In ancient times, the backpack was used as a means to carry the hunter’s larger game and other types of prey and as a way of easier transport for other materials. In the cases of larger hunts, the hunters would dismember their prey and distribute the pieces of the animal around, each one packing the meat into many wrappings and then into bags which they placed on to their backs. The bag itself would be made up of animal hide and skin and sewn together by animal intestines, which would be woven together tightly to make a sturdy thread-like material.
Katika nyakati za zamani, mkoba ulitumiwa kama njia ya kubeba wanyama wakubwa wa wawindaji na aina zingine za mawindo na kama njia rahisi ya usafirishaji wa vifaa vingine. Katika visa vya uwindaji mkubwa zaidi, wawindaji wangekata mawindo yao na kugawanya vipande vya mnyama pande zote, kila mmoja akipakia nyama kwenye vifuniko vingi na kisha kwenye mifuko ambayo waliweka migongoni mwao. Mfuko wenyewe ungefanyizwa kwa ngozi na ngozi ya mnyama na kushonwa pamoja na utumbo wa wanyama, ambao ungesukwa pamoja kwa uthabiti ili kutengeneza uzi thabiti kama uzi.