When women rule

Societies in the past were long thought to be based on patrilocality and patrilineality, systems in which women left their families after marriage and moved to their husbands' communities, while men remained at their hearth, passing on property and social status through the male line. However, new archaeological and genetic research carried out in Great Britain reveals a completely different model in some Iron Age communities - matrilocality and matrilineality. In those societies, husbands came to the communities of their wives, and inheritance was passed down through the female line.

A study conducted by researchers from Trinity College Dublin, and published this January in the journal "Nature”, she showed that the inhabitants of the Winterbourne Kingston Cemetery in Dorset (100 BC – 100 AD) practiced matrilocality. Genetic analysis revealed that most of the individuals at the site were descended from a single woman who lived centuries earlier, while the male genetic lines were diverse - indicating the migration of men from other communities. The obtained results suggest that women had a key role in social and economic organization, which changes the current understanding of the gender hierarchy in prehistoric Europe. This research opens up new questions about the development of social structures over time and changes in the gender balance of different cultures. At the same time, it questions the established understanding of women as passive members of ancient societies, indicating that their social and political importance may have been far greater than we have assumed so far.

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The Dorset discovery is in fact by no means an isolated case. A similar structure has been observed in other sites throughout Britain, Europe, and even the world. More modern archaeological research increasingly points to the possibility that women played a key role in the ruling structures of the past. In the royal necropolis of Abydos, Egypt, archaeologists led by Christiana Keller from the University of Vienna took a very significant step last year in uncovering the secret of one of the most enigmatic figures of ancient Egypt, Meret-Neit. New discoveries suggest that she may have been the first female pharaoh of Egypt, which changes the previous understanding of the role of women in the ruling hierarchy of that era.

Meret-Neit lived around 3000 BC, in the formative years of ancient Egypt, and her power and influence far exceeded her role as a king's wife, which many researchers initially thought. Her tomb, rich in artefacts, indicates that she had political and economic power that until now was exclusively associated with male rulers. A particularly significant find are the hundreds of large wine amphorae, many of which are still sealed and perfectly preserved after 5000 years. These amphorae provide insight into the development of trade, economy and viticulture in ancient Egypt, but also indicate that Meret-Neit may have controlled these resources.

"Considering that these are the remains of human lives and works from 5000 years ago, we are amazed every day by the incredible details we discover, the analysis of the remains of wine in amphorae could further shed light on the production and trade techniques of that time, which would further confirm the power and influence of Meret-Neit in the economic aspect of the rule," said Christiana Keller for the "Science alert" portal. She adds that one of the striking features of the necropolis of Abydos was the human sacrifices. After the death of the ruler, his body would be laid in one room, while in the other, people who were his servants in the afterlife would be sacrificed. The tomb of Meret-Neit was no exception, which further illuminates the complex social hierarchy and rituals associated with royal power.

Apart from these ritual aspects, material finds and economic evidence, some inscriptions from her tomb suggest that Meret-Neit held high state functions including management of the royal treasury. More and more data supports the theory that she was not just a regent, but also a real pharaoh. Her name and titles further fuel debate among historians about the possibility that women held formal power much earlier than previously thought, challenging conventional wisdom about the role of women in Egypt's earliest dynasties.

Knowledge that points to these claims has been around for a century. One of the most famous archaeological discoveries that illuminates the status of women in the past is the discovery of the "Girl from Egtved" in Denmark in 1921. This exceptionally well-preserved female mummy, dated to around 1370 BC, was buried with luxury items, including a richly decorated wooden box with pieces of clothing and tools. The objects found suggest that she occupied a high social status, perhaps as a ruler or priestess. In addition, metal artifacts and pieces of pottery found in her tomb further hint at her important role in society, possibly in economic, religious, and political processes. Her burial indicates that women of the time were respected and included in key aspects of community life.

Additional evidence from the Iron Age shows that women also played warrior roles. The discoveries of tombs in England and Scotland in which women were buried with swords, shields and other military equipment, suggest that they were leaders and actively participated in conflicts. One of the most striking examples is the tomb of a warrior woman from southern Scotland, which contained weapons and other evidence of her warrior role in society. In addition to military power, women also played important religious and political roles. In Scandinavia, they were often associated with religious rites and rituals, as confirmed by Viking tombs in which religious symbols were found. Also, famous historical figures such as Queen Boudica of Ikena indicate that women had political influence and power even if they were not formally in power.

A recent study by the University of Cambridge found that prehistoric women had stronger arms than today's elite oarsmen, pointing to previously unknown traces of hard physical labor carried out over millennia, challenging the common perception of women as solely responsible for household chores. The researchers analyzed the arm and leg bones of modern women, including female athletes such as rowers, runners and soccer players, and compared them with the remains of women from the Neolithic, Bronze Age and Middle Ages. The results showed that Neolithic women (about 7.000 years ago) had arms 11-16 percent stronger than today's elite rowers, while Bronze Age women had even stronger arms. The researchers of this study claim that these women spent hours each day grinding grain by hand, using stones, which strengthened their hands much like rowing. In addition, they performed other physically demanding tasks such as planting, harvesting, caring for livestock, processing milk and meat, as well as making textiles. This study, published in the journal "Science Advances”, emphasizes that women's work was crucial for the development of early agricultural societies.

Such knowledge imposes the need to reexamine the previous ideas about who were the real decision-makers in ancient societies. These discoveries not only cause changes in the perception of the historical role of women, but also contribute to a broader understanding of gender roles throughout history. The evidence of women's power and influence in ancient times serves as a reminder that history is often richer and more complex than it has been portrayed. But, taking everything into account, the impression remains that traditional performances in which women are considered passive participants or only assistants to men will remain the dominant narrative for the time being in the general public.