King Tutankhamen's sandals

When people talk about ancient Egypt, the first things that come to mind would probably be mummies and pyramids. While they were important aspects of the culture, there is more to that period than that. The sandals worn by King Tutankhamen show that Ancient Egyptians were a lot like us than we thought. They did not only wear footwear similar to what we use, but they were also very interested in fashion. Ancient footwear expert André Veldmeije explained, “When footwear is mentioned in general books if at all, it is usually noted that sandals were flimsy and most people were barefoot all the time. Moreover, they say there were only a few types of sandals. This is a misconception, probably based on artistic depictions alone. The variety of footwear is much greater than imagery suggests and even includes shoes that are never depicted; we only know them from the archaeological record.” These are King Tut's sandals, who lived around the year 1335 BC, therefore preserved for over 3350 years! They may not be Tevas, Adidas, Skechers or Birkenstocks, but quite fashionable nonetheless, with very intricate and detailed designs.