Gentle Craft - Shoe Museum

18/06/2026

Deze schoen, die in 1997 werd gevonden onder het Statenplein, gaat al mee sinds ca. 1350! Waarschijnlijk gemaakt van schapenleer, waarbij de vleeszijde aan de buitenkant zat voor een stijlvolle suède-look. De schoen heeft een lengte van 25 cm en een breedte van 9 cm. Om dit bijzondere stukje geschiedenis te bewaren heeft een restaurator de onderdelen zorgvuldig op een voet van foam gemonteerd. Het indrukwekkende resultaat? Check het zelf in deze 3D-scan:

https://www.kiriengine.app/share/shareModel/d2fcf8bf395d4aaca37925f1af40cfa4

Meer weten over middeleeuwse schoenen en andere leervondsten uit Dordrecht? Kom dan a.s. zondag naar museum Hof van Nederland voor een dynamisch mini-college. Zie: https://archeologiedagen.nl/activiteiten/hofcollege-leer-en-leven/

14/06/2026

The tiniest wax tablet case! 2inches by 2 ½ inches. Reconstruction after the finds from Vindolanda GB, Van Driel-Murray 1993. Total working time 13 hours.

24/05/2026

20/05/2026

Dit stukje leer lijkt misschien niet zo bijzonder, maar het is de topper van onze middeleeuwse schoenencollectie geworden!!

Deze poulaine met een neus van maar liefst 15,5 cm lang (!) was in de mode tussen ca. 1350 en 1480.

Het 3D-model kun je hier bekijken: https://www.kiriengine.app/share/shareModel/ca9b7eca602143249bcc7ff6475640a0

Zie voor meer informatie ook onze eerdere FB-post:
https://www.facebook.com/DordrechtOndergronds/posts/pfbid02ZAeBEUaBFD9axqXuXYqWef5AbATRhJ2PJPc8wdBHucBHkJJVcjmb2cPAdQ252NSxl

19/05/2026

To celebrate the Unearthing Vindolanda: Footwear from the Edge of the Roman Empire exhibition at the Bata Shoe Museum, we’re once again turning Tuesday into Shoesday.

Each week, “Shoesday” highlights remarkable Roman footwear from our collection. With nearly 5,000 ancient shoes discovered at Vindolanda, we could keep this series going for quite some time.

At #3: The Baby Boot

The baby boot pictured here is one of the most emotive artefacts in our collection. It was uncovered in the Period 3 praetorium — the commanding officer’s residence of Flavius Cerialis, prefect of the ninth cohort of Batavians and his wife Sulpicia Lepidina. The child who wore it was likely only eight to twelve months old, barely walking.

This tiny boot with an intricate fishnet upper and hobnails tells us something important about the expectations of dress within an elite family. Even the footwear of an infant served as a visible marker of social status.

Shoesday is all about celebrating shoes — ancient and modern alike.

12/05/2026

Roman Vindolanda | Shoesday

To celebrate the launch of Unearthing Vindolanda: Footwear from the Edge of the Roman Empire at the Bata Shoe Museum, we’re once again turning Tuesday into Shoesday!

Each week on “Shoesday” we’ll highlight remarkable Roman footwear in our collection. With nearly 5,000 ancient shoes discovered at Vindolanda, we could keep this going for quite some time.

At #2 - it’s a pair! Some people like shoes, some people love shoes, but most people appreciate a really good pair. The pair pictured here belonged to a young child (aged 5-8). They were uncovered during the 2016 excavations of a defensive fort ditch dating to the early third century, alongside hundreds of other shoes.

Finding ancient Roman shoes in matching pairs is rare. Most shoes were discarded individually once they became worn out, damaged, and beyond repair.

Shoesday is all about celebrating shoes, ancient and modern alike.

05/05/2026

Roman Vindolanda | Shoesday

To celebrate the launch of the Unearthing Vindolanda: Footwear from the Edge of the Roman Empire exhibition at the Bata Shoe Museum, we’re officially renaming Tuesday… Shoesday.

Each week, we’ll spotlight a remarkable Roman shoe from our collection. With nearly 5,000 ancient shoes uncovered at Vindolanda, we won’t be running out anytime soon.

Shoesday #1: The “Allendale” Boot. A true standout in the collection these boots feature sturdy soles and distinctive open-work uppers, while the lower section remains solid leather for durability. Named by renowned Roman leather specialist Carol van Driel-Murray, this Allendale Boot is on display at the Vindolanda Museum and also appears on the cover of a new book dedicated to Roman footwear from the site.

Shoesday is all about celebrating footwear, ancient and modern alike.
Do you have a favourite pair of boots? Maybe you wore them walking Hadrian’s Wall, or even while excavating at Vindolanda or Magna?
If so,

22/04/2026

16/04/2026

Amazing shoes from Dordrecht, these will be 3 D scanned so you can get a closer look!

16/03/2026