Egyptian prosthetic toe
A tomb in Luxor, Egypt yielded a surprising find in 1997. On the remains of what archaeologists believe to be the daughter of a high-status priest was a detailed prosthetic toe. Egyptian craftsmen created the toe out of leather and wood, carving a toenail for a realistic look. Closer examination revealed the toe had been altered and adjusted multiple times to ensure a good, comfortable fit, indicated it was worn in life, not just to make the body whole in death.
This requires craftsmanship at a level only the elite could afford. This prosthetic, known as the Cairo Toe or Greville Chester Great Toe, is housed in the Cairo Museum, one of the earliest examples of a practical prosthesis used for every day, functional wear. It gave the woman a more common look to her feet and perhaps restored some of the balance lost during her original toe’s amputation.
