More photo gallery on the Viking board game Hnefatafl. |
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. |
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.
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. 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: Elisabeth Andersen, Denmark. 9/2/2019. Classical 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: 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. |
Photographer: Elisabeth Andersen, Denmark. 11/2/2018. Classical 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: 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. |
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. |
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.
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. |
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: 508 photos from Russian Viking life. |
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: Davide Folloni ("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). |
Photographer: Ryan Olson, USA ("Rynoknight"). 02/05/2013. Tafl set made by Ryan Olson, USA ("Rynoknight"). 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: Arne Hansen ("arne64"), Germany. 18/12/2012. Hnefatafl set made by Arne Hansen, 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: Davide Folloni ("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: Fabian Baartman ("barba"), Nederlands. 07/05/2012. Fabian Baartman, 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 classical 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 a newspaper article in Craven Herald. |