There is an argument in the literature, but not so much in reenactment, that the highest class of Norsewoman wouldn't have worn an apron dress-type outfit, but would have been wearing something possibly more Continental/Merovingian in flavour. There are more 'high status' burials towards the end of the Viking Age (around 1000 CE) without brooches, but if that is because of vagaries of preservation, if it really is a high-class thing, or if the paired brooches were unfashionable, or a combination of all three, I'm not sure anyone can say for certain.
But one of the perks of this 'classy' outfit is you get more typical-looking veils than the tiny Dublin examples. eg. Voss, Denmark ca 1000 CE (p.4 of PDF. I think it is much liklier to be a half-circle veil than what the author reconstructed.), Hvilehoj and Horning also in Denmark and dated to the 10th century had expensive fabrics, but no paired brooches.
and Oseberg, Norway ca. 800 CE possibly included a tunic decorated with clavii and a veil.
Of course, the problem with going that route is that you aren't wearing the tortoise brooches, so you don't look like a 'Viking' any more.
For more info: Christensen A.E. and Nockert M. 2006. "Osebergfunnet : bind iv, Tekstilene" (Oslo, Universitetet i Oslo)
Krag, A.H. 2007. “Christian influences and symbols of power in textiles from Viking Age Denmark. Christian influence from the continent.” In Ancient Textiles: Production, Craft and Society (Oxbow Books); 237-243.
Madsen, A.H. 1990. "Women's dress in the Viking period in Denmark, based on the tortoise brooches and textile remains" In Textiles in Northern Archaeology: NESAT III Textile Symposium in York 6-9 May 1987 (Archetype Publications); 106-111.
Personally, I think it is possible for the little Dublin caps to have been worn underneath something. There is a single example (and weirdly, the only VA example I can find of internal patching), of a woollen being patched from the inside. In my mind, I can see that you would only do that if you didn't expect for the hole to be seen. So I wear it in lieu of a veil-band.
In: E. Wincott Heckett. 2003. "Viking Age Headcoverings from Dublin" (Dublin: Royal Irish Academy") pp. 44, 46.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2011-07-09 12:28 am (UTC)There is an argument in the literature, but not so much in reenactment, that the highest class of Norsewoman wouldn't have worn an apron dress-type outfit, but would have been wearing something possibly more Continental/Merovingian in flavour. There are more 'high status' burials towards the end of the Viking Age (around 1000 CE) without brooches, but if that is because of vagaries of preservation, if it really is a high-class thing, or if the paired brooches were unfashionable, or a combination of all three, I'm not sure anyone can say for certain.
But one of the perks of this 'classy' outfit is you get more typical-looking veils than the tiny Dublin examples.
eg. Voss, Denmark ca 1000 CE (p.4 of PDF. I think it is much liklier to be a half-circle veil than what the author reconstructed.), Hvilehoj and Horning also in Denmark and dated to the 10th century had expensive fabrics, but no paired brooches.
and Oseberg, Norway ca. 800 CE possibly included a tunic decorated with clavii and a veil.
Of course, the problem with going that route is that you aren't wearing the tortoise brooches, so you don't look like a 'Viking' any more.
For more info:
Christensen A.E. and Nockert M. 2006. "Osebergfunnet : bind iv, Tekstilene" (Oslo, Universitetet i Oslo)
Krag, A.H. 2007. “Christian influences and symbols of power in textiles from Viking Age Denmark. Christian influence from the continent.” In Ancient Textiles: Production, Craft and Society (Oxbow Books); 237-243.
Madsen, A.H. 1990. "Women's dress in the Viking period in Denmark, based on the tortoise brooches and textile remains" In Textiles in Northern Archaeology: NESAT III Textile Symposium in York 6-9 May 1987 (Archetype Publications); 106-111.
Personally, I think it is possible for the little Dublin caps to have been worn underneath something. There is a single example (and weirdly, the only VA example I can find of internal patching), of a woollen being patched from the inside. In my mind, I can see that you would only do that if you didn't expect for the hole to be seen. So I wear it in lieu of a veil-band.
In: E. Wincott Heckett. 2003. "Viking Age Headcoverings from Dublin" (Dublin: Royal
Irish Academy") pp. 44, 46.
Hope that is useful?