Árbók Hins íslenzka fornleifafélags - 01.01.1962, Page 63

FORN RÖGGVARVEFNAÐUR
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fabrics are mcntioned although much less frequently than feldir: loiikápa
and loSólpa, which may have been of shapes corresponding to tlie Roman
paenula and casula (and perliaps the laena and lacerna as well). The lot5-
kápa sometimes had sleeves.
As already mentioned, the vararfeldir were rectangular but the feldir
may have been semicircular or circular as well. The rectangular feldir
were fastened either at the shoulder or at centre front. In the old Icelandic
literature pile mantles are described as being of various colors (grey, blue
and red), various lengths, with pile on both sides (black and white), strip-
ed or decorated with bands or braid. Reference is made to the use of feldir
to fight duels on and in several instances they were used to lie on or as
covers while resting or sleeping.
Examination of Icelandic mediaeval documents seemed to support the
belief that pile weaving disappeared in Iceland before or about 1200.
Only at the very end of the mediaeval period (ab. 1550) was the word
feldur encountered and then in tlie inventories of the bishops’ seats. It
was last found in 1639. It seems reasonable to assume that these feldir
were imported. Apparently they were coverlets, used in church and as
bedding. Twice the word kögur was found used in conjunction with feldur
in these late references. The kögur, infrequently mentioned in mediaeval
sources, was a covering used especially as a pall. In modern Icelandic the
word means fringe. Its relationship to the word kavring which in parts
of southern Sweden was used synonymously with rga has been pointed
out, liowever. Its use in Iceland in conjunclion with feldur might add to
the possibility that the kögur could have been pile woven or perhaps botli
fringed and pile woven but not just fringed. It seems most likely that the
kögur was imported rather than of Icelandic make.
Tlie size and shape of the two joined pieces of pile woven fabrics found
at Heynes gave no indication of their original use. Most iikely they were
seraps from some Iarge worn out or outmoded garments or covers which
had been reutilized for some at the present unknown purpose. Tlie appear-
ance of tlie surface of tlie fragments fits well into the descriptions of the
pile mantles aithough it is evident that the fabrics could not be from
vararfeldir as described in Grágás because of the closeness of the locks
and their irregular placing. The vararfcldir apparently had thirteen evenly
spaced rows of locks (pile knots) across its width (two þumalálnir), and
after completing the weaving of the mantle (four þumalálnir) the locks
were then brushed to one side so that tliey would lie vertically in thirteen
tiorizontal rows when the mantle was worn. It is evident that locks of
outer wool Uog) cut from the washed fleece would have been of sufficient
length to cover the surfac.e of a vararfeldur woven in tlie manner described
above. It must be assumed, however, that the better feldir liad a more
dense pile. On a mantle the size of a vararfcldur but with the density of
pile of the Heynes fragments there would be about fifty Iocks across tlie
mantle. It therefore seems reasonable to assume that the pile woven frag-
ments froin Heynes show one of the types of shaggy fabrics used for better
feldir and hafnarfeldir.