lisations, women's actions
were once unfettered, and this, as I believe, can be explained only on
the hypothesis of the existence of a maternal stage, before the
establishment of the individual male authority under the patriarchal
system.

[185] Letourneau, _Evolution of Marriage_, p. 335.

[186] _Golden Bough_, Part I. _The Magic Art_, Vol. II, pp.
270, 289, 312.

[187] Mueller and Bachofen, cited by Giraud-Teulon, _op. cit._
pp. 283-284.

[188] _The Truth About Woman_, pp. 227-242.

The evidence with regard to prehistoric Greece is much more complete.
The Greek [Greek: genos] resembled the Roman _gens_. Its members had a
common sepulture, common property, the mutual obligation of the
_vendetta_ and archon.[189] In the prehistoric clans maternal descent
would seem to have been established. Plutarch relates that the Cretans
spoke of Crete as their motherland, and not fatherland. In primitive
Athens, the women had the right of voting, and their children bore
their name--privileges that were taken from them, says the legend, to
appease the wrath of Poseidon, after his inundation of the city,
owing to the quarrel with Athene. Tradition also relates that at
Athens, until the time of Cecrops, children bore the name of their
mother.[190] Among the Lycians, whose affinity to the Greeks was so
pronounced, a matriarchate prevailed down to the time of Herodotus.
Not the name only, but the inheritance and status of the children
depended on the mother. The Lycians "honoured women rather than men;"
they are represented "as being accustomed from of old to be ruled by
their women."[191]

[189] Grote, _History of Greece_, Vol. III, p. 95.

[190] Letourneau, _op. cit._ pp. 335-336.

[191] Herodotus, Book I, p. 172.

One of the most remarkable instances of a gynaecocratic people has only
now been fully discovered as having existed in ancient Crete. It seems
probable that women enjoyed greater powers than they had even in
Egypt. The new evidence that has come to light is certainly most
interesting; the facts are recorded by Mr. J. R. Hall in a recent
book, _Ancient History in the Far East_, and I am specially glad to
bring them forward. He affirms: "It may eventually appear that in
religious matters, perhaps even the government of the State itself as
well, were largely controlled by the women." From the seals we gather
a universal worship of a supreme female goddess, the Rhea of later
relig