Summary: Cost and Status
Key dates:
The main fabrics used were wool, linen and canvas. These were dyed locally using fruit juices, purpura shell and madder. In the early Christian period, there was much embroidery and appliqué with gold thread. Trimmings of silk and woven gold were imported as were large quantities of woad.
These clothes were very expensive and it was recorded in Fled Bricrend that a brat was sold for a brown horse and, later, the same brat was resold for three cows. In the Book of Aicill, plaid cloth was coupled with gold and silver thread in a daughter’s inheritance.
The size and expense of anyone’s wardrobe was controlled by law eg a self sufficient land and cattle owner and his wife were only allowed to have four suits of clothes each; a servant could give no more than seven heifers for his clothing.
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