290 



DRESS OF MEN. 



, or shirt ; so both must have been alike in shape. A 

 sleeveless kirtle is mentioned as uncommon. 1 



The liji'ip which seems to have been a short kirtle without 

 sleeves, sometimes lined with furs, worn sometimes over the 

 coat of mail. 2 



" Sigurd went up on the island. He wore a red kirtle, and 

 a blue cloak with straps on his shoulders ; he was girt with a 

 sword, and had a helmet on his head " (Foereyinga Saga, c. 57). 



LinbrteJcr (linen drawers) which seem to have been often 

 worn, and were kept on at night. 



Breeches seems to have been of two kinds : 



Brtekr (the more common) were held up round the waist by 



Fig. 1152. Fragment of woollen stuff, | real size, found in a tumulus with fragments 

 of a sword, spear points, two axes, a shield boss of iron, and a large number of 

 pieces of stuffs of different qualities, pieces of the skin of a horse still having hail- 

 adhering to it. Norway. 



a belt, fastened with, a buckle, which was usually wide, but 

 considered more showy when it was narrow. 



" He had strange clothes made hairy breeches (brsekr) 

 and cloak, and he had them put into boiling pitch and 

 hardened " (Ragnar Lodbrok, c. 2). 



Hosur 3 were a showier kind of breeches ; they seem also to 

 have covered the feet, and to have been tight, like high 

 stockings. They were of cloth or skin, and resembled high 

 boots: spurs were often attached to them. Sometimes the 



' Magn. Baref., 8. 



2 Flateyjarbok, i. 481. 



3 In the time <)f Olaf Kyrri, before 



1100, very tight hosur were used. Blue 

 trousers and blue and grey hosur are 

 mentioned. 



