Hungarian archaeologists have discovered the first burial of a 10th-century female warrior, complete with weapons (photos included).

In Hungary, archaeologists have uncovered the burial of a female warrior, shedding light on gender roles during the period of conquest. Researchers from the University of Szeged and the Institute of Hungarian Studies made this discovery at the Sarretudvari-Hizofold cemetery, which dates back to the 10th century, writes Arkeonews.

The Magyars migrated from the Eurasian steppes to the Lower Danube around 830 A.D., reaching the Carpathian Basin in the 9th or early 10th century. Known for their mounted archers, they established dominance in the region, culminating in the foundation of the Kingdom of Hungary at the end of the century.

Male burials from this era often include a complete set of weapons: bows, quivers, swords, and axes. However, the presence of weapons in female graves has sparked significant scholarly debate, as these findings do not always indicate that the individual was a warrior.

This study focuses on grave No. 63 (SH-63), excavated in the 1980s but recently reanalyzed using modern interdisciplinary methods. Despite the poor condition of the skeleton, genetic analysis confirmed that this individual was a woman.

The grave's contents included a bow with a horn overlay, a quiver, fragments of arrows, a silver hair ring, and a necklace made of glass and semi-precious stones. As noted by the researchers, these findings distinguish this burial from others at the same cemetery.

Previous studies could not confirm the sex of SH-63 due to ambiguous skull features. However, researchers extracted genetic material from the petrous bone, a tooth, and other samples, all of which confirmed that this individual was female. The unique arrangement of the items and the slightly tilted position of the body further highlight this burial as exceptional for its time.

While instances of women being buried with weapons have been documented in earlier periods, such as the Sarmatian and Avar periods, these graves typically contained only one weapon or a symbolic item. The SH-63 burial stands out as the first known case in the region where a woman was interred with a complete set of weapons.

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