7500 YEARS OF PREHISTORIC FOOTWEAR FROM ARNOLD RESEARCH CAVE, MISSOURI

Accelerator mass spectrometer dating of an assemblage of fibrous and l eather footwear from Arnold Research Cave in central Missouri document s a long sequence of shoe construction by prehistoric Midwestern peopl es, beginning perhaps as early as 8300 calendar years before the prese nt (cal years B.P.). An earlier fibrous sandal form dates from 8325 to 7675 cal years B.P., and later fibrous or leather slip-ons span the p eriod from 5575 to 1070 cat years B.P. The assemblage adds to a growin g picture of the highly varied nature of prehistoric footwear producti on in the United States throughout the Holocene.