Excavated "Harness" Assembly ( more photos added)

[Don in SJ]

Excavated "Harness" Assembly ( more photos added)

While metal detecting this morning at a new, very isolated homestead in the woods, I had just recovered an 1835 Hard Times Token and approximately 5 feet away I got another diggable reading and to my surprise, I first unearthed at about 5-6 inches down pieces of thread like material and two very large Grommets with web material still attached. I continued digging, having still a good reading deeper and below where the grommets were I dug and pulled out this harness assembly, which is rather very heavy duty, almost like a pilots parachute harness assembly that I was used to seeing on our military pilots. I hung the material in the tree and took photos, I am going back to the site tomorrow (if I can find it again LOL) and bring it home with me this time, taking a gym bag along to put it in.

Now, what is it, used for, time period, I just don't know. I seriosly doubt it could be from a jet pilot's chute assy, so that would leave it being a "period" item from the homestead (1800-1840s) or from a modern logging operation done in the 1960s in this area.

I believe more of it is still in the ground, and remind that it was as deep if not deeper than the Hard Times token, so I cannot even venture a guess on its age, not knowing about how old harness and the grommets and the hook on this one can go back in history, so open for all guesstimates.

Don

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector, Waterproof Gold Detector, Pinpoint & Terrain Modes, Professional Metal Detector - Grab it through Amazon!

[Angelo]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly

If you would of found it in the Northwest, I might say D.B. Cooper.

Probably a vintage Loggers/Lineman Harness.

Tony

UPDATE: Looked at Loggers and Lineman Harness's and none that I found resemble the material on your find. Mainly Leather and Nylon weave material.

Back packs do resemble the closest.

 

[Blacksheep]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly

Not sure if this helpsas a comp. but just in case. (cool find)
(1960`s era Vietnam according to the site, parachute harness)

www.snyderstreasures.com/pages/equipment.htm

 

[ballbuster]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly

Don,

It looks very much like the harness we used in the Forest Fire Service to carry Indian Tanks. (10 gallon tanks filled with water used for fire supression with hand pump). Trying to locate a picture.

Jim

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly

finally, someone found d b coopers chute.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly

That's definitely an older, heavy duty harness (can't tell the size, but the thickness of the belly straps and the one hook I think I see, tells me its heavy).

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly

Is it all one piece or could there be 2 sets? It almost looks like military suspenders with something added to it. The top pic looks like 2 shoulder pieces that attach together in the back to form the suspenders. It also looks military khaki green. You need to lay it all out and separate it for another pic.

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly

i had a climbing harness similar design...tree toppers use them...climbers...telephone company?

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly

I cannot really tell from the pictures. It looks like it had a stud strap also.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly

Is it possible to get some closer-up pictures of the parts?

B

 

[Don in SJ]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly

I am going back this morning to the site, with a sports bag to put the material in and bring home for better pics, also will dig out the hole some more for anything else I left in there. It is heavy duty and thick, it did remind me of the same thickness and size of should straps of a pilot's parachute shoulder harness, there was was cloth material, that was thin and very rotted and almost fallen totally apart. The only metal was the one tension snap hook and the grommets, but I do remember another hit or two in the hole. Better pics later today.

Don

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly

Great pics Don! That half dollar isnt bad either!!! staff

 

[pinebarrens1]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly

maybe a old farmer used what he had around . for field work don ......i sure some of those people had nothing in the depresion era .make use of what you got . [ you know what i mean] ....i wounder how some of the s=it ..i find get to where i dig it out . you will never know .

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly



Can't wait to see them!

Boy - PineBarrens1,

You are right on - some of the stuff we find (and where we find it), really makes you scratch your head trying to figure out how the heck it got there!

Not sure where the grommets would be from - unless they had a slicker of some sort, but I have girth covers on all my girths, and a couple of girths that have material sewn right in.

And back to the parachute harness possibility..................

 

[Don in SJ]

Added more photos

maybe a old farmer used what he had around . for field work don ......i sure some of those people had nothing in the depresion era .make use of what you got . [ you know what i mean] ....i wounder how some of the s=it ..i find get to where i dig it out . you will never know .

Not sure what happened at the immediate site after it was most likely abandoned in the 1840s when the iron industry totally collapsed in our area and most people left the area, thus the old sites I find that do not produce finds usually after the 1830s. But I do know the area has probably been logged once or twice since than, with the latest one being in the early 60's. So, I would put more credance in the harness/vest being from a logger or as someone suggested a forest fire fighter, but the isolation of the site would lead more to the logger equipment.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly ( more photos added)

I may have to change my mind.

Good pics.

The buckles could be still horse - but, I don't know a logger who would use that kind of snap - they aren't reliable.

B

 

[taz42o]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly ( more photos added)

Looks like a fall arrest harness. Do the straps come together in the back in an X with a place that could have had a ring attached?

 

[hunterV3]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly ( more photos added)

It is a military duffle bag. Probably lost or forgotten by a hunter. Most hunters I know use them to carry deer bait into the woods. Here are some pics of one. It's about 36" long. I even tie the excess on the straps to keep the adjustment right. The flap connected to the hook is a cover before you close it.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly ( more photos added)

That one picture (with the grommets and the snap) makes it look like my Army bag!!

B

 

[Don in SJ]

Re: Excavated "Harness" Assembly ( more photos added)

The duffel bag looks like an excellent possibility, question are the grommets as big as the ones I have? (referenced the half dollar for size)

It also could have been a logger carrying stuff in the bag also, but hunter is possibility. The bag may have been buried by the logging that went on in the area in the 60's or perhaps even a generation before that.

I don't remember much about my duffel bags over the years, some of mine were Blue and some were Army Green.
Don


ADDED: Just for info one of the grommets has a numer 5 impressed on it.