Archaeologists Discover Likely Evidence of Amazons in Azerbaijan

[Cet article a initialement été publié le 28 mars 2024]

The Amazons, these enigmatic warriors of ancient Greece, described by Homer and immortalized in epics, have long oscillated between myth and possible historicity. Recently, excavations led by a team led by historian Betany Hughes in Azerbaijan have uncovered burials dating from the Bronze Age.

These tombs, attributed to women buried with weapons of war such as arrows, bronze daggers and masses, provide tangible evidence suggesting the real existence of Amazons. These discoveries, echoing a female warlike practice through Eurasia, question the traditional perceptions of gender roles in ancient societies and open up new avenues for reflection on the history of civilizations.

“Amazons” discovered in Azerbaijan?

In Nakhchivan, a remote region of Azerbaijan, archaeologists have uncovered a funerary site dating from the Bronze Age. They revealed extraordinary discoveries. The burials contained the remains of women accompanied by weapons of war: sharp arrows, bronze daggers, and masses.

These objects are typically associated with the warriors of the time. They indicate a lifestyle and a warrior status. The presence of these weapons with female remains is significant. She challenges traditional perceptions of gender roles in ancient societies.

These data suggest that these women were not only trained in combat, but that they actively participated. The dating of these tombs, estimated at around 4000 years, places these warriors in a historical context which corresponds to the period when the Amazons were supposed to have lived according to the Greek myths.

These artifacts represent tangible evidence of the existence of combatants who would correspond to the mythical image of Amazons. This discovery in Nakhchivan considerably enriches our understanding of the cultures of the Bronze Age.

She calls into question the established historical accounts. Thus, beyond their archaeological importance, these discoveries invite a broader reflection on the history of civilizations and the role of warrior women in antiquity.

Concrete evidence of the existence of Amazons?

Historian Betany Hughes highlighted the deep meaning of his recent discoveries in Azerbaijan, in an interview with the newspaper The Guardian. She claims that these burials provide “concrete evidence” to support the legends surrounding the Amazons.

In particular those described in Greek mythological stories. Hughes particularly draws attention to bone deformations found on some of the female exhumed female skeletons. These anomalies, she said, can only be explained by a regular and intensive practice of the archery. She specifies: ” Their fingers are deformed because they use many arrows. Changes in the finger joints would not only occur because of hunting. It is an important and sustained practice ».

In addition, other modifications reflect a significant physical adaptation to the practice of the cavalry. The women's basin seemed to have widened. These women therefore led a lifestyle of warlike riders … A profile which surprisingly corresponds to the description of the Amazons of Greek mythology.

She said these evidence was all the more significant when they were linked to previous discoveries. In 2019, the remains of four warriors buried with arrows and spears were discovered in Russia. In 2017, Armenian archaeologists uncovered the remains of a woman who seemed to be died of combat injuries, an arrow tip being buried in her leg.

In the early 1990s, the remains of a woman was discovered with a dagger near the Kazakhe border. Hughes explains: ” A civilization is not made up of a single grave. If we are talking about a culture that crosses the Caucasus and the steppe, as all the ancients said, we obviously need other vestiges ».

A transcultural phenomenon

All these discoveries then reveal an extended network of companies where women played an active and recognized role in the fight. These finds suggest the existence of a transcultural phenomenon, where groups of women, armed and trained, participated in the defense and expansion of their communities.

These discoveries shake conventional narrations. These tend to marginalize the role of women in military activities. Recent studies rather suggest that these warriors seemed integrated and valued within their culture. Thus, these warriors do not represent cultural anomalies or exceptions, but are a reflection of a much more nuanced historical reality.

The recent discovery of these bronze age warriors is revolutionizing our perception of traditional roles attributed to sexes in ancient history. These women were handling the bow and riding with as much competence and bravery as their male counterparts.

They offer living proof that rigid gender distinctions in warrior activities are not universal to all cultures. Instead of relegating the Amazons to the rank of myth or a simple literary fantasy, these archaeological finds place them firmly at the heart of our historical story. They testify to female resilience.

In this, they not only celebrate the power and independence of women in ancient societies. They also invite a wider reflection on the way we understand and teach history. This then underlines the need to recognize and integrate the diversity of human experiences through the ages. Discoveries will be revealed in a new series of Channel 4. It will start on April 6 and will have the title “The treasures of the world of Betany Hughes”.

Source: The Guardian