Buskin

Buskin is a sort of knee- or calf- length boot made of leather or cloth. It laces closed, but is open across the toes. Worn by Athenian tragic actors, hunters and soldiers in Ancient Greek, Etruscan and Roman societies. It is also the name of a torturing device used in the Middle Ages. See Boot (torture).

In the Roman Catholic Church, the use of buskins have been limited to use by the pope, cardinals, bishops, and abbots. The buskins, made of silk, is colored black for abbots, purple for bishops, scarlet for cardinals, and white for the pope, and is worn over regular dress socks with regular dress shoes for the lower-ranking clergy and over white socks and the special red papal shoes by the pope.