Sailing textiles

Textiles for sea travels in Late Iron and Viking Age Scandinavia

Lecture by Eva Andersson Strand, CTR.

Late Iron Age and early Viking Age are periods for which textile research clearly indicates a new and increasing need and consumption of sail cloth and a change in quality by the textiles made. The production of the sails is well researched and the results presented in several articles and publications ( e.g. Andersson 2003; Bender Jørgensen 2012, Ravn et la. 2016, Andersson Strand 2021) Further, several reconstructions of sails have been made and tested. The results clearly demonstrate a large need for textiles and a great demand of textile resources but the research focus generally on the production of sail cloth even if there has also been a demand of other textiles used on sea, for example, different types of waterproof warm garments (Andersson Strand 2021).

When sailing on the North Sea, even in the summer, the weather can be ruff, cold and wet and to survive it is important to dress well. What types of garments were used in the Viking Age? What type of raw materials and textile qualities could meet these demands? Have special qualities been produced? These questions will be discussed in the presentation. Finds of Viking Age textiles are limited though textiles from the harbor area in Hedeby and new finds from the harbor area in Birka will be presented. New reconstructions of Viking Age textiles have given new insights which will be included in the discussion (Andersson Strand and Demant 2023). Additionally, information from ethnographic sources as well as early medieval texts will be used to get new perspective on the need of maritime textiles in Viking Age Scandinavia.

CTR meetings and lectures Autumn 2024

Every other Wednesday at CTR, we have administrative meetings running through the semester, followed by a scientific presentation, either by a CTR member or an invited scholar. We kindly invite everyone interested to join these lectures.

Lecture, ca. 14:00-14:45

The weekly lecture will start at 14:00 and will be followed by a free discussion amongst all participants. Please see the program below. You are more than welcome to join us in person at CTR, University of Copenhagen South Campus, room 11B-1-05.

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Meeting 15:00-16:00

The second hour, 15:00-16:00, is mainly reserved for CTR members, yet if anyone would like to join, they are welcome. The meeting consists of general administrative and CTR-related news and information as well as “News around the table”, where everyone gives a short update on their projects. Anyone participating in the meeting is expected to join this, also if you are not a member of CTR.