A digital reconstruction has brought to life a woman from late bronze age Mycenae, revealing her face for the first time in over 3,500 years.
A digital reconstruction has brought to life a woman from late bronze age Mycenae, revealing her face for the first time in over 3,500 years.
The woman was in her mid-30s when she was buried in a royal cemetery between the 16th and 17th centuries BC. The site was uncovered in the 1950s on the Greek mainland at Mycenae, the legendary seat of Homer’s King Agamemnon.
Mycenae was an ancient city in Greece, located near modern-day Argos.
It flourished during the Late Helladic period (1600-1100 BCE) and became a significant cultural and economic center.
The city's strategic location allowed for trade with neighboring regions and the control of the surrounding area.
Mycenae is famous for its Cyclopean walls, built using massive stone blocks without mortar, which were once thought to be impossible to construct.
Archaeological excavations have uncovered palaces, tombs, and artifacts that provide valuable insights into the lives of ancient Greeks.
A Royal Woman from a Legendary Kingdom
Facial reconstruction technology has enabled us to gaze into the face of a woman who lived before the Trojan war. This woman died around the beginning of the late bronze age, several hundred years before the supposed date of the Trojan war.
The Trojan War was a pivotal event in ancient Greek history, fought between the city-states of Troy and Greece.
Lasting from circa 1194 to 1184 BCE, the war was sparked by the abduction of Helen, Queen of Sparta, by Paris, Prince of Troy.
The Greeks assembled a massive army, led by King Agamemnon, to reclaim Helen and avenge her honor.
The war saw legendary heroes like Achilles, Odysseus, and Ajax fight alongside mortal warriors.
Archaeological evidence confirms the city's existence, with excavations revealing a fortified citadel and a sophisticated urban center.
The digital artist, Juanjo Ortega G, has developed the lifelike face from a clay reconstruction of the same woman that was made in the 1980s by Manchester University, pioneers of one of the major methods in facial reconstruction.
A Life Revealed Through Science
Technical developments in forensic anthropology and DNA analysis, as well as radiocarbon dating and 3D digital printing, have led to dramatic improvements in reconstructions of the ancient world.
The woman had been buried with an electrum face mask and a warrior kit of weapons – including three swords that were assumed to be associated with the man buried next to her, but are now thought to have belonged to her.
Breaking Down Traditional Narratives
Facial similarities between the woman and her companion had previously been noted, but DNA has confirmed that they were brother and sister rather than husband and wife.
The traditional story is that, if you have a woman next to a man, she must be his wife. However, this woman was buried there by virtue of her birth, not her marriage. This tells us a different story about how important she was in her society.
A New Understanding of Women’s Roles
Data from the archaeological site is suggesting that far more of what archaeologists call warrior kits are associated with women than with men in these late bronze age burials, which is completely overturning our assumptions of how women are associated with war.
Throughout history, women have played a significant role in war efforts, often in non-combat positions.
However, with increasing numbers of females serving in combat roles, their contributions are becoming more recognized.
According to the United Nations, 14% of military personnel worldwide are female.
In some countries, such as Israel and Norway, women make up over 30% of the armed forces.
Women have served in various capacities, including medics, intelligence officers, and even fighter pilots.
