The medieval chess pieces from the Scottish island of Lewis are among our most popular collections. They give us fascinating insights into the international connections of western Scotland and the growing popularity of chess in medieval Europe.

The eleven chess pieces on display in the Museum of Scotland were part of a large hoard buried on Lewis. The hoard contained 93 gaming pieces in total, including at least four chess sets as well as pieces from other games. The chess pieces were probably made in the late 12th or early 13th century in Norway.

You can find out more about them at nms.ac.uk/lewischesspieces