An article published in the journal Nature has presented compelling new evidence for the existence of a matrilineal society in Neolithic China, challenging long-held assumptions about the dominance of patrilocal and patrilineal social systems in early human history.
The study, led by an international team of researchers, analysed ancient DNA, archaeological context, and stable isotope data from 60 individuals buried at the Fujia archaeological site in eastern China. Dating from approximately 2750 to 2500 BCE, the site offers one of the clearest genomic and archaeological pictures to date of a society organized around maternal lines.
“Studies of ancient DNA from cemeteries provide valuable insights into early human societies, and have strongly indicated patrilocality. Our findings suggest the existence of an early-described matrilineal community in the Neolithic period”
The research team identified two distinct maternal clans based on genome-wide sequencing, with evidence of endogamy, stable agricultural practices and carefully structured burials, all of which point to a society that placed significant importance on maternal descent and kinship.
Bayesian modelling of radiocarbon dates showed that the two cemeteries at Fujia were in use for around 250 years, suggesting a sustained matrilineal lineage spanning at least 10 generations. This long-term continuity, combined with indicators of intermarriage between the two clans and the organization of burials according to maternal ancestry, highlights a level of social stability and cohesion rarely seen in other Neolithic sites.
While most genome-wide studies of ancient societies from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages have supported patrilineal systems, the Fujia findings add rare and robust evidence to the small but growing body of research suggesting that matrilineal structures were more common in prehistory than previously assumed. The only previously confirmed ancient matrilineal society using genomic methods was the elite Chaco Canyon culture in North America, which thrived over three millennia later.
Though matrilineal organization is rare in contemporary China, the Fujia study suggests it may have once played a more significant role in the social fabric of early farming communities. As the authors note, kinship systems throughout history have likely shifted in response to environmental and economic pressures, rather than following a single evolutionary trajectory.