Description : The poulaine was a high shoe with a pointed tip that was very popular in the 15th century. It may be seen in pictures from the period, but the object itself is very rare. This poulaine discovered at Saint-Denis in 1984 is nearly complete. All of the various leather parts were still sewn together when it was found in a waste pit used by a shoemaker. The damp and oxygen-free environment preserved the leather. To keep it from suddenly drying out and deteriorating, the shoe was saturated with polyethylene glycol (PEG), placed in a freezer and then freeze-dried to remove moisture. Once the leather was stabilized, the poulaine was restored by sewing together its various parts using the original stitching-holes.