Kyrtles/Cotes/Tunics/Gowns
The Bocksten Bog Man
The Kyrtle after conservation.
(After a photo in Nockert)
Under his cloak, the Bocksten Bog Man wore a garment sewn of a now yellow-brown woolen twill, which is reddish-brown on the reverse. There is some difference in quality between the headpiece, the sleeves, the gores, but not enough to suggest that these latter parts were made from a different fabric.
The front and back of the Kyrtle are of a piece, in other words, there are no shoulder seams, with an opening cut for the head. The width of the Kyrtle’s skirt has been increased by the the insertion of gores in the front, back and sides.
The sleeve openings are flat and somewhat differently cut. The sleeves are wide at the top, and narrow at the bottom. The left sleeve is cut in one piece with two small gores underneath. The right consists of two pieces joined together; a larger at the front, and narrower one at the back. Like the left sleeve, it has two gores underneath. The sleeves have a 1cm hem at the cuff.
No traces of a lining have been found in this Kyrtle.
Only minor alterations have been made to Dr. Albert Sandklef’s original reconstruction of the Kyrtle.
Line drawing of the Kyrtle, based on one by E. Lundwall. Bold lines indicate selvages edges. Otherwise arrows indicate direction of weave.
- Kyrtle Material Length (over the shoulders): 230 cm (90.2″)
- Width at the Bottom: 250 cm (98.4″)
- Neck Opening Circumference: 82 cm
- Arm Length, Right: 61 cm (24″)
- Arm Length, Left: 59.5 cm (23.4″)
- Sleeve Material Width, Shoulder End, Right: 55 cm (21.6″) [58 cm when measured in 1936]
- Sleeve Material Width, Shoulder End, Left: 53 cm (20.9″) [50 cm when measured in 1936]
- Sleeve Material Width, Cuff End, Right: 23 cm (9″)
- Sleeve Material Width, Cuff End, Left: 22 cm (8.7″)
- Loom Width: not less than 55 cm (21.6″) [Although there are no pieces with more than one selvege edge, so an exact statement can not be made]
- Total Material Length: about 450 cm (177.2″)Torso Material Thread Count
- Warp is 8-9 Z-spun threads/cm (21.6-22.9 threads per inch) [Fleece: ”Hairy Medium”]
- Weft is 7-8 S-spun theads/cm (19.05-21.6 threads per inch) [Fleece: ”Hairy”]Sleeve Material Thread Count
- Warp is 9 Z-spun threads/cm (22.9 threads per inch)
- Weft is 7 S-spun theads/cm (19.05 threads per inch)Gore Material Thread Count
- Warp is 10 Z-spun threads/cm (25.4 threads per inch) [Fleece: ”Hairy Medium”]
- Weft is 7 S-spun theads/cm (19.05 threads per inch) [Fleece: ”Hairy Medium”]Gore Material Thread Count
- Warp is 10 Z-spun threads/cm (25.4 threads per inch) [Fleece: ”Hairy Medium”]
- Weft is 8 S-spun theads/cm (20.3 threads per inch) [Fleece: ”Hairy Medium”]
Some Sources:
- Nockert, Margareta. Bockstenmannen, Och Hans Dräkt. Halmstad och Varberg: Stiftelsen Hallands länsmuseer, 1985.
Go to Kyrtles/Cotes/Tunics/Gowns Page; Bocksten Bog Site Page
This page was last modified 23 April 2003
Some Clothing of the Middle Ages – Kyrtles/Cotes/Tunics/Gowns – The Bocksten Bog Man, by I. Marc Carlson, Copyright 1996, 2003
This code is given for the free exchange of information, provided the Author’s Name is included in all future revisions, and no money change hands
