Researchers analyzing DNA from over 130 skeletons at the 9,000-year-old Çatalhöyük city in Turkey found evidence of a matriarchal society. Analysis of the Neolithic settlement revealed maternal lineage played a significant role in household connections, with women staying in their birth homes and men moving in after marriage. This conclusion is supported by the unequal distribution of grave goods, favoring females. The study, published in Science, provides the oldest known genetically inferred example of a female-centered social organization in food-producing societies.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.