Description
- Hnefatafl - aka The Viking Game
- Made in the UK
- Pieces made from Stone Resin
- Linen playing surface
- Comprehensive rule booklet
The Viking Game, or Hnefatafl which translates literally as Kings table is one of the worlds oldest board games. Originating in Scandinavia, it is probable that it developed from a Roman game called Ludus Latrunculorum, and was then spread throughout Northern Europe during the Dark Ages by the Viking diaspora.
As with many other games from this era, no single set of formalised rules was used by all participants.
However, historical manuscripts that make reference to the game have enabled researchers to develop a set of rules that reflect how the game was probably played by most participants.
By the end of the Middle Ages Hnefatafls popularity was waning, as chess and the newly created game of draughts were both in the ascendancy. It wasnt until the 19th century, perhaps as a consequence of Victorian revivalism, that the Viking Game was resurrected; this time with a Crimean War theme.
Today, most Hnefatafl sets use rules and layouts that most accurately reflect the way researchers believe the game was originally played during the Middle Ages.
Board Size: 11 inches (27.94 cm)