In 2009, archaeologists in Modena, Italy discovered two skeletons buried holding hands for 1,500 years. Originally assumed to be a romantic couple, a 2019 DNA study revealed both individuals were male—making it the first known burial of two men holding hands from antiquity.
The Hand-Holding Skeletons That Rewrote History
When construction workers in Modena, Italy uncovered two skeletons holding hands in 2009, the discovery seemed to tell a timeless love story. The remains, dating back to the 5th or 6th century AD, were dubbed the "Lovers of Modena" and became an instant sensation—proof that romance transcends even death.
There was just one problem. They weren't lovers. And they weren't a man and a woman.
A Decade-Long Mystery
The skeletons were so deteriorated that archaeologists couldn't determine their sex through traditional bone analysis. For ten years, the world assumed they were gazing upon an ancient Romeo and Juliet, frozen in eternal embrace beneath the streets of what was once the Roman city of Mutina.
The positioning was deliberately intimate. Their bodies were placed facing each other, hands interlocked in a gesture that seemed unmistakably romantic. Whoever buried these two clearly wanted to communicate something profound about their relationship.
The DNA Bombshell
In 2019, researchers at the University of Bologna published findings that stunned the archaeological world. Using a cutting-edge technique that analyzes proteins in tooth enamel, they detected AMELY—a protein found only in males—in both skeletons.
The "Lovers of Modena" were both men, roughly 20 years old when they died.
This made them unique in archaeological history. While hand-holding burials had been discovered before, every previous case involved a male and female pair. The Modena skeletons were the first known burial of two men holding hands from antiquity.
Brothers, Soldiers, or Something Else?
So who were they? The researchers found themselves with more questions than answers. The same cemetery contained 11 other bodies, some bearing war wounds. This suggested several possibilities:
- War comrades who died together in battle and were buried as brothers-in-arms
- Actual brothers or cousins, given their similar ages, united in death by family bonds
- Something more—though researchers are careful not to project modern concepts onto ancient remains
"The burial of two men hand in hand was certainly not a common practice in late antiquity," lead researcher Federico Lugli explained. "We believe that this choice symbolizes a particular relationship existing between the two individuals, but we do not know which type."
Rewriting the Narrative
The discovery forced a reassessment of what we assume when we see ancient remains positioned intimately. The Modena case proves that our modern lens—which reads hand-holding as inherently romantic—may blind us to other forms of profound human connection.
The two young men now rest in the Civic Museum of Modena, their hands still clasped together after 1,500 years. Whatever bond they shared—love, kinship, or the camaraderie of soldiers who faced death together—someone thought it important enough to preserve for eternity.
The name "Lovers of Modena" has stuck, despite everything we now know. Perhaps that's fitting. After all, love takes many forms.