#amazons

Does archery really require top surgery?

Wonder Family!

"The burials of the Scythian female warriors were not part of isolated group or individual burials, they were dispersed among male burials. Number of female burials with weapons in cemeteries was rather uneven. In some cemeteries such burials were represented by whole groups (cemetery near Lyubimovka village, cemetery of Chertomlyk, cemetery near Zelenoje village, cemetery Mamay-Gora, Skelki cemetery, Elizavetovsky cemetery). In several groups there were from one to three burials, in others they were absent.

The most representative series of graves was discovered in the largest cemetery in the north Pontic area – Mamay-Gora. Among the 317 Scythian burials 12 belong to the Amazons. Given the fact that the cemetery studied 110 male and 135 female burials, we can conclude that every tenth soldier was a woman. At the same time, every 11-th woman had a weapon and performed military service. Skelki cemetery, located on the bank of the Kakhovka water reservoir, is one of the largest necropolises without mounds of the Lower Dnieper area in the Scythian times. Fifty-three Scythian graves were investigated there. Almost a half of the women (11) were armed. Moreover there was a little girl buried with weapons. There were 22 warriors that were buried in the cemetery, consequently every second soldier was a woman and every third woman carried weapons. Among the investigated necropolises of Steppe Scythia the highest percentage of the Amazons graves was registered in the cemetery of Skelki. At the same time in the Don region, 147 burial complexes with armaments were excavated in Elizavetovskoe cemetery. And 35 belong to the Amazons. (...)

Despite of the numerous facts, that seem obvious, the question of the direct participation of the Scythian women in combat is still open. The most compelling argument is the existence of wounds on the Amazons` bodies. The analysis of anthropological materials showed that the women had the injuries of the "military" character. There are three types of injuries: 1 – the wounds made with arrows; 2 – loss or fractures of the extremities; 3 – chopped wounds on the skull and extremities. Thus the first type of the injuries (the wounds from arrows) is presented by three options: the damage of the bone tissue; the penetrating wound of the skull or the soft tissue damage. The burial complexes of the Scythian Amazons show that their injuries are quite diverse and therefore they have been obtained in different conditions. Quite important is the fact that these graves are fixed in the different regions of Scythia and indirectly point out the probable places of the armed clashes. Amazon graves with the traces of wounds are as well known in the Asian part of Scythia. Sarmatian women also had them.

Thus, in the issue of the excavations in various regions of the European Scythia it became obvious that there were women among the nomads, who clearly were not only caring weapons just as men (and along with them), but also took part in the military conflicts. It is due to the participation in the conflicts that these women were buried in accordance with the traditional funeral rites of Scythian warriors – following the same rituals with the same honors and, most importantly, with a personal weapon. (...)

And yet we may consider “amazonship” as the general-historical phenomenon. In any society where men are involved in armed conflicts, women should defend their home, family (children and old people), herds. Thus, while some women were involved in defending, others took part in fighting equally with men. It is typical for many nations actually in the course of the entire history of mankind."

absolute ww for day one of @dccomicsamazonsweek: war

Sure, Mom had taught her how to shoot (admittedly not very well), some martial arts moves and how to use a grappling hook, but Jazz knew she needed to know more than that to win a battle.

It dawned on her, one night, patching up Danny from another midnight brawl her parents started with Phantom. Having to fight them was turning into less of an 'if' and more of a 'when.'

YouTube tutorials were useless. There weren't any karate studios in Amity Park. Although she's trying her best to train her precision with various Fenton weapons, it feels like she's always doing something wrong.

She needs at least a little help, and that's just terrifying.

Jazz gives up and asks Danny if he knows a person. Surprisingly, he does. Unsurprisingly, it's a ghost.

Except it's a ten-foot-tall (not even including her helmet, sweet Jesus) Greek warrior with a fire coming from her headgear and four arms.

The ghost has a booming voice and an impassive face, and doesn't so much bring respect as commands it. Jazz isn't intimidated, no, she's terrified.

Somehow, some way, she summons up the courage to evenly explain why she came after Danny introduces her.

Instead of calling her a weakling or, she didn't know, spearing her or something, the warrior only nodded.

There wasn't really a timezone or dates to set up, since it's the Zone, but Jazz promised to come in every afternoon that she logically could.

Ultimately, the beginning was rough. Jazz was pretty sure she failed every test they threw at her minus the logic ones. Her aim with a bow and arrow was abysmal, and so help her fighting stance. Even with her Liminality, her strength was subpar and the flexibility in a hazmat suit was... not great.

And yet, even if she couldn't even get a second in a fight without being corrected, she kept coming back for more.

The more she returned, the more she learned about the Acropolis. There were plenty of ghosts, almost all of them girls in a lot of variety. A few looked to be her age, but most were armored woman.

And then there was Pandora. Jazz knew that her name was truly Antiope, but the warrior denied the usage of it, citing the name died with her body.

The first time that her mentor referred to one of the many Greek spirits as 'Amazons', Jazz thinks she might've been stupid on how she didn't notice before.

She thinks of the Amazonians less as daunting and more awe-inspiring after that. And now, she logically can guess that Pandora was one, too.

And oh Ancients can she tell once she's truly launched into her afternoon training.

Pandora's anger (although Jazz had rarely seen flashes of it) burned bright as her hair, and so did her passion. Jazz had to do laps that left her almost collapsing in a heap. Spars were brutal, even when Pandora would momentarily pity her and let her train with the two-armed warriors.

But when she looked at herself in the mirror when she got home from "tutoring", saw the defined arms and gleam of confidence entering her eyes, it was worth every bead of sweat.

At some point, Jazz had gotten too many accidental slices to her hazmat suit. The first time she came in plainclothes, Pandora only clapped her on the back and didn't comment on it.

It was exhausting. It was exhilarating. It left more white streaks to her hair, and her emotions had to be under lock and key often so her eyes didn't flash green around her parents.

The other ghostly Amazons seemed to warm up to her, too. Jazz was being instructed on how to weave hair into combat braids, where to hide daggers in skirts and slacks. She'd even started to pick up Ancient Greek. A few of the more friendly ones were helping her learn the language.

She almost cries when Pandora gifts her a full set of armor after randomly taking her measurements weeks ago. Jazz has found that she's good with a longbow, as well as liking a longsword and shield if she had to do close-ranged combat. She was also given those weapons, taught how to sharpen it, and create sturdy arrows.

All in all, even if she misses her sleep and knows her parent's harmful chemicals are affecting her more strongly the more Liminal she becomes, it was... good.

Jazz was doing alright.

-

Pandora doesn't consider her student to be alright.

Do not mistake her words— Jasmine was a talented protégé and would undoubtedly become a fearless, intelligent and fiery woman.

But there were certain aspects that left concern on the tip of her tongue.

Her era was much different than the present, and yet, Pandora did not believe that the child should come in as exhausted as she did. Rather than drinking actual water from waterskins, Jasmine consumed stimulant drinks almost every time she visited the Acropolis.

Even after all of the training, which would push the girl past what she thought was her potential, there should be more mass to her. More definition to her legs and arms after hours of exertion.

Painful burns that she tried to hide, pulled muscles that she failed miserably to keep secret. Even after every gentle to firm reprimand, she came back with more. They were slowly getting more severe.

Pandora wasn't suspicious, no, she was certain that her apprentice was not getting enough rest nor sleep nor food. Someone was harming her quasi-charge.

Her sisters saw it as well; and she knew some ached to offer their own provisions and more to the girl. But she was still three-quarters human, and ectoplasm could do more harm than good.

Jasmine was cunning and empathetic and inexplicably kind-hearted for all of the things she evidently faced. Curious, listening to every myth and story she told of sisterhood and battle and monsters. Calm, deescalating various spats between ghosts and soothing frayed nerves. Clever, constantly studying and winning at Petteia.

Yes, Pandora thinks Hippolyta will like the teknon very much. She believes that they would also accept even younger Daniel without any argument.

So, when she gets her chance, she quite literally pushes Jasmine and her brother into the oppurtunity. (Pandora had never "nudged" the girl in tutelage thus far, and she never would.)

One conveniently manipulated opening to Themyscira later, Antiope governs Athens like she always had.

She does believe that her sister will recognize her own sigil on Jasmine's pauldron. She knows the girl well enough that she will return to the ghostly Acropolis, no matter if even the Gods will against it.

Pandora looks forward to see which woman had negotiated the stubborn duo into guardianship.

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