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9th-10th Century Viking Clothes

Clothes were made of wool or linen (occasionally very rich people had silk). The materials were coloured using dyes extracted from plants. Commonly used colours were brown, green, yellow, orange and red. Colours like blue, purple and black tended to be more expensive to make so only richer people would wear them. The Vikings decorated the collars, cuffs and hems of their clothes with embroidery or woven braid, usually with simple patterns like triangles, crosses or zigzags. Viking women wore a pinafore called a "hangaroc" over one or more underdresses. The hangaroc had looped straps over the shoulders which were fastenned using "tortoise brooches". Strings of beads, combs, small knives, firestrikers and other small items were hung from the brooches. Elbow length underdress sleeves are easier to work in than full length sleeves. In cold weather women could wear hose and braes (similar to trousers) under their dresses. Viking men wore a T-tunic (like a long sleeved T-shirt) over hose and braes. Hose and braes were trousers made in two parts - the hose were the legs, and the braes were like baggy shorts. Free men had long hair which they wore in a variety of different styles. According to contemporary records Viking men were noted for being exceptionally clean and well groomed - they even used perfumed oils to scent themselves. Slaves had to wear their hair short. Everyone wore hats or hoods. The little girl's doll is made from a spoon with cloth wrapped around it and a face scraped or painted on. Medieval children didn't have many toys. Their toys would mostly have been made at home. Games like Blindman's Buff and Catch were played by adults as well as children. The Vikings also had board games such as chess and hnafltafl (King's Table) . You can print out the picture above and colour it in.

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