A pair of leather slipper, Egyptian, ca. AD300-500 (possibly). Decorated with a square, floral medallion of applied gold leaf.

A pair of red and black, flat leather slippers. Egyptian, ca. AD300-500 (possibly). Round toe and round heel. Turned technique. Treadsole: Straight. Skinny waist. Running stitch round perimeter remains. Stitching sits on edge of tread and seat but narrows at waist, coming in 1cm from the edge. Insole: Red leather. Running stitch remains around perimeter of seat and waist. Ends at vamp. Leather border here has been cutaway at perimeter to produce a shinny central tab which follows sole's shape, sitting approx.10mm in from the perimeter. Seat here is 35mm wide, waist is 5mm wide and area under vamp is worn. Upper: The vamp is attached with the turned technique and continues as one piece around the quarters (to over the arch of the foot) and ends in the middle of the seat. In this way the quarters are only partial. A band of black, applied leather comprises the outer side of the quarters and creates a thick topband (20mm wide) on the inner side. No stitching is evident. The band is decorated over the throat with gold leaf, geometric patterns of attached diamond lines between border lines, triangles and diamonds. There is a row of small squares along the top border. The rest of the vamp is red leather. A square medallion of gold leaf is attached at the centre (45mm x 45mm). It has a central floral short cross within a circle, within a square; surrounded by knops on each side; an outer square/diamond with knops on each side; and a final squared edge. The design is covered with incised lines. The medallion is glued (?) to a square of leather which is then applied to the vamp (glued?).

Acquired from D.B.Myers.

A pair of leather slippers, Egyptian, ca. AD300-500 (possibly). Decorated with a square, floral medallion of applied gold leaf. 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.

847&A-1903