Shoes, Slippers, and Sandals

Ancient dress and adornment have received significant consideration in recent scholarship, yet detailed study of footwear is still limited. Circumstances of survival mean few ancient ‘shoes’ are today extant. Many examples from sculpture were no doubt originally painted, whereas vase-painting conventions can at times render them absent. Feet and legs are one of the few body parts to form vase shapes. Often too small to have a practical purpose, these vessels are not a perfunctory choice. Much as other clothing, sandals, slippers and boots are functional, sometimes indicative of status, but equally decorative. Their style and appearance can define sculpture chronology. When represented, footwear often forms an important metaphor in both literary and visual narrative. This volume brings together the research of a number of scholars working on feet and footwear across several disciplines; it provides new perspectives on the meaning attributed to footwear in both material and written contexts, not only for its wearers, but also implied through its use, in the varied situations it appears. This overarching approach also includes a revision of terms associated with footwear in a comprehensive glossary.