Analysis Shows Middle Kingdom Princesses Used Weapons

A new analysis of ancient Egyptian royal mummies has revealed that princesses from the Middle Kingdom were likely skilled in archery and martial arts, actively using the weapons buried with them rather than possessing them as mere ceremonial objects. The findings, published on July 17, 2026, in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, are based on the rediscovered remains of six individuals excavated over a century ago.

The mummies, including five women, were originally unearthed at the Dahshur pyramid complex south of Cairo during excavations in 1894 and 1895. They were later misplaced in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, stored in a single box and forgotten until their rediscovery in 2020 by a research team led by archaeologist Zeinab Hashesh of Beni Suef University. The study focused on the skeletal remains of these individuals, four of whom are believed to be daughters of Pharaoh Amenemhat II, who ruled from approximately 1929 to 1895 B.C.

Detailed osteological examination and X-ray analysis revealed pronounced musculoskeletal development consistent with repetitive, high-intensity physical activity. The researchers found robust muscle attachments in the upper limbs...