The Dungiven Project: Part Shoe!

The Dungiven Project is my journey to attempt to recreate--to the best of my resources and abilities--the outfit from the Dungiven find; primarily a doublet, trius, pair of shoes, and a brat. There were a couple of other fragments--including a belt--but they are not quite as important.

After a day of wear at 3-Barons Renfair.  I got a number of compliments on them!

Norse Shoes: The Second Pair

Last year, I put together my first pair of Norse shoes--ugly things, and can be found HERE.  This time, I used a somewhat different pattern, attempting (unsuccessfully) to base them on the Staraya Ladoga pair, as well as making them much closer fitting (the last pair was made to wear with many socks), and in better leather.

So, this project is a fairly generic pair of Norse shoes, made for warm weather and Summer wear.

Staraya Ladoga shoe sketch.  Supposedly from

Swann, June, History of Footwear in Norway, Sweden and Finland,

Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien, 2001

Research Dump No. 6

Shoe notes
 A collection of notes about a pair of shoes based on the Oseberg.  I believe the information is good, but it is an angelfire site...so have your pop-up blocker ready.
http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/olafvanta/Dirk/shoes/dshoes.htm 

A HOARD OF 16-17TH CENTURY TOYS
An article on a collection of toys found hidden in an English church.
http://irisharchaeology.ie/2013/02/a-hoard-of-16th-and-17th-century-childrens-toys/  

14TH CENTURY WOMAN'S CLOTHING: THE LUTTRELL PSALTER PERIO
A decent article discussing the various pieces and layers of clothing from this period.
http://users.skynet.be/bister/Passion/Fichiers/14thcClothing.pdf 

A pair of Norse Shoes

Completed Shoes.  Not particularly attractive--especially unoccupied--but they should serve.

This particular project was inspired by a terrible need for a pair of early period shoes—something fairly generic, but period (Viking Age) in cut.  While I started by patterning off of the Oseberg 303s—and did keep the basic outline of that pair--, I ended up draping many trials in order to get the fit I desired.  My goal was to make a pair of shoes which met my desired purpose—something which could be worn in winter with heavy socks and would keep the snow out.

Overall, the shoes are based on a slightly simplified Oseberg 303s—a single piece upper with no center seam.  There is a dart in the center back (of the heel), covered by the triangular extension from the heel of the sole.  The heel extension was more commonly found on Anglo-Scandinavian footwear, but also on Oseberg 172[i].