Pair of Shoes
ca. AD300-700 (made)
| Place of origin |
A pair of fragmented, plain, red, flat leather shoes. Egyptian, ca. AD300-700 (probably). Made with the turned technique. Acquire by 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 and dyed leather |
| Brief description | A pair of fragmented plain, red leather shoes, Egyptian, ca. AD300-700 (probably). |
| Physical description | A pair of fragmented, plain, red, flat leather shoes. Egyptian, ca. AD300-700 (probably). Round toe and round heel. Turned technique. Sole: Straight. Upper: In two pieces. No decoration. Vamp ends over instep with a slight point (medium throat). Heel is reinforced internally with a semi-circular piece of leather sewn over backseam (whipstitch?). Thin strip of leather between quarters at backseam. |
| Style | |
| Object history | Acquired from D.B. Myers. |
| Summary | A pair of fragmented, plain, red, flat leather shoes. Egyptian, ca. AD300-700 (probably). Made with the turned technique. Acquire by 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 | 863-1903 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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