Date:

Archaeologists unearth 2000-year-old children’s shoe

Investigations of the Georgenberg Mine in Dürrnberg near Salzburg have led to the discovery of a well-preserved 2000-year-old children’s shoe.

The German Mining Museum Bochum and the Leibniz Research Museum for Georesources have been conducting archaeological research in the area since 2001.

- Advertisement -

Dürrnberg has been mined over thousands of years for the large deposits of rock salt, with previous studies in the region uncovering artefacts and evidence of tribal settlements from the Early Iron Age.

Recent excavations in the Georgenberg Mine have uncovered a 2,000-year-old children’s shoe. The shoe has been preserved due to the high salt levels in the mine which prevents the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms. “The condition of the shoe found is outstanding,” said research department head Prof. Dr. Thomas Stoellner.

The shoe is made of leather and has surviving remnants of a lacing made using flax or linen. Based on the typology of the shoe design, it was probably made during the 2nd century BC.

Leather shoes have been previously found in Dürrnberg, however, the child’s shoe indicates that children were present underground during mining activities thousands of years ago. Excavations also found a fragment of a wooden shovel and the remains of fur with a lacing, which according to the researchers probably belonged to a fur hood.

- Advertisement -

The study of Iron Age salt mining at Dürrnberg is part of a long-term research project funded by Salinen Austria AG and Salinen Tourismus, and is carried out in collaboration with the Institute for Archaeological Sciences at the Ruhr University Bochum.

“Organic materials generally decompose over time. Finds like this child’s shoe, but also textile remains or excrement like those found on Dürrnberg, offer an extremely rare insight into the life of Iron Age miners,” said Dr Stoellner.

German Mining Museum Bochum

Header Image Credit : German Mining Museum Bochum

- Advertisement -

Stay Updated: Follow us on iOS, Android, Google News, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, and our newsletter

spot_img
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan is a multi-award-winning journalist and the Managing Editor at HeritageDaily. His background is in archaeology and computer science, having written over 8,000 articles across several online publications. Mark is a member of the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW), the World Federation of Science Journalists, and in 2023 was the recipient of the British Citizen Award for Education, the BCA Medal of Honour, and the UK Prime Minister's Points of Light Award.
spot_img
spot_img

Mobile Application

spot_img

Related Articles

Roman-Era settlement unearthed in Alès

A recent excavation led by Inrap has uncovered a remarkably well-preserved Roman-era settlement on the slopes of the Hermitage hill overlooking Alès, southern France.

Excavations in Olympos reveal ancient mosaics and sacred inscriptions

Excavations in Olympos, Antalya province, have uncovered mosaic floors and inscriptions within a 5th-century church, part of a year-round project backed by Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Mammoth bones uncovered during road construction works

The Construction of the S17 Piaski–Hrebenne highway near the Arabunie village in Zamość County has revealed the remains of what is believed to be either a woolly mammoth or a forest elephant.

Hidden Medieval tower unearthed in Lublin reveals forgotten chapter of city’s past

Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a previously undocumented medieval tower within the grounds of the former Pobernardine monastery complex, near the Church of the Conversion of Saint Paul on Bernardyńska Street.

Sinkhole reveals lost remains of medieval hospital

A sinkhole that formed outside the York Theatre Royal has led to the discovery of what could be one of England’s largest medieval hospitals.

Chalcolithic cultural treasures unearthed in Caucasus

Archaeologists from the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences have uncovered 13 Chalcolithic-era sites, each yielding a wealth of cultural artefacts and material evidence.

Study reveals East Asia’s earliest gold-inlaid spear sheath

In 1954, a bronze spear sheath dating from Japan’s Kofun period (AD 300–538) was found beneath a rock on Okinoshima, a sacred island located off the coast of Munakata, Fukuoka.

Cache of military helmets from both World Wars discovered during roadworks

Road construction works in the Polish city of Wroclaw have unearthed an unusual cache of military objects from WWI and WWII.