Sandal

Sandalsare an open type of shoe, consisting of asoleheld to the wearer'sfootby straps going over theinstepand around theankle. Sandals can also have a heel. While the distinction between sandals and other types of footwear can sometimes be blurry (as in the case ofhuaraches—the woven leather footwear seen in Mexico, and peep-toe pumps), the common understanding is that a sandal leaves all or most of the foot exposed. People may choose to wear sandals for several reasons, among them comfort in warm weather, economy (sandals tend to require less material than shoes and are usually easier to construct), and as afashionchoice. Usually, people wear sandals in warmer climates or during warmer parts of the year in order to keep their feet cool and dry. The risk of developingathlete's footis lower than with enclosedshoes, and the wearing of sandals may be part of thetreatmentregimen for such an infection.
TheEnglishwordsandalderives under influence fromMiddle Frenchsandalefrom theLatinsandaliumand is first attested inMiddle Englishin the formsandalies.The Latin term derived fromGreeksandálion(σανδάλιον), thediminutiveofsándalon(σάνδαλον), of uncertain origin.In Greek, the names referred to particular styles of women's sandals rather than being the general word for the category of footwear. Similarly, in Latin, the name was also used forslippers, the more common term forRomansandals beingsolea, whence Englishsole. The English wordssandandsandalwoodare bothfalse cognates.
Although some other kinds offootwearlikecarbatinaare as simple to make, sandals are theoldest known footwearat present. Pairs ofsagebrushsandals discovered in 1938 atFort RockCaveinOregon,USA, were laterdatedto 10,500 to 9,300years ago.
Theancient Egyptianswore sandals made ofpalmleaves,papyrus,and—at least ingrave goods—gold. Egyptian statues and reliefs show sandals both on the feet and carried bysandal-bearers. According toHerodotus, papyrus footwear was part of the required dress of theEgyptian priests.The sandals ofMesopotamia("Biblical sandals") were typically made ofrawhideandstraw(dried grasses). The wealthy sometimes used gems or gold or silver beads on the thongs.
Straw shoes, sometimes in the form of sandals and sometimes carbatinae, were ubiquitousChinese footwearin antiquity.
InAncient Greece,sandaliaproper were a kind of sandal principally worn by women.Thesolewas made of wood, cork, or leather and the upper chiefly consisted of a strap between the big toe and second toe and another around the ankle.The sandal ofHomerwas thepédila(πέδιλα).By theClassical Period, the general term for sandals washypódēma(ὑπόδημα).Most forms included a strap across the toes (ζυγὸς,zygòs), another strap between the big and second toe, and a third across theinstep(lingula); this last was frequently made with metal shaped like a heart or leaf.Therhaḯdia(ῥαΐδια) extended the straps of the sandal up the calf.Some Greek sandals—like the women'styrrēniká(τυρρηνικά)—employed wooden soles.The effeminatebaxea(πάξεια,páxeia) was usually made ofwillowleaves, twigs, or fibers and was associated withcomic actorsandphilosophers.Thetragedianswore thecothurnus(κόθορνος,kóthornos), sandal-likebootsthat rose above the midcalf and typically incorporatedplatform solesthat led to others wearing them to appear taller.By theHellenistic Period, some sandals show evidence of extreme ornamentation. One found from the settlements inGreek Crimeawas aplatformdesign with 12 separate layers in its sole and gold decoration.
Because of the general discomfort of the typicalupper-classcalceus, it was standard inancient Rometo switch to sandals (soleaorcrepida) orslippersat home and it was considered an oddity ofAugustusthat he seldom did so. However, wearing comfortable shoes in public was considered effeminate and discussion of the habit was used as an insult by politicians and writers.Scipio the Elder,Verres,Antony,Germanicus, andCaligulawere all pointedly reproached for doing so and the stigma did not die off until at least the reign ofHadrian.Because shoes were removed when reclining on couches to dine, it was normal to wear slippers or sandals to meals even at other houses. Because of the stigma, however, when alittercarried byslavescould not be used between the two houses, it was considered proper to walk to the other house incalceiwhile carrying the shoes to be removed under the arm. The guest would change in the entryway and then have slaves remove the second pair of shoes in the dining room.
In his autobiographyEdward Carpentertold how sandals came to be made in England:
A sandal may have asolemade fromrubber,leather,wood,tatamiorrope.  It may be held to the foot by a narrow thong that generally passes between the first and second toe, or by a strap or lace, variously called a latchet, sabot strap or sandal, that passes over the arch of the foot or around the ankle. A sandal may or may not have aheel(either low orhigh) or heel strap.