12 / 2000
Yemen * Men's leather sandal with knotted thongs
The surface are of North and South Yemen together is about six times the size of the Benelux countries with a population of about 13 million people. The countries are amongst the poorest of the Arab nations. Yemenites are mostly active in agriculture and cattle breeding. The above shown sandal is typical of this part of the Arabian peninsula. It represents styling influence of the African as wel as the Asian continent as a consequence of Yemen being the cross road between the two. Underneath the two toe-protecting flaps a leather loop is fixed to the insole which goes around the big toe. The straps on the instep are adjustable by tightening or loosening the knots. For the sole, layers of leather are sewn together by strips of camel tendon or leather.
Research and text by : W.A.H.M. Habraken-Oosterhout-Holland
Illustration by : Colin Ball - Waalwijk - Holland