• 27-29 July – trip to Caen in France for living history and maybe fighting.
• 21-23 September – a traditional DAS fighting weekend at South Cadbury, Somerset.

For our full events lineup so far, see the Events Diary.

Our first event in 2012 is 30 March – 1 April, at Earleywood Scout Camp in Berkshire. This is a private society event of fighting and feasting. Please contact us if you are interested in attending.

Crafts on the Village Brown

Our annual visit to the Danelaw Village, Murton Park, York is the time when we really get back to the Dark Ages. We live in wooden houses, cook on fires, play games and catch up on craftwork.

We had some good weather despite the fact that it was the August Bank Holiday, and it was a great pleasure to sit around the fire on the village ‘brown’ (well, it isn’t green…) outside the longhall working on various crafts. Spoons were carved, bands woven, dresses sewn and socks constructed. In the Dark Ages, socks are a very acceptable gift.

Playing Kubb

Kubb is a popular game with both re-enactors and visitors. No, it’s not authentic to the Dark Ages: it’s a Swedish game (specifically Gotlandic), and relatively modern, but it’s a lot of fun and gets people together. Kubb is a kind of strategic skittles that can be played by teams of any size. And yes, that purple tunic was dyed authentically – with elderberries! Time will tell how well it stands up to modern ideas of how often clothes should be washed…but that’s experimental archaeology for you.

Inside the Longhall

We had a few rainy spells in the afternoons, which gave us an excuse to hang out in the nice dry longhall. Cooking became a real group activity with everybody pitching in the chop vegetables, cut wood, tend the fire, wash up cauldrons and so on. But the longhall really came into its own in the evenings, when we gathered for food and conviviality by the light of the hearth fire. Nothing beats firelight on the rafters, tasty food on the table, and good company while the rain beats down outside in the dark night.

As I am obsessed with food, I am always particularly interested in the menu! There were some non-authentic foods for people with dietary restrictions, but by and large we served food appropriate to the dark ages. Breakfast was a simple but hearty affair of bacon, sausage and bread. Lunches included bread, butter, cheese, cured sausage, boiled eggs, pickles and fruit.

Alf with his Little Chopper

For Saturday’s banquet we served smoked salmon, pickled onions and cabbage, pork stew with cider and apples, and plums cooked with pears and ginger. For vegetarians, there was a vegetable casserole with beans and cider. Sunday’s supper was a sort of risotto made with shredded roast lamb, lentils, garlic and gravy. There was a garlicky lentil dish for the vegetarians.

I’m already missing the village and looking forward to next year!

Later on we enjoyed a sumptuous banquet with slow-cooked mutton, fine pates and other goodies, and plenty of ale and songs. Many thanks to the Westmen.

The calendar for next year is starting to take shape, though there are still plenty of spaces for any member who would like to run an event – especially if anybody who hasn’t run an event before would like to have a go.

2012 – the Calendar So Far

30th March – 1st April: Earleywood Scout Camp, Berkshire
20th April – 22nd April: Chiltern Open Air Museum, Buckinghamshire
18th May – 20th May: Forest Green, Surrey
24th August – 27th August (Bank Holiday): Danelaw Village, York

If you’d like to join us for battle and banquet, please get in touch!

Breaking News – first events for 2012 booked!

We now have 2 confirmed events for next year:
30 March – 1 April, Earleywood Scout Camp, Berkshire
24-27 August (Bank Holiday), Danelaw Village, Murton Park, York

The next DAS event is fast approaching, over the weekend of the 4th-6th November. This will be another traditional DAS fighting weekend at Flaunden in Hertfordshire, hosted by those mighty Saxons, the Cilternsaete.

At this event there will be a mini-officers meeting, so please get in touch with your unit officer or the Chair, Guthwald, if you want to raise any items. Note that anything requiring extensive discussion will have to be put off until the full meeting in February.

Alf and I missed the Friday pub session, which to judge by the hangovers must have been a good one. But we did arrive on Saturday morning to find platefuls of bacon, sausage, mushrooms and other good things on offer. What a fine way to start the day.

After the usual lengthy process of putting on armour and checking weapons for safety, we made the short trek up to South Cadbury hillfort. Climbing up the steep, tree-shaded lane from the road to the hilltop feels like travelling to another time or place. Perhaps to make up for the poor summer, the weather – on the 1st October! – was amazing. The sky was a lightly hazed blue, with glorious sunshine and just enough breeze that we didn’t fry. It felt like a perfect summer’s day, except that the trees were tinged with yellow.

Battle on South Cadbury Hillfort

Our lord, Hrolf, then explained to us the plot for the day. Rumours had been heard that King Alfred was laying plans for a big battle, so everybody was looking for information. Our first task was to listen to the words of the Wise Woman, each group being given a different riddle to help us find a clue as to the forthcoming battle. We travelled sunwise as instructed, and between two thorn trees found a small box with a little map and a scrap of parchment that told us the battle would be in the area of Kent.

Discussing tactics - which sadly failed

The morning continued with us roaming the hillfort and fighting any other group we encountered, so that we could win their clues. Technically we didn’t have to fight, we could have negotiated to trade information, but fighting was more fun! Sadly, we were not covered with glory in the fighting, losing most of our battles. The star of our group was Finn, who beat four enemy warriors in succession to defeat the massed hordes of the Westmen (all four of them!) Hrolf and I died in the first exchange and could only watch in admiration as Finn felled the foe. This victory gained us the information that the battle would take place before the end of the month. After that, we had many enjoyable fights but lost them all, except for another win over the Westmen – but by then they had lost all their clues to the Saxons. Truly, by the end of the day, the Vikings were clueless! The Saxons proved too mighty for we Vikings on this occasion.

We fought in groups until mid-afternoon, then fought a few line fights to finish up. We then retreated to the hall for cold drinks and a chance to purchase shiny bling from Ceolred Monger, Thegn. This was followed by surprisingly minty cocktails courtesy of Wulfruna, and some work peeling vegetables. The cooks, including several new members, worked for hours while the rest of us had a very pleasant visit to the pub. Truly, most generous hosts.

We returned to the hall for the banquet. Although the event took place in a fairly unremarkable village hall, the tables looked splendid laid with cloths and authentic vessels, and lit by candlelight. Our hosts Hrolf and Morag welcomed all to the hall with a drink of mead, and bid Saxon and Viking to be at peace for the evening.

The battles continue

After a platter of cheeses and salads, we were treated to a truly delicious stew of chicken in black beer with root vegetables. This was followed by excellent baked apples. During the evening there were many songs and tales, and gifts were given, the most splendid being a fine sword given to Egil by his father Styrkar. There was also of course discussion of the rumoured battle. As the Saxons had won all the information, it was not surprising that in the end they decided they could not reveal their King’s plans. They swore peace to us for this day and the next, and Thegn Wulfstan burned the battle plans before our eyes.

The banquet was also enlivened by Athelwulf’s rendition of the Herring song. Traditionally, he is pursued around the hall by an angry Thegn Herewulf, who dislikes the song intensely. In Herewulf’s absence, Godwin nobly stepped in and chased Athelwulf with a spoon.

Finally the evening moved on to the quiet chatting and chilling phase, still by candlelight. A great end to a great day.
- Ingibjorg Ragnarsdottir

This will be a short meeting slotted in between the fighting and the banquet. The agenda will be fixed and there will be no “any other business”. Matters requiring extensive discussion will have to wait until the full meeting in February.

Please make sure to get your agenda items to your unit officer or the Chair, Guthwald, well before the meeting, so that the officers can cover as much as possible in the time available.

One spring my mother’s father Ragnar was killed in an ambush. From then on the year was ill-fated; their livestock was stolen and the animosity between my family and their neighbours escalated. My mother’s uncle Ulrik had lands in England and offered my parents a new life there. My older brother Arinbjorn was as yet unmarried as were my younger siblings, so they went to England along with my parent’s few relatives and slaves. I was saddened to see them go but understood that they could not stay where they were, and I in turn could not leave Ørn and the life and children I hoped to have with him.

My family left and for too short a time life was good, although I missed them terribly and longed for news. My husband’s family were civil to me but it always seemed as though they thought their son could have married better. I worked harder to try to gain their favour, and became a fine worker of cloth and yarn, though I missed the guidance of my mother in these matters, whose weavings were the finest of any in the land.

The following yule Ørn had a drunken row with Sigarr, a local man whom I had never liked. I thought the row trivial but Ørn felt slighted and brooded over it for weeks. One day he announced he was going to settle matters with Sigarr. I begged him not to go but his stubbornness won out: that was the last time I saw him alive. My dreams of a happy marriage shattered, I tried my best to get on with his family but they blamed me for Ørn’s death, saying I should have stopped him from going to see Sigarr. I longed for my own family and became more and more unhappy as the months wore on.

Then at the height of summer, my mother’s cousin Valgard came to Jutland. I had never seen such a wonderful sight! Though it pained him to do so Valgard told me the news of my brother and father’s deaths. He had heard of Ørn’s death and knowing of the emnity between his family and me had come to offer me passage to England. I did not even stop to think and was soon on my way to a new land to be with what remained of my beloved family, knowing my mother would appreciate help to run the household. The passage to England was strange for me having never been at sea, but I was excited to see new places and to be back amongst my own people.

Now I live here at Hólmr, helping my mother with the running of the farm and learning to improve my weaving from her skilled hands. Many visitors pass this way and we always show them the greatest hospitality. It is thanks to one of these visitors that I have my son, Finn, although his father did not settle here amongst us. I have no doubt that he will grow up to be a fine, strong lad, and we will raise him with the stories of the old gods and the new.

Whilst there are many names in use in Scandinavia and Iceland which may owe their origin to our period there are difficulties using them as they may have altered over time. The alternative is contemporary literary sources. These are really useful however again have to be used with care. Considerations are:

Original sources written by ecclesiastics, often in Latin. These often Romanise names which make finding the vernacular root difficult.  Similarly foreign sources (e.g. Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Annals of Ulster) often render names as a localised forms.  – see the Anglicised forms in the list.

Allegorical references. As many of the written sources feature stories and myth, there may be names which are not what they seem and need to be used with care. Gummi is in my list as a name. It translates in modern Scandinavian languages as ‘man’, it may therefore have been used by the original author to be read as ‘a man’, ‘the man’ or even ‘everyman’ rather than a personal name.

Meanings. Continuing from the previous paragraph, we have to be really careful with meanings. Apart from some nicknames which are clearly observational, meanings of naming elements have to be used with caution. Some authors may have used prose indicating a character’s traits rather than a name or represent a fictional co-incidence (e.g. ‘Vigfastr defended the pass’ does not mean ‘Battlestrong’ was necessarily his name although it could become a nickname should he survive.

Naming conventions. Many of the names conform to the Anglo-Saxon style of compound names with suffix and prefix forms which are interchangeable. This opens up opportunities to speculate on unrecorded combinations. There is also potential for extended formal names to be shortened for general use (e.g. Hygelac = Ygella, Trygvasson = Trygi).

Lack of standard spelling. This leaves us with some speculation as to pronunciation and potential for multiple spellings – e.g. Godfrid, Godfred, Gotefrid. These were of course names to be spoken not written.  We do have to be wary of t/d, c/g, s as ‘s’ or ‘sh’ sounds and rendering of ð and Ð as ‘d’ in translation.

Rhythm of pronunciation. Despite some apparently awkward letter combinations most Viking names are attractive in the way they sound. Often this is due to alliteration in compound names prefix and suffix balance and complement each other. Bear this in mind.

I have selected a range of names mostly from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Saxo Grammaticus, History of the Danes and a few from elsewhere. I have deliberately chosen thase from the 9^th century and early 10^th. I have added a few names from other cultures in case we need them for guests or scenarios. The sagas have not been used as sources because most of the sagas are late interpretations and have an Icelandic bent. They have also been over many times before.

Enjoy. I do still like Gummibjorn.

Suggestions for Viking Names, circa 9th-10th Century

From Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Saxo Grammaticus and other sources.
(ang. = Anglicised form)

Frankish / Frisian – Female

• Brunhild

Frankish / Frisian – Male

• Arnulf
• Baldwin
• Childeric
• Dagobert
• Gelder (of Saxony)
• Louis
• Otto
• Pippin
• Plegmund
• Rudolf
• Ubbi
• Wulfheard (ang.)

Welsh Names C9 / 10th – Male

• Hywel
• Clydog
• Cyfeiliog
• Idwal
• Oswain
• Rhys
• Tremerig

Scottish names C9/10th – Male

• Iehmarc
• Macbeth

Irish names C9/10th – Male

• Glundubh
• Niall
• Suibhne

Viking Names – Female

• Aesa
• Alvild
• Asa
• Asfrid
• Aslaug
• Aud
• Brynhild
• Dana
• Drot
• Esa
• Eyfura
• Gerutha
• Gunnhild
• Gjalp
• Greip
• Gro
• Grytha
• Gudrun
• Gunnild
• Gunvara
• Gurith
• Guthrun
• Gøtvara
• Harthegrepa
• Helga
• Hetha
• Hild / Hyld
• Irpa
• Nanna
• Ofura
• Olof
• Ragnhild
• Regnild
• Rind / Rinda
• Ruta
• Sela
• Signe / Signy
• Sigrun
• Sigyn
• Skathi
• Skuld
• Svanhvita
• Svanild
• Svanloga
• Sygrutha
• Thora
• Thorild
• Thyra
• Thyrrni
• Ulvild / Ulvilda
• Unni
• Vebiorg
• Visma
• Visna (Slav)

Viking Names – Male

• Alf
• Aggi
• Agnar
• Agner
• Agni
• Aki
• Aleif
• Ali
• Alver
• Ambar
• Amleth
• Amlothi
• Andvan
• Angantir/Angantyr
• Angul
• Ani
• Anlaf
• Ansgar
• Ari
• Arinbiorn
• Arngrim
• Asmund
• Asvith
• Athisl
• Audun
• Aurvandil
• Olaf Triggvason
• Anund
• Athulf
• Agmund (ang.)
• Bagsecg
• Bari / Barri
• Beigardr / Beigarthr
• Beri
• Bersi
• Benesing (ang.)
• Biarbi
• Biarki
• Biarni
• Bild
• Biorn
• Blihar
• Bo
• Bodvar
• Bodvild
• Borkar
• Brak
• Bram
• Brand
• Brander
• Brat
• Brodder
• Broddi
• Bruni / Bruno
• Buchi
• Bugi
• Burgar
• Busli
• Buthli
• Bok
• Cnut
• Dag
• Dan
• Danpr
• Dian
• Ebbi
• Egil
• Egther
• Eirik / Erik
• Ella
• Elrik
• Enar
• Ennignaup
• Erlingnar
• Erp
• Esbern
• Esbiorn
• Evindar
• Eilaf
• Eohric (ang.)
• Eowils (ang.)
• Estrith
• Eystein
• Fengi
• Fialler
• Fin / Fyn
• Findar
• Floki
• Flokk
• Folki
• Frakk
• Framar
• Fridlef
• Froda
• Froger
• Frogferth
• Frothi
• Frovin
• Gambara
• Gardh
• Garmund
• Gautrek
• Gerbiorn
• Gerik
• Gerth
• Gevar
• Glomer / Glumer
• Gnepia
• Gnisli
• Godfred / Godfrid / Gotefrid etc.
• Gorm
• Goti
• Gram
• Grani
• Grensli
• Grep
• Gretir / Grettir
• Grim / Grimi
• Grimar
• Grip
• Grombar
• Gromer
• Grubbi
• Grunder
• Gummi
• Gunbiorn
• Gunnar/Gunner
• Gunnolm
• Gunthiof
• Gusi
• Guthferth
• Guthfrith
• Guthmund
• Guthorm
• Guthrum
• Gøtar
• Gøttrik
• Hadding / Hading
• Haddir
• Haesten (ang.)
• Hafli
• Hagal
• Hagbarth
• Hagmund
• Haki / Hako
• Hakon
• Haldan
• Halfdan
• Halfred
• Halsten
• Hamthir
• Hamund
• Hani
• Har
• Harald/Harold
• Hardegon
• Harthbren
• Harthacnut
• Hastin
• Hather
• Hauk
• Heidrek
• Helgi / Helgo
• Helvin
• Hemming
• Hendil
• Herlvar
• Heroth / Herruthr
• Hethin
• Hial
• Hialti
• Hiarni
• Hiarrandi
• Hiarvarth
• Hildebrand
• Hildiger
• Hiorvarth
• Hithin
• Hjalmar
• Hjalti
• Hladgerd
• Hogni
• Holmar
• Holti
• Horik
• Hort
• Hothbrod
• Hraerek
• Hrethric
• Hroald
• Hroar
• Hrok
• Hrolf
• Hugleik
• Humbli
• Hunchy
• Hvirvil
• Hvitserk
• Hygelac
• Hømi
• Høther
• Ibor
• Ing
• Ingel
• Ingeld
• Inghen
• Ingi / Yngi
• Ingware / Ingvar
• Ismar
• Ivar
• Jamerik
• Jormunrek
• Karl
• Kelther
• Kerr
• Kervil
• Ketti
• Ketil
• Knut / knud
• Koli
• Koller
• Kraka
• Krok
• Lenni / Lenno
• Ler
• Lesy
• Levy
• Liotar / Lothar
• Loker
• Lothen (ang.)
• Magnus
• Manna (ang.)
• Matul
• Mevil
• Mithothyn
• Mundus (ang.)
• Nep
• Ohtar / Ohtor / Othar / Ottar
• Odda / Odd / Oddi
• Odinkar
• Ohthere
• Olaf
• Oli
• Olimar
• Oller
• Olvir
• Omoth
• Omund
• Orvendil
• Osbern (ang.)
• Osferth Hlytte
• Oscytel
• Oslac
• Oslaf
• Osten
• Ostmar
• Othrik
• Pallig (ang.)
• Rafn
• Rafnkil
• Ragemar
• Ragnar
• Randver
• Rani
• Rathbarth
• Rathi
• Ref
• Reghall
• Regin
• Reginfrid
• Regnald / Raegnald
• Regner
• Regni
• Rethyr
• Rig
• Ring
• Roar
• Roas
• Roe
• Rognvald
• Rokar
• Roldar
• Rolf
• Roller
• Rostiof
• Rurik
• Rørik
• Saevil
• Salgarth
• Sali
• Sambar
• Sibbi
• Sifka
• Sigar
• Sigemund / Sigmund
• Siggir / Siggier
• Sigifrid
• Sigurd
• Sihtric (ang.)
• Sivald
• Sivard / Siward
• Skalk
• Skarth
• Skat
• Skiold
• Skuld
• Skumbar
• Snio
• Sorli
• Soti
• Starkather
• Stein
• Steinbiorn
• Stikla
• Storverk
• Strumik
• Stur
• Svarin
• Sven / Svein
• Sverker
• Svipdag / Svipdagr
• Tander
• Tetar
• Thengil
• Theudebert
• Thidrek
• Thokk
• Thorald
• Thorbiorn
• Thored / Thord
• Thorgerd
• Thorgisli
• Thori / Thorir
• Thorias
• Thorir
• Thorulf
• Thrond / Thronder
• Thuning
• Thurcytel
• Thurferth
• Thurkil / Thorkil
• Tirvingar
• Toglos (ang.)
• Toki
• Torvil
• Torving
• Tosti / Tostig
• Tovi
• Trann
• Trygir
• Tummi
• Ubba
• Ubbi
• Uffi
• Ulf
• Ulfcytel
• Ungvin
• Valdemar
• Vali
• Valsten
• Vemund
• Vermund
• Veset
• Vetmar
• Vifil
• Vigfastr
• Viggi / Vigi
• Viglek
• Vikar
• Vithserk
• Vitolf
• Vogg
• Wig
• Ymi
• Yngi
• Yrling
• Ysopa
• Øgrim
• Ønef

From the 2011 DASmag article by Ceolred Monger, Thegn

The dancing figures from the Sutton Hoo plaques, wearing the warrior jackets and strange helmets

Most Saxons and Vikings wore the standard woollen overtunics that we all know and love, however this was not a universal style. This article will examine the evidence we have for four different styles of coats- the early Germanic “warrior jacket”, the two cuts of Eastern Viking kaftans and finally the female coat.

Obviously kaftans aren’t appropriate for all DAS characters. The warrior jacket was primarily popular before our period; the two kaftans are distinctively Eastern so should probably be used to draw attention to particular ethnicities or as a sign of having travelled in the Rus lands; and the female coat may never have even existed.

The Wrap-Around “Warrior” Jacket (Early Germanic)

History: Jackets with triangular overlapping front panels, possibly made of fur, are found in several sources. The Franks seem to have worn them waist-length, according to the Einhard’s description of Charlemagne and Hrabanus Maurus’s illustration of Louis the Pious. Meanwhile longer overlapping coats are illustrated on the Sutton Hoo and Swedish Vendel-period helmet plaques.

There are also tantalising hints of them in the archaeological evidence. There have been several fragments from Hedeby that have been interpreted as triangular front panels, whilst at Birka there are regularly penannular broaches or ringed pins found at hip-level. In 7th-century Saxon sites there have been several finds of tablet weaving running down the front of the body, which have been interpreted as edge decoration on a warrior jacket.

Thus it seems that the wrap-around jacket was popular fairly universally in Germanic areas, however by our period it is rather old-fashioned (if it exists at all). Precisely how the jacket came to Europe has not been ascertained: it is possible that it was adopted from nomadic tribes, or from the Near East by officers serving in the Late Roman Army, or from early expeditions Eastwards. The Sutton Hoo helmet was probably manufactured in Sweden, so it is possible that the wrap-around jacket also indicates Swedish links.

Design: The wrap-around jacket can be as long as a tunic, or can be shorter. It should probably be cut much like a tunic, with a simple rectangular back panel and separate arms (with standard under-arm gussets). However the normal rectangular front panel is replaced with two panels, both as wide as the back panel at the bottom but with diagonally cut front edges running up to the neck. There is generally no need to have side gussets with this design, but they can be added.

It can be held shut with a belt or with pins at hip-level. The panels are illustrated overlapping in both directions, although wearer’s left-over-right seems the most popular.

The jacket is often depicted with decoration on all the edges and at the cuffs- this could indicate embroidery, tablet-woven braid or fur trim.

Accessories: In some of the helmet plates the figures wearing this jacket also wear strange horned helmets, tipped with what could be ravens’ heads. They also tend to carry spears. As ravens and spears are both strongly associated with Odin, some people have suggested this means the wrap-around jacket had ritual significance.

Resources:

• Historiska Världar is a Swedish site, with pictures and patterns of a wrap-around jacket. Their design is rather more tailored than I’d use. http://histvarld.historiska.se/histvarld/draekter/vherreman/kaftan.html
• Penelope Walton Rogers’s Cloth and Clothing in Early Anglo-Saxon England (p.210-214) has an excellent discussion about the jacket, especially about English finds and possible origins. Ceolred Monger Thane may still have some copies of this book for sale.
• Meanwhile, Thor Ewing’s Viking Clothing (p.110-112) discusses the Viking and Frankish evidence for the warrior jacket. He calls it a “thorax”.

The Asymmetrical Riding Coat (Alannic, possibly also Rus?)

History: The nomadic Turkic cultures throughout Asia wore long caftan/kaftan/deel riding coats, as did some settled Iranian/Persian cultures. These were typically asymmetrical, with overlapping front panels. East Asian groups like the Mongols wore them with the opening on the wearer’s right; most people wore them with the opening on the left.

In Ibn Fadlan’s Risala he says the Rus wear “neither tunics nor caftans, but the men wear a garment which covers one side of the body and leaves a hand free” (i.e. just a cloak). However when describing the ship-burning funeral of a Rus king, he reports that “they dressed him in trousers, stockings, boots, a tunic, and kaftan of brocade with gold buttons. They put a hat of brocade and fur on him”. This suggests that standard clothes for the Rus might have been just a cloak, but that rich Rus also owned kaftans.

But what style kaftans would the Rus have worn? We’re not sure. But we do know what their neighbours wore. We are lucky that there have been a number of finds of Alan kaftans dating from our period, the 9th/10th centuries. As the Alans were one of the tribes the Rus Vikings would have had to contend with on the southern borders of their realm (the Byzantines are south of the Black Sea, the Alans are East, the Khazars are North-East and the Rus are North), there is a strong chance that Rus who had adopted a native style would have worn something similar to these Alans.

Hauk's reconstructed asymmetrical kaftan, with a Polish style of helmet

Design: The Alan kaftans are generally quite similar to each other. These all feature asymmetrical openings on the left, single lapels (on the outer panel), no standing collars and cloth frogs. They are cut with large underarm gussets- sometimes really obscenely large underarm gussets. They also have two slits down the back, from waist height to the bottom, allowing plenty of movement. The ‘skirt’ is cut separately from the ‘shirt’ and then attached. They are normally lined (often with fur), and feature bands of decoration down all exposed edges.

Frogging (cloth buttons and loops) seems to have spread from cultures in contact with the Khazars- such as the Bulgars, Alans and presumably also the Rus.

Accessories: Ibn Fadlan isn’t the only source to discuss Rus costume. The Hudud al-’Alam (a 10th century geographical encyclopaedia) says about the Rus: “Out of 100 cubits of cotton fabric, more or less, they sew trousers which they put on, tucking them up above the knee. They wear woollen bonnets with tails let down behind their necks.” Ibn Rusta goes even further, and says they use 100 cubits per leg in their trousers! The Gotland picture-stones show these baggy trousers as generally knee-length, although some show them as ankle-length.

Taking these three sources together, the most distinctive Rus costume could include boots, exceedingly baggy trousers, asymmetrical kaftans and long pointy hats (decorated with fur or brocade). Of course, this could well be just the very best banqueting kit and everyday Rus kit was probably less extreme and more similar to standard Viking kit.

Rus Viking bling probably included silver granulated beads (found in hoards in Gotland as well as in Moscow) and belt decorations (common among nomadic groups in that part of Asia).

Resources:

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a lovely Alan linen-with-silk-trimmings kaftan which they published two excellent articles about in the Metropolitan Museum Journal Vol. 36 (2001). The first article is a conservator’s guide to the physical item including a pattern and photos of similar ones, and the second article is a guide to the historical context discussing kaftans across Asia. The articles are highly recommended. The kaftan is also shown on their website at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/06/waa/ho_1996.78.1.htm
• The State Hermitage Museum has an even more spectacular Alan full-silk kaftan: http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/html_En/03/hm3_5_12a.html
• Peter Beatson of Miklagard in the New Varangian Guard has a wonderful set of Rus kit. He uses a symmetrical Birka-style kaftan (see below) rather than the cut discussed here, but he includes a pattern for this style. His pattern is a bit simpler than the Metropolitan Museum’s pattern, and looks good: http://www.miklagard.nvg.org.au/costume/rus/trader/rus_main.htm
• Thor Ewing’s Viking Clothing (p.108-109) discusses kaftans.

Symmetrical Birka-style Kaftan (Swedish/Gotlandic)

History: As well as the asymmetrical style of kaftan, there is also the centre-opening style. This is possibly a more Iranian-Islamic cut.
This design seems to have become popular among Swedish Vikings, and there have been several possible finds of symmetrical coats in Viking contexts. A complete Viking kaftan has not yet been recovered, however several graves at Birka have featured central lines of cast bronze buttons (from 4-24 of them) from neck to waist. There are also some beautifully embroidered cuffs and a collar from Valsgärde graves 12 and 15 that may have been mounted on symmetrical coats originally.

Sighfridh's symmetrical & Hauk's asymmetrical reconstructed kaftans, with Rus hats

Design: The symmetrical kaftan is an easier cut than the asymmetrical, as it is essentially just a slightly long tunic that’s been cut all the way down the middle. Re-enactors normally slit the kaftan up the rear, as it probably originated as a riding coat and a rear slit make riding easier.

Based on the evidence from the Valsgärde grave, several re-enactors use standing collars on their kaftans rather than conventional tunic neck-openings.

Accessories: Swedish and Gotlandic Vikings had closer links with the East than Norse/Danes, and seem to share many characteristics with the Rus described above. Baggy trousers are shown on Gotland picture stones, and silver granulated beads are common in Gotland silver hoards. All these can be used to emphasis the more Eastern-facing culture of the Swedish Vikings, and to distinguish them from Danes and Norse.

Resources:

• Peter Beatson of Miklagard in the New Varangian Guard has photos of his wonderful symmetrical Birka-style kaftan, along with useful patterns: http://www.miklagard.nvg.org.au/costume/rus/trader/rus_main.htm
• A Medieval Wardrobe shows photos and a pattern for a kaftan. Their photos show a particularly good button arrangement, similar to nomadic frogging (but the red thread could be a bit longer?) However ideally the neck hole should be smaller: http://www.gelfling.dds.nl/viking%20kaftanm.html
• Thor Ewing’s Viking Clothing (p.108-109) discusses kaftans.

Female Coats

History: Female coats are fairly conjectural, and largely based on the evidence of broaches. In Viking finds, as well as the pair of tortoiseshell broaches that hold up the hanging dress, many graves include a central trefoil or circular broach (or, for Gotlandic ladies, a box-shaped broach). These may have held together coats, or they may have held together a shawl.

Reconstructed female coats from the DAS trip to Sweden

There is some evidence for a different style of female coat in an earlier period to DAS, a Continental style that was popular in Kent in the 6th century.

Design: There is no definitive evidence, iconographic or archaeological, for female coats in the main DAS period. If they exist at all, the archaeological evidence suggests they were held together by a central broach- there are no female graves with buttons that I know of. Some re-enactors have cut them as basically the same as the male symmetrical kaftan, whilst others have modified them slightly by rounding off the bottom front corners.

Women interested in the 6th century Kentish/Continental coat should consult Penelope Walton Rogers’s book.

Accessories: Viking female coats (if they exist) don’t come from any particular region so can be combined with any female Viking costume.

Resources:

• A Medieval Wardrobe has photos of a coat, along with pictures, patterns and quotes gathered from lots of other sources. If you want to make a female coat, this is the only site you need: http://www.gelfling.dds.nl/
• On the other hand, Thor Ewing’s Viking Clothing (p.50-52) dismisses any evidence for female Viking coats.
• Penelope Walton Rogers’s Cloth and Clothing in Early Anglo-Saxon England (p.190-193) discusses everything you might need to know about the Kentish/Continental coat of the 6th century.

From the 2008 DASmag article by Hauk the Bastard.