Oil bottle for marching kit

[M. Demetrius]

Greetings all,
I asked this as an aside in another topic, but didn't get much of an answer, because the discussion was about something else, predictably.

To carry olive oil in the marching kit, whether in the loculus directly or some other bag/bundle of foodstuffs, it would be essential to keep the oil IN the bottle, and not let it leak out. Most folks have told me that cork bottle stoppers weren't used in the 1st Cent BC/AD for that purpose. Oil being what it is, it will make every effort to slip out and get everywhere, spoiling many things in its vicinity.

So what's a reasonable way to contain it and keep the bottle closed? How do other people do it? :?:

[Primvs Pavlvs]

have you tried a soft wooden stopper?

[Peroni]

As Paul suggests, a wooden stopper that is slightly smaller than the neck of the flask. Take a small square of linen and place over the neck opening of the flask. Push the linen into the opening with the stopper. This should stop any leakage.

[M. Demetrius]

No, I haven't tried anything yet, being a little cautious about it since a remembered disaster with gun oil some time back in Fur Trade days. That bottle actually used a cork stopper, but it became dislodged just a little, and oil went all over everything in the bag--icky...wanted to see what folks were doing to prevent that using 1st Cent articles. Looking for some direction first, even as to the sort of bottle. Glass? Pottery?

[M. Demetrius]

Peroni--Does that work? Doesn't the oil wick out? I'm not arguing, just asking.

[Primvs Pavlvs]

Demetrius,

I have used a wooden stopper in a my ceramic bottle with no major leaks. I also keep it stored inside a small well oiled deerskin pouch. So if it does leak some it does so inside the leather pouch.

[Peroni]

It will 'wick' a little but because the stopper is compressing the linen it usually stops at the neck of the container. My wife demonstrates Roman cookery, and she transports all her oil bottles in this way.

Ceramic vessels are ok, but I would advise a glazed interior. That way the oil will not leach through the ceramic onto the rest of your kit.

Did you have any leaching issues with your ceramic flask Paul?

[Primvs Pavlvs]

No Peronis because its glazed also. :wink: but my terra cotta one does leach thru occasionally.

[MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS]

who said cork was not used in the first century AD?

M.VIB.M.

[adamparsons]

I find if you rub beeswax all over the linen then it makes a very good seal and stops wicking. I have had oil, beer, wine and all sorts sealed in all sorts of containers (leather/pottery etc) with no leaking.

[M. Demetrius]

Thanks, fellows,
I'll give that a try and see how it goes. There's lots of soft wood around here, elm, cedar, cottonwood. All should do just fine.