21 February 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Archaeologists Unearthed a 1000-year-old Medieval Game Collection in a Castle in Southern Germany

Archaeologists found a collection of medieval game pieces at a forgotten castle in southern Germany. Among the discoveries are a well-preserved chessman, gaming pieces, and dice, dating from the 11th to 12th centuries AD.

Chess came to Europe over a millennium ago from the East. Chess pieces from the game’s early years are extremely uncommon, though.

An excellently preserved knight piece was discovered during archaeological excavations at a forgotten castle in southern Germany. The find is part of a unique games collection, which also includes other gaming pieces and dice.

This evidence of early gaming culture is currently being examined by an international team of experts from the German Archaeological Institute (DAI), the State Office for the Preservation of Monuments Baden-Württemberg (LAD), and the University of Tübingen.  Laboratory analyses of color residues show that one of the parties played with red. Typical use wear traces indicate that the knight was lifted as it is today during a move, pointing to an astonishing continuity in the rules of the game.

Well-preserved archaeological finds of chess pieces and game pieces for other board games from before the 13th century are very rare in Central Europe.

Chess piece from the 11th/12th century. Photo: Victor Brigola- University of Tübingen
Chess piece from the 11th/12th century. Photo: Victor Brigola- University of Tübingen

 “In the Middle Ages, chess was one of the seven skills that a good knight should master. It is therefore not surprising that known finds mostly come from castles,” explained Dr Jonathan Scheschkewitz (LAD). “The discovery of an entire games collection the 11th/12th century came as a complete surprise to us, and the horse-shaped knight piece is a real highlight,” said Dr Lukas Werther (DAI).

The discoveries were made at an unknown castle in the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg’s Reutlingen district during excavations for the German Research Foundation’s (DFG) special research area 1070 Resource Cultures and the LAD.

“They were lying under the debris of a wall where they were lost or hidden in the Middle Ages,” said Dr Michael Kienzle (University of Tübingen). The coverage contributed to the exceptionally well-preserved surfaces of the finds. “Under the microscope, a typical sheen from holding and moving the pieces can be seen,” explained Dr Flavia Venditti (University of Tübingen).

 In addition to the chess piece, four flower-shaped game pieces were found, as well as a dice with six eyes. They were carved from antlers.

The dice and token. Photo: Victor Brigola- University of Tübingen
The dice and token. Photo: Victor Brigola- University of Tübingen

The eyes and mane of the 4 cm high horse figure are vividly shaped. This elaborate design is typical of particularly high-quality chess pieces from this period. The red paint residues found on the flower-shaped pieces are currently being chemically analyzed.

The researchers hope to learn more about the origins of European chess and the gaming world of the medieval nobility by closely examining the finds.

The findings will be presented to the public for the first time at the Great State Exhibition “THE hidden LÄND” (Stuttgart, starting September 13, 2024) and at the Special Exhibition “Unearthed! Knights and Castles in the Echaz Valley” (Pfullingen, starting June 15, 2024).

University of Tübingen

Cover Photo: Victor Brigola- University of Tübingen

Related Articles

Norse Runic Text found in Oslo could be Prayer!

30 December 2021

30 December 2021

Archaeologists from the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Studies (NIKU) have unearthed two objects inscribed in Norse runic text in...

Excavations at the site in the coastal city of São Luís, Brazil uncovered thousands of artifacts left by ancient peoples up to 9,000 years ago

4 February 2024

4 February 2024

Archaeologists unearthed 43 human skeletons and more than 100,000 artifacts at an excavation site in the coastal city of São...

2,000-Year-Old Iron Age and Roman Treasures Found in Wales Could Point to an Unknown Roman Settlement

12 May 2023

12 May 2023

A metal detectorist found a pile of exceptionally preserved Roman and Iron Age objects buried 2,000 years ago in a...

As a result of an operation in western Turkey, 4 skulls belonging to the Jivaro tribe of South American origin were seized

14 December 2021

14 December 2021

In the operation held in the Aliağa district of İzmir, 400 historical artifacts belonging to various periods were seized, including...

16th-Century Compass Possibly Belonging to Nicolaus Copernicus Unearthed in Poland’s Frombork

8 August 2024

8 August 2024

Researchers have discovered a 16th-century compass that is thought to have been used by astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus in the canonical...

Unique Heart-Shaped Jesuit Ring from 1700s at Fort St Joseph, Michigan

18 September 2022

18 September 2022

An archeology student from the Fort St. Joseph Archeology project at Western Michigan University has uncovered a unique heart-shaped Jesuit...

Archaeologists may have discovered lost settlement of Apancalecan in Mexico

3 August 2023

3 August 2023

Archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Guerrero discovered a prehistoric settlement spread across 29 hectares...

An architectural gem from the medieval monastery of Posa, Germany

26 July 2023

26 July 2023

Archaeological excavations have been taking place on the Posaer Berg (Posa Hill) near Zeitz (Burgenland) every year since 2017. They...

Archaeologists discover medieval a tableman gaming piece in Bedfordshire, England

26 April 2023

26 April 2023

Archaeologists in Bedfordshire, England, have made an intriguing discovery: a tableman gaming piece was discovered at a medieval site. Cotswold...

Ancient Synagogue found in Turkey’s popular tourist center Side

27 December 2021

27 December 2021

A 7th-century ancient synagogue has been found in Side, a resort town on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. The synagogue found was...

7500-year-old cursed city of Iran

17 March 2023

17 March 2023

Sialk Hills, located in the southwestern part of Kashan city in Iran, was known among the locals as a ‘cursed...

A 1,600-year-old church has been discovered in Turkey’s ancient city of Priene

19 October 2021

19 October 2021

A 1,600-year-old historical church was unearthed during the excavations in the Ancient City of Priene, located in the western province...

1.5 tons of bronze coins found in east China

19 December 2022

19 December 2022

An ancient coin hoard containing 1.5 tonnes of coins from the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties has been discovered...

The 8,000-year-old Aslantepe in Turkey has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List

26 July 2021

26 July 2021

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Monday that a rich, 30-meter-high archaeological mound going back 8,000 years in southern Turkey has...

Genetic Analysis Reveals A Woman As The Highest-Ranking Individual In Copper Age Spain: ‘Ivory Lady’

6 July 2023

6 July 2023

According to a study published Thursday (July 6) in the journal Scientific Reports, the highest-status individual in ancient Copper Age...