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 game pieces of the Lewis chessmen hoard consist of ninety-three game pieces of the Lewis chessmen found on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Medieval in origin, they were first exhibited in Edinburgh in 1831 but it is unclear how much earlier they had been discovered. The hoard comprised seventy-eight distinctive chess pieces and fifteen other non-chess pieces, nearly all carved from walrus tusk ivory, and they are now displayed at the British Museum in London and National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh. Another chess piece, which turned up in 1964 and in 2019 was attributed to have come from the original hoard, now belongs to a private collector.

The style of carving, particularly that on the thrones of the seated figures, suggests they are Scandinavian in origin, most likely from Trondheim, the medieval capital of Norway until 1217.

The types of piece are similar to those in modern chess – the chessmen are the earliest found that have figures in clerical dress (bishops). The rooks are represented as warriors which came to be called "warders" at an early stage after they were discovered. Four of the warders are shown biting their shields – these have been identified as the berserkers of the Norse sagas. Christian and pagan influences are both present in the designs.

Provenance of hoard

The hoard of ninety-three games pieces was found on the Isle of Lewis and was exhibited in Edinburgh in 1831.^[1] Most accounts have said the pieces were found at Uig Bay (58°11′10″N 7°01′19″W / 58.185987°N 7.021909°W / 58.185987; -7.021909) on the west coast of Lewis but Caldwell et al. of National Museums Scotland (NMS) consider that Mealista (58°06′14″N 7°06′29″W / 58.104°N 7.108°W / 58.104; -7.108), also in the parish of Uig and some 6 miles (10 km) further south down the coast, is a more likely place for the hoard to have been discovered.^[2] The hoard was divided and sold in the 19th century – the British Museum (BM) holds eighty-two pieces and National Museums Scotland has the other eleven pieces.^{[n 1][4]}

At the British Museum it was Sir Frederic Madden, Assistant Keeper of Manuscripts, who persuaded the Trustees to purchase for 80 guineas (£84) the eighty-two pieces which he had been misled into believing was the entire hoard. Madden was a palaeographer, a scholar of early vernacular literature, but he was especially intrigued by these artifacts because he was a chess enthusiast.^[5][6] Madden immediately set about writing a monumental research paper about the collection, Madden (1832) – one that remains informative and impressive today.^[7] At both museums the chessmen are an extremely popular exhibit for visitors.^[8][9]

A chess piece was purchased in Edinburgh in 1964 but it was not recognised at the time for what it was – it is now thought to have been made by the same people who made the pieces in the hoard and it was probably originally part the hoard itself.^[10][6] This piece was sold at auction in 2019 for £735,000.^[11] In 2023, the warder piece was displayed in a special exhibit at the Neue Galerie New York, as part of a special exhibit on the private collection of gallery founder and investor Ronald Lauder.^[12]

Attributes of types of piece

There are 79 chess pieces, including a warder that emerged in June 2019.^{[1][n 2][15]}

Of the chess pieces, 60 are major pieces and 19 are pawns.^{[n 3]} In addition to the carved chess pieces, the hoard includes 14 plain ivory discs,^{[n 4]} as well as a single ivory buckle, which might have been part of a bag holding the pieces.^[1] Most pieces are carved from walrus tusk ivory, while at least three are made from whale tooth.^[17] The designs of the pieces in terms of costume correlate to apparel individuals in the 12th century had worn in tandem with their societal role.^[18] None of the pieces have any sign of colouring, even under detailed scrutiny, though in 1832 several pieces were reportedly coloured red.^{[n 5][20]}

The major pieces all have attributes indicating their role in gameplay. Kings and queens are seated on thrones. The kings have long braided hair (except one) and hold in their right hand a sheathed sword resting across their knees. They wear a long mantle fastened at the right shoulder over various other types of clothing, and their crown has four trefoils. Queens are all cupping their chin in their right hand. Their long hair in braids is covered with a veil and their crown is either like the kings' or has a continuous pierced band. Covering their gown, the queens have a long mantle or cloak leaving a gap at the front.^[22][23]

The bishops are most variable in design – some are standing and others are seated and they are dressed in one of two types of liturgical vestments: five wear a cope over a tunicle, and the others wear pontifical vestments: a chasuble and stole over a dalmatic, over an alb. They are all clean-shaven, wear a mitre over their cropped shoulder-length hair, and are holding a crozier with one or both hands. Some bishops are holding a book or are giving a blessing.^[24][25]

The knights have beards and moustaches and are mounted on rather small horses equipped with stirrups and bridles.^{[n 6]} They are wearing long gambesons with belts and are carrying spears and long, narrow kite-shaped shields. When they carry swords they are hung from a baldric over the shoulder.^[27][28][29]

The warders have long straight hair and they are all standing with drawn swords, variously shaped helmets, and shields – four warders are biting their shields. Most are wearing long gambesons but a few wear chain mail, usually incorporating a chain mail hood.^[30][29][6]

The pawns are not figurative in design and are either bullet-shaped or slab-like. Two have some engraved ornamentation.^[31] The discs are very plain with two or three inscribed circumferential circles.^{[n 4][32]}

List of pieces

List of ninety-four extant pieces

Catalogue number[n 7]	Type[n 8]	Height (mm)[n 9]	Weight (g)[n 10]	Image (link)	Group/ Set[n 11]	Notes[n 12]
none (3D)	warder	88[11]		Sotheby's (2019)		Wearing gambeson, conical helmet (point damaged) with ear flaps. Neck flap lost through damage. Face damaged. Bought for £5 in 1964 with unknown provenance; sold in 2019 for £735,000.[11][36][n 13] Current owner of the piece is Ronald Lauder.[12]
H.NS 19 (3D)	king	96			D2	Bearded. Wearing a dalmatic under mantle.
H.NS 20 (3D)	king	73			X4	Wearing a tunic under mantle.
H.NS 21 (3D)	queen	92			D2	Wearing a long cloak over a long-sleeved gown.
H.NS 22 (3D)	queen	70			C4	Wearing cloak over knee-length long-sleeved gown and undergarment. The left side of the throne is from a separate piece of ivory, pinned on at the time of original manufacture.[37]
H.NS 23 (3D)	queen	93			D2	Holding a drinking or money horn.
H.NS 24 (3D)	bishop	92			E2	Seated on throne, wearing cope over chasuble. Grasping crosier with both hands.
H.NS 25 (3D)	bishop	93			D2	Standing. Wearing pontifical vestments. Right hand blesses and left hand holds crosier.
H.NS 26 (3D)	bishop	73			B4	Seated on throne, wearing pontifical vestments. Grasping crosier with both hands.
H.NS 27 (3D)	knight	89			X2	Wearing conical helmet. Bearing spear. Carved from sperm whale tooth.
H.NS 28 (3D)	warder	92			E2	Wearing gambeson, sword raised. Carved from sperm whale tooth[17]
H.NS 29 (3D)	warder	82			E3	Berserker.[38] Wearing gambeson, biting the top of shield with sword raised.
1831,1101.78 (3D)	king 1	98[n 14]	215		A1	Bearded. Crown with floral design. Brooch on mantle over tunic. Sheathed sword. Chair back with floral scrolls and dragon with floral tail. Interlaced designs on sides.
1831,1101.79	king 2	99[n 14]	245		D1	Beardless. Seated on high-backed chair holding sheathed sword. Crown with floral design. Brooch, mantle over tunic. Chair back with floral scrolls, upper ones held by animals' heads on uprights. Sides with interlaced decoration.
1831,1101.80 (3D)	king 4	89			B3	Bearded. Seated upon high-backed chair holding sheathed sword. Wearing floral crown, mantle over tunic and brooch. Chair back decorated with floral scrolls framed by two heads of animals. Madden described this as originally red.[20][39]
1831,1101.81	king 5	91			B3	Beardless, shoulder-length hair. Sword with baldric wound around. Guard decorated. Back of throne decorated with animal heads at top of uprights framing symmetrical leaf-scrolls. Damaged crown.
1831,1101.82 (3D)	king 3	95			X2	Bearded. Crown with hatched band. Back of throne decorated with three vertical panels of trefoils, geometric interlace and sinuous scrolls. Damaged sword.
1831,1101.83	king 6	79			C4	Bearded, wearing floral crown, mantle over tunic and brooch. Seated holding sheathed sword. High chair back has two horizontal compartments separated by zigzag, upper with interlaced arches, lower floral designs. Chair sides with interlacing.
1831,1101.84	queen 1	96	156		C1	Holding drinking or money horn. Floral crown over veil. Seated in chair ornamented on back with leaf scrolls and animal heads on uprights. Chair sides have interlaced design.
1831,1101.85	queen 5	80			B3	Crown (damaged) decorated with pierced hole. One hand around knee holding a cloth, maybe a veil.[40] Back of throne decorated possibly with facing lions with floral tails.
1831,1101.86 (3D)	queen 4	80			B3	Floral crown, veil, mantle over gown. Chair ornamented on back with two animals back-to-back with floral extremeties. Animal heads on top of uprights. Madden described this as very deep red.[20][41]
1831,1101.87	queen 3	76			X4	Back of throne divided into two panels, upper decorated with foliage, lower with interlaced arches. Sides decorated with panels of foliage. Damaged crown.
1831,1101.88 (3D)	queen 2	97			C1	Seated, wearing floral crown, veil, mantle over gown. Chair back with leaf scrolls. Cloth hanging over top of back of chair.
1831,1101.89	bishop 2	97			D1	Seated wearing pontifical vestments, holding book. Back of throne decorated with two panels of leaf scrolls.
1831,1101.90	bishop 1	97			D1	Seated wearing pontifical vestments, low mitre with lappets. Right hand raised in blessing. Back of chair has two pairs of adjacent leaf-scrolls.
1831,1101.91	bishop 3	87			B3	Seated wearing pontifical vestments, hand raised, back of throne decorated with leaf scrolls. Damaged crozier.
1831,1101.92	bishop 4	82			B4	Seated wearing pontifical vestments, holding book. back of throne decorated with overlapping arcades and interlace. Madden described this as originally red.[20][42]
1831,1101.93	bishop 5	82			D4	Seated wearing pontifical vestments, holding book. Back of chair fretwork, top cross-bar with animal heads. Chair sides incised parallelograms and semicircles. Madden described this as very deep red.[20][42]
1831,1101.94	bishop 11?	89			C3	Standing wearing cope.[n 15]
1831,1101.95	bishop 8?	95			C2	Standing wearing cope and mitre with lappets. Madden described this as originally red.[20][44]
1831,1101.96	bishop 12	95			C1	Standing wearing cope.
1831,1101.97	bishop 13?	76			B4	Standing wearing pontifical vestments. Damaged crozier.
1831,1101.98 (3D)	bishop 7	95	179		D2	Standing wearing cope and mitre with lappets. Holding book.
1831,1101.99	bishop 9	83			C3	Standing wearing cope. Holding book.
1831,1101.100	bishop 6	102	150		C1	Standing wearing pontifical vestments. Holding book.
1831,1101.101	bishop 10	83		[n 16]	C3	Standing wearing pontifical vestments. Holding book. Madden described this as red.[n 17][44]
1831,1101.102	knight 13	73			C4	Wearing kettle hat. Sword. Shield divided in halves horizontally with interlaced saltire on cross-hatched ground. Madden described this as red.[20][45]
1831,1101.103	knight 10	73			C4	Wearing kettle hat. Sword. Shield, halved vertically and to one side cross-hatched.
1831,1101.104	knight 9	88			C3	Bearded. Wearing kettle hat. Sword. Shield with saltire over a cross inside border.
1831,1101.105	knight 11	80			X3	Wearing kettle hat and spear in right hand. Shield with dotted bands making cross over central circle. Piece damaged and split.
1831,1101.106	knight 12	80			X3	Bearded, wearing conical helmet. Sword. Shield with interlaced saltire.
1831,1101.107 (3D)	knight 8	84			A3	Bearded, wearing conical helmet. Sword. Shield with diamond shape inscribed in square.
1831,1101.108	knight 7	89			A2	Bearded, wearing conical helmet. Sword. Shield with cross and diamond shape in centre.
1831,1101.109	knight 14	79			B4	Wearing conical helmet with neck and ear-pieces decorated with St Andrew's cross. Sword. Shield with cross and square.
1831,1101.110	knight 5	91			A2	Conical helmet. Shield decorated with incised diamond shape. Damaged.
1831,1101.111	knight 6	90	Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=Game_pieces_of_the_Lewis_chessmen_hoard Text je dostupný za podmienok Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License 3.0 Unported; prípadne za ďalších podmienok. Podrobnejšie informácie nájdete na stránke Podmienky použitia.  Navigácia: Veda > Analytika Antropológia Aplikované vedy Bibliometria Dejiny vedy Encyklopédie Filozofia vedy Forenzné vedy Humanitné vedy Knižničná veda Kryogenika Kryptológia Kulturológia Literárna veda Medzidisciplinárne oblasti Metódy kvantitatívnej analýzy Metavedy Metodika Metodológia vedy Náboženstvo a veda Náučná literatúra Podvody vo vede Popularizácia vedy Potravinárstvo Prírodné vedy Pseudoveda Scientometria Spoločenské vedy Teórie Teatrológia Technické vedy Technika Terminológia Umenie Výskum Veda Veda a technika podľa štátu Veda a technika podľa kontinentu Veda a technika podľa roka Veda v kozme Vedci Vedecká literatúra Vedecké databázy Vedecké experimenty Vedecké konferencie Vedecké metódy Vedecké ocenenia Vedecké organizácie Vedecké parky Vedeckí spisovatelia Vzdelávanie Záhady Príbuzné výrazy: Text je dostupný za podmienok Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License 3.0 Unported; prípadne za ďalších podmienok. Podrobnejšie informácie nájdete na stránke Podmienky použitia. www.astronomia.sk | www.biologia.sk | www.botanika.sk | www.dejiny.sk | www.economy.sk | www.elektrotechnika.sk | www.estetika.sk | www.farmakologia.sk | www.filozofia.sk | Fyzika | www.futurologia.sk | www.genetika.sk | www.chemia.sk | www.lingvistika.sk | www.politologia.sk | www.psychologia.sk | www.sexuologia.sk | www.sociologia.sk | www.veda.sk I www.zoologia.sk