Abstract
In 2008, a well preserved and complete shoe was recovered at the base of a Chalcolithic pit in the cave of Areni-1, Armenia. Here, we discuss the chronology of this find, its archaeological context and its relevance to the study of the evolution of footwear. Two leather samples and one grass sample from the shoe were dated at the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit (ORAU). A third leather sample was dated at the University of California-Irvine Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Facility (UCIAMS). The R_Combine function for the three leather samples provides a date range of 3627–3377 Cal BC (95.4% confidence interval) and the calibrated range for the straw is contemporaneous (3627–3377 Cal BC). The shoe was stuffed with loose, unfastened grass (Poaceae) without clear orientation which was more than likely used to maintain the shape of the shoe and/or prepare it for storage. The shoe is 24.5 cm long (European size 37), 7.6 to 10 cm wide, and was made from a single piece of leather that wrapped around the foot. It was worn and shaped to the wearer's right foot, particularly around the heel and hallux where the highest pressure is exerted in normal gait. The Chalcolithic shoe provides solid evidence for the use of footwear among Old World populations at least since the Chalcolithic. Other 4th millennium discoveries of shoes (Italian and Swiss Alps), and sandals (Southern Israel) indicate that more than one type of footwear existed during the 4th millennium BC, and that we should expect to discover more regional variations in the manufacturing and style of shoes where preservation conditions permit.
Highlights
Knowledge of prehistoric footwear is incomplete and limited to chance finds of well-preserved artifacts
We provide the description of the archaeological context, chronology and implications of this discovery to knowledge about the antiquity, function and development of prehistoric footwear
Objects found in association with the shoe include a red deer (Cervus elaphus) scapula with remains of dried meat adhering to the surface, two complete horns of an adult female wild goat (Capra aegagrus) and a fish vertebra placed atop the vessel; a variety of reeds and 40 small ceramic sherds representing 15 different chafftempered and grit-tempered vessels, typical of the two Late Chalcolithic occupational phases, were found within the pit
Summary
Knowledge of prehistoric footwear is incomplete and limited to chance finds of well-preserved artifacts. Desiccated conditions in the cave result in exceptional preservation of organic materials including reeds, ropes, textiles, plant remains and wooden artifacts, providing a rare glimpse into the technology, style, and function of perishable items. To date, this is the oldest shoe discovered in Eurasia. We provide the description of the archaeological context, chronology and implications of this discovery to knowledge about the antiquity, function and development of prehistoric footwear
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