When ninety-three meticulously carved, 12th century, walrus ivory chessmen were discovered in the decidedly protestant sands of Scotland’s Isle of Lewis in 1831, a haul that included 16 alarmingly Catholic-looking bishops, no one knew where they had come from (Fairies?), and while we still aren’t... ...more
If I ever make it across the pond, I would love to vist these chessmen. Just the right amount of fact and fiction to keep it exciting, this book reads like a viking saga. Loved it! ...more
For years I’ve been fascinated with mythology and history: not simply the better known Greek and Roman, or even the lore from the Brothers Grimm, but the lesser known folk tales, beliefs and history of other cultures. Often the ‘discovering’ of this information is quite a dry read: more scholarly... ...more
"Nancy Marie Brown's book is a true cornucopia, bursting with delicious revelations. Whether your passion is chess, art, archeology, literature or the uncanny and beautiful landscape of Iceland, Ivory Vikings offers rich and original insights by a writer who is as erudite as she is engaging." (Ge... ...more
The Lewis Chessmen are such iconic pieces of history. Brown fits an incredible amount of Viking research into one comprehensive manuscript that is able to shed light onto these mysterious chess pieces. They are by turns stoic, humorous and full of secrecy just as the story of their creation and l... ...more
The Lewis Chessmen are a collection of ninety-two carved ivory chess pieces that were discovered on an island off the coast of Scotland in the early 19th century. The island's name is Lewis. That's about all we know about the chess pieces. I had never heard of the Lewis Chessmen, so I came to the... ...more
Viking history is a tough read...I know that sounds crazy ... cuz how can the Vikings be anything but exciting? Alas, a history covering the Vikings' 300 years as top dogs of Northern Europe gets complicated. I've been stymied several times. My eyelids drooped as yet another Viking history book g... ...more
My wife and I have seen the Lewis Chessmen in the Scottish National Museum, and they are as fascinating as all the reports claim. We have also been to the Isle of Lewis (though not to the actual site where they were found). And we're interested in things Scottish and things Medieval. So this book... ...more
I'm dropping in briefly, with regret that I don't have the ability right now to write a longer and more coherent review for this book. But it's a fascinating history and discussion and so I want to be sure to bring it to your attention.
Where did the Lewis Chessman come from, who made them and why? This is a scholarly work that examines the Viking world with particular emphasis on Iceland. There is no historical record of who might have carved the Chessman. Instead we learn about the rulers in Scandinavia with particular emphasis... ...more