Part 2: The Jarls

January 1028, Western Scandinavia

The Jarls

Thorir Hund and Arnvithr came upon the home of Hallbjörn,[1] he the Jarl of Thorir’s Jarldom, that they called it Namdalen. Thorir, he related this, the tale of Leifr’s murder, at the hand of Christian men. And demanded he of Hallbjörn that he call the several Jarls together, in their councilways. “No more will these Christians of the South of Norway rule us, take our lands and children from us!” And so Hallbjörn did assent and called the Jarls together in good council.

The Jarls, each an ealdorman of many, many families, entered he within the long, broad, wide house that was the custom of the time. As we would call it here, it were a tent, perhaps, with roof of skins stretched tight across a skeleton of faggot sticks. A child’s toy, but all the Jarls would manage in the harshness of the truly North.

It were naught past mid-day here, Apollo reaching up and just above the horizont to bid the realm good huntingtime. Each the petty Jarls then entered, ducking low to enter through the door, and followed he then by his heathen retinue. These all be pagans of the North, and followed they the Old Religion that we sometimes say. And each the men would hang his shield, bitten, war-beaten, marked with Jarl’s own heraldry crossed ere with his, his own; and each the men would strike upon the shield with axe or sword, and make a loud report! And skalds would then announce each Jarl and say then who his father be, and his father’s father be, and what lands does he rule, and battles had he fought, and how many were his warriors, both with him in attendance, and at home.

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The common dress of men were made from worsted wool in patterns twill or linen cloth, and earth-tone colors were they in the main. Rather then, they wore them as they came right from the bolt, or add them dainty colors to the wool through simple dyes they had. Jewelry for dressing was the purview of the womenfolk. Viking men would wear a clasp to keep their cloak, and some would wear the beaded sleeve- or collar-ring, but rarely would then greater in their ostentations be. Metal were for war, and that is how the men would use it up.

The outer garment worn by men about this time is called the kyrtill, which means overtunic. Every kyrtill made was made from wool. It is surprisingly complex in its construction, for the seamstress must cut up the fabric into many pieces, and then sew them back together into shape. The kyrtill tailored fast to hug the chest and arms, without constricting movement of the limbs. Also did the skirt of it well demonstrate, by length, the wealth of he who wear’d it, for no beggar could afford the wasted fabric as it hung.  The skirts were tucked into the belt on warmer days.

The tunic had no fasteners adorning down the front; but rather did it have some braided cuffs and collars appliquè. Marry up again: the complication of this beading-work did well to shew the wealth of he who wore the thing. Jarls and other wealthy men would have their tunics made up with some beadwork, rather than the braids, and also would they have the lower hems adorned to show their greater wealth.

Undersmocks were made from linen. These were shaped in the manner of the kyrtill, but longer were they, once again to demonstrate the wearer could afford him such a thing. These were stitched together ere from any bit of linen left, for linen costed dear to Viking men, and were they often ragged.

Over this, when out of doors would travel to and fro, were coats or jackets, long were they, unto the ground, but only closed from neck to waist, for movement were allowed the legs, to get from place to place. Jackets, were they similar, but tied instead of clasped, for poorer men to wear. In either case, they came with cowl and without, depending on the maker, and what owner would expect from weather in that time and place.

Trousers were of two kinds then. One were like the pumphose knickers underlaid with hose and tied off at the knee. These were loose and baggy, and were like unto the kilt of Pictish men (but with the proper dignity intact betwain). This short baggy knicker, were it meant for Summer wear. The other kind were long and narrow, tailored to the man who wears them, and would cover up the foot entire, side and bottom and the back. Over these, the men would add some woolen socks, and then atop, the boot. Men would also wrap around these trouser legs with woolen wraps for warmth in colder climes.

Hats were of two kinds as well. One was like unto bycoketine[2] and made of silk with beadwork all around. The other was a skullcap, like the ones we see in southern lands, but lined with fur to keep the ears and head from freezing off entirely.

The colors women then would use (and men as well, at times) were red, from madder; blue from woad; and yellow, come from weld. Also did they use a violet dye from onions, and did overdye they then with several ground-herbs to make darker dyes as well. Green came up from weld as well.

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[1] Öö – Called an “O-Umlaut.” Most similar to the soft “oo” in “book.”

[2] pointed at the top, as in a hat.