Goguryeo’s gilt-bronze shoes are characterized by the many nails embedded into the base of the sole and the fact that only the sole was made of metal. The shoes on display feature about 40 gilt-bronze nails tightly packed together, with small holes pierced around the edges of the sole. The upper part of the shoe is believed to have been made of leather or cloth, which was connected to the shoe’s lower part. The shoes were not actually worn but rather appear to have been ceremonial objects or grave goods.