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Woven into the Earth: Textiles from Norse Greenland by Else Ostergard |
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medieval clothes have survived to the present day, which makes the
Herjolfsnaes finds incredibly important. Found in Greenland in
1921, bodies had been wrapped in multiple layers of cast-off clothing
instead of coffins. However, despite their importance to the
medieval costumer, almost no information has been available in print in
English. This book meets this need with a vengeance!
There is some background information on the excavations and then discussion of the raw materials and how they were processed. The warp-weighted loom and the weaving patterns it produces are examined with close-up color photos of fabric samples. The chapter on the production of garments has b/w sketches of different stitches. The decoration of garments and clothing accessories are also covered. But the most exciting thing is the pictures of a number of garments, in color and printed reasonably large! There are gowns, tunics, hoods and hose. Each garment photographed is thoroughly discussed and line drawings are included as necessary to make details clear. Imported from Denmark, this fine long-awaited work is more than worth the price! Hardcover $49.95
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