An archeological group working in Gufuskálar in Snæfellsnes has found a piece from a chess set, thought to be more than 500 years old. The set was probably used by sailors when they were ashore. The piece found now was a pawn.
Chess board. Photo: Páll Kjartansson
Three years ago a king from the same set was found when digging in another seamen’s dwelling in Gufuskálar.
The work is done by archeologists from the Icelandic Archeological Society and the City University of New York, CUNY. According to mbl.is the work is done for the summer. In an interview Lilja Björk Pálsdóttir, who was in charge of the project mentioned a few interesting objects that were found, including a broken copper pin with a carved head, a pearl made of amber and a bottle cap made of haddock bone.
The most interesting find was the chess piece, possibly made out of whale bone. The group assumes it comes from the same set as a king that was found three years ago in a nearby ruin.
