ancient matriarchy

Ancient matriarchy refers to societies where women held prominent positions of power in social, political, and religious life, often as leaders or decision-makers. While not purely matriarchal in the strict sense, these cultures emphasized female authority and kinship, sometimes including matrilineal inheritance—where lineage is traced through mothers. Examples include early societies like the Minoans of Crete and some Indigenous communities. Such systems highlight how gender roles and societal structures varied historically, challenging assumptions that ancient societies were solely male-dominated. Instead, they reveal diverse arrangements where women played central roles in community organization and cultural continuity.