First medieval female burial with weapons discovered in Hungary

Recent research led by Dr. Balázs Tihanyi and his colleagues, published in PLOS ONE, leads to the positive identification of the first known burial of a woman with a weapon in the Carpathian Basin of Hungary in the 10th century. I did.

The existence of burials of women with weapons has always been a topic of great interest and debate for scholars and the public. However, they are still difficult to interpret because just finding weapons in a woman’s burial site does not automatically make her a warrior. However, past studies have sometimes jumped to conclusions about female warriors without first conducting careful scientific analysis of the remains.

This includes using both morphological and genetic testing whenever possible to initially determine whether the person buried is truly female. Poor conservation and high fragmentation can limit both morphological and genetic approaches. It is important to consider these factors during the interpretation process. In addition, genetic tests could also be contaminated by modern humans, leading to incorrectly identifying the gender of remains.

On the other hand, interpreting whether an individual was a warrior is more complicated, and many studies do not take necessary precautions when interpreting, which can lead to expansive interpretations of warrior burials. Warriors are part of a social and legal class. Many aspects of their lives, such as religion and economy, are hidden in archeology. However, physical markers may remain.

Daily repetition of certain physical activities can cause changes in bone morphology. This includes practice with weapons and horseback riding. Additionally, warriors are more likely to experience physical trauma from war and other conflicts. However, it is important to consider that these changes may be brought about by the non-combatant lifestyle.

Therefore, it is wise not to jump to conclusions just because a weapon has been found in a burial site. Multiple lines of evidence are required to substantiate these claims.

Instance SH-63 was discovered within the Saretudvari Hysoveld cemetery. This cemetery was built in the 10th century AD and is the largest cemetery in Hungary, containing a large number of burials, including weapons and equestrian equipment. It was used during the Hungarian conquest, when many mounted archers led and fought battles throughout Europe.

Dr. Tihani said the burial of SH-63 was unique in its composition of grave goods, even though there were not many particularly “wealthy” grave goods. “Male burials often include functional items such as simple jewelry (e.g., hair rings or bracelets), clothing accessories (e.g., belt buckles), and tools (e.g., fire-starting kits or knives). Their most distinctive grave goods often included weapons, usually archery equipment, with two graves containing sabers and an axe. There is one grave.

“Equestrian equipment and sometimes horse bones (such as skulls and limbs) were also found. In contrast, female burials more often contained jewelry (hair rings, braided ornaments, beaded necklaces, bracelets, etc.). , fingers, etc.) and clothing accessories (e.g., bell buttons and metal ornaments) appeared less frequently as tools such as knives and awls.

“The grave goods found in burial SH-63 had a mix of these characteristics. Compared to other graves in the cemetery, the inventory included common jewelry and clothing accessories. It was simple.”

More specifically, the SH-63 is equipped with a silver semicircular hair ring, three bell buttons, a series of stone and glass beads, an “armor-piercing” arrowhead, an iron section of the quiver, and an antler. It was discovered along with the bow plate.

However, the discovery of archery-related weapons in the burial site was not enough to draw a conclusion. Researchers conducted both morphological and genetic analysis to determine whether the person was female. Although the skeleton was poorly preserved, genetic markers on the skull and various parts of the body indicated that the person buried was a woman. This made her the first woman to be buried with weapons in the Carpathian Basin in the 10th century AD.

However, further morphological examination proved more difficult, Dr. Tihani says. “The poor state of preservation precluded even basic anthropological analysis, such as estimating the age at death or the height of an individual. The ability to identify activity was also limited.”Skeletal changes associated with this may provide insight into lifestyle. ”

Despite these challenges, the team was able to identify signs of osteoporosis, three major injuries, and changes in joint morphology. Osteoporosis is a bone disease that affects both men and women. However, this is more common in older women, indirectly supporting the researchers’ gender determination. The disease would have made physical activity more difficult in later life and made her bones more fragile.

On the other hand, the three major injuries identified on the upper limb bones were likely the result of falling onto an outstretched arm or shoulder. These wounds never fully heal and may have been caused in everyday life.

However, one factor tells us that this woman probably lived a more active life. Changes in various joints and ethers (where bones and muscles attach) were observed. These changes are most noticeable in the upper right part of the body, and similar changes have been found in other graves containing weapons and riding equipment.

This suggests that these individuals, including SH-63, were likely engaged in similar daily activities, which explains the large number of physical traumas seen throughout the Saletudvari Hizofold cemetery. It may be explained.

Although researchers cannot definitively conclude that this woman was a warrior, they can positively identify this as the first known example of a woman being buried with weapons in the Carpathian Basin in the 10th century. Ta.

Further research is needed to determine whether she is truly a special case and whether her social status influenced her burial. This may help answer other questions about daily life in 10th century Hungary.

“Further research, including comparative analysis with other graves in the cemetery, may help clarify these questions. What we can say is that the daily life of Hungarians in the 10th century AD was It was probably much more complex than we had previously imagined, and the characteristics of SH-63’s burial highlight this complexity,” Dr. Tihany said.

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