A Hnefatafl game inspired by a 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, and Ireland. 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. Traditionally, surviving boards are fairly plain, but to make it easier to set up we have identified the starting layout with simple knotwork designs. The king is inspired by a sheep bone game piece found in Oxfordshire, England. We also include a facsimile sheep knucklebone as an option for playing a variation which may have used dice.$25.00, + Shipping
Hnefatafl Game (fabric)
- Product Code: Hnefatafl fabric
- Availability: In Stock
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$25.00
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