Similar axes in less valuable stones have also been found unworn, and their equally pristine condition implies that they may have served special, perhaps ritual, purposes.
The handmade Moon Shoe, was one of only 12 pairs ever made. The pair sold Tuesday are the only ones known to exist in an unworn condition, Sotheby's said.
After male volunteers were randomly assigned to smell either one of the worn shirts, or a new unworn one, saliva samples showed an increase in testosterone in those who had smelled a shirt worn by an ovulating woman.