Isle of Man Post Office's first stamp issue of 2013, in collaboration with Manx National Heritage, marks another return to the Island of the manuscript of the Chronicles of the Kings of Man and the Isles and the loan of six magnificent Lewis Chessmen showcased in the flagship exhibition 'The Forgotten Kingdom?' in an outstanding display at the Manx Museum.
The Chronicles are the earliest written accounts of the Island and document many of the most significant events of the medieval age. The Manx nation is fortunate enough to be able to witness the temporary return of these legendary, medieval manuscripts and the loan of a selection of the wonderful Lewis Chessmen in an outstanding display at the Manx Museum. The Chronicles were written by monks at Rushen Abbey and have been in the collections of the British Library for over two hundred years.
Dot Tilbury, General Manager Isle of Man Stamps & Coins said:
"When we heard the Lewis Chessmen and more significantly the Chronicles of Man were coming to the Island, we relished the opportunity to feature them in our stamp programme for 2013 and the results are stunning. The stamps were officially launched on 11th January and are proving popular. The Chronicles teach us about early life in the Isle of Man, a time when the Island was the seat of power in a dominant sea kingdom that reached from the Irish Sea to the North Atlantic Ocean."
The earliest and most important manuscript from the Isle of Man is The Chronicles of Kings of Man and the Isles, which is on loan from the British Library. The Lewis Chessmen were discovered on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis and were made around 1200AD probably in the city of Trondheim in Norway. Most of them are carved from pieces of Walrus tusk, though three are made from the tooth of a sperm whale. Six pieces from the iconic collection of the Lewis Chessmen on loan from the British Museum illustrate the stories told in the exhibition and of course feature on the stamps.
The exhibition is at the Manx Museum – admission is free and is open from 10am –5pm Monday to Saturday until it comes to a close in March.
The stamps are available to buy now online - please click here
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Isle of Man Stamps & Coins, PO Box IOM, Isle of Man Post Office, Douglas, ISLE OF MAN, IM99 1PB
