From Ness Broch, Caithness and the Brough of Birsay, Orkney

Whalebone playing piece and part of a gaming board

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:	0098: 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
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.
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