The Areni-1 Shoe: Tracing a 5500-Year-Old Civilization

In 2008 during archaeological excavations in the Areni-1 (Bird's) cave in the Vayots Dzor region a shoe was discovered that changed perceptions of primitive man's lifestyle and clothing. The find dates back to 3500-3600 BC (the Eneolithic period).

1. Construction and Material

• Material: The shoe is made from a single piece of cowhide. It is cut to wrap around the foot and is secured with leather laces passing through more than forty eyelets.

• Stuffing: The inside of the shoe was filled with dried grass. Researchers suggest the grass served either as a warming layer or was used to maintain the shoe's shape when not being worn.

• Size: The shoe corresponds to a modern size 37. Since it is small scientists debated for a long time whether it belonged to a man or a woman but humans in that era were smaller in stature so it could have been a man's shoe.

  
  

2. How it was Preserved

The secret to the shoe not decaying over millennia lies in the conditions of the cave:

• Microclimate: The air in the cave was dry and maintained a stable temperature.

• Sheep Manure: The shoe was found under a thick layer of sheep manure which acted as a reliable protective layer preventing bacteria and fungi from destroying the leather.

  
  

3. Scientific Significance

• Age: The Areni-1 shoe is older than the Egyptian pyramids (by about 1000 years) and the shoes of the famous Ötzi (the Alpine Iceman) by about 400 years.

• Technology: The shoemaking technique is strikingly similar to traditional Armenian "trekhs" which were used in rural areas until the beginning of the 20th century. This speaks to millennial cultural and technological continuity.

• International Response: News of the discovery spread through the world's largest media outlets (National Geographic BBC) and laboratory studies were conducted at Oxford and California Universities.