Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1981, Page 254

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A pair of Hide Shoes
some of these shoes do have such a seam. The system of lacing, with
a lace passing through loops running from the toe up, and then
through slits along the edge of the shoe, is very similar to that of
the Leksvik shoes — this does not, however, necessarily imply an
ancient cultural connection. A phenomenon of convergence, due to
the very simple forms involved, would seem to be a more likely
explanation.
Thus if we compare the archaeological material with the literary
sources, we arrive at an idea of the very wide distribution of hide-
shoes in both time and space. They were in common use in many
parts of prehistoric Europe, and in the outposts of European culture
they remained in use until the present day. But such shoes are also
known from the New World — here several types of hide-shoes
were used, including a Canadian-Indian type which corresponds to
our »fitsko« (see above).45)
Bearing in mind the distribution of the hide-shoe in Europe, in
the past and more recently, it is clear that we cannot date the
Leksvik shoes exclusively on the basis of their form. Although we
know that hide-shoes were not a la mode among the better situated
in the cities and among the upper classes during the Middle Ages,
they remained in use, as we saw above, as part of the farmers’ dress
in many country districts until fairly recently. Thus we cannot date
the find securely except by means of the pollen analytical investig-
ation friendly undertaken by KARI EGEDE LARSSEN.
Even if we accept only the latest possible date, we arrive at the
period immediately after the sub-atlantic change of climate, and the
first appearance of the fir in Trøndelag. In other words, we should
be justified in dating the shoes to the earliest part of the Iron Age,
in all probability to the beginning of the Celtic period.
Theoretically it is possible that the shoes should have been buried
at a later date, but according to KARI EGEDE LARSSEN the pollen
diagram shows no evidence of any disturbance in the stratification
of the turf. Thus we must be entitled to assume that the shoes were
deposited on or close to the then surface of the bog. There seems
to be no reason for not basing our dating on the evidence of the
pollen analyses. And if we accept this evidence, then the Leksvik