What Did Ancient Humans Walk On Before Shoes?

All research and sources are linked below. RESEARCH & SOURCES ▸ Fort Rock Sandals — Thomas J. Connolly, Oregon Encyclopedia. Explains the discovery of ancient sandals woven from plant fibers in Oregon, with some examples dating back more than 9,000 years. ▸ First Direct Evidence of Chalcolithic Footwear from the Near Eastern Highlands — Ron Pinhasi and colleagues, PLOS ONE, 2010. Documents the remarkably preserved leather shoe discovered in Armenia’s Areni-1 Cave, dating to around 5,500 years ago. ▸ History: Ötzi’s Clothing and Equipment — Ötzi Village. Describes the footwear of the Copper Age man discovered in the Alps, including its leather construction, bearskin sole, and insulating grass lining. ▸ Anatomical Evidence for the Antiquity of Human Footwear Use — Erik Trinkaus, Journal of Archaeological Science, 2005. Examines changes in ancient human toe bones that may indicate when supportive footwear became more common. ▸ Foot Strike Patterns and Collision Forces in Habitually Barefoot Versus Shod Runners — Daniel E. Lieberman and colleagues, Nature, 2010. Compares running patterns among habitually barefoot and shod runners, exploring differences in how their feet meet the ground. ▸ Jan Matzeliger: Shoe-Lasting Machine — National Inventors Hall of Fame. Explains how Matzeliger’s 1883 patented machine mechanized a difficult stage of shoe production and helped make footwear more affordable. ▸ Charles Goodyear and Vulcanized Rubber — Lemelson-MIT. Describes Goodyear’s discovery of rubber vulcanization in 1839, a process that made rubber more durable and useful for products including footwear. ▸ The Importance of Wearing Shoes: Hookworm Disease in Mississippi — Mississippi History Now. Documents hookworm disease in the American South and public-health campaigns that promoted treatment, sanitation, and protective footwear. ──────────────────── PEOPLE & SITES MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO ▸ Ötzi the Iceman — Copper Age man whose naturally preserved body and equipment were dis