Pair of Shoes
ca. AD1500-1800 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
A pair of flat, brown leather, child's shoes, Egyptian, ca. AD1500-1800 (possibly). Made with the turned technique. 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 |
| Brief description | A pair of flat, brown leather, child's shoes, Egyptian, ca. AD1500-1800 (possibly). |
| Physical description | A pair of flat, brown leather, child’s shoes. Egyptian, ca. AD1500-1800 (possibly). Round toe and round heel. Turned technique. Sole: Straight Upper: Two pieces. No backseam. Quarters are a separate piece, sewn to vamp at waist with decorative floral shaped knop of leather. Strip of leather circles as topband and knop. Heel ends in a point where the quarters meet. Vamp has a high throat, pointed over instep. A thin cord of leather runs under the instep from one floral knop across to the other. Although toe is rounded the vamp ends in a pinch at the toe. |
| Style | |
| Object history | Acquired from D.B. Myers. |
| Summary | A pair of flat, brown leather, child's shoes, Egyptian, ca. AD1500-1800 (possibly). Made with the turned technique. 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 | 856-1903 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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