Researchers studying an ancient city in southern Turkey say they've found evidence that women called the shots in a matriarchal society more than 9,000 years ago. The new study in Science focuses on Stone Age remains from the city of Çatalhoyuk, per Phys Org. A team made up of geneticists, archaeologists, and anthropologists analyzed DNA from over 130 skeletons found in 35 houses at the site, one of the best-preserved Neolithic settlements. The city, occupied for about 1,000 years, has long been notable for female figurines unearthed there, possibly linked to a "Mother Goddess" belief system.
The 12-year analysis suggested that maternal lineage played a significant role in how household members were connected, per CBS News. Early on, families were buried together under their homes, but over time, most of the dead had no clear biological connection to one another. When genetic links were present, they ran through the female line, supporting the idea that husbands moved into their wives' homes after marriage. DNA results showed that female offspring tended to stay connected to their households, while males were more likely to move away.
"With Çatalhoyuk, we now have the oldest genetically inferred social organization pattern in food-producing societies," study co-author Mehmet Somel of Middle East Technical University in Turkey tells Live Science. "Which turns out to be female-centered." The study also found that females received five times more grave objects than males, indicating preferential treatment.
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