New analysis of ancient Egyptian royal remains suggests that princesses were not confined to sedentary lives but were instead physically active participants in demanding activities such as hunting and weaponry use. The study, published in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, examined the skeletal remains of six royal individuals from Egypt's Middle Kingdom, nearly 4,000 years ago.
Researchers focused on the points where ligaments attach to bones, identifying pronounced development in the upper limbs. This suggests a lifetime of repetitive, high-intensity actions consistent with drawing a bow or handling weapons like daggers and maces. Dr. Zeinab Hashesh, the study's lead author and an archaeologist at Beni-Suef University, stated that these findings correspond directly with weaponry discovered in the tombs of these princesses.
One of the analyzed individuals, Princess Ita, who lived between the ages of 28 and 34, exhibited strong upper-body muscle attachments indicative of habitual weapon use. Princess Khenmet, who was in her late 30s or 40s, also showed robust ligament development, despite some bone thinning. Princess Itaweret, aged between 20 and 34, demonstrated evidence of being a skilled archer and had sustained injuries including broken ribs and foot fractures.
These discoveries challenge the traditional perception of elite ancient Egyptian women leading passive lives of luxury. The presence of items like bows, arrows, and maces in their tombs, the study suggests, indicates these were tools actively used rather than mere symbolic gifts. The findings imply that high social status could expand or redefine expected gender roles in ancient Egypt.
The royal mummies originally found at the Dahshur funerary complex in the 1890s were rediscovered in 2020 at the Egyptian Museum. Among them were believed to be four daughters of Pharaoh Amenemhat II: Princess Khenmet, Princess Itaweret, Princess Ita, and Princess Sathathormeryt.
While the study proposes that these princesses may have participated in big game hunts, displayed power through weaponry, or even protected the court, some experts caution against definitive conclusions. Bioarchaeologist Sonia Zakrzewski noted that while skeletal analysis shows repeated muscle use, the exact cause remains uncertain and cannot be solely attributed to weaponry. However, she acknowledged the value of such forensic work in understanding the lives of these ancient individuals.