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Clothing design

Clothing design
In the oak coffin from Hagendrup near Holbæk, remains of a corded skirt with small bronze tubes attached, were found.

Was there design in prehistory? If by design we understand objects intentionally created for their function and appearance, then it certainly did exist.

 

Clothing design incorporates cut and adjustment of individual clothing objects. Like today, but at a slower pace, changes in habits and taste influenced textiles and clothing in prehistory. We do not know if prehistoric people were aware of these changes or which mechanisms that controlled them. Changes in style, design and technique are important indicators that can contribute to a characterisation of the prehistoric society. Evidence for clothing in different periods consists of archaeological textiles and skin, as well as various clothing accessories, such as metal, amber and bone ornaments.

 

The clothing evidence is unequally distributed in different periods of prehistoric Denmark. Only little information is available for the Stone Age while more abundant evidence exists for the Bronze and Early Iron Ages. In the Late Iron Age archaeological textiles are very fragmented, but in this period information on clothing can be supplemented with contemporary iconographic sources.

 

Clothing design
The small gold foil figures dated to the Late Iron Age contain detailed information about the clothing. This woman is wearing a long dress, cape and jewellery.
Clothing design
Checkered textiles are very popular in the Early Iron Age. The Huldremose woman from Djursland was wearing a checked scarf which is shown in detail here.