For many years, archaeologists have debated why weapons such as bows, arrows, and daggers were buried with some ancient Egyptian princesses.
Were these simply symbols of royal status, or had the women actually used them during their lives?
A new study suggests the answer is far more surprising: some royal women were skilled archers and weapon users whose active lifestyles left clear marks on their bones.
The research, published in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, examined the remains of six members of Egypt’s royal family who lived during the Middle Kingdom around 4,000 years ago.
The findings challenge long-held assumptions about the roles of royal women in ancient Egypt.
The mummies were originally discovered in the 1890s at Dahshur, a royal burial site known for its pyramids and underground tombs. However, after their discovery, the remains were misplaced for decades and were only rediscovered in the Egyptian Museum during a museum curation project in 2020.
Four of the individuals were sisters and daughters of Pharaoh Amenemhat II. They had been buried in matching underground chambers alongside valuable objects, including bows, arrows, and finely crafted weapons.
One princess, Ita, was buried with an especially elegant dagger. Because such items have traditionally been linked to men, many researchers believed they were ceremonial rather than practical.
To investigate further, the research team carefully examined the surviving bones. Although the mummies had been expertly preserved, their soft tissues had long since turned to dust, and some bones—including all of the skulls—had been lost more than a century ago. Even so, enough of the skeletons remained to estimate each person’s age, height, sex, health, and physical activity.
The bones revealed striking evidence of lives filled with physical effort.
Princess Ita, who died between the ages of about 28 and 34, had unusually strong muscle attachment points in her upper body, suggesting she regularly used weapons such as daggers or maces. Princess Khenmet, who lived into her late 30s or 40s, showed signs of bone thinning but also had powerful ligament attachments, indicating she remained physically active despite aging.
Princess Itaweret, who died between the ages of 20 and 34, had healed fractures in her ribs and foot. Her skeleton also displayed features consistent with someone who practiced archery over many years. The researchers found similar evidence in another royal woman, Princess Noub-Hotep, as well as King Hor.
According to the researchers, the unusually well-developed bones in the upper arms and shoulders point to repeated, demanding movements such as drawing a bowstring or holding a weapon steady. These patterns develop over many years, making it unlikely that the weapons were merely symbolic burial gifts.
The skeletons also revealed signs of infections, nutritional deficiencies, and several healed injuries, including broken bones that likely resulted from falls or other accidents. The fact that these injuries healed successfully suggests the royals received surprisingly advanced medical care for their time.
The researchers also discovered rare spinal abnormalities shared by the royal sisters, which may indicate that their parents were closely related, a practice known to have occurred within some ancient royal families.
Although the missing skulls limit what can be learned, the team hopes future studies will uncover even more about these individuals. They plan to use additional scientific techniques to investigate their diets, family relationships, health, and possible political roles.
The researchers also hope to create 3D models of the remains for education and museum displays, allowing visitors to appreciate not only the beautiful jewelry and weapons buried with these princesses, but also the remarkable women who once used them.
Source: KSR.
