Medieval clothing

Preservation of clothing in archaeological contexts is rare, as biological materials are broken down over time. However, clothing found under the church floor in Uvdal has been preserved very well due to dry and stable conditions through hundreds of years. Both clothing and shoes have been found, relating to graves but also as loose finds. Mittens, scarves, and hats dating to different periods have been identified. This can tell us a lot about the local clothing traditions, for both everyday life and formal wear.

Clothing from the Middle Ages was normally made with a lot of fabric and intricate stitching, focusing on symmetry and balance. Wool was the main material used, but some undergarments made from linen have been found. Linen was a costly imported commodity and therefore reserved for the wealthy. Clothing could be either colored or natural, and clothing colored in shades of red, brown, and black were common. 

Medieval clothing may be seen as somewhat gender-neutral in its design. Both women and men would wear long undergarments, as well as knee-length stockings often made with a single-needle knitting technique. In medieval illustrations, we can see women and men wear long dresses or tunics as well as capes, often fitted with a hood. Female dresses tended to be longer than male tunics. The bottoms of tunics and dresses were often wide and constructed with several panels of fabric. Often the fabric of the hem was folded or pleated. Narrow belts with long ends were used. 

Many different weaving techniques are known from the Middle Ages. Even though a few examples of four-shafted Twill have been identified, three-shafted Twill was the norm. This type of weaving gives a strong and durable fabric and is connected to table loom techniques. Even though the older standing warp-weighted loom was still used in Norway during the Middel Ages, craftsmen may have been inspired by imported fabrics created with table loom techniques.