Stepping forward in time - mid 2nd century shoes

[Martin Moser]

As I'm researching equipment for the time around 150 AD (not an easy thing :-( ( ) I started making shoes for that area. Luckily there is a find (in men's size) from Bar Hill, a fort on the Antonine Wall, so dating is pretty secure for mid 2nd century AD. Interestingly, there is also an identical shoe among the Saalburg finds, also men's size.
Anyway, here's where I'm at at the moment:





Attaching the sole is the next step:

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

There you go again! :roll:

Just can't stop yourself, can you? :wink:

Nice work again, Martin! 8)

[Martin Moser]

Just can't stop yourself, can you? :wink:

well, what can I say ... ? :oops:


No. ;-) )

[Magnus]

When will we see some "Air Martins"?

[TITVS SABATINVS AQVILIVS]

:lol: , sure Martin, you could add inside an inflated leather bladder, or a mediterranean soft sponge. Anyway, please don't stop to share with us your fine works. Thanks.

Valete,

[Publius Aelius Lucius]

einfach genial hock: 8)

[Martin Moser]

For completeness' sake here is the finished shoe:





As it was often the case, I strenghtened the inside of the loops with a second layer of leather whipped to the upper:



The shoe is based on a find from Bar Hill, published in:

Robertson, Anne, Margaret Scott and Lawrence Keppie: Bar Hill: A Roman Fort and its Finds. British Archaeological Reports 16, 1975

and:

Macdonald G. & Park A., The Roman forts on the Bar Hill, Dumbartonshire. Glasgow 1906.

[Mark Headlee]

Martin,

Awesome work! Laudes for your time, efforts, and scholarship!

[M. Demetrius]

Excellent work, Martin. Could you show us the detail of the stitching of the inner sole and the outer?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Is it soldiers footwear tho?, seems light in the leather thickness. And hobnails?

[Martin Moser]

Could you show us the detail of the stitching of the inner sole and the outer?

This is basically the same as shown here for the Mainz Calceus. Additionally I put in laminae, a middle layer, that is held in place by thin strips of leather attaching it to the inner sole. This constructive detail is found very often with closed shoes which are built over a last:

[Martin Moser]

Is it soldiers footwear tho?, seems light in the leather thickness. And hobnails?

Good point, but I think that you are bringing up something like a general misconception concerning Roman shoes. With very few exceptions it is only caligae and carbatinae which have an upper made of cow leather, a relatively thick material. While there are some made of calf leather, most finds of closed shoes are described as being made of goat/sheep, which is a rather thin material, thinner even than what I used with the shoe you see above. So thin upper material certainly was more the rule than the exception for calcei style shoes.

As for whether this is a soldier's shoe, well, we can't be absolutely sure, but since it is well into the male sizes and was found at Bar Hill (and similar finds occur at the Saalburg and one more military site which I don't remember at the moment, chances are good they were.

With the Bar Hill example, only the upper is left, but the almost identical shoe from the Saalburg shows nailing over practically all the sole area, another indicator of military use normally.

[Franklin]

Martin, is this shoe dyed at all, or just oiled? If the latter, what kind do you use? Neatsfoot?

What are some period items used to dye leather black or brown?

[Martin Moser]

Martin, is this shoe dyed at all, or just oiled? If the latter, what kind do you use? Neatsfoot?

At the time of the picture it was treated with neatsfoot oil once. I normally oil and grease (ordinary leather grease) my shoes when I want them brown. The color will darken later on with exposure to light of course.

What are some period items used to dye leather black or brown?

I don't think this is really known. I have read a few times about "a copper-vitriol substance", but I still have to trace the source for that. I use vinegar+iron at the moment for black: put bits of steel wool into ordinary vinegar and wait for a day or 2, then just brush onto the otherwise untreated leather. This will get you a dark grey, oil/grease afterwards to deepen the color to black:



I don't have a clue when this method was first used, but at least it is something within the capabilities of ancient dyers.

I have never heard of anything to dye leather brown, it's the material's natural color anyway and you can deepen it by oiling/greasing/exposure to light.

Other colors are of course possible as well, I found that madder works well with alumn tanned leather.

[Franklin]

The items I've darkened with neatsfoot oil eventually dry out and return to their original color. I suppose that's what the grease is for. Is there a brand name for the leather grease you use?

Thanks!