{{stars4|Category=Men's Clothing}}
''Published in Regia Anglorum, Chronicle 2013 as 'Square Neck Tunics, an 11th Century Fashion' by Gavin Archer''<br>
<br>
==Origin==
Sometime towards the close of the 10th century a letter written, possibly, by the abbot Ælfric of Eynsham [CLAYTON 2007:p.32], to an unidentified Brother Edward criticises the adoption of Danish fashions by the English.
{{Quote|6560|
I also tell you, brother Edward, ... that you act unjustly ... in abandoning the English Customs which your fathers held and love customs of heathen men who do not grant you life, and in doing so you make clear that you despise your race and your ancestors with those bad customs when you dress in Danish fashion with bared necks and have your hair coming over your eyes.
|'Letter to Brother Edward' c.1000AD[BREMMER 2007:p.33].
}}
[[File:London, British Library, MS Cotton Tiberius C VI, fol.9r.jpg|left|framethumb|250x250px|Fig. 1 Goliath from the Tiberius Psalter fol. 9r c.1050AD]]
Although Ælfric only criticises Edward for wearing his hair in a Viking fashion it is possible, although by no means certain, that another Danish fashion being adopted by the English at the turn of the first millennium was that of square neck holes in men’s tunics. It is commonly assumed by many, that square neck tunics have a Viking origin. The argument put forward supporting this opinion rests on three supporting theories:
The third and probably the least convincing theory is that the depictions of 11th century Goliaths wearing square necked tunics, fig.1 & fig.2, depict Viking warriors such as Thorkell Hávi and that the artist has attempted to differentiate the evil Goliath figure by showing him in the current Danish fashion of the time [EWING 2007:pl.13].<br>
[[File:London, British Library, MS Arundel 155 fol.93r.jpg|right|framethumb|250x250px|Fig. 2 Goliath from the Eadui Psalter fol. 93r. 1012-1023AD]]
Whatever their origin, square neck holed tunics are a regular sight in 11th century English illustrated manuscripts. They are seen being worn by both kings and labourers and seem to convey no indication of social rank [OWEN-CROCKER 2004:p.247-248].<br>
In fact a tentative argument could be made that all of the illustrations from the 11th century that show a faced neck hole are actually trying to depict a square neck. As with any statement like this there is always some images for which this is not true. Two English sources seem to contradict this theory. The first is the unusually large round necked facings adorning the neck holes depicted in the Hereford Troper c.1050AD (British Library MS Cotton Caligula A XIV). A similar shaped neck hole to that seen in the Hereford Troper can be seen on the seated figure in fig.7. This manuscript can however be dismissed as showing typical English garb as it appears that the artist has copied Romanesque models from German and Flemish art [BROWN 2007:p.133]. If this is indeed the case then the garments would be more likely to be seen in main land Europe where the Ottonian fashion had more in common with that of Byzantium [MAYERMAYR-HARTING 1999:p.210]. The other image source is the Bayeux Tapestry, dated to c.1076AD. This seems to show a similar style of neck hole facing as that seen in the Hereford Troper with the facing being depicted around a round neck hole and sometimes flaring out wider over the shoulders. In fact what we may be seeing here is the introduction of a European proto-Romanesque fashion. Some authors argue that the Bayeux Tapestry may even be a Norman creation [GRAPE 1994:p.54] and if this is indeed the case then its ability to accurately represent English fashion of the time could be suspect. <br>
It is interesting to note that as yet I have not managed to find an image showing a square neck hole in any Carolingian or Ottonian manuscript. Also the only neck hole identified on the clothing fragments recovered from Hedeby, originally part of Denmark, was determined to be round [HAGG 1984:p.50]. This does lead to the possibility of square necked garments being, if anything, very English. <br>
==Popularity==
[[File:London, British Library, MS Cotton Tiberius B V, fol.4r.jpg|right|framethumb|150x150px|Fig. 3 Labourer from the Tiberius Calendar fol.4r 1025-1050AD]]
Trying to determine how many men would have worn faced neck holes in the 11th century is made more complicated by the stylistic nature of Anglo-Saxon art. After a quick review of the available images of secular men I think that they can be categorised using the following approximations:
[[File:Viborg Shirt.jpg|left|framethumb|150x150px200x200px|Fig. 4 Reconstruction of the Viborg linen shirt. Denmark, 11th Century (after FENTZ)]]
The point I am trying to make here is that statistically we are on shaky ground when it comes to trying to make any kind of recommendation on how popular faced neck holes were during the period. Even in the same image some men are depicted with a faced neck hole whilst another is not, see fig.6. <br>
== Fastening the neck hole ==
[[File:Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Junius 11 (S.C. 5123) p.59.jpg|right|framethumb|200x200px|Fig. 5 Mahalalel in his coffin is supported by Jared from the Caedmon Manuscript p.59 c.1000AD]]
It is likely that ties were the main method used to close the neck opening. The two images of Goliath, fig.1 and fig.2, clearly show ties at the neck and both show the ties terminating in balls. The assumption is that these cords must have been tied to secure the neck hole. A depiction of tied ties can be found at the neck of a labourer from the Tiberius Calendar in fig.3. <br>
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==The 11th century tunic==
[[File:London, British Library, MS Arundel 60, fol.4r.jpg|left|framethumb|200x200px|Fig. 6 Gemini twins from Arundel 60 fol.4r c.1073AD]]
Fig. 1 and fig.6 show the typical look of an 11th century tunic. The skirt usually comes to the top of the knee when rucked but it is never long enough to completely cover the whole knee. Sleeves are long and rucked back at the wrist. <br>
An alternative longer tunic style coming to the shin does not appear until the second half of the 11th century starting with an example from the Harley Psalter (British Museum, MS 603 fol.29v 1050-1100AD). It is unclear what kind of neck holes these longer tunics had and it is probably likely that they would have had the more rounded Romanesque style shown on the Bayeux Tapestry. <br>
Decoration can also be seen as bands across the upper arms. These are unlikely to depict arm rings as the wearing of silver rings appear to have gone out of fashion by 1000AD [GRAHAM-CAMPBELL and BATEY 1998:p.237] and even then they were worn on the wrist. Decoration on the upper arm has continental parallels with a good example demonstrated on the Codex Aureus Epternacensis, fig.7. Note that the seated figure shares the same shape of proto-Romanesque neck hole facing as depicted on both the Hereford Troper and the Bayeux Tapestry.<br>
[[File:Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Hs. 156142, fol.78r .jpg|right|framethumb|200x200px|Fig. 7 Codex Aureus Epternacensis Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum Hs. 156142 fol.78r 1020-1040AD]]
With the usual exception of the Bayeux Tapestry belts are not seen on images of men from the 11th century. The tunic is shown rucked in such a way as to cover the belt from sight making it particularly difficult to determine the type of belt used. It is not unlikely that a braided cord was used to ruck the tunic and we have a surviving example of just such a belt found on the bog body recovered from Skjoldhamn in northern Norway and dated to the 11th century [LOVLID 2009].<br>
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==Making your own square neck hole==
[[File:Square Neck.jpg|left|framethumb|300x300px250x250px|Measurement]]
In many ways making a faced square neck hole is easier than a round one. You need less facing material and in my experience the facing strips are quicker to apply.<br>
==Catalogue of manuscripts==
''The following Anglo-Saxon manuscripts show faced square neck openings''<br>
*Late C10th - Baulogne Gospels*Bodleian Lib. MS 11
**fol.11v:Asor from the Genealogy of Jesus according to Matthew
*c.1000AD - Caedmon Manuscript Bodleian Lib.MS Junius 11
==References==
<nocite>{{Ref|Barlow 1992}}BARLOW1992{{Ref|Bremmer 2007}}BREMMER2007{{Ref|Brown 2007}}BROWN2007{{Ref|Clayton 2007}}CLAYTON2007{{Ref|Ewing 2007}}EWING2007{{Ref|Fentz 1987}}FENTZ1987{{Ref|Fleming 2007}}FLEMING2007GRAHAM{{Ref|Graham-CAMPBELL1998Campbell & Batey 1998}}GRAPE1994{{Ref|Grape 1994}}HAGG1984{{Ref|Hagg 1984}}LOVLID2009{{Ref|Lovlid 2009}}MAYER{{Ref|Mayr-HARTING1999Harting 1999}}OWEN{{Ref|Owen-CROCKER2004</nocite><biblio force=false>#[[Template:Bib]]</biblio><HarvardReferences />Crocker 2004}}
[[Category:Men's Clothing]]<HarvardReferences />