The Viking age Volume 2 ; the early history, manners, and customs of the ancestors of the English-speaking nations - Tapa blanda

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1889 Excerpt: ...and old English coins.--Oland. The women's outer garments were more or less similar to those of men. The principal were the skikkja and mattul, a kind of cloak worn by high-born women, without sleeves, usually fastened on the breast with a fibula, and the tygla mottul (strapcloak), used by men and women, sometimes with costly borders (hladbuinn), and lined with fur; but the term kvennskikkja (woman's cloak) implies some difference between theirs and those of the men. When travelling they wore overcoats, like men; the olpa, with hood of felt, and hekla. 'See p. 154. "A beggar-woman who died left a hekla, which was embroidered with much gold. The men of King Magnus (Erlingsson) took the cloak and burnt it, and divided the money among themselves. When the Birkibeinar (Sverris men) heard this they called them heklunga" (Sverri's Saga, c. 41; Fms. viii.). Women wore the skyrta or serk (chemise), either of linen or silk, next to the body. It was so made that the breast was partly uncovered. They slept in night-shirts, as we find from Fig. 1171.--From Bayeui tapestry. Woman with long dress.1 the frequent occurrence of the word nattserk, which in earlier times had long sleeves. When the house of the chief Gissur at Flugumyri was burnt by enemies, Ingibjorg, daughter of Sturla, escaped out of the fire. "She was dressed only in a night-shirt (natt-serk), and was barefooted; she was then fourteen winters old, tall and fine. 1 The name of,-Elgyva, mentioned on I daughter of Alfrun jarl, had been put in the tapestrv, is evidently the same as I Jomsborg to rule Vindland ' (St. Olafs the Northern Alfifa. I Saga, c. 252). "Svein, son of King Knut and Allifa, A silver belt was round her legs when she jumped out of her bed; a bag containing many of her pr...