{"id":715,"date":"2024-10-08T10:27:18","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T08:27:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/?p=715"},"modified":"2025-07-07T16:17:58","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T14:17:58","slug":"the-tablet-woven-bands-from-oseberg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/2024\/10\/08\/the-tablet-woven-bands-from-oseberg\/","title":{"rendered":"The Tablet-Woven Bands from Oseberg\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The many tablet-woven bands are a unique and little-known part of the rich Oseberg find. They have remained in a faded state in the storage rooms of the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, until the author has literally brought them back into the light.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Bente P. Skogsaas\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tablet weaving is an ancient textile craft that has been practiced in many other parts of the world before Norway. The first bands in Norway are found using the simplest technique from around 150 AD (like the edges in figure 1). They functioned as starting, selvage, and finishing edges for larger textiles on warp-weighted looms. Over time, the bands became so complex in pattern and technique that they were woven separately. Good examples are bands from the Migration Period (ca. 500\u2013650 AD): From Eveb\u00f8 (figure 1) and Snartemo V (figure 2).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Figure
Figure 1: A weaving of one of the fantastical animals from the Eveb\u00f8 band. Photo: Author. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Figure
Figure 2: A weaving of three figures from Snartemo V. Photo: Author. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

No finds have been made from the period between the Migration Period and the Vendel Period, before the very first from the Viking Age (793\u20131050 AD): the Kaupang band from 800 AD. The Kaupang band was found mounted at the top of a strap dress and is one of the very few Viking Age bands that has been proven to have been mounted on a garment (figure 3).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Figure
Figure 3: A weaving of the Kaupang band. Photo: Author.\u00a0\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From the same time, just a few hours\u2019 ride away on horseback, the most specialized and innovative weavers were based in Oseberg. The find from this weaving community, with approximately 60 tablet-weaving fragments cataloged under 48 numbers, was undoubtedly unparalleled both in its time and afterward: Unparalleled because it features so many advanced techniques, motifs, and yarn materials. No other Viking Age finds have surpassed this diverse collection. The excavation leader, Professor Gabriel Gustafsson, realized early on that the textile find was unique. At the entrance to the burial chamber lay a partially finished tablet-woven band threaded with 52 tablets (figure 4).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Figure
Figure 4: Tablet-woven band threaded with 52 tablets in 1904. Photo: O. V\u00e6ring. KHM, UiO.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A good example of his understanding of the find\u2019s uniqueness is that, in August 1904, he drew how the tablets were threaded before they were lifted from the excavation site. Each tablet is documented in a drawing that shows the number of threads in the tablet, which hole they were threaded through, and from which side (figure 5).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Figure
Figure 5: Photo from the book \u201cThe Oseberg Textiles, Volume V\u201d. Photo: Author.\u00a0\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With great humility and reverence, 118 years later, I was able to study both the partially finished band and a similar band mounted in one of the tapestry fragments. After an in-depth study of the drawing, the partially finished band, and the band in tapestry fragment 13B2 \u201cShield Wall,\u201d I ended up with the reconstruction in figure 6 (Skogsaas 2022).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Figure
Figure 6: Reconstruction of Oseberg 13B2. Photo: Author.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What Were the Tablet-Woven Bands Used For?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tablet-woven bands on clothing were primarily decorative, but owning garments with tablet-woven bands at that time also indicated that you belonged to a higher social class. The bands in figures 1, 2, and 3 were found on garments, but none of the bands from Oseberg were found mounted on clothing. This does not mean they weren\u2019t, but we have no proof. Very, very few bands from the Viking Age have been found on clothing in Scandinavia in general. About half of the Oseberg bands are mounted into tapestry fragments. The band in figure 6 was mounted at the bottom of the tapestry fragment known as the \u201cShield Wall\u201d (figure 7).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Figure
Figure 7: Oseberg 13B2. Drawing by Mary Storm in 1940. Photo: KHM, UiO.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Techniques\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like all other forms of woven textiles, tablet weaving is done with warp and weft. In tablet weaving, two, three, or four warp threads are threaded through holes in a tablet, as in figure 8. The width of the band depends on the number of tablets. The bands from Oseberg vary in width from 0.5 cm to 5\u20136 cm. A simple band can be made by turning the tablets either forward or backward with a weft thread between each turn. However, with tablet weaving, the possibilities are almost endless depending on color choices, how the tablets are threaded, how the tablets are turned, and how the weft is inserted. You can find more information about the advanced weaving techniques from the Oseberg find on [my Facebook page](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bente.skogsaas).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Figure
Figure 8: Tablet from the Oseberg find. Approx. 4.1 x 4.5 cm and 1 mm thick. Photo: KHM, UiO.\u00a0\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Motifs and Yarn\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes the find so unique is the great variation of techniques, combined with the diversity of patterns and the use of extremely fine yarn made from wool, plant material, and silk. The wool yarn in my reconstructions is spun from wool from the Old Norwegian sheep breed, which has genetic ties to sheep from the Viking Age. The silk thread is most likely something the Vikings brought back from many of their journeys in the southeastern parts of Europe (Vedeler 2014). The wool yarn is extremely fine: It varies between 20\/2 (950m\/100g) and 28\/2 (1400m\/100g). The red colors are the most visible today, but there were also yellowish, grayish, and brownish shades in various nuances. Blue and green colors are not clearly present today. In my reconstructions, I have used a broader color spectrum than what we can prove, as no chemical analyses have been conducted. It has been interesting to discover during the reconstruction work how the weavers\u2019 sense of aesthetics also involved weaving bands with yarns of different thicknesses and degrees of twist.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Figure
Figure 9: Left: Reconstruction of a band in silk and linen found mounted on an embroidery (12L1). Top right: 27J2. The two on the bottom right are 26B3: Almost identical to the Kaupang band.\u00a0\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Figure
Figure 10: Left: Reconstruction of 3aI in wool. Top right: A band without a catalog number, found outside the burial entrance, here woven in blue linen and brown wool. Bottom right: 13B2 mounted in the tapestry \u201cMen with Raised Hands\u201d (figure 11). <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"Figure
Figure 11: Original Oseberg 13B2: \u201cMen with Raised Hands.\u201d Photo: Author.\u00a0\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Figure
Figure 12: Left: Reconstruction of Oseberg 15D. Top right: Reconstruction of the band cataloged as No. 1 \u201cThe Wagon Procession.\u201d Bottom right: Reconstruction of 13B2B. All in wool and linen. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Figure
Figure 13: Top left: Reconstruction of stylized trees in Oseberg 30C. Top right: Reconstruction of a motif in Oseberg 27A5, which most likely was part of the band in 30C: A warrior with a mask \u2014 an elk antler? Bottom: 30C also features what looks like a deer. The first part shows the reconstruction of an animal and stylized trees, with the final part being my interpretation of a mirrored animal at the end. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Figure 14: Oseberg 34D is like a poem with eight verses and ten refrains. It is woven with plant material in the background and the motifs in wool and silk.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Figure
Figure 14: Reconstruction of Oseberg 34D in several relevant color combinations. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

References\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u2013 Nockert, Margareta, and Arne Emil Christensen: *The Oseberg Find. Volume IV.* Cultural History Museum, University of Oslo (2006).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 Skogsaas, Bente: *Oseberg 34D. Reconstruction and How to Weave Step by Step.* Oslo: Kolofon Forlag (2019).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 Skogsaas, Bente: *Oseberg 9 Tablet-Woven Bands. Reconstruction and How to Weave Step by Step.* Oslo: Kolofon Forlag (2020).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 Skogsaas, Bente: *A Tablet Woven Band from the Oseberg Grave: Interpretation of Motif and Technique.* EXARC Journal (2022\/3).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 Vedeler, Marianne: *Silk for the Vikings.*\u00a0Ancient Textiles Series, Oxbow Books (2014).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

From Passion to Master\u2019s Degree\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"AUTHOR
AUTHOR OF THE ARTICLE: Bente P. Skogsaas photographed at Gildehallen in Borre\/Midgard Viking Center. The dress is decorated with a reconstructed Oseberg tablet band 34D (Figure 14). Photo: Elisabeth Bekkevard.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n

Ten years ago, I saw a watercolor by Sofie Krafft (illustrator for the Oseberg find in the early 1900s): a watercolor of an exceptionally beautiful tablet-woven band called \u2018Oseberg 34D\u2019. As a relatively new tablet-weaver, I fell head over heels and never recovered. A few years later, this passion for tablet weaving and the Oseberg bands resulted in a master\u2019s degree in traditional art with a reconstruction of Oseberg 34D (2019), Book I on 34D (2020), Book II with nine reconstructions from Oseberg (2022), and the publication of a scientific article (EXARC 2022). The next book, Book III, will be the final volume on the bands and will be ready in 2025: A compilation of 18 reconstructed bands from the ship burial.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\"en_GB\"\/<\/a>\n\n\n

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The many tablet-woven bands are a unique and little-known part of the rich Oseberg find. They have remained in a faded state in the storage rooms of the Viking Ship… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":730,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,18,20,61],"tags":[49,23,50],"class_list":["post-715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-oseberg","category-research","category-vikingshop","tag-oseberg","tag-reconstruction","tag-tablet"],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/Brikkeband-01A.jpg",1700,1700,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/Brikkeband-01A-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/Brikkeband-01A-300x300.jpg",300,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/Brikkeband-01A-768x768.jpg",768,768,true],"large":["https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/Brikkeband-01A-1024x1024.jpg",1024,1024,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/Brikkeband-01A-1536x1536.jpg",1536,1536,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/Brikkeband-01A.jpg",1700,1700,false],"gg_gallery_thumbnail":["https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/Brikkeband-01A-450x250.jpg",450,250,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Ole Harald","author_link":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/author\/ole-harald\/"},"uagb_comment_info":27,"uagb_excerpt":"The many tablet-woven bands are a unique and little-known part of the rich Oseberg find. They have remained in a faded state in the storage rooms of the Viking Ship…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=715"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/715\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":731,"href":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/715\/revisions\/731"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}