The impression of a Roman toddler’s foot has been preserved in a red clay tile dating back 2,000 years. This remarkable artifact was unearthed in Vasio Vocontiorum, known today as Vaison-la-Romaine in France.
Initially, I imagined the toddler running and accidentally stepping on the wet clay tile as it was drying. However, upon closer examination, it seems more likely that the toddler was being held up, explaining why the front of the imprint is much deeper than the heel.
Looking at images like this brings me a profound sense of connection to people who lived in the distant past. I experienced a similar feeling when I discovered that Romans used to create tombs for their dogs, complete with heartfelt epitaphs like “I am in tears, while carrying you to your final resting place, as much as I rejoiced when bringing you home with my own hands 15 years ago.” Not to mention the charming graffiti found on the walls of Herculaneum and Pompeii.
