In 1831 a high tide on the coast near Uig in the Isle of Lewis washed away a sand-bank and exposed a cave in which there was a small beehive-shaped building rather like the little domestic grinding querns to be found in the Highlands.
A labourer working near found it, and, thinking it might contain some treasure, broke into it. He found a cache of eighty-four carved chessmen ranged together. They had an uncanny look, and he flung down his spade and ran, convinced that he had come on a sleeping company of fairies. His wife was of sterner stuff and made him go back and fetch them.
The greater part of them are now in the British Museum. Replicas have been made of them, but the originals, all mustered together, would be more impressive.
Ninety-three pieces were found, which is made up of eight Kings and Queens. sixteen Bishops, fifteen knights, twelve Warders (Rooks or Castles) and nineteen Pawns. Assuming that there were four sets, as suggested by the Kings, Queens and Bishops, there are forty-three missing pieces - at least. Among the chessmen were fourteen discs, which might have been used to play draughts or some such type of game.
At present, eighty-two of the pieces are in the British Museum and eleven are in the National Museum of Scotland. A tradition has arisen about them. It is said that the guards who take the guard-dogs round at night cannot get them to pass the Celtic chessmen. They bristle and drag back on their haunches, maybe the spirits of these ancient carvings are restless and want to come home to be together in Uig?
Uig Chessmen