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Old 10th September 2016, 04:14 PM   #12
Oliver Pinchot
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Join Date: Sep 2012
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Stu is close; the slot is intended for a strap, rather than a belt.
Part of the research I did as a graduate student involved field-testing the processes involved in suspending various weapons and accoutrements. Flasks and horns, from virtually every culture, are much more comfortable to carry for an extended period (on foot or on horseback,) on a leather or flat woven strap or tape. Woven cords with a round cross-section, such as those on which kummiyahs are usually slung, become uncomfortable after a surprisingly short period. The mountaineer peoples of the Caucasus seem to have evolved the best suspension systems for any weapon; these involved a series of narrow leather straps, usually adjustable by means of buckles.

This flask is designed ergonomically. It conforms well to the body (i.e. it doesn't catch on things when slung) and can be used with a minimum of effort, thanks to the angled spout. The form is characteristically Moroccan; Ward's observation that this type of wood is common to Essaouira supports this.
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