Viking Lucet Cord Research

Before that discussion, I had been aware that there have been heated discussions among reenactors and historical costumers about whether the Vikings used lucets or not, but I didn't really know what support existed for the hypothesis that they used such devices. It turns out that the most solid piece of evidence for the use of lucets in the Viking era comes from a grave find at Barshalder, in Sweden, which was the subject of an article by Kerstin Pettersson. Here's the full citation of her article, for the curious:

Kerstin Pettersson, "En gotländsk kvinnas dräkt. Kring ett textilfynd från vikingatiden," Tor 12, 1967-1968. Societas Archaeologica Upsaliensis, Uppsala, pp. 174 - 200.

Ms. Pettersson's article (of which I have obtained the gist primarily from the English-captions on the accompanying photographs, since the text itself is in Swedish) discusses two pieces of cord found in the grave, one of which apparently held beads, and the other of which appeared to be fastened to one of the tortoise brooches in the grave in a position that suggested a shoulder strap. Whether such cords were used for straps on apron dresses, however, is not the part of the discussion I'm focusing on right now. What I'm interested in is the evidence for the use of lucets in the Viking era, and what a "Viking lucet" might have looked like.

The Barshalder cords have a square cross-section, like the cord made by lucets, according to Sandy Sempel of Frojel Gotlandica, who has had an opportunity to see them in person. Like lucet cord and unlike cords made by fingerlooping, the Barshalder cords appear to be made from one continuous length of string. It seems likely that, if cord with the property of lucet cord is found in a Viking era grave, that the Vikings had a device that could make such cord.

Bone lucets from Jorvik (York), World of Vikings CD-ROM

Bone lucet with runes from Skåne, Sweden, World of Vikings CD-ROM

Sources:

Kerstin Pettersson, "En gotländsk kvinnas dräkt. Kring ett textilfynd från vikingatiden," Tor 12, 1967-1968. Societas Archaeologica Upsaliensis, Uppsala, pp. 174 - 200.

Making a Lucet Cord

As I was busily making a lucet cord while watching TV tonight I was struck by the memory of how challenging a skill it was for me to learn.

As with most things I do, I had no one first hand to teach me. Normally, I don't have much of a problem with reading how something is done and then just jumping in and having a go at it. Usually with good success. Not so with my experience with the lucet.

First, I read the pamphlet that came with my lucet... confusion, followed by a knotted lump of string. I am left-handed so I thought it may have something in my translation so I turned to the Internet for more reading on left-handed instructions. Still no luck.  I just couldn't seem to get the tension right, it was either too loose or so tight I could not pull the threads over the tines of the lucet.  It was after much frustration and many websites that I finally stumbled across this YouTube video that for some reason, in its simplicity, made it all so clear to me.

If you have been struggling with Lucet cord making, don't give up, watch someone in person or on video and the light bulb will eventually go off for you too.

And, yes, I am using the right handed method.  I find it easiest to learn most new skills that my hands do not already have a primary roll in preforming with my right hand (for example I knit right handed but embroider with my left).  It makes it easier for other people to teach me and so I can teach others later on as well.