Come and visit the Lewis Chessmen

Come and visit the Lewis Chessmen – in Lewis! Museum nan Eilean has six of the famous chess pieces on loan from the British Museum

Here we tell the intriguing local story of the chess pieces that were found in 1831 in the Ardroil sand dunes, of Uig Bay, on the west coast of Lewis. In total 93 separate pieces were found. They are elaborately carved walrus ivory and whales’ teeth. They were probably made in Scandinavia about AD1150-1200 and consist of kings, queens, bishops, knights, warders/berserkers and pawns.