A pair of sandals seems immediately familiar, which can make us overlook the details that distinguish the ancient object from a modern equivalent. The Met records pair 22.3.20a, b as papyrus reed, dated approximately 1580–1479 BCE.
Notice the pair’s separate measurements
The record lists the right sandal as 28.7 centimetres long and the left as 28.3 centimetres. Rather than treating the pair as a single ideal outline, note that the catalogue measures the surviving pieces individually.
Those dimensions do not establish the wearer’s identity or shoe size in a modern sizing system. They are measurements of the objects described by the museum. Keep that distinction when comparing them with footwear you know.
Ask questions the record can support
Look at the linked images for the relationship between sole and straps, then check which details are explained in the catalogue. If construction or wear is unclear in the photograph, leave it as a research question instead of inferring it from a small screen image.
Our accompanying illustration is a general reading image, not documentation of these sandals. The museum record supplies the specific object reference. Familiar objects reward slow looking because recognition can be the beginning of inquiry rather than a reason to assume we already understand their material history.