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4th-century shoulder bag?
#3
I dont see a problem with either a reasonably sized squarish leather shoulder bag or a Kit bag, though the latter could easily be made from cloth (linen) rather then leather, or various smaller leather bags which can be simple (or more complex) drawstring bags...


Unlike shoes, bags made from leather dont really wear out, so unless an item is lost its likely to be a rare find (or at least unrecognisable as such) as larger pieces of leather that are still usefull tend to get reused/recycled for other items, even if only for thonging, leaving little but the cut away seam remnants.

There is of course the Helmet? sack from Peel/Deurne in the Netherlands which is 4th century and pretty much the same form as one found in the Commanchio wreck.
Not to forget the Bargercompascuum drawstring pouch from the late 2nd or 3rd century:
https://ugp.rug.nl/Palaeohistoria/article/view/24786

Square shoulder bags (more or less ) continue on after the western empire and there are a few known as well as other forms, but generally these seem to be used for books though there are also bags for hunting in images, but this does at least show some continuity in use for the shoulder bag.

I wouldn't be surprised if there are many items languishing in archives that have yet to be identified.

There are quite a few bags of various types and uses scattered over many centuries from the Bronze age through to medieval where they are much more common finds.

"Viking" period belt pouches are based on the heavily decorated Sutton Hoo belt pouch which contained gold coins, so are not really Viking at all, though other bags do exist from Irish, Anglo Saxon and Frankish finds, one example from Viking age Gotland a money  pouch is not the same form.
But its use is certainly a re-enactorism and dates back to Early Re-enactment, but this is common I think as people have always needed something to hold their packet of ciggys, watch and wallet!, personally I use a budget(bag for books) which holds everything I need, infact I use it all the time.

Tinder is best kept dry so a leather bag which can easily get wet is not entirely suitable, a box (or pot for embers) is better, bear in mind that only a few soldiers in a unit would actually need the full fire raising kit....

It seems likely given the evidence, that barbarian warriors at least carried personal fire lighters and the necesary striking stone, the latter probably in a pouch the former hanging from the belt it seems.

To many sources here to quote them.....

Wink
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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Messages In This Thread
4th-century shoulder bag? - by Sebastianus - 02-11-2019, 12:01 AM
RE: 4th-century shoulder bag? - by Robert Vermaat - 02-11-2019, 07:54 AM
RE: 4th-century shoulder bag? - by Sebastianus - 02-11-2019, 02:17 PM
RE: 4th-century shoulder bag? - by Robert Vermaat - 02-11-2019, 03:36 PM
RE: 4th-century shoulder bag? - by Crispianus - 02-11-2019, 02:11 PM
RE: 4th-century shoulder bag? - by Sebastianus - 02-11-2019, 03:57 PM
RE: 4th-century shoulder bag? - by Crispianus - 02-12-2019, 01:13 PM
RE: 4th-century shoulder bag? - by Sebastianus - 02-15-2019, 05:50 PM
RE: 4th-century shoulder bag? - by Crispianus - 02-15-2019, 07:44 PM
RE: 4th-century shoulder bag? - by Flavivs Aetivs - 02-13-2019, 12:54 AM
RE: 4th-century shoulder bag? - by Crispianus - 02-16-2019, 01:14 PM

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