900-1000, Scandinavia / Birka, Free / Court Owner, (Dana)
The pictures were taken especially for the presentation of the Heydenwall homepage in mid-July 2018. (~ xx.07.2018)
Summary of the overall presentation
Here I present you my depiction of a free woman / farm owner of the 10th century from the region of Scandinavia / Birka.
- Clothing
- Reversible shoes, naalbinding socks, linen undergarment, woollen skirt, belt with bronze fittings, rectangular woollen cloak
- Jewellery
- Glass bead necklace with a bronze and a silver pendant, bronze bracelet, small bronze brooch, large silver brooch for the cloak
- Equipment
- Knife with goatskin sheath, belt pouch with bronze fittings, clay cup
The pictures were taken especially for the presentation of the Heydenwall homepage in mid-July 2018. (~ xx.07.2018)
Explanation of the presentation
I would like to briefly give you some thoughts on my depiction of a free woman of the 10th century from Scandinavia / Birka.
It is difficult to find a title for a female class. So far, Court Lady fits best for me. The idea is to depict a free woman of the upper middle class.
My depiction is defined by the jewellery and equipment in the Scandinavian-Baltic region or by individual items from Birka in the 10th century. These include, for example, the belt and the belt pouch as well as the fibulae and the necklace.
The typical oval or turtle fibulae and typical accessories such as ear spoons, keys and combs are still missing to complete the depiction.
Clothing, jewellery and equipment in detail
The picture was taken especially for the presentation of the Heydenwall homepage in mid-July 2018. (~ xx.07.2018)
Clothing
Shoes
Finding / cut: Haithabu type 10 with toggle fastening
Socks
Find / cut: Naalbinding (Oslo stitch), various finds for the early Middle Ages
Material: Undyed wool
Undergarment
Find / cut: simple cut
Material: Bleached linen, seams with plant-dyed blue thread,
Belted dress
Find / cut: Typical for Scandinavia from the 9th - 10th century. Among others Haithabu / Birka
Material: Wool, light blue (chemically) dyed, corresponds to woad dyeing in the second cycle
Rectangular cloak
Material: Undyed wool, herringbone weave, folded over once
Belt
Find / cut: Fittings correspond to a combination from Birka, grave 1076 and grave 918, in Birka I, plate 87
Jewellery
Necklace
Find / cut: Various glass beads after Birka, bronze pendant after Birka, silver pendant Baltic-Hungarian type
Bangle
Find / cut: Baltic type (triangular ornaments)
Silver brooch
Find / section: Birka, grave 954, in Birka I, plate 53 (a large number of fibulae of the same type were found)
Bronze fibula
Find / section: Simple fibula, typical for the whole of Europe throughout the Middle Ages, e.g. in Birka I, plate 50
Equipment
Knife
Find / cut: After Haithabu, typical for the 10th - 11th century
Belt pouch
Find / cut: Fitting: Birka, grave 904, in Birka I, plate 91.
Clay cup
Find / cut: After Birka




