Queen, walrus ivory, 13th century.
Item
Title
Queen, walrus ivory, 13th century.
Description
The emergence of the queen piece has been linked with several dubious influences, such as the prominence of Joan of Arc, or the conflation of “fierz” with “vierge.” Broadly, the permanent adoption of the queen can be understood in the context of the actual political and cultural prominence of queens in European monarchism. This artifact is one of several queens found among the “Lewis chessmen,” a collection of game piece artifacts found in Scotland in 1831. These artifacts, including pieces from several chess sets and other game pieces, were composed of walrus ivory in the 13th century.
Rights
Lewis Chessmen. Holding Institution: National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh. Image courtesy of National Museums Scotland via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0.
Source
Lewis Chessmen. 13th century. Walrus ivory. National Museums Scotland.
