Ancient Egyptian princesses who lived nearly 4,000 years ago were not merely buried with ceremonial weapons—they were skilled archers and physically active women who regularly used them, according to a new scientific study.
The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, challenges long-held assumptions that weapons found in the tombs of royal women were purely symbolic. Instead, evidence preserved in the princesses’ skeletons suggests they took part in demanding activities such as archery, hunting and military-style training.
The international research team examined the remains of six members of Egypt’s Middle Kingdom royal family, including four daughters of Pharaoh Amenemhat II, whose tombs were discovered at Dahshur during excavations in the 1890s. Although the mummies were thought to have been lost for decades, they were rediscovered during a curation project at the Egyptian Museum in 2020.
The royal women were originally buried in matching underground chambers containing prestigious grave goods, including bows, arrows, maces and daggers—weapons traditionally associated with elite male warriors. Among the most striking finds was the finely crafted dagger buried with Princess Ita.
Lead researcher Dr Zeinab Hashesh said the skeletal evidence demonstrates that these women were accustomed to physically demanding activities throughout their lives.
“Our findings show that members of the royal family, especially the women, actively participated in skilled activities such as archery and hunting,” Hashesh said. “Their bones developed in ways that reflect sustained, heavy muscle use, directly matching the weapons discovered in their tombs.”
Although the mummies’ soft tissues had deteriorated and their skulls were lost during the early twentieth century, the surviving bones were well preserved, allowing researchers to estimate age, stature and sex while documenting evidence of injuries, disease and muscular development.
Princess Ita, who died between the ages of 28 and 34, displayed exceptionally strong muscle attachment points in her upper body, indicating regular use of weapons such as daggers and maces.
Her sister, Princess Khenmet, who lived into her late 30s or 40s, showed evidence of bone thinning but also possessed unusually robust ligament attachments, suggesting continued physical activity despite age-related changes.
Meanwhile, Princess Itaweret, aged between 20 and 34 at death, had survived multiple injuries, including fractured ribs and broken bones in her foot. Her skeleton also exhibited the distinctive upper-body development associated with experienced archers.
The study found similar evidence in the remains of Princess Noub-Hotep and King Hor, suggesting that archery was a common skill among members of Egypt’s royal household during the Middle Kingdom.
Researchers concluded that the pronounced muscle development in the upper limbs reflects repetitive, high-intensity movements required for drawing a bowstring and handling weapons, indicating these activities formed part of daily life rather than ceremonial display.
The analysis also revealed that injuries were relatively common among the royal individuals. Healed fractures, including Itaweret’s broken ribs—likely resulting from a fall or heavy impact—suggest they led active lives despite their elite status. Several skeletons also showed evidence of infections and nutritional deficiencies.
Interestingly, the four royal sisters had rare spinal abnormalities, a finding that was found to be related to close family relations and intermarriage in Egypt’s royal dynasty.
Even with the adversity, the researchers said injuries had healed well and the princesses were able to gain advanced medical treatment for their time.
The team hopes future work, which includes stable isotope measurements and imaging methods, will provide a better understanding of the royals’ diets, health, family relationships and political roles.
Moreover, they aim to preserve the remains using digital technologies like high-resolution 3D models for research, education and virtual exhibitions, in addition to reconstructing the lives of the Dahshur royals. Members of the reconstructed individuals would also want to display the reconstructed individuals alongside their jewellery, weapons and funerary items to see better the history of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt and show a more complete picture.
The study represents a significant shift in the interpretation of royal burials, placing the individuals themselves—not just the treasures buried with them—at the centre of archaeological research, and highlighting the active roles elite women played in ancient Egyptian society.
Header Image Credit : Sameh Abdel Mohsen
Sources : Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology – https://doi.org/10.3389/fearc.2026.1844402
