• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Archaeology News
  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum
Archaeology News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Archaeology

Archaeologists unearth well-preserved 2000-year-old Roman sandal in Spain

by Dario Radley
October 25, 2023

Archaeologists have unearthed a remarkably well-preserved 2,000-year-old Roman sandal in Lucus Asturum, a Roman settlement in modern-day Lugo de Llanera, northern Spain.

Archaeologists unearth well-preserved 2000-year-old Roman sandal in Spain
The Roman sandal discovered in Spain. Credit: Esperanza Martín Hernández

The discovery came as part of an ongoing excavation led by archaeologist Esperanza Martín Hernández, who also located a large house with a central courtyard and a well at the site in 2021. This year’s explorations involved the use of a pulley system to access the well’s depths while minimizing damage to the artifacts within.

The sandal, despite its apparent simplicity, stands as a unique archaeological object due to its intricate decoration. Adorned with circles, ovals, and falciform figures, it is the only decorated Roman sandal known in Hispania. In this region, there are fewer than 20 preserved Roman sandals, making this discovery a standout. Its exceptional state of preservation can be attributed to the anaerobic environment created by the silt that filled the well over time, effectively preventing the degradation of organic materials like leather.

Martín Hernández explains, “The remains we found, due to the anoxia generated by the high water table in the area, are in an exceptional state. The silts have created an anaerobic environment thanks to the plasticity of the clays that compose them, so the organic materials have been perfectly preserved.”

Archaeologists unearth well-preserved 2000-year-old Roman sandal in Spain
Archeologist Esperanza Martín Hernández descends into the well discovered in Lugo de Llanera. Credit: Ángel Villa

At a depth of about three meters, archaeologists also extracted part of the well’s wooden cover, a tiled floor for silt separation, and an array of artifacts, including ceramic jars, seeds, chestnuts, pine nuts, mollusks, the remains of domestic and wild fauna, an acetre (bronze cauldron), a small metal ring, and the sandal.

RelatedStories

Roman burial of infant twins in Croatia linked to lead poisoning

Roman burial of infant twins in Croatia linked to lead poisoning

May 31, 2025
roman-massacre-myth-at-maiden-castle-1

New study debunks Roman massacre myth at Maiden Castle, Britain’s iconic ‘war cemetery’

May 24, 2025

The Roman city of Lucus Asturum, active between the first and fourth centuries CE, held a significant place as an administrative center and communication hub in the northern Iberian Peninsula. Its historical importance is underscored by its mention in the work “Geography” by the Greek polymath Ptolemy.

The newly discovered sandal offers a glimpse into the life of an individual who descended into a well within Lucus Asturum approximately 2,000 years ago to extract mud contaminating their home’s water supply. Although the specific identity of the sandal’s owner remains unknown, Hernández suggests that they were likely a person of high purchasing power due to the range of materials recovered, which reflects extensive commerce in the area.

Presently, the Roman sandal is being refrigerated to prevent degradation until it can be restored and displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Asturias.


Stay updated with us! Follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, and Linkedin, and join our WhatsApp and Telegram channels for the latest in archaeology, all directly on your favorite platforms!
ShareTweetShareShareSend

You May Also Like...

Researchers recreate 5,000-year-old Egyptian blue pigment using ancient techniques
Archaeology

Researchers recreate 5,000-year-old Egyptian blue pigment using ancient techniques

June 2, 2025
Ancient DNA in Yunnan reveals 7,100-year-old ‘ghost lineage’ tied to Tibetan and Austroasiatic origins
Anthropology

Ancient DNA in Yunnan reveals 7,100-year-old ‘ghost lineage’ tied to Tibetan and Austroasiatic origins

June 2, 2025
Leprosy existed in the Americas long before European contact, new study reveals
Anthropology

Leprosy existed in the Americas long before European contact, new study reveals

June 1, 2025
Viking-era silver treasure and farm discovered in Täby, Sweden
Archaeology

Viking-era silver treasure and farm discovered in Täby, Sweden

June 1, 2025
maya-collapse-was-transformation-
Anthropology

Ancient DNA reveals Maya collapse was a transformation, not extinction

June 1, 2025
Oldest whale bone tools discovered in Europe reveal Stone Age humans used marine resources 20,000 years ago
Archaeology

Oldest whale bone tools discovered in Europe reveal Stone Age humans used marine resources 20,000 years ago

May 31, 2025

Follow us


Instagram
247K

Facebook
105K

Threads
42K

LinkedIn
12K

Twitter
6K

YouTube
1K
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

May 18, 2025
Ancient Chinese star chart dated to 2,300 years ago may be the oldest ever, challenging astronomy history

Ancient Chinese star chart dated to 2,300 years ago may be the oldest ever, challenging astronomy history

May 17, 2025
Secrets of the mysterious Gobi wall revealed: archaeologists uncover imperial purpose behind 200-mile structure

Secrets of the mysterious Gobi wall revealed: archaeologists uncover imperial purpose behind 200-mile structure

May 28, 2025
Stunning 1,600-year-old Byzantine mosaic unveiled in the Negev Desert of Israel

Stunning 1,600-year-old Byzantine mosaic unveiled in the Negev Desert of Israel

May 27, 2025
Silver amulet unearthed in Frankfurt grave Is the oldest evidence of Christianity north of the Alps

Silver amulet unearthed in Frankfurt grave Is the oldest evidence of Christianity north of the Alps

December 15, 2024
$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius' eruption

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius’ eruption

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado's expedition

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado’s expedition

Viking Dynasties – The Royal Families of Lejre and Uppsala Between Archaeology and Text

Viking Dynasties – The Royal Families of Lejre and Uppsala Between Archaeology and Text

June 2, 2025
Researchers recreate 5,000-year-old Egyptian blue pigment using ancient techniques

Researchers recreate 5,000-year-old Egyptian blue pigment using ancient techniques

June 2, 2025
Ancient DNA in Yunnan reveals 7,100-year-old ‘ghost lineage’ tied to Tibetan and Austroasiatic origins

Ancient DNA in Yunnan reveals 7,100-year-old ‘ghost lineage’ tied to Tibetan and Austroasiatic origins

June 2, 2025
Leprosy existed in the Americas long before European contact, new study reveals

Leprosy existed in the Americas long before European contact, new study reveals

June 1, 2025
Viking-era silver treasure and farm discovered in Täby, Sweden

Viking-era silver treasure and farm discovered in Täby, Sweden

June 1, 2025

Archaeology News online magazine

Archaeology News is an international online magazine that covers all aspects of archaeology.











Categories

  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • Download
  • Game
  • News
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Paleontology
  • Quiz
  • Tours

Subscribe to our newsletter

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum

About  .  Contact  .  Donation

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to improve your experience and enable functionality and security of this site. Further detail is available in our Privacy Policy. By accepting all cookies, you consent to our use of cookies and use of data.