Posts: 43 Location: Norway
Tue 24 Mar, 2020 7:07 am
In my Norse-Norwegian dictionary the word:
vapntreyja = våpentrøye (boren under brynja) = armingshirt (worn beneath
maille)
vapnrokkr = våpenkjole (utanpå brynja) = armingdress (worn outside maille)
This is directly translated so armingdress would look like a klappenrock.
Now it is clear that they had a word for this extra protective garment in war situasions, so that they simply wore a wool tunic beneath a maille or wore a wool tunic as a standalone protective clothing in war seems very unlikely.
What could have been made is simply two wool tunics sewn together or linen outer and inner lining with wool inbetween and that categorizes it as a vapntreyja. It could be made like that. We know linen of that time is stronger when the linen we buy today so it could be effecive as the outer layer to protect agains cut from swords and chafing from the maille.
What is also interesting is that thay had a word for bluing the maille:
blaserkr = blå brynje = blue maille
Maille that gets its blue colour from heating the metall. We know that would help against rusting the iron but it is mainly as a decorative beautiful appearance. And it would be very time consuming as well.
What is clear to me is that someone who are making the cost of acquiring a blued maille is wearing it on top of a aketon/vapntreyja/vapnrokkr.