[Johnson T.]

It seems that various re enactment suppliers have stocked two forms of 'liquid on the go'. You can either wear a strap with a tankard on the end, but not practical for actually carrying the liquid. Or you can use a leather costrel, of which many historical examples in museums survive.

My question is, who would of worn these. Would a knight of used one, or a tankard, or neither? Costrels were supposedly used from the 14th c. to 19th c., but there is evidence they existed in the 11th century.

If medieval knights wore neither of these, what did they use to supply themselves in water? The Crusades were long and hard, I don't believe for one second they could of had a 'universal supply' which had to stop everytime somebody was thristy/hungry/tired. Who carried their water, or how did medieval soldiers carry it?

Here are some examples. The first is a surviving costrel, the second is a reconstruction. Please notice the difference in construction, whether or not ANY medieval costrels were this 'leather bottle' shape or if they were all barrel shaped, I am not yet able to figure out, but I'll keep researching it.

- 14th c. Medieval costrel.

- reconstruction from suppliers.

http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com.au/2009...ottle.html
http://leatherworkingreverend.files.wordpress...nkware.pdf
Information here.

[Mikael Ranelius]

First of all, leather costrels seems to have been mostly an English thing; afaik there is little or no evidence to support their use on the continent. Secondly, the use of leather canteens as featured in the second picture appears to be somewhat of an reenactorism - there might be sources on them but in any case I doubt that they were common.

As for means of carrying water in the middle ages there were probably regional differences. In continental Europe, small wooden barrel-like vessels are frequently depicted in period art, especially in conjunction with pilgrims and shepherds, and several metal (pewter) canteens have been preserved in Germany (and possibly other places). Similar canteens in ceramic have also been found and are depicted in medieval art as well. I also suspect that water/wine sacks of leather were commonly used, at least in southern Europe.

[Thomas R.]

Hi Mikael,

do you have any pictures or other sources for those german canteens? I suspect these leather bottles to be an reenactorism, too. And I think the ceramic flasks are too fragile, to be carried along.

Regards,
Thomas

[Mikael Ranelius]

Thomas, there are several examples (pictorial as well as archeological) in the following link: http://www.larsdatter.com/canteens.htm

Interestingly, the metal canteens are very similar to Roman legionary canteens, although a bit 'fancier'. Ceramic canteens would certainly have been less durable, but then I don't think that canteens and other equipment were carried into battle. Also, they were probably so inexpensive that they were considered disposable.
Still though I believe that wooden canteens were the most common, at least among less wealthy soldiers and men-at-arms. There's a nice reconstruction as well as sources here: http://www.diu-minnezit.de/realie_details.php...&tid=3

[Matthew Amt]

I doubt very much that ANYone ever carried a tankard hung from their belt like that! Certainly not a knight--he'd have servants to carry everything for him. It's purely a Renn Faire thing. Thought as always, if anyone comes up with documentation, I will cheerfully eat my words!

Matthew

[Dan Howard]

The French considered drinking from leather containers to be barbaric. They joked that the English drank from their boots.

I've just bought some gourd seeds so I can try making canteens from home-grown gourds. I have a long wait.

[Thomas R.]

[Brian Robson]

I'd suspect that the 'Supply Train' carried most of the water (and ale, and wine). Barrels on Wagons, I expect.

Also there are depictions afo knights rushing to arm from a cart loaded with weapons so I suspect that the general march wasn't conducted in armour so carrying personal ceramic costrels (unlikely to break with no metal to bang against) or more likely relying on servants carrying buckets up and down the line would have probably been the case.

Maybe there was some kind of saddle-bag-like container carried by the knight's horse too?

[Ralph Grinly]

Does anyone know how far back in history the spanish wine skin goes ?? I'd guess that they would be a pretty functional item ? I used to have one, that was lined with a pitch like substance..and it was quite useful.