More leather work... A Roman Loculus

AEiric Orvender · Post by **AEiric Orvender** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 9:31 am

The Loculus is a roman pack/bag used by soldiers for odds and ends much like the modern army uses assault packs.
Loculus is a Latin word literally meaning little place and was used in a number of senses including to indicate a satchel. Satchels were carried by Roman legionaries, as a part of their sarcina or luggage.

first some extant examples:
from Trajans Column

and my reproduction:

Front

Back

I used a 'monkey's fist' knot at the closure stud.

Opened

Fore scale...

Ã†iric

James B. · Post by **James B.** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 9:56 am

Wow looks almost the same as the one I finished last year except for the thread color.

Nice work.

Blackoak · Post by **Blackoak** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 10:46 am

Good job!

Uric

Sextus Maximus · Post by **Sextus Maximus** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 1:25 pm

I want one!!!

Cat · Post by **Cat** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 3:10 pm

Looks good!

Looking at the images you posted, I'm wondering if it was supposed to look more like the picture below. From what I can tell, there ARE stitching holes running around the edges of the design, but I am not exactly sure how they accomplished the puffiness of the design. I'm thinking maybe there are two sets of stitches - one set may have been for an embroidery outline, while the other set could be what's making the design puff out. I'm thinking the stitches sort of pinched the leather, making it stick out from the surface.

I could be wrong, it's just that when I saw the period images you posted, I immediately thought of this pouch.

Either way, I think your work looks great!
Cat

AEiric Orvender · Post by **AEiric Orvender** » Sun Feb 14, 2010 12:32 pm

-Cat,

Thanks for the info, got any on the pouch you posted? I like that one!

From the research I've done and the only extant example (they're still not completely sure it is part of a Loculus from the, I believe, Bar Hill find) the edge seams are the same width as the re-enforcing straps, the 'peaks' on the corners depicted on Trajan's column seem to match this type of stitching. The 'bulging' depicted on the column might be that the images are of 'packed' gear, Mine will hold a lot, once packed, the corners will 'peak' the the bag become 'pillow-ly' when closed.

I'll have to pack it and take a pic it really comes close to the images on the column.

Cat · Post by **Cat** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 5:46 pm

I got this image from (of course) Karen's site. I looked it back up and got the info. It can be seen here: http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mweb ... 4&type=101

The info says 14th century, from Germany or Holland. Embossed and stitched leather.

Since it says it's embossed, the designs were pushed out from the flesh side, and the hollows that were left may have been filled with something to help it keep it's shape. They may have stitched a thin backing on to keep the filler in place, and maybe that's what the stitching is for.

Cat