In 2017, a groundbreaking archaeological discovery near Lake Biel, Switzerland, left experts stunned—a 3,500-year-old bronze prosthetic hand. Unearthed by treasure hunters using metal detectors, this ancient artifact raises fascinating questions about the people of the time. Was it purely symbolic, or did it serve a practical purpose? Join us as we uncover the mystery behind this remarkable relic!
3,500-Year-Old Bronze Prosthetic Hand Discovered in Switzerland
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In 2017, treasure hunters exploring with metal detectors near Lake Biel in the Bern canton of Switzerland discovered a bronze prosthetic hand.
Alongside it, they found a bronze dagger and a rib bone, all of which were handed over to the Bern Archaeological Service for examination.
The bronze hand, weighing approximately half a kilogram, featured a gold-gilded cuff at the wrist.
Its internal attachment mechanism suggested that it was designed to be mounted onto something. Radiocarbon dating of the adhesive used to attach the gold gilding to the wrist revealed that it dated back to 1400-1500 BCE, placing it in the Middle Bronze Age.
"We had never seen anything like this before," said Andrea Schaer, head of Ancient History and Roman Archaeology at the Bern Archaeological Service.
'We even struggled to determine whether the hand was genuine or what its purpose might have been.'
According to Schaer, the hand may have symbolized a person’s status and could have been buried with them upon their death.
She also suggests that it might have been created as a replacement for a lost hand. However, its delicate construction indicates that it was not intended for everyday use. Alternatively, the hand might have been part of a statue, mounted on the end of a staff, or used in ceremonial rituals.
"Thousands of Bronze Age graves have been examined, but nothing like this has ever been found before."
'That makes this discovery truly special,' said Stefan Hochuli, head of the Heritage Conservation and Archaeology Department. 'This finding sheds light on the social and spiritual world of that era—revealing that it was far more complex than we previously thought.'