July
12
/ 2026
A recent archaeological investigation in southwestern Spain has uncovered an astonishingly well-preserved collection of esparto grass sandals. Discovered in the ancient mining settlement of Urium, modern-day Riotinto, these eight sandal soles reveal that the same style of footwear was worn by miners continuously for over 400 years, spanning from the Iron Age through the Roman period. The remarkable preservation of these organic materials offers a rare glimpse into the daily lives and material culture of ancient workers. The research, led by a team from the University of Granada and published in the journal Pyrenae, examined the soles recovered from the Nuevo Filón Norte 1 sector of the Riotinto mining district. These artifacts were found buried within two large accumulations of
