Analyses of remains from ancient Egyptian princesses, preserved in their skeletons, indicate that members of the royal family engaged in rigorous physical exercise, such as hunting and using bows and arrows. This contradicts the previous view that the weapons found in their tombs held only symbolic meaning. This conclusion was presented in an article published in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology last Thursday, the 16th.
The research focused on six royal mummies recovered from the funerary complex of Dahshur, the site where royalty was buried about four thousand years ago. Scientists investigated marks on the bones, signs of old injuries, and the funerary items associated with each person.
Researchers observed that the muscle development found in the skeletons aligns with the repetitive movements required to handle weapons. Furthermore, healed fractures and other evidence point to an extremely active routine, combined with access to medical treatments considered advanced for that era.
The work concentrated on six royal mummies discovered in Dahshur in the late nineteenth century. These remains were lost for a considerable time until they were rediscovered during a curation project carried out at the Egyptian Museum in 2020. Among the individuals examined were four sisters identified as daughters of Pharaoh Amenemhat II, along with Princess Noub-Hotep and King Hor.
These princesses were buried with objects typically associated with the male sphere, such as bows, arrows, maces, and a dagger found in Princess Ita's sarcophagus. For a long time, archaeologists debated whether such artifacts were mere symbols of status or if they reflected practices experienced by women.
The new analysis supports the latter theory. Researchers detected well-developed muscle insertions in the upper limbs, consistent with high-intensity repetitive movements, such as drawing a bow or keeping a weapon steady during use.
Zeinab Hashesh, the study's lead author, emphasized that the bone characteristics confirm the link between the funerary objects and the routine of these women. She stated that 'Members of the royal family, especially women, actively participated in specialized and physically demanding activities, such as archery and hunting.'
Hashesh further detailed that bone growth accompanies the effort required for the constant use of these weapons. She explained: 'We found marked development in the upper limbs of these individuals, which corresponds to repetitive and intense actions, such as pulling a bowstring or stabilizing a weapon, demonstrating that these activities were part of their routine throughout life.'
Beyond muscular adaptations, specialists identified several already consolidated injuries. Princess Itaweret, for example, survived rib and foot bone fractures. The team assessed that these injuries could have been caused by falls, impacts, or other accidents related to a physically demanding lifestyle.
The examinations also showed signs of infections, nutritional deficiencies, and unusual spinal changes present in the four sisters. The authors suggest this may indicate a high degree of kinship among their parents and other family members.
Commenting on the results, Hashesh mentioned that the good healing of the fractures indicates that the royal members had access to adequate medical care. She observed: 'What is most notable is that these injuries healed satisfactorily, suggesting access to advanced medical care for that period.'
The authors acknowledge that the potential of the research was limited by the loss of the princesses' skulls, which disappeared in the early twentieth century. Additionally, planned analyses, such as stable isotope tests, have not yet been conducted and could expand knowledge about the diet and living conditions of these individuals.
The team plans to deepen the investigation to reconstruct aspects of the trajectory of these historical figures, including their family relationships, health status, and possible political roles. As highlighted by Hashesh, the objective also includes the preservation of the remains, the creation of three-dimensional replicas for educational purposes, and the reunion of the skeletons with the objects found in their tombs for future exhibitions, always respecting the original funerary context.
Scientists studied the remains of six individuals discovered in the Dashur necropolis. These remains, dating from between 1850 and 1700 BCE, belonged to King Amutibre Hor, four princesses, and one other woman.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, demonstrated that women from the Egyptian royal family likely practiced archery regularly and possibly other military exercises, as indicated by changes on their bones.
The Dashur necropolis is located near Cairo and is part of ancient Memphis, which long served as the capital of Ancient Egypt. This complex includes numerous elite tombs and pyramids built during the Old, Middle Kingdoms, and the Second Intermediate Period. Among the known structures are the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid, the construction of which is attributed to Pharaoh Sneferu, founder of the Fourth Dynasty.
Systematic excavations in Dashur were conducted in the late 19th century by the Frenchman Jean-Jacques de Morgan, who headed the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt. Under his direction, researchers worked in the pyramids of Amenemhat II and Amenemhat III and their surroundings in 1894–1895. It was there that the undisturbed tomb of the Thirteenth Dynasty king Amutibre Hor (18th century BCE) and the burial of several members of the royal family, including princesses Nub-Hotep, Itu, Henmet, and Itaveret, were found.
Zainab Hashesh from Ben-Suef University, together with colleagues from the UK and Egypt, presented the results of the analysis of the remains of King Amutibre Hor, four princesses, and one other woman. Anthropological and paleopathological analysis allowed for an assessment of the level of physical strain, as well as the study of black substance found on the bones of five out of the six individuals. Researchers determined that the oldest in this group were King Amutibre Hor and Princess Nub-Hotep, who lived for about 40–44 years, while the youngest woman died at over twenty years of age.
Traces of resins used by embalmers were found on the bones of five known individuals. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed that in all cases it was resin, but only juniper resin was identified on the bones of Princess Itu, while in the other cases it was a mixture of frankincense and juniper resin. The authors suggest that these resins were brought to Egypt from southern regions such as Nubia or Punt.
Bone analysis showed that belonging to the elite did not protect people from childhood physiological problems; traces of healed injuries, degenerative diseases, and congenital anomalies were observed on the remains of many, including the king. Nevertheless, the most attention was drawn to the discovery of signs of regular and serious physical exertion in the king and several princesses. According to the authors, Egyptian princesses of the Middle Kingdom or Second Intermediate Period regularly trained in archery and other combat exercises. This opinion is supported by the findings of weapons in the burials: a set of bow arrows was found in Nub-Hotep's tomb, and a bronze dagger with an ornate handle was found in the burial of Princess Ita.
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