Roman Boxing Gloves Find in UK Is First of Its Kind

A pair of ancient Roman boxing gloves was unearthed at northern England’s Vindolanda site last summer by archaeologists there and is now on display. 

It is the first time a complete glove has ever been found anywhere, and archaeologists spent months trying to figure out what the artifacts were, Newsweek reported. The gloves are leather straps that go across the knuckles and were filled with soft material to cushion the hands while fighting.

One of the specimens was in good condition while the other one was very worn and had been mended with a patch, leading researchers to speculate the owner may have kept it for sentimental reasons after it was no longer useful, Newsweek reported. The two gloves were not thought to be a matching pair.

Roman boxing gloves have been represented on bronze statues, paintings, and sculptures, Vindolanda Trust Director of Excavations Dr. Andrew Birley said in a news release. “To have the privilege of finding two real leather examples is exceptionally special. The hairs stand up on the back of your neck when you realize you have discovered something as astonishing as these boxing gloves.”

The specimens were thought to be for sparring because they lacked the metal inserts used in boxing matches of that time.

The gloves were revealed Tuesday as part of a series of finds at the Vindolanda site, including Roman swords and wooden ink documents that show what everyday life in the Roman Empire was like.

• Roman Coins at Japanese Castle Ruins Startle Archaeologists
• Ancient Roman Cargo on Way for Recycling Pulled From Sea