celtic/germanic bags/pouches

[Andy]

Any pictures or info on some bag finds in northern Gaul / Germania about 1stC BC? Or anything really???
Wanting to make something like a belt pouch or bag but would like some pictures/evidence before I start.

Andy

[authun]

Would they have any? Where would they be going that made it necessary for them to carry anything? Most people are pretty close to the farm or their place of work.

A pig farmer would take his swine to forage in the forest or a shepherd would take his sheep to some pasture but they are probably only taking something to eat and drink. Maybe just a loose bag with a draw string would do.

best

Harry A

[Andy]

Fair point!

Although I have seen pictures of Cetic reenactors with pouches. Just wondering were they came up with these?

[Folkert van Wijk]

Would they have any? Where would they be going that made it necessary for them to carry anything? Most people are pretty close to the farm or their place of work.

A pig farmer would take his swine to forage in the forest or a shepherd would take his sheep to some pasture but they are probably only taking something to eat and drink. Maybe just a loose bag with a draw string would do.

best

Harry A

This is not entirely true. Some tribes lived indeed stationary, but others where highly movable and travelled around the Celtic world looking for a place to live or fighting as mercenaries taking their families and households with them. As a matter off fact this used to be the custom for all the Celtic people ones there on campaign they take along their families and stuff. Some even burned down there villages to make themselves more destined to find and fight their way to a new beginning somewhere else.

And there is also the highly developed trade networks all across Europe moving and selling stuff around from Greece Italy and southern France all the way op to the north of Europe and visa versa. And also shipping their goods from England to everywhere in Europe.

So I do think they indeed needed to put their stuff into something. I guess most would be put in things made of wicker, like baskets in all the kinds and shapes you can think off. Also think about leather and fabric bags, I guess more or less like the Roman purses, but then bigger. And off course boxes made of wood. Square boxes and round ones made from bended/steamed wood and from the bark of birch trees.

I recently lived for a while in a 3rd world land and there the sales women and man on the markets simply wrap all their stuff into blankets and put around this a netlike thing made of cord, like the small ones you see the roman reenactors carrying their water bags or bottles in…

[M. Demetrius]

More than one Germanic tribe didn't settle for long in any given place, choosing to move to another after a season or two. You'd have to have something to carry your personal stuff in, like drop spindles, kitchen knife, household images, hair care tools, etc. Unfortunately, those sorts of things don't generally survive for long lying on the ground, or in the conifer needles.

[authun]

Maybe we're talking at cross purposes here. I was referring to those tribes that were settled and that farmed. Those that were migrating or 'on the move' in some other capacity, would of course have to have something to wrap their belongings up in.

This group run a 1st cent AD Lombard village in north germany. It's a couple of centuries later than you originally asked for, but the village is based on archaeology. One woman does seem to have a soft pouch but, if the village is an accurate layout, you'll get the leave it at home idea I was referring to.

http://www.langobarden-zethlingen.de/impressionen.html

best

harry A