Getty Museum

Pair of Shoes

Date

420–600

Medium

Leather

Culture

Romano-Egyptian

Department

Miscellaneous

Institution

Getty Museum

"Coptic" shoes were typically made from leather (usually goatskin), dyed red, and had straight soles (i.e. swayed neither right nor left). They were slip-ons with pointed toes and show variation in the style and height of the instep. Here, geometric designs have been gilded across the instep and upper vamp of the shoe. The gilding continues around the shoe opening perimeter as a single line with short strokes following above it. The decoration turns at the heel to outline the seam connecting the two sides of the upper at the back of the shoe. This pair of shoes is "turned," that is, the sole and upper are made from separate pieces of leather and stitched together inside out so that when turned right side out the seams are on the inside of the shoe and the stitches are visible. The tread soles are scored around their perimeters and down their centers and show little wear.

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