3,200-Year-Old Bronze Armor Discovered in Czech Republic

This 13th-century BC breastplate, found in southern Moravia, was found surrounded by a sacrificial burial containing weapons including a battle axe and a harpoon.

A folded fragment of bronze armour found in southern Moravia. /p/div p class=”dropcaps”>Archaeologists in Brno, Czech Republic, have reported finding a rare fragment of late Bronze Age armour, dating back to the era often associated with the Trojan War depicted in Homer's Iliad.

The damaged breastplate was found as part of a burial that also contained a spearhead, a sickle, a bronze pin, an axe, a harpoon and other metal artifacts. The burial itself was discovered in 2023 in an undisclosed location in southern Moravia, thanks to the efforts of both professional archaeologists and amateur metal detectorists.

Experts suggest that the armour and other artefacts were deliberately damaged and placed together, likely as part of a ritual offering.

Seemingly Insignificant Metal Fragment Turns Out to Be Part of Ancient Armor

Brno City MuseumLate Bronze Age treasure found in unknown location in Czech Republic.

At the time of the discovery, archaeologists had no idea that this was part of a suit of armor. The fragment looked like a simple folded, decayed sheet of metal. Only after digitally “unfolding” it using modern 3D scanning did they realize that it was indeed a fragment of a Bronze Age warrior’s breastplate.

“The fragment dates back to 3,200 years ago, which is consistent with the time historians date the Trojan War,” the museum said. “Bronze weapons were the preserve of the military elite at the time, and their creation required exceptional skill.”

The Greek hero Achilles during the Trojan War, depicted wearing armour similar to that found at the site. /p/div

The 3D scan also revealed decorative elements on the bib, including solar symbols around the nipples and triangular patterns in a raised wave pattern.