CHESMAYNE

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Isle of Lewis

 The Isle of Lewis MPs/mps are from the oldest-known western complete chess set.   They date from the 12^th century AD and are probably Viking in origin.  Replicas of these chess MPs/mps are sold by the British Museum and are moulded in simulated ivory resin from the originals.   The ROs appear to be biting the top of their shields in pre-battle frenzy, the QU looks harassed and the KI looks borne down by matters of state.   They are on display in the Gallery of Medieval and Later Antiquities in the British Museum.   77 of the chess MPs/mps were returned to the Isle of Lewis to the new Stornoway museum in 1995 for an exhibition.   They were discovered in 1831 on a beach on the south shore of Uig Bay.   They are considered to be the finest examples of chess MPs/mps ever discovered.   Their faces are used in advertisements, birthday cards and chocolate boxes.   The original hoard contained 78 MPs/mps and a group of round draughtsmen.   The MPs represent human beings which is in contrast to the unadorned inanimate tombstones used to indicate the PAs.   The British Museum purchased 67 of the pieces in 1831.   Eleven pieces were also bought by the Edinburgh Museum in 1888.   The surviving pieces contain 8 KIs, 8 QUs, 16 BSs, 15 KTs, 12 ROs and 19 PAs (nearly four complete sets).   45 PAs, one KT and four ROs are missing.   They were made from ivory.   M. Taylor published ‘The Lewis Chessmen’ (8^th Impression, 1993) and is available from British Museum Publications.