Bride wealth (often used interchangeably with bride price) is a central concept in anthropology describing the transfer of wealth from the groom’s family to the bride’s family at marriage. It is one of the most widespread marital transactions across cultures and is deeply tied to kinship, economics, and social organization. 🌍 Definition Bride Wealth: Wealth…

Bride service is a form of marital exchange in anthropology where the groom works for the bride’s family for a specified period of time instead of (or alongside) paying bride price. It is one of the classic marriage transactions studied cross‑culturally. 🌍 Definition Bride Service: Labor provided by the groom to the bride’s family as…

Bride price (also called bridewealth) is the transfer of wealth from the groom’s family to the bride’s family at marriage, serving as compensation, alliance-building, and social recognition of the union. It is one of the most widespread marital economic transactions in anthropology. 🌍 Definition Bride Price / Bridewealth: A payment of money, goods, or livestock…

Breaking chain in anthropology and archaeology usually refers to a site formation process or artifact condition where a sequence of continuity—whether technological, social, or material—is interrupted. The phrase can appear in several specialized contexts: 🌍 Possible Meanings in Anthropological Contexts Lithic Technology: In stone tool production, a “breaking chain” can describe a fracture sequence where…

Branch running and walking in anthropology and primatology refers to specific forms of arboreal locomotion used by primates when moving along tree branches. These behaviors are part of the broader study of primate locomotor adaptations, which help anthropologists understand both ecological strategies and evolutionary pathways toward human bipedalism. 🌍 Definition Branch Running: Rapid quadrupedal movement…

Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) is one of the most widespread ferns in the world, and in anthropology it is significant because many Indigenous and ancient societies used it as food, medicine, and material despite its toxicity. 🌍 Definition & Distribution Species: Pteridium aquilinum (commonly called bracken, brake, or eagle fern). Range: Cosmopolitan distribution across temperate…

Brain endocasts are reconstructions of the internal surface of the cranial cavity, used in anthropology and paleontology to study the size, shape, and organization of the brain in fossil hominins and other vertebrates. They provide indirect evidence of brain evolution and cognitive capacities. 🌍 Definition Endocast: A cast (natural or artificial) of the inside of…

Brachycephalic is an anthropological and anatomical term describing a head shape that is relatively broad and short compared to its length. It comes from cranial index studies in physical anthropology, where skull proportions were used to classify populations. 🌍 Definition Brachycephalic: A cranial form characterized by a high cranial index (ratio of maximum skull breadth…

Brachiation in anthropology and primatology refers to a specialized form of arboreal locomotion in which primates swing from branch to branch using only their arms. It is a hallmark of certain apes and provides insight into both primate anatomy and human evolutionary pathways. 🌍 Definition Brachiation: Locomotion by arm-swinging, where the body is suspended beneath…

In anthropology and archaeology, the abbreviation BP stands for “Before Present.” It is a standardized time scale used to express ages of events or artifacts in years before 1950 CE. 🌍 Definition BP (Before Present): A dating convention meaning “years before 1950.” Why 1950? Chosen as the baseline because radiocarbon dating was developed in the…

In anthropology and archaeology, a boulder arrangement refers to a deliberate placement of large stones in patterned or structured layouts, often serving ritual, symbolic, or functional purposes. These arrangements are distinct from naturally occurring rock formations because they show intentional human design. 🌍 Definition Boulder Arrangement: A cultural feature created by positioning large stones in…

In anthropology and archaeology, bosing is a low‑tech geophysical method used to detect buried features such as pits, ditches, or chambers in areas with thin soil over solid bedrock (like chalk or limestone). It relies on differences in sound resonance when the ground is struck. 🌍 Definition Bosing: A simple archaeological prospection technique. Method: Place…