Avunculat

Avunkulat ( lat. Avunculus “maternal uncle”) is a tradition of special closeness between a man and his mother's brother, referring mainly to the period when the transition from the maternal to the paternal kind occurred.

The essence of the avunculus is that the nephew settled with the maternal uncle (in childhood or after marriage), was his heir (or joint heir), always used his advice, protection, etc. It is noted that kind , when the dominant men often became not husbands, and brothers of women, and plays a special role in the transition from the maternal to the father. In the latter case, the dominant position in the family and society is not assigned to the husbands, but to the brothers of the women. Later, the avunculus traces are often preserved as an understanding of the nephew’s closer connection with his maternal uncle and not his father. Avunkulat was known among the ancient peoples and today has a place among a number of peoples of Oceania , Africa and others ^{[1] [2]} .