The belt is based on a belt found with a peat bog body, likely female, from Skjoldehamn in Northern Norway. The body was found wearing a near complete outfit, including this belt. Initially, the find was assumed to date to the 15th to early 16thcentury based on the style of clothing, but new analysis of the find using carbon dating in 2009 found a date of 1075 ± 20 years instead. The person found was about 40-50 years old. Even though most of the large bones including the skull disintegrated during the excavation in 1936 the remaining bones show no signs of wear and tear and no strong muscle attachments. Together with a slim build and a small stature of 5’ the general archaeological consensus is that the remains are too short and slender for a typical Norwegian male, and could very well be female (or possibly Sámi male or female). This means this could be one of only a few finds of a female of the (late) Viking age wearing a belt; and the only one I know of where the belt itself is present instead of just indicating hardware (like a buckle), making it a very intriguing find indeed! This blog post is about how to finish the ends of the braid into period plausible tasseled cords. When the braid is at length, both ends are split into three units of four strands, each of which are separately wrapped to create the tassels. I start with the middle cord, and tie up the two outer cords, to keep them out of the way From the images provided in the thesis (see above) it looks like the wrapping yarn used is thinner than the yarn used for the belt and the tassel necks. Keep in mind the pattern of the wrappings; every tassel cord has a center band and the center tassels are red fields with green/gold/green bands and the outside tassels are green fields with gold/red/gold bands. The cords look symmetrical without being completely identical, which is surprisingly hard to emulate. I tightly tied my yarn around the strands at the beginning and manually wrapped the cone of yarn around and around (and hiding the tail end of the knot underneath the wrappings). At a new field or band I did not tie off the previous color but wrapped it in with the tassel cords with the new color, until I needed it again. Adding a third color; from now on the colored yarn can be "picked up" from the yarn making up the cord's core. All done with the wrapped cords. Notice how to center cord of each bundle is in opposite colors as the outside cords - as is the same on the extant piece. It is not clear from the original find if the tassel head is made from separate yarn, of by looping back and doubling up on the core yarn, like demonstrated below. In my first version I tied four single ply yarns to the end of the tassel core to make the tassel head, and used yarn from the tassel core to secure the base. Then the single ply wool went bonkers from the humidity and fluffed up quite considerably, making me look for a different technique. Then the tail end of the yarn is looped back and secured with a knot to make the tassel head. I use a secure flat knot to tie the yarn right at the base of the cords. Then the tassels get combed down, keeping one long yarn separate to use to wrap and secure the base of the tassels. Then one of the long ends is used to wrap and stitch the base of the tassel (this is a different tassel, the above only has two red ones to stitch with but as that was not very visible I used one in white to show the stitch). You can wrap it around the base a few times to secure and then start stitching, or you can wrap and stitch from the get-go. The extant piece is stitched from the base up. The stitch feels kind of backwards. I work from L to R, therefore I wrap the yarn around the back and come up on top, then I stitch under the base of the beginning of the yarn loop, to come back out over the previous yarn loop (but under the new one) and then it gets pulled tight. Repeat until the base is well defined and securely stitched in. In the extant piece the base stitching was done in three bands of two colors. Then the tassels are cut to length and nicely ruffled up. It is not clear from the extant piece if the tassel fibers are only from the core, added separately, or both. The same for the cord wrapping. From looking closely at the pictures it seems like different diameter fibers are used, making a case that both existing thicker cord yarn, and added thinner wrapping yarn is used to wrap the cords. The extant tassels are felted, but again, it is not clear if the felting happened on purpose at construction, happened during wear, or happened during burial. This blog post is to illustrate how to make the tasseled cords of the 12 strand braided belt in detail. Look for my earlier blog post on how to make the braid itself, and for a later post on an alternate way of wrapping. For more information on the find itself please check my paper at: https://www.academia.edu/27845585/A_Viking_Belt_based_on_the_Skjoldehamn_Find which is base in part on Dan Halvard Løvlid dissertation at: https://www.academia.edu/14654038/The_Skjoldehamn_find_in_the_light_of_new_knowledge All photographs are (c) by Susan Verberg, 2017 All illustrations are from Dan Halvard Løvlid dissertation.

A Hedeby-style of bag has been on my wish-list for quite some time. I’ve used small totes to carry around my things, because I can’t do without my phone and other necessities on my pers…

These finds are so interesting that I am straying from British and Irish archaeology for this post:- Pre-Viking tunic found by glacier as warming aids archaeology A pre-Viking woollen tunic found …

Performing excavations in an area where new sewer lines are currently being installed, Swedish archaeologists have announced a remarkable and borderline miraculous find

“Written sources mention female warriors occasionally, but this is the first time that we've really found convincing archaeological evidence for their existence."

Voici ma bande finie. Vous pouvez y retrouver les différents motifs de style ou d'inspiration Mammen que j'ai réalisé à partir du site Flinkhand .

picture of the underside of a bronze brooch with strap remnants and pleated shift remnants from one of the Birka graves; from Geijer's article "The Textile Finds From Birka Graves" in Cloth and Clothing in Medieval Europe p. 88 (Heinemann Educational Books Ltd. 1983). The strap remains can be seen at the top

Manchmal passiert es einfach: Frau klickt nichtsahnend auf einen Link, der in der von Jenn Culler als Verweis für eine Rusborte gepostet wurde und sieht dann plötzlich im Archaeological Textiles Newsletter Nr. 47 im Artikel 'New finds of Viking Age textiles in Ukraine and Russia' von Kirill Mikhailov 2 fantastische Bilder von Borten aus dem 10. Jhd. Der Artikel verrät, dass es sich um ein Männergrab handelt, in dem 2 Borten gefunden wurden. Eine davon besteht aus drei Fragmenten (50, 20 und 10 cm lang) und wird für die Randverzierung eines Mantels gehalten. Das andere Band ist ein wenig abseits vom Körper gefunden worden - vermutlich war es die Verzierung einer Tunika die Fragmente sind 2,2 4,4 und 2,5 cm lang. Am erstaunlichsten ist hier das Bild Fig. 2. Tablet-woven band from the grave chamber, Shestovica cemetery, Chernigov, Ukraine (Photo K. Mikhailov). Es zeigt eine Borte, wo nicht nur die Broschierung, sondern auch das Grundgewebe erkennbar ist. Leider wird nicht erwähnt, ob es sich um die Borte vom Mantel oder von der Tunika handelte. Sometimes things happen: I followed a link Jenn Culler posted as information of tablet woven bands for Rus 10th century and see in the Archaeological Textiles Newsletter Nr. 47 in the article 'New finds of Viking Age textiles in Ukraine and Russia' by Kirill Mikhailov 2 outstanding pictures of 10th century bands. You will find details in the article. I have been looking all the time at the picture Fig. 2. Tablet-woven band from the grave chamber, Shestovica cemetery, Chernigov, Ukraine (Photo K. Mikhailov). The tablet woven band is brocaded and besides the metal you can also see the ground weft. Unfortunately neither the material is mentioned nor which one of the two is illustrated Ich konnte sie nur fasziniert anstarren und dann fing ich auch schon an, ein erstes Muster zu zeichnen: Nach zwei, drei Versuchen bin ich denn bei dem S / Z Muster, wie man es auch aus Ladoga kennt (das in einer anderen Technik gewebt wurde) hängen geblieben Faszinated I started to draw the pattern. After several trys I decided that the S/Z pattern as found in Ladoga (but in a different technique) would be a good fit. Die Kette war schnell aufgezogen und dann hatte ich den das Muster zum ersten Mal gewebt. Aber irgendwie passte es nicht. I set the warp and started weaving - but it didn't fit. Nachdem ich eine Nacht darüber geschlafen habe und einem intensiven Chat mit René habe ich dann nicht gezeichnet, was ich meinte zu sehen, sondern habe Punkt für Punkt übertragen. Und das Ergebnis sah dann ein wenig anders aus: I finished for the day and the next morning I dicussed it with René and started drawing what I saw on the picture and not what I thought how it should look like. The result is a little bit different. Das hatte ich dann schnell in eine Anleitung übersetzt und das Muster gewebt Drawing a pattern and weaving it has been easy. Mit dem Ergebnis bin ich jetzt sehr zufrieden. Die Umsetzung mit Goldlahn broschiert findet man hier. Und da mir das Muster sehr gut gefällt, habe ich ausprobiert, ob man es in andere Techniken umsetzen kann - nicht mit 9 Musterbrettchen aber mit 10 geht es ohne Probleme. As I like the design I tried to translate the motive in a different technique - it wasn't possible with 9 tablets but it worked fine with 10 tablets. Sowohl die Broschieranleitung, als auch die moderne Umsetzung gibt es als kleines Weihnachtsgeschenk auf meiner Homepage. Eine Anleitung, wie man die Muster liest, gibt es hier You can find the pattern for the brocading as well as the modern design as a little Christmas present on my homepage. You will find information how to read my patterns here. Literatur: Archaeological Textiles Newsletter Nr. 47 Kirill Mikhailov 'New finds of Viking Age textiles in Ukraine and Russia' Muster: eigener Entwurf Technik: Broschieren

Nachdem ich momentan basteltechnisch noch nichts neues vorweisen kann, weil das Bastelprojekt, dem ich mich momentan zuwende, mir wirklich j...

Ayla Roth had a vision in blue for TAH Tjorkill and Alina’s step up clothes. I started out printing the fabric for his caftan, and then I printed some pieces speculatively, that turned into t…

Beautiful temple rings made in Novgorod style. 3 similar types. Both made base on archaeological findings (look pictures). Made of brass. Will perfectly works for X-XI century costume. To choose pair that you like, choose the option in brass: Picture 1 Picture 2 or Picture 3-4 To choose model in sterling silver choose - picture 3-4 (sterling silver). If you can’t decide - simply send me message and I will help))) Also I not always keep silver in stock, so some times it take to 4-5 days make temple rings in silver.

Jag fick en fråga igår om blå tyger på Birka och det finns ju flera fynd av det, i någon sorts svartblå kypert och blågrön kypert, men trots att jag läst Inga Häggs bok Kvinnodräkten i Birka fram o…

In the autumn of 834 AD, two elderly women were buried together in the magnificent Oseberg ship discovered in 1903 near Tønsberg in Vestfold, Southeast Norway. Ever since the ship was excavated in 1904-1905, many theories have been put forward about who these women were. The objects they took with them to the grave may provide the answer to this Viking Age mystery.

Authentic Rus Viking cape, rectangular shaped, according to the nordic fashion (i.e. finds from Skjoldehamn, as example) mixed with Byzantine influence, typical from the Rus Vikings settled in Ukraine, and central Europe. Chernigov capes are decorated with stamped patterns. Two different patterns has been found on fabrics remnants, during archaeological excavations at Chernigov site, current Ukraine, datation around 9-11 century. (archaeological datas in album). Our capes measures around 150 x 140 centimeters. Everything is hand-made, from stamping applications, to seams, to match historical accuracy standars for serious reenactors. --- YOU CAN CHOOSE WOOL COLOUR, STAMPING PATTERN, STAMPIN COLOUR AND TO AD A SILK BIAS ON EDGES , OR A SIMPLE HEM SEAM. YOU CAN ALSO CHOOSE THE SILK EDGES'S COLOUR IF YOU WANT SOME. --- We only work with high quality materials. Authentic wool, with visible and historical weaving (twill, plain weave...). Same for silk edges (wild silk, taffetas...) -- Please, writte us a message to discuss about your project. We will send you pictures of current in-stock wools with pleasure. You can use the photos of our previous tailor-made creations to help you find what you need! The customization possibilities are endless.

penannular fibula

This month's HSM challenge is Silver Screen - make something inspired by a costume from a movie or TV show. My original plan for this challenge was to make an Egyptian bead dress (a historicized version of a costume Theda Bara wore in Cleopatra), but in order to get that done in time for the deadline I would have to have started sometime around July. I didn't. So I've had to scale back my ambitions and find a less time-consuming project. The idea of taking something blatantly, egregiously unhistorical and turning it into something actually attested in the archaeological record really appeals to me, and that was always what I wanted to do for this challenge, but as I say I ran out of time. Then one day I was flicking through my copy of The Viking Way while I waited for some code to compile, and I came across the Hedeby masks. And I remembered that episode of Vikings, where the French emperor Charles and his daughter Gisla have those outstandingly unhistorical masks. Vikings gets a lot of flak generally for its historical inaccuracy, and for good reasons. I understand the process and the considerations involved, but I find Vikings hard to watch because it departs so far from reality. As far as those masks go I'm not aware of any historical reality behind them and I have no idea why the writers chose to give the characters masks*, but the vikings did have masks and I thought a historically accurate viking era mask would be a fun little thing to make. As always with Vikings, the reality is much more interesting, and much stranger, than the TV show. In reality, viking masks looked more like this: Reconstruction of a 10th century viking mask made from felt. This mask is based on a 10th century one from Hedeby. The original appears to represent a sheep and I tried to make mine look like a sheep too, but I should probably point out here that we do not know for sure the Hedeby mask was meant to be a sheep. It's a bit ragged now and may have been bent a bit out of shape, but it certainly looks like a sheep. Here is the original Hedeby mask: From page 172 of The Viking Way by Neil Price. The masks found at Hedeby were probably used in rituals relating to the god Odin. It's a standing joke in archaeological circles that any object whose purpose isn't immediately apparent must be a ritual artifact, but in this case we can be reasonably confident the masks were associated with worship of Odin. There's a good discussion of this in The Viking Way, and we actually have a 10th century description from Constantine VII of a dance that involved animal skins and masks. The original Hedeby mask has a fuzzy nap, made by brushing the surface of the felt with some kind of a stiff brush. My version also has a nap made by brushing the felt surface in the direction the sheep's fur should go. The Challenge: Silver Screen. Fabric: A piece of felt 25 cm by 25 cm, which I made from the wool I had left over from my Borum Eshøj belt. It's easy enough to make felt from yarn if the yarn is thick and made from real wool; you simply un-spin the yarn and felt the resulting strips of un-spun fiber. Pattern: The Viking Answer Lady provides a gridded diagram of the Hedeby sheep mask. I played around with it to make a pattern that takes into account the shape of the surviving fabric and is bilaterally symmetrical, as the mask would have been originally. Year: Somewhere around the 10th century. Notions: Linen thread to sew up the nose and help shape the head. How historically accurate is it? I think it's very accurate. Maybe even 90% as the pattern is directly based on a 10th century artifact. The felt I made is wool, but it may not be exactly like wool used in the viking age. I'm not sure about that. I made the felt with soap and a sushi mat, which of course isn't the authentic viking way. I don't know how they made felt, but I do know how cloth was fulled in the middle ages and I therefore suspect the felting process involved urine. There's a limit to how far I'm prepared to go in the pursuit of historical accuracy. Hours to complete: Two, including making the felt and messing around with the pattern. First worn: I tried to take some photos of me wearing the mask, but this was not a success as it turns out the eye holes on the original aren't quite in the right place for me to see out of them. Total cost: Effectively $0 since the wool was left over from a previous project. This piece of felt would have used a couple of dollars' worth at most. *If this was Fargo or perhaps Game of Thrones I would be inclined to think the masks had a symbolic significance, but Vikings is not that clever.