Roman "Gucci" shoes

(Amsterdam, NL)

Towards the end of 2002, 6 complete Roman shoes were discovered in the Dutch river Meuse.
They dated from the 4^th century C.E., and were lying in a Roman pile of rubbish near a Roman castella.

"I have never seen such well-conservated shoes. Unitl now we had to rely on depictions of shoes on statures, paintings and mosaics."

It confirms the theory that Romans used to walk on their laces; some shoes had a long lace that was winded over the instep, under the foot and than attached on the instep.

"It might seem unpractical to us but I'm convinced that it worked."

The shoes belonged to men, women and children, which indicates that not only soldiers lived in the camp near the findings.

The beautiful designed, stylish shoes show that life was also civilized at the northern border of the Roman Empire.

Source:
Archaeology January/February 2003

Research: Mrs. C. van Driel-Murray of the Universiteit van Amsterdam.

Author/editor