Medieval Chessman,12th century.
Medieval Chessman,12th century.
This chess piece was found in a 12th rubbish century pit in the back garden of a medieval tenement, now part of the site of the Maltings shopping centre. It is carved from a piece of red deer antler, decorated with carved lines and ring-and-dot patterns. It has a stylised head projecting from the front which signifies that it is a knight. This is a rare find, as chessmen were not common in medieval times, and most were made out of materials such as wood, bone and antler, which tend to decay in the ground. The very wealthy had chess sets made from precious materials such as gold, ivory, jet and rock crystal.
