Restoration Objects
The chosen target for restoration research was the kneeling archer figurine, labeled as 05438, which was unearthed from the eastern end of trench T21G18 in Pit2 (Shen 2017). Fig. 1 exhibited minimal damage. It was depicted wearing a battle robe, draped with armor, and wearing square-toed shoes with upturned tips.
Restoration method
Shoe style:Based on the shoes information depicted on the kneeling archer figurine from the Qin Dynasty with the label 05438, we compared it with the shoes unearthed from the nearby Han Dynasty (206BC-8AD) at the Mawangdui site and concluded that the square-mouthed shallow shoes worn by the figurine did indeed exist (Strakova 2007). These analyses and inferences would contribute to further research on the basic form and structure of the shoe .
Basic dimensions:To measure the dimensions of the shoe sole, we utilized an AR rangefinder, which was a non-contact measurement tool based on structured light technology. This application is compatible with Apple iOS12 systems. It uses an invisible laser as a light source to emit encoded light patterns onto the object. By employing specific algorithms, it calculates the distortion of the returned encoded patterns, thereby obtaining the position and depth information of the object and achieving remote distance measurement (Luka and Marko 2022). The maximum depth range for recognition with this rangefinder was limited to 1.2 meters, therefore, the distance between the phone and the object being measured falls within this range while scanning (Wither et al. 2008). The steps were shown below (Fig. 2):
Step 1. Open the rangefinder application.
Step 2. Keep your phone as parallel as possible to the object being measured and perpendicular to the ground. Slowly move the phone to locate the plane where the object is situated.
Step 3. When a measuring point appears on the plane, move the measuring point to the starting point of the object you want to measure and click the "+" button to begin the measurement.
Step 4. Move the measuring point to the end point of the object and click the "+" button to end the measurement. The length of the object will be displayed. The measurement accuracy of this rangefinder can range from 0.1mm to 1mm.
Restoration Production
Firstly, based on the analysis of the extracted information from the selected kneeling archer figurine, the restored shoes details were determined based on the original state of the shoe sole. Secondly, through literature research and in-depth interviews (Xu et al. 2016), the traditional crafting techniques and materials used for making the shoe sole of Terracotta warriors were summarized and compiled. The overall restoration process begun with a clothing engineering perspective, utilizing a two-dimensional sole pattern to create a three-dimensional object. The main steps were as follows (Fig. 3):
The production of the shoe sole included two main stages: paste preparation and sole fabrication, with the latter comprising six major steps:
Step1: Paste preparation involves mixing wheat or corn flour with warm water at a ratio of 1:2, ensuring that the water temperature remains below 30 Celsiur scale. The mixture is stirred thoroughly until it reaches a consistency resembling that of yogurt. Next, the paste is rapidly and evenly spread onto a piece of cloth using a spatula before being left to dry in the sun. This serves as a backup for the subsequent steps.
Step 2: Sole fabrication. This step consists of six sub-steps: cutting the sole, gluing the sole, wrapping the sole, circling the sole, I nserting the sole, and pounding the sole.
2.1.Cutting the sole: Based on the shoe last, draw the sole pattern and leave a 2-3cm margin on the edges for the upper part of the shoe. This will result in the final shoe pattern. Trace the left and right shoe patterns onto the previously prepared and dried linen cloth. Repeat the cutting process until the desired sole height is achieved.
2.2.Gluing the sole: According to the desired thickness of the sole, typically 1.5 centimeters, stack 5-7 layers of sole material together, forming a structure called "xian'er."
3.Wrapping the sole: Temporarily secure the sole material with sewing thread and then use the bias of the linen cloth to wrap the edges.
4.Circling the sole: Use ramie to make a core and twist it into a rope. Sew a loop of twine along the edge of the sole, spaced about 2 mm apart.Pay attention to ensure tight, neat, and consistent stitching, with stitches aligned horizontally and vertically. The stitches should be tight and evenly distributed.The method of twisting the hemp rope is done manually by hand, as follows (Gaihong and Shuqiang 2016):
4.1 Divide the ramie fiber into two strands and twist one strand forward on your leg until it becomes a tightly twisted cord. Use one hand to hold the twisted fiber in place.
4.2 Twist the other strand using the same method as above and place the two twisted strands together.
4.3 Twist forward with your hand and quickly pull it back, repeating this motion.
5.Inserting the sole: Mark the needle holes on the stacked sole material and sew them together using the ramie rope. (Before sewing, the ramie rope can be soaked in wax water and then used. This makes it easier for the rope to pass through the 1.5 centimeter thick sole, improving efficiency.) Use a clamp to secure the stacked sole material. Before each stitch, use an awl to create the needle holes and then pass the needle through.
6.Pounding the sole: After soaking and steaming the stitched sole in hot water, use an iron hammer to flatten it. Finally, place it in a cool and well-ventilated area to air dry naturally, completing the production of the layered sole.
Assessing the key function of restored shoes
As the shoes’ basic function, slip resistance and flexibiliy decided the anti-slip ability and the comfort while walking. We contrasted the two properties of the restored 'TLS' shoe and two modern 'TLS' shoes, the similarities and differences among the three samples are summarized in Table 1.
The slip resistance of the shoe sole was tested using a computerized slip resistance tester (model GT-7012-BEA). The principle of this system involves placing the sample on the testing interface, applying a specified force, and moving the plane relative to the sample horizontally or at a certain angle. Frictional force is measured and used to calculate the coefficient of friction. The coefficient of friction is used to evaluate the slip resistance of the shoe sole (Mohan et al. 2015). According to the formula µ=f/F, the coefficient of friction is directly proportional to the frictional force. Therefore, a smaller coefficient of friction indicates poorer slip resistance, while a larger coefficient indicates better slip resistance.Three walking modes were simulated during the testing: forefoot, horizontal, and heel modes, which represented different walking states. Three tests were conducted using the same samples and modes under both dry and wet conditions, as shown in Fig. 4. The average values were calculated to represent the slip resistance performance of the samples.
The flexibility performance of the shoe sole was evaluated using a thin film pressure sensor. This device is suitable for measuring pressure, tension, pressure difference, and other physical quantities that can be converted into force (Mengting et al. 2023). The testing principle involves attaching the sensitive element of the thin film pressure sensor to the middle position of the heel of the shoe sole. The toe part of the shoe was fixed, and the heel of the sample was sequentially lifted to 45° , as shown in Fig.5, to simulate the state of wearing the shoe and effectively evaluate the flexural performance of the shoe sole. During the testing process, the force required to lift the heel of the shoe was recorded. A higher force indicated poorer flexural performance, while a lower force indicated better flexural performance. This process converted the change in weight into a change in pressure. Each sample was tested three times, and the average value was calculated to represent the flexural performance of the samples.