A Viking Hnefatafl game inspired by a game board found with the 9th century Gokstad Ship Burial.
"Tafl" games are said to have been played by Norse cultures as early as 400 A.D., and were imported by the Vikings to Iceland, Britain, and Ireland. Unlike Chess, or Checkers which are fought by equal armies from opposite sides of the board, Tafl games involve a single king and his defenders in the center of the board surrounded by a larger army of attackers.
Our version is inspired by an unusual fragment of a game board found with the Gokstad Ship Burial discovered in Norway. Rather than an 11x11 grid as was more common the board appeared to have a 13 x 13 grid. Traditionally, surviving tafl boards are fairly plain, but to make it easier to set up we have identified the starting layout with simple knot work designs. The king's piece is inspired by a sheep bone game piece found in Oxfordshire, England. We also include a facsimile sheep knucklebone as an option for playing a variation which may have used dice, as well as several other variations in rules. The board is printed like a T-shirt so it is machine washable and comes with a drawstring pouch to store it in. Great for camping, or traveling. Printed for us here in Minnesota.