Fabulous beasts—leather, silk and gold: recent research on and conservation of 12th century
footwear from the episcopal tombs in Trèves Cathedral
Jutta Göpfrich*
German Leather Museum
Frankfurter Strasse 86
D 63067 Offenbach
Germany
E-mail: j.goepfrich@ledermuseum.de
Web site: http://www.ledermuseum.de
Brigitte Dreyspring
Dreiherrenstein 6D
D 66207 Wiesbaden
Germany
E-mail: Dreyspring@t-online.de
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed
Abstract
This paper describes the conservation of 12th century episcopal shoe fragments recovered from
the tombs of the bishops in Trèves Cathedral. Earlier conservation measures had been performed
during the third decade of the 20th century. These treatments are compared with modern
methods, in which the fragments are assembled and reshaped. The reconstruction drawings, the
technical and chemical analysis, the conservation and the mounting for display are described. In
December 2003, the central tomb was opened again and fragments of cork sole belonging to the
uppers were recovered. They have been conserved and assigned to the fragments of upper leather.
Keywords
12th century episcopal shoes, Gore- Tex, reconstruction drawings, gilded leather, embroideries,
rivets, X-ray
Introduction
Beshoe, o Lord, my feet to proclaim the gospel, peace, and protect me under the shelter of your
wings. One of the ceremonial prayers said by the bishop while donning the liturgical footwear
(Braun 1907). In the 19th century, the remains of various episcopal shoes, among other objects,
were recovered from the episcopal tombs in Trèves Cathedral and, in accordance with the taste of
the times, documented in drawings. At that time, the shoe fragments from the central tomb
number 22 had been assigned to Archbishop Arnold I. Upon his death in the year 1183, he had
been buried, in keeping with the custom of his day, in his vestments replete with his well-worn
shoes. But today it can no longer be ruled out that during earlier excavations fragments might
have been exchanged with those from other tombs. Thus the tomb of origin could be either that of
Archbishop Hillin of Falmagne, who died in 1169, or that of his successor, Arnold I of
Valancourt, who died in 1183. It is also known that the shoe fragments were restored by Paul H.
Hübner in Freiburg in 1937. In 2000, the current director of the Episcopal Cathedral and
Diocesan Museum in Trèves, Dr Winfried Weber, and the restorer Stefan Schu rediscovered the
shoe fragments in the museum’s depots. They recognized their value and delivered them into our
care for conservation and for analysis by modern scientific methods. After completion of the
conservation treatment, however, so many questions remained that towards the end of 2003 a
decision was made to re-open tomb 22.
Figure 1. Condition of the fragments before restoration. The uppers are deformed and pressed
flat. (photo: Monika Kotthaus)
Fortunately, even the smallest fragments of the upper leather and the still-missing fragments of
cork sole could be recovered. Thus, proof was provided that the cork sole and the leather upper
recovered earlier were part of the same shoe.
Description and analysis
With regard to their style and the their decoration, the fragments belong to the category of
medieval episcopal shoes that also are to be found, for example, in Speyer, Worms, Stavelot
Abbey (Belgium) and the Nepi Abbey near Rome. They can be dated to the first decade of the
12th century. Though this kind of footwear in liturgical context frequently is referred to by means
of the term ‘sandalia’, it represents a type of closed, laced ankle shoe. The seam on the instep is
clear evidence of its origins: a shoe called ‘opanke’. The term ‘opanke’ connotes a single piece of
leather that is pulled up around the foot from the sole to the instep. As a sign of further
development, the shoe has been provided with a cork sole. The leather of the upper consists of
red–brown vegetable tanned goat leather and is decorated with appliqué work in the form of
scrolls made of leaf-gilt leather that are partly underlain with green–blue tabby-weave silk fabric.
The gilt leather scrollwork ornaments have been pasted to the shoe leather and finely
backstitched to it using red silk thread. The analysis of the dyes from the green–blue silk fabric
and the red silk fibre yielded the following results:1 the silk fibres were dyed with a combination
of an indigoid dye source (indigo or woad), madder (Rubia tinctorum) and tannins as a mordant.
In between the scrollwork there are tiny round holes. Several traces confirm the hypothesis that a
decorative element must have been attached there at one time. In the small holes, traces of a
white material were detected. The analysis revealed the remains of tin phosphate.2 This indicates
the presence of tin. Together with the impressions and deformations in the leather and the silk
fabric, and the discoloration and the condition of the surrounding fabric, it could be assumed that
tin rivets had once been attached. In conclusion, the most probable cause for their absence today
is complete disintegration due to the reaction between the tin and the phosphate from the bones.
The shoes had also once been decorated with small stones, only one of which, a blue glass stone,
remains today on one of the quarter fragments. It is fastened with net-like knotted or embroidered
settings. On both sides of the vamp, traces of red and blue silk embroideries were detected under
the microscope. The lines of stitching, respectively the threads, formed a fabulous beast that
resembles the combination between a lion and a bird (Figure 3). Such hybrid creatures are also to
be found on other liturgical shoes from the 12th century. They represent Christ Victorious over
Sin and Evil (Psalm 91.13). The seam over the instep is covered with tablet-weave braiding. The
braiding is made of red silk yarn and fine metal threads with gilt membrane strips in a pattern of
interlocking rhombuses. Originally the shoes had been completely lined. This is corroborated by
minute, and for the most part strongly deteriorated, traces of fabric on the flesh side of the
leather, which are probably plant fibres, most likely linen. It can only be postulated that both a
facing of linen material had been worked into the shoe for stability, as well as a second, actual
inner lining. The shoes are tied around the ankles with a woven tube of red and blue silk tabletweave braiding and bound on one side with a slipknot. On first impression, the soles of the shoes
remain a mystery. A piece of sole leather presumed to belong to one of the shoes and which had
been delivered with it, had to be discarded on the basis of non-matching stitch holes and thread
impressions. Perchance there were indications that a small fragment of cork insole still remained
in the Diocesan Museum. On the basis of the impressions of the stitching on the shaft-leather, it
was found that the cork insole fragment must have belonged to the uppers of the shoes. The sides
of the sole edges are decorated with small round holes containing white corrosion products. The
results of analysis and the X-ray show that formerly small tin rivets had been affixed (Figure 5).
The fragments of sole recovered in 2003 bore the same decoration and could be assigned exactly
to this fragment.
Figure 2. The fragments after restoration, mounted on a support. (photo: Corinna Perl-Appl)
Figure 3. Reconstruction drawing in conformity with the find. (drawing: Jutta Göpfrich)
Figure 4. Recovery of the cork soles from the tomb on 22 December 2003. (photo: Brigitte
Dreyspring) Condition
Figure 5. (top) X-ray of the cross-section from the cork sole (scale 1:1). The position and the
length of the rivets are clearly visible, (bottom) X-ray of the sides of the cork sole (scale 1:1). The
design of the rivets was clearly visible in the residue of the corrosion products. (photos: Manfred
Piehl)
Condition and history of restoration
The pontifical shoes are preserved as loose small fragments. There are only single fragments left
of each shoe, none of which together constitute a complete shoe. The shoe fragments were
erroneously pressed flat at an earlier point in time. The leather is extremely stiff, brittle,
desiccated and shows signs of shrinkage. Some pieces of the leather are loose-grained. The
shrinkage temperature is between 41 and 50 °C. The fibre cohesion is average. Upon closer
inspection, clear signs of a coating are evident. Analysis of the samples revealed that both the
leather and the textile have been coated with a layer of lacquer, ‘Zaponlack’, a synthetic
nitrocellulose-based resin. The uneven application of the lacquer resulted in a varying colouration
(darkening) and stiffens some parts of the leather. Beneath the scrollwork ornaments, the original
basic red–brown colour of the leather is still quite well preserved. The lacquer coating also has
reduced the hygroscopicity of the leather, which has led, in turn, to widespread desiccation. On
the other hand, it can be supposed that the lacquer has contributed to stabilizing and preserving
the textile fibres. The gilt leather application is well preserved in some pieces, whereas in others
the layer of gilt has almost completely disappeared or has shrunk. The blue–green silk fabric and
the blue and red silk embroidery threads are still abundant in places. Though their colours have
darkened strongly, they can still be distinguished. There is a certain gleam to the gilt membrane
strips in the tabletweave braiding over the instep. The laces used to tie the shoes have survived
only as fragments or have unravelled into separate groups of threads. The fabric and thread
material has hardened and in many places become brittle and cracked due to the lacquer. The
condition of the fragments cork sole recovered in 2003 was different. The cork is deformed and
convex. Some pieces are very stable whereas others are completely brittle, depending on the
degree of insect infestation and the different sites in the tomb at which they were found. The tears
in the cork in the area of the ball of the foot did not occur during storage but are signs of wear of
the shoe. Unlike the upper leather, the cork soles did not shrink.
Figure 6. The flattened quarter before restoration. (photo: Jutta Göpfrich)
Conservation and mounting
The aim of a recent conservation effort was:
• to analyse the material, the construction and the condition of the fragments
• to categorize the individual fragments and patch them together
• to increase the short-term flexibility of the fragments for reshaping
• to construct a mounting support, and
• to complete a reconstruction drawing in conformity with the find.
A decision was made against reduction of the earlier coating. Results of analysis revealed that the
lacquer shows no signs of deterioration. It is planned, however, to recommend long-term
observation of the object because under certain conditions nitrocellulose deteriorates into acids
(nitric acid, respectively nitrous acids). Furthermore, it must be feared that removal of the lacquer
would destroy the textile components. The fragments can be assigned to one or the other of the
shoes with relative certainty because of their external shape, design, signs of use, seams and
folds. Fragments that obviously belonged together were glued together with isinglass glue and
rice starch. Sumac-tanned collagen fibre cross-pieces were applied at right angles to the fold on
the backside to increase the stability. The fibres used were not dyed in order to make the
difference to the original clearly visible. Furthermore, an effort was made to reshape the
fragments. Trials were done for an 8 h period in a humidity chamber at 70 per cent relative
humidity (RH) on small fragments to increase their flexibility in the short term. However, this
treatment was not a success; some of the fragments did not react to it at all. Further trials made
clear that the flexibility of the leather and the fabric could only be increased by raising humidity
by means of a Gore-Tex sandwich. The layers were: Melinex foil; moistured cotton fabric
(Molton); Gore-Tex membrane; leather; Gore-Tex membrane; moistured cotton fabric (Molton);
Melinex foil. The effect time differed for the various fragments, depending upon the amount of
lacquer present and the varying thickness of the leather. On average, after 1 h of humidification it
was possible to restore the fragments to their original shape. For reshaping, an Ethafoam support
in the shape of a last was carved and covered with Japanese paper. The humidified leather was
laid on and fixed with a second layer of Japanese paper and gauze bandages. The drying period
was 12 h. For storage and presentation, the fragments of the leather uppers were mounted on a
support nearly in the shape of a last. The support was cut from Ethafoam and covered with cotton
fabric and dyed silk fabric. The fragments were mounted with stainless steel insect-pins. The
recovered fragments of cork sole were patched together using rice starch and isinglass glue. The
tears in the area of the ball of the foot, which occurred as part of the normal use of the shoes,
were left unrepaired. The very fragile pieces were stabilized by under-laying them with coloured
Japanese paper and small supports of Rohacell that had been cut to shape and covered with the
appropriate silk fabric. A flat, silk-covered support of Rohacell with a false bottom was
constructed as the underlying structure for both fragments of sole. The tiniest of the fragments
recovered in December 2003 are stored in the false bottom (Figure 8). The soles were not
mounted together with the upper leather, as this had shrunk owing to the varying storage
conditions and types of treatment. Moreover, because of its severe brittleness and deformation,
the cork would not have withstood the additional stress of the upper leather. Under microscope
observation, a full-scale drawing of each of the fragments was made, including all of the
remaining ornamental elements. These will serve as the basis for the graphic reconstruction. The
result will correct the current, imprecise graphic representation in the literature and summarize
the findings of our research.
Conclusion
We have achieved the conservation goals. The fragments were assigned, conserved and reshaped.
In the course of conservation treatment and analysis, the
Figure 7. The reshaped quarter after restoration. (photo: Corinna Perl-Appl)
Figure 8. The cork soles, stabilized and mounted on a support. The double bottom preserves the
smaller fragments. (photo: Corinna Perl-Appl)
individual fragments were successfully pieced together into a displayable pair of shoes. The
originally missing cork sole that was discovered during the excavation in 2003 could be returned
to the upper of the fragments. The original fragments together with the analysis of the material
and the reconstruction drawings thus provide a relatively complete picture of the medieval
episcopal shoe.
Notes
1 The analysis was done by Dr Jan Wouters and Ina Vanden Berghe, The Royal
Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK), Brussels.
2 The analysis was done by Dr Erhard Jägers, Microanalytical Laboratory, Bornheim.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the following individuals: Birgitta Anheier, Heidi Blöcher, Susanne Greif, Dr
Erhard Jägers, Monika Kotthaus, Mariabinanca Paris, Corinna Perl-Appl, Manfred Piehl, Dr
Christian Rathke, Marina Regni, Nicole Reifarth, Lidia Rissotto, Stefan Schu, Dr Winfried
Weber, Betty Haire Weyerer, Rosalia Varoli-Piazza, Ina Vanden Berghe and Dr Jan Wouters.
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Materials
Gore-Tex® Membrane
Lascaux Coloures & Restauro
Barbara Diethelm AG
Zürichstrasse 42
CH-8306 Brüttisellen
Switzerland
Tel.: +41 1 8074141
Ethafoam (polyethylene foam)
Wetropa-Kunststofferzeugnisse GmbH & Co KG
Starkenburgstrasse 2
D-64546 Mörfelden Walldorf
Germany
Tel.: + 49 6105 9756 0
Rice starch and isinglass glue
Dr Georg Kremer Farbmühle
Hauptstrasse 41–47
D-88317 Aichstetten/Allgäu
Germany
Tel.: +49 7565 1011
kremer-pigmente@t-online.de
Rohacell® (PMI Polymethacrylimid)
Gaugler & Lutz oHG
Habsburger Strasse 12
D-73432 Aalen-Ebnat
Germany
Tel.: +49 7367 9666 0
Sumac leather
Lederinstitut Gerberschule Reutlingen
Erwin-Seitz Strasse 9
D-72764 Reutlingen
Germany
Tel.: +49 7121 16230
lgr@lgr-reutlingen.de