When searching for documentation on Viking clothing, there are a plethora of resources from historical reenactors. While some reenactors are very well-read and knowledgeable about the period, it’s important to approach these resources with a healthy dose of skepticism. Within the reenactment community, there has definitely developed an attitude of “common knowledge.” To be fair, “common knowledge” within reenactment groups does tend to be based on legitimate evidence, and at times, quite solid research, however, reenactors are particularly susceptible to the belief that they possess the one right answer. It is important to remember that most of the archaeological evidence is extremely fragmentary (textiles made with natural fibers simply do not, under most conditions, last more than a thousand years without a significant amount of degradation). It should also be noted that many of the fragments we have found come from excavated grave sites, and it’s possible, even likely, that people were interred with their finest garments, not necessarily what they would have worn everyday. There are some figurines from the period, from which we can draw certain conclusions, but it’s important to remember that art is often symbolic and not necessarily representative of reality. Because we are left with only fragments of garments, there is inherently some guesswork involved in creating a reconstruction. However, there is quite a bit that can be reasonably inferred from even the small fragments that we have. It’s important also to consider functionality. There is reason to believe that even wealthier and upper class people during this era were relatively active and performed physical tasks. It’s also true that, for the most part, the people we refer to collectively as Vikings lived in a northern climate where winters were long, and snow was often deep. A trailing train might have been suited for the mythical Valkyrie, escorting fallen warriors to Valhalla, but would have probably been very inconvenient for walking through the snow. Invariably, over a span of several hundred years and a range of hundreds of miles, styles evolve and regional differences become more pronounced, despite the likelihood of a common point of origin.
I have chosen to create a reconstruction of a coat (or caftan) based on the grave findings at Birka, in Sweden, dating to the ninth and tenth century. We know from the Birka finds and from other Viking grave sites that the most of their garments were made of wool or linen, sometimes silk, although silk was more likely to be used as a decorative trim than as the main body of the garment. Based on that knowledge, I elected to make my coat out of wool, lined with linen. I purchased my fabric already dyed, but the colors I selected would have been achievable with period dyes, although the color would probably not have turned out quite so evenly. The linen would have been less likely to be dyed in a bright color, as linen does not hold a natural dye well, most surviving linen fragments appear to have been a natural color. I chose a deep red wool for the outside of the coat and a mustard yellow linen for the lining. Using diagrams based on the findings at Birka, I drafted a pattern based on my measurements. Before I cut into the wool, I drew out my pattern on some inexpensive muslin in order to create a test version. After piecing the test pattern together, I made some adjustments, shortening the hemline and tapering the sleeves, and took my muslin pieces apart to use as a guide for cutting out my nice fabric.Aside from the minor adjustments listed above, I was quite happy with the fit, so I moved on to my chosen fabric. The design is made up of rectangles and triangles, allowing the fabric to be used very efficiently. Due to the amount of effort that went into spinning, dyeing, and weaving the wool, it was important not to waste a lot of fabric. However, it is possible to achieve a surprisingly fitted and shapely garment using only these basic geometric shapes. The front and back of the coat are rectangular panels, as are the sleeves. Square gussets are inserted into the side seam under the arm to allow freedom of movement at the shoulder, and triangular gores are inserted into the side seam, and sometimes into the back to add fullness to the skirt. I have seen interpretations that include the triangular gore at center back, and some that do not; I opted to include it because I prefer a fuller skirt, although the triangular side gores provide quite a bit of fullness even without it. Practically speaking, a fuller skirt allows for more freedom of movement, which I certainly prefer.
There is quite a bit of evidence that both men’s and women’s garments were embellished, sometimes quite heavily. Embroidery was used often, as was silk trim, tablet woven bands, and even, in some cases, twisted posaments of silver wire. The dress fragment at Hedeby (Haithabu) had a six-stranded braid sewn over the seams. Its function appears to have been primarily decorative, but it would also have had the effect of reinforcing the seam. The dress fragment from Hedeby does not show evidence of mending, but other garment fragments have, from which we can infer that garments were made to last as long as possible. I plan to add “silk” trim to my coat (I have opted to use faux silk for cost reasons, but real silk is what would have been used). In addition to the strips of silk that I will be adding around all the edges of the coat, I plan to add tablet woven trim if I can get it. As I have not yet learned how to do the tablet weaving myself, I hope to purchase some from a fellow reenactor.