Sandal Discussion

Sandal Discussion

       Eleven sandals or fragments which can be identified as sandals remain in the various collections. From these eleven specimens two categories of sandals have been identified. These, based on the types of weaves are, plain weave sandals, and fishtail sandal or scuffer toe sandal. The plain weave can further be divided into categories based upon the gross morphology of the structure. Based upon the direction of the weave they can be divided into two categories, diagonally woven and vertically woven. In diagonally woven sandals the elements, both longitudinal and transverse, are woven diagonally to the longitudinal l axis of the sandal. In vertically woven sandals the longitudinal elements are woven parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sandal. These can further be subdivided into other categories based upon such attributes as weave type (twilled, twined or plain), the number of layers e.g. single layer or doubled layered; padded or non-padded; attachment structure morphology; continuous or non-continuous elements; shape of the sandal E.G. round toe or square toe.
       If the sandal is doubled layered it can be constructed using two methods. The sandal can be woven as one unit and folded over to form the two layers or woven as two structures and then the layers attached together through the use of ties.
       Possible twined sandals have been identified among the D.U. collection (D.U. Accession records #387 & #388). These however, have been, re-identified as "unusual" plain weave structures, (Page ).
       Twilled sandals have not been reported from the site and none were any seen in the collections.


GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTIONS ETC.


PLAIN WEAVE SANDALS
       Nine specimens of plain weave sandals were found in the collections. Of these nine three are diagonally woven and six vertically woven.


FISHTAIL SANDAL
       Two examples, specimens eight and nine, of fishtail sandals were recovered. These specimens are similar to the type of sandal described as a "two warp scuffer toe".(Cosgrove,1947,83,fig 87 and 88) The basic structure is identical to this type. However, the attachment devices are dissimilar to any described by Cosgrove, fig. 13b, for the "two warp scuffer toe" sandal.
       Twenty-four of the two warp scuffer toe sandals were recovered from Ceremonial Cave. One specimen each, of this type sandal, were recovered from Chavez Cave on the Rio Grande and Picture Cave in the Hueco area. Among the sandals collected in the South, Cosgrove says, there is nothing comparable in form to the sandals found in the San Juan Basket Maker area.(Cosgrove,1947,167)
       This type of sandal has also been found near Silver City, New Mexico, Van Horn, Texas, Lava, New Mexico, Tularosa Cave in western New Mexico, Cave Valley, Northwestern Chihuahua (Montezuma Creek). "A type very suggestive of the El Paso form was found but varying somewhat in the technique of its manufacture was found in northeastern Arizona, Laguna Creek, 1919, by Kidder and Guernsey in their earlier explorations."(Roberts, ).
       Specimen six and seven are similar to Cosgroves types 9a and 9b, fig 11, which he calls full length turned heel sandals. The similarity which can be seen is in the change in the direction of elements at the heel. In Cosgroves specimen 9a and 9b the diagonally woven elements also change direction near the heel end. These elements are subsequently incorporated in a diagonal weave at the heel end of the sandal.
       Cosgroves conclusion was that the "resemblances of weaves, and in some cases actual cross finds of practically identical specimens have served to tie the Hueco and Upper Gila areas together on both horizons and the Huecos to the Big Bend of Texas on the earlier. (Also) the finding of type three sandals (which is a type of two warp scuffer toe sandal similar to the type above) in central New Mexico serves partly to bridge the great territorial gap between the Basket-maker region of southwestern New Mexico and that of the San Juan Basket-makers of northeastern Arizona.(Cosgrove,1947,97-99)


DIAGONALLY WOVEN SANDALS
       Specimen six and seven are similar to Cosgroves types 9a and 9b, fig. 11, which he calls full length turned heel sandals. The similarity which can be seen is in the change in the direction of elements at the heel. In Cosgroves specimen 9a and 9b the diagonally woven elements also change direction near the heel end. These elements are subsequently incorporated in a diagonal weave at the heel end of the sandal.(Cosgrove, 1947,97-98)
       Adovasio, 1970, also saw similarities between the "textiles" recovered from the Gila-Hueco areas of southern New Mexico and west Texas. However certain techniques he felt were "somewhat different from those in the Southwest proper"(Adovasio,1970,79)
       The round or square-toed sandals, including the fish-tail types, of the Big Bend area of Texas would seem to be sufficiently distinct from the coarser sandals of the north. Just what the relationship between them has not yet been determined. See Sayles, 1935, Table 8, and plates 26-27; Roberts, 1929,pp5-9, plate 2, and figs.5-6; for information concerning these southern sandal types. (Baldwin, a 1939,242) (look for this in library) Roberts, plate 35, and fig. 36). These are made of somewhat coarser yucca leaves, in twilled over-two-under-two weave, with the yucca elements turned back at the heel either on the top or bottom to form a pad across the heel (plate I, fig.5" ('Baldwin, 1938, 1) (Is this a turned heel sandal.)
       "The first definite appearance of twilled woven sandals is in the Pueblo III period."
       "Twilled woven basketry and matting, which are made in similar fashion and of the same materials, likewise do not commonly occur until Pueblo III." (Baldwin, 1938, 4)
       "Thus we now place the beginning of the Basket Maker II period as about the opening of the Christian Era and its end about 400A.D, with the Basket Maker III period lasting up to 700 A.D. Definite dates have been established for a great many sites extending as far back as 348 A.D." (Baldwin, 1938, 5)
       The types of woven or inter-worked sandals found prehistorically, parallel the types of basketry found. There are twined, plain woven, and twilled, and those which use combined techniques. The only technique of weaving which is found in basketry and not in inter-worked footgear is the coiling technique of weaving.
       Since the interest in basketry for use as a tool in archaeology there has been a continuing debate over what attributes of woven items are significant for identifying "cultural groups".
       Due to the morphology of the foot the shape of footgear, unlike pottery and basketry, is relatively restricted. That is, it is restricted to the shape of the foot. The same can be said for attachment devices used to attach the sandal to the foot. The type of weaving used to produce the structure is only diagnostic when it is in conjunction with basketry. For example, if the earliest twilling found in the Mogollon area "was about A.D. 500-700" then twilled sandals would not be expected to be found in this area any earlier than this.
       In spite of these limitations, there are attributes of sandals which could be called diagnostic. This is the gross morphology, which includes the shape of the sandal, internal structure, the type weave, the attachment structures, and any decoration on the sandal. Unfortunately, the attachment structures, the most perishable part of the sandal are not always present and Internal structures are not generally visible unless the specimen is dissected.