Lewis Chessmen Documentary | British Museum and National Museum of Scotland (mini viking sculptures)

Lewis Chessmen Documentary | British Museum and National Museum of Scotland (mini viking sculptures)
THIS VIDEO IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY
Welcome back to my channel, this episode is a Lewis Chessmen documentary, I've loved researching these mini viking sculptures. They are kept split between the British Museum and National Museum of Scotland in the UK.
They were made during the 12th-century and were found on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.
Lewis Chessmen were made by Vikings during the Romanesque period and the craftsmanship is incredible - they were perfectly formed, miniature sculptures. The chessmen also show all kinds of human emotion, power, beauty, gender and fear.
The Lewis Chessmen almost definitely date from after 1150 and we know that because of the way the bishop is wearing his mitre. By 1150 it was standard practice to wear a mitre pointing towards the front of the head. Before then, the fashion was to wear them from side to side. All of the Lewis bishops - and there are 16 in total - are wearing their mitres in the new fashion.
When the chessmen were first found, it was assumed they were made on the Isle of Lewis but it’s thought the chessmen were probably made in Trondheim. Trondheim was the medieval capital of Norway, in the 12th century.
To begin with, Trondheim was a very rich place and it would make sense these were made there, because wealthy people would have been able to pay craftsmen for these high-quality chess pieces - they’re really are so intricate and detailed, they’re real works of art.
But the Lewis Chessmen were not just made to be looked at, they’re also functional chess pieces and they’ve been designed really well. All the pieces have a low centre of gravity so that won’t be knocked over easily as they cross a chess board - they’re also really compact and don’t have any protruding parts.
Chess was invented as an Indian war game in 600AD and the rules have stayed largely the same since it was first invented. But the design of the pieces themselves under-went a radical transformation when they entered Europe, to make them reflect the Scandinavian world.

[@Skorpiyt]

Loved leaning about the sculptures the vikings made! That’s crazy how long chess has been around and great that they didn’t break and stayed pretty much new!! 😃

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Yeah, amazing weren't they! I know, totally crazy :)

[@barbarahendersonwriter]

I've written a children's novel about how the chessmen might have come to Scotland, set in Norway, Orkney and on Lewis and set in 1154. With a bit of luck it will be out there sometime. Fascinating topic!

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Gosh, I’d love to read that - send me a link when it’s published! Sounds great, I find the story so interesting

[@mth469]

What's the title of your book, please?

[@barbarahendersonwriter]

@@mth469 The Chessmen Thief, out in April from Cranachan Publishing.

[@barbarahendersonwriter]

@@arthistorygirl2327 And thank you. They are fab, aren't they? 😊

[@carriesanchez8740]

The Chessmen in the Harry Potter movie were Irving Finkel's keeper of cuneiform tablets at British museum. I liked your closeup pictures of the set.

[@pavelyakunin1409]

Great documentary and very nice positive narrator

[@earlmccowen5197]

Thanks, again, for your enthusiastic presentation. I had not heard of the Lewis Chessmen before, so thanks for the education. Keep making these engaging videos.

[@alangee2200]

Perfect ! I’m just in the process of buying a Lewis chess set ! Thank you ! 👍

[@mollierocket705]

Lovely, thank you

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Glad you liked it Susan x

[@gixellia8455]

Thank you, Georgina! You're cool and sweet. Keep walking on your path!

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Thanks Gixella!

[@Jayghee94]

Again... I learned more... when I thought I had known the whole story. :) Keep going!

[@theotherside8258]

I always thought of the pawns as gravestones.

[@zombiefireman]

Great research on this historic and fascinating set. It’s amazing to imagine what tales and adventures the pieces themselves could tell.

[@weeblelehmann466]

Ooooh, these are amazing.

[@endthedrugwartoday]

Riveting. Thanks for covering this. Very well presented.

[@NobblaSparrow]

The Lewis Chessmen ♟are my favourite exhibit at the British Museum. Another great video 😊

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Thanks very much!

[@mth469]

loved this video very much and the Sutton hoo video was pretty good too.

[@colonialdad1]

Thank you, started following your channel hope this grows and grows for you.

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Thank you very much! I hope so too

[@Ritch98777]

Love it

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Thanks very much!

[@ianjackson5150]

Another excellent and informative video. Thank you.

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Thanks very much! Happy Christmas 🎄

[@princeyumil7527]

Amazing how long people have been playing Chess for.

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Definitely, since 600AD - madness isn't it!?

[@rueroyale6]

Thank you so much .. so glad I found your channel

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Glad you’re enjoying it! Got a new video coming out on Thursday

[@feralbluee]

really great vid and you really know your history, which makes your talk so interesting. :) your information was better than Irving Finkel’s (dare i say that? :) look forward to more. thanks so much :) 🎎🛡🌷🌱

[@anne-marienordin7636]

Thank you!

[@arthistorygirl2327]

You're welcome!

[@dougg1075]

I just learned of these today. Wow I’m in love with them. Now to get a replica set:)

[@plugh1]

I think there are 2 replicas available. 1 from the British museum and one from tegencychess.com based on the set in Scottish museum. The sets have a few differences but they are based on the pieces in the bm an in svotland.

[@plugh1]

If I might add. There are many other replicas around but while not an expert. I believe some of these are made by buying one of the true repicas. Making molds from these and pouring resin copies. Some of these seem to have less detail. Also shortcuts are taken. If rhe white and black pawns are the same tha t is incorrect. I have the vm set but I'm considering getting the Scottish replica as well. In thar set it has the berserker rooks and the black pawns are a bit more interesting than the bm set. Just an opinion.

[@Marnox]

Awesome content :)

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Thanks very much!

[@carolbrusa2270]

congratulations from Argentina

[@Chardonbois]

Another great offering! Inspired me to dig out my Lewis chess men...sadly only resin rather than walrus ivory.

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Thank you! My boyfriend has become obsessed with chess since we watch Queen's Gambit on netflix (before Christmas)😂

[@sbeharry4179]

Wow! indian war game 600AD I had no idea. The vikings really used every part of the whale to the fullest for many different things but I did not know chess pieces to be one of them.. love ur video lots of great information .thank u!

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Thank you so much! Great to have you onboard. I know, I’m so fascinated by the Vikings - I’m going to have to do a full series on them I think! ☺️🌟

[@sbeharry4179]

@@arthistorygirl2327 yes !!! That would be awesome!. Looking forward to that

[@DukeDevlin1]

Mon the fookin Scotland!

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Hahaha

[@yaelkamah9785]

Great video! Sorry if I missed, but you said a piece was sold, but by whom? Aren't all the pieces held at the BM?

[@robertgross1655]

Hi. Have you tried to carve one yourself? It’s horribly hard. I gave up. Bone is very hard to carve. Please keep up your good work.

[@arthistorygirl2327]

I definitely haven't but I'd love to give it a go! Wow, that's amazing you tried though

[@ruadhscottygirl2480]

So far have watched this and your Sutton Hoo videos and absolutely adored them. Can’t wait to see the others. You give a fresh enthusiasm to subjects! If I may make a tiny, tiny suggestion-don’t wave your hands around so much. It quite distracts from your wonderful discourse. Or you could just lift the camera slightly to concentrate more on your beautiful face. Just a suggestion.

[@anna_in_aotearoa3166]

Yep, I'd second that! 😉 Great explanation of archeological deductions involved & historical contexts. And would definitely recommend zooming in enough to eliminate the constantly windmilling hands, for reduced distraction...? 😋 (Most of us do it without realizing until we hop on camera!)

[@jpkatz1435]

Can't disagree more. The "hand waving" is an integral expression of your enthusiasm, it's a natural part of who and what your are. Do not let let some random YT consumer dictate to you how to present yourself. Your delightfuly self possessed, wonderfully articulate, compleatly cohearant presentation is superbly delivered. You may want to expirament with a 3/4 view framing of your presentation, that could be intercut with the tighter shots, and that could be evaluate and discussed with people who understand how to maximize your already highly competent and engaging delivery.

[@martinstent5339]

The queen obviously has toothache. That’s why she is holding her cheek. Her medicine is in the horn in her other hand. Probably ground up cloves.

[@davidhovde9996]

The figure of the Odin-like god in Lithuania and later Christ is depicted with their hand on the face in the same way. What this imagery represents by scholars I do not recall.

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Aww really, that’s great to know, thanks for sharing

[@jitendrasinghrajawat9060]

You also have India to get indian's history also very well

[@robertgross1655]

Hi. Did you know the actual board itself could be just as important. Just look at Irish or welsh mythology.

[@arthistorygirl2327]

No I didn't! Thanks for your comment, I'll have a look

[@robertgross1655]

Hi 🎩 would be interested in anything you found out. There is a book ISBN 9781977946126 by Jonathan George that gives a good history of board games and pieces.

[@MMJ66]

And what about your sources?

[@robertgross1655]

Chess is a medieval invention. (Depending on western or eastern history) Hnefatafl is older. And better. Nice thoughts though. Keep looking. Without you lot we would have nothing.

[@arthistorygirl2327]

Aww really, that's interesting! I'll have a look

[@aquetheblues]

Seriously ?

[@squeerrel-j]

Chess are a descendant of Indian game chaturanga, and were imported from Persia. Even the warning "check" or closer "szach" in my native language comes from Persian "shāh". "Middle-Ages" refer to European history. Chess are not from Europe. Ergo, chess are not a medieval invention.

[@squeerrel-j]

These are not "viking" sculptures. Viking age ended in 1066 and "viking" is a name for profession - a pirate, robber - not nationality. They were not made by "vikings", you yourself say that they might even have been made by a christian.

[@007EnglishAcademy]

It seems you have lifted chunks from a 2013 documentary also on KZbin - lifted verbatim. Lacking suitable citations you are committing plagiarism. Tsk tsk.

[@L_87]

You single?