11th-century 'pizza peel' discovered in Russia doubled as a medieval game board

Archaeologists in Russia have discovered an 11th-century wooden kitchen tool featuring a carved board game on its back. The ancient bakery utensil, known as a bread peel or pizza paddle, likely served a dual purpose for medieval bakers. The researchers from Novgorod State University's Center for Archaeological Research found the fragment of a large wooden shovel, most likely used to transfer bread into an oven during baking.

On the reverse side, three squares have been intricately carved, one inside the other. This unique find, unearthed at the archaeological site of Pyatnitsky near Staraya Russa, a medieval town between Moscow and St. Petersburg, dates back to the 11th century and measures about 12 by 16 inches (30 by 40 centimeters). The wooden peel, typically crafted from oak, had one side flat for baking and the other side carved with a board game known as merels, merrelles, mills, nine-men's morris, or cowboy checkers.

The game, popular in medieval Europe and Asia, requires two players, nine pieces each, and the objective is to form columns of three by surrounding the opponent's pieces. The well-preserved find, with the board game intact, is unique, as similar boards have been found in ninth-century Rus archaeological sites, but a find as well-preserved as this one is rare.