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What was inside a Viking longhouse?

What was inside a Viking longhouse?

Longhouses were usually made of wood, stone or earth and turf, which kept out the cold better. They had no chimney or windows, so smoke from the open fire drifted out through the roof. Beds and benches lined the walls, and other features included lamps for light, heather bedding, wall hangings and rugs for warmth.

Are there any Viking longhouses left?

They were built during the Viking age: five of them are located in Denmark and were built in the reign of Harold Bluetooth, who died in 986, and one remains in the southern part of Sweden.

How many Vikings could fit in a longhouse?

However, when the Vikings did settle in towns and farms for either short or long periods of time, they built homes often referred to as longhouses. This was the main building in the community and would sometimes house up to 30 – 50 people.

Why did Viking houses not have windows?

Smoky houses Viking houses did not have chimneys or windows. Instead, there was a hole in the roof, where the smoke from the fire escaped. The lack of ventilation meant that there was a great deal of smoke in a Viking house.

How long would it take to build a Viking longhouse?

It depends on what resources and materials were available. A possible estimate is one to two years (the reconstruction took one year to build), but we must also consider that the house seems to have been continually added to and maintained.

Did Vikings have bathrooms?

Interesting enough, according to the BBC Primary History site, there were no bathrooms in the Viking home. Most people probably washed in a wooden bucket or the nearest stream. Instead of toilets, people used cesspits, which are holes dug outside for toilet waste.

How big were longhouses in the Viking Age?

Throughout the Northern lands in the Viking age, people lived in longhouses (langhús), which were typically 5 to 7 meters wide (16 to 23 feet) and anywhere from 15 to 75 meters long (50 to 250 feet), depending on the wealth and social position of the owner.

Where can I see a reconstruction of a Viking longhouse?

The Lofotr Vikking Museum in Lofoten has a reconstruction of a chieftain’s longhouse that stands over 80 metres long. There’s also a blacksmith’s forge and various other Viking reconstructions. Elsewhere in Norway, the Avaldsnes Viking Village has several reconstructions.

What did the Vikings build their houses out of?

No matter the size, the basic construction was the same. Two rows of wooden columns ran the length of the house supporting the high points of the roof. Roofs would either be wood, thatched or turf. The walls were made of either clay, wooden planks or wattle and daub. The walls were usually built bowed giving the overall shape of a boat.

Where did the light come from in a Viking House?

Typically, no windows were used in the house. All light came from smoke holes overhead, and open exterior doors. Some houses may have had small openings covered with animal membranes, located where the roof meets the wall, to allow more light to diffuse into the house.