A
hand colored oak board with a Hnefatafl game on one side and Morris on the
reverse
and real deer bone game pieces.
Inspired by a two-sided game board found in the excavation of
the 9th century Gokstad Ship Burial
Made by us here in Minnesota
"Tafl" games are said to have been played by Norse cultures as early as 400 A.D., and were imported by the Vikings to Iceland, Britain, Ireland, and Wales. They were the primary strategy games in Northern Europe prior to Chess. Unlike Chess, or Checkers which are fought by equal armies from opposite sides of the board, "Tafl" games involve a single king and his defenders in the center of the board surrounded by a larger army of attackers.
Our
version is inspired by an unusual fragment of a game board found with
the 9th century Gokstad Ship Burial discovered in Norway. The board
fragment appeared to have a 13 x 13 grid on one side and a 9-Man Morris
game on the opposite side. So we designed our own 2-side board.
Traditionally, surviving Tafl game boards are fairly plain, but to make it easier to set up we have identified a starting layout with simple knotwork designs. The boards are about 3/4" thick and 16-inches square. We also include a facsimile sheep knucklebone as an option for playing "Tawlbwrdd" a Welsh variation which may have used dice.
Traditionally, surviving Tafl game boards are fairly plain, but to make it easier to set up we have identified a starting layout with simple knotwork designs. The boards are about 3/4" thick and 16-inches square. We also include a facsimile sheep knucklebone as an option for playing "Tawlbwrdd" a Welsh variation which may have used dice.
The game pieces are made from real deer "toe" bones (phalanges) and may vary in height from those in the pictures.
$200.00, + Shipping
Bone & Oak Hnefatafl / Morris Game
- Product Code: Oak & Bone Hnefatafl
- Availability: In Stock
-
$200.00