Re-Examining the Evidence: Irish Women's Dress between 750 and 900 CE

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The early years of Irish Christianity is commonly known as an Irish Golden Age, when literacy and art flourished under the new monastic system established in Ireland and Northern England/Scotland. This paper presents evidence toward a better understanding of what Irish women wore during the time after Christianity was established in Ireland and before the island saw war between the Irish native population and the Scandinavian settlers, a period roughly defined as 750 through 900 CE for the purpose of research scope. Study has revealed very little direct evidence of dress in Ireland during this time, so evidence is based primarily on study of Anglo-Saxon and Viking Age Scandinavian dress during the same period. To better understand how outside influences may have appeared in Irish dress, elements of social interaction and fashion theory are also applied to construct a reasonable estimation of Irish dress in the defined period. I look forward to any archaeological discoveries that may be made in the future that will prove or refute my position, and I will continue to search for such evidence.

This paper and its accompanying garment examples were made in fulfillment of the Oregon State University Honors College undergraduate thesis requirement and forms the framework of my knowledge of Early Medieval Irish culture and dress.