Did northern Europeans have an equivalent to Native Alaskan Mukluks (thick winter boots)?

by thesprung

Whenever I see something like historical viking boots they seem to be pretty thin, so I was wondering what more northern people wore during winter? What are they called if they did?

Superplaner

Yes! They're often called nuntukas (although depending on which sami language you speak they have many, many names) and just like the mukluks they're made from reindeer skins. In fact, the mukluks and nuntukas have quite a bit in common but there are also differences between them, perhaps most notably the upturned stiff beak over the toes on virtually all nuntukas. This odd little detail served to keep the binding strap on skis from slipping off and later, the same thing for snow shoes. Like mukluks the nuntukas are made from comparatively soft leather to avoid hardening in the cold.

There are also notable differences between mukluks and nuntukas. Nuntukas, unlike mukluks, are almost always laced in place with a wide and often highly decorative strap. Nantukas also lack the layered design of the mukluks. Nantukas are typically a single layer of hide with the fur outwards. Internally they were stuffed with grass, usually sennegrass, to provide internal insulation. Later models sometimes had felted socks instead of grass for internal insulation.

That said, to my knowledge, there is no record of vikings wearing these. Viking shoes tend to be rather simple affairs, often sewn from a single piece of leather and laced around the ankle or fastened with a toggle. These types of shoes were generally made with the turnshoe technique (basically the entire shoe is sewn with the soft side out and once it's finished, you turn it inside out). This technique is simple but surprisingly effective as it protects the seams, both prolonging their life and protecting the holes made by the needle which reduces leakage.

All that said though, they're basically leather socks and lack any insulation. Now, there is some evidence that socks were used, either as part of the pants (basically long johns) or separately (although relatively few such finds have been made). It is generally assumed that shoes were stuffed with insulation in the winter. Either moss or grass. There is also some evidence that wrappings were used on the lower legs, particularly in the winter but not to the same degree found in other cultures.

There have been finds and a few saga mentions of "high boots", such as in Hávarðar saga Ísfirðing and the boot found in Oseberg ship but, and this is a big but, that boot is from Hedeby, a trading town and it is quite possible that it was brought there by traders from the south.