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An ancient shoe made from animal skin. Credit: German Mining Museum.

Ancient Humans May Have Worn Shoes 150,000 Years Ago!

The protective capacities of shoes are obvious, and would have been just as obvious in ancient times, when the earliest modern humans walked the earth. Nevertheless, researchers have long debated...
Roman shoes discovered in the canal of the River Lys during the excavation of Thérouanne (Pas-de-Calais) in 2023.      Source: © Dominique Bossut, Inrap

Roman Craft Center, And Shoes, Unearthed Next to French Canal

Buried in a cocoon of silt for 1,700 years, archaeologists in France have excavated a well-preserved Roman craft center. Not only did they discover evidence of butchers, tanners, shoemakers, and...
Byzantine-era sandal with inscription unearthed in Istanbul. Source: Hurriyet Daily

Byzantine-Era Sandals with Heartfelt Inscription Unearthed in Istanbul

Archaeologists have stumbled upon a remarkable discovery in Istanbul that has captured the attention of historians and fashion enthusiasts alike. Amidst a treasure trove of ancient artifacts, they...
Composite image of French men’s shoes dating back to circa 1690 with image of a Persian ambassador, wearing high heels on visit to Poland in 1605, in the background. Source: Public domain & Public domain

High Heels Were Originally Worn By Men

A lifetime critic of the self-inflicted pain of high heels, I’ve never understood why anyone would wear them when the risks involved are so well known. From ingrown toenails, back problems or...
Vincent van Gogh's Pair of Shoes was painted in June 1895 at Auvers-sur-Oise. (Public Domain)

Magic Shoes And Boots: The Soles Of Mythology

Interest in the history and archaeology of ancient footwear began in the 17th century and today the formal study of footwear is called ‘ calceology.’ This field of science includes interpreting...
These three pieces of ancient footwear were used to scientifically estimate Michelangelo’s height in the recent study.	Source: Casa Museo Buonarroti / Anthropologie

Michelangelo’s Short Stature Revealed By His Shoes

The Renaissance, Europe’s scientific jump forward from its medieval past, began in Florence, Italy and made the region a global cultural hub in the 14th and 15th centuries. Renaissance achievements...
Winklepickers are named for the supposed similarity to the tool used to extract winkles from their shells. Source: Rijksmuseum / CC0.

Medieval Winklepickers Really Were A Health Hazard, Study Shows

Pointy shoes or winklepickers worn by the upper classes caused a spike in bunions in medieval Britain, a study has found. Close your eyes and picture the classic court jester . His jingly hat and...
5 Outrageous Fashion Trends from the Ancient World

5 Outrageous Fashion Trends from the Ancient World

The eternal quest to be ridiculously good looking is one we’ve been on since time immemorial. From elaborate, exquisite, and downright weird clothing choices, to sexy-but-deadly cosmetics, and...
The 'Adidas mummy' and her famous shoes, Mongolia.

Ancient Mummy 'With 1,100-year-old Adidas boots' Died After She Was Struck on the Head

By: Olga Gertcyk As well as her amazing 'modern' footwear, this Mongolian 'seamstress' went to the afterlife with four changes of clothes, her sewing kit, a horse, and a ram's head. New pictures of...
Some child likely played with this carved wooden boat a thousand years ago. It was found in an abandoned well during an extensive archaeological dig at the Ørland Main Air Station, on the coast west of Trondheim.

The Toy Boat that Sailed the Seas of Time

A thousand years ago, for reasons we will never know, the residents of a tiny farmstead on the coast of central Norway filled an old well with dirt. Maybe the water dried up, or maybe it became foul...
Adidas of Ancient Rome: Ancient Fashion Unveiled with Discovery of Roman Shoe Hoard

Adidas of Ancient Rome: Ancient Fashion Unveiled with Discovery of Roman Shoe Hoard

A team of archeologists has discovered more than 400 ancient Roman shoes in the Vindolanda fort in Northumberland, England, including some that resemble modern-day shoe styles. The site, located just...
A Chinese archeological research institute working with the help of German experts will restore a pair of 1,400-year-old leather shoes from the Astana Tombs.

Experts restore 1,400-year-old shoes from a Chinese tomb

Chinese archaeologists are restoring a pair of 1,400-year-old goat leather shoes that were found in the Astana Tombs in the capital of the ancient Gaocheng kingdom. Experts from Germany will spend 20...
Ancient children’s shoes found in Utah cave

Hundreds of ancient children’s shoes found in Utah cave shed light on little-known culture

A wealth of artifacts found in a cave on the shores of the Great Salt Lake in Utah, including hundreds of animal-skin moccasins that would have mostly belonged to children, raise new questions...
The Vision of Saint Eustace, Pisanello, 1438–1442. Rider wearing high heels.

The Ancient Origins of High Heels – Once an Essential Accessory for Men

High heel shoes are today a form of footwear worn almost exclusively by women. Yet, the history of high heels shows us that this was not always the case. On the contrary, high heels were, at various...
Ancient artifacts from melting glaciers

The race to retrieve ancient artifacts from melting glaciers

Swiss scientists believe that only decades remain before areas that have been covered with ice for thousands of years melt away. The melting of the long-frozen snow and ice in the Swiss Alps, and...