What Can We Learn From The Women Of The Iron Age? 

In this month’s issue of The Evidence newsletter, Josephine Lethbridge examines new research into prehistoric gender dynamics – and what this tells us about how we view history. 

A new study into Iron Age burials in Britain has uncovered the first confirmed evidence of matrilocality in European prehistory. Matrilocality, where men move to join their female partner’s family communities, is a strong predictor of women’s social and political empowerment.  

Researchers from Trinity College Dublin and Bournemouth University conducted genetic analysis on members of the Durotriges tribe, which occupied the central southern English coast from roughly 100 BCE to 100 CE. 

They found clear evidence that most of the Durotriges people buried at a site in the modern-day county of Dorset could be traced through their maternal line back to a single woman, who had lived centuries before. This discovery points to the fact that kinship and social organisation in this Celtic community were structured around female lineage.  

The study, which is the first to use DNA testing to investigate the power structures of Iron Age communities in Britain, supports earlier evidence that hinted at high female status in these societies. In European Celtic cemeteries, for instance, women are associated with a greater quantity and diversity of prestige items.  

A breakthrough discovery? 

Although the new research supports preexisting theories, many media outlets are framing it as “a breakthrough that contradicts the innate assumption of patriarchy in history,” says Jay Silverstein, an archaeology of warfare expert.  

For Lethbridge, this media response highlights challenges in the way we view history. 

The dominant academic idea is that patriarchy began in the Neolithic age as a natural result of agriculture. In the past, academics attempting to challenge this narrative, such as Lithuanian archaeologist Marija Gimbutas, have received fierce backlash. 

Now, professor of religion Cynthia Eller advocates for a more nuanced view of historical power structures: “I don’t think that patriarchy is a monolith, and surely there are cultures which are kinder for women and ones that are worse. I suspect that this was the case in prehistory.” 

According to archaeologist Rachel Pope, there is a growing recognition of complexity in historical research. She has spoken of a “trend in archaeology more generally, where we have returned to data and material evidence to lead narrative, rather than imposing narratives that confirm our own biases.” 

As our view of history changes, how might we come to look at ourselves differently? What steps can we take to make positive changes for the future? 

Read this month’s full newsletter to learn how we can make a difference in our communities, workplaces, and in policy. An archive of past issues can be accessed through Social Science Space.