Archive » The Volga River Region Archaeology Vol.4 (18) 2016
Leather Footwear from the Posad of Sviyazhsk: an Experience of Reconstrucion of Simple Porshni
Bogatova L.F., Vizgalova M.Yu., Starkov A.S. (Kazan, Russian Federation)
page 248–265UDC 902.34:069.44
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24852/pa2016.4.18.248.265
The authors use simple porshni (one-piece leather-hide shoes) from Sviyazhsk to test an approach to systemic classification of the late medieval leather footwear. They describe the main stages in restoration and reconstruction of archaeological finds, which make it possible to reproduce the cut of the parts. This approach enables examining such morphological and technological features as the cut and the assemblage, types of seams, method of decoration and ornamentation, and fastening of the shoes. It was interesting to discover traces of different mending activities on porshni, most likely meant to extend their durability. Measurements offered an approximate anthropometric profile of Sviyazhsk population. The reconstruction enabled distinguishing three types of simple porshni spread in Sviyazhsk in late 16
th – early 18
th centuries. Analogies helped establishing that the third version of the simple porshni from Sviyazhsk is a product of the local masters. Analysis of the raw material showed that this model used tannin leather, typical for shoe-shops.
Keywords
archaeologyVolga regionlate Middle AgesSviyazhskposadleather footwearsimple porshni (one-piece leather-hide shoes)restorationreconstruction.
About the author(s)
Bogatova Lina F., Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Halikov, Tatarstan Academy of Sciences. Butlerov Str., 30, Kazan, 420012, the Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation; LinaFeliksovna@mail.ru
Vizgalova Mariya Yu., Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Halikov, Tatarstan Academy of Sciences. Butlerov Str., 30, Kazan, 420012, the Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation; mutqueen@mail.ru
Starkov Andrej S., Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Halikov, Tatarstan Academy of Sciences. Butlerov Str., 30, Kazan, 420012, the Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation; 2647425@mail.ru