This is a type of Roman horseshoe or 'hipposandal'. It was used on animals
that pulled carts or other loads. The shoe was held beneath the animal's
hoof by means of a cord attached to the metal loops at either end.
Slip on some hipposandals
Romans do not seem to have used horseshoes as we know them. Hipposandals
were temporary shoes, attached when the animal was pulling a very heavy
load or passing over a slippery surface. In towns, the shoes helped them
grip the smooth road surfaces.
Roman Edmonton
This hipposandal was found in Edmonton, which lay about 14 km north of
Roman London. The main Roman road was Ermine Street, which ran north from
London through Edmonton to York. An animal carrying a load along the road
may have lost the shoe. It is also possible that it came from a nearby
settlement.
Find out more about historic Enfield from the Enfield Archaeological
Society
