8 / 2000
Jordan * Richly carved wooden stilted sandal
Contrary to Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Israel, which are all blessed with rivers or border on the Mediterranean Sea, Jordan consists mainly of desert and water is very scarce. It is obvious that due to these circumstances there were hardly any bathhouses like in the aforementioned neighbouring countries, except for the area around the Jordan river. Around the oases in the desert, the well-to-do women nevertheless tried to follow the fashion of the more densely populated, wetter areas. This resulted in very nicely carved stilted sandals, cut out of one block of wood. Cloth bindings were used to tie the sandal to the foot. A strap of cloth was hooked under the protruding tip on the front part, then crossed over the foot, under the sandal, behind the heel of the foot and knotted on the instep.
Research and text by : W.A.H.M. Habraken-Oosterhout-Holland
Illustration by : Colin Ball - Waalwijk - Holland