A team of archaeologists studied a number of mummies and grave goods of royal women from Egypt's Middle Kingdom. Interred with these princesses were arrows, bows, daggers, and maces, and archaeologists have long thought that the weapons were included only as ceremonial devices, symbols of the wealth of the women buried there. Testing of the remains of the women found that their bones had developed to withstand heavy muscle use, suggesting that they had been trained in the use of the handheld weapons found in their tombs.

Such women, like their male counterparts, would have used bows and arrows for archery and hunting and daggers and maces for perhaps combat training or even fighting.

Four of the six women studied were sisters or daughters of the pharaoh Amenemhat II, who ruled for 35 years in the 18th Century BCE. Their mummies were in matching burial chambers, found underground.

Alongside the body of Princess Ita was a very ornate dagger. Others known among those found are Princess Itaweret, Princess Khenmet, and Princess Sathathormeryt. Ita, in particular, was found to have strong upper body muscle attachments, and Princess Itaweret showed signs of being a skilled archer.

The archaeologists also found evidence of broken ribs, falls, and hard blows taken. All of the women also showed signs of healing well, suggesting that they had access to expert medical care.

The mummies were found at Dashhur, one of a number of pyramid complexes in the north of Egypt. Dr Zeinab Hashesh, Ahmed Gabr, and Roxie Walker reported the findings in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology.