Before us are 78 large chess pieces, handcrafted by a medieval Norwegian master between 1150 and 1200.The chess pieces are carved from walrus tusk and whale tooth—materials commonly used at the time. The pieces were accidentally discovered on a Scottish island by a farmer, who hastily sold the find to a merchant. Since then, the pieces have been auctioned off on multiple occasions until they eventually found their way to the Scottish and British museums. Incidentally, these pieces could also have been used in hnefatafle—a Scandinavian board game similar to both chess and checkers. Each piece possesses a sculptural aesthetic, as if they were miniature versions of actual statues. We see long-haired kings on thrones, queens holding cups, bishops in miters, mounted knights with shields and spears, guards with swords, and pawns shaped like pyramids. The pieces are sturdy and somewhat angular—this is likely how the ancient Scandinavians saw themselves. They transferred their warlike nature and severity into art, transforming the chessboard into an imaginary battlefield.
Original author’s text, preserved unchanged.
More from the British Museum: Ramesses II at the British Museum