Re: the Norse Chessmen,

My mother told me the gnawing-the-shield image is said to be how the norsemen were said to psych themselves up before battle. She said the hemp rope around the shield was meant to be impregnated by drugs, or be psychoactive otherwise. This was said back in the 70s mind you..

The description of the bishops as other roles is very confusing given the crozier. The article surely must mean that taking the norse chessmen as holotypes, the variants found in russia, baltic states.. &c made similar changes?

The set is split between The BM in London, and the Royal Scottish Museum, and sometimes a piece or two is on display elsewhere. the Museum shop sells really exceptionally well made casts, we also had the resin kit with rubber moulds which made significantly less well made, bubble ridden, smelly versions.

They are said to be the property of a trader in Walrus Ivory, being mixed parts of more than one set when found.