Paper short abstract:

Twentieth century anthropology and human origins research was predicated on a myth: patriarchy in the form of patrilocal bands, paternity certainty and patrilineal descent. Should these assumptions be reversed?

Paper long abstract:

Twentieth century anthropology and human origins research was predicated on a myth: patriarchy in the form of patrilocal bands, paternity certainty and patrilineal descent. Modern 'selfish gene' Darwinism works on the assumption that females and males have conflicting genetic interests, with the implication that female strategies must be independently analysed and reconstructed. Human origins research conducted in this spirit systematically reverses the assumptions of the myth of patriarchy, yielding correspondingly reversed predictions testable in the light of the archaeological record.