Ceremonial Sandals of Tutankhamun

The most striking feature of these sandals is the decoration on the insoles, which allowed the Pharaoh to symbolically "trample" his enemies with every step. The insoles depict four human figures representing traditional enemies of ancient Egypt—Asiatics and Nubians. These men are shown as bound prisoners, lying prostrate with their arms tied behind their backs. The sandals are also adorned with the "Nine Bows" motif, which represents the totality of Egypt's traditional enemies. On this specific pair, four bows are depicted under the toes and four under the heel, while the strap and thong represent the final, ninth bow.

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