Swiss archaeologists have recently announced the discovery of an amazingly pristine medieval gauntlet dating to the 14th-century, unearthed from the excavation sites near the castle in Kyburg's canton Zurich.
A Rare Find around Kyburg Castle
The armor artifact is incredibly rare as only five other gauntlets dated within the same period were found all across Switzerland. In addition, it is considerably well-preserved with many of the intricate designs still quite pronounced despite its age.
The team of archaeologists working on the dig site also found fragments of its other pair, alongside a mold, hammers, keys, and projectile points. The excavation site is believed to have been a blacksmith's workshop.
In total, there are about 25 metal parts per gauntlet with its insides lined with a leather glove which adds extra protection that contributes to the armor piece's flexibility as well as its durability.
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How the Artifacts Were Found
The site was unearthed during the winter season between 2021 and 2022, amidst the team's prior mission to excavate the area after receiving information about a certain medieval weaving cellar just southeast of Kyburg Castle.
The cellar itself was found in the construction site of a private house and is thought to have been decimated by a fire that spread around the 14th century. The blacksmith that used the space most likely created the gauntlet artifacts.
All in all, there were a total of 50 metal objects unearthed from the sites. The gauntlets in particular will have their copy be a part of a permanent exhibition within the Kyburg Castle, alongside a faithful recreation of the armor that the handpiece belonged to.
That said, the original will still be showcased, but only for a limited run of three weeks on this year's September. Before that, the archaeologists will examine the artifact in detail to learn more about its overall history.
The team is also hopeful that insights learned from this will finally determine why such findings are so rare. However, the working theory is that only a few armor pieces like this last because all the other ones were melted and recycled into new metalworks.
