Kyrtles/Cotes/Tunics/Gowns

The Bocksten Bog Man

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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”]

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Some Sources:

• Nockert, Margareta. Bockstenmannen, Och Hans Dräkt. Halmstad och Varberg: Stiftelsen Hallands länsmuseer, 1985.

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Go to Kyrtles/Cotes/Tunics/Gowns Page; Bocksten Bog Site Page

This page was last modified 23 April 2003

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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

Kyrtles/Cotes/Gowns

Kragelund

Pattern drawing based on Hald in Nockert

Found in the Kraglund Bog by Viborg in Denmark, this garment was found with a pair of shoes (now lost) but were alleged to have been of a pointed toe 12th-13th Century design. 

According to ”Stella” he****@*********et.nz to 75years@yahoogroups 15 Feb 2002;  Porl Grinder-Hansen, curator Danish Middle Ages and Renaissance, Nat. Mus. of Denmark had this carbon14 dated in 1998 by the AMS-laboratory in Århus, Jutland, using the accelerator technique and calibrated according to Stuiver and Pearson 1993.  It was dated to c.1040-1155.

There is a 7 cm (2.76″) opening extending down from the neck opening.

The material of this outfit is a ”threeshaft frieze”.

• Kyrtle Length: 114 cm (44.9″)
• Hem Circumference: 250 cm (98.4″)
• Neck Opening Circumference: 82 cm
• Waist Circumference: 114 cm (44.9″)
• Arm Length: 63 cm (24.8″)
• Armhole Circumference: 75 cm (29.5″)Material Thread Count
• Warp is 11 threads/cm (27.9 threads per inch)
• Weft is 7 theads/cm (19.05 threads per inch)

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Some Sources:

• Hald, Margrethe. Ancient Danish Textiles from Bogs and Burials tr. Jean Olsen. Copenhagen: National Museum of Denmark, 1980.
• Nockert, Margareta. Bockstenmannen, Och Hans Dräkt. Halmstad och Varberg: Stiftelsen Hallands länsmuseer,
  1985

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Go to Kyrtles/Cotes/Gowns Page; Kraglund Site Page

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Some Clothing of the Middle Ages – Kyrtles/Cotes/Gowns – Kragelund, by I. Marc Carlson, Copyright 1996, 2002, 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-

Kyrtles/Cotes/Gowns

Skjoldehamn

Pattern drawing based on Gjessing.

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A ”bog-find” that has been Radio Carbon dated to about 995-1029 CE, although it is stylistically similar to clothes from the 13th-14th centuries.  It has gores set in the front and on the sides. It is made of a 4-shafted twill.

• Garment Length (over the shoulders): 106-108 cm (41.7-42.5″)
• Hem Circumference: 278 cm (109″)
• Waist Circumference: c95 cm (37.4″)

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Some Sources:

• Gjessing, Gutorm.  ”Skjoldehamndrakten, en Senmiddelaldersk Nordnorsk Mannsdrakt.”  Viking, Tidsskrift for Norrøn Arkeologi. 2 (1938) pp.27-81
• Holck, Per.  ”Myrfunnet fra Skjoldehamn — Mannlig Same Eller Norrøn Kvinne?”  Viking, Tidsskrift for Norrøn Arkeologi. 51 (1988) pp.109-115.
• Nockert, Margareta and Göran Possnert.  Att Datera Textilier. Oslo: Gidlungs Förlag, 2002.

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Go to Kyrtles/Cotes/Gowns Page, or Skjoldehamn Site Page 

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Some Clothing of the Middle Ages – Kyrtles/Cotes/Gowns – Skjoldehamn, by I. Marc Carlson, Copyright 1996, 1998, 2005. 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