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31/07/2015

TheresarcheologicalevidencethatAmazonsreallydidexist| TorontoStar

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TheresarcheologicalevidencethatAmazons
reallydidexist
Archeologistshaveunearthedevidenceofwarlikehorsewomenatthesametimeasthe
GreekswereputtingAmazonsintheirmyths.

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AdrienneMayor
By:JenniferHunterFeaturescolumnist,PublishedonFriFeb062015
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MythicalheroessuchasHerculesandTheseusmarriedAmazons,butdidtheseintrepid
warriorwomenexistinreallife?OraretheyjustthestuffofGreekmyth?Adrienne
Mayor,anauthorandresearchscholarinclassicsandthehistoryofscienceatStanford
University,grappleswiththatquestioninhernewbook,TheAmazons:Lives&
LegendsofWarriorWomenacrosstheAncientWorld.Ourconversationhasbeen
editedforlength.
WethinkofAmazonwomenascharactersinthemythicstoriesabout
Greekheroes.Whydoyoubelievethesewomenreallyexisted?
Iwasamazedbyallthearchaeologicalevidencethatwasstartingtoemerge,asearlyas
the90sandlate80s.NowthatwehaveDNAandbioarchaeologicalstudies,wecan
actuallytellthesexofskeletonsfromcenturiesoldbones.Theywerefinding20to30
percentofancientpeopleburiedinthesteppes,aroundtheBlackSea,werewomen
withtheirweaponswhohadbattlescarsjustlikethemen.
Tw eet 53
0
Irealizednoonehadgatheredallthearchaeologicalevidencethatwasemergingto
showtherewerewarlikehorsewomenatthesametimeastheGreekswerewriting
aboutAmazons,puttingtheminmanyofthemostwellknownmyths.InGreek
mythology,theAmazonswerefiercewomenfromforeignlands.Theyweresaidtobe
ascourageousandskilledinbattleasthemightiestGreekheroes.Sothesewere
barbarianforeignwomenwhowerecalledtheequalsofmen.

AmazonsdidplaymajorrolesintheGreeklegends.TheywereintheTrojanWarthe
AtheniansbelievedtheyhadfoughtoffapowerfulAmazonarmythathadinvaded
Greece.Theyhadstatuesandpaintingsinpublicplacesabouttheirvictoryoverthese
formidablewomen.AccordingtotheGreeks,theAmazonswerelocatedinavast
easternterritorycalledScythia.InGreekmythology,eachherohadtoprovehis
couragebyduellingandovercominganAmazonqueen.HippolytefoughtHercules.
TheseusfoughtwithAntiopeandthenhecapturedherandtookherawaytobehiswife.
PenthesileawasthewarriorqueenwhofoughtAchillesonthebattlefieldatTroy.

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AncientGreekmenlovedstoriesaboutAmazonwomen,buttheirown
wivesanddaughterswerekeptinasortofpurdah.T heywerenotallowed
outofthehouseunlesstheywerecloselyaccompaniedortherewasa
specialfestival.Itsoundsabitlikemenwholookatpornbutwouldhave
aconniptioniftheirfemalerelativesstrippedforthecamera.

http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2015/02/06/theresarcheologicalevidencethatamazonsreallydidexist.html

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31/07/2015

TheresarcheologicalevidencethatAmazonsreallydidexist| TorontoStar
Youarerighttopointoutthatcognitivedissonance,hypocrisy,fearandanxiety.Iwill
leaveittoclassicistswhowantgointothepsychologicalreasons.Greekmenwere
obsessedwithAmazons.ItisoneofthefavouritesubjectsinGreekart.Wedontknow
howmanyAmazonsculpturesexistedinantiquity,butmorethanathousandpiecesof
arthavebeendiscovered.Theywerepaintedonwinejugsusedinallmalesymposiums
andshownhuntingandatwar.WhatisalsointerestingisthatAmazonswerepopularas
subjectsonwomenspottery,theirperfumejars,theirjewelryboxesanditemsusedfor
sewingorweaving.ThereissomethingaboutGreekprivatelifethatwerenotgetting
here.
T hebeliefwasAmazonwomenhatedmen,killedmalebabiesandlopped
offoneoftheirbreastsinordertoshoottheirbowsandarrowsmore
efficiently.Howtrueisthis?
ThosearethethreethingsmostmodernpeoplethinkaboutAmazons,andthose
attributeswerementionedinantiquity.TheideathatAmazonsremovedonebreastin
ordertoshootabowandarroworhurlaspearwasinventedinthe5thcenturyB.C.,
andassoonasitwasbroughtupotherancientwritersrejectedtheidea.Notonepiece
ofancientartshowsAmazonslikethat,soartistsdidntbuyit,nordidtheircustomers.
Iwonderwherethisideacamefrom,thesefearfulmenhaterswho
practisedinfanticideandmutilatedtheirownbodies.Itisastrangeidea.
OnetheoryisthatsomehowtheGreekshadtoimaginethesewomenassacrificingtheir
femininitytobehavelikemen.Ifthesewomenareindependentandridinghorsesand
goingtowarandhunting,justlikeGreekmen,theymustbeunfeminine.Sotheywould
bebadmothers,theywouldntwanttoraiseanyboysandtheywouldhatemen.Atthe
sametimethatideawasnotafullstory.ManyancientwriterssayAmazonslovedmen
andtheyreallylikedhavingsexwithmenoftheirownchoosing,andtheyweregood
motherswhosenttheirmalebabiestoberaisedbytheirfathersfamilies.
YousuggestAmazonwomeninventedtrousers.Weoftenthinkitwas
GeorgeSandorMarleneDietrichwhofirstdonnedmenswear.
Insomeofthearchaeologicalexcavations,somearticlesclothinghavesurvived.The
femaleskeletonsareoftenwearingtrousersandtunicsandboots,likethemale
skeletons.Inthevasepaintings,mostAmazonsarewearingthesewildlycolouredpants
ortrousers.Warriorqueensofeasternlandsinventedtrouserssotheycouldtakepart
inthesameactivitiesasmen.Greekswearrectanglesofclothingpinnedtogether,likea
toga.Manyancientculturesworetogalikedressbuttheyarenothorseridingpeople.
Ifyouridehorsesyouneedsomethingtokeepyoufromchafing.Trouserswere
inventedbypeoplewhodomesticatedhorses.
T odaywearestillfascinatedbyAmazons,hencethetelevisionshows
WonderWomanandXena:WarriorPrincess.
Amazonsareeverywhere.TherewereintheanimatedfilmsforkidsMulanandBrave,
aboutyounggirlarchers,andinTheHungerGames.IntherecentHerculesfilm,the
Atalantacharacterwasstrong.
TherearepowerfulAmazonlikewomenintheGameofThronesseries.IheardMarvel
ComicsisintroducingThorasagoddessnotagod.ThereisafemaleCaptainMarvel
andthereisaMsMarvel.WeresurroundedbystoriesofAmazonwomen.
jhunter@thestar.ca

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Readmoreabout:Amazon

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guidelines,pleaseseeourfullwebsiteTermsandConditions.
Commentingisnowclosed.

http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2015/02/06/theresarcheologicalevidencethatamazonsreallydidexist.html

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31/07/2015

TheresarcheologicalevidencethatAmazonsreallydidexist| TorontoStar

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