Scientists in Austria recently revealed a secret bigger than
Victoria's. While excavating Lengberg Castle in 2008, a group of
archaeologists led by the University of Innsbruck's Dr. Harald
Stadler unearthed a sack from a recess in the floor. Inside,
they found underwear, shoes and four linen pieces that looked
like bras. Many people believe the modern bra was invented after
corsets, and was a revolutionary result of late 19th and early
20th century style and engineering. But the "treasure chest" of
chest wear suggests that the bra as we know it is just the most
recent overhaul in a long line of similarly shaped breast
supports. "(The find) reminds people not to assume we already
know everything, and to keep an open mind to possible new
discoveries about our history," said Beatrix Nutz, a member of
Stadler's team who he commissioned to research the textiles in
2009. "I don't think they quite revolutionize the history of
underwear, but this find certainly will modify it," says Valerie
Steele, director and chief