This document was submitted in support of an entry into the SCA Arts & Sciences competition known as “Ice Dragon” held April 14, 2018, in the Barony of the Rhydderich Hael (see http://www.icedragon.info/) . Many thanks to the individuals who judged this and all entries and provided feedback on them, as well as to those who organized and staffed the event. Further related material can be found on the web at http://shoesbyrobert.com/shoeswp/projects/apairofblackandwhites/ Copyright 2018 by Ken Stuart (Lord Robert of Ferness), except for the illustrations, which are cited from their original sources. The author may be contacted at k
[email protected] with questions, comments, etc. Decorated Viking Age Turnshoes for Court Categories Leatherworking and Accessories: nontextile. (Also, Special 5in1 for Leatherworking, Accessories: nontextile, Heraldic Display, Needlework: embroidery, Fiber Arts: weaving) THL Elska á Fjárfelli requested that I make her a pair of shoes to wear at court tonight, for her special appearance on the occasion of her Lauralinduction ceremony. Specifically, she asked them to be replicas of exemplars known from 10thcentury Dorstadt. Thus, this entry, made to fit her and for her, most personally. Although this pair of shoes is not the first I’ve made, it does incorporate a number of “firsts” for me, including first leather embroidery, first finger weaving, and first card weaving; also my first use of fur on shoes. (As for the weaving, this is not only the first time I’ve applied it as decoration on shoes, it’s the first time I’ve ever attempted finger and cardweaving projects of any size whatsoever.) Some surviving medieval shoes sport embroidery and many more have traces of its use inferred from needlework patterns in the leather.