Archeologists find pits full of nothing but severed giant right hands in Egypt

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While excavating a 3,600-year-old palace in the once-great city of Avaris, Egypt, a team of archaeologists unearthed four pits. What’s in the pits? It’s hands.

There are no bodies – just a bunch of dismembered hands. Most of the hands are quite large and some of them are very large, further signifying that they were all taken from adult males, and possibly that ancient Egypt was full of giants.

Thousands of severed large hands found in palace in Egypt. via ArcheologyNews

These 4 ancient hand recycling bins were found in the palace of King Khayan of the Hyksos, a West Asian people who once ruled over part of Northern Egypt – 2 in an outer portion of the palace and 2 just outside the throne room, indicating some ceremonial importance.

So, like, what the hell?

Actually, these large to very large hands are the very first physical evidence archaeologists have found of a practice that’s widely represented in ancient Egyptian art.

Thousands of severed large hands found in palace in Egypt — Hands of giants found buried in pits in ancient Egyptian palace. via ArcheologyNews

Soldiers would lop off the right hands of their enemies and present them to their leaders, who would ceremoniously toss the hands into a pit and then unceremoniously toss each soldier a wealth of gold in exchange.

By taking the right hand, you were symbolically stealing the source of your enemy’s power and literally stealing 50 percent of his ability to flip you off.