Pair of Slippers
ca. AD 300-700 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
A pair of maroon leather slippers, Egyptian, ca. AD 300-700(probably). Decorated with applied gilded leather. Made with the turned technique. Acquired from D.B.Myers.
Coptic footwear was generally made of leather, primarily 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 generally made of leather, primarily 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 and papyrus with gilding, applique, openwork, cut-away and dye. |
| Brief description | A pair of maroon leather slippers, Egyptian, ca. AD 300-700 (probably). Decorated with applied gilded leather. |
| Physical description | A pair of flat, maroon, leather slippers. Egyptian, ca. AD 300-700 (probably). Pointed toe and round heel. Turned technique. Sole: Fibre stitching around waist and seat. Turned at vamp. Seat slightly squared off in shape and tread rounded up. Insole: Strip of black leather sewn around perimeter with running stitch. Then a strip of cut-away leather with dull appearance. Central area has a thin waist (3mm wide) and circular/squared off seat (33mm dia.). Central area probably formed a pointed tab at waist but these have broken off. Midsole of papyrus. Upper: Black topband (6mm) around instep and follows quarter down (whip stitch). Section over instep( straight across and medium throat) gilded with geometric shapes. Quarters cut down at angle from vamp wing down to waist. Vamp decoration is of gilded applied leather. A 'tree' sits at the cente, made of two triangles. Body has cutout oval shapes and also a small circle at each corner where it's been stitched on with silk (?) which is seen internally. Instep is decorated with two rows of oval shaped knops attached along a strip base. Top row slightly overcuts the lower at centre. |
| Style | |
| Object history | Acquired from D.B.Myers. |
| Summary | A pair of maroon leather slippers, Egyptian, ca. AD 300-700(probably). Decorated with applied gilded leather. Made with the turned technique. Acquired from D.B.Myers. Coptic footwear was generally made of leather, primarily 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 | 836-1903 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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