![]() The foot soldier, conversely, is a figure of great heroic ferocity drawn from Norse legend. On the chessboard she undoubtedly surveys the carnage and considers what solace she can offer. The queen’s attitude is derived from contemporary depictions of the Virgin Mary in contemplation of the crucified Christ. It is essentially a war game and it is the horror of the battlefield that is probably reflected in the poses of these two very distinctive pieces. Though increasingly played by mixed sex opponents where it acted as a forum for flirtation, it was initially cultivated in knightly circles as a game that sharpened strategic thinking.Ĭhess, indeed, is generally played in earnest and rarely provokes a laugh. But, although we can never be certain what the carver originally intended, it is worth looking at the wider context to try to understand the significance of these figures for a twelfth century audience.Ĭhess was conceived and developed as a game of intellect and skill. The bulging eyed foot soldiers that bite their shields with enlarged teeth come a close second. The pieces that probably raise the biggest smiles are the famously grumpy queens who rest their chins in their hands, nursing a toothache or fretting about the weather. This animated sequence taps into a longstanding appreciation of the Lewis chessmen’s comic qualities. At the critical moment of victory, an enraged queen stands from her throne which she picks up to smash across her opponent. In the film, Harry and Ron compete at wizard’s chess using replicas of the Lewis chessmen. ![]() In recent years, they have found new fame from their inclusion in the 2001 film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. These endearing little figures have attracted audiences to the British Museum since the moment of their acquisition in 1831. The pawns, lacking any human features, reflect the abstract pieces used in the Islamic version of the game.īy James Robinson, curator, British Museumįew objects compete with the Lewis chessmen in terms of their popular appeal. The rooks biting their shields resemble the Viking berserkers of Norse myth, while the pose of the queens is derived from depictions of the grieving Virgin Mary. The original Indian and Islamic game was adapted to reflect medieval European society, so that the Indian war elephant was replaced with the figure of the bishop. The chess pieces may have been buried by a merchant travelling along the trade route from Scandinavia to Ireland.Ĭhess originated in India after 500 BC and had arrived in Christian Europe via the Islamic world by at least the AD 990s. At this time the Isle of Lewis was part of the kingdom of Norway. The chess pieces were probably made in Norway. ![]() When found some were stained red, suggesting that the original colour combination of the pieces was red and white. They were carved from walrus ivory and whale tooth between around 11. These chess pieces were found unexpectedly on a beach on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland in 1831.
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