? MMYSTERYOit’s fateit’s fateFTHE MONTHH?? MYSTERYOFTHE MONTH? MYSTERY OF THEMONTH
life!death!d Prizes!PFTHE MONTH? MMMMMMMYYYYYYSSSTTEEERRRYYY OOFFF TTTHHHEEEMMMOON
has^6
50 room
s
Puebl
o Boni
to^
were
in char
ge!The (^) fe
males
E
ver wondered what
the world would be
like if women had
all the top jobs? It’s
hard to imagine as
it’s not happened. Or has it?
The Chacoans
were a prehistoric
society of people
who inhabited New
Mexico for over 2000
years. Little is
known about them
as, unlike Egyptians
and Mayans, they
didn’t put anything
down in writing.
In style
But it doesn’t mean
this society weren’t putting
their time to good use.
Their centre was in
Chaco canyon, which is filled
with large, multi-story
mansions
known as
great
houses. These were
planned in advance,
meaning some took
centuries to complete. So
while they may not have been
documenting their goings-on,
they knew how to think ahead
and live in style!
Science
The largest
of these great
houses, Pueblo
Bonito had
650 rooms.
In room 33,
scientists found
a burial chamber
where the high-
status members of
society were laid to
rest. The remains include
the bodies of a 40-year-old
woman, her grandson and a
45-year-
old
woman
and her
daughter.
And here comes
the science bit...
Professor Douglas Kennett
and his colleagues from
Pennsylvania State
University collected DNA
from nine bodies in room 33
and found they belonged to
the same maternal family.
Few clues
So in this society, power
was passed from female to
female – the women were in
charge. But sadly, the
Chacoans died out
around 1130AD.
It’s been speculated that a
drought contributed to their
downfall. While it’s sad that
they left few clues about their
lives, there is a way to solve
the mystery of whether the
world would be a better place
if women ruled – and that’s to
launch a takeover bid.
It’d be nice to copy the
Chacoan’s and build a few
more sprawling mansions...
photos (woman posed by model) alamy
Written by Danielle Wrate
in some small pockets of the world, women call the shots!
Go to lifedeathPrizes.com
The ultimate
boredom-buster
...I COULD
BE ON
Have you heard?
in room 33,
scientists
found a
burial
chamber
Would women make
the world a better place?
G
irl
pOwEr
l Lugu Lake in China is home to the
Kingdom of Women. The tribe have no
word for father or husband and take
lovers instead of marrying. Property is
handed down the female line, and there
is no stigma over paternity of children.
lOn 24 October 1975, 90 per cent of
Iceland’s women went on strike and
refused to work, cook or look after their
children. Today, a feminist agenda is still
strong. Strip clubs are outlawed and plans
are afoot to ban pornography.
lIn the Indian state of Meghalaya,
tradition dictates that the youngest
daughter inherits all the property. But
men are addressing this ‘inequality’.