Rare 14th century baby bootie discovered in Switzerland

Archaeologists working in the Swiss city of St. Ursanne have discovered a remarkably well-preserved leather boot from the Middle Ages.

Located in northwestern Switzerland, near the French border, the picturesque town of Saint-Ursanne has retained its medieval character. Construction work to improve the city's sewage system began in 2016, resulting in numerous archaeological discoveries. In one of the most striking finds, researchers from the Office of Jura Culture have unearthed a fragment of baby slipper dating back to the late fourteenth century, as reported in the local section. The tiny leather boot would be suitable for a child about 12 months old.

The fragment, as well as more than a hundred other leather pieces, were found in a vast, damp depression under the cobblestone streets of the city, according to a statement from the Office of Jura Culture. Moist deposits help preserve waterlogged organic matter such as leather and wood. The Jura archaeologists have sent the fragments to the Serge and Marquita Volke team at the Lausanne Shoe Museum for processing and classification. It is among those scattered pieces of leather that the boot has been identified.

The fragment is 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) long and 13 centimeters (5.1 inches) wide. The upper part of the boot is made of goat leather, while the sole is cowhide leather. The upper includes staples made with leather buttons, "a popular form in the late fourteenth century, though rarely preserved," according to the Office of Jura Culture. This type of footwear is exceptionally rare in archeological archives, with only five other known examples: three found in London and two from the Netherlands.

One can still see floral decorations on the garment, as well as a series of geometric patterns. The original color of the bootie could not be determined because the leather soaked in water becomes dark brown again.

In addition to the leather pieces, the sewer works have uncovered architectural elements, including a "particularly complex development" dating back to the Middle Ages. The purpose of the structure is not yet known and investigations are in progress.

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Recently, sewers have been very beneficial to archaeologists. At the end of last year, for example, sewage works near the Thames River brought MOLA (Museum of London Archeology) researchers to discover a 500-year-old male skeleton wearing leather boots. And in February of this year, Danish workers came across an extraordinary medieval sword digging a sewer. Sometimes, just dig a little in the right place to find cool stuff.

[The Jura Office of Culture, The Local]