Ancient Egyptian princesses were skilled hunters, recovered mummies reveal
Researchers said the women’s bones show repeated weapon use and injuries, challenging claims that the tomb objects were only symbolic.
- On Friday, July 17, 2026, researchers published a study in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology suggesting Ancient Egyptian princesses were skilled with weapons buried in their tombs, challenging the assumption that these items were purely ceremonial.
- Archaeologists rediscovered the remains of six royal individuals in 2020 after the mummies spent 130 years forgotten in a museum box, having been originally excavated in the 1890s from the Dahshur funerary complex.
- Bone analysis reveals robust muscle attachments in the princesses' upper limbs consistent with repetitive actions like pulling a bowstring; Princess Itaweret exhibited signs of skilled archery, while Princess Ita showed evidence of habitual weapon use.
- Bioarchaeologist Sonia Zakrzewski noted that skeletal changes cannot definitively prove specific activities, and experts suggest comparisons with non-elite contemporaries are necessary to confirm these findings.
- Future DNA studies and microscopic analysis may clarify family relationships and life histories, potentially transforming these royal burials into detailed biographies that position these women as active participants in Ancient Egypt's history.
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65 Articles
Long-lost mummies reveal new secrets about ancient Egyptian princesses – UK Times
Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email Elite ancient Egyptian women were skilled archers, and likely trained to wield daggers and maces too, according to a new study of long-lost mummies that “completely challenges the traditional view” that they lived idle lives. It was widely thought that royal women in ancient Egypt led passive…
Study reveals Ancient Egyptian princesses were skilled archers and hunters
Ancient Egyptian princesses who lived nearly 4,000 years ago were not merely buried with ceremonial weapons—they were skilled archers and physically active women who regularly used them, according to a new scientific study. This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com - © 2023 - HeritageDaily
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