Across the Board Exhibition

Across the Board was a travelling exhibition from the British Museum. It featured board games of all types from around the world including Go, Chess, Chinese Chess, Tables, Senet, Ludo, Mancala, Snakes and Ladders, and Monopoly and others.

Stars of the exhibition were some of the famous 12th century walrus ivory Lewis Chessmen and the 11th century Tables (Backgammon) set from Gloucester.

Across the Board visited:

• 22/01/05-19/06/05 Segedunum Roman Fort, Newcastle
• 23/07/05-17/09/05 Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter
• 01/10/05-31/12/05 Gosport Gallery, Hampshire
• 27/05/06-03/09/06 The Collection, Lincoln
• 23/09/06-21/01/07 Luton Museum

The Go set displayed was described as a "Chinese Wei Chi (Go) board and pots with black and white shell and stone pieces. Early 20th Century". It had a grey board with black lines set in a wooden surround that was decorated with mother of pearl inlay of plants and butterflies, and featuring drawers for the peices. The thick stones and wooden bowls were of the usual Japanese pattern.