Board games like 'tables', backgammon, chess and draughts were popular amongst the nobility of medieval Europe. Many surviving games pieces are decorated with fantastic creatures. Here the animal is strange and dream-like, and is probably a two-headed dragon.
The game was popular throughout Northern Europe and the pieces were made in a number of different centres, with the most productive workshops based in Northern France and Cologne. They are to be found in most museums with archaeological collections and difficult to date because of their simple ornament and the unchanging nature of their design.
Board games were considered a chivalrous and gentlemanly pursuit in the Middle Ages, as well as simple fun, since they placed combat between two opponents in a context of rules and sportsmanship, and encouraged strategic thought, and also the ability to win and lose graciously. The design is similar to the playing piece found at Dalcross Castle, now in the National Museum, Edinburgh. Further similar pieces have been found in Scotland and also in Northern France, which of course was also heavily settled by ex-Vikings, the Normans ('Norsemen'), while Brittany had strong Celtic connections. The date of the piece must be around 1090-1150.
Extremely similar pieces have also been found in England, and this raises the question of how widespread was the production of these relatively primitive pieces. It is probable that the present piece was either imported from Norman France or made in London by a workshop responding to the influences of imported pieces.