'The Game of Kings: Medieval Ivory Chessmen from the Isle of Lewis'
at The Cloisters Museum and Gardens

Description: In 1831, a hoard of luxury goods - including more than 70 chess pieces and several other objects, all made of carved walrus ivory and dating from the 12th century - was unearthed on the Isle of Lewis off the west coast of Scotland. More than 30 of the life-sized chess pieces (thereafter known as the Lewis Chessmen), today arguably the most famous chess pieces in the world, will be on display in this exhibit, which takes the form of the endgame of a famous chess match. The fallen pieces, organized by type, are displayed in auxiliary cases along the edges of the room. The Lewis Chessmen are known in popular culture from their appearance in the film "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."