Game pieces found in Tandslet, Als, Southern part of Denmark
Peter Michaelsen
Dear all,
A friend of mine, professor Jørgen Kjærgaard, recently told me that one his relatives, Andreas Vestergaard, reported that several possible medieval game pieces have been discovered near his house in Tandslet on the Danish island Als in the southern part of Denmark.
The green game piece was found on the surface of the ground belonging to his neighbor. In the soil belonging to his own house several medieval tiles and ceramics were discovered. Both houses are situated near the medieval church (built in the middle of the 13th Century A.D.).
Another inhabitant of the village, Henning Pihl, found three brown game pieces when making some digging work at his own house. Earlier on remains of a medieval road have been discovered near his house.
Anders Vestergaard suggests that all game pieces may belong to the same set, and hie suggest at dating between Middle Age and 1600 A.D.
The game pieces are not made of tile or ceramics, but from some sort of hard stone, similar to talc.
Local archeologists have told him that a closer investigation of these object will require cutting/destroying them, but Henning Pihlk, the owner of the three brown objects, is at present not willing to have them destroyed.
Are anyone able to tell more about these objects, which in must agree look very much like game pieces?
Best wishes,
Peter Michaelsen
MJW
Dear Peter Michaelsen,
It is often the case that conical games pieces crop up, typically metal-detected and lead, in this country. They are almost invariably *and I believe correctly often) called Hnefatafl pieces, but I suppose other tafl games used them. Given the timescale of tafl in Scandinavia (wasn't it mentioned by someone in the 17th century, but not by books, and don;t recall who?) a medieval or 17th-century date is not impossible. These look really nice pieces compared with most that are known.
I believe a lead 'set' is or was recently offered for sale on ebay or Etsy.
Kind regards,
Malcolm
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Mark Hall
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Malcolm J Watkins
Dear Peter Michaelsen,
I tend to agree with Mark Hall, except
that it is difficult to judge without actually handling them.
They certainly don't look 'weathered' but that may simply
reflect the material and the context.
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Dr V. Balambal
Thank you Peter.