‘But no living man am I’: Bioarchaeological evaluation of the first-known female burial with weapon from the 10 ^th-century-CE Carpathian Basin

Abstract

Female burials equipped with weapons, a topic of interest among scholars and the general public, remain rare occurrences in archaeological records. The interpretation of such cases requires an interdisciplinary approach and a comprehensive evaluation of the available evidence, particularly regarding the sex and potential lifestyle of the deceased. Consequently, data on specific populations, regions, and time periods remain scarce. For instance, no such case has been reported before concerning the 10 ^th century CE of the Carpathian Basin, known as the Hungarian Conquest period. Our study focuses on an interdisciplinary investigation of a previously known burial, grave No. 63 from the 10 ^th-century-CE cemetery of Sárrétudvari–Hízóföld (eastern Hungary), which represents a unique case with grave goods including jewelry typically associated with females and archery equipment traditionally linked to males. Through archeological, anthropological, and archaeogenetic analyses, we aim to determine if this case represents the first-known female burial with weapon from the 10 ^th-century-CE Carpathian Basin. Despite the poor bone preservation, a factor limiting data recording and evaluation, all analyses consistently indicate that the skeletal remains belonged to a female individual. The burial customs, including weapon equipment composition show analogies with male counterparts in the series. In addition, the pattern of pathological and supposed activity-related changes observed on the bones may have resulted from regular physical activity during her lifetime. In summary, our findings support the identification of this case as the first known female burial with weapon from the 10 ^th-century-CE Carpathian Basin.