Lineage and DescentLineage and Descent

ANTH 321: Kinship and Social OrganizationANTH 321: Kinship and Social Organization

Kimberly Martin,Ph.D. Kimberly Martin,Ph.D.

What Is Kinship?

DEFINITION The rules and

standards for organizing into families

We use kinship diagrams to visually understand kinship groups

What Is a Standard Kinship Diagram? A standard kinship diagram has two of

each type of relative EGO can have, one that is male and one that is female. As a result, standard kinship diagram does not have the complexity of most real family diagrams. A standard kinship diagram is shown below. Notice that EGO’s parents each have two siblings, one sister and one brother. Likewise each of these has two children, one male and one female.

What is a Lineage?

Definition:

A group that is descended

from a common ancestor.

Lineages are derived from

descent.

Lineage Synonyms

descent

descent groups

lineages

cognates fictive

kinship

The reckoning of relationship based on a common ancestor

A group of people related by descent by a common ancestor

A group of people related by a common ancestor

Having a common origin

Acting as if someone is kin when they are actually not

Kinds of Lineages

Patrilineal DescentMatrilineal DescentBilateral/Cognatic

DescentAmbilineal Descent

What is a Patrilineage?

DEFINITIONRelationships and/or a descent group based on male links only

Diagraming a Patrilineage The diagram below show all relatives in EGO’s

patrilineage in blue. Notice that if a person is in EGO’s patrilineage, all siblings of that person are also in EGO’s patrilineage. EGO’s mother is not part of his patrilineage, nor are any of her family members. His mother is part of another patrilineage that includes 3, 10, 12, 13, 23 and 24.

Patrilineal Inheritance The diagram below shows how property is typically

inherited in a patrilineal system. The blue lines show how inheritance moves from one male individual in a generation to male individuals in succeeding generations.

What is a Matrilineage?

DEFINITIONRelationships and/or a descent group based on female links only

Diagramming a Matrilineage The diagram below show all relatives in

EGO’s matrilineage in pink. Notice that if a person is in EGO’s matrilineage, all siblings of that person are also in EGO’s patrilineage. EGO’s father is not part of his matrilineage, nor are any of his family members. His father is part of another matrilineage that includes 2, 6, 7, 9, 15 and 16.

Matrilineal Inheritance The diagram below shows how property is

typically inherited in a matrilineal system. Notice that females are the links that connect men who will inherit. The pink lines show how inheritance moves from one male individual in a generation to male individuals in succeeding generations. Women do not typically manage property, even in a matrilineal system.

Mother’s Brother in Matrilineages In matrilineal societies, EGO’s mother’s

brother is a very important relative, because he is the one who controls the property that EGO will inherit. EGO is the mother’s brother of his sister’s son(s).

EGO will therefore manage his matrilineage’s property for his sister’s sons to inherit. EGO’s own children will not inherit from him. They will inherit from their mother’s (EGO’s future wife’s) brother(s).

Cognatic/Bilateral Lineage

Reckoning descent using both male and female relationships

The kind of lineage most common in the United States.

Ambilineal Descent

When family members are able to choose which side of the family with which to affiliate.

Examples: Samoa, Iban (Borneo)Highland Scots

Segmentary Lineage Systems

Moiety A kinship system in which

a society has paired lineages that act in complementary ways, usually with regard to marriage.

i.e. Members of moiety A must marry an individual from moiety B and vice versa.

Phratry Ramage A kinship group made

up of several related clans

A conical clan made up of cognatic relatives tracing their ancestry to a single founding ancestor through either male or female links.

An ambilineal descent group.

Study Guide

Kinship

Lineage

Clan

Matrilineal

Patrilineal

Cognatic

Bilateral

Ambilineal

Inheritance

Mother’s Brother

Moiety

Phratry

Ramage

Descent

Cognates

Fictive Kinship