by Nick Somoski

Created on: January 29, 2011   Last Updated: January 31, 2011

An anthropological kinship chart (often called a kindred diagram) is a delineation used to trace family history and exhibit relationships and connections within a family. The use of a kinship classification system in anthropology is different than one used in biology by what is being presented: in biology, descent and mating are the main rationale, while in anthropology, descent and marriage are at the forefront.

Creating a kinship chart can be slightly difficult, but reading it can be downright confusing. Both the creator and the reader should have a solid idea of who everyone in the chart is and what their relationships are to the others. By having some background information, you can delve into more of the complex relationships within a family; this can also be made easy by knowing what each symbol in the chart represents.

These symbols are the generally-accepted symbols of kinship, used by anthropologists when creating even the most complex of charts. Whether a simple family tree or a trace of inter-kin or societal connections is being made, these symbols will make the job much easier.

It's best to first understand that "Ego" is the main person that the chart is being made for or based around. All further diagramming will be based around the Ego. Kinship charts do not have to include the Ego. Like a family tree, they can begin with the oldest ancestors or any other family member. If an Ego is being used, it should be clearly shown on the chart.

Both genders are represented by a different shape. A female person is designated by a circle, while a male person is represented by a triangle. If the gender is unknown, a square is used. Adoption is shown by drawing a smaller shape within the shape and coloring it in (for example, if the male in question was adopted, a smaller circle would be drawn within the original circle and colored in). If a person is deceased, a line is drawn through his/her shape.

Marriage is represented with an equal sign between each mate. Divorce is represented with a line drawn through the equal sign. An "about" sign (two squiggly lines, one on top of the other) is used to represent cohabitation (not marriage, but the closest thing to it). Solid lines illustrate descent. A vertical line depicts parentage; a horizontal line depicts a sibling bond. To represent a married couple with children, a line is drawn from the equal sign down to the horizontal line, branching off for each child.

Divorce and re-marriage can certainly

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