VIKINGS RAPED, PILLAGED THEN DID IRONING

The Daily Record ^ | May 5 2003 | Editorial Staff

[vannrox]

VIKINGS RAPED, PILLAGED THEN DID IRONING
May 5 2003

VIKINGS were responsible for introducing ironing to Scotland.

The pillaging Scandinavians were surprisingly conscious of their appearance and regularly smoothed their clothes. Excavations across Scotland have revealed evidence that the Nordic warriors used ironing boards and smoothing stones to make the job easier.

Dr Euan MacKie, of Glasgow University, said he found out about the ironing culture by chance 10 years ago, when his colleague's child found a piece of a whalebone on the Hebridean island of North Uist.

He said: "It is probably right to say Vikings introduced ironing to Scotland.

"The archaeological findings from before the Viking era have produced no evidence of similar activity. "But only a few of their ironing boards and smoothing balls have been found here.

"The ones that have been discovered have been in female burial sites, which suggests women did most of the ironing.

"Vikings tend to be known as murderous invaders and vandals but that was just the wild part of them." It is believed ironing was initially introduced in areas where Vikings settled, such as Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles and Caithness.

An excavation in Orkney uncovered a 950AD Viking whalebone ironing board from a burial ship.

And it was identified as an early version because similar equipment was still being used in Norway during the early 19th century.

[July 4th]

It might be. :) There's a town not far from me in Wisconsin, made up almost entirely of Norwegians. As part of some big festival every year, they all go out and scrub the streets.

[6323cd]

I see your kilt and I'll raise you one sporran! (Pardon the Comet Cursor ad.)