It is believed (0) THAT the Germanic and Celtic cultures in Europe enjoyed a similar type of footwear, though the exact origin of the wooden shoes, or 'clogs', is impossible to say. The oldest surviving clogs date 1 the 13th century and were discovered in Holland. It is of 2 likely that clogs have been fabricated for thousands of years. However, 3 to the fact that they are made in part or completely from wood, older examples 4 the sturdy footwear do not exist.
Clogs 5 originally a kind of safety shoe, used in heavy labour, their rigidity giving the wearer a degree of protection from falling hazards in the workplace. Today, the shoes are found worldwide, although there are great variations in the style from region to region because of 6 hand-made nature.
Clogs remain today 7 beloved items of fashion wear and as part of traditional costume. They are typically purchased by tourists in countries 8 as Holland, to which they have become, to some degree, synonymous.