Hammam Sandals
Traditionally, the hammam was used by women on Fridays. It was a day of outing. Women would take their children, food and drinks and spend the day at the hammam, bathing and socialising. As the hammam had marble flooring, it required special shoes to prevent slipping on the wet marble. Therefore, women wore special wooden sandals. These were flat platforms in the shape of a foot, on two stilts, and with a leather band on top to keep the foot in place. Almost always, these sandals were decorated with small pieces, usually in triangular shape, of mother-of-pearl. These were also called takunya or nalin and remind us of the geisha Geta sandals.
Intricately designed bath shoes were part of a woman’s dowery. Bridal bath clogs had special designs and were specifically made of walnut, with a small tassel in the front. The clogs had beautiful designs on them, while the strap for the foot was embroidered with gold or silver thread. Also, these clogs were status symbols. The higher the stilts, the wealthier the woman who wore them.
mmr_00032 > Pair of sandals for hamam (Turkish bath)
You can see this exhibit up close, along with many others, in the 1st-floor exhibition room of CVAR.
