VikingTents

Question: What is the one thing that you need most if you are going on a long journey in an open boat? Answer: Some form of shelter
	The Vikings had an ingenious way of obtaining shelter from the elements, while they were away raiding. They simply took down the sail of the longship, took out some planks, and with the rigging to hold it all together - made themselves a frame tent.
These tents were ingenious in that they didn't require too much extra baggage - ideal when you have to consider where to stow your loot on the way back! All that was required were a few carefully cut poles and planks, which could easily be stored under the deck of the ship. The sail makes the body of the tent and being canvas is reasonably waterproof and the rigging that usually holds the sail up and in place, becomes the ropes that hold the tent together. And as it's all held together with ropes, it doesn't need pegging down - which you can't do on a ship anyway! With the addition of an extra canvas triangle at each end you have a tent which can be used as a market stall to trade from during the day - if you're a merchant; and a dry place to sleep in at night. Add several burly Viking warriors and I'm sure it would have been very cosy!
Further benefits of these tents are: Easy to transport - lash the poles together with the ropes and you have a makeshift cart to carry the canvas and anything else on. No need to peg down - simply weight the base boards with a couple of sets of chainmail. Multipurpose use - as a shelter to trade from, keep dry and close it up at night to sleep in relative privacy

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