Finds of Cloth and Skin from Bogs Fund Af T0j Og Skind Fra Moser

FINDS OF CLOTH AND SKIN FROM BOGS FUND AF T0J OG SKIND FRA MOSER

Huldremose Group. Corselitze group . Huldremosegruppe. II Corselitzegruppe. Spinning technique of Huldremose type. Probably Corselitze group. 0• Spindekombination som Huidremoseglllppe. [] Formodet Corselitzegruppe. Finds of skin without cloth. Middle Ages . Fund af skind uden t0j. ~ Middelaldel'. • Spinning technique of Bronze Age type. Probably Middle Ages. + Spindekombination som i Bronzealdel'. A Formodet Middelaldel'. Finds of uncertain type. Lost finds . • Ubestemmelige fund. • Tabte fund. CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 15

"In bogs are concealed the relics of bygone ages which reveal to us our past and capture the attention of us all." The Almanac 1837.

CHAPTER I TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS

The map on P. 14 gives the distribution in Denmark of the finds of textiles and skins in peat bogs as these are numbered in the present chapter. A key to the map denotes the groups to which the numbered finds belong. In the text the locality of the numbered find is given in the following order: finding place (mose = peat bog), parish, herred (approx. = judicial district).

1. Krogens MJ}lleMose, Torslev parish, Dronninglund herred. In 1878some skin was found at a depth of about 1ftl) when digging in a little bog belonging to Krogens M~lle. When an attempt was made to pull the skin out of the peat some human bones also came into view, but not all of these could be recovered as a certain amount fell back into the waters of the bog. The skeletal remains sent to the National Museum in Copenhagen were described as quite slight which led to the conclusion that the bones were those of a woman. The body was assumed to have lain horizontally with head to the west. According to the museum's register of acquisitions the find comprised the following items2):

Hooded cape of fairly thick, dark brown sheepskin with pile inwards3). The pattern of the hood is given in Fig. 380 (Ch. X. on Costume), the different pieces are sewn together in hemstitch and running stitch with strips of skin, possibly also gut, used as thread. The hood is carefully made; a doubled over piece of skin round the edge of the face-opening is almost decora- tive, making a soft edge to the hood should it brush the face. Skin fragments possibly of a cape but now virtually unidentifiable. Leather ring4). About 47 cm in circumference, agood 1cm thick,joined by a knot. A cord of plaited leather thongs possibly belongs to it, diagram of method in Fig. 237a-e. The braiding technique is the same as that of shepherds' whip cords nowadays which are made without tools, and the same as the braided cords with which peasant women trimmed their dresses. Pieces of cloth. In the same cardboard box as the skin finds was a collection of woven pieces not mentioned in the register, and presumably considered unimportant5). A. clothfragment, an irregularly torn off strip 40 X 32 cm. Woven in tabby, the yarn is fairly finely spun sheep's wool. There are 94 warp threads and 67 weft threads to 10 x 10 cm. The weft is determined with the help of the crossing wefts (Figs. 139, 140), two threads meeting in the same shed. The ground is dark brown, and the cloth has a checkered pattern in a blackish shade made in one direction by three narrow close-set stripes, and in the other direction by one broad stripe. B. small cloth fragment, 35 x 32 cm, clearly part of the same textile as the above. It has 82 and 78 threads to 10 x 10 cm. 16 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

C. several layers of woven pieces sewn together from the same textile as the above but un- suitable for examination. A - C are in all likelihood part of the same textile. The yarn of both warp and weft is in each case S-spun. D. - H.five very torn fragments , evidently part of the same textile woven in 2/2 twill as follows: D. bag, a very damaged piece which appears originally to have been a bag. It measures 84 x 43 cm, the latter measurement is the bag's width. The yarn of the warp and the weft is S-spun. There are 98 warps and 83 wefts to 10 x 10 cm. The cloth is now dark brown with a hint of checks. Sheep's wool yarn. E.fragment 44 x 39 cm. F.fragment 30 x 27 cm. G.fragment 50 x 40 cm. H.fragment 16x 10 cm. I. - M. jIve fragments of coarse 2/2 twill, all of wool now brown as follows: I. one piece measuring 50 x 40 cm with 43 warps and 38 wefts to 10 x 10 cm. The weft and warp can be determined because of a little piece of selvedge with plaited loops. The parallel threads of the loops are the weft, also indicated by crossing weft threads. Two pieces offiner cloth are sewn to it with rough stitches, one piece is tabby, and the other is 2/2 twill with 35 x 34 threads to 5 x 5 cm. J. an irregular strip with a tubular-woven selvedge 50 x 60 cm with 44 warps and 34 wefts to 10x 10cm. Some of the loose ends are tied together in a knot (apparently done in antiquity). K. a piece of cloth 40 x 36 cm (Fig. I) with 46 warps and 36 wefts to 10x 10cm. A corner is preserved, and a tubular-woven selvedge is discernible. Along the transverse border the protruding warp loops are turned down and pulled over each other to make a plaited border. The yarn of the warp and weft is S-spun sheep's wool. L. small remnant 20 x 18 cm with crossing in the weft. . M.fragment of the same textile as the four preceding specimens, virtually only a scrap of torn, plaited border to which is sewn a fragment of finer 2/2 twill which appears to be of the same textile as pieces D. - H. I. - M. were once part of the same fabric, only the added fragments sewn to them are different in origin. N. - R.four fragments of cloth undoubtedly from the same textile and comprising a complete length of fabric. They are of uniform quality, and two of the pieces have well preserved transverse edges with loops intact (Fig. 2). The diagram (Fig. 3) shows the pieces spread out and put together in what was probably their original position. This gives a length measuring c. 3.68 m. But if the outer torn edges were joined this measurement would be somewhat less, as the flaps can be inserted into each other. The cloth is dark brown and the weave is 2/2 twill, both the warp and weft threads are S-spun. One 10x 10cm square has 113warps and 82 wefts, a second 10 x 10 cm square in the middle of the cloth has 90 warps and 72 wefts. As indicated by the figures in the diagram, the thread count varies. Crossing in the weft shows that two or more threads were used in the same shed (Fig. 139). The selvedges are tubular-woven but of poor quality and loose in many places (Fig. 4). The two edges A. and B. are sewn together with fairly large stitches with an S-spun 4-ply thread. In the transverse edge A. the uneven warps belong together, e.g. nos. I and 3, but in B. it is the adjacent threads. This point is dealt with in detail in the section on warping in which I discuss the structure of textiles. The holes along the selvedge (Fig. 4) are evenly spaced, but it is uncertain whether they are caused by some arrangement when the textile was in the loom, or whether they are connected with the wearing of the fabric. The cloth may have been part of a costume, worn with a cord or narrow leather thong, like the checkered skirt from Huldremose (Fig. 30). The yarn is sheep's wool. CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 17

Fig. I. Krogens M\illle Mose. Plaited border of piece of cloth (D 1310 K). Slightly magnified. Krogens Mjillle Mose. Flettekant pl't tjiljstykke (0 1310 K). Lidt forstjilrret.

;: I'V' (', \ " I ~ •• L. Fig. 2. Krogens M\illleMose. Piece of cloth (1310 N-R). Detail of plaited borders A-B, cf. Figs. 3 and 180. 'It. Krogens Mjillle Mose. Tjiljstykke (0 1310 N-R). Oetaille af tlettekanterne A-B, sm!. fig. 3 og 180. 1/•. 18 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

2. Stidsholt Mose, Torslev parish, Dronninglund herred.

According to the National Museum's register of acquisitions6) the severed head of a woman was found in 1859in Stidsholt Mose. "A knotted band" 29 ins. long and 21/4 ins. wide is also recorded, the fringes were far longer at one end than the other. But the piece is not preserved, neither are any textiles or garments mentioned.

3. Skrerum parish, Horns herred. In 1913when cutting peat in a bog near Skcerum Church, a human foot, shin-bone, the remains of a thigh-bone, and a skull were recovered?). The sinews and skin of the foot and leg were preserved. Apart from this were found the remains of a boot or leg wrapper of sheepskin, another remnant of sheepskin, and a piece of cowhide. The scraps of skin were probably part of the same garment, most likely a cape, but all we can now establish is that the seams are in running stitch sewn with skin thread. A wooden stake 0.38 m long and 0.04 m thick with a hole through it was recovered with the human remains. The stake is thought to have been barbed with the intention of keeping the body submerged in the'bog. Three or four stones "the size ofa child's head" also rested on top of the body.

4. Borremose, Aars parish, Aars herred.

In 1946 the body of a man was recovered at a depth of c. 2 mS) in Borremose. The finder believed it to be in an old pit covered by a c. 50 cm thick layer of undisturbed peat. The body was excavated with the surrounding peat intact and conserved at the National Museum by K. Thorvildsen9). The body crouched in a sitting position with crossed legs, the upper part of the torso was twisted to the left so that the right shoulder almost touched the left knee. The body was unusually well preserved and intact, including most ofthe skin and sinews. Round its neck was a rope made of three twisted cords and still in a loop, presumably once pulled taut as it was only 42 cm in length. The noose was loose when the body was found due to the shrinkage of the corpse's neck. The back of the skull was crushed, revealing a fatty, yellowish mass of brain matter and membrane; the right thigh-bone was fractured above the knee. It is assumed that the injuries were sustained either before the body was put in the bog or as this was being done. The find included a birch stick which probably once lay across the body. No scraps of clothing were found on the body, but by its feet were two tightly bunched up skin capes, and beneath the head was a scrap of cloth. Cape I measures 80 cm at its shortest from neck to bottom edge, shown in the diagram (Fig. 365) by a dotted line. The bottom edge measures c. 185 cm and the neck-opening 66 cm. The material is sheepskin, both light and dark. All outer edges are rough edges. Seams are in running stitch, the contiguous edges are on the pile side and therefore covered by the pile. The edge of the neck-opening is hemmed in running stitch. The cape has been worn so that the opening was down the right side and the fastening on the right shoulder by buttons and button- holes. Buttons were made by winding a strip ofleather round a wooden peg like a toggle fastening nowadays. Cape II (Figs. 366a & 372) is noteworthy in that it is the only example to date of a well preserved skin cape with a closed collar. The neck edge measures c. 70 cm. At the back in the middle the collar is torn. The two dots (Fig. 366a) indicate where the collar was joined. The gap (indicated by crosses) is diagrammatic to enable the pattern ofthe cape to be drawn up. All the outer edges of this cape are rough, and all the seams joining the various pieces are on the CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 19

110TR n OSK

110TR il O5k

Fig. 4. Krogens Myjlle Mose. Selvedge of piece O. 1/1.

Krogens M9Jlle Mose. Sidekant med huller p[l stvkke O. III. Fig. 3. Krogens M\i'lle Mose. Diagram of pieces D 1310 N-R. Krogens M9Jlle Mose. Diagram af stykkerne D 1310 N-R. 20 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS pile side and hidden by the pile. The seams are in running stitch and the thread appears either to be sinew or gut. The cape measures c. 65 cm at its shortest from neck edge to bottom edge, although damage to the skins makes the minimum measurement uncertain. The original measurement of the bottom edge was c. 2 m, but an accurate measurement cannot be made because of missing pieces. The material is sheepskin, both pale and dark wool can be discerned. Clearly the two capes from Borremose are closely related, even though one has an open collar and the other a closed collar. Experiments to find out how they were worn show that they fit best when the collar fastening (or seam) rests on one shoulder. How the capes were worn is discussed in Chapter X. Cloth remnant about 30 x 25 cm, the yarn is sheep's wool woven in 2/2 twill. Now dark brown although it is possible to see that the fairly coarse weft is slightly paler than the warp, which is a finer yarn. There are 57 warps and 29 wefts to 10 x 10 cm. The weft, identifiable because of crossing threads, is Z-spun, the warp is S-spun. This combination is a characteristic of Bronze Age textiles and appears to have been abandoned in the Iron Age. In a line close to one outer edge there is a break in the twill diagonals, this is strange and does not correspond with any of the types otherwise known (Fig. 5a). It may simply be inventiveness, or perhaps a weaving error before the weaver became accustomed to the weave. The remnant of cloth cannot obviously be dated on the basis of a single technical detail but, as already mentioned, the scrap is similar to early Bronze Age textiles as regards spinning. In any event it is extremely old.

4a. Borremose, Aars parish, Aars herred.

In 1948the body of a woman was found 10) during peat cutting in Borremose. The surrounding peat was cut from the bog and the entire block sent to the National Museum where Konserva- tor B. Brorson Christensen carried out the excavation of the body. The anthropological signi- ficance of the skeleton was not very great because it was in poor condition, but skin and muscle were largely intact, the woman appeared to be fairly plump and sturdily built. Her face was crushed; this must have occurred before the body was deposited in the bog as it lay face downwards and the back of the head was less damaged. The body was wrapped in a well preserved woollen blanket, the transverse edges of which measure respectively 117and 121cm, the selvedges 177and 183cm: measurements indicating that the piece was either irregularly woven or misshapen during fulling. It is woven in 2/2 twill, the yarn of both the warp and weft is S-spun. The number of threads to 10 x 10 cm varies between 42 and 58 in the weft and between 56 and 62 in the warp. The largest number of warp threads is found towards the selvedges. The warping arrangement of both transverse edges is reproduced in Fig. 176, viz. the cloth was probably woven on a tubular loom and spread out afterwards. The fringes with loops twisted at the ends are of slightly uneven length, varying from 1 cm to 3 cm. Crossing wefts occur frequently, usually in the middle of the textile (lengthwise). Two different weft threads are worked in every shed. Judging from its characteristics, then, the blanket belongs to the Huldremose group, see P. 186, Table H, and Figs. 172, 183. The textile has once been folded crosswise, making a flap c. 80 cm deep over the underlying piece of c. 100 cm. In two places along the folded edge about 20 cm from one selvedge and about 30 cm from the other are some holes. There are four holes in one group and three in the other; they measured CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEA T BOGS 21 c. 4 mm in diameter while the cloth was stil1 wet, circular in shape they seem to have been made by pressure rather than by breaking threads. These holes are presumably traces left by something which fastened the blanket round the deceased. No pegs of wood or bone were found but this does not mean that none were used, they could wel1have been lost or destroyed in the acid waters of the bog. It is interesting, though, that in the fold of the cloth were six small scraps of leather thong, and possibly a seventh outside. This is reminiscent of the checkered skirt from Huldremose (Fig. 30), the waistband of which has scraps of leather in it along the upper edge that appear to have kept the skirt in place. The distance between the two groups of holes in the Borremose blanket was 75 cm when the cloth was wet and 70 cm after it had dried. The blanket was wrapped round the body so that in front the upper edge fell across the breast and beneath the armpits, while behind it had been pushed up and extended beyond the back of the head. The holes in the front of the textile were a little way above the nipple, and behind they were close to the right ear. The last position must be secondary but it seems reasonable to suggest that the textile was tied in some way by thongs through these holes. The question, then, is where and how the blanket was worn; I think two possibilities exist. Either the cloth was wrapped round the body, at the waist or close to it where the circumference does not exceed 75 cm - the distance between the two sets of eyelets. Or the blanket was worn higher up, so that the upper edge covered the breast and reached into the armpits, and the same level behind. The leather thong would then pass over the right shoulder like a strap, holding up the blanket like a kind of brace. The textile would meet down the side but not necessarily by means of a fastening, seam, etc. According to the excavation report there were indications that the blanket had been disturbed at the back (uppermost when discovered). It is not possible to judge how much the blanket was disarranged when the body was deposited in the bog. A certain amount of uncertainty exists, then, but in my opinion the upper edge was probably level with the armpits because it is difficult to imagine the blanket pulled up over the breasts ifit were fastened below where the width would only be 75 cm. On the other hand, with the body sinking head first into the bog it would be more natural for the blanket to be pulled over the back of the head if the strap were over the shoulder.

5. (')mark, Durup parish, Gislum herred.

Blanket (Fig. 5b) woven with sheep's wool yarn, now a yellowish-brown II). The piece measures 147-170 cm in length. The width varies between 70-90 cm. The cloth is very thick and heavily fulled and it is difficult to analyse. The weave is 2/2 twill, the yarn of both warp and weft is S-spun. Crossing wefts occur, and to lOx 10cm there are 38 warps and 36 wefts. The blanket is fringed on all four sides. The fringes along each side are made by twisted weft thread loops. Loops of the warp fringe the transverse edges; along one edge the loops are side by side, along the other edge it is threads nos. 1 and 3, and 2 and 4, which are connected. Fig. Sa. Broken twill diagonals in a scrap 6. Eistrup, Store Br~ndum parish, Helium herred. of cloth from Borremose. In 1841 Pastor Herskend B\3gh reported the discovery of a skeleton wrap- Brydning p1'l kiperdiagonaleme i en ped in a skin with hair side inward during peat cutting in Eistrup Mose. It t(3jresl fra Borremose. 22 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

was the skeleton of an adult but because it was very badly preserved, and had been damaged during removal from the bog 12), it could not be determined whether the skeleton was of a man or a woman.

7. Frreer Mose, Frreer parish, Helium herred. In July 1842during peat cutting a human body lying outstretched, face downwards, was found about 4 ft deep in the heather-covered peat. The skeleton was thought to be that of an adult woman, but it has not survived. Only afoot wearing a shoe (accidentally chopped off by one of the peat cutters) and two scraps of cloth are now in the National Museum 13). The two scraps ofcloth are woven from pale sheep's wool yarn and are part of the same textile; together they measure 1.01 m wide and upto 0.34 mlong, acornerofone is shown in Fig. 6. The weave is 2/2 twill, and the yarn of the warp and weft is S-spun. There a~e 49 warps and 42 wefts to 10 x 10 em. The weaving direction can be determined because a plaited border of loops along a transverse edge is preserved in both pieces. The loops along these two edges are identical and neighbouring threads, i.e. a thread returning in a loop, and from this we may assume that the two pieces once made the same transverse edge. There are a number of crossing wefts when the two woven pieces are placed side by side which suggests that two different wefts are used in the same shed, and that we have the loom width. The foot, severed just above the ankle, is enclosed in a soft skin shoe (Fig. 7). The shoe is lined with a layer of lambskin with the pile inwards, whereas the shoe itself is of untanned sheep's skin or cowhide on which can be seen the remains of hair on the outside. The shape is shown in the diagram (Fig. 385), the dotted line gives the approximate position of the foot. It was fairly easy to make the pattern round the heel, but more difficult to follow the shape of the shoe at the toe and front of the foot. The soft skin has evidently taken the shape of the foot during wear, or perhaps, as is still done in Iceland and the Faroe Islands, the wet leather has been folded round the foot and shaped. In any event, the shoe now has a shape which cannot be reproduced entirely accurately by means of a pattern. Beneath the arch is a seam; the dotted wedge at x and z denotes a fold in the skin. Point B should come beneath Point A when the foremost point of the skin is folded up round the foot to make the vamp. The part by B passes beneath the eyelets by the instep making a tongue.

8. Rrebild Skovhus, Skflrping parish, Helium herred.

A fragment of cloth 14) was recovered from a bog at Broh¢jgaard in 1946. It lay beside a primitive wooden figurine representing a woman. The figure, roughly carved from a bole, is a rare and extremely interesting piece. Although there is no firm evidence to prove that the two were deposited in the bog at the same time it seems very likely. They lay very close together, side by side and touching. Riis- m¢ller wrote in his report that the bog had been dug away 25 years earlier, therefore the original depth of the finds could not be determined. The wooden figurine was very decayed and appeared to have been exposed in the mire for some time before the bog closed over it. To me the most natural explanation is that the textile was originally wrapped round the figurine and later somehow slipped off (see below). A parallel to this simple sculpture is the wooden figure of a man found in Broddenbjerg Mose (Asmild parish, N¢rIyng herred) probably dating from the late Bronze Age, although this is not an absolutely firm dating 15). CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS ·23

Fig. 5b. Blanket from 0mark (1. No. 177/41). Treppe fra 0mark. (J.nr. 177/41).

The piece of cloth from Rrebild is very torn but not unduly rotten. It gives the impression of having been worn out before ending in the bog, because it has a patch and there are several traces of mending. Some long threads at the edge of the piece are knotted together, giving the impression that it was wrapped round something (the figurine?) in the same manner as that found among carrying cloths later on, when the corners were knotted together. It is difficult to give the exact measurements of the textile. In one place the unbroken course in the weft can be followed over a distance of 1.20 m, and in the warp for 1.50 m, although 24 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

Fig. 6. Piece of cloth from Frreer (7141). 1/1. T~jstykke fra Frreer. (7141).1/1.

Fig. 7. Shoe with foot inside from Frreer (7142). Sko med isiddende fod. Frreer. (7142). neither of these measurements is complete. It is an indication, however, that the remnant is from a textile of some size, and as part of a lock is preserved we may assume that the piece was originally a tubular-woven fabric, probably of the same size as the "peplos dress" from Huldremose (Fig. 440) and the textile shown in Fig. 62. An analysis of the lock is given in Fig. 222b, and the warping arrangement and its problems are discussed on P. 219 ff. The yarn of both the warp and weft is S-spun with 68 warps and 66 wefts to 10x 10cm. The weave is 2/2 twill. Crossing weft threads are numerous and there are gores. CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 25

The cloth has been mended in antiquity. The patch is coarser and more closely woven than the tubular fabric, it measures c. 16 x 19 cm, with 28 and 30 threads to 5 x 5 cm. The yarn of the warp and weft is S-spun, the weave is 2/2 twill. A fragment of original selvedge is preserved but too indistinct to analyse. The yarn is pale sheep's wool.

9. H~rby Mose, H~rby parish, Hindsted herred. In July 1945 during peat cutting in a little bog near H~rby16) a human hand was discovered, its wrist was wrapped in a skin. P. V. Glob carried out an excavation of the site but nothing else was found apart from a few scraps of skin, thought to be the remains of a skin cape similar to the other capes among bog finds. The body and any other clothing had presumably been destroyed by earlier peat cutting.

10. Tvedemose, Rostrup parish, Hindsted herred. In July 1942 while cutting peat in Tvedemose some pieces of skin were found, as well as some bone (which appeared to be from a human foot and lower leg), and a lump of granite17). The finds lay about 50 cm above the bottom of the bog, and c. 80 cm below the present surface. This latter figure does not Tl)ean much because of earlier cutting in the area. The farmer who owned the land was convinced that the find was beneath the Iron Age stratum. This was confirmed by an expert, P. Rij.sm~ller, after examining the stratigraphy of the peat face. The depth, though, is not particularly significant because the stone and bones had evidently been wrapped in the skin to make a bundle which must have sunk to the bottom as soon as it was thrown into the bog. The scraps of skin are in such bad condition that the original shape of the garment cannot be determined, although the number of seams suggests that the pieces are part of a skin cape similar to Figs. 359,371. Tvedemose is on the boundary between two parishes, see footnote 18).

11. Bredmose, Storarden parish, Hindsted herred. In 1942 some peat cutters working in a bog ne.ar Arden in North Jutland found a body with hair and clothing preserved. Fearing that they had come across a crime the police were summoned. The leader of Aalborg Museum, P. Riism~ller, was notified of the discovery by a local school- teacher, and arrived on the spot at the same time as the police who suggested tha~ the body be interred in the churchyard as there was no record of a missing person in the area. Riism~ller insisted that the find should be delivered to the National Museum to which the area chief of police agreed. The body and peat samples were sent to the museum together with a detailed report, and an examination of the site was carried out on the basis of the peat samples19). The finders agreed that the body was entirely surrounded by red sphagnum (known as "dog's meat") when found. As peat cutting had been carried out in the bog in the past, it was not known whether a layer of peat had been cut above the body at an earlier period, therefore it was difficult to tell whether the body was buried there or deposited there; Riism~ller thought the latter was more likely. When the body was uncovered at the National Museum it was found to be lying on its right side with its legs so closely drawn up that its thigh-bones were parallel with the body, and its feet level with the pelvis. The arms were bent and the hands were level with the shoulders. The shoulder blades were loose but the rest of the body was intact because of the good state of the sinews and skin. The upper part of the torso bent forwards but this may have happened 26 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

Fig. 8. Head of hair from woman's body in Arden Mose (1. No. 428/42). Hovedhl'lret af liget fra Arden Mose. (I.nr. 428/42). during the removal from the bog. The hair, dark blonde and fairly coarse, was found in a lump among the textiles behind the body's back. The hair was dressed in two coils wound round the head and twined with woollen cords (Fig. 8). Over the hair was a little cap of golden-brown wool yarn held in place by a pair of laces. By the hair lay a finger tip with finger nail and joint. Three pieces of cloth were found with the body. Beneath it was a coarsely woven textile with a seam across the middle (Fig. 9). Along the left side of the body lay a long piece of more finely woven cloth seamed lengthwise (Fig. 12), and by the head was a smaller piece in a bundle (Fig. 14). The original position of the textiles cannot be decided with certainty because of the disturbance when the find was taken out of the sphagnum in the bog. The longest piece seems to have been folded over, and most likely the two large textiles were placed above and beneath the body like a pair of sheets. This would bear out an eye witness report that when the body was raised from the bog it was covered by cloth and only the head was free. The body was passed to the Anatomical Institute for examination by Dr. K. Fischer M011er who reported that "the internal organs are entirely decomposed but ligaments and articular cartilage are preserved. No signs of violence. Female. Skeletal remains slender, decalcified therefore misshapen. Skull very shrunken. Facial bones largely missing. Open sutures. Wis- dom teeth. Age 25-30 years old". CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 27

I Fig. 9. Coarse piece of cloth with seam (A) from Arden Mose. Del grove lliljslykke (A) fra Arden MDse.

~ II ~I I I-I I 1-' 1__ Li;-I'='~ I 1_' " < \'-1 ~I~' 1-= -,1- 11 1 - --11-1-=-1--11'-1' -'1 -1I ~--I=11~*311 I_I I I~ I I I I I I I r::1H I Fig. 10. Crossing weft threads in Fig. 9. Krydsende islrettrl\de pl\ fig. 9.

11 1-11- -\1-\1-11-\1- ---I ~I ~I ~I ~ ~I =1~1~~e:5?Ic::§Y"lc ~Ic lm 1 1=1'=1 =- """i@T1-T 1 0= ~11~11~11~11c:=:=:JC:===>11 ~II I ~I c:::::>1~I ~I ~I c ~ I c ~I~I-II-II-II-I\~ M H A LD Fig. II. Crossing weft threads in Fig. 9. Krydsende islrettrl\de pl\ fig. 9, 28 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

The textiles are as follows: A. Coarse cloth. 1.66 m x 0.92 m comprising two pieces (Fig. 9) seamed together along their short edges at approximately the middle of the textile. The selvedge at each side is tubular- woven in tabby, the cloth is woven in 2/2 twill. The yarn of the warp and weft is S-spun. The colour is predominantly medium brown, but along the seam across the middle are some slightly darker stripes about 1 cm wide. The yarn is spun from sheep's wool with a considerable number of stiff hairs, possibly cow hair. One sample thread count gave 33 warps and 28 wefts to 10 x 10 cm, another sample 40 warps and 28 wefts. There are some crossing weft threads, and skipping over several sheds (Figs. 10-11). The same details are found in the textiles from Karlby and Auning, as well as in the cape from Gerum20). The seam is analysed in Fig. 292. The transverse edges parallel with the weft are cut, i.e. frayed. The two seamed edges are oversewn in buttonhole stitch from right to left. It is not clear whether the original widths of the textile are intact. There is a prehistoric darn by one short edge. B. Piece of cloth and the largest in the find (Fig. 12) is 274 cm long and c. 90 cm wide. It is a sort of blanket made up of two lengths of cloth seamed down the middle. The full length of one piece is 274 cm, and in a few places the full loom width is intact --50 cm. The outer longitudinal edge of the other piece is torn off, reducing the width to 40 cm21). The full length of the second piece is 284 cm, but one transverse edge is turned over (Fig. 13). It can be seen that the two pieces are complete lengths because warp loops are preserved intact along one transverse border, they are very short - only c. 5 mm long. The other transverse border has intact warp loops for a short distance towards the middle 1.5 cm long. A thick woollen cord has been threaded through the warp loops of both borders. Both these edges have a tubular-woven selvedge in tabby (Fig. 152) and are seamed together. The yarn is pale sheep's or lamb's wool woven in 2/2 twill, but on the broader piece of cloth the diagonals turn c. 33 cm from the outer edge. The thread count of the broader piece close to the intact transverse edge is 80 warps and 70 wefts to 10 x 10 cm, the narrower piece with the turned over edge has 82 warps and 66 wefts. The wefts cross once a shed, showing that two different wefts were used. The yarn of both the warp arid weft is S-spun. The warping is difficult to determine due to its considerably damaged condition, but it undoubtedly corresponds to the warping of Piece C. except that the latter is fringed. C. Scarf (Fig. 14), length of edges 1.37 m and 1.42 m, width at the long fringe 0.56 m, at the short fringe 0.63 m. Woven in 2/2 twill. The thread counts are 81 warps and 84 wefts, 88 warps and 80 wefts to 10 x 10 cm. The cloth is fringed along both transverse edges, c. 3-3.5 cm and 1.5-2 cm long respectively. The yarn is sheep's wool and S-spun in both warp and weft. The selvedge is tubular-woven and in tabby. The colour is pale yellowish-brown. The cloth is striped lengthwise with four narrow brown stripes each of two dark threads; the stripes are in pairs with a good 2 cm between the stripes in each pair, and each pair is at a distance of c. 13cm from the selvedges. There are three corresponding pairs of stripes across the textile: one across the middle and one at each end. Diagrams of the warp are given in Figs. 177-178. D. Cap. A net-like cap covered the woman's hair (Fig. 15), made in the technique known as "sprang" and described in detail on P. 256 ff. All the twists are intact along both transverse edges, and loops are still visible along the edge of the cap which would have rested on the forehead when worn. The opposite transverse edge, on the other hand, is gathered to fit the back of the head (Fig. 16). The loops here have been 2-2.5 cm long and twisted in pairs. Threads passing close to the meshes and outermost in the twists of the loops gather the back of the cap. CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 29

_--4ocm- ~«---- loops

loops

I I I I I~ I~ I Qi" I~ I l'tl I~ I~ I(§,'" I~ I~ I~ 1(1) I I 10 1JS I tMH ~ torn edge ~

Fig. 12. Fig. 13. Long seamed piece of cloth (B) from Arden Mose. Diagram of piece of cloth (Fig. 12)from Arden Mose. Langt, sammensyet wjstykke (B) fra Arden Mose. Diagram af tl'ljstykke (fig. 12) fra Arden Mose. 30 MARGRETHE HALO: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

The star-like shape thus formed is filled with looped buttonhole stitch reminiscent of "the spider" in Danish Hedebo em- broidery. From the star and along the edges which are the original longitudinal edges of the sprang work, viz. now hidden in the vertical line from the neck a 4-5 cm seam further shapes the cap to fit the head. Two cords are drawn through the netting along the horizontal line at the neck, in order to strengthen the border and to keep the shape. The yarn is pale sheep's wool or lamb's wool. One of the characteristics of the sprang technique is that the netting terminates in the horizontal centre line where it finishes with a row of twists. When the completed cap is worn this "lock" extends from temple to temple across the top of the head (Fig. 16). The distance from the front edge to this line varies between 10-13 cm all according to how taut the textile is pulled. But from the lock to the twists in "the star" at the back the distance is c. 16cm, perhaps this is the result of uneven tension when the work was done, or perhaps because the cap was pulled out of shape by wear. The rows of twists in the two halves of the netting obviously have to be equal, this is dealt with in greater detail in the section on technique. Along the front edge, i.e. along the forehead, the cap now measures c. 47 cm. On each side of the lock across the middle of the cap is fastened a coarse woollen cord, presumably to tie round the cap, one end is c. 70 cm, the other 80 cm long. The cord is of 4 S-spun threads Z-plied. The pattern of the netting has a striped effect caused by twisting in groups in alternate directions. The change is made in every fourth row (Fig. 17). The same prin- Fig. 14. Checkered scarf (C) from Arden Mose. ciple is adopted in the cap from the Skryd- Temet tjilrklrede (C) fra Arden Mose. strup burial (cf. Fig. 259). For possible ways to wear the cap com- worn by the two Greek women spinning pare Fig. 15 with the beautiful headdresses (Fig. 124). CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 31

Fig. 15. Woman's cap (D) from Arden Mose. Kvindehue (D) fra Arden MDse.

Fig. 16. Back of cap in sprang from Arden Mose. Slightly magnified. Nakkepartiet af spranget hue [ra Arden MDse. Lidt over naturlig st~rrelse. 32 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

Fig. 17. Detail of cap in sprang from Arden Mose, c. 312. Detaille af spranget hue fra Arden Mose, ca. 3/2. CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 33

12. Stokholm Mose, Vebbestrup parish, Hindsted herred.

A coarse piece of cloth with frayed edges22) was found in Stokholm bog at a depth of c. 1.60 m in 1894. It was an isolated find. Woven in 2/2 twill, the yarn is S-spun in both warp and weft. Many crossing weft threads enable the weaving direction to be determined. The warp is reddish-brown throughout, while the colour of the weft varies between the same reddish- brown and a darker brown. In the direction of the warp the piece measures 56 cm, across the weft 72 cm. The thread count at the edge is 65 warps and 55 wefts to 10x 10 cm, and towards the middle 52 warps and 54 wefts. The yarn is sheep's wool.

13. Aardestrup parish, Hornum herred.

In the autumn 1946 a skin cape found in a bog at Aardestrup23) was sent to the National Museum. It had been found at a depth of2 m together with an oar and a number of potsherds, but as these had been thrown away by the finders no dating could be made. Skin cape (Fig. 366b). The cape is the smallest so far recovered. The neck-opening measures c. 65 cm, the lower edge 142cm, while the minimum length from neck to lower edge is only c. 45 cm. It seems to have been for a child. Its skins are pale and seem fine and soft, possibly lambskin. Indeed, the cape gives the impression of being well-treated and carefully made. At the top of each side edge and the neck-opening the skin is turned over in a c. 2 cm border. The remains of a fastening can be seen at the corners. The seams are in running stitch. The edges can be seen on the pile side but have undoubtedly been hidden by the wool to begin with.

14. S~gaards Mose, Daugbjerg parish, Fjends herred. In 1942 a body was found during peat cutting in S0gaards Mose at a depth of 1.20 m. It was wrapped in skins and lay with head towards the north but turned slightly easterly. According to reports the body lay face downwards24). It rested on a c. 2 cm thick layer of cotton-grass- possibly suggesting that the body had floated on the bog surface in the summer when cotton- grass is in flower: normally the beginning of June. The body's head was bent backwards with throat resting on the right lower arm. The right hand lay across the left shoulder, the hand was clenched with fingers upwards, the nails on two fingers were preserved. The left arm lay alongside the body with the base of the palm by the pelvis. Both legs were drawn up to the chest and twisted to the left of the body, the heels close to the behind. The skins covered the sides of the body and lay beneath it. To the right, a skin cape was found almost completely preserved, and on the left side were the remains of one or two skin capes, most seemed to have the pile side next to the body. On the left side of the body by the waist lay a leather shoe in which were patches of skin with traces of hair, as well as a tuft of crumpled horsehair. Beneath the body lay a shoe corresponding to the first, it contained a piece offolded brown cloth. The shoes were tied together by their laces. A double stranded cord of vegetable fibre also lay by the waist. According to information received about the position of the skin capes in the bog, the body was not wearing the capes in the usual way. This is further borne out by the fact that the best preserved cape lay so that the collar with tied laces was by the feet. Another conspicuous characteristic, one found in several other cases, is that the deceased was furnished with several garments of the same type. The skin capes were used to wrap the body in, not used as clothes in the normal sense. 34 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

The body was examined by Dr. K. Fischer M~ller at the Anatomical Institute: "the soft parts of the body are largely decomposed. No viscera found. Muscles and sinew a soft mass. Cartilage and ligaments preserved. Possibly the body of a man but not entirely certain. The skull is considerably damaged. Sutures open except for a little area of the sagittal suture. Age 30-35. Teeth very worn, no caries but traces of periodontitis. Height approximately 170 cm judging from the length of the leg and arm bones." Skin capes. Two very fragmentary skin capes, and a third cape (Fig. 18) similar to those mentioned earlier and belonging to the group illustrated in Figs. 359-371. The capes are sheepskin. Cap. A skin cap was also recovered, its pattern is given in Fig. 381. It consists of two identical pieces of skin, probably from a dog. The narrow contour denotes the torn edge. The dotted line indicates where the original edge presumably was. The cap has some kind of knob or point on top like the male headgear in one of the R~nbjerg finds, but as these items have not survived, no closer comparison can be made. Shoes. These are fairly similar to the footwear found in the bogs at Fneer and R~nbjerg. The diagrams in Figs. 385-387 show in plan all the footwear recovered from bogs unfolded. It must be remembered that, when worn, footwear made from soft skin follows the shape of the foot, and it is now impossible to reproduce the shape with complete accuracy as the skin cannot be spread out flat. Scrap of cloth. The fragment of cloth in the right shoe is of pale sheep's wool woven in 2/2 twill. There are 47 warps and 49 wefts to 10 x 10 cm. The warp is S-spun and the weft is Z-spun. The cloth has a darn made in antiquity. The cord is of vegetable fibre, fairly coarse 2 S-ply.

15. S~gaards Mose, Daugbjerg parish, Fjends herred. In 1944 in S~gaards Mose the hands and lower legs of another body were found the flesh of which was well preserved. One leg was intact, but the foot was missing from the other25). The remains of the garments are as follows: Fragments of a skin cape, most of a skinjerkin, and two pieces of cloth used to wrap round the lower legs, the pieces were still wound in position when the legs were found (Fig. 19). The cape appears to be of the same kind as those shown in Figs. 359-371, but the exact type cannot be determined due to its very decayed state. The jerkin (Fig. 404), on the other hand, is the only clothing of its kind among Danish bog finds. In many ways it resembles the Bronze Age jacket, presumably fastened at the shoulders with straps. The eyelets down the side edges show that it could be laced up. All the above- mentioned skins are calfskin. Leg wrappers. Two rectangular woollen cloths were wrapped round the legs. The pieces are 36 cm long and 27-31 cm wide. They obviously belong to the same textile (Fig. 20a-b). The weave is 2/2 twill. Piece A has two intact selvedges. One transverse edge is turned over and hemmed, the other transverse edge is frayed. Along one selvedge there is a narrow stripe which corresponds in colour and thread count to the stripe in Piece B. The main colour is medium brown but the weft changes, and for about 21 cm the weft is coarse and dark. The yarn is S-spun. The dark patch has 123 warps and 77 wefts to 10 x 10 cm, the pale area 123 warps and 105 wefts. Along the unhemmed transverse edge are two cords, each consisting of two strands made of CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 35

Fig. 18. Slilgaards Mose. Find no. 14. Shoes, cape and Fig. 19.Slilgaards Mose. Find no. 15. Leg cap of skin. (Skive Mus. No. C 63). wrappers. (Skive Museum). Slilgaards Mose, Daugbjerg sogn. Fund nr. 14.Sko, kappe og hue af Slilgaards Mose. Fund nr. 15. Bensvlilb. (Skive skind. (Skive Museum nr. C 63). Museum). 36 MARGRETHE HALO: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS three 2-ply threads (cf. diagram of detail of the Arden scarf Fig. 177-178), and in the hemmed edge are two cords about 63 cm long for tying the piece round the leg. Traces of woad. Piece B has three closed borders, namely two selvedges and one transverse edge with warp loops intact. The fourth edge is turned over and hemmed. At a distance of about 5 cm from the edge with warp loops is a dark narrow stripe and 2 cm from one selvedge is a yellowish-brown stripe, but curiously enough no corresponding stripe down the opposite selvedge. The colour is medium brown, the yarn is fairly fine; both warp and weft are S-spun. The thread count is 117 warps and 107 wefts to 10 x 10 cm. The protruding warp loops are made by neighbouring threads and are c. 1.5 cm long. Two long woollen cords are sewn to the hemmed edge, 4 cm from the selvedges. These are 2-ply Z-twined and c. 80 cm long.

16. Sjf}rup Langmose, Vroue parish, Fjends herred.

In 1899 a collection of textiles26) was found in Sjylrup Langmose about 25 cm below the surface, and a few metres away from the place where Bronze Age objects had earlier been recovered. However, there is no connection between the two. The textiles (Fig. 21) are undoubtedly far later because they are woven in three-shaft twill, and their cut resembles that of medieval clothes. Three of the textiles are yellowish-brown and appear to be part of a child'sjacket, although it is curious that the two front pieces are cut so that they would be on the same side if the right side of each piece were turned outwards. The maximum length (height) is 0.28 m. There are scraps of coarse dark brown thread in one front piece. The yarn of both the warp and weft is S-spun, the thread count is 76 warps and 66 wefts to to x to cm. Two other pieces are cut as sleeves, to judge from their shape and size they could well be part of the child'sjacket, it is not particularly significant that they are a different colour - almost black. The length of the sleeve is 34 cm, the length of the back piece 26 cm, the yarn of the warp and weft is S-spun, and the weave is three-shaft twill. The thread count is 41 and 32 respectively to 5 x 5 cm. All the textiles are of sheep's wool. Two small squares and a couple of strips affine dark brown skin, possibly lambskin, are part of the same find. It is not clear whether they are scraps of a larger piece, now lost, or used as some sort of trimming on the jacket.

17. Elling Mose, Funder parish, Hids herred. In 1938 a body was found when cutting peat in Elling Mose. It was embedded in the peat, its head about 36 cm above the sandy bottom of the bog, the feet were orientated south. The body had been severely damaged by peat cutting27). The top layers of peat at this spot had long since been cut away, but as the strata were intact 2-4 m to the south, it was possible to ascertain that the skull originally lay about 155 cm below the surface. Despite the disturbed stratigraphy of the site it could be established that the body had been interred in the bog, because one side of the grave was clearly visible in the strata to the west. The photograph (Fig. 22) gives some idea of the body which was conserved in the National Museum's laboratory. Its hair is fairly well preserved, plaited in a braid and medium blonde or light brown in colour. A skin garment was wrapped round the body, a scrap of leather strap and a strip of cloth were also recovered. Skin cape. The skin garment proved to be a cape similar to those described earlier, but it is CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 37

Fig. 20. S0gaards Mose. Leg wrappers a-b spread out. S\)gaards Mose. Bensy\)b a-b i udbredt tilstand. too fragmentary for a diagram to be drawn and it does not appear to have any new details. The skins are sheepskin, possibly with additional cowhide, sewn together in running stitch with skin thread.

The leather strap is doubled over and stitched lengthwise, a length of about 40 cm is intact. It passes through a slit and appears to have been worn round something.

The strip of cloth is the most interesting item. It is 67 cm long and about 4 cm wide, probably the remains of a belt as the narrow weft has two selvedges, viz. it was woven to measure c. 4 cm. The yarn is sheep's wool and both warp and weft are S-spun. In one selvedge there is a bundle of threads consisting of about 8 threads, the other selvedge has no lump. The textile is fairly curious but due to damage and decomposition (possibly careless weaving), it is difficult to find a suitable patch to analyse. The principle is shown in the diagram in Fig. 159. The strip is woven in repp and twill. Two weft threads pass in tabby over several warp threads in bunches of three or four. The weft yarn here is very coarse and so overspun that it has tangled, together the two threads almost give the same effect as astrakhan yarn. In between are some finer weft threads here and there, woven in twill. Indeed, there are obscure points everywhere, for example, the turns of the thin weft threads are unclear. 38 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

Fig. 21. Part of a child's jacket from Sj~rup Mose (C 9830). Sj~rup Mose. Dele af bametr~je. (C 9830). CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 39

18. Kragelund Mose, Kragelund parish, Hinds herred.

In 1898 when cutting peat in Kragelund Mose a male body28) was found lying horizontally about 3 ft deep with the head orientated NNE. The body was examined by Georg Sarauw who took the photograph reproduced in Fig. 23. The flesh of the body was almost entirely decomposed, but the hair, nails, bones and skin were in agood state of preservation. The body wore a kirtle of coarse woollen cloth which reached from the neck to the middle of the thighs, the legs were bare, but on the feet were short leather boots tied with leather straps over the instep. Unfortunately the boots are not preserved. The kirtle (Fig. 24) is woven in three-shaft twill, the warp is Z-spun and the weft S-spun, there are 114 warps and 72 wefts to 10 x 10 em. The yarn is sheep's wool. The garment measures l. 14 m from the bottom edge to mid-shoulder, the circumference of the bottom edge is 2.50 m. The pattern of the kirtle (Fig. 411) corresponds with the Norwegian medieval garments from Skjoldehamn, and those from Bocksten, Halland in Sweden. They all consist of a middle piece, both the back and front are in one. The width of the skirt below is due to the gores let into the side seams and into the middle of the front and back. Another Danish costume, the Moselund kirtle (Find 33) is a related type, although it differs from the Kragelund kirtle because it has shoulder seams, clearly shaped armholes and is longer. All medieval garments from bog finds are discussed in the chapter on costume.

19. Bog near Grathe Hede, Torning parish, Lysgaard herred.

Three fragments of c1oth29) tacked together with a coarse thread consisting of three separate threads S-spun and Z-plied which have then been twined to the left. The largest piece measuresabout47 x 16em with a thread countof76and94to lOx 10cm. The second piece has 48 and 45 threads to 5 x 5 em, and the third has 43 and 34 threads to 5 x 5 em. All three fragments are woven in 2/2 twill, the yarn in both directions is S-spun in various shades of brown. Here and there is a hint of checks. The texture and quality of these fragments are very reminiscent of the cloth remnants from the bog at Krogens M¢lIe (D 1310 D-H).

20. Vindum Mose, Vindum parish, Middelsom herred. In 1883 a human skeleton was found in Vindum Mose. It was wrapped in animal skins, presumably a skin cape, only fragments of which have survived30).

21. Bauns~ Mose, Roum parish, Rinds herred. In 1927 the body of a young mand, 177 em tall, was discovered in Bauns¢ Mose during peat cutting. The body was wrapped in no less than three skin capes of the type usual among bog finds31). Two of the capes were so well preserved that their patterns could be drawn up. Cape a (Fig. 367). The bottom edge measures 2.12 m and the upper edge 0.93 m, its length from upper edge to lower edge at the shortest point is 0.78 m. At the upper edge is a strap and toggle (Fig. 374). The strap is ofleather, the toggle is a rolled-up leather thong. In the side edge below are eyelets. The cape is simply sewn in running stitch and hemstitch. The thread appears to be gut32). This cape and cape b are of cowhide. Cape b (pattern Fig. 364). The bottom edge measures 2.05 m, the upper edge 0.73 m, its 40 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

Fig. 22. Female body from Elling Mose (J. No. 508/38). Elling Mose. Kvindelig. (J:nr. 508/38). CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 41

Fig. 23. Male body in Kragelund MDse. Kragelund Mose. Mandslig.

Fig. 24. Man's garment from Kragelund Mose (D 3956). Kragelund Mose. Mandsdragt. (0 3956). 42 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS length from the upper edge to the lower edge at the shortest point is 0.71 m. The pieces are sewn together in running stitch and hemstitch. The thread is possibly gut. Cape c cannot be satisfactorily depicted here due to its fragmentary state, but it is clearly of the same type as the others. Sewn in running stitch, but whether with gut thread or sinew is uncertain. The cape is of sheepskin.

22. Roum Mose, Roum parish, Rinds herred. A strange discovery was made in 1942in Roum Mose during peat cutting, the head of a woman was found wrapped in a piece of skin with hair side inwards33). The head (Fig. 25) was extremely well preserved. It rested on its right side, with the face towards the east, at a depth of c. 1.50 m. The head was carefully removed and sent to the National Museum, and later passed on to Dr. Fischer-M\2lller for examination, the report reads as follows: "the head is probably that of a woman (long hair and no sign of beard growth); severed from the torso on a level with the 2nd-3rd cervical vertebrae. Fleshy parts partially mummified. Teeth very worn but no apparent caries. Skin, hair, teeth stained black. Age about 20." The piece of skin wrapped round the head proved to be a cape of the same type as so many of the skin capes which, in the course of time, have reached the National Museum together with the bodies recovered from bogs (Figs. 359-371). When the piece was found its fastenings were tied in the manner shown in the photograph (Fig. 373). Strips of leather, a sort of strength- ening, were sewn to the bare side of the skin in hemstitch. The seams of the cape are joined in running stitch, possibly with gut thread. The cape is of sheepskin.

23. True Mose, Roum parish, Rinds herred. In 1941in a small bog called True Mose a variety of prehistoric objects was found and acquired by the Viborg Museum: a complete paddle, half a paddle, a stout wooden peg with a handle, a concave oval shield-shaped slab of wood, with holes in three places, and the remains of leather thongs in one hole. A skin cape (Fig. 26a) made from many pieces was also found, whether of cowhide or sheepskin it is uncertain. The finds were scattered in the peat at a depth of 1;2-1m but there isno record of how close they were from each other, neither can it be established whether the finds were one deposit or not. In the present context, it is the exceptionally well preserved cape34) which is interesting. It is 0.80 m wide at the neck and the lower edge measures 1.78 m, its length down the middle of the back from the neck edge to the lower edge is 0.75 m. Some pieces of skin are seamed together round the neck to make a kind of yoke extending a short way down the front. The cape is well-proportioned and the pattern (Fig. 360) shows that the symmetrical pieces are cut alike. Whereas a number of skin capes are unsymmetrical, not apparently intended to be worn evenly over the shoulders with a front fastening, the True Mose cape is symmetrical and closely resembles one of the skin capes from Karlby Mose (Fig. 362).

24. Thorup Mose, Simested parish, Rinds herred. The Viborg Museum acquired "a piece of cloth found embedded in the peat at a depth of 5 ft"35) in Thorup Mose. The textile in question is woollen and woven in herringbone, it CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 43

Fig. 25. Woman's head from Roum Mose (1. No. 381/48). Roum Mose. Kvindehoved. (J.nr. 381/42). measures 0.50 x 0.50 m, but as the piece is not particularly interesting I have not made a closer examination of it36).

25. Bog near Aalestrup, 0sterb~lIe parish, Rinds herred. A torn piece of cloth in 2/2 twil]37) was recovered from a bog about IIh km north of Aalestrup. It is made up from six pieces which seem to come from at least two different textiles. The analyses are made according to the numbered pieces (see diagram Fig. 26b). Sample I is checkered because the yarn of the warp and weft is in two alternate shades of brown. The thread count is 38 warps and 38 wefts to 5 x 5 cm, the yarn is Z-spun. Sample II has 42 threads in one direction and 36 in the other to 5 x 5 cm. Alternating shades of brown in each direction, the yarn of both the warp and weft is Z-spun. Sample III with Z-spun yarn in both directions and a thread count of 38 warps and 31 wefts to 5 x 5 cm. Sample IV is entirely different froin the above-mentioned pieces, the yarn of the warp and weft, for example, is differently spun. The weaving direction can be determined because of 44 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

Fig. 26a. Skin cape from True Mose (J. No. 640/41). True Mose. Skindslag. (J .nr. 640/41). crossing threads in the weft which is parallel with the dotted line across the bottom of the drawing. In the warp 4 dark brown S-spun threads interchange with 4 pale brown Z-spun threads, and the thread count is 41 to 5 cm. Thus four kinds of yarn are used. The quality of the textile resembles the group of textiles recovered from burials which has "spinning patterns" dating to between the second and fourth centuries A.D. In sample IV there is also a turn in the twill diagonals. Sample V is Z-spun in both directions, the thread count is 32 and 38 to 5 x 5 cm. The cloth is checkered and there is a turn in the twill diagonals, see diagram Fig. 26c. Sample VI is checkered but not evenly, in that the change of colour in one patch of threads is irregular. The yarn is Z-spun in both directions, the thread count is 35 and 46 to 5 x 5 cm. A turn in the twill diagonals is analysed in Fig. 26d. A comparison between Fig. 26c and Fig. 26d shows that the broken twill stripes in the Aale- strup woven pieces diverge from the usual kind of twill diagonals. They seem to occur at ran- dom, possibly the weaver was inexperienced. The different pieces are sewn together in buttonhole stitch facing the opposite direction to that usual nowadays. In each case the yarn is sheep's wool, and both a pale and a dark shade are discernible.

26. Karlby Mose, Karlby parish, N~rre herred. In 1900 about 6 ft deep in the peat of Karlby Mose the remains of a human skeleton were found together with some skin garments and some scraps of c1oth38) woven from sheep's wool yarn. The pieces of cloth a39) are all checkered and presumably part of the same textile. They fit easily together to make a larger piece measuring 1.16 m long and 0.93 m wide (Fig. 27). The thread count is 49 warps and 45 wefts to 5 x 5 em, the yarn is S-spun in both warp and weft but its texture varies. The fabric is checkered in golden brown on a dark brown ground, the pale yarn is the finer in texture. The warp alternates regularly between 6 dark and 6light threads. In the weft Slight threads follow 5 dark threads, and this produces three shades because reddish CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 45

"" I I I I I I I I

I I I I I I I I I -t ~------82 em ------_ Fig. 26b. Diagram of pieces in cloth fragment from Aalestrup Mose (Vesthimmerland Museum, Aars). Fragment af t13jstykke fra AaJestrup Mose. (Vesthimmerlands Museum). • .111 '1 I.. I' . 11 I'1 II III. I••". 1 111 IIII II I 1.1 •I I III III 1I1 I1 111111111111 II •• 1'1 1'1 -'1 III11IIII1II III II III 1_. III ••••II I III II11I III I I .11 I. II. I. IIIIII!III~I MH Fig. 26c-d. Broken twill diagonals in cloth Fig. 26b. Brydning pA kiperdiagonaJerne i stof fra fig. 26b.

brown yarn is used in part of the dark stripe. One transverse edge is turned over in a hem stitched down with yellowish-brown S-spun thread; the other transverse edge is unhemmed. Both the original selvedges are present but they have been oversewn in prehistoric times. In spite of the damage caused by these alien threads it is still possible to discern characteristics which show that the selvedges are related to the waist band of the checkered skirt from Huldremose (Fig. 30). The turns of the light weft threads have survived here and there, and among these are the remains of dark threads towards the edge, where disturbances make an analysis impossible. However, the diagrams (Figs. 157-158) give an indication of the principle. The weave is 2/2 broken twill but with fairly long intervals between turns. The diagonals in the weft turn at every tenth thread. The diagram (Fig. 141) shows that the result is in fact broken lozenge twill though not strictly regular. The weft cannot be examined intact across the entire 46 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

Fig. 27. Checkered piece of cloth from Karlby Mose (D 4854a). Karlby Mose. Ternet tl'ljstykke. (D 4854a). loom ~idth because the textile is very torn, but we can see crossing threads which indicate that two wefts meet and continue in the next shed. Occasionally, too, a curious detail can be seen, for example, a light thread skips a stripe in dark yarn and continues in the next light border (Fig. 28). This textile bears a striking resemblance to the Swedish cape from Gerumsbjerg, CHAPTER 1. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 47 ~11~11~11~11I~1111~11~111.u.1111~11-mllltl~1 I =1 III=II~II=III=II=III= 1= 1==1111= ~~I'iI~11i!~~~III!f~~r C:=::>j ~ II Ib,:1:ik=r¥H±~ Ilk1:1:It4i=... 'iii TIl 7i1 nil rrlliil iTl iiiI iii iii Irr M" Fig. 28. Crossing and skipping of wefts in checkered cloth Fig. 27. Krydsninger og overs pring pft islretten i tl

and as the two woven pieces have the same pattern, both the checkers and the irregular divi- sion of broken lozenge twill, there is a possibility that they date from more or less the same period40). Because there was nothing to date the find from Karlby Mose, a pollen analysis was obtained in an effort to make a dating, Dr. J. Iversen carried out the analysis and came to the result that the textile was either late Bronze Age or early Iron Age. The textile analyses and pollen tests indicate that the Karlby and Gerumsbjerg textiles date from about the same era in prehistory. Skin capes. The remnants of skin are recorded as part of two garments but a closer examination has revealed that they are more likely to be part of four garments. Skin cape b41) shown in Fig. 362 is partly light and partly dark sheepskin. The lower edge measures c. 2 m, while the length from the neck edge to the lower edge varies; at the back it measures c. 80 cm. The sewing is running stitch and hemstitch with skin thread. Twinned oversewing with two needles in the same technique as that from Huldremose is used here too (Figs. 289-291). Skin cape c. Only scraps which appear to belong to a small cape with a yoke. Its length from neck to bottom edge varies between 60 and 73 cm, the lower edge measurement of 1.52 m may not be complete. The sewing is in overcast stitch, running stitch and hemstitch with thread which seems to be gut or sinew. The collar is of a quality fur, probably beaver. The rest of the cape appears to be either dog or wolf skin with a piece of cowhide at the bottom edge. Skin remnants d. Two large and several small remnants of sheepskin which match each other. The sewing is difficult to discern but we can see that running stitch is used. The thread seems to be gut or sinew. Skin remants e. Heterogeneous and fairly damaged scraps of lambskin sewn together with skin thread in running stitch.

27-28. Huldremose near Ramten, Nimtofte parish, Randers N~rre herred.

Textiles have twice been recovered from Huldremose42). The first time was in 1879when the body of a woman and some garments were found at a depth of c. 3 ft while cutting peat. The finders thought that the peat had been dug up and put back again. The body lay on its back with the head to the west and the feet to the east. Its legs were drawn up and the right arm was severed from the body, the left arm was bent across the chest and tied there to the torso. A 3 ft long willow stake lay obliquely across the body. The find43) comprised a checkered skirt, a checkered scarf, two skin capes, a horn comb, a leather thong, a woven band, a leather strap, a woollen cord, two woollen threads, and a pin made from the bone of a bird.

-- 48 MARGRETHE HALO: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

Fig. 29. Checkered skirt from Huldremose (C 3473). The light threads to the left show where the analysis was made. Huldremose. Ternet sk~rt (C 3473). De lyse tr1'ldetil venstre viser, hvor analyseringen har fundet sted.

Fig. 30. Upper border of checkered skirt from Huldremose Fig. 29. 1ft. See analysis Fig. 156. Overkant p1'llernet sk~rt fra Huldremose, fig. 29. Se analysen fig. 156. CHAPTER J. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 49

II "sssslL II s==II I sssssss I

~s~s;;::::s;;::::s;ss II

...••..>s-ss~s~s '"sss=+ II is> sss II~ss-s~s-s ~l 111 ~ 1 ~ -, ~ II 11ml Fig. 32. Selvedge of checkered scarf from Huldremose Fig. 3 I. Sidekant p1'l temet wrklrede fra Huldremose, fig. 31.

Fig. 31. Checkered scarf from Huldremose (C 3474). The light threads to the right show where the analysis was made. Huldremose. Temet tl'lrklrede. (C 3474). De lyse trMe til hl'ljre for midten viser, hvor analyseringen har fundet sted. 50 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

Fig. 33. Fringes of checkered scarffrom Huldremose Fig. 31. The fringes correspond to the lower borders in Figs. 34 and 35 a-b. III. Frynser pi\.temet t(ilrklrede fra Huldremose, fig. 31. Hertil svarer de nedadvendende kanter pi\.fig. 34 og fig. 35a-b. 1/1.

Checkered skirt44). The checkered skirt (Fig. 29) is made from a textile with three closed borders and a rough edge. The loom width is therefore the length of the skirt, and the woven length the width of the skirt. The yarn is sheep's wool and both warp and weft are S-spun, 78 wefts and 73 warps per 10 x 10 cm. It is woven with two wefts meeting in the same shed, and the crossings of the threads occur regularly up the middle of the textile lengthwise. The weave is 2/2 twill and the checkers are made by alternating between a golden brown and a dark brown. These two shades are not entirely regularly divided. On the upper edge which seems to be the waistband there is a strange selvedge. It is divided into two parts. Outermost is a tubular-woven or tubular-shaped border (see Fig. 156). Inside is a broad repp band of 48 warp threads; as these are all identical I have only shown six in the drawing. The weft has a curious characteristic in that there are about double as many weft threads in the woven textile as in the upper selvedge, because the weft turns are gathered two by two over one of the loops in the selvedge. This decrease gives the skirt some shape, presumably making a suitable waistband. Still in position are the remains ofleather cords for tying the skirt with. The opposite selvedge is also tubular but it is next to the twill, there is no repp weave between. CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 51

I, II I' ,I 'I " II II ,I II II II II I II I' ":1 11 I' II II II II II II II I II "I, II II I II I I 'I II II II II I " II II II ,I ,I " II I II II II "I II II II II ,I 'I " II I, I, II 'I I "II I I, II II III I " :'

Fig. 34. Analysis of scarf (Figs. 31 and 33) with fringes theoretically untwisted. Analyse til t\2lrklredefig. 31 og 33. FrynsetrMenes snoninger trenkes rettet ud.

Along one transverse edge the loops are preserved, neighbouring threads form the loops which are twisted together on the same principle as shown in Fig. 186. The contiguous edge is turned over and the threads appear to be cut off. The seam is sewn in a sort offeather-stitch. The checkered scarf45), (Fig. 31), was wrapped round the head and neck of the body. It is c. 1.37 m long, 49 cm wide, both ends are fringed, the fringes at one end are c. 1 cm long, and at the other 2-5 cm long. All the yarn is S-spun with 81 warps and 72 wefts to 10 x 10 cm. The 52 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS yarn is light sheep's wool, and the weave is 2/2 twill in a checkered pattern. The checkers are in three shades of brown. The wool is of uneven quality in that the darkest threads are much finer than the others. The three shades are divided evenly in the warp but not in the weft. Along both selvedges is a tubular-woven border in tabby (Fig. 32). There are no crossing wefts, this is not surprising in view of the limited loom width. Analyses of the fringes and warp threads are given in Fig. 34. Fig. 35a shows the unusual twisting of every other pair of threads, presumably to arrange the threads for 2/2 twill, viz. two threads up and two threads down. The textile is probably tubular-woven on a two-beamed loom like the Huldremose skirt (D 3505; see the chapter on warping). This is worth noting as it indicates that the finds belong together although they arrived at the National Museum at different times. The checkered scarf is very similar to the Arden scarf (Fig. 14)and the woven piece from Durup (Fig. 5b), likewise it quite resembles the narrow textile in the Corselitze find although there are some differences. All three textiles have four closed edges and their re- covery with female bodies may mean that they were customary items of clothing for women. A pin46), 8 cm long, consisting of a bird's bone was stuck through the above-mentioned scarf. Skin cape47), (Fig. 368), of very dark sheepskin decorated with a lighter length which would fall over the shoulders when the cape was worn. Its maximum length from the neck-opening to the bottom edge is 0.78 m, and the bottom edge measures 1.78 m. The drawing (Fig. 291) gives an analysis of the hem along the bottom edge as if the stitches were flattened out. In reality the sewing resembles a narrow plaited border. The oversewing and hemstitch are with skin thread, but the running stitch is possibly in gut or sinew. Skin cape48) of fine dark sheepskin (pattern Fig. 369). Its length from neck edge to bottom edge is c. 0.78 m but this is incomplete. By the point at the neck edge are some narrow strips of skin, probably laces, and a little ring made of fine leather thongs, a sort ofloophole (Fig. 375). An edging along the adjoining skin is in a type of double sewing (Fig. 289). The skin has been slit at the edge with a sharp tool, there are two rows of stitches side by side down it. In one row of stitches two strips of skin are twisted round each other a little distance away from the edge, the edge itself is oversewn with leather thongs. Along the bottom edge is sewing corresponding to that in the first cape (C 3472). The present cape (C 3471), according to the register, had a pocket in which a comb and several small items (see below) were found. A letter dated 25/5/1879 about the find also mentions that' 'the pocket" had to be cut open in order to remove its contents. In places the cape consists of two layers of skin, and as it is not easy to see where there could have been a real pocket, the things were probably sewn into the cape. The horn comb49), (Fig. 204a), is the most important item of the find from an archaeological point of view because it is datable. A leather thong SO),c. 160cm long wrapped in a piece of bladder was also sewn into the cape with the following items: A woollen bandS!) in tabby weave. The yarn of the warp and weft is S-spun; width 1.5 cm, length 75 cm. At a distance of 12 and 15 cm respectively from each of the points a twisted woollen cord 85 cm long was drawn. The warp loops at each end are intact, they are very short at one end, slightly longer at the other. It is difficult to judge what these items were for. They may have been amulets, but they could equally well have been everyday articles which were useful to have at hand. The woollen band may have been the woman's hairband. Other items include: CHAPTER 1. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 53

o.,....

b Fig. 35a-b. Original warping of the Huldremose scarf (Figs. 31 and 33). In b without the crossings. Den oprindelige kredestilling i t13rklredefra Huldremose, fig. 31 og 33. I b er krydsningerne rettet ud.

A leather strap 52) with which the left arm was tied to the torso beneath the cape. The strap is c. I m long and 0.50--0.75 cm wide. A woollen cord53) fairly thick and 1.10 m long, 2 twisted strands each with several threads of either sheep's wool or cow's hair.

Two woollen threads54) tied together, one 20 cm long, the other 40 cm long strung with two amber beads, one very small and one with a diameter of I cm.

Tubular-woven cLoth55) found 17 years after the other items. Unfortunately no archaeologists were present, and the labourer who found the textile took it to an antique dealer, therefore the National Museum acquired it in a roundabout way. According to the finder it lay a few feet east of the spot where the woman's body was recovered in 1879, at the same depth and in the same layer of peat. A contemporary report mentions that the two finds may be linked. The textile has a strange shape, cylindrical 1.68 m long (height of "cylinder"), and 2.64 m in circumference. The length corresponds to the loom width, and the circumference to the warp 54 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

(see diagram Fig. 427). The yarn is pale sheep's wool S-spun both in the warp and weft, and woven in 2/2 twill. Three crossings or intersections of weft threads occur in the same shed, indicating that up to four people worked together at the loom. As is often the case in prehistoric textiles the thread counts show that the warp threads are far closer together at the edge than at the middle of the textile (e.g. at one edge 71 warps and 56 wefts to 10x 10cm and at the middle 56 warps and 60 wefts to 10x 10cm). The selvedges are tubular-woven, one differs from the usual kind by having an extra turn in the weft, see Fig. 155. Here and there in the weft is a darker thread. However, it is curious that the garment is not a rectangular cloth, woven first and then sewn together as is usually the case with the large "skirts" from Bronze Age graves, and likewise the checkered skirt (Fig. 29, C 3473). In the present case the intention has undoubtedly been to weave a tubular garment, because the lock of the two transverse edges must have been made when the warp was put up. The regularity with which the warp loops (Fig. 173) are arranged over the locking thread undoubtedly indicates a pre-arranged plan. This raises the question of what kind of loom was used for this technique, and it is discussed in detail in the section on warping and looms. The measurements of this textile are also particularly interesting because the length (height), 168cm, is more than the average height of women in the Iron Age. The ways in which the cloth may have been worn are described in the chapter on costume.

29a. Auning Mose, Auning parish, S~nderhald herred.

The body of a woman recovered from Auning MoseS6) was so decomposed that no anthropological examination could be carried out. Facial bones have been removed and the cavity filled with cotton wool and sewn up. Several bones in the limbs still keep the mummified remains of muscles together. The body appeared to have been secured in the bog with wooden hooks and sticks in the same way as the female body in Haraldsk

-f-=?1-1CP1'~1Lfl-p:::f)L I - l 1.L..= L 1---;--1., --:;:1.1 li-1r-1i-1r-1r=- -Jr Jr J r', I r Ilnllnllnllrrlln Fig. 36b. Selvedge of blanket from Auning Mose. Kantbort pil treppe fra Auning Mose. Fig. 36a. Blanket from Auning Mose (Randers Museum). Treppe fra Auning Mose. (Randel's Museum). reconstruct the pattern with some degree of certainty. In the diagram (Fig. 363) the thin lines indicate the torn edges. The lowest part to the left is either missing or the surviving scraps have been impossible to piece together.

29b. Lykkegaardens Mose, Fovsing parish, S~nderhald herred. In September 1945 the skeleton of a c. 20-30 year-old person was found in Lykkegaardens Mose58). The left lower arm was missing, but because all other parts of the body were exceptionally well preserved the arm is unlikely to have been deposited in the bog with the body. According to the finder, there was a 2-ply cord round the neck of the man but most of it was lost. Dr. Kurt Broste reported that no pathological changes could be discerned, particularly with regard to the cervical vertebrae59). 56 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

30. Refstrup Hovedgaard, Gadbjerg parish, T~rrild herred. A skin cape60) found in a bog on the Refstrup estate at a depth of about 4 ft reached the Natio- nal Museum in 1945. The cape has no yoke, it is carefully sewn and the neck-opening and one front edge is edged with a narrow strip of skin binding. Its maximum length from the neck edge to the lower edge is 0.75 m, its minimum length is 0.63 m. The width of the neck edge is 0.63 m, the lower edge is incomplete. In the seams can be seen overcast sewing and hemstitch (Fig. 370). 31. M~gelmose, Jelling parish, T~rrild herred. In 1857 in M\2lgelmose a farm worker found the body of what was taken to be a child of about 10-12 years old. The finder said that the body was almost upright in the bog and wore a skin jacket61) "so large that it could have belonged to an adult" (Fig. 435)62). It is worth noting that the body had not apparently been deliberately deposited in the bog as was usually the case, but the body of someone (probably a woman) sucked alive into the mire, i.e. possibly an accidental death, and this may well mean that the body was clad in everyday clothes. The width of the jacket across the shoulders is about 1m, and round the chest immediately beneath the sleeves it is almost 1.50 m, that is to say the width across the chest is about 0.75 m. This does not give the impression that the garment was intended to be close-fitting, nor do the measurements tell us much about the size of the wearer. The length from the lower edge to the middle of the shoulder is 0.72 m. A gore is inset where each sleeve is fitted to the side piece. The jacket is either of sheepskin or calfskin, the back and front are made up of four similar pieces which appear to be the back pelts of four animals. Each skin has a stripe down the middle where the hair changes direction. The yoke and sleeves of the dress are made from two similar pieces but reversed. On each of these is a tuft or swirl where the hair turns. At the middle of the neck and in front beneath the chin, the yoke pieces are joined, and beneath the seam is inset a little patch of skin. Sewn in overcast with narrow strips of leather. The garment is intended to be pulled on over the head like a poncho. A pollen analysis undertaken by Dr. J. Iversen dates the find to the Stone Age.

32. Haraldskrer Mose, Skibet parish, T~rrild herred. In the autumn of 1835 some workmen found the body of a woman at a depth of about 3 ft while digging a ditch. All the circumstances of the find showed that the body had not ended in the bog by accident, but had been deposited there on purpose. It was secured to the bottom of the bog by wooden hooks (Fig. 37), one across each knee and one across each elbow, as an additional precaution two broken branches over the breast and abdomen pinned down the body. The head faced east and the legs west. The remains of clothing and a skin garment63) were found with the body, the latter was virtually mummified and fairly well preserved. Unfortunately there is little information as to the position of the clothing, it has simply been recorded that a skin jacket was found on top of the body and beneath it a fragment of underwear. And unfortunately the scraps of cloth are so small that no hint of the original shape of the garment is gIven. As described in the Introduction, the Haraldsk

Fig. 37. Wooden hooks from Haraldskrer Mose. Fig. 38. Fringe on piece of cloth from Haraldskrer Mose Tneprele fra Haraldskrer Mose. Fig. 39. Frynse pA tliljstykke fra Haraldskrer Mose, fig. 39.

Fig. 39. Detail of piece II with fringes from Haraldskrer Mose (3707 cl). 1/1•

Detaille af tliljstykke II fra Haraldskrer Mose. (3707cl). III. 58 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

Fabric ]67), the largest of the three pieces, measures 64 x 49 em. It is now medium brown in colour but with a very bleached area in a straight line, this could well indicate that it faded after being removed from the bog. According to the 1836 register, the fabric had already been microscopically examined, the yarn was found to be sheep's wool. It is woven in 2/2 twill, the yarn of the warp and weft is Z-spun. The weft has the characteristic crossings which show that several weft threads were worked at one time. There are 106 warps and 73 wefts to 10 x 10 em. The cloth has two closed borders, one is turned over and hemmed with one Z-spun thread, the other edge is a tubular-woven selvedge of the usual kind (Fig. 152). It is regularly woven with 26 warps. The other edges are frayed. Fabric //68). Fig. 39 shows a detail of a scrap of golden brown cloth. It measures 0.30 x 0.24 m. The yarn is sheep's wool and the weave 2/2 twill. The thread count is 107 warps and 80 wefts to 10 x 10 em. The yarn of warp and weft is Z-spun. The cloth is finely striped in both directions, and the stripes are made by two dark threads; the distance between the stripes is 10 and 13 em. One longitudinal edge is hemmed with a single Z-spun thread, one transverse edge is fringed, each fringe is finished in a knot (Fig. 38). The individual threads in the fringe are presumably cut off (separate lengths) because no regular twisting is discernible. The fringed edge is also oversewn in buttonhole stitch, one stitch per fringe. A small section of selvedge is preserved although the edges of the cloth are otherwise torn. There are a few fringes here made from the protruding weft threads. This selvedge is also oversewn in buttonhole stitch, although the stitches are worked in reverse, i.e. into the material from the edge. Fabric //]69) is a narrow strip woven in sheep's wobI from a piece with a large checkered pattern in dark brown and golden brown. The weave is 2/2 twill, and the yarn of the warp and the weft is S-spun. The thread count is 88 warps and 54 wefts to 10 x 10 em. It is 0.76 m long and at its broadest 0.26 m wide. The piece is not mentioned in the 1836 register, it is therefore uncertain whether it belongs to the Haraldsk

Cap. During an examination of the Haraldsk

Fig. 40. Edging and seam of skin cape (3705) from Haraldskrer Mose. 1/1. Haraldskrer Mose. Kantning og sl'lm pii skindslag. (3705). 'II.

Fig. 41. Hair-net or cap in sprang, presumably from Haraldskrer Mose. About '/3. Fragment af spranget hiirnet eller hue, formentligfra Haraldskrer Mose (u.nr.). Ca. 'h. 60 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

33. Moselund, Bording parish, Ginding herred.

In 1884the body of a man 5 ft 9 ins tall, and wearing a woollen costume71), was found in a bog near Moselund. All the original sewing threads were lost (Fig. 409), whereupon an attempt was made to sew the garments together so that they resembled a kind of trouser suit with matching cape. That this was a misconception is obvious for the simple reason that the costume had no opening which would allow a person to get into it. An examination carried out in 1938 showed that all the pieces of cloth in fact combined in a single garment (Fig. 42). With the help of fold marks caused by the costume's long sojourn in the bog and a number of incisions caused by a spade when digging the body out of the peat, the costume could be reconstructed, and the way the pieces are now sewn together may be considered reliable. A pollen analysis dates the find to the late Iron Age or early Middle Ages, and judging from the pattern of the costume, the most likely dating is the latter. The fabric is very well preserved almost with the texture of freshly woven cloth (Fig. 43). The costume does not seem to have suffered damage before ending in the bog, or to have suffered any wear and tear when worn as there are no old mends to be seen. As mentioned in the above, the slashes in the cloth are most likely made by a spade. The body most likely lay face downwards in the bog, in that the damage is largely to the back of the kirtle. None of the slashes have rough or compressed edges which would suggest that the wearer had been staked to the bottom. The weave is three-shaft twill like the Kragelund kirtle (Find 18), and the material is dark sheep's wool. There are 14warps and 10wefts to 1x 1cm, but a thread count over a large area is difficult because the fabric has been fulled. The warp is Z-spun and the weft is S-spun. The illustration (Fig. 42) shows that the costume is a kirtle with long sleeves. Its pattern is given in Fig. 409, from the pattern it will be seen that the garment consists of a front piece, a back piece, sleeves and a number of gores. Front piece. From the highest point of the shoulder seam to the lower edge the front piece measures 1.24 m. The width with no insets is 0.55 m, and as the selvedges are intact here we have the original loom width (see Fig. 409, chapter X). Back piece. Both the length and width correspond with the front piece. However, the cut of the upper part of the kirtle affects the width here. The deep armholes cut in the front piece reduce the width here at its narrowest to only 42 cm (a horizontal line immediately beneath the slit of the neck-opening), whereas in a line across the back at the same level the width is 61 cm. The width is increased here by gores inset in the sides of the kirtle continuing beyond the level of the shoulder blades. In front the gores are cut away by the armholes. This curious disproportion, though, is unlikely to mean that the wearer was in any way de- formed; the intention was probably to give the kirtle sufficient width for it to fall cape-like from the shoulders and down the back in a becoming manner. Every piece of the costume is extremely evenly cut, the only flaw is one side gore in which the lower part is made up of two bits of cloth, whereas the other gore is in one piece. The kirtle is slit up the middle in front and behind. The gores set in the slits are pleated at the top, and the folds are still sharp. The slit in front is 69 cm long, and the one behind 57 cm. From the front slit to the back slit the lower edge of the kirtle measures 1.24 m. The two halves are identical, therefore the full measurement of the lower edge is 2.48 m. The length of the sleeve at its longest is 53 cm, the width at the wrist is only 22 cm which suggests that the wearer had a small hand, or perhaps the custom was to seam the sleeves afresh whenever the garment was put on. Although the sleeve has only one seam it is cut to give elbow room and the arm freedom of movement. CHAPTER 1. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 61

Fig. 42. Man's kirtle from Moselund (5238-39). Moselund. Mandskjortel. (5238-39).

Fig. 43. Detail showing the texture of the fabric in Fig. 42. lit. Detalje af fig. 42. III. 62 MARGRETHE HALO: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

34-36. Rflnbjerg Mose, Rflnbjerg parish, Ginding herred.

Three times the remains of bodies and clothing72) have been found in R0nbjerg Mose. The first body was buried in the local churchyard in 1886, but from the correspondence between the local authorities and the National Museum it appears that the museum insisted that the following three items be sent to Copenhagen:

I. Sheath of a knife, a cap, a piece of cape, possibly of sheepskin, in which the body was wrapped. However, these objects cannot be traced in the museum, perhaps they were not considered to be of interest, but the possibility that they have been mixed with other later items from the same site cannot be excluded. The next find was recovered in 1891, and the objects received by the National Museum are recorded as follows: II. Four pieces of a sheepskin garmenC3), a piece of woollen cloth woven in "twill" (altered to "tabby"), fairly coarse with a patterned weave74), a leather strap, incomplete, 516 ins wide, possibly the fragment of a belC5). Of these items only the sheepskin and the leather strap can be identified because the box with the R0nbjerg collection contained other pieces of cloth, none of which were numbered. It is therefore not clear which piece was originally numbered D 2625, nor can it be determined whether in fact the various pieces belong together. Indeed, the opposite may be the case, as they do not all appear to be from the same period. For the present investigation all the textiles are given the number D 2625 with an additional initial per item76). Five pieces (D 2625 a-e) are at any rate similar (some scraps may also belong to this group). The pieces come from a garment similar to the kirtle from Moselund but unfortunately only about a quarter of it is intact (Fig. 44). A gore joined to the almost complete front piece is a detail which discloses the medieval cut of the kirtle. The shoulder seam and the slit by the neck-opening are in the same manner as those of the Moselund kirtle. The fragment also has a cut similar to a number of the famous costumes from Herjolfsmes in Greenland. The sleeves are missing. The shape of the separate pieces is depicted in Fig. 410. As the pieces are tech- nically fairly similar only two will be described here. Piece a. has a thread count of 86 Z-spun warps and 124 S-spun wefts to one 10 x 10 cm sample patch, and 78 warps and 138 wefts in another. Piece b. has 96 warps and 134wefts to 10x 10cm. The number of weft threads is thus noticeably high, and diverges clearly from the textiles we know from the Iron Age. A closely woven weft seems to be a characteristic of medieval textiles. The remains of cloth garments found in the graves of medieval Norsemen in Greenland have the same strange detail. The resemblance between the R0nbjerg textiles and those from Greenland is so close that it would be difficult to tell them apart if they were mixed together77); the colour tones are also stri- kingly similar. In both cases the warp is dark, thick and unusually tightly spun, whereas the weft is loosely spun and lighter in colour (Fig. 45). The weave is 2/2 twill. Fragments (D 2625 f). A collection of thirteen scraps in all, none are of any particular interest. In one fragment a bit of selvedge is intact but in such poor condition that it cannot be properly examined. A weft thread can be seen turning and returning in the next shed (Fig. 145b). These fragments are not all of equal quality, possibly one belongs to the kirtle. The yarn of the warp and weft is spun differently everywhere. The yarn of some of the scraps is dark sheep's wool. Fragment (D 2625 h) ofanarrow strip, original width 14·cm. Its maximum length is now c. 45 cm. The textile is woven of yarn of very varying quality and in three different shades of brown, CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 63

Fig. 44. Fragments of a medieval kirtle from R12Snbjerg Mose (2625 a-e). R~nbjerg Mose. Fragmenter af kjortel fra middelalderen. (2625 a-e).

Fig. 45. Detail showing the texture of the kirtle Fig. 44. 1/). Stofpr~ve fra kjortlen fig. 44. 1/1. 64 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS possibly with some cow hair. Primarily S-spun but one selvedge has a darker border of fine wool which is Z-spun. In one or two places some 2-ply threads are also Z-spun. Along both selvedges are tubular-woven borders in tabby. The rest of the fragment is in 2/2 twill with broken diagonals. The fragment is not large enough to determine the twill pattern. Two transverse edges are seamed together, one edge appears to be original, but unfortunately the fragment is too damaged for a closer study to be made. There are 36 warps and 27 wefts to 5 x 5 em. The piece appears to be far older than the other textiles of the R~nbjerg find, and is reminiscent of the checkered cloth from Karlby Mose (Fig. 27), it may possibly be contemporary with the remains of the skin cape, and possibly with the poncho described below. Piece of cloth (D 2625 i) is woven in 2/2 twill of very coarse sheep's wool, c. 19 x 22 em. There are 47 Z-spun warps and 70 S-spun wefts to 10 x 10 em. The warp is dark brown and somewhat finer than the weft which is reddisb~brown. Three pieces of cloth (D 2625j) are all coarsely woven in tabby and reddish-brown in colour. They are clearly part of the same textile, and measure respectively 52 x 12em, 18x 15em, 25 x 15 em. One direction is S-spun and the other Z-spun. Poncho or tunic (D 2625 g) is a fairly rough fabric of brown sheep's wool. In spite of its bad condition it is possible to see that it was originally a garment of the poncho type, see Fig. 389. The warp and the weft are 2 S-ply, but the weft is coarser, more sharply defined and reddish in colour. It is woven in tabby, but the warp is so close that the textile is more similar to repp. Three 10 x 10 em samples gave thread counts of 138, 140and 140 warps, 44, 43 and 47 wefts. The loops are intact on all four edges, therefore the textile is a complete piece. The turns of the warp are shown in Figs. l45a-b. Two different weft threads have been used, shown in the diagram of the selvedge (Fig. 144). No crossing of weft threads is visible but there is one turning weft thread. A curious feature, though, is that new warp threads have been added to two areas in the textile. The knack of adding extra weft threads is known from Bronze Age cloths, probably done to correct an uneven weft, but the present example is puzzling. In Fig. 389 the diverging areas are marked in and lettered X and Y. An analysis of the "mock" warp is given in Figs. 46,47, which shows how the new thread passes behind two original warps and then backwards and forwards in the space, thus adding two new threads for each of the two original ones, a neces- sity in order to avoid disturbing the tabby weave. A warp thread skipping over three threads (Fig. 47) is another irregularity, but as the condition of the textile is generally too poor to enable an examination everywhere, we cannot say whether this is an isolated phenomenon, although it may be assumed that the irregularities are few and far between as the additional warp threads have done little to alter the textile's structure. The manoeuvre is adroitly accom- plished, and one may well ask how extra threads can be added to a pre-arranged warp. The turns of the secondary warp threads are pressed very close together in all four areas, the threads then separate gradually until they match the tension of the original warping, with the result that the width of the fabric is increased. These additions would have given the cloth the necessary width over the shoulders when it was worn. It is unlikely that these special areas would be as even if the width had been increased from one border only and then reduced again. It would also be very difficult to finish the work in the loops of the last row of the secondary warp like this, and at the same time continue weaving the original warp. The weaving method is not easy to define because the technical details of the textile are without parallel in Danish material, and our knowledge of the weaving tools indigenous to Denmark in antiquity is limited. I am inclined to think that weaving was begun CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 65

=11 ~ I~I =4 =Il~ ------

?J II II 8 II II Fig. 46. Analysis of poncho from Rysnbjerg Mose (D 2625, Fig. 389) showing the turns of the secondary warps. Analyse af poncho fra R\2InbjergMose, fig. 389, der viser omdrejningerne pa de indf\2ljede kredetrade. (D 2625).

11,-11-- 1== tr==-I'~ II II IIMHI Fig. 47. Diagram showing the irregular insertion of the secondary warp threads in the Rysnbjerg poncho (Fig. 389). Analyse af poncho fra R\2InbjergMose, fig. 389, der viser uregelmressighed i indf\2lringenaf de kunstige kredetrade. from both transverse edges and finished in the middle. But a search for evidence to show that the textile finishes here is not promising. Admittedly, the cloth is fairly loosely woven in places, and one or two returning wefts are discernible which could well have filled an uneven patch in the textile, but these details are not conclusive evidence. Apart from these interesting questions of technique, the textile is also exceptional as a garment because its appears to be a seamed poncho or tunic. The diagram in Fig. 389 depicts the textile spread out but this is not how it was worn, i.e. folded over the middle parallel with 66 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS the weft. The selvedges are seamed up each side from the transverse edges of the textile for about 70-75 cm. Open slits are left by the seams, presumably armholes, because although one edge is torn and difficult to examine, the other edge is oversewn, as if to strengthen it or to con- ceal it. The firm, regular oversewing has clearly not joined the two edges. Moreover, in the slit in the middle of the textile are some turning wefts, i.e. the remains of a selvedge which corresponds exactly to the outer selvedge (see Fig. 144). The textile is unfortunately very damaged just here, but in a number of places enough loops have remained intact for us to assume that the turning wefts are neither accidental nor due to faulty weaving. A slit has without doubt been woven vertically into the cloth at a level corresponding to the neck-opening of a poncho. That the edge is not cut and oversewn is additional proof that the textile was woven for a special purpose, viz. as a garment. Additional evidence is provided by the warp loops along both transverse edges, i.e. the length was predetermined. Cape. The very torn scraps of skin found in R¢nbjerg Mose are presumably from a cape similar to the other capes recovered from bogs (Figs. 359-371). As the fragments differ somewhat they are perhaps from more than one skin garment. III. The third body to be discovered in R¢nbjerg Mose was in 1921: a man of about 30 found at a depth of8 ft. No clothing is recorded in the register of acquisitions at the National Museum except for a pair of shoes. The shoes are of fairly thick leather cut in obe piece78) with the exception of the tongues indicated by a dotted line at the top edge (pattern Fig. 387). The outline of the foot is marked in the diagram to show the position of the foot in the shoe. The third dotted line indicates how the leather was folded round the foot. The lacing is over the instep and the shoe has been held in position by a leather strap c. 1cm wide tied once round the arch and instep. The hair side of the skin faced inwards. A loose extra skin sole with hair uppermost lined the right shoe, possibly cut from a dog skin. The shoes are of ox hide. The right shoe is patched twice on the bottom leather and has a strap behind the heel. It is not clear whether the strap was to pull the shoe on with, or an extra loop for another strap to pass through.

37. Vester Torsted Mose, Verst parish, Malt herred.

In 1913a very fragmentary skin garment79) was found by peat cutters wrapped round the body of a man. The slender trunk of a birch layover it, possibly to anchor it in the bog. Most of the skin garments recovered from bogs are either mantles or capes which can be flattened out (Figs. 359-371), but the present case is unusual in that a piece is cut out, and the edge round the hole turned over and strengthened with oversewing-~ This detail has been described as an armhole, but I am not convinced because it is doubtful whether an armhole would be as meticulously oversewn if a sleeve were to be fitted into it. The joins of several small pieces of skin round the hole sooner indicate that the detail is part of a hood worn closely round the face (Fig. 380) or, which I consider more likely, the collar of a skin cape with closed neckline like the Borre Mose cape (Fig. 372) which has a neck-opening measuring 70 cm as opposed to that of the present cape which is 60 cm. The sewing is in hemstitch and overcast.

38. Bog near Vejen, Vejen parish, Malt herred. In 1944Kolding Museum was sent a square piece of cloth (Fig. 48) recovered from a bog north- west of Vejen. Unfortunately no more details are known 80). The piece of cloth is c. 2.02 m long and 1.53 wide, the yarn is pale sheep's wool but now a very dark brown. The yarn of the warp is Z-spun, the weft is S-spun. The thread count to 10x CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 67

10 cm in the middle of the textile is 134 warps and 134 wefts. By the selvedges it is 147 warps and 124wefts, and 140warps and 142wefts. There are numerous crossing threads in the weft, primarily down the middle lengthwise. The weave is very regular and accurate. The analysis (Fig. 49) suggests a twill broken in both directions, viz. broken lozenge twill. The resulting pattern is of specks or checkers on edge. All four edges have borders offour-thread tablet-weave with cording, the tablets in pairs threaded right and left. The starting border is in poor condition and the most difficult part to analyse as a result, but it looks as though the warp threads of the textile are woven on the same principle as the starting borders of the Corselitze blanket (Fig. 57). There als.oappears to be a resemblance between the two textiles because the warp is not evenly put up, sometimes consisting of two threads, sometimes one thread. The tablet-woven borders are of uneven width. The starting border is made with 10tablets and the side borders with 6 or 7, for the closing border 14 tablets are used. The analysis of the side borders is shown in Fig. 50a, and it shows two weft threads in the same shed in the tablet- woven border: when one is turned in, the other is turned out, viz. the tablets only need to be turned for every alternate shed in the cloth. The analysis of the closing border, as shown in Fig. 50b, is akin to the Corselitze scarf (Fig. 59), in that the loops of the warp are turned over so that they lock into every other shed of the tablet-weave. Although the textile is not datable, certain details indicate that it is from the Migration Period, c. 300-400 A.D., it is also reminiscent of the large blankets of the Thorsbjerg find.

39. Vong Mose, Nykirke parish, Skads herred. In 1942a collection of cloth fragments from three different textiles were found in Vong Mose. Fig. 51 shows the shape of the two largest and two smaller pieces, all of the same quality, thick golden brown cloth in three-shaft twill. The yarn of the warp and the weft is S-spun. The thread count of piece I is 88 warps and 74 wefts to 10 x 10 cm, and of piece II 92 warps and 74 wefts to 10x 10cm. The textile is cut to a pattern, and there are traces of hems and sewing, but it is difficult to decide to what kind of garment they belong. The find includes some scraps of coarse, black woollen cloth, and some patches fastened with strips of leather to the paler fabric of pieces I and II. Clear traces of fulling are visible and the scraps have different shapes. Here and there an edge is turned over, possibly for a larger piece to be added. In the diagram (Fig. 51) the pieces are arranged as if they make up part of a garment. There are 80 and 100 threads to 10 x 10 cm. The yarn of the warp is S-spun and the weft is Z-spun. Finally, there is an oval piece of cloth c. 35 x 21 cm. It is of dark brown, coarse S-spun yarn woven in three-shaft twill, the thread count is 60 warps and 72 wefts to 10x 10cm. The yarn is sheep's wool, the dark pieces have been dyed with woad.

40. Porsmose, Starup parish, Skads herred.

Whip cord of sheep's wooI8l), three cords with 4-5 2-ply threads to each cord. The yarn is Z-twined and S-spun. The cord is 32 cm long, tied in a bow with one end knotted. It is 5 mm wide. The cord was found "a good way out in the bog" ,just over the sandy bed, nothing more is known nor can it be dated.

41. Arnitlund, Vedsted parish, Gram herred.

In a bog at Arnitlund a hide shoe82) was recovered. The vamp is of thinly cut strips of leather (Fig. 388, p. 327). A pollen analysis dated it to the early Iron AgeS3). 68 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

Fig. 50a. Diagram of the selvedge of the blanket from Vejen (Fig. 48). Analyse af sidekant pA fig. 48.

Fig. 48. Detail of blanket from the bog near Vejen (Koldinghus). Detaille af treppe era mose ved Vejen. (Museet pA Koldinghus). Fig. SOb. Diagram of the lower border of the blanket (Fig. 48). Analyse af underkant pA fig. 48.

------....------... ------...------. ------H Fig. 49. Diagram of the weave of the blanket (Fig. 48) from Vejen. Analyse af treppe era Vejen, fig. 48. CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 69

l' I I I I I I

~ I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I oj. <-- -. - •...- & 1.4 em - - - - ) Fig. 51. Pieces of cloth from Vong (J. No. 611/42). T\2ijstykker fra Vong. (J.nr. 611/42).

42. Undelev, Holb~l parish, Lundtoft herred. In 1797in a bog at Undelev, the body ofa man was found, the hair and nails of which were well preserved. The body was re-buried. According to the Oldsags-Commiteen's report84) the find was related to the group described above. It is written that the body was wrapped in skins, one with its hair side outwards and the other turned inwards. The skins were not the shape of garment, although they were held together with straps through eyelets. This would appear to be a skin cape of the same kind found elsewhere (Figs. 359-371). A shoe is also mentioned, made from a piece of cowhide with hair intact. The shoe had holes through which a leather thong kept the shoe on the foot, and it was joined at the heel with strips of skin instead of thread. Three hazel switches were recovered but no traces of other clothing.

43. Bolkilde Mose, Hjortspringkobbel, Svenstrup parish, Ais N~rre herred.

In 1946 two bodies were found in Bolkilde Mose near HjortspringkobbeI85). They lay close together at a depth of 2.5 m. Unfortunately the find was very disturbed and the surrounding peat had already passed through the cutting machine before archaeologists arrived on the scene. Apart from some human bones, three small scraps of net were recovered, evidently of plant fibre, and the remains of a plaited cord. Net. Fragments of net measuring respectively 10 x 8 em, 9 x 8 em and 8 x 8 em made in looped buttonholing. Unfortunately the scraps are very decomposed but two varieties of stitch seem discernible, one as shown in Fig. 299 but with loops reversed, the other as shown in Fig. 302, the loops are reversed here as well. Cord c. 13 em long and made by plaiting three strands, presumably plant fibre. 70 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

44. Thorsbjerg Mose, SJjnder-Brarup parish, SHes herred. In the period 1851-61 a considerable quantity of prehistoric finds spread over an area of about 86 half a square mile ) was recovered from Thorsbjerg Mose. The finds must be votive offerings thrown into the bog after a battle, many had been wilfully damaged. A number of iron objects were badly corroded by bog water but other metal objects, and those of wood or some other organic material were in an excellent state of preservation. These weapons, tools, baskets, gaming pieces, pottery, textiles, etc., appear to have been deposited in the bog over a period of time spanning from the early 2nd century to the early 5th century A.D.87). The textiles88) included two rectangular pieces of woollen cloth usually considered capes, a coat with long sleeves, and two pairs of trousers. These pieces have been in the Kiel Museum since 1864,and I have not examined them. The costume types are described in Chapter X.89). On the other hand, I made a technical examination in the 1940s of a number of smaller textiles in the National Museum in Copenhagen and of King Frederik VII's collection of Thors- bjerg finds90).

A scrap of cloth 91) c. 35 x 16 cm in 2/2 twill. The yarn is sheep's wool and S-spun in one direction and Z-spun in the other. The Z-spun threads of one short edge are twisted into a kind of S-plied fringe. These threads, of which there are 72 to 10cm, seem to have been the warp. The other set of threads is S-spun, and curiously enough every second pair of threads is missing, leaving a gap. These missing threads must have decayed, and this suggests that they were of another material - possibly vegetable fibres. 92 Strip of cloth ). A detail is given in Fig. 52. The fragment is 39 cm long, 7-9 cm wide, and dark brown. The yarn is sheep's wool, the weave is 2/2 twill, and the thread count to 5 x 5 cm is 41 Z-spun warps and 40 S-spun wefts. One original transverse border is preserved with some protruding warp loops. The latter are extremely interesting because of their special position. I am ofthe opinion that the piece is from a tubular-woven textile, and I have experimented with warping to try to discover the original warping arrangement (see Figs. 191-193). Fragment of tablet-woven band93), (Fig. 53), II cm long and 7 cm wide comprising 54 threads, ten of which on one long side are twisted alternately in pairs, the yarn is Z-spun. A change then occurs, and the threads are twisted in groups of 3-4 in the same direction. The principle is given in Fig. 54. The spinning direction of the yarn changes with the twisting of the cords. When the cord is Z-plied S-spun yarn is used, and conversely, to give an even surface. There are 13 wefts to 2 cm, the yarn is sheep's wool. Two pieces of dark brown cloth 94), both are clearly part of the same textile. Piecea is 39 x 31 cm, piece b is 26 x 44 cm. The weave is 2/2 twill with S-spun weft and Z-spun warp, and the yarn is coarse black sheep's wool. Piecea has 114warps and 94 wefts to 10x 10cm, pieceb has 113 warps and 102 wefts. Both pieces have three torn edges and one original selvedge with fringes (or traces of these) woven into a tablet-woven border (Fig. 55). The diagram of part of the fringe (Fig. 56) shows where I found one fringe with a loop, an examination revealed that the broken ends were in the border between the tablet-woven band and the cloth. In other words, the cloth's warp threads had been turned back and woven into the tablet weaving which is almost certainly the closing border. The tablet-woven border is in plain four-thread weaving, and the cords are alternately turned three by three. Some of the cords are lost, causing a distinct "belt"; in another spot can be seen the line where the turning direction of the tablets changes.

Twofragments of reddish-brown woollen cloth95). Piece a is 25 x 26 cm,piece b is 27 x 19 CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 71

Fig. 52. Strip of cloth with intact warp loops from Thorsbjerg (24821). 1/1. Thorsbjerg Mose. T\1IjstrimmeI med lukkede kredel\1lkker. (24821). 'II.

Fig. 53. Fragment of tablet-woven band from Thorsbjerg (24822). 312.

Fragment af brikvrevet b1'lndfra Thorsbjerg. (24822). 312. 72 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS cm. Both pieces are woven in 2/2 twill, but due to fulling the weave is indistinct. The yarn of the warp and weft is Z-spun, there are 26 warps and 21 wefts to 2 x 2 cm in a and 24 warps and 22 wefts to 2 x 2 cm in b. A tubular-woven selvedge is discernible at one spot, and along a scrap of frayed edge are faint traces of an oversewing which resembles braiding stitch. The wool is fine textured, possibly white lamb's wool. Fragment of woollen cloth 96)c. 10x 7 cm. The yarn of the warp and the weft is S-spun. The weave is tabby with 18 threads in one direction and 12 in the other to 2 x 2 cm with a tablet- woven border of four cords Sand Z twisted alternately in pairs. It is impossible to say whether this is a selvedge or a starting border. The yarn is possibly lamb's wool.

45. Roersdarn, Nreraa parish, Skarn herred. The discovery of a body in a peat bog is described in Annaler for Nordisk Oldkyndighed 1836-37: "About twenty years ago when cutting peat in Roersdam near Odense the well preserved body of a woman was discovered. It was clothed in roughly dressed skins not sewn together with thread but with strips of skin like native clothing in uncivilised countries. The body and the clothes it wore are preserved in St. Knud's Church in Odense"97).

46. Raunholt, Herrested parish, Vinding herred. The find appears to be lost. It is included here for the record, and to show that already in the 18th century bog bodies stirred the interest of the authorities and were investigated. The Recorder reported: "On the 4th June a corpse was found 3 ft deep by a labourer when he severed a foot with his spade while cutting peat. At this sign of a human body four labourers cut more peat away to find the corpse of a man. I and two witnesses viewed the body which lay on its back, with both arms crossed behind the back as though the arms had been tied, but there was no proof of this. The body lay naked except for a sheepskin round its head. When removing the skin we found that the man had a reddish beard and short hair, as if it were to be covered by a wig. Before being touched the skin of the body was intact, except at the throat where we could see through to the bone. The front teeth were pushed in. Otherwise the body was quite whole and complete, including the limbs excepting the severed foot. But after having lain in the peat at a depth of 3 ft for so long the body was soft and rotten. It cannot be doubted that the man was put in the bog intentionally, some branches and twigs crosswise over the body were to prevent it from floating away. We saw no disturbance in the layers of peat to indicate a grave and concluded, therefore, that the body had been there for many years. Notice is hereby given should a person or persons be in possession of information about this matter, or if there is known to be someone missing or otherwise unaccounted for, that the information be reported to me. Raunholt, 4th June 1773. Hans Christian Fogh, Judge and Recorder, Raunholt Birk."

47. Corselitze Hovedgaard, Sdr. Alslev parish, Falster's Sf<}nderherred. The body of a woman wrapped in woollen cloth was recovered from a bog on the land of the Corselitze estate in 1843. Unfortunately the body was immediately interred in the parish CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 73

Fig. 54. Diagram of Fig. 53. Notice that the direction of spinning is the reverse of the plying of the tablet cords. This gives a fine smooth surface. Analyse til fig. 53. Bemrerk, at spinderetningeme g1'lrmodsat Fig. 56. Diagram of fringe Fig. 55. snoningsretningen p1'lbriksnorene, hvilket giver vrevet en fin, glat overflade. Analyse af frynsen, fig. 55.

Fig. 55. Detail of piece of cloth with fringes from Thorsbjerg Mose (24823). 1/\. Thorsbjerg Mose. Detalje af wjstykke med frynser. (24823). '/" 74 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS churchyard. However, Crown Prince Frederik (later Frederik VII) made arrangements for it to be exhumed and sent to the Museum for Nordiske Oldsager98) (now the National Museum). According to the register of acquisitions and the report published by the Commission of Anti- quities, the body was wrapped in a textile woven in four-shaft and fastened by two different kinds of laces: a length of woollen cord and a flat, woven band. A bronze fibula found by the woman's neck (Figs. 205a-b) dates the find to 300 A.D., here, too, were seven glass beads, evidently part of a necklace99). No record of the conditions of discovery exists as the find was dug up by unsuspecting labourers. Nevertheless, the Corselitze find is particularly significant because the fibula dates it to the Migration Period. The textiles 100) are as follows: A piece of cloth 101) see diagram Fig. 58. It is c. 1.37 m long and 1.65 m wide. It is of sheep's wool woven in 2/2 twill (Fig. 57). The yarn of warp and weft is Z-spun. Near the selvedge there are 144warps and 118wefts to 10x 10cm, further in there are 122warps and 112wefts to 10x 10 cm. The weft threads cross here and there, some of the intersections are marked with crosses. One edge is torn, therefore the loom width cannot be established, but in two places along the edge which must be the starting border, scraps of tablet-woven border are preserved, respectively 19 cm and 13.5 cm long woven in four-thread tablet weaving with four tablets set in pairs. The edge opposite the tablet-woven border is a rough one, turned over and hemmed with large coarse hemstitch. A scrap of one selvedge 30-35 cm long intact along the other side edge appears to be tubular-woven. Two pieces of dark brown woollen cloth (Fig. 59) from the same textile woven in tabbyI02). The yarn is sheep's wool. One piece measures 97-104 cm in length, the other piece is c. 127 cm. The width is identical, viz. c. 28-30 cm. The yarn of both warp and weft is Z-spun. Near the starting border there are 104 warps and 105 wefts to 10 x 10 cm. The longest piece was presumably the first to be woven because the transverse edge has a starting border in four- cord tablet, weave. The warp threads are woven into it and continue over the edge in an unbroken warp (Fig. 171). The second piece has a tablet-woven closing border of the same type woven with 3 tablets. This is clearly a closing border as the warp threads pass through the tablet weave in pairs downwards. In the outer edge they turn and pass back upwards in the neighbouring shed. Both longitudinal edges have a well preserved tubular selvedge in tabby (Fig. 152). Tablet-woven band (Fig. 60) with six four-thread tablets in plain tablet weave. The warp is Z-spun, the weft S 2-ply. The band is 70 cm long and 0.5 cm wide and pale reddish-brown in colourI03). The yarn is light sheep's wool. This and a few threads are all that remain of the fastenings mentioned in the register, the woollen cord is missing. Piece of cloth. A piece of yellowish-brown cloth in 2/2 twtII now among the Corselitze textiles has not been mentioned in any early recordsI04), and it is doubtful whether it is indeed part of the find. But as the piece resembles the other Iron Age textiles recovered from bogs, also from a technical point of view, I will include ithereI05). The textile measures c. 45 x 55 cm and is very torn (Fig. 61) with part of two selvedges intact; one is a tubular-woven side edge of 24 warps, similar to the tubular-woven borders of other bog textiles, not a tablet-woven border as I had once assumed 106). The contiguous transverse edge is a narrow plaited border made by pulling the loops along the edge over each other, a fairly common detail in Iron Age textiles. The diagram in Fig. 184 shows the position of the loops before being plaited together. The yarn of both warp and weft is Z-spun, there are 87 warps and 80 wefts to 10x 10cm. The yarn is sheep's wool. CHAPTER I. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 75

Fig. 57. Detail of piece of cloth from Corselitze (C 7325a). 1/1. Corselitze. Detaille af tl'ljstykke. (C 7325 a). '/"

1lj4T. o 118S•

. ------144 'Tn ------_ ------Fig. 58. Diagram of the piece of cloth from Corselitze (Fig. 57). Tegning af tl'ljstykke era Corselitze, fig. 57.

48. Horreby Lyng, Horreby parish, Falster's S~nder herred.

In 1940another bodyl07) was found during peat cutting in Falster but only a few small scraps of skin were sent to the National Museum, presumably from a skin cape of the kind usual among bog finds.

49. Textiles of unknown provenance. Three pieces of unnumbered woollen cloth were found in a box stored with the other boxes containing textiles recovered from bogs, but in spite of widespread inquiries it has not been 76 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS possible to find out where these pieces come from. This is particularly unfortunate because one of them (I) corresponds to the tubu Jar-woven garment (Fig. 443a-b) of the Huldremose find (No. 28) and is therefore extremely interesting. This piece of cloth (I) is depicted in Fig. 62, it is very torn and looks more like a threadbare sack open at each end. It is 137cm high and 2 x 120cm wide. The yarn is now dark brown, and both the warp and weft are S-spun, the weave is 2/2 twill. The diagonals change direction about 67 cm from one selvedge. In the middle of the textile the thread count is 76 warps and 68 wefts to 10x 10cm, at the edge 88 warps and 72 wefts are counted to 10x 10cm. Two crossing threads per shed can be seen, therefore three different weft threads were worked at the same time. The yarn is sheep's wool. It is not clear whether the full loom width has survived, as an edge has been mended in antiquity, and it is difficult to decide whether the edge is a selvedge which has been oversewn, or whether the threads were cut before the mending was done. The interesting part about the textile, though, is the way in which the sack has been closed. The two transverse edges are joined (Fig. 63), because this has been done during the course of the weaving, not by sewing. The warp loops along the lines have a thread running through them, connecting them in exactly the same way as the "lock" of the tubular-woven piece from Huldremose. And as there are also related textiles from Thorsbjerg and Rcebild, we may assume that this warping arrangement was a detail which was usual, not one that was simply the result of a single weaver's ingenuity. The other two textiles from the same box seem to be of completely different origins, they have probably been put with the tubular-woven fabric by accident, as the weaving technique and texture of the cloth is more akin to medieval textiles. a) The maximum measurements of one piece are 54 x 36 cm, there are 33 warps and 18wefts to 2 x 2 cm. b) The second piece measures c. 52 x 30 cm, there are 30 warps and 19wefts to 2 x 2 cm. The. warp is Z-spun and the weft S-spun. Both pieces of cloth appear to be typical examples of warp-twill woven in 3-shaft. The yarn is sheep's wool in both cases.

Fig. 59. Two tablet-woven transverse edges on a textile from Corselitze (7325b). 1ft. Corselitze. Brikvrevede borter p1it~jstykke. (7325 b). 'I •. CHAPTER J. TEXTILES AND SKiNS FROM PEAT BOGS 77

Fig. 61. Tubular-woven selvedge of cloth, possibly from Corselitze (7325x). 1/1. Rundvrevet sidekant pAtlo'jstykke, muligvis fra Corselitze. (7325 x). 'II.

Fig. 60. Tablet-woven band from Corselitze (7325c). III. Corselitze. Brikvrevet bAnd. (7325 c). 'II.

SKIN BAGS

SOa. Grauballegaards Mose, Svostrup parish, Hids herred.

Two skin bags 108). In 1942 three small bags were found deep in the peat of Ny Grauballegaards Mose during peat cutting. One of the bags was lost but the other two (Fig. 64) were sent to the National Museum. They contained a quantity of little round stones (possibly gaming pieces or toys), but unfortunately the finders threw the stones away. The largest bag is 27 cm long and 40 cm wide, while the smallest is only c. 19 x 30 cm. The skins have been pulled in one piece from the carcases, therefore the opening is at the neck end and fastened by a peg stuck through first one edge and then the other.

SOb. Kedelmose, Vester Riis Avlsgaard, Testrup parish, Rinds herred.

Skin bag 109). In 1944 a skin bag made from a whole uncut skin pulled from an animal was found in Kedelmose together with a leather bag, some horn items and a wooden peg. The shape of 78 MARGRETHE HALO: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BUR1ALS the skin bag was similar to that described above. As no archaeologically datable objects were recovered from either find no dating is possible. This kind of skin bag has not been recovered before in Denmark, but there is little doubt that these bags are extremely old. The type is still used in primitive circumstances. The earliest literary source in the North to mention a skin used like this is perhaps the saga about the gods who slew Oter, and who, as a punishment, had to skin him, and fill and cover the skin with gold!IO). In the ancient Norse region, namely Iceland and the Faroe Islands, skin bags like these were used until very recently!!!). The Thorshavn Museum in the Faroe Islands has a clothes bag of baby sealskin, one whole uncut skin. Indeed, the custom of using a whole skin as a container, or to transport goods in (Fig. 65), seems to be widespread throughout the world.

Fig. 62. Tubular-woven cloth of unknown provenance. The two marks denote the line where the warp loops are joined. Rundvrevet t~jstykke af ukendt oprindelse. De to mrerker angiver den linie, hvor kredel~kkerne er samlet.

Fig. 63. Detail of cloth in Fig. 62. 2/I.

Detalje af t~jstykket, fig. 62. 2/]. CHAPTER 1. TEXTILES AND SKINS FROM PEAT BOGS 79

Fig. 64. Bags of animal skin from Grauballegaards Mose (J. No. 546/42). Poser af dyreskind fra Grauballegaards Mose. (1.m. 546/42).

Fig. 65. Eskimo bag of reindeer calfskin (Ph. K. Birket-Smith). Eskimo-pose af renkalveskind. (Fot. K. Birket-Smith). 80 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

Notes

1) Magister C. Overgaard Nielsen has examined the materials of the garments, and Magister M. Skytte Christiansen has analysed the dyes. See reports by these two experts on P. 137-39. 2) D 1310-12. Mestorf: 44. Ber., P. 30. 3) D 1310. N0rlund: KI

30) C 5030. Mestorf: 44. Ber., P. 30, Find 32. 31) D 11103 a-c. N0rlund: KI

dum parish, Galten herred, and another from a bog at Rindsholm, Viborg county. As far as I know neither of these finds is preserved. 37) In the Vesthimmerland Museum, Aars. 38) D 4854 a-e. Mestorf: 44. Ber., P. 28, Find 29. N~r1und: Klcededragt, P. 22. 39) D 4854a. Some hair found with the body was straight blonde human hair. 40) See Fig. 142. 41) Skin capes numbered Mus. no. 4854 b-e. 42) C 3471-80 and D 3505. 43) Mestorf: 44. Ber., Pp. 24 & 28, Find 26 & 27. N~rlund: K1cededragt, Pp. 22 & 48. 44) C 3473. 45) C 3474. 46) C 3475. 47) C 3472. 48) C 3471. Both skin capes were wrapped round the upper torso. 49) C 3476. 50) C 3476a. 51) C 3477. 52) C 3479. 53) C 3478. 54) C 3480. 55) D 3505. 56) Owned by Randers Museum. Mestorf: 44. Ber., P. 28, Find 28. 57) Mestorf: 44. Ber., P. 28 (although the skin cape is not mentioned). 58) J.no. 619/45. 59) Anthropologisk Lab. 16/11/1945. 60) D 7994. N~rlund: K1cededragt, P. 22. 61) Mus. no. 16316. Mestorf: 44. Ber., P. 22, Find 24. N~r1und: Klcededragt, P. 22, Pp. 49-50. 62) Probably the shrunken body of a woman. 63) Mus. no. 3705-07. A lock of straight fine blond human hair has also been examined. Anonymous article (most likely C. J. Thomsen): Bemcerkninger om et Fund af et mumieagtigt K vinde- Lig. Annaler 1836-37, P. 159 ff. 64) N. M. Petersen: Udsigt over den norske Dronning Gunhildes Levnet. Annaler 1836-37, P. 80-104. H. K. Rask: Det opgravne Lig. Morskabslcesning for den danske Almue 1839, NO.2, P. 17 ff. 65) J. J. A. Worsaae: Hvorvidt kan man antage, at det i Haraldskjcer-Mosen (1835) opgravede Liig er den norske Dronning Gundhildes? Historisk Tidsskrift III, 1842, P. 249. N. M. Petersen: Y derligere Bemcerk- ninger om Dronning Gunhilde? Annaler 1842-43, Pp. 262-326. Anonymous: Museet for Nordiske Old- sager; Antiquarisk Tidsskrift 1843, P. 21. Beskrivelse over nogle mindre Fund af mcerkelige Oldsager. Annaler 1842-43, Pp. 173-74. (Haraldskjcer-Ostfrisland). 66) H. Handelmann und Ad. Pansch: Moorleichenfunde in Schleswig-Holstein. 1873, P. 14. Mestorf: 42 Ber., P. 20-21, Find 10. Hahne: Moorleichenfunde, P. 3. A. Sandklef: The Bocksten Find. Acta Ethnolo- gica II, 1937, P. 40. G. Gjessing: Skjoldehamndrakten. Viking II, 1938, P. 32. H. C. Broholm & Margrethe Hald: To sprangede Tekstilarbejder i danske Oldfund. Aarb~ger 1935, P. 29. Same authors: Costumes of the Bronze Age in Denmark, 1940, P. 141. Same authors: Skrydstrupfundet. En s~nderjydsk K vindegrav fra celdre Bronzealder. Nordiske Fortidsminder III, 1939, P. 68. N~r1und: Klcededragt, P. 22. 67) 3706 c. 68) 3707 Cl. 69) 3707 c2. 70) 3705. 71) C 5238-5239. Mestorf: 44 Ber., P. 24, Find 25. N~r1und: Klcededragt, Pp. 22, 35, and Fig. 28. 72) D 2624-26 and D 10 161. Skive Museum also owns a well preserved skin cape of the same kind as those in Figs. 359-371. 73) D 2624. 74) D 2625. 75) D 2626. 76) Possibly sheep's wool mixed with cow hair. 77) A piece of cloth from Greenland (Mus. no. D 8081) I examined for the sake of comparison is Z-spun warp and S-spun weft. The thread count c. 105 and 200 warps and wefts to 10 x 10 cm. The R~nbjerg cloth is spun in the same manner, but the Norse cloth is more finely woven. 78) D 10161. N~r1und: Klcededragt, P. 58. 79) D 8262. 82 MARGRETHE HALD: ANCIENT DANISH TEXTILES FROM BOGS AND BURIALS

80) The textile was sent to the laboratories of the National Museum for cleaning and conservation. I am grateful to the Kolding Museum's committee for permitting me to examine it. 81) C 18342. 82) At the Haderslev Museum (no. 3800). 83) The Skrydstrup find, pp. 86-87. 84) Annaler 1836-37, Pp. 168-69. Handelmann and Pansch: Moorleichenfunde, Pp. 4-5 and 29. Antiqua- riske Annaler, vol. II, 1815, P. 406. Mestorf. 42. Ber., P. 18, Find 3. 85) J.no. 504/46. 86) Conr. Engelhardt: Thorsbjerg Mosefund, 1863. 87) Br!

93) 24822. Other tablet-woven textiles from Thorsbjerg, see Stettiner: Brettchenwebereien, P. 26 ff. 94) 24823 a & b. 95) 24824 a & b. 96) 24824 C. 97) Annaler, 1836-37, P. 168. cf. Handelmann& Pansch: Moorleich. P. 13. Mestorf: 42. Ber., P. 22, Find 14. 98) Antiquarisk Tidsskrift 1843-45, Pp. 21-22. Mestorf: 42. Ber., P. 22, Find 15. Handelmann & Pansch: Moorleichenfunde, P. 9. Stettiner: Brettchenwebereien, P. 27. Thomsen: Aarb!

101) 7325 a. Thomsen: Aarb!

103) 7325 C. Aarb!

104) Thomsen: Aarb!

110) Den a:ldre Edda, tr. by Olaf Hansen, P. 169 ff. V!