Weapon belts - what material?

[Dan D'Silva]

Well, I spent years poring over the Achaemenid weapon belt before developing a method of fastening it that's consistent with the evidence, but this whole time I never thought to question what the belt strap was made of.

Recently I asked about leather tanning, and now my reconstruction is once again in doubt. Almost every other use for veg-tan I can think of can either make do with soft fat-cured leather, rawhide, or something other than hide (e.g. wood for scabbards), but a weight-bearing strap like this needs something with both a lot of firmness and flexibility. If veg-tan isn't correct, is there any material that's a passable substitute?

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Rope.

[Dan D'Silva]

Do you mean a fabric webbing?

[Flavivs Aetivs]

No like a braided one, they teach you how to braid rope into a belt or shoulderbag strap in boy scouts. I'd imagine they made belts out of it back then.

[Dan D'Silva]

Like this?

I didn't go to Boy Scouts, but I guess it's possible. The Persepolitan reliefs don't show it, however I don't know how fine detailing would have to be before the sculptors decided not to bother. They do show hair and basket patterns, for example.

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Well, not quite like that...

They would have shown a braided belt then probably. It's possible though in my mind.