Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story:

• A seventh-century B.C.E. burial found in Greece featured an obviously wealthy noblewoman.
• The relatively young woman was buried with an upside-down crown, likely symbolizing the fall of her reign.
• In a nearby tomb, archaeologists found a 4-year-old girl buried in much the same manner, indicating a possible link between the two.

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There’s no telling who the noblewoman recently found buried during the second half of the seventh century B.C.E. was at the time of her death, so for now, she’s known as “The Lady with the Inverted Diadem.”

According to a translated statement from the Greek Ministry of Culture, a team of archaeologists found a cemetery in east-central Greece, about 60 miles northwest of Athens, full of tombs dated from about 800 to 320 B.C.E., during the Archaic and Classical periods. The cemetery was developed in clusters with pit tombs, burial mounds, and tiled tombs.

So far, the team has excavated roughly 40 of the burial sites, many showcasing the elite status of those buried there. Still, none was more impressive—or intriguing—than “The Lady with the Inverted Diadem.”

The deceased was found within a cluster of three pit tombs, and the bronze grave goods filling the tomb made clear that its occupant was a noblewoman. A preliminary examination of dental remains showed she was an adult woman between 20 and 30 years old. The striking part of the find, though, was a bronze-banded diadem (or crown) ceremoniously placed on her head upside down as a symbol of her superiority or rank. The crown featured a large rosette in the form of a sun in the center of the front and facing pairs of male and female lions on the back. The high craftsmanship needed to create the animals was evident, the archaeologists said. While lions symbolized royal power and authority, when the crown was flipped upside down, the lions were seen lying down.

That superiority of rank and high class may not have lasted beyond the death of the noblewoman. During that time, a crown worn upside down symbolized the resignation or fall of the monarch and marked the loss of power and office.

The ministry said that the mid-seventh century B.C.E. marked a particularly tumultuous time for any monarchs in Greece, as the traditional hereditary kingdom regimes and the rise of nobles had started to give way to aristocratic regimes and the movement to Athenian democracy by the early sixth century B.C.E. It’s in that context that the upside-down crown may indicate that the deceased noblewoman was caught up in the changing times.

While she may have lost her standing, she likely didn’t lose her wealth. The grave goods buried with the young woman featured plenty of bronze items, including two oversized pins with engraved geometric-style horses, a necklace with a pendant, bone and ivory beads, amber tokens, and bronze earrings. She was buried wearing bracelets and rings.

In the same cluster of tombs, the team found a young girl, likely around 4 years old, crowned with a similar bronze diadem with inlaid rosettes. The girl had comparable jewelry to the noblewoman, indicating the possible existence of a family bond between them.

Other tomb finds in the area have included a female form the mid-sixth century B.C.E. buried with a shallow bowl with a rooster depiction on it, a wine vessel decorated with mythical creatures and the god Hermes, a copper bottle, and vessels associated with the Akraifia Pottery Workshop. The team plans to continue researching the area.

Tim Newcomb is a journalist based in the Pacific Northwest. He covers stadiums, sneakers, gear, infrastructure, and more for a variety of publications, including Popular Mechanics. His favorite interviews have included sit-downs with Roger Federer in Switzerland, Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, and Tinker Hatfield in Portland.