In the historic center of Veliky Novgorod archeologists found a chesspiece, which dates back to the Middle Ages.

      It is reported that the top of the chesspiece is broken and therefore the researchers cannot establish clearly if it was a king or a queen. It also remains unknown what material the find is made of. Its shape is typical of the West European chess, which makes it even more rare.

      The chesspiece was found in the course of excavations in the Torgovaya Storona (i.e. Trade Side), where merchants lived in the Middle Ages. According to scientists, such chess characterize the life of merchants who came from Europe.

      It is interesting to note that an Old Russian birchbark manuscript has been recently found during Novgorod archaeological examination. The find dates back to the second half of the 18th century. It is a document concerning some debts.