Levirate marriage and the Ethnographic Atlas

Frank Ames (fames@ix.netcom.com)
10 Dec 1994 20:04:47 GMT

Does the Ethnographic Atlas include variables that would allow one to
test various explanations for levirate marriage?

My primary field is not anthropology and am not familiar with the Atlas,
but I recently read an article by D. White and M. Burton ("Causes of
Polygyny: Ecology, Economy, Kinship, and Warfare")that has prompted some
interdisciplinary research.

Your help would be greatly appreciated, and I would value comments about
the effective use of the Atlas and any information about recent work on
the levirate.

Since I am not familiar with people working in the field of
anthropology, please include a one-line note to orient me to your
educational background or current work. I am a Ph.D. candidate at the
University of Denver and am drafting a dissertation proposal related to
patterns of marriage in ancient Israelite society.

Frank Ames
fames@ix.netcom.com
fames@cair.cassandra.du.edu