When Viking Age houses are reconstructed, the focus is usually on the fireplace, and how tables, benches and beds were arranged. These things help us understand how people lived. But we often forget that textiles – like blankets, sheets, tablecloths and wall hangings – were also important in everyday life. Textiles were used for comfort, cleaning and decoration, and they also helped tell stories and show a person’s social status.

Most Viking Age textiles that have survived were found in graves. These include not just clothes, but also bedding, pillows and fabric used to wrap objects. A burial chamber can be seen as a kind of room for the dead, filled with items that show how people lived and what they valued. Because of this, burial chambers are one of the best sources we have for learning about household textiles. By looking at textiles in their original settings and using different research methods, we can better understand how textiles were used, why they were needed and how valuable they were.

The chapters in this book look at different types of textiles used inside Viking houses, where they were placed, how they were used and how they worked with other materials. They also explore how textiles fit into the space of the house. How was the house set up, and how did people experience it as they moved around? This kind of study helps us understand the space better, which is often missed when we only look at things like postholes and fireplaces.