The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Hard Kit is all other accoutrements that are not clothing, weapons or armour. This includes pots and tents, and flint & steel, and other things like that.

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Kortoso
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The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Kortoso »

Just ran into this recently;
http://www.primitiveways.com/Iceman.html
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More important than the belt's ability to keep the loincloth and leggings in place was the ability to keep itself in place. The survivalist's adage "everything you carry should have more than one use" is not a recent realization. The belt held another surprise when examined closely. An 8" long, 2" high strip of hide was stitched onto the front of the belt in almost the exact center. The stitching was accomplished using a hide lacing that varied in width from .19" to .25" wide that went completely around the hide strip with the exception of a 3.25" opening left in the center at the top edge. It was a pouch! It even had a 6" long lace attached to one side to tie it closed.

This simple leather belt would stay with him under all but the most extreme conditions. He could lose his bow and quiver, his axe, even his outer clothes and shoes, but his belt would remain. The pouch, protected by the outer flap of his loincloth, held 5 items: his survival kit. To untrained eyes, they were worthless fragments of stone, bone and fungus but in the hands of an expert woodsman, it would give him a chance at surviving even with everything else lost.
There are no safe paths in this part of the world. Remember you are over the Edge of the Wild now, and in for all sorts of fun wherever you go.
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Le-Loup
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Re: The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Le-Loup »

Excellent, interesting post.
Last edited by Le-Loup on Mon Oct 03, 2016 8:31 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
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And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost.

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Elleth
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Re: The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Elleth »

That is neat! I vaguely recall seeing it described once upon a time, but it's neat to see a replica made of the thing.

... I wonder Aistan of the Beornings would use such a thing? :)
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
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Re: The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Greg »

Elleth wrote:... I wonder Aistan of the Beornings would use such a thing? :)
I follow that logic! If not Aistan, certainly Ghân-buri-Ghân of the Drúedain...

He's described as wearing a grass skirt. He's well on his way to BEING Otzi.
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
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Re: The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Udwin »

VERY interesting...Definitely the world's first 'fannypack'!, having the obvious advantage of being integrated into the belt instead of a separate pouch. For the barest of bare essentials (flint, steel, something sharp, a bit of cordage, perhaps a wafer of waybread), it seems like a solid option, sort of a built-in need-wallet.
I've been feeling a dearth of new projects of late, and any attachment I might feel to my current loincloth-holding-up belt is purely sentimental (it was my first attempt at inkle-weaving but came out surprisingly serviceable)...so now I'm highly considering giving this a try for my Beorning kit. It would allow me to still keep some necessaries on me—without having to tie on my main sash (zipperbag & longknife)—for tunic-less, working-around-the-homestead days.

While we're on the subject of Otzi!Gear, the laced bits to the left of the pouch area in the original photo intrigued me. This fellow theorizes that they could have been used to secure small items (or perhaps cleaned game) to the belt, similar to modern MOLLE system.
Personae: Aistan son of Ansteig, common Beorning of Wilderland; Tungo Brandybuck, Eastfarthing Bounder, 3018 TA; a native Man of the Greyflood, c.850 SA
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Re: The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Kortoso »

Maybe we can make this an Ötzi thread?

It's really a privilege to peek into the detail's of this ancient man's kit.
There are no safe paths in this part of the world. Remember you are over the Edge of the Wild now, and in for all sorts of fun wherever you go.
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Re: The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Elleth »

Udwin - that would be awesome! I think it would be extra nice with some pyrography or ink work or something to give it a more Anduin-feel. I'm really looking forward to where you go with it, if you end up going this route. :)
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
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Re: The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Le-Loup »

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost.

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Le-Loup
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Re: The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Le-Loup »

A little more on Otzi The Ice Man and his Fireworks.
http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com.a ... d-his.html
Keith.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost.

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Le-Loup
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Re: The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Le-Loup »

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost.

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Udwin
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Re: The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Udwin »

After hemming and hawwing for a few weeks, I eventually settled on a design and stitched up my take on an Anduin Man's Ötzi-style belt. The pouch is narrower but deeper (6.5x2.75") than the original (8x2"), and lacks the attachment loops, but since it stays under my clothes and is strictly for holding up my loincloth, I don't mind the omission. The ties are a six-strand flat braid. The really nice thing is that, being made of soft, fuzzy braintan, it 'grips' the wool of my 'clout much better than the slick linen inkle one ever did; as a result, adjustments are much less frequent, which is always nice.
Decorations are done with red ochre and black powdered tempera, both mixed with eggyolk and applied with bone tools. (The black dots were meant to be sort of 4-pointed star shapes applied with a filed antler tip, but the paint didn't take the detail very well. Ah well!)

I'm still pondering the contents, but for now it holds a Beorning's cram, two flints and a striker. Will probably make up some cordage for it, and pondering a tiny tinder container.
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Personae: Aistan son of Ansteig, common Beorning of Wilderland; Tungo Brandybuck, Eastfarthing Bounder, 3018 TA; a native Man of the Greyflood, c.850 SA
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Le-Loup
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Re: The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Le-Loup »

Udwin wrote:After hemming and hawwing for a few weeks, I eventually settled on a design and stitched up my take on an Anduin Man's Ötzi-style belt. The pouch is narrower but deeper (6.5x2.75") than the original (8x2"), and lacks the attachment loops, but since it stays under my clothes and is strictly for holding up my loincloth, I don't mind the omission. The ties are a six-strand flat braid. The really nice thing is that, being made of soft, fuzzy braintan, it 'grips' the wool of my 'clout much better than the slick linen inkle one ever did; as a result, adjustments are much less frequent, which is always nice.
Decorations are done with red ochre and black powdered tempera, both mixed with eggyolk and applied with bone tools. (The black dots were meant to be sort of 4-pointed star shapes applied with a filed antler tip, but the paint didn't take the detail very well. Ah well!)

I'm still pondering the contents, but for now it holds a Beorning's cram, two flints and a striker. Will probably make up some cordage for it, and pondering a tiny tinder container.
Excellent! Well done, I love it. A very worthwhile project & piece of equipment.
Keith.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost.

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Elleth
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Re: The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Elleth »

WOW - that looks great!

... I could imagine the tinder in either a small greased rawhide parfleche, or perhaps a bit of ramhorn hollowed out with a wood stopper?
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
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Re: The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Greg »

That turned out great, Udwin. The decor you settled on fits perfectly.
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
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Re: The utility belt of Otzi the Iceman

Post by Mirimaran »

I really like what you did there! I love primitive kit, great job!

Ken
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