The Lewis Chessmen include notable figures and representations of medieval society.

Evidence

One of the puzzles of the Lewis Chessmen is that there are lots of major pieces and very few pawns. … The pawns are the only pieces that aren’t human; they’re simply small ivory slabs that stand upright like gravestones. … In medieval society, these represent the peasants brutally conscripted on to the battlefield. — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 962

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 962
• XREF: connects to: Bishops were significant powers in medieval European society and warfare. — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 971