The Klappenrock: A Viking Warrior's Coat from 10th century Haithabu.

 

"Presented before you is a man’s coat based on textile fragments found in Viking age Haithabu. Haithabu, in Schleswig-Holstein Germany in our modern times, was one of the major ports of trading of this area. The textiles that were found here were from the 10th century, the golden age of Haithabu. The Haithabu garment finds are especially interesting because they show evidence of advanced tailoring techniques, where instead of just combining geometric shapes several of the pieces found have been cut into shapes that closely follow the body. The klappenrock does not seem to occur in Viking-time imagery and it is duly lacking on the Bayeux tapestry. The Haithabu fragments are the first identifiable remnants of a garment which in pre-Viking times was frequently illustrated. Because of the gap in pictorial evidence within Viking times, and the difference in styles of the caftan in cultural and geographical context, it is not straightforward to extrapolate what style of klappenrock the Haithabu fragments would have made."

(don't mind the kid...)

Now available to read and download from Academia.edu at:

https://www.academia.edu/32370239/The_Klappenrock_A_Viking_warriors_Coat_From_10th_C_Haithabu