Buskin

A Buskin is a knee- or calf-length boot made of leather or cloth which laces closed, but is open across the toes. It was worn by Athenian tragic actors, hunters and soldiers in Ancient Greek, Etruscan and Roman societies.
 
The word buskin, only recorded in English since 1503 meaning "half boot," is of unknown origin, perhaps from Old French brousequin (in modern French brodequin) or directly from its Middle Dutch model brosekin "small leather boot." Figurative senses relating to tragedy are from the word being used (since 1570) to translate Greek kothurnos or Latin cothurnos, the high, thick-soled boot worn in Athenian tragedy; contrasted with sock (from Latin soccus), the low shoe worn by comedians.
Byzantine emperors were formally clad in purple buskins, embroidered in gold with double-headed eagles.John Julius Norwich, A Short History of Byzantium, Penguin 1998, p. 248
 
It is also used as a name of a torturing device used in the Middle Ages: the boot.
== Roman Catholic Church ==
In the Roman Catholic Church, buskins are ceremonial liturgical stockings (caligae in Latin) of silk, sometimes interwoven with gold threads and even heavily embroidered, formerly worn by the celebrant of a pontifical Mass. The buskins can be worn over the episcopal sandals, regular dress socks with regular dress shoes, or over the red papal shoes worn by the Pope.
Originally liturgical buskins were worn by all priests, until about the eighth century when they were reserved for the exclusive use of bishops as part of the pontificalia, i.e. episcopal 'regalia', a privilege in modern times extended to some lesser prelates. In liturgical colour they correspond to the chasuble, but are never worn with black.
In rural Norfolk buskins made of sacking were worn by farm labourers prior to the 1960s.
Especially at haymaking and wheat harvest to prevent rats running up the inside of the trouser legs.
==References==
 
Category:Ancient Greek theatre
Category:Boots
Category:Roman Catholic vestments
Category:Greek clothing
de:Kothurn
es:Coturno
eu:Koturno
fr:Cothurne
gl:Coturno
it:Coturno
lt:Koturnas
nl:Kothurn
pl:Koturny
ru:Котурн
sv:Kothurner
uk:Котурни