Female Iron Age warrior from Scilly

[Duncan Head]

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jul/27/isles-of-scilly-remains-iron-age-female-warrior-grave-bryher-sword-mirror

With studies of female weapon-graves in Scandinavia we are regularly cautioned that a sword in a woman's grave may not necessarily mean she is a warrior - same caveat probably applies here.

[nikgaukroger]

A sword in anyone's grave, regardless of biological sex, is not an indication of them being a warrior.

The bit about the mirror seems to be pushing it a bit.

[Erpingham]

A sword in anyone's grave, regardless of biological sex, is not an indication of them being a warrior.

The bit about the mirror seems to be pushing it a bit.

The mirror bit seems a bit bizarre.  Given we believe that Celts were interested in appearance, with hairstyles and body decoration, owning a mirror would seem a perfectly reasonable accessory.

[Jim Webster]

On Radio 4, before 8am, they had somebody saying that the presence of a mirror (a signalling device) plus a sword meant she was a leader and in charge of forces

Which I feel was somewhat pushing the available evidence 

[Erpingham]

I have come across the magic/ritual idea for Celtic mirrors before but never the idea that they had a military function.  Does the idea come from classical authors or is it just an archaeologist's flight of fancy?

[DBS]

Oh dearie, dearie me.  So the mirror is assumed to mean she must be a woman, but let us then construct a fantasy about heliographs to demonstrate that the assumed woman must not just be a warrior but a military commander.

Checks calendar - yep, we are now in journalistic silly season.  Naughty archaeologists for feeding the beast.

Hollywood will lap this up if they ever get to hear about it.

[Justin Swanton]

Oh dearie, dearie me.  So the mirror is assumed to mean she must be a woman, but let us then construct a fantasy about heliographs to demonstrate that the assumed woman must not just be a warrior but a military commander.

Checks calendar - yep, we are now in journalistic silly season.  Naughty archaeologists for feeding the beast.

Hollywood will lap this up if they ever get to hear about it.

Ah, yes. Ours is the age of of strong wamen.

[Imperial Dave]

a bit of a leap but heh ho must be a slow news day

[Duncan Head]

Oh dearie, dearie me.  So the mirror is assumed to mean she must be a woman,

No, the DNA shows that she is a woman.

Biologically, anyway.

[DBS]

No, the DNA shows that she is a woman.

I think it was more accurately a very high probability than absolute certainty.  I am very happy to accept that she was a woman, who had a sword.  Given I suspect the Iron Age population of the Scilly Isles was probably limited (v happy to be corrected if there is contrary evidence), I also suspect that every able bodied man or woman needed to be prepared to fight if slavers came a-calling.

My objection is purely the piling up of hypotheses about signalling mirrors to claim a command role for the lady.  Nice sword probably equals high status, but command/leadership do not necessarily follow.

[DBS]

Actually, have just realised that the archaeologists have missed a trick in seeking headlines.  Some romantics have suggested the Scilly Isles as the location of the Arthurian Avalon.  Here we have a lady buried with a big sword in said location.  I think you can see where I am going with this...

Over to you, Mr Hollin, as our resident authority.  Not that strange women distributing swords is any basis for a system of government, mind.

[Imperial Dave]

ah true....

still, worth a punt through squinty eyes

[Andreas Johansson]

My objection is purely the piling up of hypotheses about signalling mirrors to claim a command role for the lady.  Nice sword probably equals high status, but command/leadership do not necessarily follow.

It reminds me of the paper that argued that an (armed) woman from Birka who was buried with gaming pieces was, therefore, a "strategist".

But I guess summer temps have a degree of licence when writing about the isles of Scilly.