HatsHoodsHair

The Phrygian Hat

The Coxcomb Hat

The Conical Hat

Literary Evidence

General		Back to top
Headgear for men seems to be a personal preference in the art of the time, as some figures wear headgear and some don't. Don't be confused by the fact that all men's hair and beards are coloured blue, this is not a requirement, just a quirk of the Anglo-Saxon artists! Women's hair is never seen as it is always covered by the wimpel (see this guide). Where headgear is worn by men, it is either a hat or a hood. Hats and hoods were worn either in really cold weather or to keep the sun off. Hats could be leather, fur or wool, while hoods could be wool or linen. The hat worn by Anglo-Saxon man could be one of three styles:
the 'Phrygian' hat the 'Coxcomb' hat the conical-shaped hat

The 'Phrygian' Hat	Back to top
The 'Phrygian' hat was named so because of the point at the top similar to the hats of the ancient 'Phrygian' race. This hat was rounded at the base with the back curving in a convex arc and the front (after allowing room for the head) curving concavely to meet in a point over the forehead. This extra fabric could then be flattened out over the front of the head rather like a Smurf's hat. The pattern for the 'Phrygian' hat should look something like this. The measurement along the bottom should be half your head circumference, and the depth should be about 3 inches.
	Fig. 1. Prudentius from a 10th/11th Century manuscript.

Fig 2. The Phrygian hat pattern.

Fig 3. The Coxcomb hat pattern.

The 'Coxcomb' Hat

This type of hat was not so common, and was shaped like a cock's comb. (Pattern above).

Fig 4. from the Hexateuch an 11th century manuscript

The Conical-Shaped Hat	Back to top
	Many of the illustrations depicting this type of hat, may well be showing helmets, as it is difficult to tell the difference. This is by far the easiest type of hat to make. (Use the pattern in the Basic Guide see Vikings website on the links page.) Ensuring that the bottom of each section is 1 quarter of your head circumference.
Fig 5. Figure from the Tiberius Psalter.

Hoods	Back to top
Women wore hoods as well as men, when it was really cold. (Use the pattern in the Basic Guide - see the Vikings link.) For a good fit the front face opening should be the measurement from under your chin to the top of your head and back to your chin. Do make sure that the narrow neck part is at least the width of your head, otherwise you won't be able to get it on. There are no depictions of men or women in hoods, but we can be fairly sure they were worn as there is plenty of evidence for the monk's cowl, which could have been adopted by seculars as it was very practical.
	Fig 6. Mark Holden as Brother Mark wearing a 10th century monks outfit.

Hair		Back to top
	Where headgear is not worn, all the men have short hair and most are clean-shaven. Some men seem to have a little facial hair, either a beard or moustache or both.
Fig 7. From London, BL MS Cotton Tiberius B v, fol. 4.		Fig 8. King Athelstan, from Cambridge, Corpus Christi College MS 183, fol. IV.

Literary Evidence	Back to top
Literary evidence gives us the word hæt, for headgear in general terms; cugle for the monk's cowl; hod for the hood, similar to the cowl, but not identical, and cæppe 'cap'.

© Rosie Monument 2001

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