Changes
{{Evidence
|Art=
* In Anglo-Saxon manuscripts shifts are often left white possibly signifying that they were made of linen. ([OWEN-CROCKER 2004, : p.218)]
|Literature
|Archaeology=
* Birka, Sweden (C9th-10th) 61 graves containing bleached or white linen shifts. Hägg categorises these into two categories, smooth and pleated ([HAGG 1986)]
|Discussion
|Archaeology=
* Birka, Sweden (C9th-10th) 28 of the 61 linen shifts found were classified as smooth [*Hagg HAGG 1986]<br>
|Discussion=
Hägg suggests that the shift was made from a single piece of linen with a central hole for the head, not dissimilar to a poncho. It appears that fragments from different parts of the garment were made of the same cloth, unlike some over-garments.
The datable graves from Birka containing remnants of shifts show a trend where the smooth linen shift becomes less popular in the C10th (JBS) while the pleated shift becomes more so [*Hagg HAGG 1986].<br>
}}
|Archaeology=
* Birka, Sweden (C9th-10th) 33 of the 61 linen shifts found were classified as pleated [*Hagg HAGG 1986]<br>
|Discussion=
Although Hägg counts 33 pleated shifts from Birka, Geijer only lists five graves (BJ 517, 950, 980, 1062, 1084). [*Geijer GEIJER 1938]
Where metal objects have preserved the cloth in different places along the body they show that this type of shift was pleated at the top (found in the oval brooches) and the waist (found on the links of a chain worn around the waist) and had many folds, but no pleats, further down the skirt (found on knives and scissors). Tools which according to the grave plan were near the arms, suggest this garment had long sleeves. The pleated shift probably had its origins in the Slavic area and was adopted in Birka between the ÄBS and the JBS.
The datable graves from Birka containing remnants of shifts show an increase in the number of pleated shifts in the later stages of the site (JBS) [*Hagg HAGG 1986].<br>The pleating was achieved by the plissé method. This is done by drawing the cloth together by a thread sewn in a running stitch through the cloth. Then the cloth was soaked and stretched. [*OwenOWEN-Crocker CROCKER 2004: p.218] [*Geijer GEIJER 1938: p.87-88]
<br>
}}
|Archaeology=
* Birka, Sweden (----) 28 smooth linen shifts interpreted as not having sleeves [*Hagg HAGG 1986]
|Discussion=
Owen-Crocker discusses the garment worn by Luna in MS Cotton BV as an over dress. [*OwenOWEN-Crocker CROCKER 2004: p.213] However it is possible that it is a shift that is depicted. Earlier dresses are tight to the sleeve and do not show emerging shifts at the wrist. For this kind of dress a sleeveless shift would work fine. <br>Hägg suggests that the smooth linen shifts found in Birka were worn like a poncho, a simple length of linen with a hole in the centre for the head. This would imply they were sleeveless [*Hagg HAGG 1986].<br>
In a world where linen is relatively expensive but desirable for use as a washable under-garment, omitting the sleeves would seem like a sensible option.
|Archaeology=
* Birka, Sweden (----) In Birka all fragments of linen assumed to be under shifts are of a light colour, either natural or white. ([HAGG 1986, : p.61)]
|Discussion=
Although some dyed and patterned linen was found at Birka it appears to have been used for the hangerocks or as decoration ([HAGG 1986, : p.61)]
|Discussion=
In Birka both the smooth but far more commonly in the pleated shift, the neck hole was slit and fastened with a small round brooch or, more rarely, with a small penannular. <br>
In the area around the Baltic Sea small penannulars were sometimes used for the same purpose ([GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 1980, : p.29)]
}}
==See Also==
==References==
<HarvardReferences />
