04-06-2017, 07:04 PM
Hi all,
As a colleague was rehousing the Roman footwear here at the Royal Ontario Museum I noticed this thing and thought "That is no shoe." It was acquired from G.F Lawrence in 1927, who said it was from Moorgate Place, London. It came with 28 other leather fragments that certainly seem to be shoe parts, sole fragments and other bits, with hobnails in them which do appear to be Roman. We are still studying it but I have made a preliminary sketch (attached). It is two thicknesses of leather, with a sewn bound edge all along what is the bottom side on the drawing. On the "top" is a bound edge which may be sewn, but it is hard to tell because of the studs that are driven through it. These seams only go a bout 2-3 cm from each side, and what is left of the upper edge between these appear to be cut, although whether as part of the fabrication or as a part of a possible deconstruction of the object. There is a detail of the studs, which are copper-alloy with two posts which are bent over to fix them to the leather. They are plain domes.
As anyone seen anything like this? Or the studs? Any suggestions?
As a colleague was rehousing the Roman footwear here at the Royal Ontario Museum I noticed this thing and thought "That is no shoe." It was acquired from G.F Lawrence in 1927, who said it was from Moorgate Place, London. It came with 28 other leather fragments that certainly seem to be shoe parts, sole fragments and other bits, with hobnails in them which do appear to be Roman. We are still studying it but I have made a preliminary sketch (attached). It is two thicknesses of leather, with a sewn bound edge all along what is the bottom side on the drawing. On the "top" is a bound edge which may be sewn, but it is hard to tell because of the studs that are driven through it. These seams only go a bout 2-3 cm from each side, and what is left of the upper edge between these appear to be cut, although whether as part of the fabrication or as a part of a possible deconstruction of the object. There is a detail of the studs, which are copper-alloy with two posts which are bent over to fix them to the leather. They are plain domes.
As anyone seen anything like this? Or the studs? Any suggestions?
Robert Mason D.Phil (Oxon)
World Cultures, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2C6, Canada.
Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, University of Toronto, 4 Bancroft Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1C1, Canada.
E-mail: [email protected]
World Cultures, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2C6, Canada.
Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, University of Toronto, 4 Bancroft Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1C1, Canada.
E-mail: [email protected]
