Spiral decorated shawls in Late Iron Age Finland
An interplay of lost and reconstructed materiality
Keywords:
textile archaeology, sensory archaeology, ancient clothing, reconstructionsAbstract
Spiral decorated shawls in Late Iron Age Finland (c. AD 800–1200) were elaborate and special garments with strong connections to identity. In prior research, richly decorated shawls from female graves have been reconstructed for ancient costumes. In this study, we trace the sensorial properties of shawls using microarchaeological methods, experimental archaeology and reconstructions. Examples from female graves, male graves and a child’s grave are included for examining the similarities and differences between spiral decoration techniques. In a broader context, we discuss the use and meanings of shawls in both life and death.
