Lineage (anthropology)

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

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