The Roman Shoe Project
Can Roman Technology students learn leatherworking to design and create their own Roman leather sandals? Follow us on our blog!
During the pandemic, I became a huge fan of watching online lectures by archaeologists. The Archaeological Institute of America offered (and still does) monthly lectures for free, and it was at one of these that I learned of the leather collection at the site of Vindolanda on Hadrian's Wall in northern England. Dr. Elizabeth M. Greene spoke about the Roman shoes that she has excavated through years of work there. She explained that the soil of Vindolanda is particularly anaerobic and preserves leather very well. Archaeologists have found hundreds of shoes at this site, once a fort and town on the edge of the empire. Some of the shoes, found in a waste area of the town, had been discarded by those moving on to other places. Some may have been lost. Some were found with their twin. I was intrigued by these shoes and the stories they might tell us.
A leather shoe from Vindolanda Roman Fort.
Nathalie in front of the leather shoe display at Vindolanda Roman Fort.
Shockingly, the shoes look almost modern. It's pretty easy to see how they were designed and tooled. I immediately began thinking about how I could incorporate ancient leathercraft into my Roman Technology classes. In years past, the students have made their own leather bullae, or childhood protective amulets. They used small leather punches to make holes in scrap leather I purchased, and then they sewed the little pouches shut with twine, enclosing a special tiny object for themselves before putting on their necklaces. "Could we make shoes too?" I started to wonder.
In the summer of 2023, I was fortunate to receive a travel scholarship from the National Latin Exam. I designed my own trip to Roman Britain, and of course, Vindolanda was on my list. I wanted to see its famed shoes myself! You can peruse my collection of leather shoe photographs here.
When I arrived for my visit to the archaeological site, I was touched to see this sign at the entrance. It REALLY got me thinking about studying shoes. The old adage goes, "Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes." My students can learn deeply about the daily lives of the Romans we study by recreating their shoes.
Most information about the classical world comes from literature written by wealthy, upper-class male citizens. They had the time and resources to write about their lives. But what about the others? Women, children, enslaved people, craftspeople? I want my students to learn about them too. Hands-on history projects like creating leather shoes allow students a window into the daily lives of people whose voices aren't often heard in literature.
So, can we do it? The students will be learning about the sources of leather in the ancient world, about the tanning process, about the craftspeople who made shoes, and about the people who wore them. We'll then design and craft our own Roman-style leather sandals or boots before experimenting with their use in our daily lives. We'll be making "footsteps into the past."
Would you like to walk a mile in Roman sandals with us? Join us in this journey...loading in August of 2024.
Nathalie's shoes at the entrance sign of Vindolanda.