Pair of Shoes
ca. AD300-700 (Made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
A pair of dark leather shoes, Egyptian, ca. AD300-700 (probably). Decorated with an openwork medallion. Made using the turned technique with rand. Acquired from D.B.Myers Esq.
Coptic footwear was primarily made with leather, often 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.
Coptic footwear was primarily made with leather, often 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.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Tanned leather with openwork and applique. |
| Brief description | A pair of dark leather shoes, Egyptian, ca. AD300-700 (probably). Decorated with an openwork medallion. |
| Physical description | A pair of flat shoes of dark leather. Eqyptian, ca. AD300-700 (probably). Turned technique with rand. Round toe and round heel. Sole: Straight. Upper: One piece. Vamp decorated with 55mm diameter medallion of openwork. Central cross (equal arm lengths) with arms ending in spade shapes. Medallion stitched on with cross-stitch. Layer of different leather exposed beneath and may have been white. Medallion is circled by two rows of threaded openwork, revealing white leather strip on inner circle and maroon leather strip on outer circle. Medium throat that comes to appoint over instep. There is an extra piece of semi-circled leather above rand at backseam, 10mm high. |
| Object history | Acquired from D.B.Myers Esq. |
| Summary | A pair of dark leather shoes, Egyptian, ca. AD300-700 (probably). Decorated with an openwork medallion. Made using the turned technique with rand. Acquired from D.B.Myers Esq. Coptic footwear was primarily made with leather, often 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. |
| Bibliographic reference | See R. Smalley, "Dating Coptic Footwear: A Typological and Comparative Approach", Journal of Coptic Studies 14 (2012): 97-135 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 849-1903 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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