Ancient Northwest Africa, Morocco, Almohad to Marinid Dynasties, Berber people, ca. 12th to 13th century CE. A rare and delicate pair of sturdy shoes with soles formed from two sewn leather pads. The close-toed design is elegantly embroidered with colorful silk across the top to create a four-square motif surrounding a central, crimson-hued tuft. The top is reinforced with a slender drop-form leather decoration, and from the heel projects a tall tongue. The lateral areas of the shoe bodies still display original areas of decorative red dye and suggest that these shoes were embellished with further vibrant pigments at one time. Size of each (both are relatively similar): 9.375" L x 4.25" W (23.8 cm x 10.8 cm).

Provenance: private Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA collection; private purchase in 1992 from dealer of American University of Sharjah professor and collector who acquired them in Cairo, Egypt in 1961.

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#150349

Both shoes have minor loosening and separation to some leather bindings, with light losses to areas of leather soles, and fading to original coloration. Nice patina and remaining pigment throughout.