Carved tent pole tops, examples and suggestions
When you're making
your A-frame tent, you might consider decorating the tops of the tent poles.
Some people carve them, some paint them.
Gokstad tent poles
The best,
and oldest, and oldest example we have of decorated Viking tent poles
comes from the Gokstad find.
Looking
at the illustration to the right, you can see that the decorations on each
side of the pole is slightly different, and not simply mirror images of each
other. Such differentiations have been noted in other Viking
art. It's up to you how detailed you want to make your poles.
It is also up to you whether or not you want to carve or decorate your poles only in a design which is archaeologically supported, or to simply use your own design which is based on other Norse art.
For instance...
Raven tent poles
Here is
a set which are not based on actual Norse tent poles, and a brief explanation
on how such designs can be transferred and used.
These
raven poles belong to Steingrim and Hjordis of Ravenstead household. The
original design was traced from a photograph of tent poles in the excellent
book,
The Vikings: Recreated in Color Photographs, by Britta
Nurmann and Carl Schulze. It was assumed, at the time of the tracing,
that the poles in the book were based on some archaeological find of Norse
poles.
Their design was unusual, and unlike any tent poles Steingrim and Hjordis had seen previously. He took the tracing and transferred the design onto the wood, cut it out from the pole, and Hjordis painted the raven for the end result.
At a later
date, the photo of the silver penny to the right was found in the book by
James Graham-Campbell and Dafydd Kidd, The Vikings, plate 67:
obverse of a penny of Analf Guthfrithsson with royal title CUNUNC,
showing a raven (c. 940).
Looks pretty darn familiar, doesn't it?
And here's a page from the British Museum with the penny, as well.
The important thing to know in this case is the lesson that anything can be used as an inspiration for the tops of your tent poles. Steingrim and Hjordis might not have poles which replicate an archaeological find, but they have great looking poles which they're very happy with and are quite appropriate to their household encampment (Ravenstead).
Dak's
carved tent poles
Here is a beautiful and excellent example of carved tent poles, belonging to Dak Ulfredsson of Madrone barony.
As you can see, both the pole lengths and the tops are carved. Unlike some other decorated poles, the lengths are actually more elaborate than the tops. He said, "The tent end poles were carved by his Grace Torgul, over the course of one winter and he gifted them to me perhaps 8 or ten years ago. They are of ash, and then I added the ridge and side poles, out of spruce."
Other aspects of Dak's camp are quite interesting as well, so do visit his "Dak's, Ulfred's and Finegan's Tents" pages!
Other possible inspirations...
If you decide to design original pole decorations for your frame, take your time and look through the many artifacts of Norse art which might inspire you...
A reproduction of a shiphead.
|
A "smoothing board" used to press the wrinkles from cloth. |
Another "smoothing board." |
More examples to come!
Other webpages with pictures of tents with carved poles:
page last updated 7/20/01
unfinished
Email to: Ravenstead Household
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The Ravenstead household is dedicated to studying the arts and sciences of the Norse culture during the “Viking Era” (700-1066 AD) and re-enacting the lifestyle of that era in our encampments.
