Why Were Shoes Invented?


Why Shoes

As far back as I can remember, I’ve always worn shoes. I was excited to learn how to tie my own shoes. Wearing shoes seemed normal and I felt strange if I went outside without them.

Shoes were invented because people needed a means to protect their feet and for use in ceremonial activities. Because of the cost of making them, most people in the past either wore no shoes or very simple shoes.

I’m always putting my shoes or sandals on, even to walk outside for a minute. Some people go barefoot quite often and develop calloused feet and stronger muscles in their feet and legs. I wonder how shoes have become so mainstream and how they have developed over time, all over the world.



Shoes from the Past

Once people started needing protection for their feet, they probably started wearing shoes of different kinds and types of materials. Archaeological findings seem to indicate that humans needed shoes more as their feet evolved thinner skin.

Shoes were traditionally made from wood, leather, and other materials available to people of different regions. When conditions were harsh, such as in sharp terrain or cold weather, people would create shoes to protect their feet.

Shoes have been around for at least 9000 years. The first leather shoes were found 5,500 years ago. Leather for shoes could be from many animals available in the environment that had thick enough skin. If a hunter could capture an animal for food, its skin might be used to make something, including shoes.


The Inuit

If we use the example of the Inuit people of North America, they’ve been able to hunt seals and other animals, in the areas they live in, to use for food and clothing.

They have been able to create clothing from seal and caribou skins sewn together with a bone needle. They use animal bones, skins, sinew,  and other animal parts to help make clothing and shoes.

The mukluk was used by the Inuit as boots and shoes. They are made from the seal, caribou, and reindeer skins for their protective properties against the harsh weather.


Materials Used

People in different areas of the world have designed shoes with the materials available in their area. Some cultures have preferred to go shoeless, most likely because it wasn’t necessary for these areas, such as the ancient Egyptians.

Archeological records don’t have all the information we need, so we need to fill in the blanks with our best guess of the reasons for the use or non-use of shoes.


About 2000 years ago people started using wood shoes to help keep their feet protected and dry. It was a period around 300 BC – 300 AD when the people of Japan started using wooden shoes called the Geta.

It was made using two stilt-like wood pieces that held up a wood platform that was used like a sandal. But wood sandals were time-intensive to make and may have cost more than people could pay.

That’s why grass sandals seem to have been worn much more. They were easier to make and less expensive.

It seems that people started using grass sandals more, possibly because of the availability of the materials or the difficulty of labor, or the availability of wood when making wood sandals.


Rice straw was widely used to create sandals in Japan and China. If you are in mountainous or rainy areas, shoes could help prevent cuts and keep your feet out of the mud and water a bit better. (Amazon Link)

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1400 years ago the Anasazi of North America wore sandals made of the Yucca plant. They were able to make cordage the put it together in various ways to design their sandals and sometimes other types of shoes.

In this video, you can see how the yucca plant could be turned into rope or cordage.

All over the world people have made shoes of many types of materials. People used the resources available to them in the area they lived in.

In Europe, a pair of papyrus leave shoes were found and in Egypt papyrus and palm leaves were used to make sandals.

Leather and plant materials were often used because of their availability. Resources that were more available and those that were cost-efficient were often used to help people create their shoes.

Some of the earliest shoes found were found in colder climates, such as leather skin that covers the entire foot. Native Americans also wore leather shoes that cover the foot called moccasins.

In this video, you’ll see how, with the use of modern tools, you can make moccasins, and can imagine how native Americans could make them for themselves with the tools available.


Barefoot and Proud

In many cultures, going barefoot was just a way of life. People didn’t wear footwear because it wasn’t deemed necessary and the Greeks thought of it as a luxury.

People would develop calloused feet and not necessarily need shoes most of the time. Even Alexander the Great and his army didn’t wear shoes as they conquered vast areas.

If you live in areas where your culture didn’t have the resources or need for shoes, you went barefoot.

Today many people claim that going barefoot is healthy and is better for you than wearing shoes. If you want to learn more about this debate among runners and walkers see this article (Are Shoes Good or Bad for Your Feet?).


Ornamental Shoes

During special occasions, some people would use decorative shoes, such as during ceremonies and weddings. These shoes cost a lot of money so not many could afford a pair.

Many had intricate designs were made for the ceremony and not to be used for walking or for protection.

Now, special shoes are much more available to the general public and although they still may cost more, their prices are low enough for many to use and enjoy.


Health and shoes

There’s a connection between walking barefoot and one’s health. While walking without shoes, one can develop stronger feet and at the same time come into contact with more microorganisms in the soil.

Most of the time no problems would occur while walking on soil or dry earth because people developed thick calluses over the soles of the feet. Even if their foot was scratched, the likelihood of a problem was little.

But, if a cut in the skin occurred under the right conditions, infection from bacteria could start to cause problems.

The bible talks about how people would wear sandals and after coming into someone’s house, you might get your feet washed. One possible reason for this may have been to offset the problems of walking with little foot protection.

If one receives a cut or cracked dry skin, washing might help to prevent an infection.

At the same time, modern science has shown that our bodies are likely better off in some ways with more bacteria and microorganism interaction.


Modern Shoes

Shoes in Europe started to develop in new ways around 1500. Some shoes started to have laces and methods for making shoes became more sophisticated, especially for upper-class citizens.

These more modern styles of shoes were still pricey. It’s likely that the poor class didn’t have enough money for shoes and continued to walk barefoot unless necessity required the use of some type of cheaper shoe to be used.

Below are examples of what more modern shoes looked like over the centuries. The following pictures are from (-https://www.medievaldesign.com/eng-prodotti.asp?form_chiave=24), which may not be online anymore.

13th Century Style

14th Century Style

15th Century Style

16th Century Style

As you can see from the photos, the 16th-century shoes started to have thicker soles and looked very similar to modern shoes you would see people wearing today.

After the 16th century, the soles of shoes were usually sewn onto the shoe. And this is still the way quality shoes are made today.

As time went on, the 19th century brought a lot of technological advances in how shoes were produced.

Different machines were produced to do different jobs, and they were required to make lots of shoes. An assembly line production process was starting to begin in many industries.

As the 20th century arrived, shoes were being to be sewn together by machines, and rubber and glues were starting to be incorporated into making shoes.


Shoes Today

With the advent of technology and the cost of shoes dropping in price, most people around the world can find some type of shoe to wear. Much of the earth’s population now lives in cities, making wearing shoes a custom and a necessity for most.

The quality of the shoes made today may not be as good as a pair of handmade shoes that were meant to last. Used shoes are in abundance and thrown away in America in huge quantities.

There’s a wide range of shoe types and qualities to choose from. While most shoes are made with man-made materials, you can still find some that are made from mostly natural materials like these boots. (Amazon Link)

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03/11/2024 02:08 am GMT

In the future, we may need to change how we make shoes to better suit our feet for protection, the environment, and helping our feet develop in a healthy manner.


Conclusion

We’ve learned that out of necessity many types of shoes have been made from local resources to the people of that time period. Each group gathered local materials and made shoes from them.

Most cultures seemed to not wear shoes except on special occasions, when in the military, or when the price wasn’t a problem.

As shoes became more modern and the industrial age came about, shoes were worn in greater abundance as a natural transition into city life and modern culture.

Thanks for visiting Helpshoe.com


Related Questions

How often should I replace my shoes?

Shoes may last a long time, depending on how often you are using them. With regular use, they will last about 6 months – 12 months.

Foam soled shoed will no longer effectively cushion after a while, but leather soles can last a lot longer. Leather shoes can last a decade with sole replacement and proper care.  

Can I make my own shoes?

Yes. One thing you might want to try is watching some videos on YouTube of how to make leather shoes or shoes made of natural materials.

You don’t need to be an expert, but if you take your time, you should be able to make a basic pair of shoes out of several different types of materials.

ResourcesWikipedia provided many ideas used in this article.

CHRIS TOOLEY

I enjoy many types of outdoor activities including running, hiking, and walking. I was a former elementary school teacher for 17 years and now enjoy writing and sharing my love of the outdoors.

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