1,500 Year-Old Mummy Wearing Adidas?

Earlier today, I came across the following headline from the always entertaining if generally far less informative Daily Express:

Proof of time travel? The 1,500-year old mummy wearing ADIDAS boots

I was half expecting to find something along the lines of the "ancient cell phone" that was making the rounds a few months ago but to my surprise, the picture was authentic and depicted actual footwear on a real mummy:



So no, the mummy's boots weren't really Adidases but there's an undeniable resemblance! So what are we looking at? For that, I'll refer to the Daily Express's source, the Siberian Times:

Archeologists find ancient mummy approximately 1,500 years old in Mongolia

The ancient human remains are wrapped in felt but the excavation is being hailed as the first complete Turkik burial found in Central Asia. B.Sukhbaatar, researcher at Khovd Museum, said: 'This person was not from elite, and we believe it was likely a woman, because there is no bow in the tomb. 'Now we are carefully unwrapping the body and once this is complete the specialists will be able to say more precisely about the gender.' In the mummy's grave archeologists found - alongside the human remains - a saddle, bridle, clay vase, wooden bowl, trough, iron kettle, the remains of entire horse, and four different 'Dool' (Mongolian clothes).

There were also pillows, a sheep's head and felt travel bag in which were placed the whole back of a sheep, goat bones and small leather bag for the cup.

He said: 'It is the first complete Turkik burial at least in Mongolia - and probably in all Central Asia. This is a very rare phenomenon. These finds show us the beliefs and rituals of Turkiks. 'We can see clearly that the horse was deliberately sacrificed. It was a mare, between four and eight years old. Four coats we found were made of cotton.

Royal burials containing grave goods made of precious metals and stones are always exciting but I find it often even more interesting to see the everyday clothing and possessions (and sometimes, as with the "Ice Maiden," body art) of the common person.

The best leather moccasins money could then buy. For the same kind human feet they have around today. Double stitched and everything.

Nice find, thanks for brining it.

originally posted by: intrptr
The best leather moccasins money could then buy. For the same kind human feet they have around today. Double stitched and everything.

Nice find, thanks for brining it.

I noticed that double stitching too. What I couldn't tell from the pictures was whether the stripes have some utility or were strictly ornamental.

a reply to: theantediluvian

S+F I love stuff like this.

Hmmm it's funny isn't it, humans everywhere have a similar approach to life regardless of time and place.
Style and art is a huge thing in any part of human history.

They look really well built, I highly doubt a pair of adidas would last as long tbh.

Royal burials containing grave goods made of precious metals and stones are always exciting but I find it often even more interesting to see the everyday clothing and possessions (and sometimes, as with the "Ice Maiden," body art) of the common person.

This wasn't royalty though was it? I much prefer findings like this, I personally feel we learn much more from history when it is told by the eyes of the average human... What they consider important and what they see as a spiritual must. It all shows in a well prepared funeral even today.

We never change much.

I bet most of us here would be flying spaceships by now.

www.newageman.co.uk...

No countries want your criminals. You either execute them or jail them. (I'm not talking about the link)

a reply to: theantediluvian

Ah, yes. The Adidas Gazelle in Brown. A fine choice for footwear.
This mummified lady was well ahead of her time in terms of fashion. Also, she was not considered "one of the elite". just goes to show, you don't need money to look like a million bucks

a reply to: theantediluvian

They should check the mummy for gold chains and a fat sovereign ring.

If she were dressed in those new automatic-lacing Nikes, you might have something, but these are nothing special.

News seems to be genuine it was posted in Siberian Times
Pics are also bigger and there is more of them
SIBERIAN TIMES

Not sure but "her" pants looks like very jeans like too.. maybe not but it is amazing how well they could sew

they simply wrapped the feet up, for transportation.....these are not "shoes"

a reply to: jimmyx

bigger picture looks like they were moccasins.. but very adidas like i can see how it could be mistaken

I wonder if they were also made in sweatshops in asia by young children..

a reply to: dollukka

the picture of that bag was amazing - the work that went into embroidering (am I using the wrong term?) those flowers!? Wow Thanks for sharing that source

The find is amazing, with all of the items buried with the mummy.

But what is seriously wrong with humans, that we think, or thought, that animals needed to die, just to be buried with us?

I don't get it....it is 1500 years ago and items are very valuable...to the living. Why would a corpse be buried with a highly valued personal item like boots?
Church and state aside...the living are still walking around.
Cheers

originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: dollukka

the picture of that bag was amazing - the work that went into embroidering (am I using the wrong term?) those flowers!? Wow Thanks for sharing that source

Yes, it is amazing the quality of the items found. Here are a few more pics. Looks like they could have been found in a 30 year old grave. Based on info from the link, the grave was 3 meters deep and the site was located 2803 meters above sea level. Also the fabrics were comprised of either cotton, camel wool and sheep wool. From all appearances, it looks like the ordinary person had quality possessions.

Adidas' stripes were originally functional,they were for metatarsel support on football boots.a reply to: theantediluvian

originally posted by: glen200376
Adidas' stripes were originally functional,they were for metatarsel support on football boots.a reply to: theantediluvian

I can't find a source for this but they bought the three stripe logo in 1951 only two years after the company was founded by Adolf Dassler. Wikipedia - Karhu (sports brand)

The Karhu brand featured prominently at the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games, where Finnish athletes took all three medals in javelin using Karhu javelins,[2] and the "Flying Finns" took five gold medals on the track wearing Karhu spikes. Four years later, at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, Paavo Nurmi won five gold medals in track events "wearing a conspicuous pair of white Karhu running spikes".[2] In the 1930s Karhu's production expanded to include cross-country and ski jumping skis. During the Winter War and Continuation War, from 1939–1945, Karhu produced snow-camouflage suits, tents and skis for the Finnish military.[1] In 1951, Karhu sold the three stripes trademark it had been using to a then little known German brand called Adidas for the equivalent of 1600 euros and two bottles of whiskey.[2][3] In the 1960s Karhu began to use the M-logo,[1] which is still in use on Karhu shoes.

I didn't know that. I did know that the company name came from the founder's name — Adolf "Adi" Dassler — and that his brother started Puma after they'd had a falling out.

I also learned this today:

By the 1936 Summer Olympics, Adi Dassler drove from Bavaria on one of the world's first motorways to the Olympic village with a suitcase full of spikes and persuaded U.S. sprinter Jesse Owens to use them, the first sponsorship for an African American. Following Owens' haul of four gold medals, his success cemented the good reputation of Dassler shoes among the world's most famous sportsmen. Letters from around the world landed on the brothers' desks, and the trainers of other national teams were all interested in their shoes. Business boomed and the Dasslers were selling 200,000 pairs of shoes every year before World War II.[9]

The stitching on the shoes is very nicely done, but to my eye it does not look like machine stitching. No time travel here, folks.

a reply to: theantediluvian

Shoelaces?

Great find though!