In 2008, near Seville, Spain, archaeologists uncovered a Copper Age burial site that astonished them with its wealth of artifacts. The ancient grave contained a rare ivory tusk, high-quality flint, ostrich eggshells, and a dagger made of rock crystal. At the time, archaeologists speculated that the grave belonged to an elite male leader of the Copper Age. However, modern analysis of the teeth reveals that the highest status in this region was held not by a man, as previously thought, but by a woman.
The “Ivory Woman” Now Has a Gender
The individual now known as the “Ivory Woman” was buried with a large ceramic plate that contained chemical traces of wine and hemp. She also had a small pointed copper tool for making holes, commonly known as an awl, along with several items made of flint and ivory.
Among the artifacts was a complete tusk from an African elephant weighing 1.8 kg, which researchers believe is unparalleled in Western Europe. This is why the remains have been dubbed the “Ivory Woman.”
Due to the abundance of valuable items in the burial, scientists concluded that the grave belonged to someone of very high social status. However, recent research challenges the traditional notion that only men held the highest status during the Copper Age. Upon re-examining the remains, researchers determined that the body actually belonged to a woman.
According to archaeologists, this discovery and the modern gender revelation demonstrate the high status women could have held in ancient society. Previous studies have shown that women had specialized status during the Early Bronze Age in Hungary (2500-1900 B.C.) and in late Neolithic cultures.
The Initial Discovery of the Burial
The remains were first discovered in the town of Valencina in 2008. It is believed that the burial dates back to the Copper Age, also known as the Eneolithic period, which began around the mid-fifth millennium B.C. This era was one of the earliest periods where male dominance in society was primarily understood.
For this reason, archaeologists initially assumed that the buried individual was a young man aged between 17 and 25. However, recent research examines gender inequality in past archaeological findings.
As researchers note, understanding past gender systems often relies on identifying biological sex. However, definitively determining the sex of ancient remains that are thousands of years old through DNA can be particularly challenging. In the case of the “Ivory Woman,” such analysis was further complicated by the intense heat of southern Spain’s summers, which significantly degraded the remaining genetic material.
Peptide Analysis Allowed for Gender Determination
Scientists employed peptide analysis to genetically verify the presence of a sexually dimorphic protein called amelogenin, which forms enamel, in the teeth. The results indicated that the individual was female. This was evident because the molar and incisor contained the AMELX gene, which produces the amelogenin protein located on the X chromosome.
The study revealed that the “Ivory Woman” was the only burial in the grave accompanied by a significant amount of valuables. The remains of 15 women were found in a grave adjacent to the primary burial. Therefore, researchers hypothesized that they were descendants of the “Ivory Woman,” for whom the tomb may have been created.
The authors of the study suggest that during this period, a person’s high status was likely not determined by birthright. They reached this conclusion due to the absence of grave goods in the burials of infants from that time. Thus, archaeologists believe that the “Ivory Woman” achieved her status through her merits and accomplishments in life.
As noted by Interesting Engineering, this burial is considered the most luxurious tomb of the Copper Age in the region. Researchers assert that no other grave from the same period has been found throughout Iberia that compares in material wealth and sophistication to the “Ivory Woman.”
Archaeologists have yet to find other male remains of such high status. Thus, the new findings from this archaeological research suggest that women held leadership positions in Iberian Copper Age society.
A Shift in Traditional Views of the Past
The primary source of information available for analyzing gender inequality in early complex societies is the human body itself. However, archaeologists have struggled for decades with determining the sex of poorly preserved human remains.
The exceptional practical example of the “Ivory Woman” vividly demonstrates how modern scientific methods can help resolve this issue. Moreover, it encourages a reevaluation of established interpretations of women’s political roles in early social societies and challenges traditional views of the past. This research also proves that new scientific methods can significantly impact prehistoric archaeology and the study of human social evolution.