The
Moselund Kirtle
 |
| Top, Extant Garment; Bottom, My Reconstruction |
Crafted
and documented by Tiarna Bránn mac Finnchad
The Find
The
Moselund gown was discovered in a bog 1884, in the Moselund Region of Central
Jutland (Denmark), on a male bog body.
The body is stated to have been 180cm (6 feet) tall, and has been
radiocarbon dated to between 1050-1155AD.
It does not seem like there has been much in the way academic studies on
the find—just
about every page I have found refers to Ancient Danish Textiles from Bogs
and Burials by Margrethe Hald[1].
The
original museum reconstruction—since the threads had dissolved and the
garment was in all of its separate pieces—was as some kind of strange trouser suit
with a matching cape[i]. In 1938-1939[2]
it was re-examined and sewn together in its current configuration.
 |
| Central Jutland |
Description
The
Moselund find is a tunic, corresponding to Nockert Type 2[i]
or Nørlund Type Ic[ii],
with front and back slits. It is a
fairly loose fit, though with close shoulders, and semi set-in sleeves
(complete with ‘S’ sleeve heads). It appears to be mid-calf in length
(approximately 49 inches in length, according to my calculations). There appears to be little to no signs of
wear before it ended up in the bog, with its unfortunate wearer.
It has
been declared as the only surviving example of the blaðakyrtill (of the
Icelandic Sagas)[iii]. Looking into the term, kyrtill does
mean kirtle—nothing odd there…but blað
means leaf, blade, or skirt (of a kirtle).
Blaðra can also mean “to flutter to and fro”, which
may be an apt description of the skirts of this garment when being worn in the
wind or whilst riding.[iv]
