Weaving and embroidery—The housewife’s keys—General occupation of ordinary women—Queens brewing ale and bleaching linen—Looms—Amazons.

High-born women occupied themselves with weaving and embroidery, participated in the household duties, and took charge of the estate while their husbands were absent.

The wife had a bunch of keys at her side, to show her authority over the household; and in many graves of women keys either of iron or bronze have been found.

The women had a special habitation called Dyngja or Skemma, which men were not allowed to enter, and where their female friends visited them.

In earlier days it seems to have been the custom for fathers to have champions outside keeping guard in order to prevent men from coming into the women’s quarters; and these champions are described as having taken animal shape.^[256]

The Bayeux tapestry^[257] corroborates in many points the truthfulness of the Sagas; for example, when referring to the dragon-ship, ornamented with shields, striped sails, small boats, &c., the ancient wood carvings, some of which are shown in this work, the clothing and cloaks which are only worn by the higher-born, and which are fastened with fibulÆ on the right shoulder, and the embroidery.

“Then his foster-daughter Brynhild returned to Heimir. She spent her time in a bower with her maidens, and surpassed in handiwork all other women. She made embroidery with gold, and sewed thereon the great deeds of Sigurd, the slaying of the serpent, the taking of the treasure, and Regin’s death” (Volsunga Saga, c. 24).

“Gudrun went on until she came to the hall of King Half, and stayed there with Thora, Hakon’s daughter, in Denmark seven seasons (i.e., half-years), and was well entertained; she made embroidery, and worked thereon many great deeds and fine games, which were customary at that time, swords and coats of mail and all the outfit of a king, and King Sigmund’s ships gliding along the shore. They also embroidered how Sigar and Siggeir fought on Fyen. This was their enjoyment, and Gudrun now somewhat forgot her grief” (Volsunga Saga, c. 32).

The general occupation of ordinary women was to milk cows, prepare food and drink, serve the men, work in the field, and especially make the hay, card wool, attend to the clothes,^[258] wash the men’s heads, and pull off their clothes when they went to bed; a custom still prevalent in many parts of Scandinavia.^[259]

Women of high rank even superintended the work of the farm, and had at times no small amount of authority.

“ThorbjÖrn SkrjÚp lived next to the farm of ThÓrd in LaxÁrdal. He was wealthy, mostly in gold and silver; he was also large in stature and of great strength.... HÖskuld bought a ship from a Shetlandman and equipped it, announcing that he intended to go abroad, but would leave JÓrun at home to take care of the farm and their children. He set sail....” (LaxdÆla, c. 11).

Grettir had been captured, and they were going to hang him.

“Then they saw six men ride farther down in the valley; one of them was in coloured clothes. They guessed that ThorbjÖrg, housewife at Vatnsfjord, was there, and so it was. She was going to the sÆter (mountain pasture). She was a highly accomplished woman, and very wise; she ruled the district, and settled all matters, when Vermund, her husband, who was a godi, was not at home” (Gretti’s Saga, c. 52).

One summer, Thorodd, bondi at the farm Froda, in Iceland, rose early one morning—

“And distributed work; some took the horses, and the women had to dry the hay, and the work was divided between them. Thorgunna had to dry as much as the fodder of a bull, and they did much work that day” (Eyrbyggja, ch. 51).

The mischief caused by gossiping women is occasionally referred to.

“The hall was 100 ells^[260] long, and five fathoms broad; to the south of it was the room (dyngja) of Aud and Asgerd, and they sat there sewing. Thorkel went thither and lay down near it. Asgerd said: ‘Help me, Aud, and cut a shirt for my bondi Thorkel.’ Aud answered: ‘I know no better than thyself how to do that, and thou wouldst not ask me if thou hadst to make one for my brother Vestein.’ Asgerd replied: ‘What concerns Vestein is a thing by itself; and thus it will be for some time; but I love him more than my husband Thorkel, though we may never enjoy each other.’ Aud added: ‘I knew long ago what Thorkel thought about it, and how it went; let us talk no more of it.’ Asgerd said: ‘I think it no fault that I love Vestein, but I heard that thou and Thorgrim often met before thou wast married.’ Aud replied: ‘No harm was in that, and I preferred no man to Gisli so there was no dishonour in it; let us leave off this talk.’ And so they did. Thorkel heard every word, and exclaimed: ‘Hear great wonders! hear words of fate! hear great talk, which will cause the death of one man or more!’ Thereupon he went away. And said: ‘The talk of women often causes evil, and it may be that by this evil will be occasioned; let us think over what we shall do.’ Asgerd said: ‘I have bethought myself of an expedient.’ ‘What is that?’ asked Aud. ‘I will put my arms around the neck of my husband, Thorkel, when we get into bed this evening and be very affectionate; his mind will change at this, so that he will forgive me. I will also tell him that this is such a lie, that it is of no consequence though we have babbled about it. But if he should want to make any fuss about it, give me other advice. Or what expedient art thou going to take?...’ In the evening Gisli came home from his work. It was the custom of Thorkel to thank his brother Gisli for the work; this time he did not, and spoke not a word to him. Gisli asked: ‘Art thou not well, brother, as thou art so silent?’ Thorkel answered: ‘I am not sick, but this is worse than sickness.’ Gisli asked: ‘Have I done anything which thou dislikest, brother?’ ‘Nothing,’ said Thorkel. Gisli said: ‘It is well, for I would least of all that we should disagree. But nevertheless I should like much to know what is the cause of thy sadness.’ Thorkel answered: ‘Thou wilt know it, although later.’ Gisli went away, and then went to bed. Thorkel retired first. When Asgerd came to bed Thorkel said: ‘I do not mean thee to sleep here this night.’ She said: ‘What is more befitting than that I should sleep with my husband? or why has thy mind changed so soon? But what is the cause?’ ‘Thou knowest the cause,’ said Thorkel, ‘and I know it also.’ ‘What is the need of talking in this way?’ added she; ‘believe not the foolish talk of us women, for when we are alone we always chatter about things in which there is little truth; and so it is in this case.’ Asgerd then put both arms around his neck, and was very affectionate, and begged him not to believe such things. Thorkel told her to go away. Asgerd said: ‘... I give thee two choices: either to take as unsaid what we have talked about, and not believe that which is not true; or that I at once name my witnesses and declare separation from thee. Then I will do what I like, and it may be that thou then wilt have reason to speak of real enmity. I shall let my father claim my mund and dower.’ Thorkel was silent, but after a while said: ‘I think it is best for thee to creep under there at the bedside to-night.’ She got into bed, and they agreed as if nothing had occurred. Aud went to the bed of her husband Gisli, and told him all the talk of herself and Asgerd. She begged him not to be angry, and to give good advice if he thought necessary. ‘I know that Thorkel wants my brother Vestein to be killed, if possible.’ Gisli answered: ‘I cannot give any good advice, but I will not blame thee for this, because some one must speak the words of fate’” (Gisli Sursson’s Saga).

Even queens attended to the brewing of ale and bleaching of linen.^[261]

“One day when Thordis went out to her linen,^[262] the weather was fine, the sun shone and the wind blew from the south” (Ljosvetninga, ch. 5).

“King Alrek, who lived in Alreksstadir, ruled over HÖrdaland; he was married to Signy, a king’s daughter from VÖrs. One of his hirdmen, Koll, followed him north into Sogn, and told him much of the beauty of Geirhild, Drif’s daughter; he had seen her at the brewing of ale, and said he wanted him to marry her. HÖtt, who proved to be Odin, went to visit her when she was at her linen, and bargained with her that Alrek should marry her, but that she should invoke him for all things. The king saw her on his way home, and made their wedding the same autumn. He rewarded Koll well for his faithfulness, and gave him jarldom and residence in Kollsey, south of HardsÆ which is a populous district. King Alrek could not have them both as wives on account of their disagreement, and said he would have the one who brewed the best ale for him when he should come home from an expedition. They vied in the ale-brewing. Signy invoked Freyja, and Geirhild, HÖtt, who gave his spittle as ferment, and said he wanted for his help that which was between the tub and herself;^[263] the ale proved to be good; then Alrek sang:

In that year, Vikar, the son of King Alrek and Geirhild was born” (Half’s Saga, c. i.).

That the people knew the art of weaving^[264] we have ample proofs in the sagas, and also in the finds. From the following description we know what the looms were like.

“It happened one morning, Good Friday, in Kateness (Caithness, Scotland), that a man called Dorrud went out of doors, and saw that twelve men were riding together to a woman’s house and there disappeared. He went there and looked through a ‘light hole’ and saw other women who had set up a web on the loom. The weights (whorles) were human heads, but the woof and the warp were intestines of men, a spear was used as a spindle and an arrow as a shuttle” (Njal Saga).

Whorls are very common in the graves.

Many examples occur of women taking to the profession of arms, and often fighting as bravely as the most valiant warriors;^[265] and that this custom was not altogether unknown in some parts of Europe at a later period than that of the Viking age is shown by the appearance of Joan of Arc.

“Svafa, the daughter of Bjartmar jarl, gave birth to a girl; most people thought she ought to be exposed, and said she would not have the character of a woman if she became like the kinsmen of her father.^[266] The jarl had her besprinkled with water, and brought up and called her HervÖr, and said the kin of Arngrim’s son was not quite dead while she was alive. When she grew up she was fair; she practised more shooting and the handling of sword and shield than sewing and embroidering; she was tall and strong, and as soon as she was able she oftener did evil than good; when she was hindered from that she ran into the woods and slew men in order to take their property. When the jarl knew this he took her home, and there she stayed for a while” (Hervarar Saga, ch. 6; also Herraud and Bosi’s Saga, c. 2, and Atlakvida.)