Isle of Lewis Chess Sets

Isle of Lewis Chess Set History
In 1831, 93 pieces of what made up 4 individual chess sets were said to be discovered on the western shores of the Isle of Lewis which are part of several Scottish Islands that were then ruled by Norway. What remains a mystery still is ‘how’ they got there. Were they stolen and hidden in the sand or were they simply lost during a ships voyage? The tales have leaned in both directions at time but the reality is we may never know the true story behind their discovery.
What we do know is that this ‘style’ of chess set is quite unique in many respects. The original discovery revealed a ‘red’ stain on some of the pieces which was in indicator that these sets differentiated between the two sides by using white and red pieces. Replicas of this set in current day will even use a reddish stain for the ‘dark’ side in an effort to maintain some of the history of the pieces.
For the collectors and true enthusiasts of the game who can appreciate the history the Isle of Lewis Chess Sets the unusual serious and stoic faces of the figures and the pawns fashioned after etched gravestones do give this style of Chess set a really unique flair.
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