Antique Mother-of-Pearl Turkish Hammam Bath Shoes

These antique 19th Century Ottoman Turkey mother of pearl wooden clogs are just so beautiful. The strap has long since worn off. They're made of wood and painted black and gold and inlaid with carved pieces of mother-of-pearl. They were worn traditionally in bath houses to protect the foot from dirty water and soap. They were carved from a single piece of hardwood - plane, box, ebony, walnut or sandalwood. The base was then embellished with precious metals or inlaid with mother-of-pearl or tortoise shell. "The height of the plates and quality of the embellishments was determined by the status of the wearer. They were often part of a women's dowry. Babies were sometimes given miniature versions as gifts." I've used them as decor and props for my Poshmark jewelry photos.