Art News

Lewis Chessmen Open Scottish Tour at National Museum of Scotland

EDINBURGH.- Over 30 chess pieces from the National Museums Scotland and British Museum are starting a tour at National Museum of Scotland on 21 May and will continue to further Scottish venues. A major study led by National Museums Scotland has cast new light on the story of the origins and uses of the iconic Lewis Chessmen. The Lewis Chessmen were found on Lewis in 1831. They are believed to have been made in Scandinavia and to date to the late 12th century. The majority are in the collection of the British Museum and eleven are owned by the National Museum of Scotland. The research, led by Dr David Caldwell, Keeper of Scotland in Europe, National Museums Scotland, is the most wide-ranging and multidisciplinary study on the chessmen since 1832 and is published today in the journal Medieval Archaeology. Dr Caldwell