A LIVING HISTORY BLOG.

18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA.

Sunday 15 April 2007

Beaded bag & question on belt pouches


My wife and I work together on some projects. In this case she did the sewing and wove the strap and I did the beading and finishing. She provided the hair for the "scalp locks" and I did the cone work. The result of this team effort is a very neat smallish bag in the Indian style . The fabric is dark green pure wool and the beads are number 7 white French glass beads.

One thing I have been trying to find out for some time is about the use of belt pouches in the 1680 to 1750 period. I have documented accounts of the use of cartridge cases but not of any other type of belt pouches. I have seen photographs of reenactors wearing them but have never seem any primary source material that supprts this practice. If anyone has any information on the use and type of belt pouches I would love to hear from you.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is documentation of natives wearing a "slit=pouch." This pouch was ~18in. long and ~4in. wide and would have been folded in half length-wise,resting on the belt/sash of the wearer.

http://www.longrifle.com/images/showcase/2072_quillworkwaterpanther002.jpg
http://www.longrifle.com/images/showcase/2662_S7300023sm.jpg

(sorry for the lack of link coding)

Keith said...

Hi Joseph, thanks for the input, I appreciate it. Actually with further research I have found documentation for non Indian belt pouches as well. Why don't you join us on the Skirmish magazine site. This site is the Living History Worldwide forum which you will find on my links. We would like to have you join us if you have the time and the interest. Regards, Keith.