Archaeologists have solved a mystery surrounding a 2,000-year-old grave found on the Isles of Scilly, off the coast of Britain. The burial site, found on Bryher in 1999, has long been a puzzle for archaeologists, as they debated whether it contained the remains of a man or a woman. Excavations of the grave revealed intriguing artefacts such as a sword in a copper alloy scabbard and a shield, which are typically associated with men in ancient warrior burials. Alongside these items, a brooch and a bronze mirror adorned with a sun disc motif were also found, objects commonly linked to women.
After years of investigation, a recent scientific study led by Historic England has put the mystery to rest. The remains in the grave were identified as those of a woman, challenging conventional beliefs about gender roles in iron age Britain.
Determining the individual’s sex proved to be a challenge due to the severe disintegration of the bones, making traditional DNA analysis impossible, The Guardian reported. However, thanks to pioneering biomolecular analysis techniques at the University of California, researchers found a way to extract and analyse proteins from tooth enamel. Dr Glendon Parker, an adjunct associate professor in the Department of environmental toxicology at UC Davis, states, “Our analysis involved extracting traces of proteins from tiny pieces of the surviving tooth enamel. This allowed us to calculate a 96 per cent probability that the individual was female.”
In the context of the iron age, the Guardian report states that warfare was likely characterised by surprise attacks on enemy settlements. The presence of both weaponry and a mirror in the grave hints at their possible role in signalling, communication and coordination during raids. Mirrors might have also held ritualistic significance, serving as tools to communicate with the supernatural world and ensure the success of raids or provide protection to returning warriors.
Dr Sarah Stark, a human skeletal biologist at Historic England, noted that this finding offers evidence of a woman holding a leading role in warfare on the Isles of Scilly during the iron age. The combination of a sword and a mirror suggests she held a high status within her community and may have played a commanding role in organizing or leading raids on rival groups.
This discovery may reshape our understanding of gender dynamics during the iron age, suggesting that female involvement in raiding and violence was more common than previously thought.
The Bryher sword and mirror are currently on exhibit at the Isles of Scilly Museum, where visitors may see these remarkable artefacts that reveal the secret past of female warriors in British history.
