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Viking Tents:

TheViking Ship Museumin Oslo has wooden tent frames from the Oseberg and Gokstad

ship burials. Our copies have been modified so that they can be pitched on land (with the

addition of a horizontal plank at each end), and of suitable size.

Diagramatic End View:

Key:

A angle

Typically 45 - 60 degrees to horizontal. A steeper roof sheds water

better. A flatter roof covers more ground, but the edges may not be

particularly useful.

L length

Work from a multiple of the cloth width, including seams. This is

somewhat nominal as the internal length will be slightly shorter

(typically 5 - 20 cm), whilst the tent frame projects.

D diagonal Centre-to-centre on the frame.

W width Centre-to-centre on the frame.

H height Centre-to-centre on the frame, it is fairly close to headroom.

R roof Excluding the overlap.

O overlap

A rope reinforced fold used to pull the fabric down (a similar

arrangement can be used at the front and rear). As an overhang, it

also shelters the sidewalls.

S sodcloth Combined sidewall and edge of the floor. It prevents draughts.

I internal width More or less useable width inside.

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When designing a tent, consider what you want to use it for and how you intend to transport it.

Some provision must be made to stop the ridge moving forwards or backwards. The neatest

method is to tie a rope from each end of the ridge pole to the other end(s) of one (or both) side

poles.

If the roof is held taut, it will shed water better, but a lot of fixing points require longer to set

up or dismantle.

Door flaps should have a good overlap (they can also provide additional shelter in front of the

tent). If a large tent can be opened at each end, it can be assembled on the ground before being

raised.

Additional provision can be made to raise one side of the roof.

Calculations:

How much fabric to use.

Assuming 1 m wide fabric (excluding seams); length (in metres) and area (in square metres)

are roughly equivalent. This is reasonable as a lot of tenting canvas is 102 cm wide. Estimates

include seams, overlaps and a small amount of wastage. All lengths in metres.

A: L: D: W: H: R: O: S: I:Total

(m):Comments:

45 2.0 1.5 2.1 1.05 1.4 0.05 0.3 2.0 14 smallest

50 2.0 1.8 2.3 1.4 1.7 0.05 0.3 2.2 19

60 2.0 1.8 1.8 1.6 1.7 0.05 0.3 1.7 17

50 2.0 2.1 2.7 1.6 2.0 0.05 0.3 2.6 23

60 2.0 2.1 2.1 1.8 2.0 0.05 0.3 2.0 21 Julie's

50 2.5 2.1 2.7 1.6 2.0 0.05 0.3 2.6 26

60 2.5 2.1 2.1 1.8 2.0 0.05 0.3 2.0 24

50 3.0 2.4 3.1 1.8 2.2 0.1 0.4 2.8 34

60 3.0 2.4 2.4 2.1 2.2 0.1 0.4 2.2 32 O&T's old

50 3.0 2.7 3.5 2.1 2.5 0.1 0.5 3.2 42

60 3.0 2.7 2.7 2.3 2.5 0.1 0.5 2.5 38

50 3.0 3.0 3.9 2.3 2.7 0.1 0.6 3.5 49

60 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.6 2.7 0.1 0.6 2.7 45

50 4.0 3.0 3.9 2.3 2.7 0.1 0.6 3.5 56

50 4.0 4.0 5.1 3.1 3.7 0.1 0.8 4.8 87

60 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.5 3.7 0.1 0.8 3.7 80

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