Cyprus-Forum.com

[Gasman]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10281908.stm

At 5,500 years old, the well preserved cow-hide shoe pre-dates Stonehenge by 400 years and the Pyramids of Giza by 1,000 years.

It was made of a single piece of leather and was shaped to fit the wearer's foot, the researchers say.

*They are probably checking to see if it has BULGARI stamped on the sole.

Other well preserved objects were also found in the cave, including large containers, many of which held wheat and barley, apricots and other edible plants.

[vaughanwilliams]

The tradition of finding only ONE shoe obviously still prevails.
Ever seen a pair of flip-flops washed up on the beach, or a pair of trainers discarded on the highway?

[Gasman]

Funny you should say that - yesterday, walking round the shore of the salt lake here I DID actually see a PAIR of men's flip flops! I didn't have my camera with me or I would have taken a snap. And filed it with my album of SOCKS found half buried around the salt lake lol!

I kid you not - I am baffled by this. They are always the quite thick (either footballer or fisherman) type socks. There were loads of them down there a few years ago. I'd be litter picking and stoop to pick what looked like a bit of rag up and it would keep on coming thro' the sand. It was SOCKS!

I do agree that it is one of life's puzzles where these one odd shoes seen in the middle of highways and on the side of the road come from.

I mean - even if one broke and was useless - why keep the other one?

[cyprusgrump]

Was there a skeleton of the woman that lived in it...?

[vaughanwilliams]

Funny you should say that - yesterday, walking round the shore of the salt lake here I DID actually see a PAIR of men's flip flops! I didn't have my camera with me or I would have taken a snap. And filed it with my album of SOCKS found half buried around the salt lake lol!

I kid you not - I am baffled by this. They are always the quite thick (either footballer or fisherman) type socks. There were loads of them down there a few years ago. I'd be litter picking and stoop to pick what looked like a bit of rag up and it would keep on coming thro' the sand. It was SOCKS!

I do agree that it is one of life's puzzles where these one odd shoes seen in the middle of highways and on the side of the road come from.

I mean - even if one broke and was useless - why keep the other one?

Single flip-flops, or Desert Wellingtons, as they are known, are kept by some UK servicemen in Afghanistan as trophies from dead Taliban. A bit like taking a scalp or cutting-off ears, I suppose.

In fact, do you know how to tell if you are a Taliban? - you have a $700 rocket launcher and a $500 assault rifle but you can't afford decent boots!

[Gasman]

here's a sample!





But there were loads of them. People do get stuck in the mud down there but I don't think it likely that tourists would wear such thick socks. Some of them are obviously hand knitted.

There is an army camp bordering it - a GC I know who jogs down there every day said to me that the soldiers probably chuck their socks over the wall when they get holey! His mate said 'don't be silly - they take them home for their mums to mend them!'

*of course they could be REALLY ancient and have come on boats from ancient Greece lol!

[denizaksulu]

I wonder if they also found the original score for the 'Apricot Song'?












(Armenias Eurovision entry was 'The Apricot Song)

[kafenes]

here's a sample!





But there were loads of them. People do get stuck in the mud down there but I don't think it likely that tourists would wear such thick socks. Some of them are obviously hand knitted.

There is an army camp bordering it - a GC I know who jogs down there every day said to me that the soldiers probably chuck their socks over the wall when they get holey! His mate said 'don't be silly - they take them home for their mums to mend them!'

*of course they could be REALLY ancient and have come on boats from ancient Greece lol!

Gasman, you probably wouldn't know this, but, some years ago when they used to collect salt from the salt lake (as most older forumers here remember) they used the donkeys to transfer the salt from the middle of the dried lake to the edge where they used to stack the salt in a pyramid shape. They were dozens or even up to one hundred donkeys used for this job. The salt and the heat of the sun would damage the feet of the donkeys to the point where they used very old donkeys and this job was there last as they wouldn't be able to work anymore. Then someone came up with the idea of wearing old socks on the donkeys and tieing them around the feet to avoid them getting burned from the salt. These socks you have found are left overs from that era.

[Get Real!]

'Oldest leather shoe' discovered in Armenian Cave

Kafenes quick… throw it at Erdogan!

[Gasman]

lol GR!

Kafenes ... THANK YOU! Honestly we found so many of them dotted around half buried in the sand. It has puzzled me for years!

*I will post my photos of bones found down there soon and let you identify all of those for me!