Anthropology

Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity that crosses biology and sociology, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including archaic humans. Social anthropology studies patterns of behaviour, while cultural anthropology studies cultural meaning, including norms and values. The term sociocultural anthropology is commonly used today. Linguistic anthropology studies how language influences social life. Biological (or physical) anthropology studies the biology and evolution of humans and their close primate relativ

thumb|Excavations at Archaeological site of Atapuerca|Atapuerca, an archaeological site in Spain Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscapes. Archaeology can be considered both a social science and a branch of the humanities. It is usually considered an independent academic discipline, but may also be classified as part of anthropology (in North America – the four-field approach), history or geography. The discip

A wedding is a ceremony in which two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnicities, races, religions, denominations, countries, social classes, and sexual orientations. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vows by a couple; a presentation of a gift (e.g., an offering, rings, a symbolic item, flowers, money, or a dress); and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority figure or celebrant. Special wedding garments are often worn, and the ceremony is sometimes followed by a wedding reception. Music, poetry, prayer

thumb|upright=1.3|A multi-generational extended family in [[Chaghcharan, Ghor Province, Afghanistan]]

evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of anatomically modern humans

nonscientific human classification system primarily based on physical appearance

movement of people for resettlement

Ethnography is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. It explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject of the study. Ethnography is also a type of social research that involves examining the behavior of the participants in a given social situation and understanding the group members' own interpretation of such behavior.

group of people categorized in a hierarchy based on socioeconomic factors

study of cultures, communities and activities of peoples of the world

thumb|In Roman mythology, Mars (mythology)|Mars was the god of war, an activity associated with masculinity. His female counterpart was [[Minerva.]]

thumb|Woman's Progress, May 1895|200px

Discourse is a generalization of the notion of a conversation to any form of communication. Discourse is a major topic in social theory, with work spanning fields such as sociology, anthropology, continental philosophy, and discourse analysis. Following work by Michel Foucault, these fields view discourse as a system of thought, knowledge, or communication that constructs our world experience. Since control of discourse amounts to control of how the world is perceived, social theory often studies discourse as a window into power. Within theoretical linguistics, discourse is understood more nar

position within social structure

A khanate ( ) or khaganate was a polity ruled by a khan, khagan, khatun, or khanum. Khanates were typically nomadic Mongolic and Turkic societies located on the Eurasian Steppe, and politically equivalent in status to kinship-based chiefdoms and feudal monarchies. Khanates and khaganates were organised tribally, where leaders gained power on the support and loyalty of their warrior subjects, gaining tribute from subordinates as realm funding. In comparison to a khanate, a khaganate, the realm of a khagan, was a large nomadic state maintaining subjugation over numerous smaller khanates. The tit

[[File:Legality of polygamy.svg|thumb|400px |

thumb|150px|Ceremonial at court during Prinsjesdag A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion.

Paleoanthropology or paleo-anthropology is a branch of paleontology and anthropology which seeks to understand the early development of anatomically modern humans, a process known as hominization, through the reconstruction of evolutionary kinship lines within the family Hominidae, working from biological evidence (such as petrified skeletal remains, bone fragments, footprints) and cultural evidence (such as stone tools, artifacts, and settlement localities).

religious behaviour

Promiscuity is the practice of engaging in sexual activity frequently with different partners or being indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners. The term can carry a moral judgment. A common example of behavior viewed as promiscuous by many cultures is the one-night stand, and its frequency is used by researchers as a marker for promiscuity.

experience one may have when moving to a cultural environment which is different from one's own

Ethnolinguistics (sometimes called cultural linguistics) is an area of anthropological linguistics that studies the relationship between a language or group of languages and the cultural practices of the people who speak those languages.

branch of anthropology that studies ethnographic societies, art, folklore, religions, nationalism, ethnicities and pattern of behaviour in human societies.

Anthroponymy (also anthroponymics or anthroponomastics, from Ancient Greek ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos, 'human', and ὄνομα onoma, 'name') is the study of anthroponyms, the proper names of human beings, both individual and collective. Anthroponymy is a branch of onomastics.

thumb|300px|In a Tropical Forest Combat of a Tiger and a Buffalo (1908–1909), by Henri Rousseau In the arts of the Western world, Primitivism is a mode of aesthetic idealization that means to recreate the experience of the primitive time, place, and person, either by emulation or by re-creation. In Western philosophy, Primitivism proposes that the people of a primitive society possess a morality and an ethics that are superior to the urban value system of civilized people.

archaeological theory

branch of anthropology and philosophy that studies human nature and ideologies

identity or feeling of belonging to a group

thumb|250px|Digital painting of a Mississippian culture|Mississippian-era priest, with a ceremonial flint mace and a severed head, based on a repousse copper plate.

In sociology, popularity is how much a person, idea, place, item or other concept is either liked or accorded status by other people. Liking can be due to reciprocal liking, interpersonal attraction, and similar factors. Social status can be due to dominance, superiority, and similar factors. For example, a kind person may be considered likable and therefore more popular than another person, and a wealthy person may be considered superior and therefore more popular than another person.

public exhibit of members of a foreign nation

Steatopygia is the state of having substantial levels of tissue on the buttocks and thighs leading to a protruding 90-degree angled appearance and accompanied by lordosis. This build is not confined to the gluteal regions, but extends to the outside and front of the thighs, and tapers to the knee producing a curvilinear figure. The term is from the Greek (), meaning "tallow", and (), meaning "rump". thumb|left|The Neolithic "Steatopygous Goddess from Pano Chorio", c. 5800–4800 BC, terracotta, [[Crete; whether she is really a goddess is uncertain.]] Steatopygia, a genetic phenotype leading to i

stock character; idealized indigene or otherwise wild outsider with noble characteristics

The koteka (Mee, ), also referred to as a horim or penis gourd, is a penis sheath traditionally worn by native male inhabitants of some (mainly highland) ethnic groups in New Guinea. The koteka is normally made from a dried-out gourd, Lagenaria siceraria, although unrelated species such as pitcher-plant (Nepenthes mirabilis) are also used. The koteka is held in place by a small loop of fiber attached to the base of the koteka and placed around the scrotum. A secondary loop placed around the chest or abdomen is attached to the main body of the koteka.

thumb|The chiefdom of Afareïtu in Moʻorea, [[French Polynesia, ]]

objects placed intentionally in a grave

evolution of societies

theory within social science

thumb|Sled dog racing in Alaska

specially prepared human head

In anthropology, sedentism (sometimes called sedentariness; compare sedentarism) is the practice of living in one place for a long time. As of , the large majority of people belong to sedentary cultures. In evolutionary anthropology and archaeology, sedentism takes on a slightly different sub-meaning, often applying to the transition from nomadic society to a lifestyle that involves remaining in one place permanently. Essentially, sedentism means living in groups permanently in one place. The invention of agriculture led to sedentism in many cases, but the earliest sedentary settlements were p

a sociological theory arguing that the stability of society is determined by functional institutions and individuals having a specific role

transition of human species to anthropologically modern behavior

sub-field of anthropology focusing on human health issues

speculative historical theories

thumb|Claude Lévi-Strauss, an anthropologist An anthropologist is a scientist engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropologists study aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms, values, and general behavior of societies. Linguistic anthropology studies how language affects social life, while economic anthropology studies human economic behavior. Biological (physical), forensic, and medical anthropology study the biology and evolution of humans and their primate relatives, the application

study of political, economic and social factors about environmental issues

two kinds of linguistic field research

society that is not governed by a state, or, especially in common American English, has no government; anthropological phenomenon of societies where state-like social organisation is not present.

thumb|200px|right|Logo for the Society of Ethnobiology

branch of anthropology that explores, examines, and compares diverse systems of social control and power structures of societies

Doxa (; from verb ) is a common belief or popular opinion. In classical rhetoric, doxa is contrasted with episteme ('knowledge').

subdiscipline of anthropology

The avunculate, sometimes called avunculism or avuncularism, is any social institution where a special relationship exists between an uncle and his sisters' children. This relationship can be formal or informal, depending on the society. Early anthropological research focused on the association between the avunculate and matrilineal descent, while later research has expanded to consider the avunculate in general society.

Ethnohistory is the study of cultures and indigenous peoples customs by examining historical records as well as other sources of information on their lives and history. It is also the study of the history of various ethnic groups that may or may not still exist. The term is most commonly used in writing about the history of the Americas.

REDIRECT Gorgons

In ancient Greece, a phratry (, derived from ) was a group containing citizens in some city-states. Their existence is known in most Ionian cities and in Athens and it is thought that they existed elsewhere as well. Almost nothing is known about the functions and responsibilities of phratries outside Attica (the area around Athens). Within Athens, they played a prominent role in social and religious life, particularly in the major festival called the Apatouria. They played an important role in determining eligibility for Athenian citizenship and all citizens (with very few exceptions) and only

Neo-nationalism, or new nationalism, is an ideology and political movement built on the basic characteristics of classical nationalism. It developed to its final form by applying elements with reactionary character generated as a reaction to the political, economic and demographic changes that came with globalization during the second wave of globalization in the 1980s.

one of the major approaches to the measurement of absolute poverty in developing countries

media evolution