Wheredidshoescomefrom?

Wheredidshoescomefrom?

Ooh,aah,ouch!Peopleinancienttimesmusthaveyelpedlikethiswhentheywalkedonroughgroundwithoutanyshoeson.Anditwasprobablythepainanddiscomfortthatpropelledthemtocovertheirfeetforprotection.

Footwearhasahistorywhichgoesbackmanythousandsofyears,andhaslongbeenanarticleofprestigeforpeopleindifferentsocieties.

Theearliestfootwear,probablymadeofplaitedgrassorrawhideheldtothefootwiththongswasundoubtedlybornofthenecessitytoprovidesomeprotectionwhenmovingoverroughterraininvaryingweatherconditions.

ScientistsestimatethefirstshoesweremadefromanimalskinsduringtheIceAge(5000,000yearsago).Thebiggestfindofshoesfromthisperiodisthoughttodatebackto8000BCandbelongedtoNativeAmericansinMissouri.Primitiveshoesdatingbackto3300BCwerediscoveredintheFrenchAlps.

Andtherestillexistexamplesoffootwearfromancientcivilizations,suchastheEgyptians,ChineseandVikings.Assoonashumansocietystartedgettingrefinedandwaspidedintoclasses,therichandinfluentialbegandistinguishingthemselvesbythecraftsmanshipanddecorationontheirshoes.

EarlypaintingsofPharaohs,therulersofEgypt,around3000BCdepictPharaohsfollowedbytheirslavesbearingtheirsandals.TheimagesuggeststhatinancientEgyptthesandalwasasignofpowerandrank.

TheGreeksinancienttimestookgoodcareoftheirfeetaswell.Theyadaptedtheirfootwearforeverytypeofactivity.Theheightofthesoleandthecolouroftheshoesindicatedthewearer'ssocialclass.AncientRomansdevisedmilitarystylethongscalled“caligae”,whichenabledtheirlegionstotraveltheempireonfoot.Thecaligaewasasturdythick-soledheavyleathersandal.Whenvictorioussoldiersreturnedfromwartheyfrequentlysubstitutedthebronzenails,whichheldthecaligaetogetherwithgoldandsilvertacks.

EveninAncientChinaduring2ndcenturyBC,shoeswereasignofstatus.Peasantsworestrawsandalsandaristocratsworeturquoisecolouredfineclothslipperssometimesmadeofsilk.Alsoitwasacommonpracticeforthewomentobindtheirfeetinsmallshoestomakethemrealsmall.Althoughthepracticewasverypainful,boundfeetwereasignofbeautyinancientChina.

InIndiatoo,wefindmanyreferencestosimplefootwearintheoldestofepics,theRamayana.LordRama'swoodensandalsarementionedprominentlybuttheyseemedtohavebeensimplethings.Aflatwoodenbasewithatoeholdstickingout,whatiscommonlycalledakhadau.ReferencestoGautamaBuddhaalsomentionhimtakingoffhissandalsbeforeleavingbehindthelifeofaprince.Thatwas2500yearsago,inthefifthcenturyBC.

Footwearhasfiguredwidelyinwesternmythology,folkstoriesandsuperstitionstoo.TheGreekgodMercuryworewingedsandals,andthereareveryfewofuswhodonotrememberchildhoodtalesofPussinBoots,theSevenLeagueBoots,CinderellaandtheOldWomanwhoLivedinaShoe.

Mostcultureshavestorieswhereshoesplayastarringrole.Nowonder.Afterall,thesehumbletoe-holdersprotectusfromthepricksandpinsoflife.

江苏胡丽供稿