Archaeologists working in a rock salt mine near the village of Dürrnberg, Austria, have made a remarkable discovery: a leather shoe that belonged to a child more than 2,000 years ago.
The shoe is in excellent condition, thanks to the preservative effects of salt, and still has a piece of flax or linen attached, which may have been used as a shoelace.
The shoe is comparable to a U.S. children’s size 12 and dates back to the second century B.C.E., during the Iron Age. It is one of the rare examples of organic materials that have survived from that period, as they usually decompose over time. The shoe also provides a rare insight into the presence of children in the ancient salt mines, which were a major source of wealth and trade for the region.
The shoe was found in the Georgenberg tunnel, where archaeologists have been excavating for the last 22 years. The tunnel is part of a larger network of mines that have been exploited for rock salt since the Iron Age. Rock salt, also known as halite, is a mineral that forms when seawater evaporates. It is used for preserving food, seasoning dishes, and making salted products such as cheese and salami.
The salt mines near Dürrnberg were especially important for the Celtic tribes that lived in the area, as they controlled the trade routes between northern and southern Europe.
Salt was a valuable commodity that could be exchanged for other goods, such as wine, oil, and metals. The salt mines also played a role in the cultural and religious life of the Celts, who believed that salt had magical properties and used it in rituals and offerings.
The archaeologists working at the site are part of a long-term research project led by Thomas Stöllner, an archaeologist at the German Mining Museum in Bochum. The project aims to explore the entire area and obtain as much information as possible about the work and life of the Iron Age miners. The project is funded by Salinen Austria AG and Salinen Tourismus and conducted in cooperation with the Institute for Archaeological Sciences at Ruhr University in Bochum.
In addition to the shoe, the archaeologists have found other organic artifacts in the Georgenberg tunnel, such as a fragment of a wooden shovel, a piece of fur with lacing that may have belonged to a fur hood, and even preserved excrement. These finds offer valuable clues about the tools, clothing, and diet of the ancient miners.
The discovery of the child’s shoe also raises questions about the role of children in the salt mines. Were they employed as workers, helping with tasks such as shoveling rocks or carrying materials? Were they apprentices, learning from their elders? Or were they visitors, accompanying their parents or relatives? The archaeologists hope to find more evidence that can shed light on these questions.
The shoe is not the only ancient footwear that has been preserved by salt. In 2010, archaeologists found a pair of leather socks dating back to around 300 C.E. in Egypt’s Kharga Oasis. The socks were designed to be worn with sandals and had separate sections for the big toe and the rest of the toes. They were found inside a jar filled with salt crystals, which may have been used to protect them from insects and moisture.
The preservation of organic materials by salt is a rare phenomenon that allows archaeologists to study aspects of ancient life that are usually lost to time. The child’s shoe from Dürrnberg is one such example, offering a glimpse into the history of salt mining and the lives of children in the Iron Age.