Hemp Found in Viking Context!

[Cap'n Atli]

Exciting news from a nautical point of view! We've discussed sealskin rope and
linen and suchlike; but plain old hemp is marvelous as ships' rigging, and now
they found some in a Viking Age dig in Norway.

For hundreds (and probably thousands) of years, hemp was for ropes and textiles,
and any "drug problem" was just a minor sideshow. After WW-II they really
cracked down on it; to the detriment of its more practical aspects. What a
pity.

Anyway, this is reposted from the Norsefolk_2 bb on YahooGroups.


--- In Norsefolk_2@yahoogroups.com, "Lodin Myklebust" wrote:

Norwegian Vikings grew hemp
http://sciencenordic.com/norwegian-vikings-grew-hemp Cannabis was cultivated
1,300 years ago at a farm in Southern Norway. The challenge for the
archaeologists is that ancient textiles made of hemp and flax tend to rot, and
thus are rarely well preserved. This makes it hard to say how common it was to
use these textiles. Archaeologists know more about the use of wool because its
fibers preserve better than plant fibers.

[Otto von Teich]

Eric the Redbud. I'm not to shocked. Hemp makes great rope. Thanks for sharing!