SC - OT - hunting book

[LrdRas@aol.com]

Good Gentles,

Previously on Cooks list . . . (was it only yesterday?  I've
gotten 4 digests since then!!)

I commented to someone that the "dirty viking" image was not
specifically correct because of their love of steam baths and
washing.

His Grace gently asked why I believed such a notion, as he knew
of no mention of "steam lodges" in the sagas, and I found myself
in a quandry (as I often do when making idle comments in his
presence).  After spending several hours on the internet looking
at web pages and sources, I did what any frustrated Dane would
do, I sent a frantic e-mail to the Viking Answer Lady, Mistress
Gunnora, from here in Ansteorra.  For those slightly interested,
I have included her reply as :

>>>>>>>>
Start with my article on Viking Grooming 
(http://www.realtime.net/~gunnora/hairstyl.htm)

There are certainly terms for bath-house and steam-bathing in
Old Norse. The usual term is "baking" in the bath-house, which
strongly implies sauna-like conditions. Iceland has bath-houses
using volcanic hot springs that have been in continuous use
since the Settlement. Now where is this documented? *sigh* Take
a look at the article I referenced above and let me know if this
gives you the proper ammo. I recall that I had a tough time
finding specific references to the bath-house when I wrote it to
start with... ::GUNNORA:: 
<<<<<<<<

And from the article found at the URL listed above:

>>>>>>>>
Although the popular image of the people of the Viking Age is
one of wild-haired, dirty savages, this is a false perception.
In reality, the Vikings took care with their personal grooming,
bathing, and hairstyling.
Perhaps the most telling comment comes from the pen of English
cleric John of Wallingford, prior of St. Fridswides, who
complained bitterly that the Viking Age men of the Danelaw
combed their hair, took a bath on Saturday, and changed their
woolen garments frequently, and that they performed these
un-Christian and heathen acts in an attempt to seduce high-born
English women (1):
   It is reported in the chronicle attributed to John of 
   Wallingford that the Danes, thanks to their habit of combing 
   their hair every day, of bathing every Saturday and regularly

   changing their clothes, were able to undermine the virtue of 
   married women and even seduce the daughters of nobles to be 
   their mistresses (2). 


(1)Gwyn Jones. A History of the Vikings. Oxford: Oxford
University Press. 1968. p. 177.
(2) Ian Riddler. Two Late Saxon Combs from the Longmarket
Excavations
<http://www.hillside.co.uk/arch/longmarket/comb.html>.
Canterbury's Archaeology 1989/1990, The 14th Annual Report of
Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd. Accessed 5/15/99.

And since I have no other salient obligatory food comment, other
than the fact that at a Viking Feast, one would certainly be
assured of hand-washing on the part of the kitchen staff, as
would a feast from the Noble Arabs.

Steamily,
Tyrca



=====
Lady Tyrca Ivarsdottir
- -"Honesty is Everything"
- -->-->-{(@)
AoA, OPN, ASTA, oleander
Canton of Lindenwood
(all sorts of places in and around Ft. Worth & Dallas, TX)
Kingdom of Ansteorra

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