesting.
Here's the British Museum's page, with some more pictures. I have a nice resin reproduction of one of the bishops myself.
Posted by CrankyProfessor at November 12, 2009 6:43 AM