<P> A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while the wearer is doing various activities . Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion . The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function . Additionally, fashion has often dictated many design elements, such as whether shoes have very high heels or flat ones . Contemporary footwear in the 2010s varies widely in style, complexity and cost . Basic sandals may consist of only a thin sole and simple strap and be sold for a low cost . High fashion shoes made by famous designers may be made of expensive materials, use complex construction and sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars a pair . Some shoes are designed for specific purposes, such as boots designed specifically for mountaineering or skiing . </P> <P> Traditionally, shoes have been made from leather, wood or canvas, but in the 2010s, they are increasingly made from rubber, plastics, and other petrochemical - derived materials . Though the human foot is adapted to varied terrain and climate conditions, it is still vulnerable to environmental hazards such as sharp rocks and temperature extremes, which shoes protect against . Some shoes are worn as safety equipment, such as steel - soled boots which are required on construction sites . </P> <P> The earliest known shoes are sagebrush bark sandals dating from approximately 7000 or 8000 BC, found in the Fort Rock Cave in the US state of Oregon in 1938 . The world's oldest leather shoe, made from a single piece of cowhide laced with a leather cord along seams at the front and back, was found in the Areni - 1 cave complex in Armenia in 2008 and is believed to date to 3500 BC . Ötzi the Iceman's shoes, dating to 3300 BC, featured brown bearskin bases, deerskin side panels, and a bark - string net, which pulled tight around the foot . The Jotunheimen shoe was discovered in August 2006 . Archaeologists estimate that the leather shoe was made between 1800 and 1100 BC, making it the oldest article of clothing discovered in Scandinavia . </P> <P> It is thought that shoes may have been used long before this, but because the materials used were highly perishable, it is difficult to find evidence of the earliest footwear . By studying the bones of the smaller toes (as opposed to the big toe), it was observed that their thickness decreased approximately 40,000 to 26,000 years ago . This led archaeologists to deduce that wearing shoes resulted in less bone growth, resulting in shorter, thinner toes . These earliest designs were very simple in design, often mere "foot bags" of leather to protect the feet from rocks, debris, and cold . They were more commonly found in colder climates . </P>

When was the first pair of shoes made
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