Amazon warrior women: more than mere figures in Greek legends, say archeologists after having unearthed graves of women buried with weapons in recent excavations in Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan
According to Greek legends, the Amazons were renowned and formidable female warriors who resided on the outskirts of the known world, on the island of Themyscira. These women were believed to be the offspring of Ares, the mighty God of War.
The Amazons feature in various stories, including the tale of Hercules, who was tasked with acquiring the enchanted girdle of the Amazonian queen Hippolyte as part of his twelve labors. In another legend, the warrior Achilles killed Queen Penthesilea, only to be captivated by her beauty when her helmet was removed.
These horseback-riding, bow-wielding nomads, who fought and hunted just like men, have long been shrouded in myth, but archaeologists are discovering increasing evidence that they really did exist, as reported by The Guardian.
Excavations carried out in a Bronze Age necropolis located in Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan, have yielded intriguing findings. The graves contained the remains of women buried alongside weapons such as razor-sharp arrowheads, a bronze dagger, and a mace, as well as jewelry.
Archaeologists have concluded that they could have been Amazon women who lived 4,000 years ago. The fearsome warriors were renowned in ancient Greek mythology for their all-female society and their exceptional skills on the battlefield, particularly in archery.
Historian Bettany Hughes, interviewed by the Observer, noted the significance of this evidence in corroborating the myths and legends of ancient Greece.
Hughes said: “A civilisation isn’t made up of a single grave. If we’re talking about a culture that crosses the Caucasus and the Steppe, which is what all the ancients said, obviously you need other remains.”
The upcoming Channel 4 series titled "Bettany Hughes' Treasures of the World," set to air in April, will feature the recently discovered Amazonian finds. One episode of the series, titled "Silk Roads and the Caucasus," will focus on a region that has been a crossroads of cultures and civilizations for centuries, where trade routes connected Asia and Europe.
In the documentary, Bettany Hughes expresses excitement about the emerging evidence and describes these discoveries as "brilliant bits of evidence" that are gradually being unearthed. She highlights that such stories often unfold slowly, with the most compelling narratives gradually revealing themselves through archaeological finds.
