31/07/2015 TheresarcheologicalevidencethatAmazonsreallydidexist| TorontoStarhttp://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2015/02/06/theresarcheologicalevidencethatamazonsreallydidexist.html 1/3HOMENEWSGTAQueen'sParkCanadaWorldInvestigationsCrimeYOURTORONTOOPINIONSPORTSBUSINESSENTERTAINMENTLIFEAUTOSPHOTOSDIVERSIONSCLASSIFIEDSOBITUARIESInsidetheStarMostOntariansdontlikeHy droselloffplan,LiberalsinternalpollshowsTheJay ssuddenlylooklikeateamthatmakessense:ArthurNew$82.5millionislandairportpedestriantunnelawinforTorontoniansNews/InsightTheresarcheologicalevidencethatAmazonsreallydidexistArcheologistshaveunearthedevidenceofwarlikehorsewomenatthesametimeastheGreekswereputtingAmazonsintheirmyths.AdrienneMayorBy:JenniferHunterFeaturescolumnist,PublishedonFriFeb062015MythicalheroessuchasHerculesandTheseusmarriedAmazons,butdidtheseintrepidwarriorwomenexistinreallife?OraretheyjustthestuffofGreekmyth?AdrienneMayor,anauthorandresearchscholarinclassicsandthehistoryofscienceatStanfordUniversity,grappleswiththatquestioninhernewbook,TheAmazons:Lives&LegendsofWarriorWomenacrosstheAncientWorld.Ourconversationhasbeeneditedforlength.WethinkofAmazonwomenascharactersinthemythicstoriesaboutGreekheroes.Whydoyoubelievethesewomenreallyexisted?Iwasamazedbyallthearchaeologicalevidencethatwasstartingtoemerge,asearlyasthe90sandlate80s.NowthatwehaveDNAandbioarchaeologicalstudies,wecanactuallytellthesexofskeletonsfromcenturiesoldbones.Theywerefinding20to30percentofancientpeopleburiedinthesteppes,aroundtheBlackSea,werewomenwiththeirweaponswhohadbattlescarsjustlikethemen.IrealizednoonehadgatheredallthearchaeologicalevidencethatwasemergingtoshowtherewerewarlikehorsewomenatthesametimeastheGreekswerewritingaboutAmazons,puttingtheminmanyofthemostwellknownmyths.InGreekmythology,theAmazonswerefiercewomenfromforeignlands.TheyweresaidtobeascourageousandskilledinbattleasthemightiestGreekheroes.Sothesewerebarbarianforeignwomenwhowerecalledtheequalsofmen.AmazonsdidplaymajorrolesintheGreeklegends.TheywereintheTrojanWartheAtheniansbelievedtheyhadfoughtoffapowerfulAmazonarmythathadinvadedGreece.Theyhadstatuesandpaintingsinpublicplacesabouttheirvictoryovertheseformidablewomen.AccordingtotheGreeks,theAmazonswerelocatedinavasteasternterritorycalledScythia.InGreekmythology,eachherohadtoprovehiscouragebyduellingandovercominganAmazonqueen.HippolytefoughtHercules.TheseusfoughtwithAntiopeandthenhecapturedherandtookherawaytobehiswife.PenthesileawasthewarriorqueenwhofoughtAchillesonthebattlefieldatTroy.AncientGreekmenlovedstoriesaboutAmazonwomen,buttheirownwivesanddaughterswerekeptinasortofpurdah.Theywerenotallowedoutofthehouseunlesstheywerecloselyaccompaniedortherewasaspecialfestival.Itsoundsabitlikemenwholookatpornbutwouldhaveaconniptioniftheirfemalerelativesstrippedforthecamera.24 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2/3Youarerighttopointoutthatcognitivedissonance,hypocrisy,fearandanxiety.Iwillleaveittoclassicistswhowantgointothepsychologicalreasons.GreekmenwereobsessedwithAmazons.ItisoneofthefavouritesubjectsinGreekart.WedontknowhowmanyAmazonsculpturesexistedinantiquity,butmorethanathousandpiecesofarthavebeendiscovered.Theywerepaintedonwinejugsusedinallmalesymposiumsandshownhuntingandatwar.WhatisalsointerestingisthatAmazonswerepopularassubjectsonwomenspottery,theirperfumejars,theirjewelryboxesanditemsusedforsewingorweaving.ThereissomethingaboutGreekprivatelifethatwerenotgettinghere.ThebeliefwasAmazonwomenhatedmen,killedmalebabiesandloppedoffoneoftheirbreastsinordertoshoottheirbowsandarrowsmoreefficiently.Howtrueisthis?ThosearethethreethingsmostmodernpeoplethinkaboutAmazons,andthoseattributeswerementionedinantiquity.TheideathatAmazonsremovedonebreastinordertoshootabowandarroworhurlaspearwasinventedinthe5thcenturyB.C.,andassoonasitwasbroughtupotherancientwritersrejectedtheidea.NotonepieceofancientartshowsAmazonslikethat,soartistsdidntbuyit,nordidtheircustomers.Iwonderwherethisideacamefrom,thesefearfulmenhaterswhopractisedinfanticideandmutilatedtheirownbodies.Itisastrangeidea.OnetheoryisthatsomehowtheGreekshadtoimaginethesewomenassacrificingtheirfemininitytobehavelikemen.Ifthesewomenareindependentandridinghorsesandgoingtowarandhunting,justlikeGreekmen,theymustbeunfeminine.Sotheywouldbebadmothers,theywouldntwanttoraiseanyboysandtheywouldhatemen.Atthesametimethatideawasnotafullstory.ManyancientwriterssayAmazonslovedmenandtheyreallylikedhavingsexwithmenoftheirownchoosing,andtheyweregoodmotherswhosenttheirmalebabiestoberaisedbytheirfathersfamilies.YousuggestAmazonwomeninventedtrousers.WeoftenthinkitwasGeorgeSandorMarleneDietrichwhofirstdonnedmenswear.Insomeofthearchaeologicalexcavations,somearticlesclothinghavesurvived.Thefemaleskeletonsareoftenwearingtrousersandtunicsandboots,likethemaleskeletons.Inthevasepaintings,mostAmazonsarewearingthesewildlycolouredpantsortrousers.Warriorqueensofeasternlandsinventedtrouserssotheycouldtakepartinthesameactivitiesasmen.Greekswearrectanglesofclothingpinnedtogether,likeatoga.Manyancientculturesworetogalikedressbuttheyarenothorseridingpeople.Ifyouridehorsesyouneedsomethingtokeepyoufromchafing.Trouserswereinventedbypeoplewhodomesticatedhorses.TodaywearestillfascinatedbyAmazons,hencethetelevisionshowsWonderWomanandXena:WarriorPrincess.Amazonsareeverywhere.TherewereintheanimatedfilmsforkidsMulanandBrave,aboutyounggirlarchers,andinTheHungerGames.IntherecentHerculesfilm,theAtalantacharacterwasstrong.TherearepowerfulAmazonlikewomenintheGameofThronesseries.IheardMarvelComicsisintroducingThorasagoddessnotagod.ThereisafemaleCaptainMarvelandthereisaMsMarvel.WeresurroundedbystoriesofAmazonwomen.jhunter@thestar.caMoreonthestar.comReadmoreabout:AmazonShiftinggears:Hardworkingpedallerkee...NorthKoreasaysCanadianpastoradmi...Wevaluerespectfulandthoughtfuldiscussion.ReadersareencouragedtoflagcommentsthatfailtomeetthestandardsoutlinedinourCommunityCodeofConduct.Forfurtherinformation,includingourlegalguidelines,pleaseseeourfullwebsiteTermsandConditions.Commentingisnowclosed.31/07/2015 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