Archaeologists have unearthed rare armor from the Middle Ages near a Swiss castle

Such finds are very rare

A sensational archaeological discovery during excavations in Switzerland around a medieval castle near the German border was a well-preserved brass glove that experts believe was forged in the 14th century.

“At first, Lorena Burckhardt barely dared to voice her suspicions: this is an archaeological sensation!” – stated in a statement from the official authorities of the canton of Zurich. Accompanying it is a video in which archaeologist Burckhardt, who is leading the excavation, discusses the ancient artifact.

“Never before has a 14th-century glove so well preserved and virtually intact been found in Switzerland,” say local officials. However, scientists still have many questions. Who did the glove belong to? Was it forged by a local gunsmith at Kyburg’s forge?

Gauntlets were armored gloves commonly used by European knights since the 11th century, but finds of battle armor dating earlier than the 15th century are “extremely rare,” regional authorities say.

The glove was discovered during excavations near Kyburg Castle, which is about 20 miles northeast of Zurich and is a Swiss cultural heritage site and museum. Archaeologists initially discovered a medieval cellar that burned to the ground in the 14th century, officials acknowledged.

A collection of “more than 50 extremely well-preserved” iron objects was also discovered in the area, suggesting that a forge was likely to be located nearby. Among the items found were a hammer, tweezers, pliers, keys, knives, and fragments of armor that were so “completely preserved” that details of the glove’s design are clearly visible centuries later. Fragments of a glove for the other hand were also found.

“In detail, this is a four-finger glove on the right hand, in which individual iron plates are arranged on top of each other like scales and are connected to each other by rivets on the sides,” the ad says, “Individual components of the glove were attached from the inside with additional rivets to leather or textile lining material, which in turn was sewn onto a textile finger glove.”

Officials noted that the condition of the armor and the rarity of such a find in Switzerland leave a number of unanswered questions, in particular how it came to Kyburg and who it might have belonged to. Five other gloves, which experts believe were forged around the same time as this one, had previously been discovered in other parts of the country, although none were found in such good condition.

A replica of the glove will be on display at Kyburg Castle as part of a permanent exhibition, along with a reconstructed version of the armored glove. As for the original, it will only be shown in the city temporarily for three weeks in autumn 2024, starting with European Heritage Day on 7 September.