Sweden was preparing for the Viking Couture exhibition at the Enköping Museum. For this they went to an old warehouse where they carefully kept garments of the Viking age for more than 100 years. The surprise was capital: the clothes worn woven the words "Ali" and "Allah".
As they explained to the media, they were old funeral garments woven with typical Viking patterns. The surprising thing was to find some Kufic geometric writings (ancient Arabic script) that meant "Ali" and "Allah", both woven in silver thread on silk.
The find is historical, as it is the first time they appear in the garments in some ancient period of history in Scandinavia, marking thus an important archaeological discovery. The writings were found on at least 10 silk garments, and according to archaeologist A. Larsson:
We are facing a very important discovery because it tells us that we can not see this historical period as "typically Nordic". It shows us that the Vikings were in close contact with other cultures, even with the Islamic world.
This last part is not new. In fact, evidence of a connection between the Vikings and the Muslim world has been increasing for several years. In 2009 it was discovered that Viking swords used Arab metal techniques, probably transferred through the trade route of the Volga.
A year earlier, in 2008, a treasure trove of Arab coins of the Viking age was discovered in Sweden, and only two years ago it was discovered that a ring found in a 9th-century woman's grave in Birka (Sweden) had " Allah "inscribed in Arabic. Even Persian silk has also been found at a Viking funeral in Norway.
As for the recent finding with both words woven into clothing, the analysis of materials, weaving techniques and designs suggest the origin in Central Asia and Persia. The word "Ali" was relatively easy to decipher, but Allah proved more complicated, because the embroidery was not so clear.
Evidence of a connection between the Vikings and the Muslim world has been increasing for several years. In 2009 it was discovered that the Viking swords used Arabic metal techniques, probably transferred through the trade route of the Volga
The reason for including both words remains a mystery. Larsson believes that the presence of the names in the garments, always appearing together, indicates that the Vikings not only traded with the Muslim world, but perhaps also with customs and ideas of burials:
Presumably, the funerary customs of the Viking Age were influenced by Islam and the idea of an eternal life in Paradise after death. Funeral goods, such as exquisitely sewn clothing in exotic fabrics, hardly reflect the daily life of the deceased, as little as the formal dress of our time reflects our own daily lives.
In fact, it is not uncommon for tombs to include objects and clothing as opulent and rich as the family could afford. In any case, further analysis will be needed to learn more about it. The findings are currently on display as part of the Viking Couture exhibition at the Enköping Museum. [BBC, The Local]