Latest news with #Rosenstock
DW
8 hours ago
- Science
- DW
Prehistoric matriarchy in Turkey revealed by DNA analysis – DW – 07/29/2025
Genetic analysis of bodies from a 9,000-year-old settlement has revealed clues pointing to unusual societal structures. As far back as the 1960s, archaeologists had a feeling that Catalhoyuk was something special. And not just because the Neolithic settlement was one of the oldest continually inhabited places in the world. Researchers believed that women had an elevated societal position in Catalhoyuk, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site in contemporary Turkey. But that hunch was only based on figurines they had found and believed to represent Anatolian mother goddesses. Only with the methods of modern archaeology were researchers able to turn their feelings into fact: Society in the Catalhoyuk of 9,000 years ago was centered around women. An international research team led by geneticists from the Middle East Technical University in Ankara published their findings in the journal . The researchers came to their conclusion after examining 131 skeletons they had discovered buried right under houses the people of Catalhoyuk had inhabited. DNA analysis showed that people buried under the same house were often related — on their mother's side. In other words, when a man and a woman entered a partnership in the Neolithic settlement, they moved in with the family of the woman, not that of the man. Households were formed on a matrilineal basis. And there was another indication that women had a higher status than men: Archaeologists found as many as five times the grave goods buried with female bodies than with male ones. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In the more recent past, patrilineal households, where women move in with their male partner's family after marriage, were more common — and formed a patriarchy. So, does the reverse mean that the residents of Catalhoyuk, who lived from about 7100 to 6000 B.C.E., lived in a matriarchy? Not necessarily, said prehistoric archaeologist Eva Rosenstock, who took part in the excavation in Catalhoyuk and researches scientific and cultural archaeology. "Whether a society is matrilocal or patrilocal generally doesn't tell you anything about who has the power," Rosenstock told DW. "But those things often go hand in hand." Digging up, if you will, usable DNA for genetic analysis was not an easy feat for the researchers. Catalhoyuk was located in a region with a continental climate, with strong fluctuations between winter and summer. Under these conditions, even teeth, which were known until recently as one of the best source of DNA, do not keep forever. But there is a tiny part of the human body that has turned out to be the perfect source of DNA in adverse conditions such as those in the Catalhoyuk region: the petrous part of the temporal bone, located in the inner ear. "It's like a DNA safe!" said Rosenstock. It was through analyzing the material in this "DNA safe" that researchers discovered the matrilineal relationship between people buried under the same house. But not all people buried under the same house were related. The archaeologists assume that it wasn't out of the ordinary in Catalhoyuk society to switch children, so that your child would grow up in a different family close by. This was probably done in an effort to guarantee equal distribution of resources and, according to experts, points to society valuing the idea of equal rights for all. "If your own child grows up three doors down, you're probably not going to advocate for just your household to get the best of everything," said Rosenstock. But how did a society valuing equality and centered on women turn into the patriarchy that has dominated Central Europe in the more recent past? Rosenstock doesn't have an answer — at least not yet: "That's the next exciting question."
DW
23-07-2025
- Science
- DW
Prehistoric matriarchy in Turkey revealed by DNA analysis – DW – 07/23/2025
Genetic analysis of bodies from a 9,000-year-old settlement revealed clues pointing to unusual societal structures. As far back as the 1960s, archaeologists had a feeling that Catalhoyuk was something special. And not just because the Neolithic settlement was one of the oldest continually inhabited places in the world. Researchers believed that women had an elevated societal position in Catalhoyuk, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site in contemporary Turkey. But that hunch was only based on figurines they had found and believed to represent Anatolian mother goddesses. Only with the methods of modern archaeology were researchers able to turn their feelings into fact: Society in the Catalhoyuk of 9,000 years ago was centered around women. An international research team led by geneticists from the Middle East Technical University in Ankara published their findings in the journal Science. The researchers came to their conclusion after examining 131 skeletons they had discovered buried right under houses the people of Catalhoyuk had inhabited. DNA analysis showed that people buried under the same house were often related — on their mother's side. In other words, when a man and a woman entered a partnership in the Neolithic settlement, they moved in with the family of the woman, not that of the man. Households were formed on a matrilineal basis. And there was another indication that women had a higher status than men: Archaeologists found as many as five times the grave goods buried with female bodies than with male ones. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In the more recent past, patrilineal households, where women move in with their male partner's family after marriage, were more common — and formed a patriarchy. So, does the reverse mean that the residents of Catalhoyuk, who lived from about 7100 to 6000 BCE, lived in a matriarchy? Not necessarily, said prehistoric archaeologist Eva Rosenstock, who took part in the excavation in Catalhoyuk and researches scientific and cultural archaeology. "Whether a society is matrilocal or patrilocal generally doesn't tell you anything about who has the power," Rosenstock told DW. "But those things often go hand in hand." Digging up, if you will, usable DNA for genetical analysis was not an easy feat for the researchers. Catalhoyuk was located in a region with continental climate, with strong fluctuations between winter and summer. Under these conditions, even teeth, which were known until recently as one of the best source of DNA, do not keep forever. But there is a tiny part of the human body that has turned out to be the perfect source of DNA in adverse conditions such as those in the Catalhoyuk region: the petrous part of the temporal bone, located in the inner ear. "It's like a DNA safe!" Rosenstock said. It was through analyzing the material in this "DNA safe" that researchers discovered the matrilineal relationship between people buried under the same house. But not all people buried under the same house were related. The archaeologists assume that it wasn't out of the ordinary in Catalhoyuk society to switch children, so that your child would grow up in a different family close by. This was probably done in an effort to guarantee equal distribution of resources and, according to experts, points to society valuing the idea of equal rights for all. "If your own child grows up three doors down, you're probably not going to advocate for just your household to get the best of everything," said Rosenstock. But how did a society valuing equality and centered on women turn into the patriarchy that has dominated Central Europe in the more recent past? Rosenstock doesn't have an answer — at least not yet: "That's the next exciting question."
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maryland ‘No Kings' events take anti-authoritarian message to parks, city halls, highway overpasses
A "no kings" banner from an April parade in Lexington, Massachusetts, to mark 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Anti-Trump rallies, under the "no king" banner are scheduled across the country Saturday, with dozens set for Maryland. (Photo by) For Ellie Rosenstock, the 'No Kings' protest she is helping organize in Baltimore's Patterson Park is as much about activists showing their support for each other as it is about showing their opposition to President Donald Trump and his policies. 'We want people to know that they are not alone, that they are represented, and even if we're not all the same, we're a broad coalition, and we're going to be there for each other,' said Rosenstock, who was motivated to found Indivisible Baltimore last fall after Vice President Kamala Harris' loss to Trump. On Saturday, Rosenstock's chapter of Indivisible — a national organization dedicated to opposing Trump and his policies — will be hosting one of an estimated 2,000 No Kings events that have been organized in communities across the U.S. More than 40 are planned across Maryland, from Friendsville to Elkton to Salisbury. The protests come in response to rising numbers of warrantless immigration raids, Trump administration cuts to federal funding and jobs, reductions to health care spending and more, many of which Trump has tried to enact by executive order, circumventing Congress and the courts. In a statement Thursday, 'No Kings' organizers said the protests aim to 'reject authoritarian overreach.' Rosenstock said the Baltimore event will be nonviolent and consist of speeches from local politicians, comedians, performances from singers and a peaceful march. It will be a 'lovely, beautiful, beautiful day,' she said. Organizers say thousands of Maryland residents are expected to gather across the state Saturday at dozens of these protests. Sites include Annapolis, Columbia, Bethesda, Silver Spring and Frederick, and the events will range from large protests to small gatherings to wave signs at highway overpasses. Tanks, choppers descend on D.C. in prep for Army anniversary parade, Trump birthday The date of the 'nationwide day of defiance' was chosen to coincide with Trump's planned military parade in Washington, D.C. to mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army's founding. Saturday also happens to be Trump's 79th birthday. There will be no protest in Washington, D.C., organizers said, because they want to draw attention away from the city and the controversial parade. What is considered the flagship No Kings event is scheduled for Philadelphia. Ruben Amaya, president of the Young Democrats of Maryland, said Trump's military parade this Saturday is no way to honor democratic values. 'There's better ways for us to show you know how great our country is than through a display of military force,' he said. The planned demonstrations come just days after Trump deployed 700 Marines and mobilized more than 4,000 California National Guard troops to crack down on protests in downtown Los Angeles against an increase of ICE raids throughout the city. The Maryland Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative state lawmakers, issued a statement Friday urging state and local leaders to take measures to ensure that the protests on Saturday do not 'devolve into the same kind of chaos,' as in Los Angeles. 'What began as protests around ICE actions in Los Angeles has spiraled into riots, assaults, and destruction,' Del. Kathy Szeliga (R-Baltimore County), the caucus's vice chair, said in the statement. 'We support the right to protest peacefully, but no Marylander should have to fear for their family's safety or their livelihood because of mob violence.' In a statement on Wednesday, the Maryland State Police said it is in 'constant contact' with other law enforcement partners regarding potential demonstrations this weekend, and will work to 'address any public safety concerns while respecting the public's First Amendment rights.' No Kings organizers say they are dedicated to nonviolence. Weapons of any kind are banned from the events, and it says attendees are expected to 'seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events.' Several organizers said that since the beginning of the second Trump administration, they've seen an uptick in grassroots activism. Rosenstock said that since founding Indivisible Baltimore with just five people in January, the organization has grown to more than 2,000. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Tom Glancy, a co-organizer for the Baltimore County-based Allies for Democracy, said that 'doing nothing is not an option.' 'We can't cede the field to Trump and his allies, because they'll just push things as far as they can,' Glancy said. 'We need to step up, and one of the ways we do this is with these marches.' Glancy, a retired attorney, said that over time, he thinks the movement's message of anti-authoritarianism will prevail. Amaya said in-person demonstrations, like 'No Kings' protests, are often when people realize the power of community. Voices are stronger when they're united, he added. 'The people have the power,' he said. 'Not just one man who has a big ego.' The Annapolis 'No Kings' protest, according to Chesapeake Indivisible facilitator Eric Burg, had more than 250 people signed up as of Thursday, but attendance is usually two to five times greater than how many people are registered. The protest, which Burg said will be held at the Annapolis Mall so attendees can be safe and spread out, is not going to be civil disobedience in 'any way, shape or form. This is just us expressing our First Amendment rights.' 'The most important thing we can do is not relinquish our humanity, not relinquish our compassion, not comply in advance,' he said. Burg said many people may be unable or unwilling to go out and protest, but the goal is to make it part of the national conversation. 'Protest has been a part of America before it was a country,' he said. 'We're keeping it peaceful, and we want to make sure that it's accessible, and, most importantly, force people to have that conversation.'
