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Ancient Roman Fort Yields Record-Breaking Leather Shoes

7/4/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Archaeologists at Magna Roman Fort in Northumberland have made an exciting discovery: 32 ancient leather shoes, with a remarkable 25% measuring over 30 cm (11.8 inches), including a record-breaking pair at 32.6 cm (12.8 inches). This striking contrast to Vindolanda, where only 0.4% of shoes are that size, raises intriguing questions about the significance of these oversized artifacts.

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Story summary

Archaeologists at Magna Roman Fort in Northumberland have made an exciting discovery: 32 ancient leather shoes, with a remarkable 25% measuring over 30 cm (11.8 inches), including a record-breaking pair at 32.6 cm (12.8 inches). This striking contrast to Vindolanda, where only 0.4% of shoes are that size, raises intriguing questions about the significance of these oversized artifacts.