The man who attached a knife to his body changed his hand in an ancient tomb of 1,500 years

Early evidence of the use of prosthetics has been found in an ancient tomb in the middle of a mysterious cemetery in northern Italy.

The man whose left hand is a knife

According to Science Alert, it is a medieval cemetery dating from the 6th to 8th centuries AD. Archaeologists have found hundreds of human remains, in addition to a headless horse, several greyhounds. The remains of the man mentioned above attract the most attention.

Analysis by a research team led by Dr Ileana Micarelli from Sapienza University in Rome (Italy) showed that the man's hand had been amputated due to an injury, created by a blunt object.

"There is a possibility that the limb was amputated for medical reasons or the forearm was broken due to an accidental fall, resulting in an irreversible fracture. However, given the warrior culture of the ancient Longobards, the loss was due to combat. could also happen," said the paper published in the Journal of Anthropological Sciences.

Closer examination revealed evidence of a form of biomechanical stress that contributes to the characteristic scar tissue pattern, consistent with the extremities of modern-day prosthetics.

There was also obvious wear on the man's teeth, most likely due to his frequent use of his teeth to tighten the belt of an amputee.

In the ancient tomb, scientists found a strange object: a blade, a D-shaped lock and a decomposed organic material lying in the amputated hand of the man.

This hints at a knife mounted on a small leather hat that snaps onto the man's amputated arm - a form of prosthetic arm for a warrior.

Taking a closer look at the remains, the scientists found that the man lived a long time after losing his hand, which is rare in the Middle Ages because in the pre-antibiotic era, he lived a healthy life with only one organ. lost weight is very difficult. Clearly he was well cared for and supported by his family and community.