Photographer: Alexander Steiger Dis, Ukraine.
13/5/2021. Alexander Steiger Dis sent these photos and writes:
Universal Hnefatafl set FLT XII for playing Brandubh, Tablut, Tawlbwrdd and Berserk Hnefatafl.
Click on the photos for enlargement.
Photo gallery on the Viking board game Hnefatafl. |
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Photographer: Alexander Steiger Dis, Ukraine. 13/5/2021. Alexander Steiger Dis sent these photos and writes: Universal Hnefatafl set FLT XII for playing Brandubh, Tablut, Tawlbwrdd and Berserk Hnefatafl. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Paul A. Anokhin, Russia. 9/3/2021. Paul A. Anokhin ("paul7"), Russia, sent these photos and writes: The wooden Brandubh set inspired by the famous Ballinderry board and the Tablut set were made by the Drevodeli artisan group in Pskov, Russia. The smaller Brandubh set was made by Les 7 Cailloux in France. Their website is dead, I guess they're probably out of business. And the ubiquitous "Viking game" set probably doesn't need an introduction. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Thomas, USA. 17/1/2021. Thomas, USA, sent these photos and writes: Photos from Viking Ship Museum near Oslo for your photo page on your website. - The Oseberg Ship! Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Alexander Steiger Dis, Ukraine. 10/1/2021. Alexander Steiger Dis sent this photo and writes: Berserk hnefatafl set made by Dmitry Pashkov from Ethnic Board Games, for the gallery. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
Photographer: "Hevux". 15/12/2020. "Hevux" sent this photo of his Berserk Hnefatafl game. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
13/11/2020. Alexander V. Fomichëv ("Ded Fomich") sent these photos and writes: I have two photos I made before sending Steiger's boards to Mario (Casshern) and Marco (Mmagari). For Marco it was a magnetic Brandubh board, for Mario - a Tablut set with very nice carved pieces. Keep it on, Herr Steiger! 
Photographer: Alexander V. Fomichëv, Moscow, Russia. 12/11/2020. Alexander V. Fomichëv ("Ded Fomich") sent these photos and writes: I've just made a series of photos in praise of Steiger's 'Frontlinetafl' project. I'm a proud owner of three boards made by his marvellous pair of hands. All of them are presented on the photos. Glück auf! Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Aage Nielsen, Denmark. 10/11/2020. Jigsaw puzzle from Roskilde Museum shop, made in Norway. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Aage Nielsen, Denmark. 8/11/2020. My new tafl game set from Ukraine created by Aleksander Steiger Dis. The board is made out of a single piece of oak wood, a cross section all the way through wood, growth layer and bark still on both sides. Game pieces are turned from oak and elm and mounted on leather. The king is Odhinn carved from ash and mounted on a brazen foot. Oak (board and attackers) symbolizes the strength, endurance and nobility. Elm (defenders) personifies the struggle, justice and dignity. Ash (Odhinn) embodies the connection between the heaven and the earth. The carved inscription on the edges is verse #60 from Völuspá in Old Norse and in runes: Then again wonderful golden boards shall be found in the grass, the ones they owned in ancient times. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Aage Nielsen, Denmark. 16/9/2020. The Saami game set prize from the Norden Tournament 2020 and yet another beautiful late summer day. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographers: Aage Nielsen and Elisabeth Andersen, Denmark. 15/9/2020. Visiting the Royal Hall in Lejre, Denmark, a beautiful late summer day. Full scale reconstruction. The original hall from about 700 is located on a Lejre site with a series of halls. The halls older than this one are connected with stables and farm animals and therefore belonged to large farmers and chieftains. The reconstructed hall is the first in the series which is not connected to any stables and farm animals, which means that this one belonged not to a chieftain any more but to the first king, receiving taxes from his fellow men. The legends about this site and the kings there have been alive in Denmark from Iron Age till this day. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Alexander Steiger Dis, Ukraine. 25/8/2020. Alexander Steiger Dis made this photo series of new tafl boards. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Mikkel Berg-Nordlie, Sápmi (Norway). 21/8/2020. Mikkel Berg-Nordlie ("mihkkal") sent this photo and writes: Er på skip fra Tromsø til Bjarkøy. Med reinskinn, mjød og spill. Skal være seminar om håløghøvdingen Tore Hund. Jeg skal holde foredrag om de norrønt-samiske forhold i vikingtid. Passer da selvfølgelig å ta med tablut, et levende eksempel på samisk-norrøn forbrødring. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
Photographer: Luk Martens, Belgium. 13/8/2020. Luk Martens ("Masterluke") sent these photos and writes: These sunny days are ideal to take pictures... Here are some photos of the finished Tyr game. Actually it's Simple Tyr, without special pieces. I placed the pieces in either 15x15 historical Tafl and 15x15 Tyr set-up. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Aage Nielsen, Denmark. 23/6/2020. Midsummer Eve in the "Land of Legends" in Lejre, Denmark. The Royal Hall is now finished, a full scale reconstruction of the royal hall from about 700 which was found a couple of kilometers from here. This was the hall of Rolf Krake and the Scyldingas, and is the scenery of the events in the Beowulf epic poem. Tonight we did not see monsters from the marsh, though. Then the reconstruction of an Iron Age village. Last photo shows the midsummer sky directly north at midnight 24 o'clock June 21st. Here are photos from the inauguration of the hall June 17th. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Alexander Steiger Dis, Ukraine. 17/6/2020. Alexander Steiger Dis made this photo series of new tafl boards. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Artist: Copyright © Luk Martens, Belgium. 20/5/2020. Luk Martens ("Masterluke") sent this picture and writes: In the ongoing process to realise my Tyr board game, I designed the pieces and have them 3D-printed (yet to be painted). Click on the drawing for enlargement. |
Photographer: Roberto Gallotta, Italy. 27/3/2020. Roberto Gallotta ("187Gallo") sent these photos and writes: Hi, I wanted to share my custom board and pieces I made during the (ongoing) quarantine here in Italy. I decided to make a 4-in-1 board so I can play most variants, marking the corners with different etchings. I marked the pieces with their initials (in the picture you can see, from left to right, King, Knight, Defender, Commander and Attacker). It's my first project using the pyrograph and I think it turned out well. I'm really happy that I can play now both irl with this board and online thanks to your website. I'm nowhere near good enough to compete in a tournament, but maybe one day :) Take care, Roberto (187Gallo) Click on the drawing for enlargement. |
Photographer: Alexander Steiger Dis, Ukraine. 1/3/2020. Alexander Steiger Dis sent this photo and writes: I found a maple board in the coal mine and made a tablut. 73' stanza of Havamal is carved around the edges. Anyone who wants to become the owner of this piece of history, contact me. Click on the drawing for enlargement. |
Artist: Copyright © Luk Martens, Belgium. 3/2/2020. Luk Martens ("Masterluke") sent this drawing and writes: Herewith the finished drawing, intended for the box of my tafl game. Click on the drawing for enlargement. |
Photographer: Luk Martens, Belgium. 25/12/2019. Luk Martens ("Masterluke") sent this photo and writes: Merry Christmas to you and all the players on this site! I designed 3D-pieces for the 'Alea Berserk'-tafl variant according to the rules set up by mr Bartley. Luk Martens (aka Masterluke) Click on the photo for enlargement. |
Photographer: David Zolli, France. 30/9/2019. David Zolli ("branan") sent these photos and writes: I just finished my custom Brandubh set and wanted to share it on the site gallery. It began this summer with these funny little guys I purchased when visiting Maillezais Abbey and Cathedral (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillezais_Cathedral). From left to right, the king, a defender and an attacker. These pieces are pretty big (8x8 cm) so I had to find a suitable board. I finally chose a 60x60 cm coffee table made of solid mango wood. I carved the checkerboard by hand and then tinted the 5 dark boxes with walnut stain (cause I wanted the table to keep its raw appearance). And here's the final result, I'm pretty proud of it. David Zolli Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Luk Martens, Belgium. 5/9/2019. Luk Martens ("Masterluke") sent these photos and writes: I am developing a strategy game which is related to tafl-games, although it isn't one. But it does have similar characteristics... In fact, it is an attempt to combine the historic battle of Hastings in 1066 with a tafl-like game. Some basic movements are the same, as are some ways of capturing. Like tafl, it is played on a square game board divided by an uneven number of rows (in this case 17 x 17) and there is a certain unbalance, since the armies are unequal (they are based on the supposed real numbers of the battle in Hastings). But then the biggest difference is that both parties must try to catch the opponents's king, as well as some extra special pieces, specific to each army. So far I designed a board and all the pieces, and written down the rules. In the future, I will look for a game manufacturer who is interested in cooperating or making the game. But for now, it's just testing, trial and error... That's why I wanted to post this in your forum (or gallery). Maybe some of the members may have a look at it to react, giving feedback, opinions and critical advise as much as possible. Is it playable, is it enjoyable in the first place? Included here are 3 jpg-files, numbered consecutively (printable on A4-format). I would be very grateful if you could make this visible on your website, be it in the forum or the gallery. Luk Martens (aka Masterluke) Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Adam Bartley, Norway. 11/7/2019. Adam Bartley's game set for Alea Berserk 19x19. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
Roskilde Viking Ship Museum, Denmark, 50 years anniversary August 17th 2019.
Photographer: Aage Nielsen, Denmark. 17/8/2019. Roskilde Viking Ship Museum, Denmark, 50 years anniversary. In the photos from inside the museum you will among the ships recognize the remnants of the large war ship. The photos from outside the museum show in the harbour the full scale reconstruction of the war ship, named the Sea Stallion.This reconstruction sailed easily from Roskilde, Denmark, to Dublin, Ireland. Also two photos of hnefatafl games in the museum shop. Earlier photo series from the museum: July 2015, Dec. 8th 2012 and Sep. 14th 2012. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Luk Martens, Belgium. 16/8/2019. Luk Martens ("Masterluke") sent these photos and writes: Hello My name is Luk Martens. Earlier this year, I became an active online Tafl-player on your website (where I am called Masterluke). I'm not that good at it (my ranking is currently less then 1200, once I was listed at the very bottom with only 985 points;)), but nevertheless I like playing it very much. I am intrigued by medieval history, the Tafl-game and the many variations. I make a living illustrating history school books (age 12-18 years) and occasionally I make a comic, always history related. I came to know about Tafl games through the excellent BBC TV-series 'The last kingdom'. I have made several versions of my own. Included are some pictures. I designed and made thus far 3 different type of pawns and game boards. The two largest of them being a 9x9 tablut (pictures Nos 13 - 17) and 11x11 Hnefatafl game (Nos. 01-06) made by the casting/molding technique, using a mixture of plaster and epoxy. The smallest one (Nos. 07-10) is designed digitally with an online app called 'Tinkercad' (by Autodesk) and the game you see is 3D-printed. Pics 11 and 12 show the design. Of course, these can be applied to any Tafl-game. Pic 13 shows yet antother digital 3D-design in 3 different sizes which has yet to be printed. I'm looking for funds/partners to produce these and to sell. But that's not the reason I contact you. I just want to share these pictures with you and you're free to show them in your 'gallery' section of your website. Best regards Luk Martens (Masterluke) Click on the photos for enlargement. |
The living history festival "Bylinnyj Bereg" 2019, Russia.
Photographers: Alexander Steiger Dis, Ukraine, Lucho Panchev, Bulgaria, Dmitry Pashkov, Russia, Alexander V. Fomichëv, Russia, and others. 3/8/2019. Alexander Steiger Dis made this photo series and writes: "Some photos from the festival 'Bylinnyj bereg 2019'" The living history festival "Bylinnyj Bereg" ("the legendary river bank") July 26th-28th 2019 at the banks of the river Volga near the village Toporok, Russia. You can read about the festival here: Festival "Bylinnyj Bereg" The text tells that 2.5 hours drive from Moscow, on the banks of the river Volga, a camp of Vikings and Slavs takes place on the ancient trade route "from the Varangians to the Greeks." This is a very big festival which has been held since 2011, participants come from all over Russia and neighbouring countries. The festival includes a large combat program, tournaments, competitions and other demonstrations of skills. And a big market with all sorts of ancient crafts, which you can also try yourself. Also many of the best folk bands of ancient music perform at the festival. Here are examples from the festival, some perhaps not so ancient but well performed: Arkaim video ("storm") Skolot video ("the legend of the war ships") Skolot video ("Herr Mannelig") Olya and the acustics from home, video Street musician on hurdy-gurdy, video Clips from the festival: Ship landing video Friendly combat. Duel video Demonstration of skills video Late night chain dance video Herr Mannelig is a Swedish folk song, Swedish version: Herr Mannelig video Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Alexander Steiger Dis, Ukraine. 24/7/2019. Alexander Steiger Dis sent this photo: "Here is a photo for the gallery: One oak - five countries. Frontlinetafl." The Norse text is a verse from the Völuspá (Prophecy of the Völva): Then again wonderful golden boards shall be found in the grass, the ones they owned in ancient times. (Thøger Larsen translated from Old Norse into Danish and Aage Nielsen from Danish into English.) Click on the photo for enlargement. |
Photographer: Aage Nielsen, Denmark. 23/6/2019. Midsummer Eve in the "Land of Legends" area in Lejre, Denmark. Figures from four historical eras of history (stone age, bronze age, viking age, 1800's) compete to be first to lit the bonfire. The viking and the bronze age woman won. Photos of the Royal Long Hall, building in progress. It's a full scale reconstruction of the royal long hall from about 800 which was found a couple of kilometers from here. The village is Iron Age. The last two photos show the sky directly north at midnight 24 o'clock. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Aage Nielsen, Denmark. 16/6/2019. Excursion to Lejre Museum, Denmark. Last photos, notice the burial mounds in the horizon. (More photos from Lejre Museum 3/6/2018 below). Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Lucho Panchev, Bulgaria. 10/4/2019. Lucho Panchev ("OdinHimself") writes: I'm sending you photos I made today. Of me and the board I received from Russia as a prize. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Elisabeth Andersen, Denmark. 9/2/2019. Classic Board Game cafe, Denmark. Checkers, Frisian Checkers, Nine Men's Morris, Othello (Reversi), Go (9x9), Trax, Hnefatafl (Tablut), Daldøs and Sáhkku, Shogi and the simpler version Catch The Lion, Quoridor, Pentomino, Hex, Havannah, Twixt, Lines of Action, Atoll, Wings, Gonnect, Menara and dice building games, Pentalath and Yavalath, Kalaha and Wari/Awalé/Oware. Forum note. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Charles Ward, USA. 11/2/2019. Charles Ward ("chuck ward") writes: I have a few photos of a board I made with some playing pieces I cannibalized from another game.. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
Photographer: Lucho Panchev, Bulgaria. 15/9/2018. Lucho Panchev writes: Look what they did 300 miles away from me... when the will to play is stronger than the lack of sets. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
Photographers: Alexander Steiger Dis, Ukraine, Alexander Fomichëv, Dmitry Pashkov. 11/9/2018. Alexander Steiger Dis sent these photos: Here is a photos for the gallery - it's from Moscow fest of global hobbies "Shtuka" 8-9.IX.2018. Photographers are me, my brother, Fomich, Dmitry and others.) Click on the photo for enlargement. |
Photographer: Alexander Steiger Dis, Ukraine. 2/9/2018. Alexander Steiger Dis sent this photo: It's a sea battle tafl set for Fomich. Same materials as for champion's set 2017. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
Photographers: Peter Nissen, Aage Nielsen and Elisabeth Andersen, Denmark. 14/7/2018. Photo from Nyborg Medieval Market, Denmark. 21/7/2018. Photos from Kerteminde, Denmark. Outside the town Kerteminde is a royal ship burial from 900-years. A viking is buried there with his war ship, 11 horses and 4 or more dogs, all fully equipped. And many other effects among which a game board. In the photos you see a precise reconstruction of the ship. And you meet the ship in Kerteminde's city arms, as well as in the header of the local newspaper. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Vogneslav Zmijovich, Ukraine. 10/7/2018. Vogneslav Zmijovich sent these photos from the Kholodnyi Yar Festival, Ukraine. Notice the dice from pine and from cows' and sheeps' ankel bones! Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Vogneslav Zmijovich, Ukraine. 22/6/2018. Vogneslav Zmijovich sent these photos from the Mariupol Festival, Ukraine. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Aage Nielsen, Denmark. 3/6/2018. Excursion to Lejre, Denmark. 100 m behind the three posters are the remains of the largest royal halls found in Denmark from iron age and viking age (500-years and forward). One km from the original halls, a reconstruction is built in Sagnlandet Lejre (Land of Legends). Justin Levi White ("Fairland"), USA, found this article about it: How to decorate like a Viking Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Alexander Steiger Dis, Ukraine. 10/6/2018. Alexander Steiger Dis sent these photos from the Moscow medieval festival June 2018. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Vogneslav Zmijovich, Ukraine. 22/5/2018. Vogneslav Zmijovich sent these photos from Kiev, Ukraine. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Hnefatafl boards designed by Lucho Panchev ("OdinHimself"), Bulgaria.
Photographer: Lucho Panchev, Bulgaria. 16/4/2018. Lucho Panchev ("OdinHimself"), Bulgaria, sent these photos of new tafl boards! Panchev designed all the boards and had them carved by professional carvers. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
 
 
Photographer: Koby Norman, USA. 11/12/2017. Koby Norman sent these photos. Koby Norman writes: I came across your site as I was looking at hnefatafl boards and pieces. Attached is a board I recently made for my son. The white runes and "X" squares are inlayed not painted. My ancestors from my father's side hail from Norway, and I have always loved reconnecting my children as well as myself to our ancestry. The game of hnefatafl has been an incredibly fun and unique way of doing that. 1/1/2018. I thought I would send you a couple pictures of a board I completed for my brother. The white playing pieces are made from honeysuckle wood, the dark are black locust wood collected from my grandfathers farm. Both boards are made with wood from an old piano my parents had. 10.3.2018. Sending photos of my 8 year old daughter's Hnefatafl board with storage drawer I recently completed. She took her board in for show and tell at her school and taught some of her classmates how to play! Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Elisabeth Andersen, Denmark. 11/2/2018. Classic Board Game cafe, Denmark. Checkers, Frisian Checkers, Nine Men's Morris, Othello (Reversi), 9x9 Go, Trax and Hnefatafl. Forum note. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographers: Alexander V. Fomichev, Moscow, Russia, and Alexander Steiger Dis, Ukraine. 5/2/2018. Alexander V. Fomichev ("Ded Fomich") and Alexander Steiger Dis ("Steiger") sent these photos from an evening with tafl in the hobby centre Geek Wars, Moscow, Russia. Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich (942-972, Prince of Novgorod and Kiev) is used as the king piece. The rules used are a modern version of the Russian "Tavlei" (Tafl), it is what we call "Skalk Hnefatafl 9x9 (Expomedia)". Fomichev's mail tells more about tafl in Russia, and I put it in the large forum here: Fomichev mail Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Vogneslav Zmijovich, Ukraine. 1/2/2018. Vogneslav Zmijovich sent these photos from a board game event in Kiev, Ukraine, December 2017. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Christoph Treskow, "Kratzer", Germany. 19/10/2017. Christoph Treskow, "Kratzer", sent these photos. Christoph writes: Some weeks ago I took some photographs of my tafl board collection. Two of them are from Steiger, the flat one I bought in the Internet many years ago. Another photograph shows my parents playing hnefatafl at Christmas 2014. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Vogneslav Zmijovich, Ukraine. 14/10/2017. Vogneslav Zmijovich sent these photos from a board game picnic with the Ancient games club "Gral'nyj Majdan", Kiev, Ukraine, October 2017. Last photo: Ancient Hnefatafl pieces found in Kiev and exhibited in Kiev Museum. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Olga Mudrichenko, Russia. 24/7/2017. An ancient Greek board game 3700 years old! The game pieces are quite like a type of hnefatafl pieces often found. Olga writes: Arrived yesterday from Greece - Cyprus. We were in the capital of Cyprus in the archaeological Museum, a few photos from the Museum. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Aage Nielsen, Denmark, Elis. Andersen, Denmark. Nyborg Medieval Market July 2nd 2017, Denmark. |
Photographer: Alexander Steiger Dis, Ukraine. 23/6/2017. Alexander Steiger Dis ("Steiger") sent these photos of his hnefatafl set. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Knarresmed, Norway. 3/6/2017. Tønsberg Middelalderfestival, Norway. Medieval board games including tafl. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Olga Mudrichenko, Russia. 17/06/2017. A summer day at the ancient Viking settlement site Staraya Ladoga near Saint Petersburg, Russia. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
The Board Game Studies Colloquium XX in Copenhagen May 17th-20th 2017.
Photographer: Aage Nielsen, Denmark. 21/5/2017. The Board Game Studies Colloquium XX in Copenhagen 2017. The group photo was taken by Marisa Uberti, Italy. Then some glimpses from the lectures. Last photo: the Dutch inventor gave all participants a copy of his game "Metropolis, the battle of the robots, the first real S.F. play" from 1978 as a present. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Hnefatafl boards designed by Lucho Panchev ("OdinHimself"), Bulgaria.
Photographer: Lucho Panchev ("OdinHimself"), Bulgaria. 15/5/2017. Lucho Panchev ("OdinHimself"), Bulgaria, sent these photos of his tafl boards! Panchev designed all the boards and had them carved by professional carvers. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
| See photos also on World Tafl Federation facebook. |
Photographer: Adam Bartley, Norway. 7/02/2017. Tim Millar and Adam Bartley trying the Alea Berserk 19x19 for the first time. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
Photographer: Steve Lonsdale ("xerxes"), UK. 6/1/2017. Steve Lonsdale writes: The first photo is of the reconstruction of the Viking helmet found at Sutton Hoo (now in the British Museum); the second is of the statue of Leif Ericson at L'Anse Aux Meadows. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Some events in Denmark July 2015.The Saga Oseberg viking ship.
July 2015 the magnificent replica of the Oseberg Viking Ship visited Roskilde on its first longer voyage from Norway, to do a week of sailing testing and experimenting in the Roskilde Fjord. We took a photo series of this grand ship. Video clip, the Oseberg ship departs from Skagen towards Roskilde. Video clip of the Oseberg ship arrival to Roskilde. A couple of notes about the Oseberg visit on the Roskilde Viking Ship Museum facebook.
The ship was built 820 in Norway, put in the burial mound in Tønsberg 834 and was found and excavated 1903-1905. 1987 a replica of the ship was built, which on its very first trial run sailed itself straight to the bottom of the sea after 20 seconds in water! Fortunately all crew survived. After that experience, many scientists were of the opinion that the ship was built for ceremonial use only, and not for real use at sea. However, the original ship found in the mound did show very distinct traces of heavy use, so in 2004 a new project for reviewing the ship all over from scratch was started up with a Norwegian team from Tønsberg in collaboration with a Danish team from the Roskilde Viking Ship Museum. Every piece of wood from the original find, and every piece of documentary note from the excavatation was restudied very carefully, and it turned out that grave errors had been done with the 1987 replica. Each and every centimeter and detail everywhere in the ship counts and can be crucial. A new replica was built, this time extremely carefully, using viking tools only, and everything exactly as found in the original. Planks were even lashed together with baleens as they were in the original. And while they were at it, all carvings and ornamentations were done most accurately; even a Viking sailor's grafitti carving under a board, depicting a wolf, horses and a ship's bow, was done on the replica as found in the original. 2012 the new replica was launched, and this time certainly without sinking. This time it doesn't sail itself down the water but elegantly lifts its bow at some speed. July 2015 the ship went on its first longer voyage, to Roskilde, Denmark, for the scientists to do a week's testing and experimenting in the Roskilde Fjord with the ship and sailing techniques. In the first trial runs it appeared a bit heavy in the beat, but after 500 kg ballast was moved from the back to the middle of the ship, it beat up against the wind like a dream. The captain told a visitor that they beat up to 65 degrees against the wind, and always at full speed. As the ship has no side drift keel, speed is what keeps the course against the wind. Nyborg Medieval Market.
Nyborg Medieval Market photos. Trelleborg Viking Market.
Trelleborg Viking Market photos. Land of Legends, Viking Market.
Land of Legends photos. Many legends tell of Danish kings in prehistoric times seated in a location called Hleithr, the prehistoric capital of Denmark from before year 500 until about year 1000 when the town Roskilde was founded as the king's new seat. (About 1450 the king's seat moved on to Copenhagen). In addition to Danish prehistoric legends, Lejre is also mentioned in historical sources abroad. The legends point towards a location 9 km from Roskilde today called Lejre, and as it happens, in Lejre is found one of Scandinavia's largest ship settings, 83 metres long. Yet it was for a long time fashion among Danish archaeologists to write off the legends and Lejre as pure myths. Until 1997, that is, when a 48 x 11 metres king's hall from about year 550 was found in Lejre, and later it turned out to be one in a complex of several large buildings. 2009 also a fine silver figurine made about year 900 and depicting Odin on his throne with his two ravens was found in Lejre.
In Lejre continued to be a magnate's seat with names like Lejregård, today Ledreborg and looking like this:
In the very landscape of the legendary kings was 1964 founded the Centre for Historical-Archaeological Research, today called Land of Legends. There you find fx. an authentically reconstructed iron age village, inhabited by volunteers, and a reconstruction of the Lejre ship setting, built authentically by manual power. In near future also a reconstruction of the found Lejre king's hall will be built there. Year 500-1000; so Hleithr has seen a lot of Hnefatafl played!
By the way, experimental historical research has much to do with the work the tafl players' community does on this site, besides enjoying the games. I once wrote a forum note about that: Køge Medieval Market.
Køge Medieval Market photos. |
Roskilde, Denmark, 1998.
Photographer: Aage Nielsen, Denmark. Celebration of 1000 years anniversary of Roskilde 1998. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Land of Legends, Lejre, Denmark, 1997.
Photographer: Aage Nielsen, Denmark. The Iron Age village. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Anniversary of Alexander Nevsky's victory against the Swedes 1240.
Sent by Olga Mudrichenko, Russia. Olga writes: July 18th 2015 the anniversary of Alexander Nevsky's victory against the Swedes was celebrated on the picturesque bank of the river Tosna near Sct. Peterburg at a memorial. Here the prayer took place before the forthcoming battle 775 years ago, in 1240. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Fornebei Herfolk's Viking Festival, Formby, UK, September 2015
Photographer: Tim Millar ("crust"), UK. Tony took two photos. Thor's hammer inscription: Fornibir Miolnir k?alini. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Fornebei Herfolk's Viking Festival, Formby, UK, 04.10.2014
Photographer: first two photos Tim Millar ("crust"), UK, last two photos Formby Times. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
English Hnefatafl Championship 2014
Photographer: Tim Millar ("crust"), UK. 14/08/2014. Millar writes: Enclosing some pictures of the English Championship; sorry they are not better quality, I only had my phone which is a little scratched. 1: Trophies for senior and junior tournament. 2: Shane Wilson (junior champion 2014), Pete Jennings (senior champion 2013), Guy Lown. 3: Tim Bullen (senior champion 2014) vs. Ian Kirkbride. 4: Tim Bullen vs. Tony Higginson. 5: Shane Wilson vs. Pete Jennings. 6: Hnefatafl hall. Also this article appeared in the local newspaper: Sutton Hoo: Cut-throat competition for Anglo-Saxon chess champs Click on the photos for enlargement. |
 Viking Still lives, Adam Bartley, Norway. |
 Go team tafl, Canada. |
 Hnefatafl paper board, see more at: Paper Modelers. |
 Who know the craft of good Viking- and other ancient art? The Russians do! 96 photos of ancient style works. 79 photos of ancient style works. 312 photos of ancient style works. 2131 photos of ancient style works. Besides: 28 photos of boards. 10 photos of boards. 9 photos of boards. 508 photos from Russian Viking life. |
Photographer: Altti Piirsoo, USA. 26/12/2013. altti writes: Two new boards. It came to me one day "the field is green!" so I made them using tulip poplar heartwood. altti Click on the photos for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Joachim Lissner, "Neues Deutschland", Germany. Hnefatafl in Berlin. 28th of November 2013 in Berlin there was a hnefatafl demonstration match between a Norwegian chess player and a German hnefatafl player. See Rene Gralla's report from the day with photos! |
Photographer: Olga Mudrichenko, Russia. Izborsk at the Estonian-Russian border is the site of an ancient Viking settlement. June 26th 2011. |
Photographer: Tim Millar ("crust"), UK. 28/09/2013. Millar writes: It's an open-air hnefatafl set at Shave Farm, Somerset, UK. I made it for today's arts festival there; I hope later to get some pics of people playing on this set. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Tim Millar ("crust"), UK. 31/08/2013. Millar writes: It's a hand-made 9x9 hnefatafl set by Sven Mattes, a saxon re-enactor in the Ealdfaeder group whom I met at the English Hnefatafl Championship at Sutton Hoo recently. He was kind enough to alter the board for me, so that its markings show the "cross" starting position as well as the "square" which I had never seen before but is usual among the Ealdfaeder Saxons. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
English National Hnefatafl Championship 2013
Photographer: Tim Millar ("crust"), UK. 19/08/2013. 1: hnefatafl room 2: "Logs of War" hnefatafl set (made by Millar) 3: semi-final 4: Pete Jennings (winner) with trophy 5: Pete Jennings and the Ealdfaeder Saxons demonstrate the shieldwall Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Jonas Lööf ("conanlibrarian"), Germany (except first one from newspaper). 16/7/2013. "conanlibrarian" writes: I was in Karlskoga this summer, and I took the opportunity to check out the public Hnefatafl board. The game is right in the center of the town, and any one can borrow the game pieces for free in the Tourist Information, right next to the game board. So if anyone visits Karlskoga, just ask in the tourist info office, and they will show you were the game is. Regrettably I did not get a chance to play but I made a couple of photos of the board game and pieces. Last in the photo series are two pictures of my new Tablut board. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Adam Bartley, Norway. 02/06/2013. Adam writes: well thats the Tønsberg middelages festival over. Plenty of interested people and new players. Here are a couple of photos of the new boards as promised. the big one is 120cmx120cm. The little one about 50x50cm. Slices of birch as the pieces. You'll notice I decided to invert the colours. I believe there is a viking source that indicates the colours may have been this way. It doesn't really matter of course, but it fits in with my theory about the kings side being the 'bad guys' or dishonourable cowards. So the vikings are the attackers, representing the good guys, while the king is a scumbag, running away to save his own skin! Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: "Epoc", Italy. 28/5/2013. A new tafl set made by Sybil. In the photo: Sybil and Epoc. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Olga Mudrichenko, Russia. Spring atmosphere May 2nd 2013 on the site of the ancient Viking settlement Staraya Ladoga near St. Petersburg, Russia. And here a photocollage from Staraya Ladoga 2010. Click on the collage for full size (Photographer: Olga Mudrichenko, Russia). 
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Photographer: Ryan Olson, USA ("Rynoknight"). 02/05/2013. Tafl set made by Ryan Olson, USA ("Rynoknight"). Click on the photos for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Tim Millar, UK ("crust"). 24/03/2013. Tafl set made by Tim Millar, UK ("crust"). Millar writes: It's a tafl set I have just made, for the Longships or Sea-Battle version. The pieces and board are hand-carved wood, and the "treasure ship" (King piece) is based on the Malmo Cog Ship. I used a peg-and-hole system so that the pieces won't fall off if it's played on board a real ship.... p.s. I just had a very friendly e-mail from someone in Portsmouth, says they have started up a hnefatafl club and they meet once a month to play and drink ale! Click on the photos for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Justin Levi White ("Fairland"), USA. 2/1/2013. Hnefatafl game set made by "Fairland", USA. Fairland writes: Here are some pictures of my home-made hnefatafl board. While it is still a work in progress, all of the pieces will be carved like the one I hold in the third picture, and the board will be stained when I am done. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
17/12/2012. Multi board game set made by Altti Piirsoo, New York, USA. 
 06/01/2013. New board. Altti writes: Throne, corners and borders are of red mahogany, center 7x7 are birch heartwood, tablut bases are of birch sapwood crossgrain, edge 11x11 is of birch sapwood. tablut edges are of oak (not much different in appearance from birch heartwood, unfortunately). flip side is red mahogany and birch chess board. 
 25/01/2013. New board. Altti writes: 9x9 boarder is copper, tablut bases - oak, 11x11 bases - tulip poplar (green), throne and corners - mahogany, field - tulip poplar (white). Chess board is of red cedar and weathered poplar. Photographer: Altti Piirsoo, New York, USA. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Phil Lacher, USA. Carved Hnefatafl game set, se more photos here. |
 Photographer: Aage Nielsen, Denmark. Photos from Yule Market at Roskilde Viking Ship Museum December 8th 2012. |
 Photographer: arne64, Germany. 18/12/2012. Hnefatafl set made by "arne64", Germany. Notice that the game pieces can be used for the Berserk Hnefatafl variant also! Click on the photos for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Elisabeth Andersen, Denmark. Photos from a visit to Roskilde Viking Ship Museum September 14th 2012. |
 Photographer: Adam Bartley, Norway. 16/05/2012. Adam Bartley writes: Some photos of the hnefatafl sets I had made for the Vikinger i krig exhibition at Midgard Historisk Senter, Borre, Norway. There is a 9x9 Longship Tafl, and the 11x11 superimposed onto a trelleborg using lewis chess men as the pieces. The mix of old and new is a reflection of the museum itself, which is a very modern piece of architecture next to the burial mounds. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
 Photographer: "Epoc", Italy. 15/05/2012. The making of two Hnefatafl sets. Made by Epoc and Sybil. Italy. Next time the two hnefatafl finished... Click on the photos for enlargement. |
 Photographer: "barba", Nederland. 07/05/2012. Barba, Netherlands, writes: I discovered the game Hnefatafl a month ago and shortly after that I discovered your site. I made some pictures of my little homemade tafl. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Shaun Nelson, UK. 13/03/2012. Hnefatafl sets made by Shaun Nelson, UK, for the village pub. Tim Millar says: The photo is of the hnefatafl sets made by Shaun Nelson in Burnsall, Yorkshire U.K ("shaunyman"). They started a hnefatafl club which played regularly in the village pub. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Charles Ward ("chuck ward"), USA. 02/03/2012. The Hnefatafl game of "chuck ward", USA: The first two photos show an oak plywood board that I cut and woodburned. The board on the last photo is a gift I got from a friend. He made it out of poplar wood with oak trim and metal tacks. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Tim Millar ("crust"), UK. Tim Millar's beach hnefatafl set, UK: It's the beach hnefatafl set I made on Tresta Beach, Fetlar, Shetland, in 2009. I doubt very much that it is still there... I used it for a bit of practice before the competition. Materials: Sand, pebbles. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Belinda Rush Jansen, UK. 17/02/2012. Hnefatafl set made by Belinda Rush Jansen, UK, made from an old wooden tray. Tim Millar says: This picture was sent to me by a sculptor named Belinda Rush Jansen who lives in Wiltshire, UK. It's really aesthetic. I think the board is an old wooden tray - good idea. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Tim Millar ("crust"), UK. 17/02/2012. One of Adam Bartley's first Hnefatafl sets, Norway. Tim Millar says: This is Adam Bartley's hnefatafl set, which he made back in the early 1990's I think. Adam knew the game as "Vikings". The board is etched steel, and the pieces are made from plastic model kit sprue and string, and I love the fact that each side has a little "prison" to keep the captured warriors in. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
 Photographer: "Beadle", USA. 16/02/2012. The Hnefatafl game of Beadle, USA: I made the board with plywood, marked it with a pencil, and sprayed a transparent gloss coating over it to protect it. The glass pieces are taken from a commercial "3 Stones" game that I never played very much (I like Hnefatafl more, after all).
It looks a lot like a "Go" board. This is an intentional strategy reference, as both games have a common element of "surrounding" to win.
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 Photographer: Damian Valle, Spain. 15/02/2012. Hnefatafl set made by Damian Valle, Spain. Here the leather bag with the pieces is also the game board! Click on the photo for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Tim Millar ("crust"), UK. Tim Millar's "wall of hnefatafl", UK: It's the vertical "wall of hnefatafl" I made as a teaching aid for the Burnsall Viking Festival (Yorkshire, UK) in 2010. I got the idea from a vertical wall-mounted magnetic chess set I saw once. Materials: wooden curtain rings, wooden planks and 121 steel hooks. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
Photographer: "Oddur", Ukraine. January 2012. Oddur, Ukraine, drew and made this Hnefatafl game board. The board is also used for the classic DOS game Legend of Ragnarok, thus the special squares. Click on the photo for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Chip Meador, USA. 21/11/2010. Chip Meador, USA, made this Hnefatafl game board. It is made large to fit on a park table or on a kitchen table. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
 Photographer: Aage Nielsen, Denmark. One of webmaster's hnefatafl games. Necktie with the viking Hagbard. Viking post stamp 16.3.2012; surely the drawing is not fair to the vikings! Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Photographer: Knud-Erik Madsen, Denmark. Knud-Erik Madsen ("Knud Viking"), Denmark, is a Viking ship builder and member of a Viking re-enactment group and made this Hnefatafl game table. Notice the two holes in the game table - for the beer horns! |
Tønsberg Middelalderfestival June 4th-6th 2010, Norway.
 Photographer: Adam Bartley, Norway. Adam Bartley was presenting the Hnefatafl game at the festival and took these photos. In the first photo medieval children are playing hnefetafl at the festival. The set has now been donated to Midgard Historisk Senter in Borre, Vestfold, where people can play on it in the Viking play area. Bartley also made the indoor board inspired by the Gokstad board fragment (second photo) which people play in the activity room. Click on the photos for enlargement. |
Burnsall Viking Festival September 3rd-5th 2010, England. Photographer: Tim Millar ("crust"), UK. Tim Millar was at the festival in Yorkshire, England, teaching hnefatafl to the public and running the tournament. The festival is mentioned in newspaper articles in Craven Herald and Yorkshire Post. |
