Sandals and Sandal One

Sandal and Basketry terminology

Sandal types: attributes and terminology. (Note: March 2009)

        The following is a explanation of the types of sandals and terms used to describe the Kenton Cave sandals.

Sandal types

        The sandals described below are divided into four main types based on the construction technique and type of weave attributes. These are plain weave, twilled weave, twined and edge frame sandals. The first three types are based on standard weave patterns found in basketry and weaving.
        The fourth type of sandal, the edge frame sandal, is not considered a plain weave sandal in this paper. This type of construction does not form the weave pattern typical of a woven mat or basket.
        The only types of sandals reported and seen in the collections are plain weave and edge frame.

Sandal subtypes

        Other attributes noted on the sandals and included as sub types of plain weave sandals are plain weave diagonally woven sandals and plain weave vertically woven sandals. These subtypes are based on the direction of the of the main construction elements in relationship to the toe or heel end of the sandal.

Plain weave vertically woven sandals (Figures 9, 11, 12, 13, 14)

        The plain weave vertically woven sandals are constructed with the elements running parallel to the toe or heel end of the sandal. The vertical and horizontal elements are perpendicular.

Plain weave diagonally woven sandals. (figures 16 and 17)

       In plain weave diagonally woven sandals, the elements of the sandal run diagonally from the heel or the toe across the sandal. The vertical and horizontal elements are perpendicular.
        This technique gives the sandal a “fish tail” effect and in the literature are sometimes called fish tail sandals. The “fish tail” occurs because of the convergence, due to the diagonal weave, of the elements at the heel end of the sandal. The heel end elements also become shredded during wear which adds to the “fishtail” effect. Other types of sandals can have this fishtail effect such as the edge frame sandals.

Edge frame sandals (figures 18, 19)

        Edge frame sandals are constructed by folding the horizontal elements over a element which runs vertically along the outside of the sandal. This forms the edge of the sandal and gives this type of sandal its cohesiveness.

Frame of Reference

       Left lateral and right lateral edge.

       The use of these terms are arbitrary and used to describe the position of elements and structures on the sandal in relationship to the edge of the sandals. The toe, is used a the reference point if identifiable. For example with the toe pointing north the left lateral edge is the left side of the sandal as you are looking at it. If the toe or heel is not identifiable then it is simply the left edge of the sandal as you are looking at it in the illustration with the top of the page pointed north or up. In most cases the sandals are arranged with the toe facing left or east so that the photo and illustration will fit on a single page. In this case the left lateral will be at the bottom of the screen or page.

        Vertical is used to describe elements which run parallel to the edge of the sandal from the toe to the heel of the sandal if heel or toe is identifiable.
        Horizontal is used to describe the elements which run across the width of the sandal perpendicular to the vertical elements.
        Diagonal is used to describe the elements of the sandal which run diagonally from the heel or the toe across the sandal.

Other attributes

       Double layered sandals
       Single layered sandals

The terms weft and warp are terms used to describe fabrics or cloth woven on a loom. The terms are also used to describe basketry.

Definitions

       Rim:Outer edge of something circular: an outer edge, often slightly raised, that runs along the outside of something curved or circular.

       Weft or woof is the yarn which is drawn under and over parallel warp yarns to create a fabric. (Wikipedia 2009)

       Warp: Elements that run lengthwise.

       Weft: Elements that run horizontally. This element usually forms the selvage edge of the cloth.

       Selvage: In a woven fabric, the selvage is the uncut edge of the fabric which is on the right- and left-hand edges as it comes out of the loom. As such it is 'finished' and will not fray because the weft threads double back on themselves. (Wikipedia 2009)

Sandals

       Eleven complete and fragmentary sandals were recovered from 34Ci50. Renaud reported finding seven specimens, "Two complete, and one fragment were square-toed diagonally woven sandals, with double thickness soles. Four sandals with rounded toes were made of simple square weaving of yucca leaves with cedar bast reinforcement or padding in between the two layers forming the sole" (Renaud,1930,124). Only three of the seven sandals reported recovered by Renaud remain in the Denver University collection. These are two of the "square toed, diagonally woven sandals (Specimens 6 and 7) and one of the rounded toed sandals with padding (Specimen 4)". There are five specimens in the collection of the Oklahoma Historical Society.(Specimens 1,2,3,5,10) These were recovered by William Baker during "salvage excavation" after the departure of Renaud expedition in 1930. Two others, specimens 9 and 10, were recovered during Oklahoma University excavation in 1934. These are located at the Woolaroc museum. One specimen remains in the collection of the No Mans Land Historical Museum, located near Goodwell, Oklahoma and is part of the William Baker collection.
       All but one of the sandals appears to be made of yucca, possible Yucca glacua. This assignment as with the rest of the collection should be verified. These nine available specimens are described individually.





Sandal One
       Specimen one is a double layered, plain woven, square toed sandal fragment which measures 9cm by 16.5cm. (figure 9). The elements are loosely woven. The transverse elements are continuous in the weave. These elements cross over the frame element, turn 180 degrees and become the adjacent element. This pattern is continuous through the structure.
       The twenty-one longitudinal elements, including the edge frame element, are parallel. Due to the mounting technique used by the museum the toe edge could not be closely examined. This made it impossible to determine whether the sandal was made as one unit and folded over or as two separate units.
       One possible method for attachment of the upper and lower layers was through the use of separate ties on the edges. This could be the function of the element located on the right lateral edge 10.5cm from the toe of the sandal.
       There are three structures which were used to secure the sandal to the foot.
       Structure one, the side loops, are simply looped over the lateral edge elements. This element continues along the edge of the sandal until it reaches the corner where another element is used to secure the loop element to the sandal. It then continues across the front of the sandal where it is again fastened to the main body of the sandal near the center and at the left lateral corner. The side loops are not present on the left lateral edge but presumably continued to the heel edge of the sandal.
       Structure two, the sandal attachment structure, consists of three elements, two of which are joined with a square knot. The square knot enables the doubling of elements where extra strength is needed. The junction, where the two elements meet, is located 4cm in from the toe edge and is centered between the lateral edges of the sandal. The elements continue to the end of the sandal where they looped through the frame element. The elements are severed at this point so it is impossible to tell how they were secured to the main body of the sandal. There is a third element which passes between the main knotted elements. This element was probably used for structural reinforcement.
       The third structure is the tie element. This structure consists of two elements which have been joined with a square knot. One element continues from each side of the knot and passes through the side loops. These elements probably continued through the side loops along the lateral edges until they wrapped around the heel and ankle where they were fastened.(See figure 10)