1st half of the 16th century – mid-16th century
Deer antler
Diameter of the game pieces: 3.2–3.4 cm, height: 0.5–0.6 cm
To add variety to their leisure time, not only people of the 21st century but also those living in Lithuania between the 12th and 19th centuries found time for various games. It is known that during the 12th–19th centuries a range of board games (such as backgammon, nine men’s morris, draughts, etc.) were played not only from written sources, but also from the game pieces discovered by archaeologists. In total, about three dozen different game pieces have been found in Lithuania during archaeological excavations. Nearly half of them – 15 items – were discovered in the castles of Vilnius.
Game pieces made of clay, turned from wood or antler, are most often found individually.
A particularly notable discovery was made in 2002, when as many as five game pieces belonging to a single set were found in the latrine of the gate tower enclosure within a 16th-century estate in the territory of the Vilnius Lower Castle (excavated by archaeologist Dr. Gintautas Rackevičius). After assessing the structure and porosity of the antler, it was determined that all the pieces had been made from a single branch of deer antler. They measure 3.2–3.4 cm in diameter and 0.5–0.6 cm in height. All are decorated with concentric circles turned into the surface—five very narrow and shallow ones and two deeper and wider ones—as well as a small hollow in the center of each piece.
Why did these game pieces end up in a latrine? In the 16th–17th centuries, latrines were used not only for their primary purpose but also as rubbish pits for small objects. Whether the pieces fell into the latrine reservoir accidentally (for example, dropped from a pocket) or were deliberately discarded can only be a matter of speculation.
The presented game pieces can be seen in the permanent exhibition of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania (Route I “History, Archaeology, Architecture”).
Information prepared by Egidijus Ožalas
