It depends on how you define "matriarchy". There is a difference between its common English meaning and the usage in cultural anthropology. In anthropology, a matriarchy is a society in which females have dominant roles in political leadership, moral authority, control of property, etc.

In this sense, there is no known example of a matriarchy either from the present or historical times.

Now there are examples of societies which might be considered "matriarchy" by a loose enough definition, when what is really meant is:

• matrilineality - where descent is traced through the female line. This is common in Jewish custom (you are Jewish if your mother was Jewish), as well as in various tribal groups, for example, the Nairs and Bunts of South India, the Tuareg of northwest Africa, some native American tribes, etc.

• matrilocality - where a newly married couple live near the wife's family, instead of the wife moving to live with the husband's family. This is known from many societies, including the Siraya of Taiwan, Nairs in South India, the Moso in southwest China. It is not always an indication of women's status though, it may be for patriarchical reasons such as the wife's father or grandfather being powerful enough to demand it.

• matrifocality - where women play a central role in the family, and the fathers are not present, or play a secondary role. This is not really about the structure of society; it's more about the family. It may happen when the father has multiple wives and/or mistresses (among some people of African origin in the Caribbean, for example), but the society is still a patriarchy, with positions of political leadership and power being occupied by men.

So in short, there is no known example of a matriarchy in the sense of women ruling the society, either past or present, but there are plenty of examples of matrilineality, matrilocality and matrifocality within a patriarchal society.

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