Sockology Lesson, Part I

Centuries ago, animal skins were used as foot protection. The skins were cleaned and bound above the ankles for protection from the elements and debris. Slap a logo on them and they would have made a nice pair of Nike cross-trainers -- good for hunting, gathering, and/or bear fighting.

Today socks are less animal skin and more sockey materials like cotton, wool, silk, polyester and nylon. I somehow doubt I would have started a sock blog centuries ago had socks not evolved past animal skins. Partly because I'm not that into leather socks, and partly because I bet the internet connections were really slow back then.

This isn't an example of the earliest pairs of socks, but a pair of leather socks worn by Sir Admiral Horatio Nelson's Socks.