Death Symbolism in Matrilineal Societies: A Replication Study

1995. Death symbolism in matrilineal societies: A replication study. Cross-Cultural Research, 29, 158-177.

In 1984, Somersan reported the results of a cross-cultural study of ancestral spirit, afterlife, and reincarnation beliefs in relation to descent groups. She claimed significance on each of four tests and described a pattern of "death symbolism" that seemed to typify materilineal societies in contrast to those organized in other ways. None of her findings were supported in this replication study. However, an alternative hypothesis, contrasting unilineal and bilateral societies, was supported.

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