[Bryn-gwlad] board games

[Coblaith Mhuimhneach]

The book of games commissioned in the 13th century by Alfonso X 
includes period instructions for chess, tables, morris, some 
astrological games, and several dice games.  There's a modern-English 
translation at <http://www.u.arizona.edu/~smusser/ljtranslation.html> 
and the illustrations are online at <http://games.rengeekcentral.com/>. 
  It would not be difficult to extract the instructions for all included 
versions of one game--tables or morris being, in my opinion,  the most 
logical choice--put them in more user-friendly language, and compile 
them into a booklet.  (As I said, I'd be willing to take responsibility 
for that.)

I think a box with a game-board painted on the lid, like the 
15th-century example I mentioned before 
<http://www.uni-klu.ac.at/kultdoku/kataloge/51/html/3520.htm> would 
make a good choice.  It's documentable, it's self-contained (so we 
wouldn't need to make carry-bags or other containers), it's compact 
(and thus easy to transport to and from the Wars), and it could readily 
be adapted to reflect the heraldic achievements of the various kingdoms 
or otherwise customized.  It's not so ambitious a project as to put a 
disproportionate drain on our resources, but is impressive enough to 
reflect well on Bryn Gwlad.

The boxes themselves could be made by some of our local woodworkers 
(the best choice, I think, since they could then choose the perfect 
size and incorporate details that would make them more period in 
appearance) or purchased ready-made.  The pieces for tables are 
generally just disks, which could likewise be cut to purpose or bought. 
  (Or, if we wanted to make the set a little more unusual, we could cut 
or buy square pieces; Alfonso's book mentions their use "in some 
lands".)  Morris pieces vary--Alfonso's book describes them as 
resembling chess-pawns, while many artifact examples are essentially 
glass or pottery spheres, flattened on one side.  We certainly have 
craftspeople who could manage either of those.

All that's left, then, would be the painting.  There are many period 
images of people playing at tables, from a variety of places and times, 
and I've seen a few of morris games in progress, so making the boards 
authentic (but not necessarily identical) should be no problem, and if 
we made a decision about this soon there would be plenty of time for 
our artisans to turn the sides of the boxes into one-of-a-kind works of 
art.  We could even make the illustrations in the instruction booklets 
line drawings, and hand-color them to match the finished boxes.


Coblaith Mhuimhneach
<mailto:Coblaith at sbcglobal.net>