Remains of 14th Century Shoes Discovered at Construction Site

Archaeologists have uncovered a battered shoe from the Middle Ages in the remains of an ancient street underneath a construction site in Freiberg, Germany.

All that remains of the shoe is the top layer of leather, which is thought to date back to the 14th century.

"It may well be that the shoe we found there was discarded after it had been worn out," Christoph Heiermann, head of department at the Saxon State Office for Archeology in Dresden, told Newsweek.

The shoe has managed to survive for such a long time at the Pfarrgasse site without succumbing to the elements thanks to the conditions of the soil, which are exceptionally damp.

"It remained preserved in the moist soil over the centuries," Heiermann told local news outlet Freie Presse.

The shoe has been taken to a restoration laboratory, where it is being kept in water to prevent it from drying out and decaying.

"Ceramic fragments found in the area suggest, that the shoe dates from the 14th century AD. At the moment the fragments are being kept wet in our laboratories in order to prevent them from drying. Otherwise they would crumble to dust within a few weeks," Heiermann said.

The excavations have also unearthed a number of fascinating finds, including two unpaved historical road surfaces dated to the 15th and 16th centuries, and a pit in front of one of the oldest secular buildings in Freiberg containing the remains of a fire from the 14th and early 15th centuries, such as broken crockery and demolition rubble.

"Excavations are taking place while the town of Freiberg is replacing cables and pipes in the Pfarrgasse lane in the midst of the old city," Heiermann told Newsweek.

"Pfarrgasse is one of the oldest parts of town and features historically important buildings. There were remnants of even older buildings—foundation walls—left in the middle of the lane. The sediments in the area are very moist, probably due to an ancient body of water—a little pond, perhaps—that does not exist anymore. However, the moisture and lack of oxygen are the reasons why organic materials like leather do not decompose and are preserved over long periods of time, which is rather rare."

Around 5 feet below the ground, they discovered evidence of a body of water due to the dampness of the soil. The archaeologists also found wooden water pipes from the 17th and 18th centuries, and hope to discover more treasures as they further explore the site.

"The excavation of the utility trenches has already been completed and the extensive excavation for road construction is now beginning," excavation manager Silvio Bock told Freie Presse. "This could reveal further traces of roads and buildings."

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