The Fort of Vindolanda, an important Roman archaeological site in Europe, holds historical significance as one of the earliest Roman garrisons constructed by the Roman army in England.

Located near Hadrian’s Wall, it served as a Roman auxiliary to safeguard the prominent Stanegate highway.

During the excavation season at Vindolanda, a remarkable artifact was unearthed just a few weeks into the process.

The discovery occurred in the uppermost layers of the northern Severan ditch fill, approximately 1.5 meters below the current ground level, Arkeonews reported.

What emerged from the dig was a small yet uncannily lifelike bronze hand, sized for a child.

The hand had been discarded in the ditch, with conservation efforts revealing that it originally possessed an attachment, now absent, inserted into the palm.

Crafted with exceptional skill, particularly on the side facing the palm, the hand’s purpose appears to have been to showcase the object it once held.

The base of the hand is socketed, indicating it was originally affixed to a pole.

Interestingly, the hand was discovered several meters away from a temple dedicated to Jupiter Dolichenus, nestled within the northern wall of the third-century fort at Vindolanda, which was excavated back in 2009.

Written by staff