As well as the underdress and peplos, many women also wore cloaks, capes or shawls.   These garments would not have been worn all the time, they were probably just worn as an outer layer in cold weather. 

Cloaks would probably have been of the square or rectangular type also worn by the men. #1    The evidence suggests that women usually wore the cloak fastened centrally, although some seem to have worn it fastened on the right shoulder. 

These cloaks were not tailored, but consisted of a square or rectangle of cloth which was clasped at one shoulder, usually the right or at center front.    Cloaks would be woven in one piece on an upright loom, and often, to begin and end the weaving, tablet woven borders would be used.    Similar borders could also be woven in at the sides, thus edging the garment right round. 

Particularly noteworthy are the large and luxurious cloaks found in the peat bogs of Thorsbjerg, Denmark and Vehenmoor, Germany.   Both were of a complex weave and dyed with precious dyes in different colours.   The edges of the Thorsbjerg garment were braided on more than one hundred tablets, the Vehenmoor on about one hundred and forty six, and both had elaborate fringes.    The Thorsbjerg garment was about 66'' (1.68m) wide and 93'' (2.36m) long, the Vehenmoor 69'' (1.75m) by about 112'' (2.85m).    They were worn by folding the material lengthways, and pinning it on the right shoulder. #2    It is very probable that the richest Anglo-Saxons wore voluminous cloaks of this kind; less luxurious versions would also have been common. They are versatile and practical since unpinning and unfolding them turns them into blankets.

A large square cloak can also be worn to form a hood by folding approximately the top third over away from the body and then pinning it at the center front.    The fold can then be pulled up over the head to form a hood.

Shorter capes and shawls could also have been worn, as is suggested by some of the figures on decorative gold foils from Scandinavia.    Some of these appear to be triangular, but this most probably represents a square of cloth folded corner to corner to form a triangle.

Cloaks could have been made water resistant by not washing the lanolin out of the woollen yarn before weaving.   Although not completely waterproof this would make the garment resistant to light rain. #3   Later evidence suggests leather cloaks (presumably oiled) could be worn in bad weather, but it is not known if they were worn this early.

The evidence from textile remains in graves suggests that cloaks were generally of a slightly heavier (and sometimes coarser) weave than the gown, and were of wool.   There are finer examples too, and these may have formed lighter weight cloaks, or could have come from the shawls.

Names for outer garments are many, and it is not usually clear which were worn by men and which by women, but they include loþa, rift, mentel, hacele, ofer-slop, pad and sciccing. The crusene and heden were of fur or skin, the rocc and sciccels could also be of fur. One cloak type garment exclusive to women seems to be the hwitel which was made of white (undyed) wool and was probably fringed.

	Heavy woollen cloak fastened at center front with a cruciform brooch.   The cloak has been folded so that it forms a double layer around the shoulders. The cloak has been edged with fringed tablet weave.
	The same cloak with the fold pulled up to form a hood.
	The figure on the left wears a lightweight cloak fastened on the right shoulder with a cruciform brooch.

1   It is possible that some women wore semi-circular cloaks in Frankish areas, but it is unknown if this fashion was known in Anglo-Saxon England.  back

2  These cloaks are usually shown in reconstructions as being worn by men although, as far as I am aware, there is no specific information to indicate whether they were worn by men or women.   It is also interesting to note that these cloaks could also easily be worn as open sided peplos gowns if required.   back

3   Another way of using the lanolin in raw fleece was to make a piled fabric where tufts of raw fleece were worked into the fabric during weaving.   This gives the cloak a shaggy appearance on one side, but a normal woven look on the other.  This type of cloth is known from some male burials, but it is unclear if this type of cloak was also used by women.  back

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