Whalebone playing piece and part of a gaming board

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This whalebone playing piece was found at Ness Broch in Caithness, and the whalebone gaming board on the Brough of Birsay in Orkney. The board dates from between 950 to 1200, while the playing piece could date from 1000 onwards.

The conical playing piece has a tall projection. It may have been a king piece, perhaps for use with a gaming board such as the one pictured here. The playing board may be unfinished.

In the largely treeless north and west, whalebone was used as a substitute for wood. Its dense structure allowed it to be carved into delicate playing pieces, while the large size of some of the bones meant that large playing boards could also be produced.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-037-967-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.HB 274
• Date: Board: Between 950 and 1200; Playing piece: After 1000
  
• Material: Bone; hollow at base
  Whalebone; five rows vertical lines, three horizontal; with perforations at junctions irregularly spaced
  Board, gaming / portion
  Playing piece
  
• Dimensions: 1.13" L
  92 mm x 62 mm
  
• What: Board, gaming / portion
  Playing piece
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Caithness, Ness Broch
  Scotland, Orkney, Brough of Birsay
  
• Event:
• Description: Conical bone playing piece with tall projection, possibly a king piece, from Ness Broch, Caithness
  Fragments of a pegged bone board, probably for hnefatafl, from Birsay, Orkney
  
• References:
  • Curle, C.L. Pictish and Norse finds from the Brough of Birsay 1934-74. Edinburgh: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 1982, pp 76, 89. 
• Translations:
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