Lewis Chess Men: Fact or Fiction?

Thanks Anok. That's the first time I've seen "Viking" kite shields, so I'm assuming that they weren't all that common. The metallic kite ones I'm guessing are most likely later than Viking Age?

no i need to get a viking to answer this

It's called association. The pieces were found in what appears to be a set, with similar numbers and representations to a game that existed in that time. Yes, it could be some other game. It also could be chess. In the absence of a written record describing that chess was played in that area and describing what at least some of the pieces looked like, you have to go on some educated guesswork and relating to known things.

They could also have been toys, like green army men of the day. Or collectable figurines for rich kids. But being part of a game seems very likely and since Chess was known and there are the right number of pieces, in the correct amounts (some piece loss over the time periods being possibe), there is a very good case that it was for chess. It is also possible, like today, that multiple chess like games could have been played with them.

    "It's willful thinking. You ever hear of people wanting so badly something to be true that they start making things up or bending the truth to fit in with their narrative"?                                            I heard that happens with a lot of gay people.

soz ed  just saw your post

i reckon you are correct , im not , got a mate here a viking gonna ask their view

viking age encompassed iron age so with theiir trade routes and mineral wealth in scandanavian countries iron shields would i reckon be in viking times

I don't see what being gay has to do with truth or lack thereof, Ronald. I do agree, though, that the OP might have been wiser to have kept this info to himself, having seen the uproar it has caused on these forums...

Thanks Anok. I've no doubt they had iron shields, it's just the style and high quality of the metallic kite ones make me tend to think "later middle ages".

wishful thinking goes both ways.

Why, are you SO sure that they aren't chess peices.  do you not want england/norway to have any part of the story of the old game and how it came to be?

chess origin is lost in the depth of time- but clearly moving the trade routes, the old game came to many lands and cultures.  the vikings aren't a stretch and the story seems plausable.

Could you put those on a board and play a game?Were there different color pieces to match for an opponent? I guess they could have a bored looking queen represent one side and an agressive looking queen to represent the other side...Some men at work made chess pieces from different length looks like 3/4inch (19mm) bolts,nuts,and washers and set them up on a board they painted, the opponent had a lock washer on it for ID. They have it posted on here on a different thread.Maybe they will dig it up centuries from now.

  I'm sorry Ed. I don't mean to de-rail an interesting and controvercial thread as the Lewis Men. (Something I know nothing about). But the way he worded that statement fits with all the controversy that HE has stired up. What's he up to now, over 100 threads?  I noticed his "Pay for chess coach" thread was locked, but he started 2 more this mourning. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lewis-Chessmen-New-Perspectives/dp/1905267851

released  last year , links to suppliers in link

A co-publication with the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. The 93 Lewis Chessmen, bought by the British Museum and by what is now the National Museum of Scotland in the mid nineteenth century, were made in twelfth century Scandinavia, from ivory and whales' teeth. They continue to fascinate academics from various disciplines, as well as museum visitors

from above link

Sameez;   That's a "nuts & bolts" chess set. I've seen a few variations. I built one when I was 14 from an article in "Popular Mechanics".  Just go to the hardware store and buy a bunch of odds & ends.

93 pieces found , that would take a big chess board , wonder how they were used guess that will never be known

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/show-me-your-lewis-chess-sets?page=1#last_comment

I know kind of my point about the sculptures being a chess set,and I just like this one made in a pinch at work.   BTW If you were to buy those nuts and bolts pictured individually at a hardware store you would spend well over $100.you could just go buy a set that was nicer for less money.

grave goods , this is where my thinking is

a viking burial is usually viewed as been burnt in a longship , but this was reserved for important vikings , (40 vikings to a longship ) if loads die they have only one ship to burn

so did vikings bury their dead with grave goods , is the sack of 93 Lewischessmen , the prized possessions of a dead viking /

archaeology i guess , ie was human remains fiound near the chessmen

more things to find out , liking this thread