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--- culture:longhouse [2024/03/10 19:26] – created Ron Helwig
+++ culture:longhouse [2025/06/21 19:03] (current) – Ron Helwig
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-====== Longhouses ======
+# Longhouses
-During the Viking age, most dwellings were longhouses (langhús). They would be built from wood if they could be, but where wood was scarce they would use whatever materials were at hand. Some had large portions of their base walls built of stone. Some were made mostly using turf, cut pieces of sod covered with grass piled high like large bricks. Sometimes the roofs were made from turf, giving them a grassy, often living, roof.
-Starting from as small as 15 feet wide and 50 feet long, wealthier owners could have their longhouses as large as 25 feet wide by 250 feet long. They needed to be large because not only did they do a lot of things in the house, but they also usually let the livestock sleep in it as well. Often they would have one end walled off for the livestock, but sometimes they would just let them roam the house.
+During the Viking Age, most dwellings were **longhouses** (*langhús*). These were long, rectangular buildings used for living, working, and often housing livestock. Construction methods varied based on local resources:
-Larger houses might have a few rooms, but a typical small one would just have one large space with a long firepit in the center that would be used for heating, cooking, and light. A few tables could be moved to where they would be needed, and there would be benches against the walls for working and sleeping. Very few people would have beds, and bedding mostly consisted of furs and blankets.
+- In forested areas, **wood** was the primary building material.
+- Where wood was scarce, **stone** or **turf** was used instead.
+- Some longhouses had **stone base walls** for stability.
+- **Turf walls**—cut blocks of sod stacked like bricks—were common in treeless regions.
+- Roofs were sometimes made of turf, creating a **living grassy roof** that blended with the landscape.
-===== Further Resources =====
+---
-Hurstwic is an excellent source of information, and they have a page dedicated to [[http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/daily_living/text/longhouse.htm|longhouses]].
-The site Life in Norway has an article on [[http://www.lifeinnorway.net/viking-longhouses/|longhouses]].
+## Size and Function
+Longhouses varied greatly in size:
+- **Small homes** might be around **15 feet wide and 50 feet long**.
+- **Wealthier families** might build longhouses up to **25 feet wide and 250 feet long**.
+These large dimensions were practical rather than luxurious. In addition to sheltering people, longhouses often **housed livestock indoors**, especially during winter. A walled-off section for animals was common, but in some homes, animals might roam freely through part of the structure.
+---
+## Interior Layout
+Most longhouses had a **single large room** with minimal internal walls. Features typically included:
+- A **long central firepit**, used for heat, cooking, and light.
+- **Benches** along the walls for sleeping and working.
+- **Movable tables** placed where needed.
+- Very few people had traditional beds—**furs and blankets** served as bedding.
+Larger homes might have **a few separate rooms**, but even in those cases, open space was the norm.
+---
+## Further Resources
+- [Hurstwic on Longhouses](http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/daily_living/text/longhouse.htm) — Detailed reconstructions and cultural context
+- [Life in Norway: Viking Longhouses](http://www.lifeinnorway.net/viking-longhouses/) — A clear and concise overview
+- [Vikings History: Overview of Culture and History](https://www.historyonthenet.com/vikings-history-overview-culture-history-viking-age) — Broad cultural background useful for worldbuilding
-This page has a lot of general cultural info: [[https://www.historyonthenet.com/vikings-history-overview-culture-history-viking-age|Vikings History: An Overview of the Culture and History of the Viking Age]]