Ancient Egyptian Princesses May Have Been Warriors

Archaeologists studying royal skeletons from Dahshur, Egypt, dating to around 1900 BC, found evidence suggesting Princess Ita and her sisters were trained to use weapons. A new study published in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology examined the skeletal remains of Amenemhat II’s daughters and revealed muscle attachments consistent with the repetitive motions of archery.

The women were buried with bows, maces, and in one case, a dagger with a lapis lazuli, turquoise, and gold handle. Researchers used osteobiography, the study of a person’s life through their skeleton, to analyze the bones.

While soft tissue has deteriorated, surviving long bones show markers indicating physical activity. Princess Noub-Hotep exhibited bowing in her second metacarpal and was buried with arrows, strengthening the argument that these weapons weren’t merely symbolic.

Fracture patterns suggest a physically demanding lifestyle for these elites. Further research, including DNA analysis and microscopic bone examination, could reveal more about their lives and how they compare to those of common Egyptians.