Pair of Slippers
ca. AD300-700 (Made)
| Place of origin |
A pair of fragmented red leather slippers, Egyptian, ca. AD300-700 (probably). Decorated with gilded, openworked leather medallion. 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.
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 slipper fragments with gilded, applied, openworked medallions. |
| Brief description | A pair of fragmented red leather slippers, Egyptian, ca. AD300-700 (probably). Decorated with gilded, openworked leather medallion. |
| Physical description | A pair of red leather slippers, Egyptian, ca.AD300-700 (probably). Several fragments, in poor condition. Round toe and round heel. Turned technique. Two vamps remain with gold leaf, diamond shaped applied medallions. One vamp has a second internal layer of leather remaining. Medallion patterns are slightly different but both floral openwork with thick squared border surrounding the floral section. Pointed end over instep (low throat). Two insole tabs remain, pointed at one end and circular at the other (seat end). Other fragments include treadsole and all covered in white powdery residue. Vamp 1 is 100mm wide and 90mm high; vamp 2 is 80mm wide and 95mm high; both insole tabs are 125mm long. |
| Style | |
| Object history | Acquired from D.B.Myers Esq. |
| Summary | A pair of fragmented red leather slippers, Egyptian, ca. AD300-700 (probably). Decorated with gilded, openworked leather medallion. 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 | 845-1903 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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