Evidence pointing to eagle hunting's antiquity comes from Scythian and other burial mounds of nomads who roamed the steppes 3,000 years ago and whose artifacts abound in eagle imagery. Adrienne Mayor 000aboundago Change image and share on social
Historical records show that Abenakis and other Natives encountered European explorers and traders in Canada looking for sources of ivory to compete with the Russian trade in Siberian fossil mammoth ivory - these traders routinely asked about ivory 'horns' and teeth. Adrienne Mayor abenakisaskcanada share on social
It is said the boundless steppes of Asia gave flight to tales of heroes and heroines because the conditions there are so harsh. Adrienne Mayor asiaboundlesscondition Change image and share on social
Indeed, many ancient Greek writers do treat Amazons as a tribe of men and women. They credit the tribe with innovations such as ironworking and domestication of horses. Some early vase paintings show men fighting alongside Amazons. Adrienne Mayor alongsideamazonancient share on social
The name 'Amazon' was not originally Greek; linguists believe it derived from the ancient Iranian word for 'warrior.' Adrienne Mayor amazonancientderive Change image and share on social
Archaeologists have been digging up thousands of graves of people called Scythians by the Greeks. They turn out to be people whose women fought, hunted, rode horses, used bows and arrows, just like the men. Adrienne Mayor archaeologistarrowbow share on social
We know their names: Hippolyta, Antiope, Thessalia. But they were long thought to be just travelers' tales or products of the Greek storytelling imagination. A lot of scholars still argue that. But archaeology has now proven without a doubt that there really were women fitting the description that the Greeks gave us of Amazons and warrior women. Adrienne Mayor amazonantiopearchaeology share on social
The Amazons were notorious for their freedom: their sexual freedom, their freedom to hunt, to be outdoors, to go to war; and the Greeks, both men and women alike, were fascinated by these stories. Maybe it was a safe way to explore the idea of women who could be equals of men. Adrienne Mayor alikeamazonequal share on social
Anyone who's watched 'The Hunger Games', or female archers, knows that that is an absolutely physiologically ridiculous idea. Adrienne Mayor absolutelyarcherfemale Change image and share on social
It's sort of fair to say that Amazons, both as reality and as a dream of equality, have always been with us; it's just that sometimes that fiery Amazon spirit is hidden from view or even suppressed. Adrienne Mayor amazondreamequality Change image and share on social