Waterskins

[Cavok]

Hi All
I did a bit of a search and found a few old threads on this but most of the photo's etc are now no longer available.

I am about to start a leather water skin.
It will be stretched to shape while wet thereafter sealed with beeswax.
Lastly a simple wooden/cork stopper

Now any ideas on shape? aimed timeline is around AD60

I was going to make one similar in shape to the Spanish wineskin type as I think that will hang better from a Furca or over the shoulder.

However I can make kidney shapes and all sorts of others.
I was just wondering if there are any depictions out there or anything else usefull.

Cheers

[jvrjenivs]

There is the view that the 'enveloppe bag' we see much reproduced in fact is a waterskin. This could be an option. I don't know of any other representations of a waterskin.

I myself prefer either a (complete) goatskin, as has been used untill today by nomad people, or a wooden barrel (as the ones found in Oberaden for instance)

[Cavok]

I need my Manbag to hide insulin and stuff in!!

A complete goat full would also be a bit on the heavy side for a Furca carrying one of those about for a 30km march wold tend to dampen the enthusiasm for bashing the Germanic tribes!.

I thought of something about 1 litre I think I saw a picture of one somewhere but I have not been able to find it.

Thanks for the info though sir.....I may start looking around for an unlucky goat.

[jvrjenivs]

I need my Manbag to hide insulin and stuff in!!

Yes, but you can always also have a sack together with your waterskin

A complete goat full would also be a bit on the heavy side for a Furca carrying one of those about for a 30km march wold tend to dampen the enthusiasm for bashing the Germanic tribes!.

I thought of something about 1 litre I think I saw a picture of one somewhere but I have not been able to find it.

True, but you will need more then one litre of water for a 30km march. Remember you should make sure you have enough water for whole day and never would have your last bit of water spilled for a case of emergency. I found the 5 litre vessels from Oberaden do pretty well

For further info:
http://web.me.com/christian.koepfer/FAGU...ionen.html

[Cavok]

I feel another book buy coming on.

Thanks Christian

Are you in Augsburg???

[jvrjenivs]

Well, I'm not Christian, but Christian indeed is from Augsburg. However, I took part of the experimental march that was undertaken by students of the Uni Augsburg and Christian Koepfer last summer, where this book is the result of.

[Cavok]

Sorry Jürjen....I have been doing some leather work and my eyes are tired

Was that the one along the Limes ending in Ellwangen?

I was there.

[M. Demetrius]

You mean a waterskin like this one?
[attachment=2673]waterskin.jpg[/attachment]

I have the idea to take soft leather, maybe deerskin, and sew up a bag that looks more or less like the one hanging on the wall which will surround a 3 liter soft drink bottle. Draw string at the neck end. if it comes out right, it will have the general shape of the large (goat? calf?) bag hanging in the picture, but as you say, that skin bag would be much too heavy to carry on a furca. Another option would be to get a skin that has been removed from the animal without cutting in the first place. Haven't seen one of those, though, as the tanning process must be more complicated to do. The plastic insert is for obvious hygenic reasons. Don't know about a plain leather bag's ability to resist bacterial growth.

[jvrjenivs]

Yes, that's what I meant with a 'goat'. Just get the skin, tie down the legs and put a cork into the neck and you'll have a perfect waterskin (which can also reflect some of the images on Trajans Column )

[John Conyard]

Aim for 2 litres per day per man.

Plus an extra bottle for something special in.

[Cavok]

Next......a 5litre wine box...er....err skin

Take the bag out the box and insert it into your favourite hide.

[Crispvs]

I think a goat skin full of water would be far too heavy to carry on the march, but I suspect that the skin of a hare or rabbit might be a good size for an easily portable skin which would hold sufficient for a day (a small cat would also be a good size, but that might offend modern sensibilities a bit much). Weasels and stoats could be options too.
If the skin was peeled off whole without cutting it open in the usual way, it would retain its water holding property far better than it would with even the most expertly sewn seam down one side. Once the skin was peeled off, I would suggest giving it a good clean to avoid having rancid tasting water later but do not scrape it as you will damage the natural membrane beneath the skin. Once it is thoroughly clean turn it the right way out again (hair side out) and tie off the neck and all but one limb, which will become the 'spout'. It would be better to tie a strap to it than sew one as tying it would avoid creating stitch holes which could then leak. For a bung, a piece of wood wrapped in waxed leather would grip well in the spout. Make sure your bung is tied on too to avoid it being lost if it comes out. This might not make for the most attractive water canteen, but it would probably be reasonably accurate.

I should state here as a caveat that although I have skinned animals in the past, I have never done so without cutting along the chest and limbs first, so I cannot say from experience how easy it would be to peel the skin off without cutting it first. I have seen it done on television but what is easy for an expert to demonstrate for the camera might be far harder to learn to do well - as I said, I have not tried yet so cannot say.

Crispvs



Crispvs

[Cavok]

Thanks Crispus

It appears however that the wife and my daughter have objections to me turning Fluffy the rabbit into a water container.
I am attempting this also with some Sheeps stomach....which you need to clean well.


Works on a haggis!

[Ghostmojo]

... It appears however that the wife and my daughter have objections to me turning Fluffy the rabbit into a water container ...

Well, perhaps if you eased them into the idea very gently? Why not have a nice family weekend watching Fatal Attraction? :lol:

[Cavok]

Nice idea Howard old chap.

I am in Sweden again right now and just got out of the sauna.
In said Sauna were several members of the Ladies volleyball team.
Whilst museing about possible sources of waterskins it was suggested that I lead the way and go jump in the snow.....it is currently -20 and dropping.

So after a few Absoluts and Blond Persuasion I decided to keep the Roman end up and went and did it. I will not do that again. I worked the temperature difference out at about 58°c
Gear, flaps and slats up and a requirement for a Subligatum eradicated, definate heart flutter and several expletives. One, however, soldiers on. Anything for Caesar and all that.

However the ideas for further development of waterskins are firmly imprinted and I will go to work on them when I get back.

I think I will try along the sheeps stomach line....they must also have had that possibility? After all that only requires a knot at one end and a spout. These guys conquered the known world so for such things, why not reduce process complication and increase productivity.
If that fails I will continue the search for a small helpless watertight animal of some description.

I can adjust the content of that to 3-5 litres which is fine for me. In northern climes that will be more wine than water so when I have finished that I won't care!

What is the latin for cold as an Elks ass? (Thats a moose for you western types)