Ancient Egyptian princesses were skilled archers and hunters – which is why they were buried with bows and other weapons, archaeologists have concluded.

The mummies of the daughters of the pharaoh Amenemhat II were discovered at the cemetery of Dahshur in the north of Egypt in the 1890s but lost until recently, when they were found at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

The women were buried with items such as bows and arrows, which are traditionally associated with men. Princess Ita, one of Amenemhat II’s daughters, was buried with a particularly beautiful dagger.

Although archaeologists initially believed they were merely ceremonial objects, a study of the bodies showed strong muscle attachments, well-developed upper limbs and healed fractures.

It suggested the women were involved in regular hunting or even military training.

“We found pronounced development in the upper limbs of these individuals, which correlates to repetitive, high-intensity actions like pulling a bowstring or stabilising a weapon, proving these activities were habitual throughout their lives,” said Dr Zeinab Hashesh, lead author of the study.

“This directly explains the presence of bows, arrows and maces in the women’s tombs; these were not just symbolic gifts but tools they actively used.”

Amenemhat II was the third king of the 12th dynasty during the Middle Kingdom of Egypt and died in 1895 BC. His daughters, Ita, Itaweret, and Khenmet, were mummified and buried within his pyramid complex.

Although the soft tissue of the mummies had turned to powder, archaeologists were able to use the remaining bones to estimate individuals’ ages at death, height and sex, as well as to uncover evidence of illnesses or injuries.

The robust muscle attachments on the sisters’ bones indicate that they were highly physically active in ways that align with the use of the weapons in their burials.

Princess Ita was aged between 28 and 34 with strong upper-body muscle attachments, suggesting she habitually used weapons such as maces or daggers, analysis showed.

Princess Khenmet died in her late 30s or early 40s and showed signs of thinning bones, but had very robust ligament attachments.

Princess Itaweret was aged between 20 and 34 and had sustained broken ribs and foot fractures. Her skeleton showed she was a skilled archer.

Archaeologists believed that the injuries were probably caused by a blow or a fall from a height, suggesting the women were engaged in the rough and tumble of strenuous activities.

“These injuries were most likely caused by accidents, falls, hard blows or other impacts linked to an active lifestyle, whether through hunting, military training, or other demanding activities,” added Prof Hashesh.

“What is remarkable is that the injuries healed well, which suggests they had access to advanced medical care for their time.

“Members of the royal family, especially the women, were active participants in skilled, physically demanding activities such as archery and hunting.

“This conclusion is supported by the way their bones developed to sustain heavy muscle use, which corresponds directly to the weapons discovered in their tombs.”

Other mummies buried nearby, including Princess Noub-Hotep, showed more evidence that the royal women were proficient archers.

The discovery lends more evidence of equality in ancient Egypt, with records showing that royal women undertook military campaigns, rallied troops, crushed rebellions and led soldiers into battle.

Queen Ahhotep I, Pharaoh Hatshepsut, Queen Nefertiti and Cleopatra were often depicted as strong military leaders.

The research was published in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology.