Shoe

This is the oldest shoe in the Netherlands. It was cut from a single piece of cowhide and was probably intended for the right foot. The shoe was found in the Buinerveen area and dates from the Late Neolithic. The preservative influence of peat – its acidity, moisture and lack of oxygen – has helped to keep it in good condition. Shoes of this kind were made of cowhide or calfskin. A piece of tanned hide would be cut out, and holes pierced around the edges of the shoe, through which a lace was passed. Only the heel was sewn. Shoes were fitted by being put on while wet, after which the laces would be pulled tight and the shoes left to dry.