Grave Vows: A Cross-Cultural Examination of the Varying forms of Ghost Marriage among Five Societies

Authors

Lucas J. Schwartze

Date of this Version

2010

Comments

Published in Nebraska Anthropologist Vol. 25 (2010). Copyright © Lucas J. Schwartze; published by The University of Nebraska-Lincoln AnthroGroup.

Abstract

Marriage is one of the most ubiquitous social relationships in human societies. However, the forms this institution takes do not follow the same patterns across all cultures. This paper examines one of the rarer forms of marriage; ghost marriage. After introducing the societies that practice this rare form of marriage, the similarities and differences between the forms this practice takes are examined. Various scholarly explanations for this form of marriage are presented as well.