>Discovery News is reporting that a detailed analysis of sandals buried with King Tutankhamun (King Tut) suggest that special footwear was made to accommodate his club foot. The boy king wore orthopedic sandals in order to help him deal with his foot disorder.

Below is an excerpt from the article:

King Tutankhamun might have worn some sort of orthopedic shoes specially designed to cope with his club foot condition, an investigation into the pharaoh’s footwear has suggested.

Even though the mummy had been X-rayed several times, it was only recently, during a major genetic investigation into King Tut’s family, that researchers found a series of malformations in the pharaoh’s feet.

Apart from a foot bone disorder known as Kohler disease II, King Tut might have had seriously deformed feet which left him hobbling around with the use of a cane.

Indeed, the second toe in King Tut’s right foot lacked the middle bone, making it shorter, while the left foot was clubbed, rotating internally at the ankle.

The foot condition might have required appropriate shoes with a tight strap in order to avoid them being dragged over the floor.

Read the article in its entirety by clicking here.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Archaeology, Ancient Egypt, King Tut