Urartian Women May Have Held Administrative Roles

VAN, TURKEY—According to a report by The Anadolu Agency, Turkish archaeologists working at the Urartian site of Cavustepe Castle are learning surprising new details about the Iron Age culture’s traditions and burial customs. The fortress was built by King Sarduri II between 764 and 734 b.c. The team’s recent excavations have focused on a necropolis just north of the site where members of the ruling class appear to have been buried. The cemetery shows a surprising variety of burial methods, which scholars say demonstrates Urartian society’s tolerance of different religious beliefs. There are interment graves, cremation burials, and even individuals buried alongside dogs and horses. Children seem to have been highly valued, as their bodies are commonly found adorned with jewelry. Perhaps most notable is the fact that seals were placed alongside several female skeletons, suggesting that they may have served in administrative roles within the settlement. “In Urartian culture, especially at Cavustepe, women carrying seals show they were part of the ruling class and they had a say in society,” said archaeologist Rafet Cavusoglu of Van Yuzuncu Yil University. “It is quite intriguing for us that they held decision-making positions.” For more on the archaeology of ancient Anatolia, go to "Let the Games Begin."