This Rusvik clothing outfit is specially made for winter. This Viking man is part of the Rusvik. We've named him Ivar and he has settled together with his wife Thyra in the region of present-day Ukraine. Ivar is a 9th-10th century merchant of Swedish origin. He grew up in the Viking town Birka in Sweden.
Kievan Rus
Sweden has traditionally been associated with the Rusvik . But the Rusvik were equally present in Northern Poland, the Baltic states, Finland, Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. DNA research has shown that Vikings came from a great diversity of countries.
In the Kiev region, the Rusvik prince Rurik founded a new empire in the 9th century. The Kievan empire 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 merchandise 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.
Rise of the Kievan Empire
The Kievan Empire 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 foundation for the empire.
Birka
Trade with the Baltic states, Ukraine and the Middle East placed the Swedish city of Birka at the center. Birka grew into one of the richest Viking towns as a result. Viking merchants established trade routes between Birka and the Kievan Empire. They traded, among other things, fur, honey, wax and gemstones from northern Europe for goods such as weapons, silver and textiles from the Kievan Empire.
Prosperity and Golden Age
In the 10th and 11th centuries, the Kievan Empire experienced its Golden Age. Under princes such as 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.
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've put together Ivar and his wife Thyra based on clothing and accessories that are representative of the entire Baltic region and the Volga.
Read our other blog to learn more about the women's outfit.
Viking Rusvik men's clothing: Ivar
Viking tunic & under tunic
The rubakha, a long tunic, was the basic component of Rusvik clothing. Poorer men often wore one, and wealthier men wore a second one over it, made from a more expensive fabric. The over-tunic is made of wool with a hem featuring a herringbone pattern. The woolen tunic provides extra warmth in the cold weather of his living region.
Do you prefer to wear an under-tunic with long sleeves? Check out the Leif Tunic.
Viking trousers
Characteristic of Ivar's clothing are the puffed trousers that remained popular in Russia and Ukraine well into the early modern period. Similar puffed trousers are even depicted on the 9th-century tapestry of the Norwegian Oseberg ship, but with an extra wide puff.
Viking leg wraps
Under his trousers, Ivar wears woolen leg wraps. The leg wraps were fastened with clasps.
Viking kaftan
Ivar wears a luxurious kaftan made of red and blue wool. The colors red and blue stood for wealth. Only the wealthier Vikings could afford to wear these colored fabrics.
Viking hat
Many modern Vikings wear hats. Although hats haven't been found very much in Viking graves, it can be assumed that Vikings indeed often wore hats against the cold.
Viking cloak
In cold times, Ivar wore a thick woolen cloak over his kaftan. In addition to protection against the cold, these cloaks were also used for sleeping.
Viking belt & pouch
It was considered improper to wear the tunic without a belt. Both the components of the belt and the fittings on the pouch are based on finds from graves in Birka.
Viking shoes
In this outfit, Ivar wears Viking shoes found in the Viking town of York.
Viking sax
Vikings often carried a sax. Saxes come in both large and small variants. Small saxes were probably often used as tools. This large sax was clearly intended for combat. The Rusvik regularly carried saxes whose sheaths were luxuriously decorated with brass fittings. This was both decorative and to reinforce the sheath.
Viking sword
In this outfit, Ivar carries a Viking sword Petersen type E2. This sword is based on an original found in a Viking grave at Gnëzdovo near Smolensk in Russia.
