Science

Ancient Egyptian princesses were active weapon users, bone analysis suggests

A study of Middle Kingdom mummies from Dahshur indicates that royal women engaged in repetitive, strenuous physical training like archery.

Updated Aug 30, 2026 · 15:20 UTC1 reports

The short version

Researchers analyzing six Middle Kingdom royal mummies from Dahshur found bone developments indicating they regularly used weapons like bows, maces, and daggers.
The findings challenge the traditional archaeological assumption that weapons found in these royal women's tombs were merely ceremonial.
The skeletal remains also revealed healed fractures and physical trauma, suggesting the princesses had active lifestyles and access to advanced medical care.

Researchers studied the remains of six royal individuals from Dahshur, including four sister princesses who were daughters of Pharaoh Amenemhat II, Princess Noub-Hotep, and King Hor.[ScienceDaily]
The studied remains were originally excavated in the 1890s, misplaced from scholarly attention, and identified again in the Egyptian Museum in 2020.[ScienceDaily]
The tombs of the princesses contained weapons, including bows, arrows, maces, and an ornate dagger.[ScienceDaily]
Skeletal analysis revealed highly developed upper-body muscle and ligament attachments, which researchers say match the repetitive physical strain of drawing bowstrings or using heavy weapons.[ScienceDaily]
Princess Itaweret's skeleton showed healed rib and foot fractures, indicating she survived significant trauma and received effective medical care for her time.[ScienceDaily]
The sisters shared rare spinal abnormalities, which researchers attribute to close relation among their parents and the broader royal family.[ScienceDaily]

The princesses' skulls were lost during the early 1900s, which limits the scope of potential physical and cranial analyses.[ScienceDaily]
One of the four sisters, tentatively identified as Princess Sathathormeryt, remains unidentified with absolute certainty.[ScienceDaily]