Short Stories for Teachers
The early year foot ware was made up of papyrus, hemp or tanned leather straps. There have been legendary stories that revolve around ancient shoes; there was also a tradition in the olden times that a shoe thrown after a marriage was supposed to bring luck. Initially shoes were made up of raw hide and plaited grass, then in the later years leather was used and different techniques of beautifying and sewing was developed. In the ancient Egyptian civilization the used plaited papyrus leaves to make foot ware. Sandals making was considered a well recognized art in the ancient era.
Different types of foot wares were developed in different places, to suit the climatic conditions of each place. So the designs varied from place to place to meet the climatic requirements. Some of the countries gave prominence to decorative shoes which reflected their craftsmanship and artistry. In the Japanese history people wearing different sandals were deemed to have different social status. The ancient Greek paid attention to the design and beauty while the Romans came up with military type of boots to enable them to travel on foot to far and near places. In the later years the sandals were made of ornate jewels, precious stones and gold.
In the cold countries they used moccasins to protect their feet from the bitter cold. Shoes were always made to be worn on a particular occasion or a great ceremony; some of them were made lavishly with ornaments and intricate works on them that were crafted by the then skilled craftsmen. In the early 1850s boots were made with no difference between the right and the left foot. Till 1850 the shoes were made using the same technique used by the Romans and the Greeks. The rolling machine replaced the ancient tools.
