The iconic Lewis chess piece from the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh is housed in a new box, revealing the incredibly intricate carving on the back of the piece. For the first time, museum visitors have been able to see the back of a game piece from the 12th/13th century.

Made from walrus ivory and sperm whale teeth, the pieces were made by a skilled craftsman in Trondheim, Norway, around 1200. In 1831, a collection of 93 chess pieces was discovered on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. Lewes was part of the Norse-Gaelic Kingdom of the Isles, ruled by Norway. ) Most of them were sold to the British Museum, which now owns 82 chess pieces. The National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh owns 11 of them.

Their wide-eyed expressions and shield-gnawing “berserker” images have always attracted the attention of scholars and the public, so they are shown to the audience with full faces. But the back is a hidden gem, with curls, the pendant of the bishop’s miter and the intricate scrolls of vines on the back of the throne.

Dr Alice Blackwell, Senior Curator of Medieval Archeology and History at National Museums of Scotland said:

“Lewis chess pieces are beloved in part because of their iconic expressions and poses, but these objects are designed to be appreciated from all angles. After all, every player can see the back of their piece. Especially the back of the throne. The engravers have really taken great care and the wrapping of tendrils and knots is truly magnificent compared to the simple front. I’m delighted that visitors to the National Museum of Scotland will now have the opportunity to learn more about these fascinating figures.”

As of October 31, the chess pieces are in a display case at the entrance to the Kingdom of Scotland Gallery. They are literally illuminated by new lighting and figuratively by new information panels.

You can see the intricate decoration on the backs of the five works in this video, as the curators flip them over so they face away from the camera.