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Roman Shoes by Crispianus
#1
Feel free to comment, question or criticize...

First one, this will be followed by several others...

Lothbury "Alledale" a type of carbatina fairly common in London where this one comes from although no two appear to be completely identical...

   

   

Dating: probably the last quarter of the first century AD or so.
Find spot: Lothbury, London Early 19th century around 1834, whilst digging a sewer.
Published: Catalogue of the Museum of London Antiquities collected by, and the property of, Charles Roach Smith (1854) Fig 2 Plate IX.
Museum record:  British Museum
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#2
Very nicely done!

Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers.  :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.romanarmy.net">www.romanarmy.net
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#3
Adult Lothbury and Childs Vindolanda "Allendale" carbatina for comparison.
Both shoes are slightly larger then original with the Lothbury at @ 27cm long.

   

   

This type seems to be limited to Northern Europe and appear to be worn by the entire population from children to adults, dating would be later 1st cent ad to early 2nd cent ad, by the time the Antonine wall is being built these seem to have disappeared and appear to have been replaced by a related shoe, more of which later.....

Vindolanda  Vol III "The Early Wooden Forts"
Lothbury see previous post.
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#4
Very nice! Two questions, are stitched in the back? Have insoles? Thanks
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#5
Quote:Very nice! Two questions, are stitched in the back? Have insoles? Thanks

Insoles would likely be normal, probably cloth or perhaps felt, I know of several surviving examples.
The backs are normal carbatina construction with stitching forming an inverted T at the back with the vertical seam outside, horizontal seam at the base of the heel at the inside...
Its also possible that these shoes may have a separate sole laced or stitched on.....
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#6
"Allendale Caligi" carbatina construction with additional nailed sole, this example is a reconstruction of a shoe found at Xanten(Colonia Ulpia Traiana) in the fort ditch and dated to the last quarter of the 1st century ad, so is consistent with other shoes of the general type.

   

Remains of scraps of leather from cutting out for this type, including marking out before cutting, have also been found at CUT in the shoe makers waste from the site.
The shoe measures out at @ size 14uk/15us/48eu although the leather may have perhaps unusually stretched a bit due to the corrosion of the tightly packed nails on the sole, but still a very large shoe by any standards and would likely have belonged to a rather large chap.

Published in: Xantener Berichte 14, pg 250.
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#7
Truly beautiful reconstructions. Amazing work Crispianus! Great job!
Regards, Jason
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#8
"Alledale" Calcei, basically an open work "Fellboot" with a separate upper sole, mid-sole and insole this one is a test piece to try out the design of an example found in the Praetorium at Vindolanda, so likely belonged to a high ranking individual.
The original shoe though is only 23cm long, allowing for a minimum of 10% shrinkage the length would increase to 25.3cm, which would be roughly mens size 6uk/39eu.

This example is 28cm long size 8uk/42eu about a 20% increase in size and perhaps a little to large.

   

   

Published in: Vindolanda Vol III, The Early Wooden Forts
Dating: Late 1st cent ad.
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#9
My word they are beautiful and quite a fashion statement.

Fabulous work Smile
Moi Watson

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Merlot in one hand, Cigar in the other; body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, what a ride!
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#10
"Allendale" Calcei from Vindolanda, final version currently being tested.....
This pair has one less strap in the foot but more straps and cut outs up the leg with the overall design being slightly changed to accommodate the foot it is intended for, details as per previous post.

   

   
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#11
Really nice work!
Another talented shoemaker in the fold I see!
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
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#12
HI and welcome back with your posts
as I told before you do a GREAT JOB with your shoes hope to see more in the future
Cheers
-----------------
Gelu I.
www.terradacica.ro
www.porolissumsalaj.ro
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#13
Fabulous work, Crispianus - congratulations.

Would you mind if I posted pictures of these on my FB page? I'd credit you, obviously.
Ben Kane, bestselling author of the Eagles of Rome, Spartacus and Hannibal novels.

Eagles in the Storm released in UK on March 23, 2017.
Aguilas en la tormenta saldra en 2017.


www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor
Facebook: facebook.com/benkanebooks
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#14
The Roman Fort of Mediobogdum is situated on a spur projecting south-westwards from the impossing looming crags of Hardknot fell, to the north lies Scarfell pike and immediatly to the south lies the roman road that crosses Hardknott pass
connecting the forts at Ambelside with Ravenglass....

Here in this bleak and forbidding (albeit beautifull on occasion) location the IV Cohort of Delmatians built a Fort from local sand stone "For The Emperor Caesar Trajan Hadrian Augustus, son of the diefied Trajan, conqueror of Parthia, grandson of the diefied Nerva, pontifix maximus, ....thrice consul..., .... the emperors propraetorian govenor, the Forth Cohort of Delmatians(set this up)"

Its tantalising to speculate (not unreasonably) that these shoes may have been worn by one of these men....

Dating: Hadrianic.
Length of original 24cm approx, length of reconstruction allowing for 15% shrinkage, 28cm approx.
Material: Vegetable tanned cow hide throughout.


   

   

   

Sources:
"Leather Found in Mediobogdum, the Roman fort of Hardknott" Charlesworth.D 1973 (for the shoes)
"Hardknott Roman Fort Cumbria" Bidwell.P, Snape.M, Croom.A. CWAAS Research series No9 (inscription)
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#15
Kudos again, I wish I had time to do such things
-----------------
Gelu I.
www.terradacica.ro
www.porolissumsalaj.ro
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