Not currently on display at the V&A

Sandal

ca. 30BC - AD300 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A partial brown leather sandal, Egyptian, Roman era, ca. 30BC-AD300 (probably). Elaborately incised sole. Acquired from D.B. Myers.

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
Materials and techniques
Tanned leather sandal with punchwork and incising.
Brief description
A partial brown leather sandal, Egyptian, ca. 30BC-AD300 (probably). Elaborately incised sole.
Physical description
Half a brown, flat leather sandal, some of the foot strap and two cords of leather – one plaited and one cylindrical. Swayed left. Pointed toe (toe tip missing). Heel and half waist missing. Treadsole: Nail holes round perimeter and down centre remain. One nail remains. Scratched surface. One modern label – mostly gone. Two deep cracks at centre. Midsole: Leather. Insole: Leather. Dirty. Richly decorated with incised lines. Three lines follow sole around perimeter with geometric designs in centre. Large crack across thread so hard to see pattern. Knot for toe strap remains and does not protrude through treadsole. Strap: Main front strap remains. Four centre spirals of leather attached to a thick plaited leather cord. Above each spiral smaller cords of plaited leather branch out and would have been attached to the sole. Where one thinner cord end another cord is plaited in. At top of fourth spiral are two ‘antennae’ of short crunched (?) leather that end in small circular spirals of leather with a thin cord of leather (unplaited) leading outwards from each spiral.
Dimensions
  • Tread width: 55mm
  • Waist width: 35mm
  • Sole thickness: 6mm
Styles
Object history
Acquired by D.B. Myers.
Summary
A partial brown leather sandal, Egyptian, Roman era, ca. 30BC-AD300 (probably). Elaborately incised sole. Acquired from D.B. Myers.

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
870-1903

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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