Germany’s history is long. While most of the world knows a lot about 20th Century German history, many know very little about the peoples who inhabited Germany before Germany settled into one country in 1871. Both the Celts and Romans called early Germany home as did the likes of Charlemagne, Martin Luther, and Gutenberg.
Archaeology has an impressive history in Germany. Priceless Egyptian artifacts including the head of Nefertiti can be found in Germany’s museums. And it was German business man turned archaeologist, Heinrich Schliemann who discovered what he claimed were the ruins of Troy based upon Homer's writings.
The tradition of archaeology in Germany continues to this day. This week, the latest artifact to be dug up by German archaeologists in Magdeburg was a 13th Century shoe.
1) The year old shoe was found in Magdeburg and dates back to the Gothic period in Germany.
2) It’s important, because it gives archaeologists an idea about how shoemakers in the Middle Ages might have worked.
3) The shoe was made from sheep skin and despite being in the soil was remarkably well preserved.
4) A find from the Gothic period in Europe is extremely rare.
5) The shoe will undergo a chemical soaking and then be put on display from August 31st to December 31st in the exhibit “Departure into the Gothic: The Magdeburg cathedral and the late Hohenstaufen Dynasty,”in the Historical Museum in Magdeburg.
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*To read my other stories in the Info 101 series, click on the following links: Berlin 101: the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin 101: the top media outlets
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