Ms. Brown does an amazing amount of research into the history of these chess pieces and even more so into the history surrounding them. When, most likely they were made, possibly by whom, and for whom. They were found in Scotland but have always been assumed to be Norwegian. But Ms. Brown makes a persuasive argument that probably they were Icelandic--and also made by a woman.
It seems like the information has been there all along, it's just that so few Icelandic books have been translated and so aren't available. Their sagas are famous, but mostly still only readable in Icelandic. It's only been in recent years that Icelandic scholars have pointed out some pretty straightforward evidence in their archives and histories that make the Icelandic roots of the chessmen very likely. And thanks to those Icelanders making that information more known, other scholars and historians can go to those sources as well to find even more documentation.
Yes, a lot of it is by necessity, conjecture. Art history runs across that a lot. There's simply a lot we don't know and may never know. Archeology might bring us more facts in the future, but based on what is known now, this is the best theory on these adorable and personality-filled little playing pieces. You've got to check out the berserk rooks biting their shields!
This book is published by St. Martin's Press, a division of Macmillan, my employer.
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