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Iron chair of the 7th century AD found in Germany: one of the first examples of furniture (photo)

Maria Tsikhotska

Iron chair of the 7th century AD found in Germany: one of the first examples of furniture (photo)
Folding chair. Source: Heritage Daily

In 2022, as part of archaeological research in the village of Endsee, Germany, a rare artifact was found - a folding iron chair dating back to the 7th century AD. It was discovered during the excavation of a medieval woman's burial, Heritage Daily reports.

The burial had an additional interesting fact due to the artifacts that accompanied the woman's burial. Among them was a necklace of small, colorful glass beads and two brooch pendants, one decorated with bows, the other with an almandine disk, a large mylophyora, and a spinning wheel.

An additional surprising discovery was the discovery of a male burial nearby. This burial included luxuriously decorated weapons such as a spear, shield, and  a quiver. Scientists believe that these burials may be related to the Frankish influence in the Main and Tauber regions in the 6th and 7th centuries.

Read also: In Norway, a family accidentally found a 1200-year-old Viking grave with jewelry in their yard (photo)

After a long time restoration, the folding iron chair was presented to the public at the Archaeology in Bavaria conference. This chair is a unique masterpiece of history. It consists of two frames connected by an axial pin and impresses with brass inlays of non-ferrous metals. Narrow slots on the horizontal posts indicate the attachment of a seat, probably using animal fur, as indicated by the preserved organic remains.

This discovery is exceptional in that folding chairs used as funerary equipment are extremely rare. These artifacts indicate the important social status or prominent position of the deceased woman in her time. This archaeological find expands our understanding of early medieval culture and emphasizes the importance of studying the history and social aspects of this period. The discovery of the folding chair gives us the opportunity to penetrate the lives and traditions of people of the 7th century AD and remember the rich heritage of the past.

As a reminder, archaeologists have found the remains of the woman from whom Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa in Italy.

 

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