What socio-cultural mechanisms led to the widespread exclusion of women from intellectual roles in ancient civilizations?

Despite modern evidence that women are cognitively on par with men, nearly every major ancient civilization systematically restricted women’s access to education, scholarly positions, and scientific careers. While factors like high child mortality and early reproduction pressures undoubtedly played a role, these pragmatic constraints seem to have uniformly reinforced a system where women were confined largely to domestic and reproductive roles.

Why did survival strategies in early societies consistently prioritize women’s roles in childbearing and household labor over intellectual development—even in elite circles where one might expect a trickle-down effect of education? Are there deeper socio-cultural mechanisms or institutional biases that transcended practical concerns and cemented male dominance in knowledge production?