Women in Prehistoric Indo European Society

Throughout the 19th century scholars believed that the Proto Indo European (PIE) society had cross cousin marriage, matrilineal descent, and matriarchy (a female version of patriarchy). Then by the middle of the 20th century, the backlash was proclaiming just the opposite: that PIE society was patrilineal and patriarchical, and had husband centered residence. Friedrich (1966:9) even speculated that "widows may have been marked for some mortuary ritual; sacrifice and interment with the husband." Now new insights suggest that the 19th century scholars may have been closer to right than the later ones. The evidence for husband centered residence and patriliny does not withstand critical examination, and, although there is no evidence of matriarchy, the evidence for wife centered residence is good. Matriliny too seems very likely, and women evidently had important active roles cementing family alliances. The trail of these new insights begins among the eastern Algonquian peoples...