Bedrolls & Marching Kit

By Johnathan Bracken

As with so many other mundane objects, there is a lack of imagery and textual descriptions for Ancient Greek bedrolls. Fortunately a few depictions do show up and it is from these that I based my reproduction. Specifically I went with the one being carried on the shoulders of a slave that seems to show a large cloth sack with wide stripes that is open on one end and closed with a simple cinch. My design follows this along with a second depiction where a sack appears on a raised platform alongside a slave. This sack likewise features what appears to be an open sack cinched at the top.

The cloth I used is 100% linen, 5.6 oz. To protect the sack and the contents it holds from moisture, I waxed the entire surface with Otter Wax, a composite of beeswax and essential oils. I attached two ties (made of folded linen) towards the top of the sack on either side. Original imagery shows what appears to be a long strap wrapping around the center of the bedroll sack, which seems to be intended to assist in carrying it. The image of the slave carrying the sack appears to show a shoulder yolk being employed to carry the sack and a gylion, which I have recreated in my photo, though without the yoke.

For this demonstration, I have packed into the sack a grass mat, a chiton, a chalmys, and a sheepskin sleeping pad, all of which I rolled up together with a goatskin, which will add an additional layer of protection from moisture if the cloth of the sack is saturated