Image © 1996 Editio Maris. Used for educational purposes only and without permission.
This is part 1.
Some time ago, I posted a gallery of photos showing my interpretation of Conquest era female Magyar garments. Perhaps you’ll be happy to know that I’m finally getting around to sharing how I reached the conclusions demonstrated in those garments.
I plan to take a skin out approach with this series of articles. Lets start with pants, shall we?
Lacking any sort of extant trouser-like garment from a verifiable Magyar grave, I turned to my favorite source, the textile remains of Moshchevaya Balka. In Die Gräber der Moscevaja Balka, Anna Ierusalimskaja writes:
“Zur Unterkleidung gehörten, bei den Frauen wie bei den Männern:
1. Leinen- oder Rohleinenhosen von unterschiedlicher Länge, die mittels schmaler Gürtel mit Knopfverschluß gehalten wurden. Ihr Schnitt war
immer derselbe: An ein zum Dreieck zusammengefaltetes Stoffstück sind beiderseits rechteckige Stoffbahnen schräg angenäht (Abb. 52: Fig. 9).
2. Lange, sich nach oben erweiternde Leinwandstrümpfe oder Beinlinge (siehe unten und Abb. 55).” [1]
The English translation (by machine) of this is something along the lines of:
For under garments belonged among women as among men:
1. Linen or raw linen pants of varying lengths, which were held by narrow belt with button closure. Its cut was always the same: To a folded into a triangle piece of fabric on either side rectangular cloth panels are sewn diagonally (52: 9).
2. Long, upward broadening canvas stockings or leggings (see below and Figure 55). [2]
Further in the text, she writes:
Die zum Männerkostüm gehörende Hose wurde bereits erwähnt. Die Hosenbeine wurden in hohe Leinenstrümpfe hineingesteckt; sie hatten am Oberrand dem Bein aufliegende Zipfel, durch die Sehnenbänder geführt waren, die diese Strümpfe am Hosengürtel festhielten. Neben den Strümpfen kamen auch Stoffbeinlinge vor. [3]
Which translated, says:
The pants of the men’s costume have already been mentioned. The trousers were tucked into high linen stockings; and they had on the upper edge of the leg a point though which garters were guided that held the stockings on the belt. The linen socks were most commonly worn but (textile stockings probably felted) were also worn. [4]
Next post in this series will be details on the extant trousers, followed by a description of my recreation.
- Ierusalimskaja, Anna A. Die Gräber der Moscevaja Balka: Frühmittelalterliche Funde an der nordkaukasischen Seidenstrasse. Munich: Editio Maris, 1996. Print. 45.↵
- Translated through the use of Google Translate. I detail the process I use here.↵
- Ierusalimskaja, 1996. 49↵
- Translating this paragraph resulted in a fascinating discussion on my Facebook. Parts of this translation were provided by different people. The interpretation of felted stockings came from a reenactor friend living in Germany. I am so intrigued by this! There are felt or woolen leggings on the Tarim mummies. I would love to track down additional information.↵
