CHAPTER XXI.
OCCUPATIONS OF WOMEN.
Weaving and embroidery—The housewife’s keys—General occupation of ordinary women—Queens brewing ale and bleaching linen—Looms—Amazons.
High-born women occupied themselves with weaving and embroidery, participated in the household duties, and took charge of the estate while their husbands were absent.
The wife had a bunch of keys at her side, to show her authority over the household; and in many graves of women keys either of iron or bronze have been found.
Fig. 1339.—Bundle of bronze keys in a large stone cist made of slabs; found with two human skeletons upon a bed made of birch bark, &c. ¼ real size.—Norway.
The women had a special habitation called Dyngja or Skemma, which men were not allowed to enter, and where their female friends visited them.
In earlier days it seems to have been the custom for fathers to have champions outside keeping guard in order to prevent men from coming into the women’s quarters; and these champions are described as having taken animal shape.[[256]]
The Bayeux tapestry[[257]] corroborates in many points the truthfulness of the Sagas; for example, when referring to the dragon-ship, ornamented with shields, striped sails, small boats, &c., the ancient wood carvings, some of which are shown in this work, the clothing and cloaks which are only worn by the higher-born, and which are fastened with fibulæ on the right shoulder, and the embroidery.
“Then his foster-daughter Brynhild returned to Heimir. She spent her time in a bower with her maidens, and surpassed in handiwork all other women. She made embroidery with gold, and sewed thereon the great deeds of Sigurd, the slaying of the serpent, the taking of the treasure, and Regin’s death” (Volsunga Saga, c. 24).