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Stalemate for Lewis chessmen

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Published Date: 22 April 2008
By David Maddox
NEIL MacGregor, the director of the British Museum, has rejected calls to return the Lewis chessman to Scotland.
Mr McGregor said the historic chess set, famously found on a sand dune near Uig on the Isle of Lewis in 1831, should stay in London.

He also claimed the Scottish Government's bid to have the relics repatriated was shaky.

"When they were found the first decision of the Scots was to sell them," he said. "The British Museum bought them as a collector of last resort to keep them together."

Currently there are 82 figures in the British Museum and 11 in the Scottish National Museum in Edinburgh.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "We will continue to campaign for a reunited set of Lewis chessmen. It's very clear that, if found today, the chessmen would have been allocated to museums in Scotland."





Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 21 April 2008 9:46 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Brian M,

Edinburgh 22/04/2008 06:20:14
"The British Museum bought them" .

Which Scottish organisation got the money?
2

Nell,

The Preservation Hall 22/04/2008 07:46:34
No. 1:- Abbreviated text from Wikipedia:-

Malcolm "Sprot" Macleod from the nearby township of Pennydonald discovered the trove in a small stone kist in a dune, exhibited them briefly in his byre and sold them on to Captain Roderick Ryrie. Malcolm Macleod's family were evicted from Pennydonald several years later when the area was cleared to make the farm at Ardroil.
They were exhibited by Ryrie at a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, on April 11, 1831. The chessmen were soon after split up, with 10 being purchased by Kirkpatrick Sharpe and the others (67 chessmen and 14 tablemen) were purchased on behalf of the British Museum in London.

Kirkpatrick Sharpe later found another bishop to take his collection up to eleven, all of which were later sold to Lord Londesborough. In 1888 they were again sold, but this time the purchaser was the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, who donated the pieces to the Royal Museum in Edinburgh. The eleven are now on display in the Museum of Scotland.

3

Nell,

The Preservation Hall 22/04/2008 07:49:44
So Neil MacGregors statement that "the first decision of the Scots was to sell them" appears to be false. It would appear to be the decision of one person to sell them.
I think thats what they call a democratic decision in modern day Britain.
4

Calum Crubag,

22/04/2008 12:53:51
Seems like Neil MacGregor's history aint that good. Hurrah for the Brit Nats! Engerland rules the world.
5

Enigma,

22/04/2008 20:06:04
4

Indeed, and a happy St.George`s Day to you for tomorrow!
6

Beth Boyle,

NY 23/04/2008 00:43:11
More sillyness, Salmond uses this kind of thing to get people are fired up with nationalism when he should be doing some thing about crime and the economy.

 

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