DNA study reveals female leadership in Iron Age Britain

A team of geneticists from Trinity College Dublin and Bournemouth University has uncovered fascinating evidence of female leadership in Iron Age Britain. By analysing DNA from over 50 ancient genomes found at a burial site in Dorset, they’ve revealed how women played key roles in shaping society and politics during this time.

The study, published in Nature, found that this community, centred around the village of Winterborne Kingston (nicknamed “Duropolis”), was primarily organised through maternal-line descent. Dr Lara Cassidy, Assistant Professor in Trinity’s Department of Genetics and lead researcher, explained:

“We reconstructed a family tree and discovered that most individuals traced their maternal lineage back to a single woman who lived centuries earlier. This suggests that husbands moved to join their wives’ communities, with land and power potentially passed through the female line.”

This type of social organisation, known as “matrilocality,” points to a society where women were not only key figures in family structures but also in broader political and social spheres. The findings align with prior archaeological observations that richly furnished Durotrigan burials in Dorset often belonged to women. Dr Cassidy noted: “This is the first time matrilocality has been documented in European prehistory, and it predicts female empowerment in ways rarely seen today.”

Surprisingly, this social structure wasn’t unique to Dorset. By analysing data from other Iron Age cemeteries in Britain, researchers identified similar patterns across the island. Professor Dan Bradley, co-author of the study, said: “We found cemeteries in Yorkshire and beyond where most individuals descended maternally from a small set of female ancestors. This phenomenon appears to have deep roots in British prehistory.”

The findings also complement historical accounts from Greek and Roman sources, which remarked on the prominence of women in Iron Age Britain. When the Romans invaded, they encountered queens such as Boudica and Cartimandua leading armies and wielding significant power. While some historians have suggested that Roman writers exaggerated these depictions to portray the British as “untamed,” the genetic and archaeological evidence supports the idea of influential female leaders.

Dr Miles Russell of Bournemouth University, who has been excavating Duropolis since 2009, highlighted the implications of the study: “This genetic research provides a fresh perspective on Iron Age Britain. It suggests that maternal ancestry and female leadership shaped group identities and influenced how power was distributed.”

The DNA study also revealed signs of migration into southern England during the Iron Age, offering new insights into the arrival of Celtic languages. Dr Cassidy explained: “We detected significant cross-channel movement during this period. It’s possible that Celtic languages were introduced to Britain on multiple occasions, making the timeline more complex than previously thought.”

These findings not only reshape our understanding of Iron Age Britain but also bring to life the hidden stories of individuals who lived during this fascinating period. Anthropologist Dr Martin Smith added:

“Rather than just skeletons, we now see mothers, husbands, and daughters whose identities and ancestry played a crucial role in their society.”

This DNA study also draws comparisons with matrilocal societies observed globally, such as those discussed by the Smithsonian Institution, offering a broader context for the role of maternal lineage in social structures.

These findings were based on research materials provided by Trinity College Dublin, offering new insights into the role of women in Iron Age Britain.

[Image Credit: Durotrigian burial – Bournemouth University]

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