Ancient shoes get new attention

These apparently basic stitched sandals, created from palm leaf, grass and papyrus, were the most essential items. They were only utilized by those officials who were honored by the king and court. .

More than 2,000 years back in time, at a period when Egypt was reigned over by an empire of rulers of Greek descent, a person, probably a more than one, buried away some of the most precious belongings they owned — their shoes.

Seven shoes were lodged in a container in an Egyptian temple in Luxor, three pairs and a single one. Two pairs were initially worn by little ones and were bearly 18 centimeters large. Utilizing palm fiber cord, the youngster shoes were attached jointly throughout the single shoe (it was bigger and intended for a grownup) and placed in the jar. One more pair of shoes, little more than 24 cm long that had perhaps been used by a limping mature, was also put in the jar.

These sandals presented a firm horizontal strap.  All over the semi-circular sections on either side of the shoe was a string of beads of gold, carnelian, lapis lazuli and amazonite. The special structure of these sophisticated sandals have not been found in any other shoes in ancient Egypt.

The  shoe package displaying the two pairs of kid's shoes and the grownup single.

The shoe-packed jar, together with two other jars, had been "intentionally positioned in a small area in between two mudbrick walls," writes archaeologist Angelo Sesana in a report released in the newspaper Memnonia.
In 2004, an Italian archaeological exploration group, guided by Sesana, discovered the shoes. The archaeologists showed André Veldmeijer, a specialist in ancient Egyptian footwear, the pictures that show the artefacts.
Veldmeijer's research indicates the shoes might have been overseas-made and were "comparatively costly." Sandals were the more widespread footwear in Egypt and that the design and high quality of these seven shoes was such that "everyone would observe you," and "it would grant you much more position due to the fact that you had these highly-priced pair of shoes," confirmed Veldmeijer.

The time frame of the shoes is based mostly on the jar they were discovered in and the other two jars, along with the stratigraphy of the location. It may be achievable in the upcoming period to date them by carbon-based methods to ensure their dating.

Source: http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/ancient-shoes-turn-up-in-egypt-temple-130227.htm