A boot is a type of footwear. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle, while some also cover some part of the lower calf. Some boots extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece. Traditionally made of leather or rubber, modern boots are made from a variety of materials.
Ancient Greek pair of terracotta boots. Early geometric period cremation burial of a woman, 900 BC, Ancient Agora Museum, Athens
Oxhide boots from Loulan, Xinjiang, China. Former Han dynasty 220 BC – AD 8
A pair of ISO 20345:2004 compliant S3 steel-toed safety boots designed for construction workers
A pair of hobnailed boots
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. Though the human foot can adapt to varied terrains and climate conditions, it is vulnerable, and shoes provide protection. Form was originally tied to function, but over time, shoes also became fashion items. Some shoes are worn as safety equipment, such as steel-toe boots, which are required footwear at industrial worksites.
A variety of shoes displayed at the Nordic Museum, including models from 1700 to the 1960s.
The oldest known leather shoe, about 5500 years old, found in Armenia
Esparto sandals from the 6th or 5th millennium BC found in Spain
Footwear of Roman soldiers (reconstruction)