A pair of esparto-woven sandals has been found inside an Andalusian cave system called Cueva de los Murciélagos or “the cave of the bats”.

The sandals, potentially Europe’s oldest extant shoe specimens, are believed to have been preserved inside the cave for approximately 6,000 years. Similar to contemporary espadrilles, they were uncovered alongside everyday objects like woven baskets and wooden specimens.

What is thought to be “the world’s oldest leather shoe”, a soft-soled moccasin dating back 5,500 years, was likewise found in an Armenian cave, laces still attached, in 2010.

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