ABSTRACT

Analysis indicates that Scandinavian influence is evident in Scotland and to some extent Ireland, but the evidence from England is not so clear-cut as the textiles appear to parallel those of the Frisian region of continental Europe and of earlier Anglo-Saxon fabrics. In order to further illustrate the Scandinavian influence on the textiles from Britain and Ireland, two specialist wool fabric types will be discussed, shaggy pile woven textiles and nalebinding (a form of knotless netting) fabrics. The existence of a sample in York is more unusual, but was found with the nalebinding sock, suggesting that it may represent the remains of clothes worn by a Scandinavian settler in York, or a traded commodity. Earlier and later examples of head-dresses, albeit of a slightly different style, from Scandinavian contexts, particularly from Denmark, also point to Scandinavian influence, adding to this hypothesis.