Wooden/ Leather canteens

[Malleus]

What is the general feeling for the construction of personal canteens? The metal containers have had some question about their actual use. Some reenactors are using pottery, gourds, bladders, and skins. What of wooden canteens either of barrel-stave construction, or similar.?

The romans used barrels, I've seen the Treveri ship- sculpture laden with, presumably, wine barrels. Much later period militarys used wooden canteens. Is there any evidence for small coopered containers in a roman context?

Second part of the question: Medievals used lined, leather drinking cups or jacks, and leather cottrels or canteens. Again is this a different time, different place method of construction?

[Caius Fabius]

I have seen ceramic canteens in several museum displays throughout Europe, dates to Greek and Roman times, also various small amphora, and such. Not much wood survives, and I haven't seen anything on display on in books that is linked to a wooden water bottle, but then such things don't survive very well. How many wooden canteens are left from the Revolutionary War/War of 1812/ Mexican American or American Civil War? I have seen only a few in museums, and they were in poor condition.

[Carlton Bach]

I guess the majority of such contaioners would have been ceramic simply because the infrastructure was in place - cheap material, readily available almost anywhere, the skills to make it are commonplace. Good ceramic, especially if it is protected (for example by a basket container, wrapping, or string netting), doesn't break easily.

Howeer, leather should not be discounted. we have some leather waterskins from Nahal Hever / En Gedi that could qualify. As with wood, survival for leather items is chancy. It works best in either very dry or waterlogged conditions. I have yet to see any hardened leather water containers from the Roman period, but I assume the technology was around. They are easy to make. Wax-hardened ones do not stand up to heat well, so they were most likely more common in the North, but you can harden leather with bone or skin glue and then wax-coat or pitch the inside. One thing I know is that I would not swap my costrel for a wood, ceramic or metal bottle. It is light, not subject to breakage, and easy to repair if it gets squashed.

[Florentius]

Ave,
In a similar discussion on the Roman Army Yahoo list Dan Peterson mentioned some evidence of wooden water canteens. I linked him to website that sells repros of revolutionary and civil war canteens, but he said they were not flat like that, but more tall and cylindrical. That I am aware of he didn't provide a source or pics or further details. I didn't get whether the construction is barrel style or what. Perhaps he'll chime in here with some info.

For wieght considerations, wood and leather sure make more sense than ceramic.

Vale, Florentius

[ursinius]

Hi malleus,

a roman wooden canteenlike vessel has been found at the Haltern legionary base and heas been published. Als at the roman camp of Vechten (NL) provided some wood finds like a little keg.

Sebastiaan