Product Review

Made from walrus ivory some time between AD 1150 and 1200, the Lewis Chessmen are iconic artefacts from the early medieval period. This concise book provides a guide to the history of these chess pieces including the story of their discovery in 1831, followed by skulduggery, deception and controversy as they were sold off to various parties including the British Museum, where most of them are found today. Issues of the raw materials used, the skill of the craftsmen, their place of origin, stylistic features are placed within the context of the game of chess in medieval Europe.