Overview
- Archaeologists have recovered 32 leather shoes at Magna this year, with eight measuring 30 cm or more and a record-setting 32.6 cm sole.
- The footwear survived in semianaerobic clay deposits of the fort’s northern defensive ditches, preserving organic materials for nearly two millennia.
- Extra-large shoes account for 25 % of Magna’s finds versus just 0.4 % at nearby Vindolanda, where average lengths range between 24 and 26 cm.
- Dr. Elizabeth Greene confirms that even after allowing for up to 1 cm of shrinkage during conservation, Magna’s shoes remain significantly larger than typical Roman sizes.
- Analysis of wear patterns and the assortment of baby shoes, summer sandals and marching boots is underway to identify the ancient wearers and illuminate the garrison’s composition.