국립중앙박물관 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA

Gilt-bronze Shoes

A Goguryeo mural from Samsilchong Tomb, located in Jian, Jilin Province, near the border of China and North Korea, shows an armored warrior wearing shoes with numerous spikes in the sole. Matching the painting, the gilt-bronze shoes seen here are studded with approximately forty sharp spikes, each with a square base and triangular point. Both of the soles have two holes near the edge, where they could be attached to the upper part of the shoe, likely made from leather or cloth. The kingdoms of Baekje and Silla also produced gilt-bronze shoes, but they made the entire shoe from metal, rather than just the sole. Also, the Goguryeo shoes have more spikes than their counterparts.