Archaeologists in Staraya Russa have unearthed an 11th-century wooden bread peel featuring a carved merels board on its reverse, revealing that medieval bakers used kitchen utensils as logic game boards while waiting for bread to bake.
The artifact, measuring roughly 12 by 16 inches and crafted from oak, was discovered at the Pyatnitsky archaeological site by researchers from Novgorod State University. Sergey Toropov, director of the university’s Center for Archaeological Research, noted that while the implement served to transfer dough into hot ovens, its reverse side features three nested squares connected by lines. This design forms the playing field for merels, a traditional two-person logic game with ancient roots.
Excavation Details and Archaeological Context in Staraya Russa
The medieval town of Staraya Russa sits between Moscow and St. Petersburg, a region where researchers recently uncovered a distinct snake amulet just a month prior to this discovery. The preserved portion of the bread shovel highlights the daily lives of medieval inhabitants in the kingdom of the Rus’, whose Viking ancestors arrived in the area during the eighth century. Merels pieces and boards have appeared in ninth-century archaeological strata across the region, but finding an intact specimen carved directly onto a domestic baking tool remains exceptional.
The game of merels, also recognized as nine-men’s morris, mills, or cowboy checkers, requires two players to maneuver pieces along intersecting lines to form rows of three, mirroring mechanics found in modern tic-tac-toe and checkers. Historical records indicate that similar logic games date back two millennia to the ancient Romans, eventually spreading widely across Europe and Asia. Players historically used whatever markers were at hand, such as small stones, making the pastime easily accessible regardless of social status or wealth.
| Artifact Attribute | Recorded Specification |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 12 by 16 inches (30 by 40 centimeters) |
| Primary Material | Oak timber |
| Geographic Location | Pyatnitsky site, Staraya Russa, Russia |
| Associated Game | Merels / Nine-Men’s Morris |
Utility and Artifact Repurposing in Medieval Kitchens
Researchers remain uncertain whether the wooden paddle functioned simultaneously as a baking tool and a gaming surface or if the board was carved after the shovel fractured and lost its kitchen utility. Toropov explained that individuals frequently marked playing boards directly onto the flat surfaces of common household items when leisure time permitted.
This find joins a broader catalogue of medieval artifacts unearthed in the region, including decorated wild-boar tusks and elaborate wooden tombs housing elite nobility alongside horses and dogs. The durability of oak allowed the implement to survive centuries in sub-surface soil conditions, preserving both its culinary form and its recreational utility for contemporary study.
References
- Novgorod State University Center for Archaeological Research. Excavation reports from Staraya Russa and Pyatnitsky sites.
- Springer. Comparative studies on historical board games across Europe and Asia. View publication
