In the spring of 1982 and the summer of 1983 the German Leather Museum and the German Shoe Museum in Offenbach on the Main received 205 leather fragments from excavations in Mainz during 1981 and 1982. The remnants of Roman shoes, sandals, soles, and military equipment were found at a building site 700 m from the present banks of the Rhine but which, during the third and fourth centuries, served to tie up Roman ships and to dump garbage from craftsmen's shops. All the leather remnants show much wear and tear, and no pairs of shoes have been found. Ground water preserved the leather but also contributed to a detanning process. The article describes cleaning and conservation methods, especially the bathing of the material in a Titriplex III solution to render the leather softer and more durable. Where fitting parts were found reconstruction was attempted. There is also a section on Roman leather working with ample illustrations showing the various methods used and the resulting products. -- AATA