BYZANTINE SANDALS

 THE 1.500-YEAR-OLD BYZANTINE SANDALS WITH A SWEET MESSAGE IN GREEK

 

 

A pair of sandals from Byzantine times were discovered during a dig in Constantinople has become one of the major attractions of the city’s archaeological museum.  The sandals have a message in Greek, which reads:  “Use in health, lady, wear in beauty and happiness”.

 

The astonishing find was discovered during the digs at the Marmara project, the undersea railway tunnel connecting the European with the Asian sides of Constantinople under the Bosporus.

 

The excavations that started in 2004, have revealed new historical aspects of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.  Some 60.000 artefacts unearthed over a span of nine years are being preserved in the “Istambul Archaeological Museum” until a special museum is built for them.

 

The Byzantine Empire was the continuation of the Roman Empire in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages.  It survived the fragmentation and fall of the Roman Empire in the 5^th century AD and continued for another a thousand years until its fall to the Ottoman empire in 1453.  During most of its existence, the Byzantine Empire was the most powerful economic, cultural and military force in Europe.

Scientists say that the sandals are more than 1.500 years old, and they belonged to a woman.  The Byzantines loved colour and patterns and they produced and exported very rich patterned cloths, especially Byzantine silk, which was woven and embroidered for the upper classes and printed for the lower.

 

Modesty was important for all, and most women appeared to be almost entirely covered by rather shapeless clothes. 

 

There has been a considerable amount of footwear recovered in this project with slippers, sandals and boots, commonly manuscript illustrations also found in this dig.    Many of the items were richly decorated in various ways.  The imperial colour red was used in male footwear and is also women’s favourite colour for shoes.  Purses are rarely visible and were made of textile matching the dresses.  

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