Matriarchy

Family and political rule by women. This, generally, is thought of as never existing by anthropologists, yet, some feminists think a primitive one may have existed. The are a popularly cited group, as the women of Lesbos.

However, the near-opposite, patriarchy, is not thought of as natural/evolutionary either, but rather culturally created.

This noder thinks that dividing things along gender lines is stupid, no matter who does it.

A number of noted archaeologists, anthropologists, and other students of prehistory hold that matriarchies were actually the basis for human society until roughly 10-20,000 years ago (see noble savage, moon worship, non shot-in-the-dark references TK). There is considerable circumstantial evidence to support this, in studies of current and recent aboriginal cultures, from native american tribal practices and traditions, to those of island dwelling south pacific societies. I will attempt to confirm that there is at least one recognized, functioning matriarchal society, in east Asia, I believe.

Corrsesponding theories of the disappearance of matriarchy as a dominant practice also abound; most center around the development of agriculture as the catalyst for more martial, agressive and boneheaded patriarchal society.