prehistory is beginning to sound plausible:

many scientists now believe that early humans lived in groups in which men and women were fairly equal, both were active in providing food for the tribe. females only lost status much later, as nomads settled into an agricultural way of life and the concepts of property and paternity arose. and

“These terribly stilted interpretations,” says archeologist james adovasio of mercyhurst college in pennsylvania, “with men hunting big animals all the time and females waiting at home for these guys to bring home that bacon-what crap.”

now, where’s my net, i’ve got animals to hunt… oh ok, i’ll just go and pick some tomatoes…