Ancient Egyptian princesses were skilled archers, trained with weapons, controversial study claims

A controversial study published in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology in July claims that ancient Egyptian princesses were skilled archers and trained with weapons. Researchers examined six mummies, including four believed to be daughters of Pharaoh Amenemhat II, from the Dahshur funerary complex, dating back nearly 4,000 years. Lead author Dr. Zeinab Hashesh stated, “Members of the royal family, especially the women, were active participants in skilled, physically demanding activities such as archery and hunting,” citing bone development consistent with heavy muscle use and the presence of weapons in their tombs. Princesses Ita, Khenmet, Itaweret, and an anonymous woman were buried with bows and arrows, and Ita's coffin also contained a dagger.

“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,” explained Hashesh.

However, bioarchaeologists not involved in the study challenge these claims, arguing that skeletal changes are not reliable indicators of specific activities and can be influenced by age, body size, genetics, and other repetitive movements. Experts also questioned the reliability of 19th-century labels for identifying the skeletons and noted the lack of a control group for comparison, making it difficult to definitively link skeletal changes to weapon use.