First medieval female burial with weapons discovered in Hungary

A) Silhouette of the skeleton of SH-63 (drawing by Luca Kis based on the original field drawing by Ibolya M. Nepper); B) Illustration of the burial based on archaeological, anthropological, and archaeogenetic data (drawing by Luca Kis). Credit: PLOS ONE (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313963

A recent study led by Dr. Balázs Tihanyi and his colleagues, published in PLOS ONE, has led to the positive identification of the first-known female burial with weapons in the 10th-century Carpathian Basin, Hungary.

The existence of female burials with weapons has always been a topic of great interest and debate for scholars and the general public. However, interpreting them remains challenging, for simply finding weapons within a female burial site does not automatically equate that female to a warrior. However, past studies have sometimes rushed to conclusions about female warriors without first conducting a careful scientific analysis of the remains.

This includes using both morphological and genetic testing whenever possible to first determine if the individual interred is indeed female. Both morphological and genetic approaches can be limited due to low preservation and high fragmentation. It is important to take these factors into account during the interpretation process. Additionally, genetic tests may also become contaminated by modern humans, thus leading to false identification of the sex of the remains.

Meanwhile, interpreting whether an individual was a warrior is even more complex, and many studies do not take the necessary precautions when interpreting them, possibly leading to the overinterpretation of warrior burials. Warriors are part of a social and legal class. Many aspects of their lives, including religion and economics, are hidden in archaeology. However, some physical markers may remain.

Certain physical activities, if repeated on a daily basis, may lead to changes in bone morphology. This includes practicing with weapons or horse riding. Additionally, warriors are often likely to experience physical trauma due to warfare or other conflict. However, it is important to consider these changes may also result from a non-warrior lifestyle.

Therefore, it is prudent not to jump to conclusions simply because one finds weapons within a burial. Multiple lines of evidence are needed to substantiate these claims.

The individual SH-63 was found within the Sárrétudvari–Hízóföld cemetery, which is the largest 10th-century-CE cemetery in Hungary and contains a large number of burials containing weapons and horse-riding equipment. It was in use during the Hungarian Conquest period, in which many mounted archers conducted and fought battles across Europe.

Despite not having many particularly "wealthy" grave goods, the burial of SH-63 was unique for its grave goods composition, says Dr. Tihanyi. "Male burials often contained functional items, such as simple jewelry (e.g., penannular hair rings and bracelets), clothing fittings (e.g., belt buckles), and tools (e.g., fire-lighting kits and knives). Their most distinctive grave goods included weapons, usually archery equipment, with two graves containing sabers and one grave containing an axe.

"Horse-riding equipment and, in some cases, horse bones (e.g., skull and extremities) were also found. Female burials, in contrast, more frequently contained jewelry (e.g., hair rings, braid ornaments, bead necklaces, bracelets, and finger rings) and clothing fittings (e.g., bell buttons and metal ornaments). Tools, such as knives and awls, appeared less often.

"The grave goods found in the burial of SH-63 contained a mix of these characteristics. Compared to other graves in the cemetery, its inventory was relatively simple, including common jewelry and clothing fittings." 

The skeletal remains discovered in grave No. 63. A) Photo indicating the current state of preservation of the bones; and B) Photo of the burial No. 63 in situ. Credit: Photo A by Luca Kis, Photo B by Ibolya M Nepper, edited by Luca Kis, from PLOS ONE (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313963

More specifically, SH-63 was found together with a silver penannular hair ring, three bell buttons, a string of stone and glass beads, an "armor-piercing" arrowhead, iron parts of a quiver, and an antler bow plate.

However, simply finding archery-related weapons within the burial was not enough to draw conclusions; the researchers conducted both morphological and genetic analyses to determine if the individual was female. Despite the skeleton's poor preservation, the skull and genetic markers from different regions in the body indicated the interred was a female. This made her the first-known female to be buried with weapons in the Carpathian Basin during the 10th century CE.

However, further morphological testing proved more challenging, says Dr. Tihanyi. "The poor preservation hindered our ability to conduct even basic anthropological analyses, such as the estimation of age at death and stature of the individual. It also limited our ability to identify pathological conditions (e.g., infections, traumas, or metabolic disorders) or activity-related skeletal changes that could provide insights into lifestyle."

Despite these challenges, the team was able to determine signs of osteoporosis, three major traumas, and changes in joint morphology. Osteoporosis is a bone disease that affects both males and females; however, it is more common in older females, thus indirectly supporting the researchers' sex determination. This disease would have made physical activity late in life more difficult and her bones more brittle.

Meanwhile, the three major traumas identified in the upper limb bones were likely the result of a fall onto an outstretched arm or onto the shoulder. These injuries never fully healed and could have been caused in daily life.

However, one factor does speak to the woman perhaps having lived a more active life. Various joint and ethereal (where bones and muscles attach) changes were observed. These changes were most prominently observed in the upper right-hand side of the body, and similar changes have been found in other graves containing weapons and/or horse-riding equipment.

This suggests these individuals, including SH-63, were likely engaged in similar daily activities, which may, in turn, explain the high number of physical traumas seen throughout the Sárrétudvari-Hízóföld cemetery.

While the researchers cannot definitively conclude the female was a warrior, they were able to positively identify this as the first-known instance in which a female was buried together with weaponry in the Carpathian Basin during the 10th century.

Further research is needed to determine if she is indeed a singular case and if her social standing informed her interment. This could help answer other questions about daily life in Hungary during the 10th century.

"Further investigations, including comparative analyses with other graves in the cemetery, may help clarify these questions. What we can say is that the everyday life among Hungarians in the 10th century CE was likely far more complex than we previously imagined. The unique combination of features in the burial of SH-63 highlights this complexity," states Dr. Tihanyi. 

by Sandee Oster , Phys.org

Source: First medieval female burial with weapons discovered in Hungary