[MR] BBC: New Display for Scottish Lewis Chess Pieces

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends, especially Vikings and Fellow Scots,

Today the BBC offers a brief video showing an updated display for the 11
Lewis Chess Pieces in the National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh.

The new display arrangement allows visitors to better examine the figures
from all angles and enjoy details on the backs of the pieces. When I saw
the chessmen in 2015, part of the display was blocked by a board across the
back. Now the pieces can be viewed from any angle, and they are displayed
on small plinths of different heights. My favorites star in the video clip,
a worried queen and a berserker "warder" (rook) chewing on his shield.

Here is the story: https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c75l7v3pxg2o .

The carved ivory figures were discovered on the Isle of Lewis in 1831. They
are thought to have been of Viking origin. There were 78 chess pieces from
several different sets, 14 non-descript "tablemen" or tokens for either *tafl
games *or tables (backgammon), and a belt buckle. Today most of the pieces
are owned by the British Museum in London. Eleven are held at the National
Museums of Scotland. One more recently discovered piece is in private hands.

More on the Lewis chessmen is at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_chessmen .

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing a crusade to keep Merry Rose relevant and in business.