My Finished Bottle Gourd Water Bottle.

Bottle gourds floated to the New World from Africa.

For thousands of years, bottle gourds have been cultivated for use the world over as drinking vessels, medicine bottles and even fishing bobs. A new study looks at how they got to the Americas from their native Africa. Here, a preserved gourd stores yerba mate tea.

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

https://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-bottle-gourds-anthropology-20140210-story.html

Gourd Water Bottles. Were They Sealed?

Water bottle gourd found at Bents Fort.

17^th & 18^th Century water & wine gourds.

Were they lined inside?

To date I have not been able to find any primary documentation suggesting that water bottle gourds were actually sealed inside. However, this does not mean that you can’t seal the inside if you so wish. A close friend of mine purchased a gourd water bottle from a living history trader in America, & it grew mould inside.

“Now we are ready to make the canteen capable of holding liquid without it tasting like swamp sludge. In this procedure I use paraffin wax and a heat source. As you all should know paraffin is extremely flammable and it can be dangerous if used carelessly so I'm not responsible if you flame your gourd, kitty or your humble abode in this next step.

I use pure canning paraffin as opposed to beeswax because beeswax can make the water sort of taste well, like beeswax. Gourds I have waxed with this method have held out over ten years with its original application, however the larger, more often used storage bottles I usually rewax every few years until they get too heavy from all the wax coatings.

The initial waxing is the most important since this can never be undone or redone. So take care - be careful - take your time and you will have success. I use an electric stove and oven in this process so there is no open flame. If you choose to do this on a gas stove it could be dangerous, so please take care.

Get your gourd, a coffee can and a cork that fits the gourd. Also, some towels or rags to handle the hot gourd will be necessary. I set my oven on 250-275 degrees and place the dry and cleaned gourd on the middle rack. Then I take a coffee can which is clean and bend a spout in its side to use as a pouring aid. In this can I carefully melt down two hunks or slabs of wax. When melting wax watch it carefully. Melt at low heat and just as the last solid bit disappears it is ready. If you leave wax to heat too long you may lose track of how hot it is getting and it could burst into flames. As soon at the last traces of wax just disappear in the can take it off the heat. From here on in this must be done quickly and without hesitation to achieve the initial coating in the gourd.

The gourd is removed from the oven and quickly you will pour the melted wax inside it (not near a source of flame). Put the cork in the hole and start vigorously shaking it for a few minutes until the liquid wax starts to "feel different" as it starts to solidify. Then quickly take out the cork and pour the excess back into the can. Set the gourd aside to cool slowly. Don't touch until fully cool. If you did this initial step correctly all of the pores inside the gourd, including whatever fluff remained, are encapsulated in wax. You can do up to two more applications of wax but do not put the gourd back in the oven because you will undo all your hard work. Just melt the wax in the can as before and pour in the gourd, shake vigorously and pour out. Let the gourd cool thoroughly each time; otherwise, you will remove the previous wax.

All you need now is a new clean cork and a method of carrying it and you have a fine water container. I never used this type of container for spirits because they may adversely affect the wax.

Gourds done this way should be fine holding water during events. My big supply bottle gets filled when I leave home for an event and is not emptied until I return home. The water always tastes fine. There is some maintenance however.

For storage after an event you must drain and dry (no heat) the container thoroughly. Do not put the cork back in unless it has dried for a few weeks. I leave my corks out while in storage. Store in a clean dry area. A damp gourd can form a bit of mold on its exterior while drying in storage (not detrimental). Never expose an empty or partially full container to the sun or leave in a hot tent for any length of time as the wax will melt. Keep containers full and in the shade and this will be no problem. I also have found that some hot paraffin rubbed into the exterior of the gourd during the initial waxing process protects the gourd's exterior as well. If at any time the water in the gourd starts to taste foul this would indicate that it is time to reapply a wax coating on the inside. (Follow the instructions for repeated applications of wax)”.

http://www.liv18thc.com/gourdtext.html

“Bottle Gourds – a natural alternative, one of the things we know about the Dutch that inhabited New Jersey at this time is that they were resourceful and not a wasteful lot. A Gourd Canteen would be cost effective to make though they are fragile.

This first step is to procure a dried bottle gourd. You can either grow your own from seed or look for them at the farm stand in the fall. Your gourd must then be placed in a dry location and be allowed to thoroughly dry out. Once you can hear the seeds rattle inside, clean the outside of the gourd with soap and water so the mold that is on the outside comes off. Next, you want to make sure you are outside and have some sort of breathing mask on. Drill a hole on the top of the gourd (The dried gourd particles inside are not good to breath in, thus why it’s important that this is done outside, along with wearing protection over your mouth), this whole will be used as your opening to dispense water as well. You can then put a few rocks into the gourd, shake them around and this will help to loosen any other objects inside the gourd. To water proof your canteen, some recommend a natural material, like bees wax. Working with bees wax is very hot so be careful. Melt the wax and pour it into the gourd. Shake the gourd around to have even coverage and drain the wax before it dries. Your gourd bottle is now water proof, you just need a cork for the top and you have a very authentic canteen. The fun part of Bottle Gourds is that if you break it, you can always grow more”.

http://www.outwatersmilitia.com/news11.html

Beeswax was used for sealing the inside of water vessels very early on in history.

“While it’s hard to pin specific dates when archaeologists take us this far back in history, we can say with certainty that the Ancient Georgians were using these large, beeswax coated, earthenware vessels as early as 6,000 BC”.

https://vinepair.com/wine-blog/history-wine-transport-8000-years/

More gourd history & uses:

http://www.rachellaudan.com/2017/11/before-the-pot-before-the-basket-the-gourd.html

Beggar in soldiers clothing by Marquard Wocher 1760-1830.

Historical Trekking. The Advantages of using a Copper Water Bottle. Purification.

Copper water bottle on the far left.

https://vasantihealth.com/blogs/news/the-truth-about-storing-water-in-copper-vessels-debunking-the-myths

https://www.copperh2o.com/blogs/blog/copper-water-bottles-and-scientific-research

Water Canteen or Gunpowder Container?

https://au.pinterest.com/pin/145241156707811081/;

This one is claimed to be a American Revolution powder horn filling keg.

http://dirksoulisauctions.com/archive2015.php;

Can anyone help with primary documentation on these containers?
Thank You, Keith.

Carrying Water in The 18th Century. Glass Bottles.

Carrying Water in The 18^th Century. Glass Bottles.

To date I have found no evidence that glass bottles or saddle flasks were ever carried in a leather harness. Leather, wooden & ceramic water bottles with built in loops for straps & cordage are well known, but not so glass bottles. This is not to say that no one ever attached cordage or leather to a glass bottle in order to carry it slung from the shoulder, only that no primary documentation of this has been found to date. 

Glass wine bottles are believed to have been reused as water bottles & for carrying vegetable oil, but I must assume that these were either carried in the hand, or they were carried in a pack such as a knapsack, haversack, snapsack or market wallet. The name “saddle flask” given to a certain type of flat sided glass bottle suggests that it was carried in saddle bags or packs.

Pennsylvania German wooden costrel with strap lugs.

Leather costrels with carry strap lugs dated 1730.

A ceramic water bottle with carry strap lugs, 1601-1700 ad.

18^th century wine bottle.

A 16^th century glass costrel covered in embossed leather. This one I would have expected to have leather carry strap lugs included, but no sign that I can see. Research continues on this one.

American 18^th century leather covered saddle flask.

18^th century saddle flask.

18^th century leather saddle flask with what appears to be a leather carry strap attached that has been folded & pushed into the spout.

One of two modern glass bottles the author covered in leather to replicate saddle flasks.

The author’s haversack that he may use to carry his two saddle flasks.

The author’s knapsack with his market wallet secured under the flap closure. A water bottle or flask could also be carried in this market wallet & one in the knapsack, but they would not be easily accessible on the trail.

The author’s snapsack. If the top were to be left untied, then this too would be a good way to carry water bottles or flasks.

Early American glass. The first factory in what is now the United States was a glass plant built at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1608. The venture failed within a year because of a famine that took the lives of many colonists. The Jamestown colonists tried glass making again in 1621, but an Indian attack in 1622 and the scarcity of workers ended this attempt in 1624. The industry was re-established in America in 1739, when Caspar Wistar built a glass making plant in what is now Salem County, New Jersey. This plant operated until 1780. http://www.texasglass.com/glass_facts/history_of_Glass.htm

http://historical-american-glass.com/hilltown-glass-works-bucks-county-pennsylvania-1751-1766.html

http://historical-american-glass.com/glass-house-whimseys-1750-to-1880.html

http://historical-american-glass.com/wistarburgh-glass.html

QUICK RESEARCH II - BOTTLE GOURDS & TEA. A Link.

http://myneighborwellington.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/quick-research-ii-bottle-gourds-tea.html

I found this article to be a very interesting read, well worth checking out. Sara seems to be covering more of the 17th and 18th century of late.
Keith.

Talking of Period Bottles.

My Mother-in-law came out to stay for the weekend last week, and brought a couple of bottles of Champaign with her. Well I could'nt let her drink alone could I, and come Monday there were two empty bottles.
Then this week I found these on the net whilst researching:

Found in a ship wreck, these Champaign style bottles turned out to be "Cognac Brandy" bottles, dated late 17th century to early 18th century.

One bottle had gone to the recycling Monday morning when my wife went to town, but the other was still here. So..........

Voila!

I have read that during the early to mid 18th century many bottle lables were hand written. I might try that next time. Have to invite Mother-in-law back again soon!

Follow Up To the Safe Water article. Water Bottles & Canteens.

I don't know if any of you took a look at the article on our group's forum http://eighteenthcenturylivinghistory.freeforums.org/safe-water-t396.html , but this is a follow up to that article. Basically Paolo has given some invaluable information in regards to water supplies in a wilderness situation.

On a long trek it is impossible to carry enough water for your needs as Paolo points out, but you do need to carry enough to get you to a water source. One large costrel may suffice, but you can always carry another canteen or water bottle in your haversack.

Wine bottles were often reused for carrying water and even cooking oil (The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of The American Revolution). Some modern wine and port bottles are very close in looks to an 18th century bottle, and certainly good enough to pass. Use whatever you can get until you can find something better.

These wood water bottles are good and sturdy, but heavier than the tin canteens. Common belief is that these canteens were not in use before the American Revolution or before the 1770s.

Military issue canteens, but there are means by which a civilian may obtain one of these.

My leather costrel. Not heavy, quite sturdy.

Original on the left, modern bottle on the right. Close enough to pass.

Original on the left, modern bottle on the right. Not really a close match, but better than a plastic bottle!