A pair of leather shoes, Egyptian, ca. AD 300-700 (probably). Poor condition. Elaborately decorated with geometric and floral designs. Flat shoes of red and yellow leather. Semi-pointed toe and round heel. Turned technique with rand. Sole straight. Upper: Possibly coated post-excavation with unknown substance as discoloured and sticky to touch. Vamp elaborately decorated with cut out, red leather, floral and bird in the tree motif stitched onto a separate layer of gold covered leather. The birds have a short beak and look backwards over their shoulder. Instep decorated with diamonds and stripes where leather has been cut away to leave raised design. This band of decoration is V shaped. Quarters' top turned over and sewn with running stitch. Quarters have two incised, horizontal lines running round to the heel, where it meets four incised vertical lines either side of the back seam. High throat ends over instep with round knop.

Coptic footwear was generally made of leather, primarily using the turned technique to produce a slipper or shoe with a straight sole. Slippers often included a rand at the vamp and a fibre padded sole sewn together with prominent stitching or insole tab. They show variation in the form and height of the instep. Shoes were generally slip-ons and also show variation in the form and height of the instep. Footwear was highly decorated in geometric and floral designs. Often a variety of techniques were used in combination with the most popular being dyeing, gilding, openwork and appliqué.