My loculus

[Lucius Duccius Rufinus]

Crispus,

Thanks for the pictures! looks great, the handle looks different from my latest loculus (not the one pictured) but other than that i'm pretty confident in how i've done it after seeing yours

Next project... Scutum cover

[Crispvs]

Don't worry. The handle on yours is fine. We don't know what the originals really looked like and the representations shown on Trajan's column are far from precise. Mine is just a different suggestion and nothing more.

Crispvs

[Paul Elliott]

My loculus is also made of cow-hide, it retains its shape - and it has served me well, never coming apart despite being used on a number of long marches. To be honest, though, I made it in a rush and the stitching could easily be made stronger.

I have never bothered with any method of measuring or marking my stitches. I just make a line of holes through the leather with my awl (normally eight at a time) which is more or less straight and with the holes more or less evenly spaced, and then stitch through these. Having done this I then make another eight holes and so on.

Here is my impedimenta (well, most of it anyway). I made the loculus a number of years ago. If I was doing it now I would probably secure it with leather thonging which passed through a pair of holes in the flap, rather than the ring and button. I should probably note here too that I made mine from cow rather than goat leather.
Crispvs

[caiusbeerquitius]

Once again I´d like to point out that I think Marquita Volken is correct in her assumption that those items are not bags at all, but that they are water containers. We conducted experiments during our march in regard of her article, and it turned out that what we call "loculus" is a perfect item to transport water. See also the water "noses" on the pics that were provided above:

[M. Demetrius]

Could be, but how in the world would the leather (not to mention the gazillion stitch holes) be waterproofed? Is your conjecture that a bladder of some sort was inside the bag?

[caiusbeerquitius]

The fragments found of these items were apparently sewn with a leather thread, and with additional layers of leather between the outer layers. Once wet, i.e. one the water is inside, it is waterproof, since the leather swells. Also the fragments show, that the stitches are not so close to each other, reducing the number of stitch holes, while still being waterproof. If you rub the leather with oil every three days or so, the thing stays absolutely waterproof.

[Lucius Duccius Rufinus]

I would have more thought they would have used some form of bee's wax or something to waterproof the inside?? as the taste of the water would be down right RANK unless coated in something, unless it wasnt drinking water??

[M. Demetrius]

Good point, that, regardless of what kind of leather waterskin it was. Using posca instead of plain water might make a difference, though, as the vinegar would have certain antiseptic qualities.

[caiusbeerquitius]

It´s drinkable, but not too tasty. With posca it´s O.K..

[M. Demetrius]

Hmm. Maybe that's why they drank posca? :wink:

[Titvs Statilivs Castvs]

Does the loculus have 'sidepanels', or are front and back just sewed to each other? I'm going to make one myself..

[Magnus]

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/packs.html

All the info is there...but no, there aren't any side panels. Just a big rectangle with a flap essentially.

[jvrjenivs]

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/packs.html

All the info is there...but no, there aren't any side panels. Just a big rectangle with a flap essentially.

Well, where do you base that on? As far as I know none of these bags have been found and a bag of similar size I know of (the commachio shipwreck one) has side panels. However, I've to say I prefer a construction without side panels, also based on my view on these bags based on the graphical evidence.

I'm told that in the meantime one of these kind of bags have been found, but I haven't seen any drawing so far. So, just stating 'all the info is there' and 'there are no side panels' is just to easy an answer.

[Magnus]

Well its the answer we've all been using and unless you have something to the contrary other than rumour, its the one to go with.

As for your last remark specifically, to tie this all together, until something else is made public ie published, easy is what you are goiing to have to settle for. It is pointless to make useless inferences to speculation.

[Doc]

Christian, that is interesting that the Column bag was for water. I was going to use the Column picture for a bag. But in speaking with Lukes, he had suggested the Comacchio bag since it is known for sure that at least a bag looked this way.

As far as the stitches are concerned, I began measuring when making my calige and tegimentum. However, after some markings I abondoned the idea entirely since it really is unrealistic. When looking at the pictures of the tegimen fragments, the stitch holes are really at varying distances. As a matter of fact some holes are larger than others due to wear and to the awls used to make the holes.

I just use an awl and mark holes. Wherever the awl "lands" is where I make the hole. However, once you begin the markings, by human nature you develop an approximation that allows the holes to be somewhat the same without being perfect. I think that this is what should really be achieved.