The Embodied Foot

Bioarchaeological studies of embodiment have often used markers of developmental stress, occupational stress, pathology, and trauma to tell these stories of embodiment, with larger bones and joints of the body as the primary focus of analysis. Few have yet to engage with the foot skeleton, which is not only a good proxy for embodiment of stress experiences but also critical for constructing complete narratives of lived experiences in the past. Because the foot is central to mobility, independence, and many occupational tasks, any bioarchaeological analyses that consider these aspects of past lives must contend with the foot skeleton. This article considers the foot as a bioculturally constructed entity that is shaped by its larger sociocultural environment, with particular focus on the embodiment of the environment through footwear. Footwear does not just protect the feet, it functions together with the feet as an embodiment of identity, control, and constraint. A biocultural focus on skeletal foot health and morphology can contribute to understandings of foot health in both bioarchaeological and modern contexts and illuminate the full effects of biocultural stressors in the skeleton. These effects may be reflective of societal frameworks and temporal trends that become embodied in the foot skeleton via culturally controlled footwear, providing a new view created “from the ground up.”