Call it the Viking version of a low-cut top.

A modern reconstruction of a Norse outfit

is a single piece of fabric held in place by clasps that sit on the middle of each breast

Such a provocative outfit was probably common among Viking women before Christianity took hold in Scandinavia

Researchers had previously suggested, for instance, that the breast clasps found in the graves of Norse women had moved from another part of the body as the corpse rotted

But any hints of risqué dress faded in the late 900s, as trade routes expanded and medieval Christian fashions hit Sweden

"It's easy to imagine that the Christian church had certain reservations about clothing that accentuated the breasts in this way," Larsson said.