In the year 1831, a 12th century medieval treasure was discovered on the Isle of Lewis, the largest of the Outer Hebrides Islands in Scotland. Seventy-eight ivory figurines, several carved obelisks, fourteen tablemen discs, and one ivory belt buckle were uncovered in Uig Bay after centuries of being hidden. First impressions of the little figurines thought them to be totems or icons, while other imaginative minds thought they might be small pygmy sprites or elves. Upon closer analysis they were determined to be chess pieces. The initial discovery included eight kings, eight queens, sixteen bishops, fifteen knights, twelve warders, and nineteen pawns. These incomplete, yet remarkably unique, sets of characters became known to the world as the Lewis Chessmen, and still today leave quite an impression on our modern understanding of twelfth century artistry and craftsmanship.
Just how the chessmen landed in Scotland is unknown. Since their unearthing, there have been numerous stories and speculation about how they came to the island of Uig, as well as tales surrounding the details of their discovery. While the definitive origin of these pieces is still up for debate, the leading theories trace them to either Iceland or Norway based on both these regions’ access to ivory, as well as the art style more common at the time of their creation. Most of the chessmen are carved from walrus tusks, with a few pieces carved from whale’s teeth.
They are small, but appropriately sized for a chessboard. The tallest piece is no more than four inches in height while the shortest pawn stands at about an inch and a half.
The design of each of these figurines leaves no two pieces looking identical, while still sharing common characteristics that indicate their varying roles in the game of chess. Some theorize that this might mean there was more than one artist who contributed to the Lewis Chessmen, but there are also plenty who think one designer crafted them all.
The king pieces all sit on intricately designed thrones, each one gripping a sword that rests flat across his lap. Their faces portray a straight-forward stoicism and are wearing robes designed for a king at war.
Like the king pieces, the queens also all sit on thrones of a similar design. All eight wear veils underneath their crowns, are posed with their chins resting in their right hands and have a look of worry or concern as they watch the consequences of battle play out before then. Seven of the bishop pieces are seated on thrones, while the remaining nine opt to stand. They all wear a bishop’s headdress called mitres, and carry a staff called a crozier. Some carry a Bible or make a sign of blessing with their free hand, others grip their staff with both hands. The existence of the bishops, as well as the way they wear their mitres, is one of the most compelling arguments for the dating of the Lewis Chessmen. Before the year 1150, Bishops wore their mitres sideways rather than facing forward, and there is also no surviving record of bishops represented in the game of chess before the 12th century.
The knights sit atop fierce horses, ready to ride into battle. They wear helmets and are well armed, carrying both individually and uniquely patterned shields, a spear at their sides, and a sword tied to their armor. The horses themselves have Icelandic characteristics such as a short, stocky frame and shaggy hair.
The last major character pieces are the warders and berserkers, the foot soldiers of the battle. They also carry swords and shields to protect themselves. All except one wears a helmet. There are a few unique shapes to their helmets, some more conic while a couple don a more rounded top. Their shields are individually patterned once again, but some carry their shields in front of their bodies instead of holding them at their side. Four of the berserkers bite their shields, as we can see their teeth chomp down over the top of them, conveying their expression of violent rage. These are perhaps some of the best-known pieces of the Lewis Chessmen, as they were likely designed as an homage to Norse barbarity and ferociousness.
The pawns are the only pieces that aren’t expressive, having a more cylindrical or gravestone-like shape. However, a couple of them have geometric and ornamental designs.
While not very impressive in feature, the pawns remain some of the most elusive pieces to be documented. To this day, there are still many pawns missing as well as four major game pieces that have never been found. There is speculation that they went missing during the initial finding of the chessmen in 1831, but it is also just as likely that they were never included when the rest of the pieces were originally concealed.
Today, the original Lewis Chessmen are on display at the British Museum in London as well as the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh and are viewed by millions of people every year.
