YEARS 1000–1300

JEWELLERY AND ORNAMENT – A WOMAN´S STATUS SYMBOLS

In early 11th century Sámi (Lapps) practising fishing and hunting lived throughout most of the territory of present-day. Around this time, the Danes and the Swedes extended their rule to Finland and the northern reaches of the Baltic. Crusades of conversion marked the spread of Greek Orthodoxy and the Catholic faith to Finland between the 12th and 14th centuries. In the 11th and 12th centuries thousands of churches were built in Central and Southern Europe in the Gothic style. The crafts of bricklaying and masonry construction were adopted in Finland in the late 13th century. Archaeological finds permit reconstructions of contemporary clothing and ornament.

Drawing: Tuula Ollikainen

Tekstit ja kuvat: Aikamatka käsityöhön -näyttely, ellei toisin mainita.

MEDIAVAL APPAREL

In Iron Age graves the bronze spiral ornaments belonging to women´s costume have permitted the preservation of small parts of comtemporary festive dress, which have reconstructed.

During the Crusade Period (1050-1300) women’s costume consisted of a woollen blouse and skirt, apron and cloak. Married women wore veils as headgear. Footwear consisted of shoes with legs bound around the ankle with strips of leather or woven bands. A set of objects consisting of a purse, a tube for needles and a sheath knife were kept on a large ring worn on the chest, and later on the waist. Personal items of jewellery included ear-spoons for cleaning the ears.

Kuva: Kalevala Koru Oy

TRELLIS BAND

The plaiting of web and trellis bands is an old internationally known technique. By the 11th century at the latest, Finns also made skilful trellis bands. These supple bands were used as shoe bindings, belts for fur coats etc.

Piirros ja kuvat: Suomen käsityön museo / Elsa Silpala

BIRD MOTIVE

The bird is an important theme in Finnish folk poetry. According to Finnish myth, the universe was born from the egg of a bird (eagle, goose or pochard). The bird theme was also used in jewellery and ornament.

Kuva: Suomen kansallismuseon kokoelma / Kari Hakli

THE SHIELD OF ST. JOHN

A four-loop design called Hannunvaakuna in Finnish (The Shield of St. John) is known from a ski dated to 1000-1200. This looped cross of magical significance became a common motif in Finnish folk art, for example in horse-collars, distaffs, and cheese frames.

Piirros: Pirkko-Liisa Surojegin

BIRCH-BARK SHOES

Interwoven birch-bark shoes date from prehistoric times. The low löttö shoes and the higher virsu shoes were practical everyday footwear. In poor regions they were worn throughout the year, in winter with broadcloth leggings.

Kuvat: Suomen käsityön museo / Elsa Silpala, Martti Laaksovirta

BARREL CHAIR

Finland’s old chair types, the chest and barrel chairs were adopted by the 13th century at the latest. The family valuable were kept in the lower part.

Piirros: Pirkko-Liisa Surojegin

MASONRY

The craft of building in masonrywas a great innovation in the late 13th century. Brick came into use around the same time, and bricklaying was probably introduced into Finland by Dominican monks. On account of their cost, bricks were only used in building castles and churches, and even then in a decoraive role.The mortar for bricklaying and masonry work was obtained from limestone, which is found in natural deposits particularly in Southwest Finland. The mortar was made by slaking the limestone and mixing the limestone and water with sand. Important building projects were handled by teams of bricklayers, carpenters, brickmakers, masons and lime-burners. Ruins of Kuusisto castle.

Kuva: Matti Ruotsalainen