More than 20 years after they were discovered, the remains of a warrior found on the Isles of Scilly have been identified as female, according to a study published Thursday.
Tooth enamel analysis of 2,000-year-old human remains found on the British islands revealed with 96% probability that the person was female, according to research published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. The discovery was perplexing, as the remains were found alongside a sword, shield and items traditionally thought to be unique to male warrior burials, along with a mirror.
The researchers hypothesized that women at the time were actually far more active in military raids at the time, which lines up with stories of Boudicca, the legendary warrior queen who led a violent uprising against Britain’s Roman colonizers in A.D. 60.
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“Although we can never know completely about the symbolism of objects found in graves, the combination of a sword and a mirror suggests this woman had high status within her community and may have played a commanding role in local warfare, organizing or leading raids on rival groups,” human skeletal biologist Sarah Stark told NBC in a statement.
While the majority of the warrior’s remains were lost to history, her tooth enamel remained intact enough to perform the necessary testing. Enamel contains either X or Y chromosomes, the scientific determination of sex differences. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Graham Hancock Gives Epic Response To Those Ignoring Our Vulnerability In The Cosmos)
Much of Britain’s history from this period is lost, thanks almost entirely to the Romans, who massacred countless people and enslaved others during their attempted occupation of the archipelago. The Celts, who ruled the region at the time, were clearly more progressive than history gives them credit for.