Researchers analyzing ancient DNA from Stone Age graves in Neolithic Anatolia—a historical region that corresponds to present-day Turkey—have uncovered the earliest known evidence of a female-centered society in a farming community. The findings come from Çatalhöyük, a vast Neolithic settlement dating back to around 7100 BC.
The study, published June 26 in the journal Science, drew from DNA samples of 131 individuals buried beneath Neolithic-era structures at the site. The analysis revealed that women and girls held significant importance, challenging long-standing assumptions on early human societies.
“We now have the oldest genetically-inferred social organization pattern in food-producing societies,” said Mehmet Somel, a geneticist at Middle East Technical University in Turkey, in an email to Live Science.
An ancient city with a rich symbolic life
Çatalhöyük was home to thousands of people for nearly a thousand years. Covering about 32.5 acres, the settlement is known for its rooftop-entry homes, symbolic wall art, and a large collection of female figurines.
In the 1960s, archaeologist James Mellaart interpreted these figurines as evidence of a matriarchal society that may have worshiped a mother goddess. He believed this was linked to the community’s shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture.
However, later excavations in the 1990s, led by Stanford archaeologist Ian Hodder, suggested there seemed to be greater equality between men and women with little difference in their roles in society than previously believed.
DNA shows maternal links in household burials
To settle the debate, Somel, Hodder, and their team turned to DNA. They examined family relationships among individuals buried in 31 homes. The results showed that close relatives—such as parents and children—were often buried together. More distant relatives were placed in nearby homes, indicating that family ties played a strong role in household structure.
One pattern stood out: most intergenerational links followed the mother’s side. “We weren’t particularly looking for these maternal connections within buildings,” Somel said. But “it clearly shows that male-centered practices people have often documented in Neolithic and Bronze Age Europe were not universal.”
Grave goods suggest a special status for girls
The study also identified the sex of infants and children—something not easily accomplished through bone analysis. Female babies were more likely to be buried with gifts, further suggesting their elevated status in the community.
9,500 year old site of Çatalhöyük!! One of the oldest known pro-city settlements in the world! This remarkable Neolithic site offers a glimpse into early urban life, with complex housing structures and stunning wall art. A true treasure of human history! pic.twitter.com/yuu5QkYlng
— Anyextee (@Anyextee) October 19, 2024
“This constitutes the first systematic evidence of such a continuously matrilineally organized Neolithic community,” said Jens Notroff, an archaeologist at the German Archaeological Institute, who was not involved in the research.
Careful wording reflects ongoing questions
While the researchers avoided identifying the society as “matrilineal,” Somel said the term “female-centered” better captures the broader social pattern without assuming a strict family system. “It is always good to be cautious,” he added.
Others noted the broader implications. “If the sex patterns were reversed, there would likely be little hesitation in concluding that patriarchal power structures were at play,” wrote archaeologist Benjamin Arbuckle in a Science commentary.
“This is reflective of the difficulty that many scholars have in imagining a world characterized by substantial female power despite abundant archaeological, historic, and ethnographic evidence that matriarchal fields of power were and are widespread,” he added.
Additional research in the wider area may reveal regional patterns
The study also highlights the contrast between Çatalhöyük and later male-dominated societies in Neolithic Europe. It “raises the intriguing question of when, how, and why such a profound shift in social organization occurred,” Notroff said.
Researchers are now examining earlier sites in the region to see if Çatalhöyük was unique—or part of a larger pattern.
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