Archaeologists excavating at Magna, or Carvoran, a Roman fort near Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, England, have uncovered an amazing treasure trove of ancient leather shoes—many of them unusually large.

Close-up of Magna XXL Roman shoe. Credit: The Vindolanda Trust

Of the 32 shoes unearthed in the northern defensive ditches of Magna, 25 percent are more than 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) long, including a record-breaking 32.6 cm (12.8 inch) sole—the biggest yet recorded in the Vindolanda Trust’s vast collection of Roman shoes.

The Magna excavation is part of a five-year research project led by the Vindolanda Charitable Trust with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It is just 11 kilometers west of Vindolanda, which is famous for holding an extensive collection of well-preserved artifacts, including over 5,000 ancient shoes. Whereas the collection at Vindolanda ranges from baby booties to military boots, a total of 0.4% of its 3,704 measurable shoes are over 30 cm long. Magna’s findings reveal something different, though, with many extra-extra-large (XXL) shoes.

Complete Magna shoe. Credit: The Vindolanda Trust

The boots were recovered from oxygen-poor, waterlogged conditions at the base of Magna’s deep “ankle-breaker” trenches—defense ditches designed to trip and injure enemies. These anaerobic conditions are ideal for the preservation of organic materials like leather, and thus the find was made possible almost 2,000 years later.

Dr. Elizabeth Greene with large shoe featuring a wide toe box. Credit: The Vindolanda Trust

Dr. Elizabeth Greene, ᴀssociate Professor at the University of Western Ontario and a specialist on Roman footwear, said: “Even from this small sample uncovered, it is clear that these shoes are much larger on average than most of the Vindolanda collection. Although we are comparing this new Magna collection, which has not yet gone through the conservation process, even taking into account a maximum shrinkage of up to 1 cm (10 mm), it still means these shoes are very large indeed.”

Magna fort, predating the construction of Hadrian’s Wall, housed a diverse military population consisting of Syrian archers, Dalmatians, Batavians, and legionaries from the Second Augusta and Twentieth Valeria Victrix legions. The variety of shoe sizes may indicate physical differences among these regiments or perhaps different provisioning or cultural practices.

Aerial pH๏τo of Magna fort. Credit: The Vindolanda Trust

Rachel Frame, Senior Archaeologist at the Magna Project, emphasized the importance of such organic finds: “They capture the imagination of visitors and volunteers alike, but they are also the most at risk from our changing climate.” She emphasized how important continued support is for preserving these artifacts.

Dr. Andrew Birley, Director of Excavations and CEO of the Vindolanda Trust, commented in a statement, “This really shows us what is at risk if climate change continues to rob us of such vital information. It reminds us that not every population was the same, and that wide variations between the regiments and people who served along Hadrian’s Wall could be cultural and physical.”

More information: Roman Arm Museum & Magna Fort