Medieval prosthetic hand found in Germany

The prosthesis is made for the left hand, which is missing four fingers – index, middle, ring and little finger.

During the excavations, archaeologists discovered a skeleton with a prosthetic arm made of iron and non-ferrous metals. It was reported by Arkeonews.

It is known that the prosthesis was found during pipeline work near the parish church of St. George in Freising. Radiocarbon dating of the skeleton showed that the owner of the prosthesis – a man between 30 and 50 years old – died between 1450 and 1620.

In Central Europe, about 50 similar prostheses are known from the late Middle Ages and early modern period. This includes both simple, fixed prostheses and prostheses with mechanical components. After restoration and documentation in the restoration workshops of the Bavarian State Office for Monument Protection (BLfD), the rare find from Freising was mostly cleaned, X-rayed, stabilized and examined for remains of leather and textiles.

“The hollow prosthetic left hand has four fingers added. The index, middle, ring and little fingers are made of sheet metal and are immobile. The replica fingers lie on top of each other, slightly curved . The prosthesis is probably attached to the stump of the hand with straps,” said Dr. Walter Irlinger, head of the conservation department of the Bavarian State Office for the Protection of Monuments (BLfD).

How the man lost his arm and what the prosthesis was for remains a mystery to scientists. It is known that the finger of the hand is still preserved, and inside the prosthesis the bone of the thumb is corroded. The structure appeared to be covered in leather, and traces of wrinkled fabric were found inside the fingers. Inside the iron hand there is also a gauze-like fabric that probably acts as a spacer between the hand stump and the metal.

Scientists also note that the Late Middle Ages and early Modern times in Central Europe were marked by many military conflicts – in particular, the Thirty Years’ War of 1618-1648, so amputations were not uncommon.

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Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation (BLfD)

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