Women's Set of Viking Winter Clothes based on Haithabu and Birka textile finds.

 

Haithabu in Denmark, or Hedeby 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.

What is also interesting is that most of the textile finds at Haithabu come from the harbor
where scrap clothing was cut to pieces, soaked in tar and used as caulking in ships. Several ships
were found submerged in the harbor in modern times, and due to the tar protection and low
oxygen environment (below water) the textile fragment were remarkably well preserved. In
addition to the harbor finds, textile remains from the settlement and graveyard of Haithabu were
also analyzed, which proved additional information on what the Viking inhabitants of the town
were wearing.

The textile remains of the settlement and harbor are very similar, with the same garment
types and the proportion of weaves found roughly the same. The grave finds on the other hand
differ from this by generally having textiles of higher quality. These differences could indicate
that the content of the graves reflects beliefs and social standing, while the textiles from the
settlement and harbor may give a truer picture of what people were wearing every day.

Where the available Haithabu information is weak I supplemented my designs with
garment and textile information from Birka, a Viking trading town from around the same time in
nearby Sweden.
 

My entry at the 2016 Ice Dragon A&S Pentathlon Competition.

Now available to read and download from Academia.edu at:
https://www.academia.edu/31139188/Womens_Set_of_Viking_Winter_Clothes_based_on_Haithabu_and_Birka_textile_finds

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

The Rise and Fall of Gruit.

Everything you ever wanted to learn about gruit - referenced throughout and with an hyperlinked bibliography, when available.

"Gruit as a product changed throughout its history. From a beer additive revered for its fermenting powers, it morphed into a beer with a reputation for powerful headache causing herbals. The intertwined history of the beer additive and the beer taxation helped muddy the historic waters and before one realized the exact nature of gruit as a product was lost. From piecing together the many different puzzle pieces an interesting picture emerges: one of gruit not as just a handful of brewing herbs, but as a powerful and deemed necessary beer fortifier." more...
 

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

https://www.academia.edu/35704222/The_Rise_and_Fall_of_Gruit

 

1501 Keur op de Brouwerij, or, Ordinance of the Brewery of Haarlem.

From the Haarlem city brewery ordinances, transcriptions from "Rechtsbronnen der Stad Haarlem" by Huizinga, 1911.
XLIII. Keur op de Brouwerij. 1501, Augustus 22.

5. Ten vijften soe sal een yegelick brouwer of brouster moeten stoerten in elcke broute koyts thein achtendeele tarwe, twintich achtendeelen gersten ende twee ende dertich achtendeelen haveren, al quatter troy ende geen arger, gemeeten ende it een gebrant strekel gestreken, ende daerof sacken moegen wanderen tot hoeren schoensten, te weten voor een sack tarwe twee sacken gerst of twee sacken spelten of twee sacken haveren.
    Ende hierof sal men brouwen elcke brout, (up die tijt van nu ende tot ander stont bij den voorscreven scout ende scepenen andersins daerof geordonneert wordt), XXXI stuck, de XXX uut te voerten ende een voor drinckebier, ende hearnae corter of langer bij ordonnancie van den voorschreven gerechte, nae dat greyn dyeren of lichten sal, ende nyet anders, ten waere datter onverhoets een half vat langer gebrouwen ware, dat sal staen onbegrepen.
    Ende ist, dattet langer valt dan dat half vat voorscreven, zoe sal de brouwer ofte brouster, die dat bier zijn is, id yemand van zijnre wege gaen ende gevent ten minste twee vinders te kennen, hoe veel dat zijn bier langer gebrouwns is dan XXXI stuck. Ende dan zoe zullen die vinders dat bier om Goedswillen geven den rechten armen, daert hemluyden belieft, dat tot langer gebrouwn sal wesen.
    Ende die dit den vinders aldus te kennen geeft, die en sal daeraen niet meer verbueren, ende waert, dattet de brouwer of brouster nyet an en brochte, of dat zijt min anbrochte dan zijt langer gebrowen hadden, ende daer inne bevonden warden, dat waer up die boete van XII cronen, ende die neringe te laten, tot dat zij XII cronen betaelt zullen hebben.

5. The fifteenth so shall a decent brewer or brewster have to dump in each brew kuit ten eightparts wheat, twenty eightparts barley and two and thirty eightparts oats, all [exact] and without argue, measured and ironed [flattened] with a burnt [marked] level, and of that sacks can be exchanged as you want, to know for one sack wheat two sacks barley or two sacks spelt or two sacks oats.
    And of this one shall brew each brew, (to the time of now and until another is otherwise ordained by the regulated sheriff and city officials), thirty one stuck, the thirty to export and one for drinkebeer [local/personal], and after this shorter or longer by ordinance of the regulated court, if the grain is more expensive or less, and not else, unless unexpectedly a half barrel longer is brewed, which will be unused.
    And when it is, that it is longer [more] than the half a vat as regulated, so shall the brewer or the brewster, of which the beer is, send out someone to give notice to at least two finders, [of] how much his beer is brewed longer than the thirty one stuck. And then so shall the finders give that beer by god's grace to the rightful poor, that [which] they believe, that was [belonged] to the longer brewed.
    And those who thus inform the finders, they shall forfeit of it not more, and would it be, that the brewer or brewster did not bring, or that they brought less than was brewed longer, and were found out, then the fine would be 12 crowns, and to not work [have income], until they shall have paid the 12 crowns.

[30.] Item tis voort gekuert, dat een yegelick brouwer of brouster die hoppenbier brouwen willen, in elcke broute hoppenbiers storten thien achtedeelen tarwemouts ende zessendertich achtendeele haverenmouts, ende des zoe mach elcke brouwer of brouster wandelen, indien zij willen, voor elck sack tarwenmouts twee sacken speltenmouts of sacken gerstenmouts, ende dat tot drie sacken tarwenmouts toe ende nyet meer, ende des zoe sal men elcke broute hoppenbiers brouwen vierthien stucken ende een half lanck ende nyet langer, dats te verstaen XIIII stucxs uut te leveren ende een half stuck voor hoer drinckebier te houden, ende dat sal men wryngen ende nyet stoten noch up genen losen bodem brouwen, ende zoe wye anders dede, dar waer up de boete van XII cronen ende hoer neringe te laten, tot zij die betaelt zullen hebben als boven.
    Die burgemeesters mit die gerechte hebben geconsenteert, dat een yegelick brouwer of brouster hoppen sal moegen brouwen alzoe wel up lose bomen als anders ende dat zonder verbueren.

Also it is thus ordained, that a decent brewer or brewster who wants to brew hop beer, in each brew hop beer dumps ten eightparts wheat malt, and thirtysix eightparts oats malt, and thus so may each brewer or brewster exchange, if they want, for each sack wheat malt two sacks spelt malt or sacks of barley malt, and that until three sacks wheat malt and not more, and thus so shall one brew each hop beer brew fourteen stucken and a half long and not longer, that is to say fourteen stucks to deliver and to keep a half stuck for their drinkebeer, and that one shall not squeeze or push [press] nor brew on a loose bottom, and so who does different, there is the fine of 12 crowns and no work, until one shall have paid as above.
    The burghemasters and the court consented, that a decent brewer or brewster may brew hops as well on a loose bottom as differently, and that without a fine.

Transcriptions from Rechtsbronnen der Stad Haarlem by Johan Huizinga. Martinus Nijhoff, 1911.
Translations by Susan Verberg, 2017.
Images are cropped from scans of the city Archives of Haarlem, the Netherlands.

1407 and 1450 Keur op de Brouwerij of Haarlem, the Netherlands, for kuit and hopped beer.

From the Haarlem city brewery ordinances, transcriptions from "Rechtsbronnen der Stad Haarlem" by Huizinga, 1911.
1407: IV Keur op de Brouwerij / Ordinances of the Brewery.

5. Item so wie Haerlems bier vercoopt, die selt vercopen bi vaten of bi brouten, of XIII sticke voor tlast, dat te leveren bi den peil, die daer is, daer ment vercoopt. Ende so wie daer in bruekich te laten; dats te verstaen to elksen broute biers XXXVI achtendel haveren mouts ende X achtendel tarwen mouts ende niet min, ende voor dat tiende achtendel tarwen mouts ende niet min, ende voor dat tiende achtendel tarwes mach men brouwen twie achtendell ghersts, of men wil, ende emmer niet min tarwen mouts int brout dan IX achtendel, ende twi achtendel ghersts meer, of men wil. 

5. Also for those whom sell Haarlems beer, they shall sell by the barrels or by the brews, of 13 sticke for to last, which shall be checked with the level, which is there, where one sells. And thus who shall be in default; that is to say to each brew beer 36 eightparts oats malt [oatmeal] and 10 eightparts wheat malt and not less, and for that tenth eightparts wheat one can also brew two eightparts barley, of one wants, or spelt [Triticum dicoccum] and of spelt not less wheatmeal in the brew than 9 eightparts, and two eightparts barley more, if one wants.

34. Voort dat niement genen rogge te moute en make, noch en brouwe te gheenrande bier, op een boete van dreien ponden, alle dinc sonder argheliste.

34. Ergo nobody make malt with (no) rogge, nor brew any beer, on a fine of 3 pounds, all this without argue.

37. Item so we coyt brouwen wil, die en sel in dat broutou binnen vier dagen daer na gheen hoppen bier in dat broutou mogen brouwen, dats te verstaen, datter drie vrie dagen tusschen wesen sellen, er met hoppen bier in brout. Ende voort sel men tot elken broute coyts brouwen twalef achtendel tarwen mouts, achtien achtendel ghersten mouts ende vier ende twintich achtendel haveren mouts ende van elcs niet min, op die boete van III pont.

37. Also those who want to brew kuit, they shall brew in the brew barrel (keeve) no hopped beer within four days, that is to understand, that three or four days would be in between, having brewed with hopped beer. And as well one shall to each brew kuit brew with 12 eightparts wheat malt, eighteen eightparts barley malt and four and twenty eightparts oats malt and of each not less, on the fine of 3 pounds.

38. Voort wes coyt, diemen over zee voert, die en sel men niet langer brouwen dan XXVI vate, op die boete van III pont, ende so wat coyt men binnen lants slijt, en sel men niet langher brouwen dan XXV vate coyts, ende van elcs niet meer, min, of men wil, ooc op die boete vorscreven.

38. About kuit, which one transport over sea, one shall not brew longer than 26 barrels, on the fine of 3 pounds, and about kuit which is sold domestically, and one shall not brew longer than 25 barrels kuit, and of each not more, or less, of one wants, also fined as regulated.

1450

8. Van dat met ghien bier langher en sal brouwen dan XIIII stucke.
Item soe en sal men ghien bier langher brouwen dan van viertien stucks ende een halff vat drinkkebiers van sinen vollen mout, die brout hoppen biers, dat men buten der stede voerden, op een boeten van drie ponden. (Vgl. de keur van 1407 §3.)

8. Of that no beer shall be brewed longer than 14 stucks.
Also that one shall not brew beer longer than 14 stucks and a half drinkbeer [personal use] of his full malt, they who brew hopped beer, which is transported outside of the city, on a fine of three pounds. (Also in the ordinance of 1407 §3.)

12. Van dat men ghien koyt langher brouwen sal dan XXIIII sticken.
Item dat men ghien koeyt langher brouwen en sal dan van vier ende twintich sticken, die brout van sinen vollen mout, dat met buten der stede boert, ten waere dat men sie in Vrieslant voeren woude, die soud men brouwen van XXVIII stucken ende niet langher, op dat bier verboert. (Vgl. de keur van 1407 §21)

12. Of that one would not brew kuit longer than 24 sticken.
Also that one would not brew beer longer than of four and twenty sticken, brewed from his full malt, which is farmed outside of the city, be aware that those farmed in Friesland, those should one brew of 28 stucken and not longer, otherwise the beer is forfeited. (Also in the ordinance of 1407 §21)

20. Van dat niement rog te mout maken en moet.
Item datter niement rog te mout maken en moet noch brouwen tot gheenrehande bier, op een boete van drie ponden. (Vgl. de keur van 1407 §34)

20. Of that nobody can make rye into malt.
Also that nobody can make rye into malt and can not brew into [?] beer, on a fine of three pounds. (Also in the ordinance of 1407 §34)


Transcriptions from Rechtsbronnen der Stad Haarlem by Johan Huizinga. Martinus Nijhoff, 1911.
Translations by Susan Verberg, 2017.
Images are cropped from scans of the city Archives of Haarlem, the Netherlands.

Maison rustique, or The countrey farme· Of some observations and instructions concerning Vinegar.

CHAP. XIX. Of the manner of making Vineger.

VIneger commeth through the defect of wine, as wee may vnderstand by that which is gone before: the riotousnesse and pleasure of men, hath beene the cause that Vineger came euer in request, not onely for sauces, but also for many other vses: It shall not therefore be thought vnreasonable to vse a word or two about making of Vineger.

The most common way to make Vineger is on this sort: They vse to take good wine, and therewithall to fill the vessell to the halfe, leauing it vnstopt and set in a hot place, as in some corne loft, or in some gutter betwixt the tiles.

If you desire to make Vinegar in hast, you must cast into your wine, salt, pepper, and soure leuen mingled together: and yet to make it the more hastly, you must heat red hot some stone, tile, or gad of steele, and put it all hot into the wine, or else the mouth of the vessell must stand alwaies open, or else the vessell must be set in the Sunne three or foure daies? and therewithall a little salt put in the vessell: or else fill a new earthen pot that is not halfe baked with wine, and stop it well, afterward put it in a kettle full of boiled water vpon the fire, and letting it there remaine a long time in the boiling water, it will grow soure; or else put into the wine a beete root stam|ped, or a radish root, or medlars, ceruises or hornes, mulberries, vnripe sloes, or a shiue of barley bread new baked: or else
you must take of the blossomes of the ceruise tree in there season, and drying them in the Sunne after the manner of rose-leaues, either in a glasse vessell, or in one of blacke earth, fill vp the same vessell with pure Vinegar or Wine, and so set it forth againe into the Sun or in the chimny end to the heate of the fire, and in a short time it will become strong and very sharpe Vineger: but if you would restore it againe to his former state of wine, then you must cast, of colewort roots into it.

CHAP. XX.
Of some obseruations and instructions concerning Vineger.

TO make strong vineger, take the fruit of the cornell tree, when it beginneth to grow red, and of bramble berries, such as grow in the fields, when they are halfe ripe, drie them, make them into powder, and with a little strong Vineger, you shall make little prettie balles, which you shall drie in the Sunne, afterward you must take wine, and heate it, and when it is hot put into it this composition, and it will bee turned very speedily into very strong Vineger.

To make Vineger with corrupted wine: take a rotten and corrupt wine and boile it, taking away all the scum that riseth in the boiling thereof, thus let it continue vpon the fire till it be boyled away one third part, then put it into a vessell wherein hath bin Vineger, putting thereto some cheruile, couer the vessell in such sort, that there get no aire into it, and in a short time it will proue good and strong Vineger.

To make drie Vineger to carrie whither a man listeth, take of wild cherries when they begin to be ripe (and yet the fruit of the cornell tree is better) of mulberies when they be red, and vnripe grapes that are very thicke, and of wild a cornes before they bee ripe, stampt all together, then take of the best Vineger you can finde, and mingle them all together, make vp the masse into small loaues, setting them to drie in the Sunne: and when you would make Vineger, temper some of these small loaues in wine, and you shall haue very good Vineger. Otherwise, take the vnripe iuice of corne that is very greene, and stampe the same putting Vineger thereto, and thereof make a past, wherof you shall make little loaues to be dried in the Sunne, and when you would haue Vineger, temper of these loaues in so much wine as you shall see sufficient, and you shall haue very good Vineger.

To make rose-vineger, take good white Vineger, and put therein red roses, either new or dried, keeping them many daies in the vessell, and afterward taking them out, put them in another glasse, and so keepe them in a coole place: after the same manner you may make Vineger of elder-tree flowers.

To make Vineger without wine, put into a vessell soft and daintie peaches, and vpon them pearched barley, letting them putrifie all a whole day, then straine them and vse the liquor: or else take old figs and burnt barley, together with the inner parts of orenges, put all these into a vessell, and stir them vp very well and oft, and whenas they are become putrified and resolued, straine them out and vse the liquor.

To make sweet Vineger, take fiue pints of strong Vineger, and with as much new wine reserued vpon the treading out of the grapes, adde some quantitie of pitch, and and put altogether in a vessell which you must stop very carefully: and after that all these haue continued together for the space of some thirtie daies, you may vse thereof for Vineger: otherwise, take a vessell of new wine, and mingle it with two vessels of Vineger, and boile them together till the third part be consumed. Some doe adde three vessels of spring water vnto two of new wine and one of Vineger, boiling them all together vntill the third part be consumed.

To make mightie strong Vineger, drie the grosse of grapes two whole daies, then put it in new wine, put thereto some of the vnripe iuice of corne, and you shall make a strong Vineger, whereof you may haue the vse within seuen daies after: or otherwise, put pellitorie of Spaine into Vineger and it will make it strong. Furthermore, if you boile the fourth or fifth part of Vineger vpon the fire, and put it vnto that which is before prescribed, putting it after all this in the Sunne some eight daies, you shall haue a pleasant and strong vineger. The rootes of couch-grasse when they are old, boiled grapes, the leaues of the wild peare tree stamped, the roots of brambles and whay, the quicke coales of burned acornes, and boiled ciche pease and hot tiles, euen euery one of these by themselues being cast into Vineger doe make the same strong.

Pepper vineger is made by casting into vineger or hanging therein whole pepper made vp in a linnen cloth, for the space of eight daies,

You shall know if there be any water in the vineger, if you put into it any Salnitrum, for then if it swell vp as though it would boile, you may boldly say that there is water in it.

To make vineger good to helpe digestion, and for your health, take eight drams of the sea onion, and two pints of vineger, put them together into a vessell, and vvith them as much of pepper, mints, and iuniper berries, then vse it afterward.

To make vineger of sea onions, you must put ten such onions salted into fiftie quartes of sweet new vvine, and foure pints and a halfe of strong vineger, and if it be not sharp enough, then twice so much, in a pot holding fiftie four quarts, & boile them till the fourth part bee consumed: or if the wine bee sweete, it must be boiled to the spending of the third part, but such wine may be of his owne distilling out of the grapes before they be trodden and very cleere: otherwise, put into a vessell thirtie pints of strong vineger, wherein let steepe for the space of twelue daies, the inward part of a white sea onion which hath beene in the Sunne thirtie daies: after that, take the vineger and let it settle and abide in some place where you wil to vse it afterward. Dioscorides in his one and twentieth chapter of his fourth booke discribeth another manner of it.

It is to obserued and noted that all sorts of vineger are best helped to keepe their tartnesse, by putting into their vessels at the bung hole a sticke of red withie.

Page 618-620 from Maison rustique, or The countrey farme· by Geruase Markham, 1616.
Compyled in the French tongue by Charles Steuens, and Iohn Liebault, Doctors of Physicke. And translated into English by Richard Surflet, practitioner in physicke. Now newly reuiewed, corrected, and augmented, with diuers large additions, out of the works of Serres his Agriculture, Vinet his Maison champestre, French. Albyterio in Spanish, Grilli in Italian; and other authors. And the husbandrie of France, Italie, and Spaine, reconciled and made to agree with ours here in England:
Estienne, Charles, 1504-ca. 1564., Lie´bault, Jean, ca. 1535-1596. aut, Surflet, Richard, fl. 1600-1616., Markham, Gervase, 1568?-1637.

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A00419.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext