Berkeley Isle of Lewis Chess Set (cream and red- board not

Berkeley Isle of Lewis Chess Set (cream and red- board not included)
- Replica Isle of Lewis Chessmen made from ground stone resin
- In cream and red pieces with shading and fine detail
- King height: 3.5 inches
- Pieces have felted bottoms
- Chessboard not included
Originally crafted from walrus ivory and whales teeth the iconic Isle of Lewis chess pieces were discovered in the vicinity of Uig on the Isle of Lewis some time before 11 April 1831. The precise location seems to have been a sand dune where they may have been placed in a small, dry stone chamber. The hoard which consisted of 78 chess pieces and 15 other artifacts was initially shown at the Scottish Antiquaries Society in Edinburgh which hoped to acquire it but was unsuccessful in its fundraising efforts. The British Museum eventually acquired it between November 1831 and January 1832.

The pieces were probably made in Trondheim, Norway, about AD 1150-1200. At this period, the Western Isles, where the chess pieces were found, were part of the Kingdom of Norway, not Scotland. It seems likely they were buried for safe keeping on route to be traded in Ireland.

The chess pieces testify to the strong cultural and political connections between the kingdoms of the British Isles and Scandinavia in the Middle Ages, and to the growing popularity within Europe of the game of chess, the origins of which lie in India after around 500 BC. Chess arrived in Christian Europe via the Islamic world, where the game was adapted to reflect medieval European society. Of the ninety-three pieces of this hoard known to us today, eleven pieces are in Edinburgh at the National Museum of Scotland, and eighty-two are in the British Museum.

Chess Piece Details:
King Height: 3 3/8"
King Base: 1 7/8"
Recommended Square Size: 2" - 2 1/4"
Country USA
Brand Berkeley Chess
Manufacturer Berkeley Chess
Binding Toy
ItemPartNumber BC3001
Model BC3001
Color One Colour
Size 3.5 inches
UnitCount 1
EANs 8438557659662
ReleaseDate 0000-00-00

Country	USA
Brand	Berkeley Chess
Manufacturer	Berkeley Chess
Binding	Toy
ItemPartNumber	BC3001
Model	BC3001
Color	One Colour
Size	3.5 inches
UnitCount	1
EANs	8438557659662
ReleaseDate	0000-00-00

Berkeley Isle of Lewis Chess Set (cream and red- board not included)

Customers who purchased this also purchased....