I just finished reading a book about women in ancient Canaan, and its fascinating how women were considered equal to men before Abrahamic religions took over. one of the highlights of the book was how men didn't even doubt the abilities of women in managing a kingdom or an army. It deepens my conviction that Abrahamic religions actually caused the human social construct to regress rather than to advance in general.
Read the book 'When God Was a Woman' by Merlin Stone. It looks at the archeological record and comes to the same conclusion you do. Remember that it took a LONG time before people realized that men had any role at all in reproduction. Creation was seen as a female trait and characteristic. (It's not as odd as sit seems -- think about the lapse in time between intercourse and knowledge of pregnancy in the absence of our technological tests. Why would one assume any connection?) The deities were female, so of course it would make sense to assume they could handle earthly events.
"The Chalice & the Blade" is also excellent.
The Abrahamic religions did not help, but there was prejudice both ways before them.
Ancient Egypt for example only had three queens who ruled in their own right and in each case they had to be considered a man to do it.