And then there's the old Trapper Nelson frames, where everything was either pegged or lashed together. Fortunately, that was even before MY time!

However, I do remember one of my first backpack trips 25 or so years ago, with a large group of Scouts. One of the other leaders (an older fellow, of 50 or 55!) carried everything in a pack basket that he'd woven himself, which had a couple of leather shoulder straps. Can't remember if it even had a waist band. Beautiful workmanship, plenty of capacity, and he said it was quite comfortable (though he may have been a little biased.)