Exquisitely Preserved 1,000-yo Gaming Pieces Found in German Castle Offer Snapshot of Medieval Pastimes

[Michie]

Medieval game collection – Credit: University of Tübingen / Victor Brigola

If a history professor or museum is at their very best when they help people deeply connect with the ghosts of the past, then these 1,000-year-old game pieces found in a German castle are the perfect tool for the job.

Consisting of four, flower-shaped gaming pieces, a six-sided die, and a knight chess piece—all carved of antler, the find is a treasure trove of information on pastimes in the Middle Ages.

Exquisitely preserved, the knight piece, undoubtedly the most striking discovery, carries a well-worn sheen on its upper half from fingers picking it up thousands of times to place it along its L-shaped path.

Continued below.

Exquisitely Preserved 1,000-yo Gaming Pieces Found in German Castle Offer Snapshot of Medieval Pastimes

Strikingly, the knight piece carries a well-worn sheen on its upper half from fingers picking it up to place it along its L-shaped path.

www.goodnewsnetwork.org

 

[AlexB23]

Medieval game collection – Credit: University of Tübingen / Victor Brigola

If a history professor or museum is at their very best when they help people deeply connect with the ghosts of the past, then these 1,000-year-old game pieces found in a German castle are the perfect tool for the job.

Consisting of four, flower-shaped gaming pieces, a six-sided die, and a knight chess piece—all carved of antler, the find is a treasure trove of information on pastimes in the Middle Ages.

Exquisitely preserved, the knight piece, undoubtedly the most striking discovery, carries a well-worn sheen on its upper half from fingers picking it up thousands of times to place it along its L-shaped path.

Continued below.

Exquisitely Preserved 1,000-yo Gaming Pieces Found in German Castle Offer Snapshot of Medieval Pastimes

Strikingly, the knight piece carries a well-worn sheen on its upper half from fingers picking it up to place it along its L-shaped path.

www.goodnewsnetwork.org

Were these game pieces found in the castle's dungeons? Then, we could say this was the first game of Dungeons and Dragons.

Alright, I'll walk out of here with my puns.

 

[Michie]

Were these game pieces found in the castle's dungeons? Then, we could say this was the first game of Dungeons and Dragons.

Alright, I'll walk out of here with my puns.

Ha!

 

[AlexB23]

Ha!

Woo, yeah. Maybe the castle's king could hire me as the court jester. Ooh, apparently that is the title of an old 1950s movie.

 

[Michie]

Cute outfit too!

 

[AlexB23]

Cute outfit too!

Agreed, 100%.