DNA Analysis Reveals Matrilocal Societies in Iron Age Britain from 800 BC to AD 43

Jan 15, 2025, 04:15 PM

A study led by researchers from Trinity College Dublin and Bournemouth University has revealed that during the Iron Age in Britain, from around 800 BC until the Roman Conquest in AD 43, land and wealth were inherited through the female line, with men moving to live with their wives' communities. The research, which analyzed the DNA of 57 individuals from the Durotriges tribe in Dorset, found that the community was centered around a single maternal lineage, with most individuals tracing their ancestry back to one woman who lived centuries before. This suggests a matrilocal society where women held significant social and political influence. The findings indicate that this pattern was widespread across Britain, with similar evidence found in other regions such as Cornwall and Yorkshire. The study also supports historical Roman accounts of the power of Celtic women in Britain, challenging previous dismissals of such accounts as exaggerated.