A DNA analysis of ancient remains has revealed that women in ancient Celtic communities were highly influential and assertive, often leading their households and pulling the economic strings,suggesting that their husbands often moved in with their wives’ communities rather than maintaining separate residency.

Archaeologists discovered over 50 ancient DNA samples at a burial site in southern England, which was in use before and after the Roman conquest in AD 43. The DNA analysis revealed that the community’s social relationships were based on female family ties. Dr. Lara Cassidy, a genetics expert at Trinity University, directed the study that uncovered the genomic structure of this ancient group.

Researchers found that the pattern of the “matrilocality” social setting seen in Dorset wasn’t unique to the region. They looked at data from earlier genetic studies of Iron Age Britain and identified a similar trend emerging from other burial sites, although data from these sites was less robust. England’s Iron Age burial grounds with well-preserved remains are scarce, but Dorset is one of the notable exceptions.

Decades ago, the deceased were typically cremated, had their bodies stripped of flesh and vital organs, or were simply left in wetlands, making Iron Age burial grounds few and far between.

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New genetic research supports the idea that some Celtic women held a higher social status, and they played a significant role in defining the group’s identity, particularly through family lineage passed down from mother to daughter.