Archaeologists Discover Grave of Female Warrior Killed with Axe and Sword in Lori Province

Research of bones discovered in northern Armenia, dating back over 2600 years, indicates that they belonged to a female warrior of the Urartian kingdom. She likely died on the battlefield.

The researchers suggest that such female warriors may have inspired the ancient Greeks in the portrayal of Amazons. The findings were published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.

The remains were unearthed at the Bover 1 cemetery in Lori Province back in 2017. Based on pottery and jewelry, scientists date the burial to the 8th to 6th centuries BC, a period when the Urartian kingdom flourished in present-day Armenia. The kingdom was actively engaging in a policy of conquest until its fall at the end of the 6th century BC due to combined attacks from Scythians, Cimmerians, and Mardians.

The study of the skeleton revealed it belonged to a woman approximately 20 years old. The jewelry suggests a high status of the buried individual. Further investigation allowed scientists to reach another crucial conclusion: the woman was likely also a warrior. The structure of the bones and the injuries indicated that she had well-developed muscles, suggesting she may have been a spear thrower.

According to scientists, the cause of her death was due to other wounds. Specialists discovered at least three serious injuries on her bones, which, based on initial hypotheses, were inflicted by an axe and sword. The archaeologists speculate that these injuries were not inflicted by a single person, concluding that she likely died in battle.