Descent

DESCENT

Descent can be defined as a relationship defined by a connection to an ancestor (or ancestress) through a culturally recognized sequence of parent-child links. In anthropology, various terms ‘line’, ‘lineal’ and ‘lineage’ are used synonymously with the term ‘descent.’ These terms have been used in kinship studies in four different ways: 

1. To denote corporate descent groups, i.e., a group united for economic and political purposes.

2. To denote the chosen line of inheritance and succession.

3. To refer to the type of kinship terminology.

4. Regardless of which lines (matrilineal or patrilineal or both) are chosen for the above three purposes, lineal relatives refer to one’s ascendants or descendants. 

Lineal relatives are those who belong to the same ancestral stock in a directline of descent. Opposed to lineal relatives are collaterals who belong to the same ancestral stock but are not in a direct line of descent. Thus, kinship descent traces the root of a man or woman, identifying his or her link with the ancestor.

Definition of Descent:

1. According to Meyer Fortes defines descent as, “A descent group is an arrangement of persons that serves the attainment of legitimate social and personal ends.”

2. Morgan defined descent as a cultural rule which affiliates an individual with a particular selected group of kinsmen for certain social purpose such as mutual assistance or the regulation of marriage.

(Any one definition)

Descent can be classified into two –

1. Unilateral (Unilineal) descent: 

The two types of unilineal descents are patrilineal descent and matrilineal descent, where kins from father’s side and mother’s side are respectively recognized.

                                              

2. Bilateral (Bilineal) descent: 

Descent or ancestry is traced, determined, or run through both father and mother.