Centuries ago, two individuals were laid to rest arm in arm atop a horse in present-day Austria. This peculiar burial initially led archaeologists to believe they were a married couple from medieval times. However, a recent in-depth examination has overturned this assumption, revealing that the pair were actually a mother and daughter who perished around 1,800 years ago during the Roman era.
The discovery was made in 2004 at a cemetery in the ancient Roman city of Ovilava, now known as Wels in Upper Austria. The excavation yielded three skeletal remains: two humans and one horse, accompanied by two golden pendants shaped like a wheel and a crescent moon. The arm of one individual was draped over the shoulder of the other, suggesting a close bond between them.
An initial assessment classified the burial as Bavarian, dating from the sixth to seventh centuries A.D., based on factors such as grave depth, orientation, and the presence of Germanic Bavarians in the area at that time. However, a re-evaluation of the remains using advanced techniques, including ancient DNA analysis and visual inspection, has provided a different picture.
The researchers determined that the bones belonged to individuals who died between the ages of 20 to 25 and 40 to 60. Anatomical analysis confirmed that both skeletons were female, and DNA results established their biological relationship as first-degree relatives, indicating either sisters or a mother-daughter pair. Based on the age difference, DNA evidence, and other factors, the researchers concluded that the individuals were indeed mother and daughter, with the daughter embracing her mother in the grave.
The presence of a horse and gold pendants strongly suggests that the women held a high social status and were likely non-Roman elites. Burials involving horses were uncommon among Roman citizens, who were not typically associated with equestrianism. Instead, the researchers believe these individuals may have belonged to a Celtic population, who frequently buried horses with their deceased.
The older skeleton exhibited signs of frequent horse riding, indicating that both women may have been avid equestrians. Despite the possibility of the individuals being sisters cannot be entirely discounted, experts believe the protective positioning of the skeletons and the significant age difference make the mother-daughter relationship more plausible.
