This composition is specially crafted for winter. This Viking woman is part of the Rusvik. We named her Thyra. Thyra is a 9th-10th-century woman of Swedish origin. She grew up in the Viking city of Birka and, along with her husband, the trader Ivar, settled in the region of modern-day Ukraine.
Kievan Rus
Sweden has traditionally been associated with the Rusvik. However, the Rusvik were also present in Northern Poland, the Baltic states, Finland, Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. DNA research has shown that Vikings originated from a wide diversity of countries.
In the Kiev region, in the 9th century, the Rusvik prince Rurik founded a new empire. The Kievan Rus was situated at the crossroads between the Islamic world and Scandinavia. Vikings traveled down the Volga River and engaged in trade with the Islamic world. There, they sold commodities 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. Vikings also purchased silk, gemstones, and spices from the Middle East.
The rise of the Kievan Rus
The Kievan Rus began as a collection 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 foundation for the empire.
Birka
Trade with the Baltic states, Ukraine, and the Middle East positioned the Swedish city of Birka at the center. As a result, Birka grew into one of the wealthiest Viking cities. Viking traders established trade routes between Birka and the Kievan Rus. They exchanged goods such as fur, honey, wax, and gemstones from Northern Europe for items like weapons, silver, and textiles from the Kievan Rus.
Boom and Golden Age
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, hosting churches, markets, and administrative buildings.
The Scandinavian culture was evident in the administrative structure of Kievan Rus. The earliest rulers were often referred to as knyaz (prince), 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 composed Ivar and his wife Thyra based on clothing and accessories that are representative of the entire Baltic Sea region and the Volga.
Read this blog to learn more about the men's outfit: https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/blogs/info/get-the-look-rusvik-man-winter-clothes
Viking women's clothing Thyra
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.
Viking dress and underdress
The clothing of Rusvik women differed from that of other Scandinavians and was influenced by neighboring peoples. The foundation of the outfit was the long, wide underdress (sorochka or rubakha). Over this, she could wear various layers, depending on the season and the wealth of the wearer.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/rusvik-viking-dress-lilia-natural.html
Over the underdress, Thyra wears an overdress, which was typically short and exposed a part of the underdress. This combination is also well-suited for winter events, for example.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/rusvik-viking-dress-luiza-gray-blue.html
Viking hangerok
Over the dresses, Thyra wears her hangerok, which deviates from the typical Scandinavian hangerok as it is open at the front.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/rusvik-viking-dress-katarzyna-blue-green.html
Viking cloak
In milder weather conditions and around the house, Thyra wears a thin scarf. This could be wrapped around the shoulders and over the head in various ways. Such scarves are depicted in most images of Viking women, as seen on the Oseberg tapestry and the Viking women's jewelry found in Tuna.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-woman-scarf-ingrid.html
For outdoor activities, Thyra would have worn a long cloak. These cloaks were also used for sleeping during travels.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/cloak-hibernus-brown.html
Viking knife
Most women likely carried a knife. Knives are frequently found in the graves of Viking women. Knives were practical tools, but the sheath was often luxuriously decorated with leather embossing and brass fittings.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-seax-with-bone-grip.html
Viking bag
Thyra carries a bag based on a discovery from Haithabu (Hedeby).
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-pouch-haithabu.html
Viking shield brooches and accessories
Vikings carried their belongings with them. Many wealthy women wore shield brooches or tortoise brooches, between which they carried riches such as gemstones, beads, and silverware.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/turtle-brooch-dublin-silvered.html
Thyra also wears a needle case and a nail care set, both based on originals found in Birka. These could be hung from the belt or attached to chains and other jewelry through decorative hooks.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/closed-bronze-ring-l.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-jewelry-hook-double-98851848.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/pick-birka.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-nail-cleaner-birka-grave-660.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/needle-box-birka-grave-515.html
Amber necklaces
Amber was highly popular in the Rusvik region. Germanic tribes had been selling amber to the Roman Empire, which highly valued it. Today, amber remains quite expensive, but a similar look can be achieved with our carnelian necklaces.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/necklace-birka.html
Lunula amulet
Thyra wears an amulet in the shape of a crescent moon. Such lunula or lunitsa pendants had a Slavic origin and were worn throughout the Baltic Sea region by the 10th century. They were likely intended to protect mothers and their (unborn) children from malevolent influences.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/lunula-amulet-gnezdovo.html
Viking brooch
The brooch that Thyra wears is based on an original found in Stora Ryk, Sweden. Originally, this design was used by the Franks to decorate swords and shields. In the 9th century, the Vikings adopted these decorations and increasingly used them as fibulae (brooches). Later, in the 10th century, this became a standard design for brooches.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-brooch-stora-ryk.html
Viking shoes
In this ensemble, Thyra wears boots found in Oseberg.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-boots-oseberg.html