Two thousand years ago, in Iron Age Britain, women were not only mothers and wives, but also custodians of the land and holders of power. New research published in Nature on January 15 reveals that Celtic communities were organized around female bloodlines, with women passing land and wealth to their daughters, challenging traditional views of a male-dominated society.
The study, conducted by Dr Lara Cassidy of Trinity College Dublin, is based on DNA analysis of 57 skeletons found in Winterborne Kingstonin Dorset, belonging to the Durotriges tribe (100 BC – 100 AD). The findings show striking diversity in Y chromosomes, passed from father to son, indicating that men moved to live with their wives’ families. On the contrary, most women shared a common genetic origintraceable to a single ancestor who lived generations earlier.
Research in @Nature suggests that women were at the center of social networks in Iron Age British Celtic communities. The analysis of 2,000-year-old DNA reveals evidence for matrilocal Celtic societies. https://t.co/ErWYUvu7hc pic.twitter.com/qBuQ28j3xP
— Nature Portfolio (@NaturePortfolio) January 16, 2025
This social organization, called “matrilocal”, it guaranteed women a solid family support network and a central role in the transmission of wealth. The women remained in their home village, surrounded by relatives and friends, while the men moved away, becoming part of their wife’s family.
The archaeological analyzes conducted byBournemouth University confirm this vision. Female graves decorated with valuables indicate that wealth was passed down from mother to daughter.
These findings are also reflected in Roman writings of the time where British women are described as more powerful and independent than their Roman counterparts, capable of owning property, divorcing, and even leading armies. “It is interesting to note – the study reads – that two of the first recorded British sovereigns were women, Cartimandua and Boudica, suggesting that both sexes could achieve the highest political status.” But for the Romans, accustomed to a patriarchal society, this was a sign of barbarism.
Matrilocality, although rare today, was also present in other cultures of the past, such as the Akan in Ghana and the Cherokee in North America. Scientists hypothesize that in Iron Age Britain, characterized by frequent conflicts, the absence of men engaged in war may have favored the emergence of matrilocal societies, where women took a more prominent role in resource management and life community.
This type of social organization it could foster unity between neighboring communitiesavoiding feuds between groups of related men.
Our new paper is out! Congrats to the whole team, especially the staff and students @bournemouthuni who have been excavating this incredible site for 15 years (with much more left to uncover!)
Widespread matrilocality in Iron Age Britain – Up Na Mná https://t.co/OdQyQYR6nV
— Lara Cassidy (@_larsporsena) January 15, 2025
The study also analyzed genetic diversity between several Iron Age communities in Britain, finding fine-grained geographic structure and the presence of kinship networks that spanned large areas. Peripheral regions, such as Scotland and Cornwall, showed greater genetic continuity with Bronze Age populations, while the southern coast, exposed to greater contact with the continent, presented greater diversity.
These findings shed new light on British Celtic society, revealing a past in which women were not marginal figures, but active protagonists in social, economic and political life. Their influence extended from land and resource management to the transmission of heritage and the building of kinship networks, helping to shape the identity and history of Celtic communities.
The research of Dr Cassidy and her colleagues represents a major breakthrough in understanding the role of women in past societies, challenging traditional interpretations and opening up new perspectives on the history of Britain and Old Europe.
