Iron hand (prosthesis)

Iron hands are metal prostheses for hands and upper extremities from the Middle Ages and early modern period. These designs combined cosmetic and functional properties. The most famous example of an iron hand was made around the year 1530, being the second prosthetic hand made for the German knight Götz von Berlichingen.

Most iron hands are based on the same constructive principles, although there are considerable differences in complexity. Fingers can be flexed passively (for example using the healthy hand) and are locked in place by a ratchet mechanism, similar to those of contemporary flintlocks. Extension of the fingers works by spring pressure.