Refrences or books on Viking Longhouses

[hopies]

Anyone got any reading on How to build a viking longhouse?
Mainly focusing on the construction of the beams and how to stick the thing together.

Or anyone know some viking building tricks? Awsome if anyone has any photos.

ta

Sophie

[crite40]

G'Day! I have a few old photos taken inside a full size longhouse under construction, and later, nearly finished, in Denmark in 1997.
I'll dig them out and see if they will scan properly so I can post them.
However note! longhouses had a basic flaw. The oak planking of the walls tended to rot where it was in contact with the ground. Of course I cannot see ANY reason why using stone footings at the base of the walls wouldn't help here without destroying much autheticity.
However it is a BIG job. This hall was completely authetic and had taken several "man months" of full time work. On the other hand it was all done with authetic "bog iron" tools and materials. So a practical house would be a trade off between practicality, cost and authenicity.
My own house was based on the overall simple shape of a "long house"
but, to be practical, it was built as a Lockwood and fitted with all "mod cons" including Solar heating and lighting.
It has been named "Midgard".