Get the look: Rusvik woman, winter clothing

This composition is specially made for the winter. This Viking woman is part of the Rusvik. We have named her Thyra. Thyra is a 9th-10th century woman of Swedish descent. She grew up in the Viking city of Birka and settled with her husband, the trader Ivar, in the region of present-day Ukraine. 

Sweden has traditionally been associated with the Rusvik. However, the Rusvik were just as prevalent in Northern Poland, the Baltic states, Finland, White-Russia, Russia, and Ukraine. DNA research has shown that Vikings came from a wide diversity of countries.  

In the Kiev region, the Rusvik prince Rurik founded a new realm in the 9th century. The Kievan realm was located at the crossroads between the Islamic world and Scandinavia. Vikings traveled down the Volga River and traded with the Islamic world. There, they sold goods such as fur, hides, amber, slaves, and ivory in exchange for Islamic silver dirhams. Dirhams can be seen as the USD or EUR of that time. They had a higher silver content and were therefore more reliable than European coins. The Vikings also bought silk, gemstones, and spices from the Middle East. 

The Kievan Realm began as a number of Slavic tribes in the region around Kiev, led by princes (knyaz) who exercised authority over the tribes. In the 9th century, Rurik, a Viking prince, arrived in Novgorod and established his dynasty, the Rurikids, as rulers over the area. His successors, such as Oleg the Wise, united the Slavic tribes and laid the basic for the realm.

The trade with the Baltic states, Ukraine, and the Middle East placed the Swedish city of Birka at the center. As a result, Birka grew into one of the richest Viking cities. Viking traders established trade routes between Birka and the Kievan Rus. They exchanged items such as fur, honey, wax, and gemstones from Northern Europe for goods like weapons, silver, and textiles from the Kievan Rus.

In the 10th and 11th centuries, the Kievan Rus experienced its Golden Age. Under rulers like Vladimir the Great and Yaroslav the Wise, the empire expanded and consolidated its power. Kiev became the center of political, economic, and cultural activity. The city housed churches, markets, and administrative buildings.

The Scandinavian culture was notably evident in the administrative structure of Kievan Rus. The earliest rulers were often referred to as knyaz (king), and their administrative practices showed Viking influence. The city of Novgorod, where the Vikings first arrived, played a central role in the early political and economic development of Kievan Rus.

We have assembled Ivar and his wife Thyra on basic with clothing and accessories that are representative of the entire Baltic region and the Volga. 

Read our other blog to learn more about the  men's outfit.

For Thyra's accessories, we loosely followed Birka grave 507 and combined it with, among other things, a lunula pendant found in the region of Ukraine. 

The clothing of Rusvik women differed from that of other Scandinavians and was influenced by neighboring peoples. The basic of the outfit was the long, wide underdress (sorochka or rubakha). Various layers could be worn over it, depending on the season and the wealth of the Rusvik wearer. 

Thyra wears an overdress over the underdress, which was typically short and left part of the underdress visible. This combination is also very suitable for winter events, for example. 

Over the dresses, Thyra wears her hangerok, which differs from the typical Scandinavian hangerok because it is open at the front.

In milder conditions, and in and around the house, Thyra wears a thin shawl. This could be wrapped around the shoulders and over the head in various ways. These shawls are depicted in most images of Viking women, such as on the Oseberg tapestry and the Viking women's jewelry found in Tuna.

Outdoors, Thyra would have worn a long cloak. These cloaks were also used for sleeping during travels. 

Most women probably wore a knife. Knives are regularly found in the graves of Viking women. Knives were utilitarian objects, but the scabbard was often luxuriously decorated with leather embossing and brass fittings. 

Thyra is wearing a bag based on a find from Haithabu (Hedeby).

Vikings carried their belongings with them. Many wealthy women wore turtle brooches or turtle brooches, between which they carried riches such as gemstones, beads, and silverware. 

Thyra also wears a needle-case and a nail care set that are based on originals found in Birka. These could be hung on the belt, or attached to chains and other jewelry via decorative hooks.

Amber was very popular in the Rusvik area. Germanic tribes were already selling amber to the Roman Empire, who were willing to pay a lot for it. Today, amber is still expensive, but the look can also be achieved with our carnelian necklaces.

Thyra wears a amulet in the shape of a crescent moon. Such lunula or lunitsa pendants had a Slavic origin and were worn throughout the Baltic Sea area during the 10th century. They were likely meant to protect mothers and their (un)born children from evil influences.

The brooch that Thyra wears is based on an original found in Stora Ryk in Sweden. Originally, this design was used by the Franks for the decoration of swords and shields. In the 9th century, the Vikings adopted these decorations, and they were increasingly used as fibulae. Later, in the 10th century, this became a standard design for brooches.

In this composition, Thyra wears boots found in Oseberg.