The Ancient Egyptian Footwear Project (AEFP) is a multidisciplinary, ongoing research of footwear in ancient Egypt from the Predynastic through the Ottoman Periods. It consists of the study of actual examples of footwear, augmented by pictorial and textual evidence. This volume evaluates, summarises and discusses the results of the study of footwear carried out by the AEFP for the last 10 years (which includes the objects in the major collections in the world, such as the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the British Museum in London and the Metropolitan Museum in New York, as well as from various excavations, such as Amarna, Elephantine and Dra Abu el-Naga). All published material is depicted and some previously unpublished material is added here. The work on physical examples of footwear has brought to light exciting new insights into ancient Egyptian technology and craftsmanship (including its development but also in the relationships of various footwear categories and their origin), establishing and refining the dating of technologies and styles of footwear, the diversity of footwear, provided a means of identification of provenance for unprovenanced examples, and the relationship between footwear and socio-economic status. The archaeometrical research has lead to the reinterpretation of ancient Egyptian words for various vegetal materials, such as papyrus. Contents Preface Introduction Short History of Footwear in Egyptology Research Objectives Layout of the Present Work Terminology Materials and Methods Studied Objects Methods Hands-On Study Vegetal Materials (Other than Wood) Skin and Leather Wood Metal Archaeological Context: A Problematic Inheritance Museological Context: Problems and Priorities Description Footwear Made of Vegetal Material (Other than Wood) Sandals Shoes Footwear Made of Leather Sandals Shoes Mules Footwear Made of Wood Tomb Sandals Pattens Typology Materials Used in Footwear Vegetal Materials (Other than Wood) The Samples Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung, Berlin The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, University College London The British Museum, London Discussion Skin and Leather Wood Metal Diachronic Change Introduction Technology Shape Distribution Production Tanneries, Workshops and Craftsmen Tools Use, Wear and Repair Signs of Use Wear Evidence of Repair Utility Footwear vs. Footwear for the Afterlife Royal vs. Commoners Gender in Footwear Symbolism and Status Foreign Footwear and Influences in Egypt Conclusions Bibliography