The chess pieces were made of walrus ivory and sperm whale teeth by a highly skilled artisan probably in Trondheim, Norway, around 1200. A hoard of 93 game pieces was discovered on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides in 1831. (When the pieces were made, Lewis was part of the Norse-Gaelic Kingdom of the Isles which was ruled by Norway.) Most of them were sold to the British Museum which now has 82 of the chessmen. The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh has 11 of them.
Their wide-eyed expressions and the “Berserker” figure gnawing on his shield have always garnered the attention of scholars and the public, so they have been displayed with their faces to the viewer. But the backs are hidden gems, with hair in ringlets, lappets of the bishop’s mitre and intricate vine scrolls on the throne backs.
Dr Alice Blackwell, Senior Curator of Medieval Archaeology and History at National Museums Scotland said:
“The Lewis chess pieces are much loved thanks in part to their iconic expressions and poses, however these are objects which were designed to be appreciated from all angles. After all, each player sees the backs of their own pieces. The carver has really gone to town on the throne backs in particular, with entwined tendrils and knotwork that are really sumptuous compared to the simpler fronts. I’m delighted that visitors to the National Museum of Scotland will now have the chance to get to know these charming characters in the round.”
As of October 31st, the chessmen are in their display case at the entrance to the Kingdom of the Scots gallery. They are literally illuminated by new lighting and figuratively illuminated by new information panels.
You can see the intricate decoration on the backs of five of pieces in this video when the curator turn them around so their backs are to the camera.
* This article was originally published here
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