Strange bronze child's hand found in England (photo)

During the season of excavations in the fort of Vindolanda, one of the most important Roman archaeological sites in Europe, a strange discovery was made. At a depth of 1.5 meters below the current ground level, scientists have discovered a magnificent artifact, a bronze hand that looks remarkably like a living one.

This small hand, about the size of a child's, was discovered in the northern Severan moat, just a few meters from the temple attached to the northern wall of the fort. After careful examination and conservation, the discovered artifact turned out to be a multifunctional object, as it once had a mount that is now missing.

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The archaeologists noted the rather high quality of the hand's workmanship, in particular the side facing the palm, which indicates that it was used to profile an object that it once held. The base of the hand has a socket that was previously attached to a post, which emphasizes its intended purpose.

The discovery of the hand is extremely important, as it is the only known example of such an artifact found near temples dedicated to the cult of Jupiter Dolichenus. The god Jupiter Dolichenus, depicted with a thunderbolt in his raised hand, symbolized destructive power, while the open votive hand was meant to signify the protection and prosperity that the god could bring.

The discovery of this hand provides additional evidence in support of the existence of the cult of Jupiter Dolichenus at Fort Vindolanda. Earlier, in 2009, a temple dedicated to this god was discovered in the same fort, confirming the importance of religious practices in the life of Roman garrisons.

The found hand is now on public display at the Vindolanda Museum, along with other altars dedicated to Jupiter Dolichenus. This adds new discoveries to the rich collection of artifacts from the Roman era found during excavations in the region, the Vindolanda Charitable Trust said.

Vindolanda Fort is known for its unique cultural heritage, which reflects the life of the border garrison during 85-370 AD. With excavations now underway, scientists are finding thousands of well-preserved artifacts, including shoes, textiles, wooden objects and tablets, which constitute the oldest surviving documents in Britain, dating from the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.

It is noted that the discovery of the Roman votive hand creates new opportunities for the study of religious practices and the cultural heritage of the Roman fort of Vindolanda.

As reported, the site of the largest naval battle was found in Sicily: a vivid testimony to the bloody war between Rome and Carthage.

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