Difference between revisions of "Hats & Hoods (Men)"

Revision as of 11:21, 7 January 2017

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This article's completion rating is 1 out of 5. Article planned for future work. No real progress to date.

Conical hat

The most typical depiction of head wear in the Viking Age as that of a simple cone ^{[EWING 2007]:p.117}.
Art

• England
  • Middleton Cross ^{[EWING 2007]:p.118}
  • Kirklrvington ^{[EWING 2007]:p.118}
• Iceland
  • Akureyi. Bronze figurine of Thor ^{[EWING 2007]:p.118}
• Sweden
  • Rallinge. Freya figurine ^{[EWING 2007]:p.118}
• Gotland
  • Larbro Tangelgarde and Sanda ^{[EWING 2007]:p.117}

Literature
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Archaeology
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Discussion
Although it is not possible to determine if the depictions are meant to be helmets or hats Ewing seems to think that it is more 'plausible' that they depict hats ^{[EWING 2007]:p.118}.
Croom states that in the Roman period the brimless conical hat was known as the 'freedman's cap' or pilleus. In the 1st and 2nd centuries and possibly for longer it was worn by freed slaves to show their improved status. It was also worn on special ceremonies such as funerals or festivals. ^{[CROOM 2000]:p.69}

Pillbox cap

Art
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Literature
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Archaeology

• Netherlands (600-900AD)
  • Leens. Two hats were found in Leens. Hat 2 is a pillbox cap. It is made from several pieces of the same diamond twill. It has decorative stitches along the seams. ^{[BRANDENBURGH 2009]:p.68}

Discussion
This style of hat was adopted by Roman soldiers from the late 3rd century. Roman pill-box caps could be made from sheepskin, fur as well as possibly from leather. Vegetius writing in the 4th century refers to a pannonian which is probably a pill-box hat. It may also be that a padded type of this hat was used under a soldiers helmet for padding. The pill-box cap became a symbol of the Roman soldier in much the same manner as the Roman military belt and as such was not work by the non-military. ^{[CROOM 2000]:p.69}

Forage style cap

Art
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Literature
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Archaeology

• Netherlands,4 hats dated to the period 700-1000AD have been identified from the Netherlands by Brandenburgh ^{[BRANDENBURGH 2009]}.
  • Oostrum (700-900AD): The hat was made from natural white wool which was dyed a light red woven in diamond twill, the decorative stitching was in darker red thread. This hat is similar in shape to the one from Aalsum, being close fitting and extending downwards over ears and back of the neck. ^{[BRANDENBURGH 2009]:p.69}
  • Aalsum (500-900AD): This hat is made out of four pieces of different diamond twills. The hat sits close to the head and extends downwards over the ears and the back of the neck. ^{[BRANDENBURGH 2009]:p.66}
  • Leens. Two hats were found in Leens. Hat 1 is a cap with and extension down the back of the neck. It is made from 3 pieces of different diamond twills. ^{[BRANDENBURGH 2009]:p.68}
  • Rasquert (800-900AD): This hat is made of fine diamond twill. The cap is similar to hat 1 from Leens being close fitting and extending down the back of the neck. ^{[BRANDENBURGH 2009]:p.69}

Discussion
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Naalbound hats

Art
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Literature
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Archaeology

• The hat of St. Symeon 1035AD. A naalbound hat that belonged to the saint and became a reliquary, to cure headaches, after his death. It was made of natural brown sheeps wool. Now in the Domschatz in Trier, Germany. ^{[HEYEN 2002]:p.493}
• The hat of St. Bernard of Clarivaux 1152AD. A probably naalbound hat belong to St. Bernard, now kept as a reliquary in a church in Niederwerth, Germany. http://www.bildindex.de/obj20599844.html#

Discussion
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Straw hats

A hat made from plaitted straw, reeds, willow, bast or other vegetable matter.

see the article page Sun hats for a full overview.

Art

• A later example can be found in Eadwine Psalter, Cambs. Trinity College MS R.17.1 f.?? c.1147AD

Literature

• Odin is described as wearing as wearing a broad-brimmed hat and a blue coat in the C13th Bagler Sagas. This may refer to a straw hat.

Archaeology

• Russia, Novgorod. A hat made of roots 'in the manner of a rush hat' and 'shaped like a straw hat' ^{[EWING 2007]:p.120} This hat does however date to the 14th C, which is a bit late for evidence of straw hats in the viking age. http://historic.ru/books/item/f00/s00/z0000170/st025.shtml

Discussion
It is very unlikely that any straw item would survive to be found. Always on poor people. This kind of hat was depicted in use during the Roman period and again in the C12th. It is likely that such a simple hat was in use by common agricultural workers throughout the Viking Age.

Felt hats

A hat made from compressed animal fibers Art
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Literature
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Archaeology
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Discussion
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Skull Caps

A brimless tight-fitting cap.
Art

• Bayeux Tapestry Boat Builder ^{[WILSON 1985]}

Literature
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Archaeology
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Discussion

Phrygian caps

see Phrygian Caps or Helmets

Birka style hats

... with a fur rim

Art
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Literature

• Ibn Fadlan's Account of the Rus (c.921AD) “They put a hat of brocade and fur on him [The dead chieftain]”
• Njals saga and Ljosvetninga saga. Both mention a 'Russian hat' or gerzkr hattr being given as Kings gifts. Ewing suggests that these may have been similar to the hat described by Ibn Fadlan ^{[EWING 2007]:p.119-120}

Archaeology
Though there is a lack of evidence for fur hats from archaeology, there is the fragment of a cap, probably of the pill box style, from the Hedeby settlement which was made from a piled fabric (woven fabric with tufts of un-spun, or loosely spun, wool woven or tied into the fabric). This would indicate that fake-fur hats were worn in the Viking Age. ^{[HAGG 1991]:p.59} This hat fragment has been dated to around 877AD [HAGG 2015:p.133]
Discussion
Geijer states that no such thing was found in Birka, but she does quote Ibn Fadlan (in her discussion & comparison) who described the clothing of a dead Swedish Chieftain he met at the Volga. Ibn describes the Swedish Chieftain as having been dressed for burial (among other things) in "a golden hat with sable fur". Geijer does go on to say that this is not typical Swedish Viking clothing but is an example of how men would have picked up and adopted exotic bits of clothing whilst on their travels. Hence the apparent variation in male clothing and uniformity in female clothing found at Birka ^{[GEIJER 1938]:p.150}.
Almgren in his 1966 book 'The Viking' was the first person to depict this style of hat being worn by a Viking. He seems to make an argument that this style of hat would have been worn by Hungarian Magyar warriors of the time. He cites Hungarian bridle-bits and Hungarian type stirrups finds from both Birka in Sweden and Trellborg in Denmark as the basis of hos thoery that if the Vikings were using Magyar horse equipment then they would also have adopted their fashion as well. ^{[ALMGREN 1966]:p.228-230}

Reference