On the development of unilineal descent

Journal of Anthropological Research • Vol/Iss. 30 • Published In • Pages: 69-94 •
By Ember, Carol R., Ember, Melvin, Pasternak, Burton

Abstract

This article tests some conditions that may lead to the emergence of unilineal descent, focusing on unilocality and warfare. Unilineal descent is thought to be likely in a unilocal society without a centralized political system that is experiencing intra- or inter-societal warfare. The authors also posit that a "clan" system usually develops prior to a "lineage" system.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
compendium of coded data

Hypotheses (9)

HypothesisSupported
". . . Unilocality is a necessary but not sufficient condition for unilineal descent" (70)Supported
". . . intergroup competition is the most important catalyst in the formation of unilineal descent groups in unilocal societies" (74)Supported
". . . societies with internal warfare would tend to have at least one level of unilineal descent group typically contiguous, whereas societies with purely external warfare would not be as likely to have contiguous descent groups" (78)Supported
". . . among unilineal societies with internal warfare, those with higher densities would be more likely to have lineages than those with low densities" (82)Supported
". . . given internal war, lineages are more apt to be found when the density is at least five persons per square mile" (83)Supported
". . . the lower density societies in our sample . . . are significantly more likely to have mobile local groups" (84)Supported
". . . there is a positive association between the number of putative unilineal groups at the highest level of unilineal descent in the society and the total number of persons in the society" (85)Supported
"Lineages develop prior to putative descent groups" (90)Supported
". . . we . . . expect that societies with internal warfare would be more apt to have lineages than those with purely external war . . ." (80)Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: mas  Amelia Piazza