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, recent 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” Is Identified as Female
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.”
Because the burial contained so many valuable items, archaeologists concluded the grave belonged to someone of very high social status. Recent research challenges the traditional notion that only men held the highest status during the Copper Age. Upon re-examining the remains, researchers determined the body actually belonged to a woman.
The find shows that women could hold high status in ancient societies. Previous studies have suggested 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 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 has often been interpreted as a time of male-dominated social structures.
For that reason, archaeologists initially assumed the buried individual was a young man aged between 17 and 25. But recent work is re-examining gender assumptions in archaeological finds.
Understanding past gender systems often depends on identifying biological sex. Definitively determining the sex of ancient remains through DNA can be especially challenging when the genetic material is degraded. In the case of the “Ivory Woman,” the intense heat of southern Spain’s summers likely accelerated that degradation and complicated DNA analysis.
Peptide Analysis Allowed for Gender Determination
Scientists turned to peptide analysis to detect a sexually dimorphic enamel protein called amelogenin in the teeth. The results indicated the individual was female: the tooth enamel peptides matched AMELX, the amelogenin variant encoded on the X chromosome.
The study found that the “Ivory Woman” was the only burial in the site accompanied by a substantial amount of valuables. The remains of 15 women were found in a grave adjacent to the primary burial. Researchers hypothesize that those 15 women may have been descendants of the “Ivory Woman,” and that the tomb could have been created for her.
The authors of the study suggest that during this period, high status was likely not strictly inherited. They base this on the absence of grave goods in infant burials from the same context. Archaeologists therefore think the “Ivory Woman” achieved her status through her own accomplishments.
As reported by Interesting Engineering, this burial is considered the most luxurious Copper Age tomb in the region. Researchers say no other grave from the same period across Iberia matches its material wealth and sophistication.
Archaeologists have not found similarly high-status male remains in the area. The new findings therefore suggest women could hold leadership positions in Iberian Copper Age society.
A Shift in Traditional Views of the Past
The human body remains the primary source of information for analyzing gender inequality in early complex societies. For decades, archaeologists have struggled to determine the sex of poorly preserved human remains.
The “Ivory Woman” provides a clear example of how modern scientific methods can resolve that problem. It also encourages a reevaluation of long-standing interpretations of women’s political roles in early complex societies and shows how new techniques can reshape prehistoric archaeology and our understanding of human social evolution.
