Rope Making
Rope Making by Alicia Galvin
I am going to share my journey in learning, and understanding rope making, from starting as complete novice to becoming a more experienced rope maker. I invite people to come learn alongside myself and come find me at shows to deepen our collective knowledge about how the Vikings could have made ropes.
Raw lime bast fibres with cordage and baskets - photo by Alicia Galvin
Choosing Materials
The Vikings made rope from a variety of materials including:
- Bast fibers, such as linen, hemp, and tree bast. (Schjølberg, E., 1988)
- Hides, from walrus and seals. (see Oethere's account to King Alfred in Bosworth's translation of King Alfred's Orrosius, Paragraph 14)
- Animal fibres, for example hair from horse tails. (Roskilde Viking ship Museum "Ropes")
I recommend choosing whichever fibre is most convenient for you.
Lime Bast
I started with a bast fibre called Lime Bast, because in this day and age it is the most convenient to get hold of along side Flax and other basts. I also chose lime bast because it has a great smell and feels waxy to touch it also has great variations in colour with yellows, oranges and brown which look beautiful in baskets.
Cordage made from bast is mentioned in Egil’s Saga: "Egil had brought in his sledge a very long cord of bast, for it is the wont of those who take long sledging journeys to have with them some spare cord in case the harness need mending." (From Green's 1893 translation). The famous Oseberg and Gokstad Viking ships both included bast cordage (Bischoff, 2023). At Bryggen on Norway's west coast, Lime Bast cordage accounted for 83 percent of the bast finds, and 67% of cordage overall (Schjølberg, 1988). This suggests lime bast was one of the most common materials used by Vikings during the early medieval period.
Preparing lime bast for rope making
Lime bast has to be harvested and prepared before it can be used. The following steps are needed:
- Harvest by stripping the bark from a lime tree as the sap is rising. The sap rises during late spring to June. For best results use bark from trees less than 10 years old as young trees give stronger rope.
- Soak the fibres for around 4 to 6 weeks in water. Salt water is best as the bast fibres stay stronger in salt water. When the fibres feel slimy and smell bad the fibres have retted and you are ready for the next stage.
- Strip the flexible bast fibres from the woody core and the outer bark.
- Rinse the fibres, and if you are not using them immediately dry them.
Prepared Lime bast fibre ready for use - photo by Alicia Galvin
Making Rope
I started with the twist and cross technique. This is the most basic technique for beginners. The twist and cross technique produces cordage which is historically accurate of the finds for our time period.
The twist and cross technique uses the following steps:
- Begin by grabbing a handful of dried fibres all of uneven lengths to prevent bulking.
- Lay the fibres across one leg and begin twisting in the middle until around an inch in length.
- Bend the twisted fibres around your finger, this loop will make the start of your rope.
- Begin twisting each of the two ends by rolling between your fingers one time.
- Cross the twisted lengths over each other
- Repeat twisting and crossing until the fiber lengths begin to run out.
- Add more fiber to the appropriate thickness in an uneven manner, by laying it across the middle of our work unevenly.
- Continue repeating the twist and cross process until you reach the desired length of cordage.
Plying
The cordage can be plied together again to make rope. Cordage can be plied together many times to make stronger and thicker ropes.
We use the terms Z & S to describe the direction of the plying just like we do in spinning and tablet weaving.
Uses for cord and rope
I have made baskets and nets using this technique along with two and four ply ropes. I use the cordage in the twist and cross technique again to loop it into a basket or net as shown in the picture below.
Some lime bast products: cordage, coiled basket, and net bag - photo by Alicia Galvin
Later period rope making tools
The twist and cross technique above only needs your hands (your best tools!). You may have seen people using rope wheels to create ropes. So far I have been unable to find any evidence for rope wheels in our period, so please don't use them. Alternatively, if you think you have some new evidence for rope wheels, discuss it with the authenticity team, and I'd be interested in seeing it too!
Status of rope makers
The Eddic poem of Rígsþula describes rope making as slaves' work, so this is a low status craft. If you want to practice rope and cordage making in the L.H.E (Living history Encampment), your kit should be low status.
Further information
A project in the works is a demonstration video for the craft training wiki pages. This will allow you to see this technique for an even better idea of what you should do. Alternatively come and see me at a show and I can show you & let you have ago, I will be glad to discuss any questions you may have.
Alicia Galvin (Tyra Thorsdottir) working with lime bast in a living history encampment
References
Bischoff, V, 2023, "The Oseberg Ship, Reconstruction of form and function" (pp 179 - 183)
Bosworth, J., 1855, "A literal translation of King Alfred's Anglo-Saxon version of the Compendious history of the world by Orosius"
Green, W. C., 1893, "The Story of Egil Skallagrimsson, being an Icelandic Family History of the Ninth and Tenth Centuries" ( accessible online at: https://sagadb.org/egils_saga.en )
Myking, T, Hertzberg, A, & Skrøppa, T, 2005, "History, manufacture and properties of lime bast cordage in northern Europe" in "Forestry, Vol. 78, No. 1, 2005." (accessible online at: https://academic.oup.com/forestry/article/78/1/65/684965 )
Roskilde Viking ship Museum "Ropes", https://www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/en/professions/boatyard/experimental-archaeological-research/maritime-crafts/maritime-technology/ropes, accessed 25/02/2026
Schjølberg, E., 1988, "Cordage and similar products from Bryggen in Bergen. The Bryggen Papers , Supplementary Series No. 3." (accessible online at: https://boap.uib.no/index.php/bryggen/issue/view/408/70 )