In 1999, archaeologists made an intriguing discovery on an island off the coast of Britain—a 2,000-year-old grave containing a sword and shield typically associated with men, as well as a brooch and mirror typically associated with women, as reported by the Guardian. Despite DNA testing being inconclusive due to the decomposition of the body, recent advancements in biomolecular analysis techniques at the University of California-Davis have now confirmed that this was the burial site of a high-status female warrior according to Historic England.
The breakthrough came from the extraction of proteins from tooth enamel, which showed a 96% probability that the individual was female, as outlined in a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. Professor Glendon Parker from UC Davis explains that tooth enamel contains a protein with links to either the X or Y chromosome, making it a reliable indicator of sex, as reported by NBC News. This finding suggests that women played an active role in warfare on Bryher, part of the Isles of Scilly, between 100BC and 50BC.
The involvement of women in warfare during the Iron Age may have been more common than previously believed. It is even possible that it laid the foundation for the uprising of Iceni warrior queen Boudicca against Roman colonization in AD60, suggests Sarah Stark, a skeletal biologist at Historic England, which funded the study. The items found in the grave indicate that the buried woman may have held a commanding role in local warfare, potentially organizing or leading raids on rival groups. The mirrors discovered could have served as signaling devices during raids or as a means of communication with the supernatural world for the success and spiritual purification of warriors. Similar graves of ancient warrior women have been found in Russia and Sweden.
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