NORTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY FOUNDATION 12/2017
the Cover
The fairly intact relics are 34.8-centimeter-long gilt bronze soles with 40 or so gilt bronze rectangular cleats densely attached to each sole. The toe tip area is slightly curled the way traditional Korean socks are shaped. Pairs of small holes are regularly punctured along the edge of the soles, supposedly to weave leather or fabric through them to form the top part of the shoes. The gilt bronze shoes appear to have been made for burial purposes since they seem too uncomfortable for daily use.
Compared to the gilt bronze shoes from other ancient Korean kingdoms like Silla or Baekje that are made entirely of metal, the featured soles from the kingdom of Koguryo are the only parts of the shoes that are made of metal and they have more cleats attached than those of other kingdoms. Based on the fact that a Koguryo warrior wearing cleated shoes can be spotted in a mural inside a three-chamber tomb called Samsilchong in Ji'an, it seems to have been typical at the time for gilt bronze shoes to be cleated.
Reference: National Museum of Korea
- Northeast Asia History Network
- Northeast Asia History Library
- DOKDO Research Institute
- DOKDO Museum Seoul
- Education and Training
