Leg Bindings (Men)

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Completion Rating
This article's completion rating is 2 out of 5. Article structure and content is subject to change as data is still being collected.
Completion Rating
This article's completion rating is 2 out of 5. Article structure and content is subject to change as data is still being collected.

Leg Bindings

Art
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Literature
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Archaeology

  • York, lichen purple [PRITCHARD 1984]:p.68
  • London, Lichen purple, 2 of indigotin (woad blue) [PRITCHARD 1984]:p.68
  • Elisenhof, Germany (8thC): The remains of 17 leg bindings were found. 15 were made of 2/2 chevron twill, 2 were made of 2/1 chevron twill. The width's are between 7.3cm and 9.8cm. [HUNDT 1981:p.47] [PRITCHARD 1984]:p.68
  • Dublin, 1 of different warp to weft [PRITCHARD 1984]:p.68
  • Hedeby Harbour, Germany: 5 fragments of leg bindings were found in Hedeby harbour [HAGG 1984]:p.24
    • Fragment 28: This is part of a sleeve, where an old leg binding may have been reused as part of the sleeve. It is a self woven band of 2/2 twill and is 7.5cm wide.
    • Fragment 29: Fragmentary piece of tabby with cut and hemmed edges, probably a leg binding as it is the right width (7.5 cm)
    • Fragment 43: Self woven band in 2/2 twill, 102 cm long and 7.5 cm wide.
    • Fragment 49B: Fragmentary self woven band in chevron twill. 42cm long and 9cm wide. [HAGG 1984]:p.24
    • Fragment 55C: Self woven band in chevron twill. 118cm long and 8.5cm wide. [HAGG 1984]:p.28
  • Hedey Settlement, Germany: Two fragments of leg bindings were found in the settlement of Hedeby [HAGG 1991]:p.32
    • Fragment S26: Self woven band of 2/2 chevron twill. 41cm long and 7-8cm wide.
    • Fragment S34:Self woven band of diamond weave. 58cm long and 11cm wide.[HAGG 1991]:p.32

Discussion
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Cross Gartering

This style became popular in the 11th Century and continues xxxxxx.
Art
The earliest Anglo-Saxon manuscript to depict cross gartering is the Cotton Tiberius C VI dated to c.1050AD. Literature
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Archaeology

Discussion
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Wrapped around the foot

Art

  • Harley Psalter fol.1v [OWEN-CROCKER 1976:p.489]. I think there is a typo in her book as it references fol. 27v [OWEN-CROCKER 2004]:p.257 which shows no seated figure.

Literature
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Archaeology

Discussion
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Fastening leg bindings

It appears that most leg bindings were simply tucked in to secure them although a number of other options may have been used such as cords, and garters.


With hooked tags

Art
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Literature
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Archaeology

  • Birka, Sweden, grave Bj903, a pair of bronze hooks in situ under the kneecaps of a male skeleton. 10th cent. [ARBMAN 1940]. The hooks were fastened into small iron rings, to which linen tabby possibly from the trousers was rusted [HAGG 1986]
  • Novgorod , A bronze hook, C9-10th. [NOSOV 1987].
  • Winchester, England, a pair of small silver hooked tags found below the knee, C9th. [BIDDLE 1990].

Discussion
Biddle suggests that a better use for such hooks is to hold together two edges of a garment. For instance, they could have been used to fasten a split in the upper edge of a short stocking, allowing it to fit snugly to the calf. [BEATSON-b] For more information regarding garment hooks see Accessories – Fasteners


Cloth garters and ties

Art

  • 'Benedictional of St. Aethelwold', Anglo-Saxon 971-984AD. The three Magi have tassels or tags on the ends of the garters or ties.

Literature
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Archaeology

  • Denmark, Daugbjerg. As seen on the Daugbjerg bog body (xxxC) simple cords may have been used to hold up the leg bindings [OWEN-CROCKER 2004]:p.118 [CROOM 2000]:p.57-58
  • Denmark, Søgård Mose. [CROOM 2000]
  • Finland. Narrow tablet woven garters were used by Viking Age Finns to fasten their chevron twill puttees [KHVOSCHCHINSKAIA 1992], the garters often had plaited terminals interlaced with coils of bronze wire a particularly Baltic embellishment

[BEATSON-b]

  • Norway, Skjoldenhamn. c.1024AD. Tablet woven ankle band [LOVLID 2009]


Discussion
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Leather garters

A pair of leather straps complete with buckles, metal strap retainer loops and strap ends worn just below the knee.
Art
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Literature
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Archaeology

  • Lejre, Denmark, 3 finds. Bronze and iron. c.900AD [BEATSON-b]

Discussion
A rare left over from the popular Germanic aristocratic fashion from the Merovingian period. [BEATSON-b]


Reference

Arbman, Holger (1940) Birka 1 Die Graber: Tafeln. [The Graves: Plates] Birka, Kungliga Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien [ARBMAN 1940] ^ *
Beatson, Peter (n.d.) Wickelbander. [Accessed: 11th February 2012]. (Available Online) Peter Beatson [BEATSON (N.D.) B] *
[BIDDLE & KJBLBYE-BIDDLE 1992] *
Croom, A. T. (2000) Roman Clothing and Fashion. Tempus. [CROOM 2000] ^ 1 2 *
Hagg, Inga (1984) Die Textilfunde aus dem Hafen von Haithabu. [The Textile Finds from the Port of Hedeby]. Hedeby-Ausgrabungen in Haithabu [HAGG 1984] ^ 1 2 3 *
Hagg, Inga (1986) 'Die Tracht'. In Arwidsson, Greta (ed.) (1986) Birka II:2 Systematische Analysen der Graberfunde. [Systematic Analysis of the Graves Findings] Birka, Kungliga Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien: II:2 [HAGG 1986] ^ *
Hagg, Inga (1991) Textilfunde aus der Siedlung und aus den Grabern von Haithabu. [Textile Finds from the Settlement and from the Graves of Hedeby]. Hedeby-Ausgrabungen in Haithabu [HAGG 1991] ^ 1 2 *
[KHVOSCHCHINSKAIA 1992] ^ *
Lovlid, D. H. Nye tanker om Skjoldehamnfunnet (MA). 2009. [LOVLID 2009] ^ *
[NOSOV 1987] ^ *
Owen-Crocker, Gale R. (2004) Dress in Anglo-Saxon England. 2nd ed. The Boydell Press. [OWEN-CROCKER 2004] ^ 1 2 *
Pritchard, Frances A. (1984) Late Saxon textiles from the City of London (wool, goat hair, silk, flax: production processes; 11th century new technology). pp.46-74. (Available Online) Medieval Archaeology: Vol.28 [PRITCHARD 1984] ^ 1 2 3 4 *