Viking homes The Long House Viking houses are
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Viking homes The Long House
Viking houses are often called a longhouse. This is because they were usually oblong in shape. The main building was up to 30 metres long, but other buildings might be added on.
The roof was sometimes decorated with a carved wooden dragon. Does the decoration remind you of anything? This is a more recent Viking home.
In the Viking homelands there were plenty of trees, so the walls of the houses were built of wood and the roof was thatched with straw or reeds.
Where there were not many trees, however, the walls were built from slabs of turf on a stone base with a roof made from thatch or turf. Sometimes the grass in the turf was allowed to keep on growing on the roof as this helped to keep the house warm.
Another method of house-building was wattle and daub. Upright posts were woven together with twigs and then daubed with thick mud to keep out the draughts.
They had no chimney or windows, so smoke from the open fire drifted out through the roof. Oil lamps were used for light.
Benches for sitting or sleeping on were usually around the walls. They were covered with furs, skins or cloths for warmth and comfort. Beds were only used in the wealthier houses. Wooden chests were used to store furs blankets and other household goods. Other features included heather bedding, wall hangings and rugs for warmth. In the winter animals slept inside too.
