Egyptian princesses’ skeletons reveal lives of archery and hunting

By Stephen Beech

Egyptian princesses were skilled archers 4,000 years ago, reveals new research.

Strong muscle attachments and healed fractures show that the pharaoh's daughters could use the weapons they were buried with, say scientists.

For decades, experts have disputed whether weapons found in the burial chambers of some ancient Egyptian princesses were practical tools or simply symbolic.

Now a reassessment of five royal women's mummies, published in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, has shown that some princesses buried with weapons could actually use them.

Study lead author Zeinab Hashesh said: "Members of the royal family, especially the women, were active participants in skilled, physically demanding activities such as archery and hunting.

"This conclusion is supported by the way their bones developed to sustain heavy muscle use, which corresponds directly to the weapons discovered in their tombs."

The research team studied six royal mummies found at Dahshur, a funerary complex of pyramids and shaft tombs, in the 1890s.

The mummies had been lost for years, but were rediscovered in the Egyptian Museum during a curation project in 2020.

Four of the six were sisters, daughters of the pharaoh Amenemhat II, buried in matching underground chambers: Princess Ita next to Princess Khenmet, and Princess Itaweret alongside an anonymous woman provisionally identified as Princess Sathathormeryt.

They were buried with items including bows and arrows which are traditionally associated with men.

Hashesh said: "Princess Ita's coffin contained a particularly beautiful dagger.

"Similar regalia was buried with the other two royals evaluated: Princess Noub-Hotep and King Hor.

Although all six had been carefully mummified, the soft tissue had turned into powder, and some of the bones weren't preserved.

"Unfortunately, this includes the princesses' skulls, which were lost in the early 1900s."

But she says the remaining bones were in good condition, which allowed archaeologists to estimate individuals' age at death, height and sex, as well as to uncover evidence of illnesses or injuries.

Hashesh said: "Princess Ita was a young woman aged between 28 and 34 with strong upper-body muscle attachments, suggesting she habitually used weapons like maces or daggers.

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"Princess Khenmet was a woman in her late 30s or 40s who showed signs of thinning bones, but had very robust ligament attachments.

"Princess Itaweret was a young woman aged between 20 and 34 who survived broken ribs and foot fractures; her skeleton shows she was a skilled archer."

She says the "robust" muscle attachments on the sisters' bones indicate that they were "highly physically active" in ways that align with the use of the weapons in their burials.

Similar evidence shows that Princess Noub-Hotep and King Hor were also archers.

Hashesh, of Beni-Suef University, Egypt, said: "We found pronounced development in the upper limbs of these individuals, which correlates to repetitive, high-intensity actions like pulling a bowstring or stabilizing a weapon, proving these activities were habitual throughout their lives.

"This directly explains the presence of bows, arrows, and maces in the women's tombs; these were not just symbolic gifts but tools they actively used."

Injuries, such as Princess Itaweret's broken ribs — probably caused by a blow or a fall from a height — were common, while several individuals had infections and nutritional deficiencies.

The sisters also shared rare spinal abnormalities, which indicates that their parents and wider family were closely related.

Hashesh said: "These injuries were most likely caused by accidents, falls, hard blows, or other impacts linked to an active lifestyle, whether through hunting, military training, or other demanding activities.

"What is remarkable is that the injuries healed well, which suggests they had access to advanced medical care for their time."

The research team said that the loss of the princesses' skulls limited their analysis.

They also haven't yet been able to conduct all the analyses they intend to, including stable isotope analysis which could shed more light on possible nutritional deficiencies.

Hashesh said: "Our dream would be to go far beyond simply identifying the Dahshur royals.

"We would try to tell their full life stories, their families, health, and even their political roles, with as much detail as possible.

"Beyond the science, we would preserve the remains, create 3D prints for teaching and virtual exhibitions, and display them alongside their jewelry, weapons, and funerary objects.

"All of this would be done with respect, ensuring the remains are presented ethically, just as they were originally buried."

She added: "Their objects and jewelry are truly fascinating, breathtaking in their craftsmanship.

"Yet, while archaeologists have long focused on preserving these treasures, the people themselves were often forgotten.

"Our study seeks to change that."