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In late December 2024, Dutch archaeologists unearthed a wooden clog believed to be 500 years old during excavations in the city of Alkmaar. The find was unusual in that it was discovered in an urban setting rather than a rural environment, where a shoe of this kind would have been typically worn. The discovery shed more light on how widespread the use of wooden footwear in the lowlands once was. But it also highlights how traditional footwear is intrinsically linked to societies around the world. Indeed, a simple shoe can represent both a historical and present symbol of a people's ancestry.
To find out more about the ways we've worn history on our feet, click through this gallery and see how the shoe fits!
The traditional all-wooden Dutch klompen, or clogs, are still worn by people as everyday working wear, especially farmers and market gardeners. Those worn by women at the Alkmaar cheese market (pictured) are mostly for the benefit of tourists.
The bast shoe is named for the material it's made from—bast fiber taken from the bark of trees such as birch or linden. The shoes are a traditional footwear of the forest areas of northeastern Europe, and originally worn by those of peasant stock.
The odd-looking Cantabrian albarca dates back to at least the 17th century, when peasant woodworkers began crafting this unique footwear. The set of three dowels on the bottom of the shoe lends the Cantabrian albarca its characteristic shape.
Okobo are traditional Japanese sandals made from a solid block of paulownia hardwood. They are typically worn by young girls for Shichi-Go-San (a rite of passage and festival day), young women during Coming of Age Day, and apprentice geisha in some regions of the country.
The traditional Bavarian shoe known as the haferlschuh was originally designed as a robust mountain boot, worn to tackle rugged alpine terrain. The haferlschuh is still worn today, both in a more general setting and for special occasions such as Oktoberfest, one of Germany's most popular annual festivals.
Designed for cold weather and traditionally worn by the Indigenous Arctic peoples of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and eastern Siberia, the mukluk is crafted from caribou skin or sealskin and worn over several pairs of socks.
Arbarka is the traditional footwear most associated with the Pyrenees region, the mountain range straddling the border between Spain and France. It is a sandal that's laced up around the ankle or lower leg with straps.
Avarca is an exclusive sandal originally developed in Menorca, in the Balearic Islands. In days gone by, this traditional footwear was made from a leather upper and with the sole made from a recycled car tire. Today, only original avarca manufacturers are granted with the label "Avarca de Menorca."
The balgha is a heelless slipper made from leather worn by men and women across the Maghreb region, the western part of the Arab world that encompasses Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia.
Typically associated with the rural population of mountainous areas of Italy and the western Balkans, ciocia are made with large leather soles, tied to the leg by straps bound between the ankle and the knee.
Tsarouchia are the traditional footwear worn by the Evzones (light infantry units) of the Greek Presidential Guard. They have a characteristic upturned toe, usually covered by a large woolen pompon. The Changing of the Guard ceremonies that take place at the Presidential Mansion and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Athens, Greece, afford the best views of the Evzones in full military regalia.
Traditional South Korean footwear includes hwa, (shoes that go over the ankle) and—pictured—hye (shoes that do not cover the ankle). The few craftsmen that still make this authentic footwear are known as Hwahyejang.
Considered the traditional peasant footwear of countries in southeastern Europe, namely Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, the all-leather opanak is conspicuous for its horn-like ending on toes.
The sabot is a French clog, though it's also worn in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy. Interestingly, the word sabotage is derived from the noise and clumsiness associated with this traditional wooden shoe.
Widely used up until the mid-20th century, the traditional Turkish bathing clog, or nalin, was worn to protect the foot from dirty water and soap. Carved from a hardwood such as plane, box, ebony, walnut, or sandalwood, the clogs were often embellished with precious metals or inlaid with mother-of-pearl or tortoise shell. Today, plastic slippers have largely replaced this ornate footwear.
The light tie-on sandals known as waraji are traditionally associated with rural working class Japanese society. Historically the simplest form of outdoor footwear, waraji are made from straw or ropemaking fibers.
The Mexican sandal known as the huarache can be traced back to the countryside farming communities of Jalisco, Michoacan, Guanajuato, and Yucatan. Huaraches are only considered traditional if they are handmade, and have a woven braided leather form in the upper.
The authentic sandals from Pakistan known as khussa are handmade by local artisans from the country's Sindh province. They are also crafted in Punjab, in India. The uppers of khussa are made of one piece of leather or textile, and carefully embroidered, often with ceramic beads.
Opinga are typically worn by people in Albania but also in Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Montenegro. A southern Albanian variation of the opinga are leather shoes with red and black wool pompoms on the ends, which are often used for folk dances.
Papal shoes are the red leather footwear worn by the Pope that evolved as the outdoor counterpart of the papal slipper. The color of the shoes is linked to Christ's bloodied feet sustained as he was walked to the site of his crucifixion.
Episcopal sandals differ from papal shoes and slippers in that they are the liturgical footwear exclusive to all ordained Catholic bishops of the Latin Church.
Sweden has its own version of the wooden clog—träskor. These are typically fashioned from alder wood and manufactured in the southern portion of the country. Soles made of wood and uppers of leather are the most common types of träskor.
Japan's unique version of the flip-flop is the geta, a kind of sandal with a flat wooden base elevated by two "teeth." The wearer's feet are held with a cloth strap called hanao. Men's geta often have a black hanao, while women's are red.
Historically the footwear of many Indigenous people of North America, the moccasin is known for its soft leather sole and flexible upper. They are designed to protect the foot while allowing the wearer to feel the ground. However, some Native Indian tribes wore hard-sole moccasins to allow travel over terrain of rock and cacti.
Traditionally, Morris dancers wore wooden clogs during their routine, though it wasn't unusual to see participants opting instead for lighter thin-soled shoes that would have let them dance more elegantly. Either way, bells have always played a significant role in this ancient form of English folk dance.
The babouche slipper is emblematic of Morocco. Indeed, this traditional leather shoe carries with it a strong cultural identity. There are two main types of babouche: the royal babouche, principally worn by men, and the Dambira babouche, footwear exclusive to the Berber peoples.
The cowboy boot originated in the plains and deserts of the Midwest and far western United States in the 1800s, likely inspired by the vaquero-style boot brought to the Americas from Spain in the 1600s.
Originating in Punjab, India, the jutti slipper is both a historical and present symbol of Indian ancestry. In fact, jutti is an Urdu word that refers to a shoe having a closed upper and a sole. Authentic handcrafted jutti can be highly decorative, with some embroidered in gold and set in precious stones.
The typical form of Spanish summer footwear known as the espadrille has its origin in the regions of Catalonia, Aragon, and the Basque Country. The word espadrille refers to esparto grass, the material historically used to make the shoe.
Jipsin are Korean traditional sandals made of straw. These have been worn by commoners, people like farmers, for centuries, and are meant for walking rather than working in.
Sources: (Online Etymology Dictionary) (Catholic Exchange) (Western Boot Barn) (Love Your Leather) (Reuters)
Traditional footwear from around the world
How we've worn history on our feet
LIFESTYLE Culture
In late December 2024, Dutch archaeologists unearthed a wooden clog believed to be 500 years old during excavations in the city of Alkmaar. The find was unusual in that it was discovered in an urban setting rather than a rural environment, where a shoe of this kind would have been typically worn. The discovery shed more light on how widespread the use of wooden footwear in the lowlands once was. But it also highlights how traditional footwear is intrinsically linked to societies around the world. Indeed, a simple shoe can represent both a historical and present symbol of a people's ancestry.
To find out more about the ways we've worn history on our feet, click through this gallery and see how the shoe fits!