nComparative ethnography has been long ignored, for a variety of
reasons. The diversity of societies across much of the
world is complemented by the existence of a large number of
elements of their culture which are similar across
wide areas. These range from material culture to abstract
ideas and symbols.
nThey change and evolve from one group to another in ways that
suggest;
n
–they may be of considerable antiquity
–they may be linked with linguistic groupings and known
demographic movements
–that observed changes may reflect some general processes
that can be identified