When Did Ancient Humans Start Wearing Shoes?

Ancient humans began wearing shoes approximately 40,000 years ago, as evidenced by weakened pinky toe bones discovered by anthropologist Erik Trinkaus, which indicate that shoes eliminated the need for toes to grip and stabilize the foot. This innovation was driven by climate pressures during glacial periods, injury prevention needs, and terrain challenges, with regional variations in design based on local conditions. The oldest surviving physical shoes date to about 10,000 years ago (sagebrush bark sandals) and 5,500 years ago (Armeni-1 leather shoe), while genetic evidence from body lice divergence around 170,000 years ago suggests even earlier body covering use.