Lineage (anthropology)

A lineage is a unilineal descent corporation that cantheir common descent from a known apical ancestor. Unilineal lineages can be matrilineal or patrilineal, depending on if they are traced through mothers or fathers, respectively. whether matrilineal or patrilineal descent is considered near significant differs from culture to culture.

Matrilineal descent is associated withcharacteristics such as matriarchy, matrilocality as well as consanguinity. However a system can be matrilineal without possessing such(a) characteristics.