{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O107357"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O107357/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009CA7254/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009CA7254/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009CA7254","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2009CA7257","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AD3451","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KA4146","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O107357/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O107357","accessionNumber":"A.100-1927","objectType":"Tableman","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Board games like 'tables', backgammon, chess  and draughts were popular amongst the nobility of medieval Europe.  Many surviving games pieces are decorated with fantastic creatures. Here the animal is strange and dream-like, and is probably a two-headed dragon.\r\nThe game was popular throughout Northern Europe and the pieces were made in a number of different centres, with the most productive workshops based in Northern France and Cologne. They are to be found in most museums with archaeological collections and difficult to date because of their simple ornament and the unchanging nature of their design.\r\nBoard games were considered a chivalrous and gentlemanly pursuit in the Middle Ages, as well as simple fun, since they placed combat between two opponents in a context of rules and sportsmanship, and encouraged strategic thought, and also the ability to win and lose graciously. The design is similar to the playing piece found at Dalcross Castle, now in the National Museum, Edinburgh. Further similar pieces have been found in Scotland and also in Northern France, which of course was also heavily settled by ex-Vikings, the Normans ('Norsemen'), while Brittany had strong Celtic connections. The date of the piece must be around 1090-1150.\r\nExtremely similar pieces have also been found in England, and this raises the question of how widespread was the production of these relatively primitive pieces. It is probable that the present piece was either imported from Norman France or made in London by a workshop responding to the influences of imported pieces.","physicalDescription":"Circular carved bone playing piece carved on the front with a beast like a dragon or griffin, holding a long tail over its shoulder which termiantes in another head.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"baleen","id":"AAT192974"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carved","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved whalebone","categories":[{"text":"Games","id":"THES48947"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2009CA7254","2009CA7257","2006AD3451","2017KA4146"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"8 (VA)","id":"THES49714"},"free":"","case":"CA10","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Tableman","id":""}],[{"text":"Game piece","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1050-1100","earliest":"1050-01-01","latest":"1100-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mr Harold Bompas","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"0.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"3.9","unit":"g","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Board games were considered a chivalrous and gentlemanly pursuit in the Middle Ages, as well as simple fun, since they placed combat between two opponents in a context of rules and sportsmanship, and encouraged strategic thought, and also the ability to win and lose graciously. The design is similar to the playing piece found at Dalcross Castle, now in the National Museum, Edinburgh. Further similar pieces have been found in Scotland and also in Northern France, which of course was also heavily settled by ex-Vikings, the Normans ('Norsemen'), while Brittany had strong Celtic connections. The date of the piece must be around 1090-1150.\r\n\r\nGiven by Mr. Harold B. Bompas.\n\nHistorical significance: Extremely similar pieces have also been found in England, and this raises the question of how widespread was the production of these relatively primitive pieces. It is probable that the present piece was either imported from Norman France or made in London by a workshop responding to the influences of imported pieces.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Tableman, round carved bone, depicting a beast, probably Anglo-Norman, second half of 11th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"<i>Angels, Nobles and Unicorns: Art and Patronage in Medieval Scotland</i>, Edinburgh: National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland, 1982.","id":"AUTH348201"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Longhurst, Margaret H. <font -u>Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory.</font> London: Published under the Authority of the Board of Education, 1929. Part II. p. 131."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Beckwith, J. <font -u>Ivory carvings in early Medieval England.</font> London, 1972. no. 110."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"[PhD dissertation] Mann, V. <font -u>Romanesque ivory tablemen.</font> New York University, 1977. cat. no. 5."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Williamson, Paul. <u>Medieval Ivory Carvings. Early Christian to Romanesque</u>. London, V&A Publishing, Victoria and Albert Museum, 2010, p. 417, cat.no. 106"}],"production":"probably Anglo-Norman or made in London workshop","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"beast","id":"x35333"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["A.100-1927"],"accessionNumberNum":"100","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1927,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LW3276"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-15","recordCreationDate":"2004-11-18","availableToBook":false}}